Ezekiel 44:10 kjv
And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.
Ezekiel 44:10 nkjv
"And the Levites who went far from Me, when Israel went astray, who strayed away from Me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity.
Ezekiel 44:10 niv
"?'The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin.
Ezekiel 44:10 esv
But the Levites who went far from me, going astray from me after their idols when Israel went astray, shall bear their punishment.
Ezekiel 44:10 nlt
And the men of the tribe of Levi who abandoned me when Israel strayed away from me to worship idols must bear the consequences of their unfaithfulness.
Ezekiel 44 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 44 | "the Levites who went far from me... when Israel went astray..." | Eze 44:10 (Stated in verse, defining who) |
| Ezekiel 44 | "...they shall bear their iniquity." | Eze 44:12 (Consequence reiterated) |
| Ezekiel 44 | "And they shall be as watchmen for them, to guard the house of my God." | Eze 44:11 (Their original rightful duty contrasted) |
| Ezekiel 44 | "But they shall not come near to me to minister to me..." | Eze 44:13 (Restriction from service) |
| Ezekiel 20 | "...turned to idols in their heart... will I be inquired of by them?" | Eze 20:3, 7, 8 (Sin of idolatry) |
| Exodus 20 | "You shall have no other gods before me." | Exo 20:3 (First commandment) |
| Deuteronomy 5 | "You shall have no other gods before me." | Deut 5:7 (Ten Commandments repeated) |
| Jeremiah 16 | "They do not mourn for them, or bury them... because they have destroyed their land..." | Jer 16:4, 5 (Consequences of national sin) |
| Isaiah 57 | "Whom have you consecrated against me?... they make their bread for me..." | Isa 57:6 (Serving other gods) |
| Hosea 4 | "My people consult their wooden block, and their staff informs them..." | Hos 4:12 (Idolatry practices) |
| Malachi 2 | "But you have profaned it... your sin is to us all." | Mal 2:16 (Questioning God's faithfulness due to sin) |
| 1 Corinthians 6 | "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived..." | 1 Cor 6:9, 10 (List of sins excluding from kingdom) |
| Hebrews 12 | "See that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no... bitter root..." | Heb 12:15 (Warning against defilement) |
| 1 Peter 2 | "Like living stones, be yourselves built into a spiritual house..." | 1 Pet 2:5 (New Testament role of believers) |
| Revelation 21 | "But outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers..." | Rev 21:8 (Those excluded from the New Jerusalem) |
| Leviticus 10 | "Now Nadab and Abihu... offered unauthorized fire before the Lord..." | Lev 10:1, 2 (A historical instance of judgment for unauthorized service) |
| Numbers 18 | "But the sons of Israel who offered them—those set aside..." | Num 18:3, 4 (Levites' role and boundaries) |
| Ezekiel 40 | "to show them the description of the house and its arrangements..." | Eze 40:4 (Context of detailed instructions for the new temple) |
| Ezekiel 45 | "and a portion for the priests... shall be set apart to the LORD." | Eze 45:4 (Designated portions for priests) |
| Song of Solomon 5 | "I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed him when he spoke..." | Sgs 5:6 (The feeling of rejection due to apostasy) |
| James 4 | "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands..." | Jas 4:8 (Conditions for drawing near to God) |
Ezekiel 44 verses
Ezekiel 44 10 Meaning
This verse describes the consequence for the Levites who defiled themselves with idols. They will not approach the consecrated offerings or the holy things. Instead, they will bear their shame and their abominations.
Ezekiel 44 10 Context
Ezekiel 44 addresses the ordinances and service concerning the millennial temple, focusing on the responsibilities and restrictions for priests and Levites. Following God's detailed architectural vision of the restored temple (Ezekiel 40-43), this chapter clarifies who is permitted to minister within its sacred precincts. The verse specifically addresses a group of Levites who, during Israel's past apostasy, followed idols and "went far" from God. Their previous defilement, specifically by bringing "foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh," into God's sanctuary, rendered them ineligible for priestly duties in the future restored order. This exclusion is presented as a consequence of their unfaithfulness and rebellion against God's commands concerning holiness and separation.
Ezekiel 44 10 Word Analysis
- and (Hebrew: וְ - ve) - A common conjunction, linking phrases or clauses, here connecting the description of the Levites to their impending consequence.
