TRV
Translation
King James Version
And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.
Complete Jewish Bible
They are to be judges in controversies, and they are to render decisions in keeping with my rulings. At all my designated festivals they are to keep my laws and regulations, and they are to keep my shabbats holy.
Berean Standard Bible
In any dispute, they shall officiate as judges and judge according to My ordinances. They must keep My laws and statutes regarding all My appointed feasts, and they must keep My Sabbaths holy.
American Standard Version
And in a controversy they shall stand to judge; according to mine ordinances shall they judge it: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.
World English Bible Messianic
In a controversy they shall stand to judge; according to my ordinances shall they judge it: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts; and they shall make my Sabbaths holy.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And in controuersie they shall stande to iudge, and they shall iudge it according to my iudgements: and they shall keepe my lawes and my statutes in all mine assemblies, and they shall sanctifie my Sabbaths.
Young's Literal Translation
And concerning controversy, they stand up for judgment; with My judgments they judge it; and My law and My statutes in all My appointed places they keep; and My sabbaths they sanctify.
See also
In the KJVVerse 21,624 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Ezekiel 44 verses 17–31
17 ¶ And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within.
18 They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.
19 And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.
20 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads.
21 Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.
22 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.
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.
24 And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.
25 And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves.
26 And after he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days.
27 And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, saith the Lord GOD.
28 And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession.
29 They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs.
30 And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.
31 The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
God's priests must be regulars, not seculars; and therefore here are rules laid down for them to govern themselves by and due encouragement given them to live up to those rules. Directions are here given,
I. Concerning their clothes; they must wear linen garments when they went in to minister or do any service in the inner court, or in the sanctuary, and nothing that was woollen, because it would cause sweat, Eze 44:17, Eze 44:18. They must dress themselves cool, that they might go the more readily about their work; and they had the more need to do so because they were to attend the altars, which had constant fires upon them. And they must dress themselves clean and sweet, and avoid every thing that was sweaty and filthy, to signify the purity of mind with which the service of God is to be attended to. Sweat came in with sin and was part of the curse. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. Clothes came in with sin, coats of skins did; and therefore the priests must use as little and as light clothing as possible, and not such as caused sweat. When they had finished their service they must change their clothes again, and lay up their linen garments in the chambers appointed for that purpose, Eze 44:19, as before, Eze 42:14. They must not go among the people with their holy garments on, lest they should imagine themselves sanctified by the touch of them; or, They shall sanctify the people, that is (as it is explained, Eze 42:14), they shall approach to those things which are for the people, in their ordinary garments.
II. Concerning their hair; in that they must avoid extremes on both hands (Eze 44:20): They must not shave their heads, in imitation of the Gentile priests, and as the priests of the Romish church do; nor, on the other hand, must they suffer their locks to grow long, as the beaux, or that they might be thought Nazarites, when really they were not; but they must be grave and modest, must poll their heads and keep their hair short. If a man, especially a minister, wear long hair, it is not becoming (Co1 11:14); it is effeminate.
III. Concerning their diet; they must be sure to drink no wine when they went in to minister, lest they should rink to excess, should drink and forget the law, Eze 44:21. It is not for kings to drink wine, more than will do them good, much less for priests. See Lev 10:9; Pro 31:4, Pro 31:5.
IV. Concerning their marriages, Eze 44:22. Here they must consult the credit of their office, and not marry one that had been divorced, that was at least under the suspicion of immodesty, nor a widow, unless she were a priest's widow, that had been accustomed to the usages of the priests' families. Others may do that which ministers may not do, but must deny themselves in, in honour of their character. Their wives as well as themselves must be of good report.
V. Concerning their preaching and church-government. 1. It was part of their business to teach the people; and herein they must approve themselves both skilful and faithful (Eze 44:23): They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the profane, between good and evil, lawful and unlawful, that they may neither scruple what is lawful nor venture upon what is unlawful, that they may not pollute what is holy nor pollute themselves with what is profane. Ministers must take pains to cause people to discern between the clean and the unclean, that they may not confound the distinctions between right and wrong, nor mistake concerning them, so as to put darkness for light and light for darkness, but may have a good judgment of discretion concerning their own actions. 2. It was part of their business to judge upon appeals made to them (Deu 17:8, Deu 17:9); and in controversy they shall stand in judgment, Eze 44:24. They shall have the honesty to stand up for what is right, and, when they have passed a right judgment, shall have the courage to stand to it and stand by it. They must judge, not according to their own fancies, or inclinations, or secular interests, but according to my judgments; that must be their rule and standard. Note, Ministers must decide controversies according to the word of God, to the law and to the testimony. Sit liber judex - Let the judge be unbiased. Their business is to keep courts in God's name, to preside in the congregations of his people. And herein they must go to the statute-book: They shall keep my statutes in all my assemblies. God calls the assemblies of his people his assemblies, because they are held in his name, to his glory. Ministers are the masters of those assemblies, are to preside in them, and in all their acts must keep close to God's laws. Another part of their work, as church governors, is to hallow God's sabbaths, to do the public work of that day with a becoming care and reverence, as the work of a holy day should be done, and to see that God's people also sanctify that day and do nothing to pollute it.
