Ezekiel 44:18

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They are not to put on anything that makes them sweat.

Hebrew Names Version
They shall have linen tires on their heads, and shall have linen breeches on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with [anything that causes] sweat.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
They shall have linen turbans on their heads, and linen undergarments around their waists. They shall not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat.

New American Standard Bible
"Linen turbans shall be on their heads and linen undergarments shall be around their waists; they shall not put on anything that makes them sweat.

New Century Version
They will wear linen turbans on their heads and linen underclothes. They will not wear anything that makes them perspire.

Amplified Bible
"They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments on their loins; they shall not dress themselves with anything which makes them sweat.

Geneva Bible (1587)
They shall haue linnen bonets vpon their heades, and shall haue linnen breeches vpon their loynes: they shall not girde them selues in the sweating places.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Linen turbans shall be on their heads and linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat.

Legacy Standard Bible
Linen headdresses shall be on their heads, and linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat.

Berean Standard Bible
They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.

Contemporary English Version
Even their turbans and underwear must be made of linen to keep my priests from sweating when they work.

Complete Jewish Bible
They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen underclothes on their bodies, and they are not to wear anything that makes them sweat.

Darby Translation
They shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird on anything that causeth sweat.

Easy-to-Read Version
They will wear linen turbans on their heads, and they will wear linen underwear. They will not wear anything that makes them sweat.

George Lamsa Translation
Also when they are within the inner court, they shall wear linen mitres upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins.

Good News Translation
So that they won't perspire, they are to wear linen turbans and linen trousers, but no belt.

Lexham English Bible
Linen turbans shall be on their head and linen undergarments shall be on their waists; they shall not gird themselves with material causing perspiration.

Literal Translation
Turbans of bleached linen shall be on their heads, and bleached linen undergarments shall be on their loins. They shall not gird with sweat.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They shal haue fayre lynnynge bonettes vpon their heades, and lynnynge breches vpon their loynes, which in their laboure they shal not put aboute them:

American Standard Version
They shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causeth sweat.

Bible in Basic English
They are to have linen head-dresses on their heads and linen trousers on their legs, and they are to have nothing round them to make their skin wet with heat.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
They shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.

King James Version (1611)
They shall haue linnen bonets vpon their heads, and shall haue linnen breeches vpon their loynes: they shall not girde themselues with any thing that causeth sweat.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
They shall haue linnen bonnets vpon their heades, and linnen breeches vpon their loynes: they shal not gird them selues in the sweate.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they shall have linen mitres upon their heads, and shall have linen drawers upon their loins; and they shall not tightly gird themselves.

English Revised Version
They shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.

World English Bible
They shall have linen tires on their heads, and shall have linen breeches on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with [anything that causes] sweat.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
thei schulen be clothid with lynnun clothis, nether ony wollun thing schal `be do on hem, whanne thei mynystren in the yatis of the ynnere halle, and with ynne; lynnun cappis, ether mytris, schulen be in the heedis of hem, and lynnun brechis schulen be in the leendis of hem, and thei schulen not be gird in swoot.

Update Bible Version
They shall have linen tires on their heads, and shall have linen breeches on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with [anything that causes] sweat.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

New English Translation
Linen turbans will be on their heads and linen undergarments will be around their waists; they must not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat.

New King James Version
They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen trousers on their bodies; they shall not clothe themselves with anything that causes sweat.

New Living Translation
They must wear linen turbans and linen undergarments. They must not wear anything that would cause them to perspire.

New Life Bible
They will wear linen head-coverings and linen underclothes. They must not dress in anything that makes their bodies wet with heat.

New Revised Standard
They shall have linen turbans on their heads, and linen undergarments on their loins; they shall not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Chaplets of linen, shall be upon their head, and Breeches of linen shall be upon their loins, - They shall not gird themselves, so as to perspire,

Douay-Rheims Bible
They shall have linen mitres on their heads, and linen breeches on their loins, and they shall not be girded with any thing that causeth sweat.

Revised Standard Version
They shall have linen turbans upon their heads, and linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causes sweat.

Young's Literal Translation
Linen bonnets are on their head, and linen trousers are on their loins, they are not restrained with sweat.

