Ezekiel 22:26

KJV

Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed [difference] between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

KJV (with Strong's)

Her priests {H3548} have violated {H2554} my law {H8451}, and have profaned {H2490} mine holy things {H6944}: they have put no difference {H914} between the holy {H6944} and profane {H2455}, neither have they shewed {H3045} difference between the unclean {H2931} and the clean {H2889}, and have hid {H5956} their eyes {H5869} from my sabbaths {H7676}, and I am profaned {H2490} among {H8432} them.

Complete Jewish Bible

Her cohanim have done violence to my Torah, profaned my holy things, made no difference between the holy and the common, not distinguished between unclean and clean, hidden their eyes from my shabbats, and profaned me among themselves.

Berean Standard Bible

Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.

American Standard Version

Her priests have done violence to my law, and have profaned my holy things: they have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they caused men to discern between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezekiel 22:26 delivers a profound and scathing indictment against the priests of Judah, accusing them of a comprehensive failure in their sacred duties. They are charged with violently transgressing God's divine law and actively profaning His holy things, fundamentally neglecting their crucial responsibility to discern and uphold the God-ordained distinctions between the holy and the common, and between the ritually clean and unclean. Furthermore, their deliberate disregard for God's Sabbaths underscores a profound spiritual blindness that culminated in the ultimate offense: the profanation of God Himself in the very midst of His people. This verse exposes the deep spiritual corruption within the religious leadership, highlighting a key reason for Judah's impending judgment and exile.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is strategically placed within [Ezekiel 22](/ezekiel/22 "Ezekiel 22 - The Sins of Jerusalem"), a powerful prophetic oracle that systematically exposes the widespread corruption in Jerusalem, metaphorically depicted as a "bloody city" ([Ezekiel 22:2](/ezekiel/22-2 "Ezekiel 22:2 - The Bloody City")). The chapter functions as a detailed legal indictment, meticulously cataloging the sins of various societal strata. It begins with the princes ([Ezekiel 22:6-12](/ezekiel/22-6-12 "Ezekiel 22:6-12 - Sins of the Princes")), moves to the general populace ([Ezekiel 22:13-16](/ezekiel/22-13-16 "Ezekiel 22:13-16 - God's Judgment on the People")), then specifically targets the prophets ([Ezekiel 22:25](/ezekiel/22-25 "Ezekiel 22:25 - Sins of the Prophets")), before focusing intensely on the priests in [Ezekiel 22:26](/ezekiel/22-26 "Ezekiel 22:26 - Sins of the Priests"), and concluding with the civil leaders ([Ezekiel 22:27](/ezekiel/22-27 "Ezekiel 22:27 - Sins of the Princes and Prophets")). This cumulative denunciation builds an irrefutable case for God's righteous wrath, which is explicitly stated as being poured out ([Ezekiel 22:21](/ezekiel/22-21 "Ezekiel 22:21 - God's Fiery Judgment")). The immediate preceding verse condemns the prophets for their false messages and greed, setting a grim stage for the equally severe condemnation of the priests, who, as guardians of divine truth and holiness, were arguably even more culpable.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Ezekiel's prophetic ministry unfolded during a profoundly turbulent era in Judah's history, encompassing the final years leading up to the Babylonian exile and the initial phase of the exile itself (approximately 593-571 BC). Though the temple in Jerusalem remained standing and the priestly system ostensibly operated, a deep-seated spiritual and moral decay had permeated every level of society. The priests, by divine mandate through the Mosaic Law, held an unparalleled and critical role in ancient Israel. Their responsibilities extended beyond merely mediating sacrifices and leading worship; they were divinely appointed to instruct the people in God's [Torah](/deuteronomy/33-10 "Deuteronomy 33:10 - Priestly Instruction"), to discern and maintain the intricate distinctions of ritual purity, and to safeguard the sanctity of the sanctuary. Their profound failure to uphold these fundamental distinctions, particularly between the "holy and profane" and "clean and unclean" (as explicitly commanded in [Leviticus 10:10-11](/leviticus/10-10-11 "Leviticus 10:10-11 - Priestly Duties to Distinguish")), represented a catastrophic breakdown of the covenant relationship and a direct affront to God's holy character. Their disregard for the Sabbath, a foundational sign of the covenant ([Exodus 31:13](/exodus/31-13 "Exodus 31:13 - The Sabbath as a Sign of the Covenant")), further underscored their spiritual rebellion, laxity, and ultimate contempt for God's commands.

