Ezekiel 44:28

28 “ ‘I am to be the only inheritance the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession.

Ezekiel 44:28 in Other Translations

KJV
28 And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession.
ESV
28 "This shall be their inheritance: I am their inheritance: and you shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession.
NLT
28 “The priests will not have any property or possession of land, for I alone am their special possession.
MSG
28 "As to priests owning land, I am their inheritance. Don't give any land in Israel to them. I am their 'land,' their inheritance.
CSB
28 "This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession.

Ezekiel 44:28 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 44:28

And it shall be unto them for an inheritance
Either the sin offering, or the priesthood, and the perquisites belonging to it: or, they shall have an inheritance
F18; but what shall it be? God himself: I am their inheritance;
the Lord is the portion and inheritance of his people, who are made priests unto him, whether in a private or public capacity; they are heirs of God, he is their portion in the land of the living, and forever: God in all his perfections is theirs; and though incommunicable, they have the use and advantage of them, so far as they are capable and stand in need of them; as his eternity, immutability, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, grace, mercy, goodness, truth, and faithfulness: he is theirs in all his persons; God the Father is their covenant God and Father; the Son of God is their Head and Husband, their Saviour and Redeemer, Mediator and Peacemaker, their Prophet, Priest, and King; his blood, righteousness, sacrifice, and faithfulness, theirs, and even all that he is and has: the Spirit of God is their convincer and enlightener, their quickener and sanctifier; their Comforter, and the Spirit of adoption to them, the seal and earnest of their future glory; and God under every character is theirs, as the God of nature and providence, and as the God of all grace; and this is an inheritance rich and large, a soul satisfying portion, an inconceivable and an inexhaustible one. And ye shall give them no possession in Israel;
so the priests and Levites had none under the law, but were provided for in another way, ( Numbers 18:20 Numbers 18:21 ) ( Deuteronomy 18:1 Deuteronomy 18:2 ) ( Joshua 13:14 ) , the Lord's people and priests, under the Gospel dispensation, for the most part are the poor of this world, who have no share in the possessions of it; their good things are not here, but in the world to come, and in God himself: "I am their possession"; the Lord is enjoyed by them now; his love is shed abroad in their hearts; they have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, and communion with the Holy Ghost; and which is infinitely better than all the possessions of this world; and besides, provision is made for their outward maintenance, as follows:


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (hlxnl Mhl htyhw) "habebunt etiam hereditarium aliquid", Tigurine version.

Ezekiel 44:28 In-Context

26 After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days.
27 On the day he goes into the inner court of the sanctuary to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer a sin offering for himself, declares the Sovereign LORD.
28 “ ‘I am to be the only inheritance the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession.
29 They will eat the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings; and everything in Israel devoted to the LORD will belong to them.
30 The best of all the firstfruits and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Numbers 18:20; Deuteronomy 10:9; Deuteronomy 18:1-2; S Joshua 13:33
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