- the Levites (Hebrew: הַלְוִיִּם - hal·lǝ·wî·yîm) - Refers to the descendants of Levi, designated by God to assist the priests in tabernacle and temple service (Num 3:5-13). Their sacred role was conditional on obedience.
- who (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר - ’ă·šer) - A relative pronoun, introducing the specific group of Levites being addressed.
- went far (Hebrew: הִרְחִיקוּ - hir·ḥî·qû) - From the root רחק (raqaq), meaning to be distant, to put afar off. This signifies a spiritual and physical separation from God and His presence, a deliberate turning away.
- from me (Hebrew: מִמֶּנִּי - mim·mê·nî) - Emphasizes the personal nature of their sin. They estranged themselves from God Himself, not just His appointed place of worship.
- when (Hebrew: בְּהַזִּדֹּת - bə·haz·zi·dōt) - From the root זוד (zad), meaning to intend, purpose, or even to be insolent. It implies deliberate, willful action.
- Israel (Hebrew: יִשְׂרָאֵל - yis·rā·’ēl) - The collective nation, highlighting the period of national backsliding when idolatry was prevalent.
- went astray (Hebrew: תָּעָה - tā·‘â) - From the root תעה (ta'ah), meaning to wander, go astray, stray, err. It signifies a deviation from the path of obedience and truth.
- from me (Hebrew: מִמֶּנִּי - mim·mê·nî) - Again, stressing their disassociation from God's leadership and presence.
- they (Hebrew: הֵמָּה - hêm·mâ) - Pronoun referring back to the Levites.
- shall bear (Hebrew: יָסֹבּוּ - yā·sō·bū) - A form of the verb סבב (sabab), meaning to turn around, surround, carry, bear. Here it means to bear, to carry the burden of.
- their iniquity (Hebrew: עֲוֹנָם - ‘ā·wō·nām) - Refers to their guilt and the consequences of their sin. It carries a sense of perversity or wrongdoing.
- and (Hebrew: וְ - ve) - Conjunction.
- their abominations (Hebrew: וְתֹעֲבֹתָם - wə·tō·‘ă·bō·ṯām) - From the root תועבה (tô‘êbāh), meaning an abomination, an offensive thing. This refers specifically to the detestable practices associated with idolatry and foreign worship that defiled the land and the sanctuary.
Group Analysis:
- "the Levites who went far from me, when Israel went astray from me": This phrase clearly identifies the group by their historical deviation. It’s not about being geographically distant, but spiritually estranged due to the nation’s idolatry. This identifies a specific transgression during periods of national apostasy.
- "they shall bear their iniquity and their abominations": This clause connects their past actions directly to future consequences. "Iniquity" speaks to the guilt incurred, and "abominations" highlights the nature of the sins, particularly idolatry, which were most offensive to God. The burden they carry is the outcome of their sinful choices.
Ezekiel 44 10 Bonus Section
The concept of "going far from me" speaks to a progression of sin, often beginning with neglect and ending in outright rebellion. This echoes warnings found throughout Scripture about the dangers of spiritual drift. The specific reference to "abominations" highlights the deeply offensive nature of idolatry to God. It wasn't just another sin; it was a fundamental betrayal of the covenant relationship and a perversion of true worship. The fact that the Levites, who were specifically set apart for God's service, are called out for this sin underscores the greater accountability that comes with a closer walk with God. This passage also contrasts sharply with the inclusivity and cleansing offered through Christ in the New Covenant, where believers, regardless of their past, can draw near to God through faith in Him (Heb 10:19-22).
Ezekiel 44 10 Commentary
This verse outlines a solemn consequence for Levites who actively participated in or condid not oppose Israel's widespread idolatry. Their role was intrinsically tied to maintaining holiness and representing the people before God. By "going far" from God, both individually and as part of the national sin of straying into idolatry, they disqualified themselves from approaching His sanctuary. The language of "bearing their iniquity and their abominations" signifies that they will be held responsible for their specific guilt and the detestable practices they engaged in. This reflects God's strict standards for those in His service and the enduring impact of sin, especially sacrilege. In the context of the millennial temple, it sets a precedent for holiness within a restored order, excluding those whose past unfaithfulness demonstrated a lack of true devotion.