Ezekiel 44:16

Easy-to-Read Version

"They will enter my holy place and come near my table to serve me. They will take care of the things I gave them.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“They are the ones who may enter my sanctuary and approach my table to serve me. They will keep my mandate.

Hebrew Names Version
they shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.

King James Version
They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.

English Standard Version
They shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall approach my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.

New American Standard Bible
"They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to serve Me and assume the responsibility I give them.

New Century Version
They are the only ones who may enter my Holy Place. Only they may come near my table to serve me and take care of the things I gave them to do.

Amplified Bible
"They shall enter into My sanctuary; and they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and they shall perform [the priestly] duty to me.

Geneva Bible (1587)
They shall enter into my Sanctuarie, and shall come neere to my table, to serue me, and they shall keepe my charge.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep My charge.

Legacy Standard Bible
"They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep the responsibility given by Me.

Berean Standard Bible
They alone shall enter My sanctuary and draw near to My table to minister before Me. They will keep My charge.

Contemporary English Version
They will come into my temple, where they will offer sacrifices at my altar and lead others in worship.

Complete Jewish Bible
‘They will enter my sanctuary, approach my table to minister to me and perform my service.

Darby Translation
They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall approach unto my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.

George Lamsa Translation
They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge:

Good News Translation
They alone will enter my Temple, serve at my altar, and conduct the Temple worship.

Lexham English Bible
"They shall come to my sanctuary, and they shall approach my table to serve me, and they will observe my requirement.

Literal Translation
They shall enter into My sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table, to minister to Me. And they shall keep My charge.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They shall go in to my Sanctuary, and treade before my table, to do me seruyce, and to waite vpo myne ordinaunces.

American Standard Version
they shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.

Bible in Basic English
They are to come into my holy place and they are to come near to my table, to do my work and have the care of my house.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
they shall enter into My sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table, to minister unto Me, and they shall keep My charge.

King James Version (1611)
They shall enter into my sanctuarie, and they shall come neere to my table to minister vnto mee, and they shall keepe my charge.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
They shall go into my sanctuarie, and apropche vnto my table to do me seruice, and they shall kepe my charge.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
These shall enter into my sanctuary, and these shall approach my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charges.

English Revised Version
they shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.

World English Bible
they shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thei schulen entre in to my seyntuarie, and thei schulen neiye to my boord, that thei mynystre to me, and kepe my ceremonyes.

Update Bible Version
they shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.

Webster's Bible Translation
They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.

New English Translation
They will enter my sanctuary, and approach my table to minister to me; they will keep my charge.

New King James Version
"They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge.

New Living Translation
They alone will enter my sanctuary and approach my table to serve me. They will fulfill all my requirements.

New Life Bible
"They will come into My holy place and come near My table, to serve Me and to do My work.

New Revised Standard
It is they who shall enter my sanctuary, it is they who shall approach my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They shall enter into my sanctuary, and They shall draw near unto my table to wait upon me,- So shall they keep my charge.

Douay-Rheims Bible
They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and to keep my ceremonies.

Revised Standard Version
they shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall approach my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.

Young's Literal Translation
they come in unto My sanctuary, and they draw near unto My table to serve Me, and they have kept My charge.

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ In the past, the Levites left me when Israel turned away from me. Israel left me to follow their idols. The Levites will be punished for their sin. ¹¹ The Levites were chosen to serve in my holy place. They guarded the gates of the Temple. They served in the Temple. They killed the animals for the sacrifices and burnt offerings for the people. They were chosen to help the people and to serve them. ¹² But the Levites helped the people sin against me! They helped the people worship their idols! So I am making this promise against them: ‘They will be punished for their sin.'" This is what the Lord God said. ¹³ "So the Levites will not bring offerings to me like the priests. They will not come near any of my holy things or the things that are most holy. They must carry their shame because of the terrible things that they did. ¹⁴ But I will let them take care of the Temple. They will work in the Temple and do the things that must be done in it. ¹⁵ "The priests are all from the tribe of Levi. But only priests from Zadok's family took care of my holy place when the people of Israel turned away from me. So only Zadok's descendants will bring offerings to me. They will stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood from the animals they sacrifice." This is what the Lord God said! ¹⁶ "They will enter my holy place and come near my table to serve me. They will take care of the things I gave them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

