Ezekiel 44:15
New International Version
“’But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat and blood, declares the Sovereign LORD.

New Living Translation
“However, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok continued to minister faithfully in the Temple when Israel abandoned me for idols. These men will serve as my ministers. They will stand in my presence and offer the fat and blood of the sacrifices, says the Sovereign LORD.

English Standard Version
“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me. And they shall stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the Lord GOD.

Berean Standard Bible
But the Levitical priests, who are descended from Zadok and who kept charge of My sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, are to approach Me to minister before Me. They will stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood, declares the Lord GOD.

King James Bible
But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:

New King James Version
“But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord GOD.

New American Standard Bible
“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who took responsibility for My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to serve Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer Me the fat and the blood,” declares the Lord GOD.

NASB 1995
“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer Me the fat and the blood,” declares the Lord GOD.

NASB 1977
“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer Me the fat and the blood,” declares the Lord GOD.

Legacy Standard Bible
“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the responsibility of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to bring near to Me the fat and the blood,” declares Lord Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who performed the duty of My sanctuary when the children (descendants) of Israel went astray from Me, 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.

Christian Standard Bible
“But the Levitical priests descended from Zadok, who kept charge of my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, will approach me to serve me. They will stand before me to offer me fat and blood.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the Levitical priests descended from Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, will approach Me to serve Me. They will stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.”

American Standard Version
But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me; and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord Jehovah:

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Priests and the Levites, the sons of Tsadoq, who kept guard of my Holy Place when the sons of Israel went astray from me, they shall approach me to minister to me, and they shall stand before me and shall offer to me the fat and the blood, says THE LORD OF LORDS

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The priests the Levites, the sons of Sadduc, who kept the charges of my sanctuary when the house of Israel when astray from me, these shall draw night to me to minister to me, and shall stand before my face, to offer sacrifice to me, the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God.

Contemporary English Version
The priests of the Levi tribe who are descendants of Zadok the priest were faithful to me, even when the rest of the Israelites turned away. And so, these priests will continue to serve as my priests and to offer the fat and the blood of sacrifices.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But the priests, and Levites, the sons of Sadoc, who kept the ceremonies or 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 me the fat, and the blood, saith the Lord God.

English Revised Version
But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me; and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
" 'But the priests who are Levites and descendants of Zadok took care of my holy place when the Israelites wandered away from me. They may come near me and serve me, and they may stand in my presence. They may bring fat and blood to me, declares the Almighty LORD.

Good News Translation
The Sovereign LORD said, "Those priests belonging to the tribe of Levi who are descended from Zadok, however, continued to serve me faithfully in the Temple when the rest of the people of Israel turned away from me. So now they are the ones who are to serve me and come into my presence to offer me the fat and the blood of the sacrifices.

International Standard Version
"The descendants of Zadok, Levitical priests who took care of my sanctuary when the Israelis wandered away from me, are to come near me to minister to me. They are to stand before me to offer the fat and the blood to me," declares the Lord GOD.

JPS Tanakh 1917
But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister unto Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer unto Me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD;

Literal Standard Version
And the priests, the Levites, sons of Zadok, who have kept the charge of My sanctuary in the wandering of the sons of Israel from off Me, they draw near to Me to serve Me, and have stood before Me, to bring fat and blood near to Me—a declaration of Lord YHWH:

Majority Standard Bible
But the Levitical priests, who are descended from Zadok and who kept charge of My sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, are to approach Me to minister before Me. They will stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood, declares the Lord GOD.

New American Bible
As for the levitical priests, sons of Zadok, who took charge of my sanctuary when the Israelites strayed from me, they may approach me to serve me and stand before me to offer the fat and the blood—oracle of the Lord GOD.

NET Bible
"'But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, will approach me to minister to me; they will stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the sovereign LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
But the levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me; and they shall attend me to offer me the fat and the blood, says the Lord GOD.

New Heart English Bible
"'But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who performed the duty 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, says the Lord GOD:

Webster's Bible Translation
But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that 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, saith the Lord GOD:

World English Bible
“‘“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who performed the duty of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me. They shall stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord Yahweh.

