King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.
Complete Jewish Bible:
They may not marry a widow or a divorcee but must marry virgins descended from the house of Isra'el or a widow whose deceased husband was a cohen.
Berean Standard Bible:
And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.
American Standard Version:
Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away; but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that is the widow of a priest.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Neither shall they take{H3947} for their wives{H802} a widow{H490}, nor her that is put away{H1644}: but they shall take{H3947} maidens{H1330} of the seed{H2233} of the house{H1004} of Israel{H3478}, or a widow{H490} that had a priest{H3548} before.
Cross-References (KJV):
Leviticus 21:7
- They shall not take a wife [that is] a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he [is] holy unto his God.
Leviticus 21:13
- And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
Leviticus 21:14
- A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, [or] an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
Titus 1:6
- ¶ If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
1 Timothy 3:4
- One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1 Timothy 3:5
- (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
1 Timothy 3:2
- A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Ezekiel 44:22
Ezekiel 44:22 is a part of the larger section of Ezekiel (chapters 40-48) that deals with the vision of a new temple and the restoration of proper worship in Jerusalem. This vision is set in the context of the Babylonian Exile (6th century BCE), a period when the people of Judah were taken into captivity and their religious and national identity was under threat. The book of Ezekiel, attributed to the prophet Ezekiel, addresses the need for repentance, the assurance of God's presence among His people, and the hope for a renewed covenant community.
In the specific context of Ezekiel 44:22, the verse outlines the marital regulations for the priests, who are to be holy as they serve in the temple. The verse emphasizes that priests should not marry widows or divorced women, but rather virgins from the house of Israel or a widow who was previously married to a priest. This directive serves several purposes:
1. **Holiness and Purity**: The priests, as mediators between God and the people, were to maintain a high standard of ritual purity. Marriage to a woman who had been previously married could have been seen as a reduction in the priest's ritual purity, given the cultural and religious understanding of the time.
2. **Inheritance and Lineage**: By marrying virgins from within the community of Israel, the priests ensured that their lineage and the inheritance of the priestly office remained within the covenant community. This was particularly important for maintaining the distinct identity and purity of the priestly line.
3. **Social Order**: The regulations also reflect the broader ancient Near Eastern concern for social order. By marrying within the community and according to specific guidelines, the priests reinforced the social structure that was believed to be ordained by God.
4. **Restoration of the Priesthood**: In the historical context, these regulations were part of the broader vision for restoring the temple service and the priesthood after the exile. They were meant to reestablish the priestly role in the community and ensure that the priests would be exemplars of the covenant life that God required of all Israelites.
In summary, Ezekiel 44:22 is a reflection of the importance of holiness, lineage, social order, and the restoration of the priesthood in the post-exilic vision of Israel's future. It underscores the special status of the priests and their responsibility to uphold the divine standards of purity and righteousness as they serve in the temple.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3947
There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָקַח
Transliteration: lâqach
Pronunciation: law-kakh'
Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. - Strong's Number: H802
There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִשָּׁה
Transliteration: ʼishshâh
Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. - Strong's Number: H490
There are 303 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַלְמָנָה
Transliteration: ʼalmânâh
Pronunciation: al-maw-naw'
Description: feminine of אַלְמָן; a widow; also a desolate place; desolate house (palace), widow. - Strong's Number: H1644
There are 45 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גָּרַשׁ
Transliteration: gârash
Pronunciation: gaw-rash'
Description: a primitive root; to drive out from a possession; especially to expatriate or divorce; cast up (out), divorced (woman), drive away (forth, out), expel, [idiom] surely put away, trouble, thrust out. - Strong's Number: H1330
There are 50 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בְּתוּלָה
Transliteration: bᵉthûwlâh
Pronunciation: beth-oo-law'
Description: feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to separate; a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state; maid, virgin. - Strong's Number: H2233
There are 205 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זֶרַע
Transliteration: zeraʻ
Pronunciation: zeh'-rah
Description: from זָרַע; seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity; [idiom] carnally, child, fruitful, seed(-time), sowing-time. - Strong's Number: H1004
There are 1718 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּיִת
Transliteration: bayith
Pronunciation: bah'-yith
Description: probably from בָּנָה abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.); court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H3548
There are 653 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כֹּהֵן
Transliteration: kôhên
Pronunciation: ko-hane'
Description: active participle of כָּהַן; literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman); chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer.
