Ezekiel 44:8

8 And you did not observe the responsibility of my sanctuary, but you appointed [them] as the keepers of my responsibility in my sanctuary for you."

Ezekiel 44:8 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 44:8

And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things
That is, have not kept and retained the holy doctrines of the Gospel; nor observed the holy ordinances of it, as they were first delivered: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves;
meaning either, that such as were in public office did not attend to it; but were idol shepherds, and left the flock, their care and charge, to others, to surrogates and curates, to do their work for them; while they indulged themselves in sloth and idleness: or that the members and hearers set up preachers for themselves, according to their lusts, agreeable to their own carnal sentiments, without any regard to the will and glory of God.

Ezekiel 44:8 In-Context

6 And you must say to [the] rebellious, to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Enough for you, house of Israel, of all of your detestable things!

7 At your bringing {foreigners} [who are] uncircumcised of heart and uncircumcised of flesh to be in my sanctuary to profane it, my temple, {as you offered my food, fat, and blood}, so you broke my covenant by all of your detestable things.

8 And you did not observe the responsibility of my sanctuary, but you appointed [them] as the keepers of my responsibility in my sanctuary for you."

9 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Every {foreigner} uncircumcised of heart and uncircumcised of flesh shall not come into my sanctuary--[not] any of [the] {foreigners} who [are] in the midst of the {Israelites}.

10 {But} the Levites who removed themselves from me {at the going astray of Israel}, who went astray from me [and went] after their idols, as a result they will bear their guilt.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "and"
• [b]. That is, foreigners