Ezekiel 44:5 kjv
And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary.
Ezekiel 44:5 nkjv
And the LORD said to me, "Son of man, mark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears, all that I say to you concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD and all its laws. Mark well who may enter the house and all who go out from the sanctuary.
Ezekiel 44:5 niv
The LORD said to me, "Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the LORD. Give attention to the entrance to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary.
Ezekiel 44:5 esv
And the LORD said to me, "Son of man, mark well, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I shall tell you concerning all the statutes of the temple of the LORD and all its laws. And mark well the entrance to the temple and all the exits from the sanctuary.
Ezekiel 44:5 nlt
And the LORD said to me, "Son of man, take careful notice. Use your eyes and ears, and listen to everything I tell you about the regulations concerning the LORD's Temple. Take careful note of the procedures for using the Temple's entrances and exits.
Ezekiel 44 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 44:15 | "But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister to me, and they shall stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood, declares the Lord GOD." | Specifies their priestly qualification |
| Exodus 29:37 | "You shall atone for the(the tabernacle) | Highlights the atonement through sacrifice |
| Leviticus 8:12 | "Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him." | Mentions the consecration of priests |
| Leviticus 21:17 | "Speak to Aaron, saying, 'None of your seed throughout their generations who has any blemish from drawing near to offer the bread of his God.'" | Sets qualifications for priests |
| Isaiah 6:6-7 | "Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs. And he touched my mouth with it and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.'" | Symbolizes purification for service |
| Hebrews 10:19 | "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus," | New Covenant access to God's presence |
| 1 Peter 2:5 | "you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." | Believers as a holy priesthood |
| Revelation 1:6 | "and his kingdom to him, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." | The priestly role of believers |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." | Jesus, the ultimate mediator |
| Romans 12:1 | "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." | Presenting ourselves as sacrifices |
| Psalm 132:13 | "For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place:" | God's dwelling place |
| Exodus 30:7-8 | "Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it." | Daily incense offering |
| Leviticus 16:3 | "But into the innermost part of the tabernacle shall Aaron go in within the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony, once within the year; and he shall bring blood with him and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before it." | High priest's unique access |
| Nehemiah 13:29 | "And I contended with them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, 'You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.'" | Maintaining the sanctity of the lineage |
| Numbers 18:7 | "But you and your sons with you shall guard your priestly duties for everything that pertains to the altar and to that within the veil, in the service that you are to perform. I give you your priestly service as a gift, and the outsider who comes near shall be put to death!" | Divine commission and restriction |
| Matthew 12:5-6 | "Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath, when they break the law in the temple, they are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless." | Jesus contrasts ritual with mercy |
| Acts 20:28 | "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." | The church bought by Christ's blood |
| 1 Corinthians 3:16 | "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" | Believers as temples of the Spirit |
| 2 Corinthians 6:16 | "What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, 'I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.'" | God dwelling among His people |
| Revelation 21:22 | "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb." | The ultimate temple is God and Christ |
Ezekiel 44 verses
Ezekiel 44 5 Meaning
This verse outlines a perpetual ordinance concerning the sons of Zadok, who remained faithful within the sanctuary. They are designated to enter the Lord's presence to offer the fat and the blood of sacrifices. Their role is restricted to serving within the inner court.
Ezekiel 44 5 Context
Ezekiel chapter 44 is part of the prophetic visions given to Ezekiel concerning the future restoration of the temple and its worship. Following descriptions of the new temple's structure and its guarding, this verse specifically addresses the role of the priests. The historical context involves the Babylonian exile, a period of divine judgment for Israel's unfaithfulness. In this future-oriented prophecy, the adherence to specific priestly duties and restrictions signifies a renewed and perfect order of worship. The faithfulness of the sons of Zadok during the apostasy of Israel is the basis for their elevated privilege in the restored sanctuary.
Ezekiel 44 5 Word Analysis
- “And”: Conjunction indicating continuation of thought from previous verses.
- “he said”: Continues the communication from God.
- “unto me”: Direct address from God to Ezekiel.
- “Thus”: Indicates manner or way, introducing instructions.
- “says”: Present tense verb, indicating a current declaration from God.
- “the LORD”: God’s personal name, YHWH, emphasizing His authority and covenant relationship.
- “These”: Refers to the preceding description of priests or individuals to be appointed.
- “sons”: Offspring, lineage.
- “of Zadok”: Identifies a specific priestly lineage descended from Zadok, appointed by David.
- “shall”: Indicates future certainty and divine command.
- “come near”: To approach, draw close.
- “to me”: Direct physical proximity and service to God.
- “to minister”: To serve, perform duties.
- “unto me”: For God's benefit and glory.
- “And”: Conjunction.
- “they”: Refers to the sons of Zadok.
- “shall”: Indicates certainty.
- “stand”: To take a position, to serve in a designated place.
- “before”: In the presence of, facing.
- “me”: God.
- “to offer”: To present as sacrifice or offering.
- “unto me”: For God.
- “the fat”: Refers to the specific portions of the animal sacrifices designated for God, signifying the best part.
- “and”: Conjunction.
- “the blood”: Represents the life force, also critical in sacrificial rites for atonement.
- “of”: Possessive.
- “the”: Definite article.
- “most”: Adverb.
- “holy”: Sanctified, set apart for divine purposes.
- “things”: Objects, items.
- “declares”: To make known, pronounce.
- “the Lord”: God.
- “GOD”: Hebrew: Elohim, a plural noun for God, emphasizing majesty and power.
Group analysis:
- "sons of Zadok... shall come near to me to minister... they shall stand before me to offer... the fat and the blood of the most holy things": This phrase delineates the exclusive right of Zadok’s lineage to perform specific, highly sacred priestly functions within the inner sanctuary, involving the presentation of vital sacrificial components. This highlights divine appointment and a restricted, holy service focused on the atonement and presentation of the "best" (fat) and "life" (blood) to God. The "most holy things" points to the most sacred offerings, handled only by the most consecrated priests.
Ezekiel 44 5 Bonus Section
This passage can be understood in a typological sense. The sons of Zadok, in their faithful service and offering, foreshadow Christ as the ultimate High Priest. Jesus, who is holy, harmless, and undefiled, has entered the true Holy of Holies (heaven itself) through his own blood, obtaining eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:12, 24). Believers, now through Christ, become a spiritual priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God (1 Peter 2:5). While the physical temple and its specific priestly roles are significant in their historical context and prophetic symbolism, the ultimate fulfillment of this concept of drawing near to God and offering is realized in the person and work of Jesus Christ and in the new spiritual temple, which is the Church. The emphasis on "fat and blood" highlights that true worship involves sacrifice and the offering of the very best, which is what believers are called to do in their consecrated lives.
Ezekiel 44 5 Commentary
The faithfulness of the sons of Zadok, demonstrated by their steadfastness to God's sanctuary when others strayed, is the key to their future priestly service. This verse reinforces the sanctity of the priesthood and the importance of lineage in executing divine ordinances under the Old Covenant. Their service is to draw near to God, standing in His presence to offer the essential components of sacrifice: the fat, symbolizing the best part offered to God, and the blood, essential for atonement and life. This exclusive privilege in the innermost holy places underscores the solemnity and the holiness required for direct divine service. The mention of the "most holy things" points to the inherent sanctity of the items and the rituals involved, requiring specific consecration.