* **Key Themes:** The overarching theme of [Ezekiel 22:26](/ezekiel/22-26 "Ezekiel 22:26 - Sins of the Priests") is the **corruption of religious leadership** and the devastating consequences that arise from blurring divine distinctions. The priests, who were divinely commissioned to be the custodians of **holiness** and **purity** within Israel, actively subverted these very principles through their actions. Their conduct vividly demonstrates a profound failure to uphold their **covenant** obligations, particularly the specific laws concerning ritual purity and the sacred observance of the **Sabbath**. This pervasive negligence directly led to the **profanation of God's name**, as their unholy and undiscerning behavior caused God to be perceived as common, trivial, and dishonored in the eyes of the people. This verse powerfully illustrates the biblical principle that spiritual leadership carries immense responsibility, and its dereliction of duty can precipitate widespread moral decay and inevitable divine judgment, a recurring and somber theme woven throughout the prophetic books, exemplified in passages like [Jeremiah 23](/jeremiah/23 "Jeremiah 23 - False Shepherds and True Prophecy") and [Malachi 2](/malachi/2 "Malachi 2 - Priestly Corruption and Covenant Faithfulness").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Violated (Hebrew, _châmaç'_):** From a primitive root meaning "to be violent; by implication, to maltreat." This word signifies more than a passive oversight or a simple transgression; it denotes an aggressive, forceful, and injurious breach against God's law. The priests' actions were not accidental but a deliberate, harmful assault on the divine order, akin to an act of violence against the covenant itself, demonstrating active malice or extreme disregard.
* **Profaned (Hebrew, _châlal'_):** A primitive root meaning "to bore, i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin." This term appears twice in the verse, underscoring the act of making something sacred common, unholy, or defiled. It implies a deliberate desecration, stripping away the inherent sacredness that God had invested in His law, His holy things, and ultimately, His own name. It represents a fundamental reversal of God's sanctifying work and purpose.
* **Difference (Hebrew, _bâdal'_):** A primitive root meaning "to divide (in variation senses literally or figuratively, separate, distinguish, differ, select, etc.)." This term is absolutely crucial as it pinpoints the priests' most fundamental failure: their inability or unwillingness to discern and maintain the God-ordained distinctions between the sacred and the common, and between the ritually clean and unclean. Their failure to "divide" or "separate" these categories led to spiritual chaos, moral confusion, and the profound breakdown of holiness within the community.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Her priests have violated my law":** This opening clause immediately identifies the primary culprits—the priests, who were divinely entrusted with safeguarding, interpreting, and teaching God's [Torah](/exodus/24-12 "Exodus 24:12 - The Law on Mount Sinai")—and their initial, aggressive offense. The verb "violated" (חָמַץ, *châmaç*) suggests a forceful, violent, or aggressive breach, implying active transgression rather than mere passive negligence.
* **"and have profaned mine holy things":** Following their violation of the law, the priests extended their defilement to the sacred objects, places, and practices consecrated to God. "Holy things" (קֹדֶשׁ, *qôdesh*) encompasses anything set apart for God's exclusive use, including offerings, temple vessels, and the sanctuary itself. By profaning them, the priests treated what was inherently sacred as common or defiled, thereby undermining the very essence and integrity of worship.
* **"they have put no difference between the holy and profane":** This is the central and most damning accusation, detailing the precise nature of their profanation. The Hebrew word for "difference" (בָּדַל, *bâdal*) means to separate, distinguish, or divide. The priests, by blurring the divinely established lines between that which God had set apart as holy (קֹדֶשׁ, *qôdesh*) and that which was common or unholy (חֹל, *chôl*), failed in their foundational duty to maintain God's moral and ceremonial order and to reflect His character.
* **"neither have they shewed [difference] between the unclean and the clean":** This clause directly parallels the previous one, further emphasizing the priests' catastrophic failure in upholding ritual purity. The distinction between the unclean (טָמֵא, *ṭâmêʼ*) and the clean (טָהֹר, *ṭâhôwr*) was absolutely vital for Israel's ceremonial life and spiritual health, serving as a constant reminder of God's desire for purity among His people. Their inability or unwillingness to teach, discern, or enforce these distinctions led to widespread defilement and spiritual compromise.
* **"and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths":** This charge highlights a deliberate and willful neglect, indicating spiritual blindness. The Sabbath (שַׁבָּת, *shabbâth*) was a foundational sign of the covenant between God and Israel, a holy day set apart for rest, worship, and remembrance of God's creative and redemptive work. By "hiding their eyes" (עָלַם, *ʻâlam*), the priests actively ignored, disregarded, or intentionally overlooked its sanctity, demonstrating a profound spiritual apathy and contempt for God's appointed times.
* **"and I am profaned among them":** This final, devastating consequence reveals the ultimate and most grievous impact of the priests' actions. Their continuous violation of the law, profanation of holy things, blurring of distinctions, and deliberate disregard for the Sabbaths resulted in God Himself being treated as common, dishonored, and defiled in the eyes of the people. The very ones meant to exalt and guard God's holiness instead caused His glorious name to be blasphemed and His character diminished among His own covenant people.

