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the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Bishop's Bible

Ezekiel 44:25

They shall come at no dead person to defile them selues: but with father or mother, sonne or daughter, brother or sister, that hath had yet no husband, may they be defiled.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Defilement;   Priest;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Dead, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Easton Bible Dictionary - Purification;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Fasting;   Moses;   Nations;   Priests and Levites;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Prince;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Temple;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Priest;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A priest may not come near a dead person so that he becomes defiled. However, he may defile himself for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister.
Hebrew Names Version
They shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
They shall not defile themselves by going near to a dead person. However, for father or mother, for son or daughter, for brother or unmarried sister they may defile themselves.
New American Standard Bible
"They shall not go to a dead person to defile themselves; however, for father, for mother, for son, for daughter, for brother, or for a sister who has not had a husband, they may defile themselves.
New Century Version
"‘They must not go near a dead person, making themselves unclean. But they are allowed to make themselves unclean if the dead person is their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or a sister who has not married.
Amplified Bible
"They shall not go to a dead person to defile themselves; except for father or for mother, for son or for daughter, for brother or for sister who has had no husband; they may defile themselves.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And they shal come at no dead person to defile theselues, except at their father, or mother, or sone, or daughter, brother or sister, yt hath had yet none husband: in these may they be defiled.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"They shall not go to a dead person to defile themselves; however, for father, for mother, for son, for daughter, for brother, or for a sister who has not had a husband, they may defile themselves.
Legacy Standard Bible
But they shall not go to a dead person to make themselves unclean; however, for father, for mother, for son, for daughter, for brother, or for a sister who has not had a husband, they may make themselves unclean.
Berean Standard Bible
A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person. However, for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister, he may do so,
Contemporary English Version
Touching a dead body will make a person unclean. So a priest must not go near a dead body, unless it is one of his parents or children, or his brother or unmarried sister.
Complete Jewish Bible
They are not to come to any dead person, because this would make them unclean; however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister who has had no husband they may make themselves unclean.
Darby Translation
And they shall come at no dead person to become unclean; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may become unclean.
Easy-to-Read Version
They will not go near a dead person to make themselves unclean. But they may make themselves unclean if the dead person is their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or a sister who is not married.
George Lamsa Translation
And they shall not attend the funeral of a dead person, lest they defile themselves, except for father or for mother or for son or for daughter or for brother or for his virgin sister who had never been married, otherwise they may become unclean.
Good News Translation
"A priest is not to become ritually unclean by touching a corpse, unless it is one of his parents, one of his children or a brother or an unmarried sister.
Lexham English Bible
And near a dead person he shall not come to be defiled, but only for a father and for a mother and for a son and for a daughter, for a brother and for a sister who was not married may they defile themselves.
Literal Translation
And he shall not come to a dead man, to defile himself ; but for father, or for mother, or for a son, or for a daughter, for a brother, or for a sister who has not had a husband, they may defile themselves.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They shal come at no deed persone, to defyle them selues: (excepte it be father or mother, sonne or doughter, brother or sister that hath had yet no husbonde) in soch they maye be defyled.
American Standard Version
And they shall go in to 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.
Bible in Basic English
They are not to come near any dead person so as to become unclean: but for a father or mother or son or daughter or brother or for a sister who has no husband, they may make themselves unclean.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And they shall come near 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.
King James Version (1611)
And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselues: but for father or for mother, or for sonne or for daughter, for brother or for sister, that hath had no husband, they may defile themselues.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they shall not go in to the dead body of a man to defile themselves: only a priest may defile himself for a father, or for a mother, or for a son, or for a daughter, or for a brother, or for his sister, who has not been married.
English Revised Version
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.
World English Bible
They shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei schulen not entre to a deed man, lest thei be defoulid, no but to fadir, and modir, and to sone, and douyter, and to brother, and sister that hadde not an hosebonde, in whiche thei schulen be defoulid.
Update Bible Version
And they shall go in to no dead of man to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that has had no husband, they may defile themselves.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New English Translation
"‘They must not come near a dead person or they will be defiled; however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister, they may defile themselves.
New King James Version
"They shall not defile themselves by coming near a dead person. Only for father or mother, for son or daughter, for brother or unmarried sister may they defile themselves.
New Living Translation
"A priest must not defile himself by being in the presence of a dead person unless it is his father, mother, child, brother, or unmarried sister. In such cases it is permitted.
New Life Bible
They must not make themselves unclean by going near a dead person. But they may make themselves unclean if the dead person is their father or mother, son or daughter, brother, or sister who was not married.
New Revised Standard
They shall not defile themselves by going near to a dead person; for father or mother, however, and for son or daughter, and for brother or unmarried sister they may defile themselves.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And unto no dead person, shall they go in. to defile themselves,- Save that for father or for mother or for son or for daughter, for brother or for sister who hath belonged to no husband they may defile themselves.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they shall come near no dead person, lest they be defiled, only their father and mother, and son and daughter, and brother and sister, that hath not had another husband: for whom they may become unclean.
Revised Standard Version
They shall not defile themselves by going near to a dead person; however, for father or mother, for son or daughter, for brother or unmarried sister they may defile themselves.
Young's Literal Translation
And unto any dead man they come not for uncleanness, but for father, and for mother, and for son, and for daughter, for brother, for sister who hath not been to a man, they defile themselves.
THE MESSAGE
"A priest must not contaminate himself by going near a corpse. But when the dead person is his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, he can approach the dead. But after he has been purified, he must wait another seven days. Then, when he returns to the inside courtyard of the Sanctuary to do his priestly work in the Sanctuary, he must first offer a sin offering for himself. Decree of God , the Master.

