Ezéchiel (NAB) 37
37 1 The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he led me out in the spirit of the LORD and set me in the center of the plain, which was now filled with bones. 2 He made me walk among them in every direction so that I saw how many they were on the surface of the plain. How dry they were!3 He asked me: Son of man, can these bones come to life? "Lord GOD," I answered, "you alone know that."4 Then he said to me: Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life.6 I will put sinews upon you, make flesh grow over you, cover you with skin, and put spirit in you so that you may come to life and know that I am the LORD.7 I prophesied as I had been told, and even as I was prophesying I heard a noise; it was a rattling as the bones came together, bone joining bone.8 I saw the sinews and the flesh come upon them, and the skin cover them, but there was no spirit in them.9 Then he said to me: Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man, and say to the spirit: Thus says the Lord GOD: From the four winds come, O spirit, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life.10 I prophesied as he told me, and the spirit came into them; they came alive and stood upright, a vast army.11 Then he said to me: Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They have been saying, "Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off."12 Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel.13 Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people!14 I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.
15 Thus the word of the LORD came to me: 16 Now, son of man, take a single stick, and write on it: Judah and those Israelites who are associated with him. Then take another stick and write on it: Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.17 Then join the two sticks together, so that they form one stick in your hand.18 When your countrymen ask you, "Will you not tell us what you mean by all this?",19 answer them: Thus says the Lord GOD: (I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and of the tribes of Israel associated with him, and I will join to it the stick of Judah, making them a single stick; they shall be one in my hand.20 The sticks on which you write you shall hold up before them to see.21 Tell them: Thus speaks the Lord GOD:) I will take the Israelites from among the nations to which they have come, and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.22 I will make them one nation upon the land, in the mountains of Israel, and there shall be one prince for them all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.23 No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols, their abominations, and all their transgressions. I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy, and cleanse them so that they may be my people and I may be their God.24 My servant David shall be prince over them, and there shall be one shepherd for them all; they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees.25 They shall live on the land which I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where their fathers lived; they shall live on it forever, they, and their children, and their children's children, with my servant David their prince forever.26 I will make with them a covenant of peace; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.27 My dwelling shall be with them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.28 Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD, who make Israel holy, when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.
38 1 Thus the word of the LORD came to me: 2 Son of man, turn toward Gog (the land of Magog), the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him: 3 Thus says the Lord GOD: See! I am coming at you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.4 I will lead you forth with all your army, horses and riders all handsomely outfitted, a great horde with bucklers and shields, all of them carrying swords:5 Persia, Cush, and Put with them (all with shields and helmets),6 Gomer with all its troops, Beth-togarmah from the recesses of the north with all its troops, many peoples with you.7 Prepare yourself, be ready, you and all your horde assembled about you, and be at my disposal.8 After many days you will be mustered (in the last years you will come) against a nation which has survived the sword, which has been assembled from many peoples (on the mountains of Israel which were long a ruin), which has been brought forth from among the peoples and all of whom now dwell in security.9 You shall come up like a sudden storm, advancing like a cloud to cover the earth, you and all your troops and the many peoples with you.10 Thus says the Lord GOD: At that time thoughts shall arise in your mind, and you shall devise an evil scheme:11 "I will go up against a land of open villages and attack the peaceful people who are living in security, all of them living without walls, having neither bars nor gates,12 to plunder and pillage, turning my hand against the ruins that were repeopled and against a people gathered from the nations, a people concerned with cattle and goods, who dwell at the navel of the earth." 13 Sheba and Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish and all her young lions shall ask you: "Is it for plunder that you have come? Is it for pillage that you have summoned your horde, to carry off silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to seize much plunder?"14 Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog: Thus says the Lord GOD: When my people Israel are dwelling in security, will you not bestir yourself15 and come from your home in the recesses of the north, you and many peoples with you, all mounted on horses, a great horde and a mighty army?16 You shall come up against my people Israel like a cloud covering the land. In the last days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know of me, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you, O Gog.