#### Literary Devices
Ezekiel 22:26 employs several potent literary devices to amplify the gravity and comprehensive nature of the priests' sins. **Parallelism** is prominently featured in the repeated structure of "holy and profane" and "unclean and clean," which powerfully emphasizes the two primary categories of divine distinction that the priests utterly failed to uphold. This dual phrasing highlights the comprehensive and systemic nature of their neglect. **Anthropomorphism** is effectively used in the phrase "hid their eyes from my sabbaths," attributing a human action (willful concealment or turning away) to the priests' deliberate ignorance and active disregard for God's sacred commands, implying a conscious rejection of divine truth. The cumulative effect of the charges, building from violating the law to profaning holy things, then blurring essential distinctions, and finally neglecting the Sabbath, creates a powerful sense of **climax**, culminating in the most severe and damning indictment: "and I am profaned among them." This final statement serves as a stark **consequence** and a devastating summary, revealing that the priests' actions did not merely affect the people or the temple, but directly dishonored and defiled the very name and character of God Himself.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 22:26 profoundly underscores the theological significance of holiness and the grave responsibility inherent in spiritual leadership within the covenant. The priests' failure to distinguish between the holy and the profane, and the clean and the unclean, was not merely a ceremonial oversight but a fundamental assault on God's character and nature, for God Himself is utterly holy and demands holiness from His people. Their actions demonstrated a spiritual apathy and moral compromise that systematically eroded the very foundations of Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh, leading directly to the profanation of God's name. This blurring of sacred boundaries ultimately contributed to the widespread moral and spiritual decay that necessitated divine judgment, powerfully illustrating that when those entrusted with upholding divine standards fail, the consequences are far-reaching, impacting both human society and the perception of God's glory and truth.

* [Leviticus 10:10](/leviticus/10-10 "Leviticus 10:10 - Priestly Duty to Distinguish")
* [Malachi 2:7-8](/malachi/2-7-8 "Malachi 2:7-8 - Priests Corrupt the Covenant")
* [Haggai 2:11-14](/haggai/2-11-14 "Haggai 2:11-14 - Holiness and Uncleanness")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel's searing indictment of the priests serves as a timeless and sobering mirror for all who claim to lead or follow God, both individually and corporately. The core issue of failing to distinguish between the holy and the profane, the clean and the unclean, remains a perpetual temptation in every generation. In our contemporary context, this translates to the insidious danger of spiritual compromise, where the distinctiveness and counter-cultural nature of Christian faith are blurred with worldly values, practices, or ideologies. When believers, particularly those in positions of spiritual leadership, fail to uphold God's immutable standards for holiness in doctrine, ethical conduct, and authentic worship, they not only diminish their own spiritual vitality but also inadvertently profane God's glorious name in the eyes of a watching and often skeptical world. This verse issues a profound call to a renewed commitment to rigorous discernment, urging us to meticulously examine our lives, ministries, and communities, ensuring that we do not treat what God has declared sacred as common, nor willfully hide our eyes from His clear commands, lest we too contribute to the dishonoring of His magnificent name and character.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what specific areas of my personal life, professional conduct, or ministry might I be inadvertently blurring the lines between what is truly holy and what is merely profane, or between what is clean and unclean in God's discerning eyes?**
* **How does my daily conduct, my choices, and my approach to worship consistently reflect my genuine understanding (or potential misunderstanding) of God's absolute holiness and His demands for purity?**
* **Am I, like the indicted priests, "hiding my eyes" from any of God's clear commands, ethical principles, or spiritual disciplines, perhaps those that seem inconvenient, personally challenging, or culturally unpopular?**
* **What concrete, practical steps can I intentionally take this week to cultivate a deeper, more profound reverence for God's holiness and to live a life that clearly and consistently distinguishes between His divine ways and the often-compromising ways of the world?**