They shall enter: Revelation 1:6

to my table: To place the shew-bread there. It is observable, that the table in the sanctuary is mentioned rather than the altar of incense; perhaps intimating the change in the external institutions of Divine worship which should take place before the accomplishment of the prophecy. It is not easy to determine, whether any external regulations, with respect to Divine ordinances, answerable to these predictions, will be made among the converted Jews, when reinstated in their own land, or not. Ezekiel 41:22, Malachi 1:7, Malachi 1:12

keep: Numbers 18:7, Numbers 18:8, Deuteronomy 33:8-10

Reciprocal: Numbers 16:5 - will cause 1 Samuel 2:35 - I will raise 1 Kings 7:48 - the table 2 Chronicles 4:8 - ten tables Ezekiel 23:41 - a table Ezekiel 40:39 - tables on that Ezekiel 44:8 - charge Ezekiel 48:11 - the sons Zechariah 3:7 - if thou wilt keep Malachi 3:3 - the sons

Cross-References

Genesis 37:7
We were all working in the field, tying stacks of wheat together. Then my stack got up. It stood there while all of your stacks of wheat made a circle around mine and bowed down to it."

Genesis 37:9
Then Joseph had another dream, and he told his brothers about it. He said, "I had another dream. I saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me."

Genesis 44:8
We brought back the money that we found in our sacks before. So surely we wouldn't steal silver or gold from your master's house.

Genesis 44:9
If you find the silver cup in any of our sacks, let that man die. You can kill him, and we will be your slaves."

Genesis 44:18
Then Judah went to Joseph and said, "Sir, please let me speak plainly with you. Please don't be angry with me. I know that you are like Pharaoh himself.

Genesis 44:21
Then you said to us, ‘Bring that brother to me. I want to see him.'

Genesis 44:22
And we said to you, ‘That young boy cannot come. He cannot leave his father. If his father loses him, his father will be so sad that he will die.'

Genesis 44:28
I let one son go away, and he was killed by a wild animal. And I haven't seen him since.

Genesis 44:32
"I took responsibility for the young boy. I told my father, ‘If I don't bring him back to you, you can blame me for the rest of my life.'

Numbers 32:23
But if you don't do these things, you will be sinning against the Lord . And know for sure that you will be punished for your sin.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They shall enter into my sanctuary,.... Both to officiate, and to participate, which strangers and uncircumcised persons might not do, Ezekiel 44:9:

and they shall come near to my table to minister unto me; which some understand of the altar of burnt offering, which was as a table, and the sacrifice on it was the food of the Lord, Leviticus 3:11, others, the altar of incense; see Ezekiel 41:22. Kimchi interprets it of the table of shewbread; but, whatever is meant in the letter, the mystical sense is, the ordinance of the Lord's supper, called the Lord's table,

1 Corinthians 10:21, a table richly spread, and well furnished with spiritual provision: here Christ himself sits, bids his people welcome, eats with them, and they with him; and here all the saints are guests, and ministers in particular officiate:

and they shall keep my charge; continue to do so; for this they did before, Ezekiel 44:15, but now should be confirmed in their office, and never be displaced, as others; they that honour God he will honour, 1 Samuel 2:30.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Admonition to the ministering priests, grounded upon former neglect.

Ezekiel 44:4

The north gate before the house - The north gate of the inner court. God expostulates with His people in the seat of their former idolatries Ezekiel 8:3.

Ezekiel 44:5

Mark well - The careful arrangements made had all been intended to keep the temple and its surroundings from profanation. Hence, attention to these particulars is enjoined.

Ezekiel 44:7

Strangers - This refers especially to the sin of unauthorized and unfaithful priests ministering in the services of the temple. Compare marginal references.

Ezekiel 44:8

Mine holy things - The altar, its sacrifices, the sacred utensils, and the like.

For yourselves - According to your own pleasure, not My ordinances Numbers 16:40.

Ezekiel 44:10

The Levites as a body had remained true to the temple-service at Jerusalem 2 Chronicles 11:13; but individuals among them deserted to Israel probably from the first (see the marginal references), as in later years some went over to the worship of the Samaritans on Mount Gerizim. These apostate Levites “shall bear their iniquities,” they shall not be restored to their former rank and privileges.

Ezekiel 44:11

Ministers - As, according to the new system, the Levites, as a body, were to receive their portion in the “oblation” Ezekiel 45:5; the only manner in which the Levites of Ezekiel 44:10 could live at all, was as part of the whole body, to which they were therefore reunited, but in the lowest grade. It is remarkable that the number of Levites who returned after the captivity was very small, not exceeding 400, of whom only 74 were priests’ assistants (Ezra 2:40-42; compare Ezra 8:15-19). The gap in their number was filled up by 220 Nethinim (“given” ones), probably originally strangers and captives, who, although employed in the temple services, were held by the Jews in the lowest repute.

Ezekiel 44:12

Lifted up mine hand - i. e., “The Lord sware” Ezekiel 20:5, that they should bear their iniquities.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 44:16. Come near to my table — To place the shew-bread there, and to burn incense on the golden altar in the holy of holies.