17 Thus says the Lord GOD: It is of you that I spoke in ancient times through my servants, the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days that I would bring you against them.18 But on that day, the day when Gog invades the land of Israel, says the Lord GOD, my fury shall be aroused. In my anger19 and in my jealousy, in my fiery wrath, I swear: On that day there shall be a great shaking upon the land of Israel.20 Before me shall tremble the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, the beasts of the field and all the reptiles that crawl upon the ground, and all men who are on the land. Mountains shall be overturned, and cliffs shall tumble, and every wall shall fall to the ground.21 Against him I will summon every terror, says the Lord GOD, every man's sword against his brother. I will hold judgment with him in pestilence and bloodshed;22 flooding rain and hailstones, fire and brimstone, I will rain upon him, upon his troops, and upon the many peoples with him.23 I will prove my greatness and holiness and make myself known in the sight of many nations; thus they shall know that I am the LORD.
39 1 Now, son of man, prophesy against Gog in these words: Thus says the Lord GOD: See! I am coming at you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.2 I will turn you about, I will urge you on, and I will make you come up from the recesses of the north; I will lead you against the mountains of Israel.3 Then I will strike the bow from your left hand, and make the arrows drop from your right.4 Upon the mountains of Israel you shall fall, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you. To birds of prey of every kind and to the wild beasts I am giving you to be eaten.5 On the open field you shall fall, for I have decreed it, says the Lord GOD.6 I will send fire upon Magog and upon those who live securely in the coastlands; thus they shall know that I am the LORD.7 I will make my holy name known among my people Israel; I will no longer allow my holy name to be profaned. Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.8 Yes, it is coming and shall be fulfilled, says the Lord GOD. This is the day I have decreed.9 Then shall those who live in the cities of Israel go out and burn weapons: (shields and bucklers,) bows and arrows, clubs and lances; for seven years they shall make fires with them.10 They shall not have to bring in wood from the fields or cut it down in the forests, for they shall make fires with the weapons. Thus they shall plunder those who plundered them and pillage those who pillaged them, says the Lord GOD.
11 On that day I will give Gog for his tomb a well-known place in Israel, the Valley of Abarim east of the sea (it is blocked to travelers). Gog shall be buried there with all his horde, and it shall be named "Valley of Hamon-gog." 12 To purify the land, the house of Israel shall need seven months to bury them.13 All the people of the land shall bury them and gain renown for it, when I reveal my glory, says the Lord GOD.14 Men shall be permanently employed to pass through the land burying those who lie unburied, so as to purify the land. For seven months they shall keep searching.15 When they pass through, should they see a human bone, let them put up a marker beside it, until others have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-gog.16 (Also the name of the city shall be Hamonah.) Thus the land shall be purified.17 As for you, son of man, says the Lord GOD, say to birds of every kind and to all the wild beasts: Come together, from all sides gather for the slaughter I am about to provide for you, a great slaughter on the mountains of Israel: you shall have flesh to eat and blood to drink.18 You shall eat the flesh of warriors and drink the blood of the princes of the land (rams, lambs, and goats, bullocks, fatlings of Bashan, all of them).19 From the slaughter which I will provide for you, you shall eat fat until you are filled and drink blood until you are drunk.20 You shall be filled at my table with horses and riders, with warriors and soldiers of every kind, says the Lord GOD.
21 Thus I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see the judgment I have executed and the hand I have laid upon them.22 From that day forward the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD, their God.23 The nations shall know that because of its sins the house of Israel went into exile; for they transgressed against me, and I hid my face from them and handed them over to their foes, so that all of them fell by the sword.24 According to their uncleanness and their transgressions I dealt with them, hiding my face from them.25 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have pity on the whole house of Israel, and I will be jealous for my holy name.26 They shall forget their disgrace and all the times they broke faith with me, when they live in security on their land with no one to frighten them.27 When I bring them back from among the peoples, I will gather them from the lands of their enemies, and will prove my holiness through them in the sight of many nations.28 Thus they shall know that I, the LORD, am their God, since I who exiled them among the nations, will gather them back on their land, not leaving any of them behind.29 No longer will I hide my face from them, for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.
40 1 On the tenth day of the month beginning the twenty-fifth year of our exile, fourteen years after the city was taken, that very day the hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me 2 in divine visions to the land of Israel, where he set me down on a very high mountain. On it there seemed to be a city being built before me.3 When he had brought me there, all at once I saw a man whose appearance was that of bronze; he was standing in the gate, holding a linen cord and a measuring rod.4 The man said to me, "Son of man, look carefully and listen intently, and pay strict attention to all that I will show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Tell the house of Israel all that you see."