### FAQ
**What was the primary responsibility of the priests in ancient Israel, and how did they fail in Ezekiel 22:26?**

Answer: The primary responsibility of the priests in ancient Israel, as meticulously outlined in the Mosaic Law (e.g., [Leviticus 10:10-11](/leviticus/10-10-11 "Leviticus 10:10-11 - Priestly Duties to Distinguish")), was multifaceted: to mediate between God and the people through sacrifices, to teach God's [Torah](/deuteronomy/33-10 "Deuteronomy 33:10 - Priestly Instruction"), and, most crucially, to maintain and instruct the people in the vital distinctions between the holy and the profane, and the clean and the unclean. They were the divinely appointed guardians of God's holiness within the community. In [Ezekiel 22:26](/ezekiel/22-26 "Ezekiel 22:26 - Sins of the Priests"), they failed precisely in this foundational duty. They "put no difference" between these sacred categories, actively violating God's law, profaning His holy things, and neglecting His Sabbaths. This pervasive spiritual negligence and moral laxity led to the ultimate, devastating indictment: God Himself was "profaned among them," meaning His sacred character and glorious name were treated as common, dishonored, and diminished by the very ones who were meant to uphold and exalt them.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 22:26 vividly portrays the catastrophic failure of the Old Covenant priesthood to uphold God's holiness, a pervasive spiritual corruption that ultimately led to the profanation of God Himself among His people. This stark indictment serves as a powerful pointer to the perfect and ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ. Unlike the corrupt priests who "violated God's law" and "profaned holy things," Jesus perfectly fulfilled the [Law](/matthew/5-17 "Matthew 5:17 - Jesus Fulfills the Law") in every detail and perfectly embodied absolute holiness. Where the Old Testament priests failed to "put difference between the holy and profane" and "between the unclean and the clean," Jesus, though fully God, entered into our profane and defiled world, touching the ceremonially unclean ([Mark 1:40-42](/mark/1-40-42 "Mark 1:40-42 - Jesus Cleanses a Leper")) and associating with sinners ([Luke 15:1-2](/luke/15-1-2 "Luke 15:1-2 - Jesus Welcomes Sinners")), not to become defiled, but to powerfully make the unclean clean and the unholy holy through His own perfect purity and divine power. His sacrificial death on the cross was the ultimate act of purification, making a way for us, who were once spiritually profane and unclean, to be [made holy](/hebrews/10-10 "Hebrews 10:10 - Sanctified Through Christ's Sacrifice") and presented blameless before God ([Colossians 1:22](/colossians/1-22 "Colossians 1:22 - Reconciled in Christ")). Furthermore, while the priests "hid their eyes from my sabbaths," Jesus is the undisputed Lord of the Sabbath ([Mark 2:27-28](/mark/2-27-28 "Mark 2:27-28 - Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath")), fulfilling its true meaning as a spiritual rest found exclusively in Him ([Matthew 11:28-30](/matthew/11-28-30 "Matthew 11:28-30 - Come to Me and Find Rest")). Through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, Jesus perfectly upholds God's holiness and ensures that God is eternally glorified and honored among His new covenant people, the church, who are now called to be a "royal priesthood" ([1 Peter 2:9](/1_peter/2-9 "1 Peter 2:9 - A Royal Priesthood")) in Him, living lives that distinguish the holy from the profane.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Leviticus 10:10

And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

Ezekiel 22:8

Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths.

Malachi 2:8

But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

Ezekiel 44:23

And they shall teach my people [the difference] between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

1 Samuel 2:12

Now the sons of Eli [were] sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

1 Samuel 2:17

Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

Jeremiah 2:8

The priests said not, Where [is] the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not profit.