Ezekiel 44:12 kjv
Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity.
Ezekiel 44:12 nkjv
Because they ministered to them before their idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity, therefore I have raised My hand in an oath against them," says the Lord GOD, "that they shall bear their iniquity.
Ezekiel 44:12 niv
But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel 44:12 esv
Because they ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have sworn concerning them, declares the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their punishment.
Ezekiel 44:12 nlt
But they encouraged my people to worship idols, causing Israel to fall into deep sin. So I have taken a solemn oath that they must bear the consequences for their sins, says the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel 44 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 28:40 | "And they shall make linen breeches to cover their nakedness..." | Priest's proper attire |
| Exod 35:17-19 | "and the vestments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons..." | Sacred priestly garments |
| Lev 10:1-2 | "...offered unauthorized fire before the Lord... and fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them..." | Consequence of disobedience |
| Lev 16:4, 23 | "He shall put on the holy linen coat and have the linen breeches on his body..." | High Priest's Yom Kippur attire |
| Isa 61:6, 10 | "You shall be called the priests of the Lord... He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness..." | Righteousness as priestly garb |
| 1 Cor 6:19-20 | "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit...? ...you are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." | Believer as temple/priest |
| 1 Pet 2:5, 9 | "...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood..." | Spiritual priesthood |
| Rev 7:9, 14 | "...a great multitude... standing before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes..." | Heavenly white robes |
| Rev 19:8 | "She was allowed to make bright her fine linen, gave her to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints." | Righteous deeds as linen |
| Deut 18:3 | "This shall be the contribution of the Levites... they shall give them as their due." | Levites' portion |
| Zech 3:3-4 | "Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those attending him, 'Take off his filthy clothes.' Then he said to Joshua, 'See, I have taken away your sin... I will put fine robes on you.'" | Cleansing and new robes |
| Num 3:21-22 | "Of Gershon was the clan of the Libnites and the clan of Shimites; these are the clans of Gershon." | Gershonites |
| Num 3:27 | "Of Kohath was the clan of the Amramites and the clan of the Izharites and the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of Kohath." | Kohathites |
| Num 3:33 | "And the chief of the fathers' houses of Merari was Kish the son of Abihail." | Merarites |
| Num 4:32 | "The chiefs of the fathers' houses of the clans of Merari were responsible for the...'" | Merarites' responsibilities |
| Ezra 10:3 | "And they covenanted with God to put away their wives and to bear children by them..." | Covenant renewal |
| Jer 23:29 | "Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" | Word as powerful |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." | The Word incarnate |
| Phil 2:8 | "...and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." | Obedience unto death |
| Heb 4:14-16 | "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God..." | Jesus as High Priest |
| Heb 9:11-14 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come..." | Christ's perfect ministry |
| 1 Tim 4:12 | "Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." | Example for believers |
| Titus 2:7-8 | "Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good deeds, and in your teaching show integrity, reverence, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned..." | Qualities of leaders |
Ezekiel 44 verses
Ezekiel 44 12 Meaning
This verse describes the prohibition for priests concerning their attire when ministering within the sanctuary and at the altar. They were not to wear linen garments.
Ezekiel 44 12 Context
Ezekiel chapter 44 continues the prophet's vision of a restored temple in Jerusalem. After detailing the sanctuary's construction, entry restrictions, and the roles of the sons of Zadok, this chapter addresses the regulations for the Levitical service and the proper conduct of the priests. Verse 12 specifically outlines restrictions on the priestly garments to maintain the sanctity and holiness of their service within the inner courts. This emphasizes the solemnity and divine ordering of worship in the renewed Israel.
Ezekiel 44 12 Word Analysis
"And when they go into the inner court..."
- "And" (Hebrew: וָאֶל - wa'el): A conjunction, linking this regulation to previous ones and establishing a sequential or additional command.
- "when" (Hebrew: בְּבוֹא - b'vo'): Lit. "in their coming." Indicates a conditional action, applying specifically to the moment of entering.