5 (Then I saw an outer wall that completely surrounded the temple. The man was holding a measuring rod six cubits long, each cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth; he measured the width and the height of the structure, each of which were found to be one rod.)
6 Then he went to the gate which faced the east, climbed its steps, and measured the gate's threshold, which was found to be a rod wide. 7 The cells were a rod long and a rod wide, and the pilasters between the cells measured five cubits. The threshold of the gate adjoining the vestibule of the gate toward the inside measured one rod.8 He measured the vestibule of the gate,9 which was eight cubits, and its pilasters, which were two cubits. The vestibule of the gate was toward the inside.10 The cells of the east gate were three on either side, of equal size, and the pilasters on either side were also of equal size.11 He measured the gate's entrance, which was ten cubits wide, while the width of the gate's passage itself was thirteen cubits.12 The border before each of the cells on both sides was one cubit; the cells themselves were six cubits on either side, from opening to opening.13 He measured the gate from the back wall of one cell to the back wall of the cell on the opposite side: the width was twenty-five cubits.14 He measured the vestibule, which was twenty-five cubits. The pilasters adjoining the court on either side were six cubits.15 The length of the gate from the front entrance to the front of the vestibule on the inside was fifty cubits.16 Within the gateway on both sides there were splayed windows let into the cells (and into their pilasters); likewise, within the vestibule on both sides there were windows. The pilasters were decorated with palms.
17 Then he brought me to the outer court, where there were chambers and a pavement. The pavement was laid all around the court, and the chambers, which were on the pavement, were thirty in number. 18 The pavement lay alongside the gates, as wide as the gates were long; this was the lower pavement.19 He measured the width of the court from the front of the lower gate to the front of the inner gate; it was one hundred cubits between them. Then he proceeded north,
20 where, on the outer court, there was a gate facing north, whose length and width he measured.21 Its cells, three on either side, its pilasters, and its vestibule had the same measurements as those of the first gate; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.22 Its windows, the windows of its vestibule, and its palm decorations were of the same proportions as those of the gate facing the east. Seven steps led up to it, and its vestibule was toward the inside.23 The inner court had a gate opposite the north gate, just as at the east gate; he measured one hundred cubits from one gate to the other.
24 Then he led me south, to where there was a southern gate, whose cells, pilasters, and vestibule he measured; they were the same size as the others.25 The gate and its vestibule had windows on both sides, like the other windows. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.26 It was ascended by seven steps; its vestibule was toward the inside; and it was decorated with palms here and there on its pilasters.27 The inner court also had a southern gate; from gate to gate he measured one hundred cubits.
28 Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate, where he measured the south gate. Its dimensions were the same as the others; 29 its cells, its pilasters, and its vestibule were the same size as the others. The gate and its vestibule had windows on both sides; and it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.30 31 But its vestibule was toward the outer court; palms were on its pilasters, and it had a stairway of eight steps.
32 Then he brought me to the gate facing the east, where he measured the gate, whose dimensions were found to be the same.33 Its cells, its pilasters, and its vestibule were the same size as the others; the gate and its vestibule had windows on both sides; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.34 But its vestibule was toward the outer court; palms were on its pilasters here and there, and it had a stairway of eight steps.
35 Then he brought me to the north gate, where he measured the dimensions36 of its cells, its pilasters, and its vestibule, and found them the same. The gate and its vestibule had windows on both sides; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.37 Its vestibule was toward the outer court; palms were on its pilasters here and there, and it had a stairway of eight steps.
38 There was a chamber opening off the vestibule of the gate, where the holocausts were rinsed.39 In the vestibule of the gate there were two tables on either side, on which were slaughtered the sin offerings and guilt offerings.40 Along the wall of the vestibule, but outside, near the entrance of the north gate, were two tables, and on the other side of the vestibule of the gate there were two tables.41 There were four tables on either side of the gate (eight tables), on which the sacrifices were slaughtered.42 There were four tables for holocausts, made of cut stone, one and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one cubit high.43 The ledges, a handbreadth wide, were set on the inside all around, and on them were laid the instruments with which the holocausts were slaughtered. On the tables themselves the flesh was laid.44 He then led me to the inner court where there were two chambers, one beside the north gate, facing south, and the other beside the south gate, facing north.45 He said to me, "This chamber which faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple,46 and the chamber which faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the Zadokites, the only Levites who may come near to minister to the LORD."
