Ezekiel 44:1-13 ▼

1 After this, he brought me againe to the outward gate of the sanctuarie on the east side, and that was shut.

2 Then saide the lorde vnto me: This gate shalbe still shut and not opened, neither shall any man go through it: for the Lorde God of Israel hath entred by it, and it shalbe shut.

3 It is for the prince, the prince him selfe shal sit in it to eate bread before the lord: he shal enter by the way of the porche of that gate, and shal go out by the way of the same.

4 Then brought he me toward the north gate before the house: and as I loked, beholde the glory of the Lorde filled the house of the Lorde, and I fell vpon my face.

5 So the Lorde spake vnto me: O thou sonne of man, set thyne heart, and beholde with thyne eyes, and heare with thyne eares al that I say vnto thee concerning all the ordinaunces of the house of the Lorde, and all the lawes thereof, and marke well the entring in of the house, with euery going foorth of the sanctuarie.

6 And thou shalt say to the rebellious euen to the house of Israel, thus saith the Lorde God: O house of Israel, ye haue inough of al your abhominations.

7 Seeing ye haue brought into my sanctuary straungers hauing vncircumcized heartes and vncircumcized fleshe, to be in my sanctuarie to pollute my house, when ye offer my bread, fat, and blood, and they haue broken my couenaunt because of all your abhominations:

8 And ye haue not kept the ordinaunces of my holy thinges, and ye haue set kepers to kepe my sanctuarie for you.

9 Therefore thus saith the Lorde God: Of al the straungers that dwell among the children of Israel, no straunger vncircumcized in heart, nor vncircumcized in fleshe, shall enter into my sanctuarie.

10 But the Leuites that went backe from me when Israel went astraye, which strayed from me after their idols, shal beare their iniquitie:

11 And they shalbe ministers in my sanctuary, and kepe the gates of the house, and minister in the house: they shall slay the burnt offeringes, and the sacrifice for the people, and they shal stand before them to serue them.

12 Because they serued before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquitie: therefore haue I lift vp my hande against them, saith the Lorde God, and they shal beare their iniquitie.

13 And they shall not come neare vnto me to do the office of a prieste vnto me, neither shall they come neare vnto any of myne holy thinges in the most holy place: but they shall beare their owne shame and abhominations which they haue done.