VI. Concerning their mourning for dead relations; the rule here agrees with the law of Moses, Lev 21:1, Lev 21:11. A priest shall not come near any dead body (for they must be purified from dead works) except of his next relations, Eze 44:25. Decent expressions of a pious sorrow for dear relations, when they are removed by death, are not disagreeable to the character of a minister. Yet by this approach to the dead body of a relation they contracted a ceremonial pollution, from which they must be cleansed by a sin-offering before they went in again to minister, Eze 44:26, Eze 44:27. Note, Though sorrow for the dead is very allowable and commendable, yet there is danger of sinning in it, either by excess or dissimulation; and those tears have too often need to be wept over again.
VII. Concerning their maintenance; they must live upon the altar at which they served, and live comfortably (Eze 44:28): "You shall give them no possession in Israel, no lands or tenements, lest they should be entangled with the affairs of this life;" for God has said, I am their inheritance, and they need no other in reserve; I am their possession, and they need no other in hand. Some land was allowed them (Eze 48:10), but their principal subsistence was by their office. What God appropriated to himself they were the receivers of, for their own proper use and behoof; they lived upon the holy things, and so God himself was the portion both of their inheritance and of their cup. Note, Those who have God for their inheritance and their possession may be content with a little, and ought not to covet a great deal of the possessions and inheritances of this earth. If we have God, we have all; and therefore may well reckon that we have enough. Observe,
1.What the priests were to have from the people, for their maintenance and encouragement. (1.) They must have the flesh of many of the offerings, the sin-offering and trespass-offering, which would supply them and their families with flesh-meat, and the meat-offerings, which would supply them with bread. What we offer to God will redound to our own advantage. (2.) They must have every dedicated devoted thing in Israel, which was in many cases to be turned into money and given to the priest. This is explained, Eze 44:20. Every oblation or free-will offering (which in times of reformation and devotion would be many and considerable) of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's. We have the law concerning them Lev. 27. (3.) They were to have the first of the dough when it was going to the oven, as well as the first of their fruits when they were going to the barn. God, who is the first, must have the first; and, if it belong to him, his priests must have it. We may then comfortably enjoy what we have, when a share of it has been first set apart for works of piety and charity. To this the apostle's rule bears some analogy, to begin the week with laying by for pious uses, Co1 16:2. The priests being so well provided for, it would be inexcusable in them if they (contrary to the law which every Israelite is bound by) should eat that which is torn or which died of itself, Eze 44:31. Those that were in want of necessary food might perhaps expect to be dispensed with in such a case. Poverty has its temptations, but the priests were so well provided for that they could have no pretence for it.
2.What the people might expect from the priest for their recompence. Those that are kind to a prophet, to a priest, shall have a prophet's, a priest's reward: That he may cause the blessing to rest in thy house (Eze 44:30), that God may cause it by commanding it, that the priest may cause it by praying for it; and it was part of the priest's work to bless the people in the name of the Lord, not only their congregations, but their families. Note, It is all in all to the comfort of any house to have the blessing of God upon it and to have the blessing to rest in it, to dwell where we dwell and to attend the entail of it upon those that shall come after us. And the way to have the blessing of God abide upon our estates is to honour God with them, and to give him and his ministers, him and his poor, their share out of them. God blesses, he surely blesses, the habitation of those who are thus just, Pro 3:33. And ministers, by instructing and praying for the families that are kind to them, should do their part towards causing the blessing to rest there. Peace be to this house.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–31. Public domain.