47 Then he measured the court, which was a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide, a perfect square. The altar stood in front of the temple.
48 Then he brought me into the vestibule of the temple and measured the pilasters on each side, which were five cubits. The width of the doorway was fourteen cubits, and the side walls on either side of the door measured three cubits. 49 The vestibule was twenty cubits wide and twelve cubits deep; ten steps led up to it, and there were columns by the pilasters, one on either side.
41 1 Then he brought me to the nave and measured the pilasters, which were six cubits thick on either side.2 The width of the entrance was ten cubits, and the walls at either side of it measured five cubits each. He measured the length of the nave, which was found to be forty cubits, while its width was twenty.
3 Then he went in beyond and measured the pilasters flanking that entrance, which were two cubits; the width of the entrance was six cubits, and the walls at either side of it extended seven cubits each.4 He measured the space beyond the nave, twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide, and said to me, "This is the holy of holies."
5 Then he measured the wall of the temple, which was six cubits thick; the side chambers, which extended all the way around the temple, had a width of four cubits.6 There were thirty side chambers built one above the other in three stories, and there were offsets in the outside wall of the temple that enclosed the side chambers; these served as supports, so that there were no supports in the temple wall proper.7 There was a broad circular passageway that led upward to the side chambers, for the temple was enclosed all the way around and all the way upward; therefore the temple had a broad way running upward so that one could pass from the lowest to the middle and the highest story.8 About the temple was a raised pavement completely enclosing it-- the foundations of the side chambers-- a full rod of six cubits in extent.9 The width of the outside wall which enclosed the side chambers was five cubits. Between the side chambers of the temple10 and the chambers of the court was an open space twenty cubits wide going all around the temple.11 The side chambers had entrances to the open space, one entrance on the north and another on the south. The width of the wall surrounding the open space was five cubits.
12 The building fronting the free area on the west side was seventy cubits front to back; the wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and it measured ninety cubits from side to side. 13 He measured the temple, which was one hundred cubits long. The free area, together with the building and its walls, was a hundred cubits in length.14 The facade of the temple, along with the free area, on the east side, was one hundred cubits wide.15 He measured the building which lay the length of the free area and behind it, and together with its walls on both sides it was one hundred cubits. The inner nave and the outer vestibule16 were paneled with precious wood all around, covered from the ground to the windows. There were splayed windows with trellises about them (facing the threshold).17 As high as the lintel of the door, even into the interior part of the temple as well as outside, on every wall on every side in both the inner and outer rooms were carved18 the figures of cherubim and palmtrees: a palmtree between every two cherubim. Each cherub had two faces:19 a man's face looking at a palmtree on one side, and a lion's face looking at a palmtree on the other; thus they were figured on every side throughout the whole temple.20 From the ground to the lintel of the door the cherubim and palmtrees were carved on the walls.21 The way into the nave was a square doorframe. In front of the holy place was something that looked like22 a wooden altar, three cubits in height, two cubits long, and two cubits wide. It had corners, and its base and sides were of wood. He said to me, "This is the table which is before the LORD." 23 The nave had a double door, and also the holy place had24 a double door. Each door had two movable leaves; two leaves were on one doorjamb and two on the other.25 Carved upon them (on the doors of the nave) were cherubim and palmtrees, like those carved on the walls. Before the vestibule outside was a wooden lattice.26 There were splayed windows (and palmtrees) on both side walls of the vestibule, and the side chambers of the temple....
