EZEKIEL, XL. PRELIMINARY NOTE ON Chapter S 40-48. These closing Chapter s of Ezekiel form one continuous prophecy of a distinctly marked character. They present a vision of the Temple in minute detail, with careful measurements of its parts; various ordinances for the Temple, for the Levites, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
XLIV. The altar being consecrated, the next thing is to provide for the purity of the worship of which it is the centre. The pollutions of former times had been largely introduced by the princes, and by the Levites and priests; and these classes are therefore treated of in this chapter. Only three v... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH ENTERED IN BY IT. — See Ezekiel 43:1. The thought is, that the gate which had been sanctified by such a manifestation of the Divine presence, should not afterwards be used for the ordinary purposes of the entrance of the people.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRINCE. — The Rabbis understood this to refer to the Messiah, and unquestionably the same person must be meant as by David in Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:24. This gives another and a conclusive reason for regarding the sacrificial worship of Ezekiel 46 as symbolical. TO EAT BREAD BEFORE THE LORD.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NORTH GATE. — The prophet is now carried to the north gate, and since this is described as “before the house” and was in full view of it, it must have been the gate of the inner court, the appointed place for the killing of the sacrifices, and therefore especially fitting for the announcement of... [ Continue Reading ]
STRANGERS, UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART. — The heathen living in Israel, or coining to worship at the Temple, were allowed, and even in some cases required, to offer sacrifices (Leviticus 17:10; Leviticus 17:12; Numbers 15:14; Numbers 15:26; Numbers 15:29). This seems also to have been recognised in Solom... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YOURSELVES. — Comp. 1 Kings 12:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL ENTER INTO MY SANCTUARY. — To guard against the evils of the past, the command is now given that none of the strangers described shall even enter the sanctuary; but our version gives a wrong impression of this prohibition by rendering, _“nor_ uncircumcised in flesh.” It should be, as in Ezekie... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LEVITES THAT ARE GONE AWAY. — The connection between this and the preceding verse is made clearer by translating the first words, “Yea, even;” not only the uncircumcised in heart among the heathen are to be excluded from the sanctuary, but even the Levites who had apostatised are to bear the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SONS OF ZADOK. — See Note on Ezekiel 40:46. They are here described as those who continued faithful in the general apostasy, and it is probable that Ezekiel uses the term in this sense. As Zadok had continued faithful in the rebellion of Adonijah, when even the high priest and life-long friend o... [ Continue Reading ]
CLOTHED WITH LINEN GARMENTS. — The rest of the chapter is occupied with directions for the clothing and conduct of the priests. The dress (Ezekiel 44:17) is the same as that prescribed in Lev. 28, only a few special points being mentioned partly for emphasis, and partly as recalling to mind the whol... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL PUT OFF THEIR GARMENTS. — The requirement that the priests shall wear their official dress only when engaged in official duty, putting it on when they entered the inner court, and putting it off when they went out, which is only implied in Exodus and Leviticus, is here expressly enjoined.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR LOCKS TO GROW LONG. — The law forbade the shaving of the head (Leviticus 21:5), but only condemned letting the hair grow long by implication, providing for it in the exceptional case of the vow of the Nazarite. The prohibition of Ezekiel 44:21 is given in Leviticus 10:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
A WIDOW THAT HAD A PRIEST BEFORE. — In regard both to marriage and to mourning (Ezekiel 44:25) the Levitical law made a broad distinction between the ordinary priest and the high priest. The former was only forbidden to marry a divorced woman (Leviticus 21:7), but was allowed to marry a widow; the l... [ Continue Reading ]
RECKON UNTO HIM SEVEN DAYS. — In Ezekiel 44:23, the general duties of the priests are prescribed in terms taken from the Mosaic law, and in Ezekiel 44:25 special instructions are given about the defilement from a dead body. These are in general an exact repetition of Leviticus 21:1; but, in accordan... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THEIR INHERITANCE. — This is a simple repetition of the frequent declarations in the law (Numbers 18:20; Deuteronomy 10:9; Deuteronomy 18:2); the priests were to be supported by the tithes given to God, and by their portion of the offerings made to Him. These are here summarily mentioned in Eze... [ Continue Reading ]
DEAD OF ITSELF, OR TORN. — Comp. Leviticus 22:8. The same law was binding upon all the Israelites. (Leviticus 17:15.) In the wilderness they were required to “cast it to the dogs” (Exodus 23:31); afterwards they might give it to a stranger or sell it to an alien. (Deuteronomy 14:21.)... [ Continue Reading ]