Young's Literal Translation
'And the priests, the Levites, sons of Zadok, who have kept the charge of My sanctuary in the wandering of the sons of Israel from off Me, they draw near unto Me to serve Me, and have stood before Me, to bring near to Me fat and blood -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Duties of the Priests
15But the Levitical priests, who are descended from Zadok and who kept charge of My sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, are to approach Me to minister before Me. They will stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood, declares the Lord GOD. 16They alone shall enter My sanctuary and draw near to My table to minister before Me. They will keep My charge.…

Cross References
Leviticus 3:16
Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD's.

Leviticus 3:17
This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood."

Leviticus 17:5
For this reason the Israelites will bring to the LORD the sacrifices they have been offering in the open fields. They are to bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and offer them as sacrifices of peace to the LORD.

Leviticus 17:6
The priest will then sprinkle the blood on the altar of the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Numbers 18:7
But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death."

Jeremiah 33:18
nor will the priests who are Levites ever fail to have a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to present sacrifices."

Ezekiel 14:11
in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.'"


Treasury of Scripture

But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that 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, said the Lord GOD:

the sons

Ezekiel 40:46
And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.

Ezekiel 43:19
And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord GOD, a young bullock for a sin offering.

Ezekiel 48:11
It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

when

Ezekiel 44:10
And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.

they shall stand

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

Zechariah 3:1-7
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him…

the fat

Ezekiel 44:7
In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.

Leviticus 3:16,17
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD'S…

the blood

Leviticus 17:5,6
To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD…

Jump to Previous
Astray Blood Charge Children Duty Fat Israel Kept Levites Minister Offer Performed Priests Sanctuary Stand Zadok
Jump to Next
Astray Blood Charge Children Duty Fat Israel Kept Levites Minister Offer Performed Priests Sanctuary Stand Zadok
Ezekiel 44
1. The east gate assigned only to the prince
4. The priests reproved for polluting the sanctuary
9. Idolaters incapable of the priests office
15. The sons of Zadok are accepted thereto
17. Ordinances for the priests














(15) The sons of Zadok.--See Note on Ezekiel 40:46. They are here described as those who continued faithful in the general apostasy, and it is probable that Ezekiel uses the term in this sense. As Zadok had continued faithful in the rebellion of Adonijah, when even the high priest and life-long friend of David went astray (1Kings 1:7-8), so all the faithful priests in the time of apostasy were called "sons of Zadok."

