Ezekiel 44:1-6

Gate for the Prince

1 Then He brought me back by the way of the 1outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces the east; and it was shut.
2 The LORD said to me, "This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the 2LORD God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut.
3 "As for the 3prince, he shall sit in it as prince to 4eat bread before the LORD; he shall 5enter by way of the 6porch of the gate and shall go out by the same way."
4 Then He brought me by way of the 7north gate to the front of the house; and I looked, and behold, the 8glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD, and I 9fell on my face.
5 The LORD said to me, "Son of man, 10mark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears all that I say to you concerning all the 11statutes of the house of the LORD and concerning all its laws; and mark well the entrance of the house, with all exits of the sanctuary.
6 "You shall say to the 12rebellious ones, to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "13Enough of all your abominations, O house of Israel,

Ezekiel 44:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 44

This chapter treats of the eastern gate of the temple being appropriated to the use of the prince, Eze 44:1-3, of the sin of the Lord's people, in admitting strangers and unholy persons into the sanctuary, either to officiate or communicate there, Eze 44:4-9 of the degrading of the Levites, that went astray, assigning them inferior posts and service in the house of God, Eze 44:10-14 and of the establishment of the sons of Zadok in their ministry, who were faithful, Eze 44:15,16, then follow various laws relating to their garments; shaving of their heads; drinking wine; their marriage; performance of their ministerial work; their regard to the dead, and their food and maintenance, Eze 44:17-31.

Cross References 13

  • 1. Ezekiel 40:6, 17; Ezekiel 42:14
  • 2. Ezekiel 43:2-4
  • 3. Ezekiel 34:24; Ezekiel 37:25
  • 4. Genesis 31:54; Exodus 24:9-11
  • 5. Ezek 46:2, 8-10
  • 6. Ezekiel 40:9
  • 7. Ezekiel 40:20, 40
  • 8. Isaiah 6:3, 4; Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 3:23; Ezekiel 43:4, 5; Haggai 2:7
  • 9. Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 43:3
  • 10. Deuteronomy 32:46; Ezekiel 40:4
  • 11. Deuteronomy 12:32; Ezekiel 43:10, 11
  • 12. Ezekiel 2:5-7; Ezekiel 3:9
  • 13. Ezekiel 45:9; 1 Peter 4:3

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Lit "by his way"
  • [b]. Lit "set your heart on"
  • [c]. Lit "set your heart on"
  • [d]. Lit "rebellion"
  • [e]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
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