Contextual Overview

¹⁷"When they enter the gate complex of the inside courtyard, they are to dress in linen. No woolens are to be worn while serving at the gate complex of the inside courtyard or inside the Temple itself. They're to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen underclothes—nothing that makes them sweat. When they go out into the outside courtyard where the people gather, they must first change out of the clothes they have been serving in, leaving them in the sacred rooms where they change to their everyday clothes, so that they don't trivialize their holy work by the way they dress. ²⁰ "They are to neither shave their heads nor let their hair become unkempt, but must keep their hair trimmed and neat. ²¹ "No priest is to drink on the job—no wine while in the inside courtyard. ²² "Priests are not to marry widows or divorcees, but only Israelite virgins or widows of priests. ²³ "Their job is to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, to show them how to discern between unclean and clean. ²⁴ "When there's a difference of opinion, the priests will arbitrate. They'll decide on the basis of my judgments, laws, and statutes. They are in charge of making sure the appointed feasts are honored and my Sabbaths kept holy in the ways I've commanded. ²⁵"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. ²⁸"As to priests owning land, I am their inheritance. Don't give any land in Israel to them. I am their ‘land,' their inheritance. They'll take their meals from the grain offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. Everything in Israel offered to God in worship is theirs. The best of everything grown, plus all special gifts, comes to the priests. All that is given in worship to God goes to them. Serve them first. Serve from your best and your home will be blessed. ³¹ "Priests are not to eat any meat from bird or animal unfit for ordinary human consumption, such as carcasses found dead on the road or in the field."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

bonnets: Exodus 28:40, Exodus 28:41, Exodus 39:28, 1 Corinthians 11:4-10

linen breeches: Exodus 28:42, Exodus 28:43, 1 Corinthians 14:40, with anything that causeth sweat, or, in sweating places, Heb. in, or with sweat.

Reciprocal: Exodus 39:27 - coats Leviticus 6:10 - linen garment Leviticus 16:4 - holy linen coat Revelation 15:6 - clothed

Cross-References

Genesis 18:30
He said, "Master, don't be irritated with me, but what if only thirty are found?" "No, I won't do it if I find thirty."

Genesis 18:32
He wouldn't quit, "Don't get angry, Master—this is the last time. What if you only come up with ten?" "For the sake of only ten, I won't destroy the city."

Genesis 41:44
Pharaoh told Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but no one in Egypt will make a single move without your stamp of approval."

Genesis 44:23
"And then you said, ‘If your youngest brother doesn't come with you, you won't be allowed to see me.'

Exodus 32:22
Aaron said, "Master, don't be angry. You know this people and how set on evil they are. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. This Moses, the man who brought us out of Egypt, we don't know what's happened to him.'

2 Samuel 14:12
Then she asked, "May I say one more thing to my master, the king?" He said, "Go ahead."

Esther 1:12
But Queen Vashti refused to come, refused the summons delivered by the eunuchs. The king lost his temper. Seething with anger over her insolence, the king called in his counselors, all experts in legal matters. It was the king's practice to consult his expert advisors. Those closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven highest-ranking princes of Persia and Media, the inner circle with access to the king's ear. He asked them what legal recourse they had against Queen Vashti for not obeying King Xerxes' summons delivered by the eunuchs.

Job 33:31
"Keep listening, Job. Don't interrupt—I'm not finished yet. But if you think of anything I should know, tell me. There's nothing I'd like better than to see your name cleared. Meanwhile, keep listening. Don't distract me with interruptions. I'm going to teach you the basics of wisdom."

Psalms 79:5
How long do we have to put up with this, God ? Do you have it in for us for good? Will your smoldering rage never cool down? If you're going to be angry, be angry with the pagans who care nothing about you, or your rival kingdoms who ignore you. They're the ones who ruined Jacob, who wrecked and looted the place where he lived.

Proverbs 19:12
Mean-tempered leaders are like mad dogs; the good-natured are like fresh morning dew.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they shall have linen bonnets upon their heads,.... Denoting gravity and modesty, subjection to God, and authority among men under him; and also purity of doctrine, and clearness of light and knowledge:

and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; expressive of chastity; see Exodus 28:40:

they shall not gird themselves with anything that causeth sweat; so not with wool, which is apt to cause sweat; and is thought to be the reason why it is forbidden in the preceding verse; and so this girdle must be different from the priest's girdle under the law, for that had wool in it: sweat is of an ill smell, and very offensive; and may denote unsound doctrine and immorality in life and conversation, which give offence, and cause the ministry to be blamed, to which is opposed the girdle of truth and holiness, Ephesians 6:14. The Talmudic doctors interpret this of the place of girding, which is liable to sweat; and they say o,

"they used not to gird neither below the loins, nor above the arm holes; but over against, or about the armholes;''

which is observed by Jarchi and Kimchi on the text; and the Targum is,

"they shall not gird upon or about the loins, but about the heart;''

that is, about the breast or paps; hence Christ our great High Priest is described as girt about the paps with a golden girdle, Revelation 1:13 so these are girt that are made priests by him; denoting their hearty zeal and affection for the truths of his Gospel, and the honour of his name, and their readiness to serve and glorify him: or,

they shall not gird themselves loosely p; in a negligent manner, which is both indecent, and hinders business.

o T. Bab. Zevachim, fol. 18. 2. & 19. 1. p לא יחגרו ביוע "non cingent seipsos modo instabili, nempe neglectim circumponendo cingulum nimis laxum", Gussetius, p. 315. The Tigurine version is, "quae non adstringent arctius".

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).