Ezekiel 44:1-5

The Prince's Privilege

1 The man then brought me back toward the sanctuary's outer gate that faced east, and it was closed.

2 The Lord said to me: "This gate will remain closed. It will not be opened, and no one will enter through it, because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it.^[a] Therefore it will remain closed.

3 The prince himself will sit in the gateway to eat a meal before the Lord. He must enter by way of the portico of the gate and go out the same way."

4 Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked, and the glory of the Lord filled His temple.^[b] And I fell facedown.^[c]

5 The Lord said to me: "Son of man, pay attention; look with your eyes and listen with your ears to everything I tell you about all the statutes and laws of the Lord's temple.^[d] Take careful note of the entrance of the temple along with all the exits of the sanctuary.^[e]

Ezekiel 44:1-5 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Ezk 43:2-4
• [b] Ezk 43:2; Isa 6:3
• [c] Ezk 1:28; 43:3
• [d] Ezk 43:12
• [e] Ezk 43:11