- "they" (Hebrew: הֵמָּה - hemmah): Refers back to the priests previously identified, specifically the "sons of Zadok."
- "go into" (Hebrew: בֹּא - bo'): To enter, come in. Implies transitioning from an outer area to a more restricted, holy space.
- "the inner court" (Hebrew: הַמַּחֲצָה הַפְּנִימִית - ha-machatseh ha-p'nimith): Denotes the court closer to the sanctuary itself, the holy of holies. This emphasizes a gradation of holiness within the temple complex.
"...they shall put off their garments wherewith they ministered..."
- "they shall put off" (Hebrew: יָסִירוּ - yasirū): Lit. "they shall remove." A command for a specific action.
- "their garments" (Hebrew: בִּגְדֵיהֶם - bigdēhem): Refers to their official priestly vestments.
- "wherewith" (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר - asher): A relative pronoun, indicating the purpose or identity of the garments.
- "they ministered" (Hebrew: שָׁרָתוּ - sharātū): Past tense of "to serve." Indicates the garments used in their ministerial duties. This implies a need to change garments when moving from the less holy to the more holy precincts, or when concluding their service in the outer areas.
"...and shall put on other garments;"
- "and shall put on" (Hebrew: וּלְבָשׁוּ - ulvashū): Connects this action to the previous one as a direct consequence.
- "other garments" (Hebrew: בְּגָדִים אֲחֵרִים - b'gadim acherim): Implies a prescribed set of garments suitable for the inner court, distinct from those worn in outer service.
"...and they shall not minister in their garments."
- "and they shall not minister" (Hebrew: וְלֹא יְשָׁרְתוּ - velo y'sharērtū): A strong prohibition against continuing service in the designated garments.
- "in their garments" (Hebrew: בִּגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ - bigdē qōdhesh): Specifies "holy garments" or "garments of holiness." This could refer to the very garments used for outer ministry or even common garments not fit for the inner sanctuary. The original Hebrew might implicitly contrast them with the garments specifically designated for the inner court or the holy of holies, or simply indicate a change to prevent the mixing of sanctity from different service areas. Later context in Ezekiel 44:17 clarifies they must be "linen garments." This creates an apparent contradiction, but scholarly interpretation suggests "linen garments" refers to specific types of priestly attire meant for sanctuary service, and the prohibition here might relate to garments soiled from outside service or not specifically designed for the innermost holy areas. The later verse clarifies: "They shall wear linen garments; no wool shall they wear when they minister within the gates of the inner court or on the pavement." Thus, the prohibition here against "their garments" wherewith they ministered likely refers to garments used in less holy areas, or woolen garments which are specifically disallowed within the inner court for their ministry.
Ezekiel 44 12 Bonus Section
The regulation against wearing wool in the inner court (mentioned later in Ezekiel 44:17) is significant. Wool was commonly used for priestly garments but is associated with animal sacrifice and earthliness. Linen, on the other hand, is derived from flax, a plant, and is often symbolic of purity, light, and heavenly perfection, aligning with the spiritual nature of God's presence and the purified service expected in His house. This contrast in materials points to the divine standards for approaching God, which go beyond mere obedience to include specific choices that reflect purity and the divine nature.
Ezekiel 44 12 Commentary
This verse establishes a critical distinction in priestly attire based on the holiness of the specific area within the temple. The command to change garments before entering the inner court underscores the reverence due to the sanctuary itself. It prevents contamination of holiness by moving from a less sacred space to a more sacred one without appropriate sanctification, manifested here by a change of garments. The prohibition against ministering "in their garments" (wherewith they ministered) implies that the garments used in service elsewhere might be inappropriate or even consecrated to a lesser degree for the inner sanctum. The subsequent clarification about wearing linen garments highlights the specific type of holiness required for proximity to God's presence. This rule emphasizes purity, separation, and the careful observance of God's commands regarding worship, ensuring that every action within His dwelling place is conducted with utmost respect and order.