Ezek. 44 The east gate assigned only to the prince, Ezek. 44:1–3. The people reproved for steering strangers to pollute the sanctuary, Ezek. 44:4–8. Idolaters declared incapable of the priest’s office, Ezek. 44:9–14. The sons of Zadok are accepted thereto, Ezek. 44:15–16.

Then; when the altar was measured, and directions given for consecrating it at first, and for the perpetual use of it for future. Back; from the inner court, where be had been viewing the altar, to the outer part of the same court, and to the east gate thereof: others say it was to the templegate…

Likely the prophet was somewhat surprised, and wondered that the door should be shut; and while he museth on it the Lord speaks to him out of the temple, and informs him, and satisfieth him. Shall not be opened, i.e.

For the prince; for the king, say some; if so, then the door shut was the door, not of the temple, but of the east gate of the priests’ court. The high priest, and the second priest, say others, and indeed this is most likely.

Then, when he had been informed of the reason why the east gate was shut, and when he perceived he must not go out thereby. He; the angel, or Christ in the appearance of man.

The whole of the first part of this verse is found at Ezek. 40:4, where it is explained. The ordinances; the prescribed rules for persons and things in and about the temple; these ordinances are called laws in this verse. Mark well; set thy mind, that thou mayst comprehend them all.

The rebellious: see Ezek. 2:3, Ezek. 2:6–8. Let it suffice you; let the time you have spent on your sins, your many great sins and abominations, let it be thought enough, nay, too much, as 1 Pet. 4:3; do so no more.

Ye have brought; either by abusing your power you have licensed, or by conniving you have permitted, to come into my holy courts. Strangers; foreigners and heathen, who had their idols in the very courts of the temple, and there worshipped their idols, as Ezek. 8:5, Ezek. 8:10, Ezek. 8:14, Ezek.

You have not observed the laws I gave you for the careful and exact keeping of my holy things; house, sacrifices, and worship. You have substituted others in your rooms, made officials, and surrogates, and curates to look to the gates, and these have let in the profane and unclean; your pride, or…

Now God renews his former law against the permitting of the wicked and heathens to enter his sanctuary. None, of what quality soever, what interest soever they make, though princes, nobles, learned, travellers, that come to view nations and the rarities of them; none of these, or such like, shall…

The Levites; priests intended here, and indeed the sons or posterity of them are here intended; for this apostacy among them was elder than the eldest of them all.

Ministers; servants, employed in the lowest and least honourable work. In my sanctuary; not the temple itself, but about the courts of it. Having charge at the gates; shall be porters to open and shut and sweep, and ready to go on errands.

Ministered; acted as priests to idols, and in the name of idolatrous worshippers sacrificed to the idols. Caused the house of Israel; were first occasion of fall to some, when their example was followed; and in after-times they seduced, persuaded, and urged them to serve their idols, and sacrifice…

They shall never be admitted to the office, nor employed in the proper work of a priest that ministers to me. They shall not come into the temple, much less into the oracle, nor have any part in the offering up of sacrifices on the altar, though they have meat, drink, and lodging about the temple;…

See Ezek. 44:11.

The priests; so called from their office. The Levites; by descent from Levi, Jacob’s son. Sons of Zadok; who was of Eleazar’s family, to whose father Phinehas a covenant of salt insured the high priesthood, and all the honour, privileges, and advantages thereof, Num. 25:12–13.

They shall enter, the high priest and the other priests shall have right and liberty of entering, into my sanctuary; both to the altar, to the temple, and the high priest into the holy of holies. To my table; to set the shew-bread on, and to take it off.

When they enter: they must put on their priestly garments in the chambers that are appointed for vestries to them, where they put off the garments when the service was done, and where they put them on when they approached to the altar, Ezek. 42:14.

This verse recounts but two garments of linen, the bonnet and the breeches, but Ex. 28:39, 1 Sam. 2:18, 1 Sam. 2:28, 1 Sam. 14:3, mention a linen coat, or ephod; so they had three linen garments, and a girdle of fine twined linen about to gird the coat fast, yet so as not to make them sweat, or…

See Ezek. 42:14, where this verse is explained, yet here are two things that verse hath not, of which a word. The utter court: this tells us in which court stood the chambers, wherein the priests did attire themselves, into which also they retired to unclothe themselves of the priestly garments.

To shave their heads was forbidden, Lev. 19:27, Lev. 21:5. Hair is given for an ornament, and the priests should not disfigure themselves, nor imitate idolatrous heathens. Nor suffer their locks to grow long; priding themselves in it, as Absalom, giving ill example by such excess.

Any priest; any one, on any pretence. Wine, or any other strong intoxicating liquor. When they enter into the inner court; when they go, either to trim the lamps, or set the shew-bread in order, or to offer incense in the temple; or when they go to the altar to offer a sacrifice, which stood in the…

God allowed them to marry, only directs that it be not to one of ill fame or divorced, Lev. 21:13–14, nor the widow of any deceased common person; yet a priest might realty a priest’s widow, but a virgin is rather commended to their choice; and whether widow or virgin, it must not be as Moses…

They shall teach; by their place they were bound to instruct the people, Lev. 10:10–11; this was part of their work, to read the law, expound it, and resolve questions arising about it. They were to be, as ministers ought now to be, apt to teach, 1 Tim. 3:2.

In controversy; in doubts about lawful and unlawful, in pretences of right and wrong in all contests. They shall stand in judgment; if the controversy be brought to them, they shall hear and consider. Shall judge it; shall determine, end the controversy, and reconcile parties.

They, the priests, who come near to minister before the Lord, shall come at no dead person; neither touch, nor come into the room, nor attend the funeral of the dead; for this would be a legal and ceremonial defilement, and it is prohibited Lev. 21:1.

After he is cleansed; after that for seven days he hath kept from the dead, by which the Jews accounted a man was cleansed, for as nearness did defile, so absence did cleanse in this case.

During the days of his uncleanness he kept out of the sanctuary; when the days of purifying are fulfilled he then may go in. The sanctuary; not the temple itself, but, as the next words have it, the inner court. To minister; to execute the priest’s office.

Sin-offering being mentioned immediately before, gives the occasion of repeating the provision made for the priests, for under this one all other offerings are couched; and if the Lord do so expressly require a defiled priest to bring his sin-offering, in which the ministering priests had their…

We must not think that the whole of these were eat, God had his part, and the priest his part too; somewhat of each came to the priest. Every dedicated thing; as first-fruits, and tithes, &c., the priest had part of them.

And the first; so soon as the first-fruits are ripe in the field, your vineyards and olive-yards, &c. nay, redemption money for the first-born of man was theirs. Every oblation, whether free-will offering or prescribed. Of every sort; of what sort soever, whether of flock, or herd, &c.

This was forbidden to all the Jews, much more to the priests, Ex. 22:31, Lev. 22:8.