42 1 Then he led me north to the outer court, bringing me to some chambers on the north that lay across the free area and which were also across from the building.2 Their length was a hundred cubits on the north side, and they were fifty cubits wide.3 Across the twenty cubits of the inner court and the pavement of the outer court, there were three parallel rows of them on different levels.4 In front of the chambers, to the inside, was a walk ten cubits broad and a wall of one cubit; but the entrances of the chambers were on the north.5 The outermost chambers were the lowest, for the system of levels set them at a level lower than the closest chambers and those in between; 6 for they were in three rows and had no foundations to conform with the foundations of the courts, therefore they were on a lower terrace of the ground than the closest and the middle chambers.7 On the far side there was a wall running parallel to the chambers along the outer court; its length before these chambers was fifty cubits,8 for the length of the chambers belonging to the outer court was fifty cubits, but along its entire length the wall measured one hundred cubits.9 Below these chambers there was the way in from the east, so that one could enter from the outer court10 where the wall of the court began. To the south along the side of the free area and the building there were also chambers,11 before which was a passage. These looked like the chambers to the north, just as long and just as wide, with the same exits and plan and entrances.12 Below the chambers to the south there was an entrance at the beginning of the way which led to the back wall, by which one could enter from the east.13 He said to me, "The north and south chambers which border on the free area are the sanctuary chambers; here the priests who draw near to the LORD shall eat the most sacred meals, and here they shall keep the most sacred offerings: cereal offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings; for it is a holy place. 14 When the priests have once entered, they shall not leave the holy place for the outer court until they have left here the clothing in which they ministered, for it is holy. They shall put on other garments, and then approach the place destined for the people."
15 When he had finished measuring the inner temple area, he brought me out by way of the gate which faces east and measured all the limits of the court.16 He measured the east side: five hundred cubits by his measuring rod. Then he turned17 and measured the north side: five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. He turned18 to the south and measured five hundred cubits by the measuring rod.19 Then he turned to the west and measured five hundred cubits by the measuring rod.20 Thus he measured it in the four directions, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide. It was surrounded by a wall, to separate the sacred from the profane.
43 1 Then he led me to the gate which faces the east,2 and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory.3 The vision was like that which I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like that which I had seen by the river Chebar. I fell prone4 as the glory of the LORD entered the temple by way of the gate which faces the east,5 but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court. And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD.6 Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple, while the man stood beside me.7 The voice said to me: Son of man, this is where my throne shall be, this is where I will set the soles of my feet; here I will dwell among the Israelites forever. Never again shall they and their kings profane my holy name with their harlotries and with the corpses of their kings (their high places).8 When they placed their threshold against my threshold and their doorpost next to mine, so that only a wall was between us, they profaned my holy name by their abominable deeds; therefore I consumed them in my wrath. 9 From now on they shall put far from me their harlotry and the corpses of their kings, and I will dwell in their midst forever.10 As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel (that they may be ashamed of their sins), both its measurements and its design;11 (and if they are ashamed of all that they have done,) make known to them the form and design of the temple, its exits and entrances, all its statutes and laws; write these down for them to see, that they may carefully observe all its laws and statutes.12 This is the law of the temple: its whole surrounding area on the mountain top shall be most sacred.
13 These were the measurements of the altar in cubits of one cubit plus a handbreadth. Its base was one cubit high and one cubit deep, with a rim around its edges of one span. The height of the altar itself was as follows: 14 from its base at the bottom up to the lower edge it was two cubits high, and this ledge was one cubit deep; from the lower to the upper ledge it was four cubits high, and this ledge also was one cubit deep;15 the hearth of the altar was four cubits high, and extending from the top of the hearth were the four horns of the altar.16 The hearth was a square: twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide.17 The upper ledge was also a square: fourteen cubits long and fourteen cubits wide. The lower ledge, likewise a square, was sixteen cubits long and sixteen cubits wide, with a half-cubit rim surrounding it. And there was a base of one cubit all around. The steps of the altar face the east.18 Then he said to me: Son of man, thus says the Lord GOD: These are the statutes for the altar when it is set up for the offering of holocausts upon it and for the sprinkling of blood against it.19 Give a young bull as a sin offering to the priests, the Levites who are of the line of Zadok, who draw near me to minister to me, says the Lord GOD.20 Take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, and on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim all around. Thus you shall purify it and make atonement for it.21 Then take the bull of the sin offering, which is to be burnt in a designated part of the temple, outside the sanctuary.22 On the second day present an unblemished he-goat as a sin offering, to purify the altar as was done with the bull.23 When you have finished the purification, bring an unblemished young bull and an unblemished ram from the flock,24 and present them before the LORD; the priests shall strew salt on them and offer them to the LORD as holocausts.25 Daily for seven days you shall offer a he-goat as a sin offering, and a young bull and a ram from the flock, all unblemished, shall be offered26 for seven days. Thus atonement shall be made for the altar, and it shall be purified and dedicated.27 And when these days are over, from the eighth day on, the priests shall offer your holocausts and peace offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, says the Lord GOD.
