Ezekiel 44:13

They must not approach Me to serve Me as priests or come near any of My holy things or the most holy things. They will bear the shame of the abominations they have committed.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Lord addresses the house of Israel through Ezekiel, establishing temple regulations for those who previously ministered before idols. This declaration follows a sworn judgment regarding their iniquity and precedes their reassignment to menial temple duties in Ezekiel 44:14.

The words — יִגְּשׁ֤וּ (yi.ge.Shu) means "they will draw near," and כָּל־ קָדָשַׁי (kol- ka.da.Sha/i) translates to "all my holy things." These terms define the strict boundary between the disqualified ministers and the sacred space.

The thread — The restriction on approaching holy objects echoes the Levitical limits in Numbers 18:3 and the exclusion of high-place priests in 2 Kings 23:9. The resulting shame aligns with the prophetic warning in Ezekiel 16:61 about remembering past ways.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that idolatry forfeits priestly privilege and requires accepting the assigned consequences without appeal. Readers must acknowledge that proximity to God’s holiness demands exclusive fidelity.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ not יִגְּשׁ֤וּyi.ge.Shuthey will draw near אֵלַי֙'e.La/ito/ me לְכַהֵ֣ןle./kha.Hento/ serve as priestsלִ֔יL/i<to>/ meוְלָגֶ֙שֶׁת֙ve./la./Ge.shetand/ to/ draw near עַל־'al-to כָּל־kol-all קָ֣דָשַׁ֔יka.da.Sha/iholy things/ my אֶל־'el-to קָדְשֵׁ֖יka.de.Shei[the] holy things of הַקְּדָשִׁ֑יםha./ke.da.Shimthe/ holy things וְנָֽשְׂאוּ֙ve./na.se.'Uand/ they will bear כְּלִמָּתָ֔םke.li.ma.Ta/mdisgrace/ their וְתוֹעֲבוֹתָ֖םve./to.'a.vo.Ta/mand/ abominations/ their אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich עָשֽׂוּ׃'a.Suthey have done

King James Version

And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.

Cross-references

Numbers 18:3 And they shall attend to your duties and to all the duties of the Tent; but they must not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you will die.
2 Kings 23:9 Although the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.
Ezekiel 16:61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of My covenant with you.
Ezekiel 32:20 They will fall among those slain by the sword. The sword is appointed! Let them drag her away along with all her multitudes.
Ezekiel 36:7 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I have sworn with an uplifted hand that surely the nations around you will endure reproach of their own.