Copy as
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Vers. 22 seqq.) Widows and divorced (or expelled) women will not marry, but only a virgin from the seed of the house of Israel. But they will accept a widow who was married to a priest: and they will teach my people what is holy and what is defiled, and they will show them what is clean and what is unclean. And when there is a dispute (as added in the Septuagint, regarding blood), they will stand in my courts, and they will judge my laws, and they will keep my commandments in all my solemnities. This place contains the instructions of the priests, who, after many things that we have explained above, are commanded not to take widows, divorced women, or expelled women as wives. The widow and the divorced woman are the synagogue, that is, the congregation of the Jews, which did not receive the Lord. Therefore, it is rightly called the expelled woman, or the widow synagogue. The expelled woman also refers to the crowd of heretics who departed from us because they were not of us. But he says, 'I want to present you all as a holy virgin to Christ,' speaking also of the woman from the seed of the house of Israel who was nourished in the house of God, in the law and the prophets, about whom the Apostle also speaks (2 Corinthians 11:2). This is the virgin about whom the divine word speaks elsewhere: Love her, and she will keep you: surround her, and she will exalt you: honor her, so that she may embrace you (Prov. IV, 8). But whoever reads it will know what kind of virgin should be loved and how she should keep her lover: I loved her and sought her from my youth, and I sought to take her as my spouse, and I became a lover of her beauty (Wisdom VIII, 2). And again: And the Lord loved her above all. Not only, however, should priests marry virgins, but also widows, who were, nevertheless, the wives of another priest; that is, the knowledge that another worshipper of God has found. For we must not only be satisfied with new doctrine, but also cultivate the old and join it to our company, if she has been educated in sacred worship. It is also the duty of the priest to teach the people what is holy and what is impure, what is clean and what is unclean; so that we may first refer to the doctrines, and then to the works that are accomplished through the flesh. For who understands the sins? And when there is a dispute about any matter, whether as the Seventy have translated it, blood, that is, a crime that pertains to death, the priests shall stand in my judgments, so that they may not judge according to favoritism, nor show partiality to the poor or the rich in judgment, but they shall judge according to the judgments of God, and they shall remember that psalm: God stands in the assembly of gods, but he judges the gods in the midst of them, calling gods those who have the power to judge over men: and whoever judges in that judgment, he shall be judged by them. He said, 'My laws and my precepts shall be observed on all my solemnities, so that they may know how Christ is immolated for us as the Paschal Lamb; how we ought to fulfill the seven weeks of joy and gladness, and to humble our souls in fasting; and to understand the sound of trumpets and the spiritual tabernacles, in which we say: 'I am a stranger and a sojourner as were all my fathers' (Ps. XXXVIII, 13). These are the true solemnities of God, which someone discussing the Pentateuch will interpret in a consistent manner.' The first virtue of a priest is not only to teach what he knows, but also to observe all the festivals of God, so that he can instruct others in what they should observe, which he himself has also observed. Moreover, the duty of the priests is to have knowledge of the law, and in Malachi we learn, who says: The lips of the priest will keep knowledge, and the law they shall seek at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts (Mal. II, 7).
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
Copy as
Continue studying Ezekiel 44:24 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
SefariaThe Hebrew text with Rashi and centuries of Jewish commentary.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
SUMMARY
Ezekiel 44:24 delineates the sacred and multifaceted responsibilities of the Zadokite priests within the visionary temple, highlighting their indispensable role as faithful custodians of God's divine law and justice. This verse meticulously outlines their judicial functions as arbiters in legal disputes, mandating that their decisions strictly align with God's perfect judgments. Furthermore, it emphasizes their diligent guardianship and enforcement of God's comprehensive laws and statutes across all communal gatherings, alongside their crucial duty to uphold the sanctity of the Sabbath, thereby reinforcing the covenant relationship between God and His people through precise obedience and holy worship.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 44:24 is characterized by a pronounced Didactic Tone, directly instructing the Zadokite priests on their precise duties, leaving no ambiguity regarding their sacred responsibilities. The verse employs Parallelism to reinforce the priests' judicial functions, first stating they "shall stand in judgment" and then immediately clarifying they "shall judge it according to my judgments," creating a synonymous and reinforcing structure that emphasizes consistency and divine alignment. A particularly prominent literary device is the repeated use of Possessive Pronouns ("my judgments," "my laws," "my statutes," "my assemblies," "my sabbaths"). This insistent repetition serves to profoundly emphasize Divine Authority and ownership, underscoring that these are not human traditions or arbitrary rules, but God's own immutable standards given for His people, which the priests are merely entrusted to administer and uphold. This also powerfully highlights the Covenantal Language inherent in the passage, directly tying the priests' duties to God's established and enduring relationship with Israel.