44 1 Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, facing the east; but it was closed.2 He said to me: This gate is to remain closed; it is not to be opened for anyone to enter by it; since the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it, it shall remain closed.3 Only the prince may sit down in it to eat his meal in the presence of the LORD. He must enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and leave by the same way.
4 Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the facade of the temple, and when I looked I saw the glory of the LORD filling the LORD'S temple, and I fell prone.5 Then he said to me: Son of man, pay strict attention, look carefully, and listen intently to all that I will tell you about the statutes and laws of the LORD'S temple; be attentive in regard to those who are to be admitted to the temple and all those who are to be excluded from the sanctuary.6 Say to that rebellious house, the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: Enough of all these abominations of yours, O house of Israel!7 You have admitted foreigners, uncircumcised both in heart and flesh, to my sanctuary to profane it when you offered me food, fat, and blood; thus you have broken my covenant by all your abominations. 8 Instead of caring for the service of my temple, you have appointed such as these to serve me in my sanctuary in your stead.9 Thus says the Lord GOD: No foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and in flesh, shall ever enter my sanctuary; none of the foreigners who live among the Israelites.
10 But as for the Levites who departed from me when Israel strayed from me to pursue their idols, they shall bear the consequences of their sin. 11 They shall serve in my sanctuary as gatekeepers and temple servants; they shall slaughter the holocausts and the sacrifices for the people, and they shall stand before the people to minister for them.12 Because they used to minister for them before their idols, and became an occasion of sin to the house of Israel, therefore I have sworn an oath against them, says the Lord GOD: they shall bear the consequences of their sin.13 They shall no longer draw near me to serve as my priests, nor shall they touch any of my sacred things, or the most sacred things. Thus they shall bear their disgrace because of all their abominable deeds.14 But I will set them to the service of the temple, for all its work and for everything that is to be done in it.
15 As for the levitical priests, however, the Zadokites who cared for my sanctuary when the Israelites strayed from me, they shall draw near me to minister to me, and they shall stand before me to offer me fat and blood, says the Lord GOD.16 It is they who shall enter my sanctuary, they who shall approach my table to minister to me, and they who shall carry out my service.17 Whenever they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen garments; they shall not put on anything woolen when they minister at the gates of the inner court or within the temple.18 They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen drawers on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causes sweat.19 When they are to go out to the people in the outer court, they shall take off the garments in which they ministered and leave them in the chambers of the sanctuary, putting on other garments; thus they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments. 20 They shall not shave their heads nor let their hair hang loose, but they shall keep their hair carefully trimmed.21 No priest shall drink wine when he is to enter the inner court.22 They shall not take for their wives either widows or divorced women, but only virgins of the race of Israel; however, they may marry women who are the widows of priests.23 They shall teach my people to distinguish between the sacred and the profane, and make known to them the difference between the clean and the unclean.24 In capital cases they shall stand as judges, judging them according to my decrees. They shall observe my laws and statutes on all my festivals, and keep my sabbaths holy.25 They shall not make themselves unclean by coming near any dead person, unless it be their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or maiden sister; for these they may make themselves unclean.26 After a priest has been cleansed, he must wait an additional seven days,27 and on the day he enters the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall present his sin offering, says the Lord GOD.28 They shall have no inheritance, for I am their inheritance; you shall give them no property in Israel, for I am their property.29 They shall eat the cereal offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering; whatever is under the ban in Israel shall be theirs. 30 All the choicest first fruits of every kind, and all the best of your offerings of every kind, shall belong to the priests; likewise the best of your dough you shall give to the priests to bring a blessing down upon your house.31 The priests shall not eat anything, whether flesh or fowl, that has died of itself or has been killed by wild beasts.
Ezéchiel (NAB) 37