Contextual Overview

17 Now when they go in at the gates of the innermer court, they shal put on linnen clothes, so that no woollen come vpon them while they do seruice vnder the gates of the innermer court, and with in. 18 They shall haue linnen bonnets vpon their heades, and linnen breeches vpon their loynes: they shal not gird them selues in the sweate. 19 And when they go foorth into the vtter court [euen] to the vtter court of the people, they shall put of the clothes wherein they haue ministred, and laye them in the chamber of the sanctuarie, and put on other apparel, and they shal not sanctifie the people with their clothes. 20 They shall not shaue their heades, nor suffer their here to growe long, but poule their heades onely. 21 Al the priestes that go into the inmost court shal drinke no wine. 22 They shall mary no widowe, neither one that is put from her husband: but a maide of the seede of the house of Israel, or a widowe that hath had a priest before. 23 They shall shewe my people the difference betweene the holy and vnholy, and cause them to discerne betwixt the cleane and vncleane. 24 And in controuersie they shall stand to iudge, and geue sentence after my iudgementes: and my lawes and my statutes shal they kepe in al my solempne feastes, and halowe my Sabbathes. 25 They shall come at no dead person to defile them selues: but with father or mother, sonne or daughter, brother or sister, that hath had yet no husband, may they be defiled. 26 And when he is cleansed, there shalbe reckened vnto him seuen dayes.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Leviticus 21:1-6, Leviticus 22:4, Matthew 8:21, Matthew 8:22, Luke 9:59, Luke 9:60, 2 Corinthians 5:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15

Reciprocal: Numbers 6:7 - unclean

Cross-References

Genesis 43:2
And it came to passe when they had eaten vp the corne which they had brought out of the lande of Egypt, theyr father sayde vnto them: go agayne [and] bye vs a litle foode.
Genesis 43:5
But yf thou wylt not sende hym, we wyll not go downe: for the man sayde vnto vs, ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves,.... Shall not come into places where they are, nor touch them, nor attend their funerals, Leviticus 21:1, that their work might not be interrupted, or they through grief and sorrow be made unfit for it, Matthew 8:22, this, in a spiritual sense, may signify, that they should have no conversation or fellowship with men dead in trespasses and sins; and should abstain from all dead works, as all sinful ones are:

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; by coming near them, touching them, at least attending their funerals, because of their near relation to them, and that natural sympathy and affection that must be in them: all sorrow and mourning for dead relations is not forbidden saints, nor ministers of the word; provided it is in moderation, and not to excess, and is not for gracious persons, as those without hope; and should as little as possible break in upon the duties of their office, 1 Thessalonians 4:13.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Regulations as to the priests’ services. The garments of the priests are defined and various rules prescribed in the Law are repeated with some additions in order to denote additional care to avoid uncleanness.

Ezekiel 44:18

The material of which the four vestments of the ordinary priest were made was “linen,” or, more accurately, “byssus,” the cotton stuff of Egypt. The two special qualities of the byssus - white and shining - are characteristic, and on them part of the symbolic meaning depended. Compare Revelation 19:8.

Ezekiel 44:19

They shall not sanctify the people - They shall not touch the people with their holy garments. The word “sanctify” is used because the effect of touching was to separate as holy the persons or things so touched (Exodus 29:37; Exodus 30:29; compare Leviticus 6:18). The priests wore the distinctive dress, only while performing in the temple strictly sacrificial services.

The holy chambers; see Ezekiel 42:1 ff.

Ezekiel 44:22

Restrictions and exceptions intended to mark the holiness of the office of a priest, imposing on him additional (compare the marginal reference) obligations to purity, and communicating it in some degree to his wife. In the Christian Church all the members are “priests” 1 Peter 2:5; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 20:6. Hence, the directions for maintaining the holiness of the “priesthood” in the new order, represent the necessity for holiness in all Christians, and the exclusion of the “uncircumcised in heart and in flesh” is equivalent to the exclusion of “all that defileth” from the New Jerusalem Revelation 21:27.

Ezekiel 44:24

There was in Herod’s Temple a council of priests, whose special duty it was to regulate every thing connected with the sanctuary. They did not ordinarily busy themselves with criminal questions, although they took a leading part in the condemnation of Jesus Mark 15:1.

Ezekiel 44:28

It shall be unto them - The remains of the sacrifices were a chief source of the priests’ support. The burnt-offerings being entirely consumed, the priests had the skins, which yielded a considerable revenue; meat-offerings and drink-offerings belonged entirely to them. sin-offerings and trepass-offerings, except in particular cases, also belonged to the priests and were partaken of in the temple. Of the peace-offerings a portion dedicated to the Lord by waving was left for the priests, and the rest eaten by the officers and their friends, either in the courts of the temple, or at least within Jerusalem. The kitchen-courts (K, Plan II Ezek. Ezekiel 46:21-24), were provided in order to prepare these public meals.

Ezekiel 44:30

Oblation - Offering, margin “heave-offering” (see Ezekiel 45:1; Exodus 25:2; Exodus 29:27; Notes and Pref. to Leviticus).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 44:25. And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves — Touching the dead defiles a Hindoo now, as it formerly did a Jew; and they must bathe to become clean again.


 
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