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 44:24 profoundly illustrates the Old Testament's emphasis on a consecrated priesthood as absolutely central to maintaining covenant faithfulness, spiritual purity, and societal order. The Zadokite priests, by judging according to God's judgments and diligently upholding His laws and Sabbaths, were intended to serve as living embodiments of divine righteousness and holiness within the community. This priestly function was not merely ritualistic or ceremonial but deeply ethical, judicial, and instructional, meticulously reflecting God's character as a God of perfect justice, divine order, and unblemished holiness. Their prescribed role powerfully foreshadows the ultimate need for a perfect mediator and interpreter of divine will—one who could perfectly embody, fulfill, and administer God's law without fault. This verse also highlights the enduring biblical principle that true worship, authentic spiritual vitality, and genuine communion with God are inextricably linked to faithful obedience to God's revealed will, particularly concerning His appointed times and His immutable standards of conduct.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 44:24, while rooted in the specific context of the Old Covenant priesthood and its regulations, offers profound and timeless principles for believers today. It calls us to recognize the enduring and profound importance of God's Word as the ultimate, authoritative standard for all aspects of life, from our personal conduct and ethical decisions to our interactions within the community of faith. Just as the Zadokite priests were divinely appointed to administer justice and uphold God's laws, all believers, as part of God's "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), are called to live righteously, exercising spiritual discernment and wisdom in all their choices, ensuring they align meticulously with biblical truth. This involves not merely intellectual knowledge of God's commands but actively "keeping" them—which implies guarding, observing, cherishing, and diligently living them out in practical obedience. The emphasis on "hallowing my sabbaths" serves as a powerful reminder of God's divine design for intentional rest, corporate worship, and personal spiritual renewal. It encourages us to purposefully set aside sacred time to honor God, draw near to Him, and find spiritual refreshment and reorientation in a world that relentlessly demands our attention and energy. Ultimately, this verse challenges us to embrace our priestly calling, living lives of profound holiness, unwavering integrity, and faithful obedience that authentically reflect God's character and glory to a watching world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the Zadokite priests in Ezekiel's vision, and why are they singled out?
Answer: The Zadokite priests hold immense significance in Ezekiel's vision because they are uniquely singled out by God as the only ones permitted to draw near to Him and minister in the inner sanctuary of the new temple (Ezekiel 44:15-16). This exclusive distinction is granted specifically because of their unwavering faithfulness and steadfast loyalty to God during a period when other Levites had "gone astray" and engaged in idolatry (Ezekiel 44:10). Their privileged role profoundly underscores the themes of purity, holiness, and the absolute necessity of uncompromised devotion in serving God, thereby setting an exceptionally high standard for all who would minister in the restored temple and for all who seek to draw near to God.
Does this verse imply that Christians today should observe the Old Testament Sabbath laws literally, as the Zadokite priests did?
Answer: While Ezekiel 44:24 emphatically highlights the importance of "hallowing" the Sabbath for Old Covenant Israel, Christians generally understand the Sabbath principle to be fulfilled and transformed in the New Covenant. The New Testament teaches that Jesus Christ is the "Lord of the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27-28) and the ultimate spiritual rest for believers (Hebrews 4:9-10). While the specific legalistic observance of the seventh-day Sabbath is not explicitly mandated for New Covenant believers (as discussed in Colossians 2:16-17), the underlying spiritual principle of setting aside intentional time for rest, worship, and spiritual refreshment remains vitally important. Many Christians observe this principle on the Lord's Day (Sunday) in remembrance of Christ's resurrection. The core message of the verse for believers today is the enduring importance of dedicating time and reverence to God and treating all sacred things with due holiness.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 44:24, with its detailed directives for the Zadokite priests, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament priests were called to "stand in judgment" and "judge it according to my judgments," a role perfectly embodied by Christ, who is the righteous Judge of all the earth (John 5:22). He perfectly upholds and fulfills God's laws and statutes, not merely observing them externally but living them out in absolute, internal obedience, thereby becoming the "end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Romans 10:4). Furthermore, the priests were commanded to "hallow my sabbaths," a command Jesus profoundly fulfilled by being the very Lord of the Sabbath, offering true, spiritual rest to all who are weary and burdened (Matthew 11:28). In Christ, the need for a mediating, earthly priesthood is perfectly and eternally met, as He is our Great High Priest, who has entered the heavenly sanctuary "once for all" through His own blood (Hebrews 9:11-12). Through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, He has consecrated a new and living way to God, enabling all believers to become a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), empowered by the Holy Spirit to offer spiritual sacrifices and live lives of holiness in accordance with God's perfect and redemptive will.