Verses 15, 16. - The ordinance for the priests. That Ezekiel derived the phrase, the priests the Levites, from Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 17:9; 18:1; 24:8; 27:9) may be granted without admitting that the Levites were all priests, or that the phrase had other import than that the priests were, as the Deuteronomist says, "sons of Levi" (Deuteronomy 21:5; 31:9). The priesthood, at its institution, having been entrusted to Aaron and his sons (Exodus 27:20, 21; Exodus 28:1-4; Exodus 29:9, 44; Numbers 3:10; Numbers 16:40; Numbers 18:7; Numbers 25:13), on Aaron's death the high priesthood passed into the hands of Eleazar, his eldest (living) son (Numbers 20:26-28), and after Eleazar's death into those of Phinehas, his eldest son (Numbers 25:11-13). In the last days of the judges, when the ark and tabernacle stood at Shiloh, the high priesthood belonged to Eli, of the line of Ithamar (comp. 1 Samuel 14:3 and 1 Sam 22:20 with 1 Chronicles 24:3), in which line it continued till the reign of David, when it was held conjointly by Abiathar (called also Ahimelech) of the line of Ithamar, and Zadok of the line of Eleazar (2 Samuel 8:17; 2 Samuel 20:25; 1 Kings 4:4). This arrangement, however, Solomon eventually overturned, by deposing the former for espousing Adonijah's pretensions to the throne (1 Kings 1:7; 1 Kings 2:26), and from that time forward till the exile the high priesthood remained with Zadok and his sons (1 Kings 2:35; 1 Chronicles 29:22). When, therefore, it is announced to Ezekiel that his vision-sanctuary should have as priests the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of Jehovah's sanctuary, when the children of Israel went astray from him; the first question that arises is - To what does this allude? Kliefoth holds it cannot mean that, while Israel as a whole declined into idolatry, the Zadokite priests remained faithful to the worship of Jehovah, because the vision of Judah's idolatries granted to the prophet, in Ezekiel 8:16, revealed quite clearly that the priesthood was as much caught in the national apostasy as were the princes or the people. Nor is the language of the text perfectly satisfied by the view of Havernick, Keil, Delitzsch, and others, that it goes beck to Zadok's fidelity to the throne of David at the time of Absalom's rebellion (2 Samuel 15:24-29), a fidelity exhibited also by Abiathar, or to his adherence to Solomon in preference to Adonijah (1 Kings 1:8, 39), this time without Abiathar's concurrence, rather in the face of his opposition. In neither of these instances was Zadok's fidelity specially directed towards Jehovah's sanctuary, but concerned expressly and exclusively David's throne. Hence the commendation of the Zadokites' fidelity can only signify that, while the priesthood as a body were corrupt like the people, there were among them, as among the people, some who, like Ezekiel, continued steadfast to Jehovah's sanctuary; that these faithful few were Zadokites (see Ezekiel 48:11), and that to these should be entrusted the priesthood in the new sanctuary. But, at this point, a second question starts - Was it intended to declare that the new priesthood should be Zadokites in body, i.e. in respect of lineal descent, or only in soul, i.e. in respect of moral and religious excellence? The former is contended by Kuenen, Wellhausen, Smend, and others, who see in the vision-sanctuary a plan of the second, or post-exilic, temple, and in its ordinances a program for the establishment of the Levitical hierarchy; but this contention shatters itself on the fact that no proof exists either that the second temple was constructed after Ezekiel's as a model, or that those who served in it were exclusively flesh and blood Zadokites. The latter opinion, favored by Kliefoth, appears the more correct, that moral and spiritual resemblance to the sons of Zadok should form the first qualification for the priesthood in this ideal sanctuary of the future (see note at the end of Ezekiel 48.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But the Levitical
הַלְוִיִּ֜ם (hal·wî·yim)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi

priests,
וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים (wə·hak·kō·hă·nîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3548: Priest

who are descended
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

from Zadok
צָד֗וֹק (ṣā·ḏō·wq)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6659: Zadok -- the name of several Israelites

and who
אֲשֶׁ֨ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

kept
שָׁמְר֜וּ (šā·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

charge
מִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת (miš·me·reṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4931: A guard, watch, charge, function

of My sanctuary
מִקְדָּשִׁי֙ (miq·dā·šî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4720: A consecrated thing, place, a palace, sanctuary, asylum

when the Israelites
בְּנֵֽי־ (bə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

went astray
בִּתְע֤וֹת (biṯ·‘ō·wṯ)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8582: To vacillate, reel, stray

from Me,
מֵֽעָלַ֔י (mê·‘ā·lay)
Preposition-m | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

are to approach
יִקְרְב֥וּ (yiq·rə·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

Me
אֵלַ֖י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

to minister before Me.
לְשָֽׁרְתֵ֑נִי (lə·šā·rə·ṯê·nî)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8334: To attend as a, menial, worshipper, to contribute to

They will stand
וְעָמְד֣וּ (wə·‘ā·mə·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

before Me
לְפָנַ֗י (lə·p̄ā·nay)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 6440: The face

to offer
לְהַקְרִ֥יב (lə·haq·rîḇ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

Me
לִי֙ (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

fat
חֵ֣לֶב (ḥê·leḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2459: Fat, richest, choice part

and blood,
וָדָ֔ם (wā·ḏām)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed

declares
נְאֻ֖ם (nə·’um)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5002: An oracle

the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֥י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

GOD.
יְהוִֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH


Links
Ezekiel 44:15 NIV
Ezekiel 44:15 NLT
Ezekiel 44:15 ESV
Ezekiel 44:15 NASB
Ezekiel 44:15 KJV

Ezekiel 44:15 BibleApps.com
Ezekiel 44:15 Biblia Paralela
Ezekiel 44:15 Chinese Bible
Ezekiel 44:15 French Bible
Ezekiel 44:15 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Ezekiel 44:15 But the priests the Levites the sons (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 44:14
Top of Page
Top of Page