44:1 Et convertit me ad viam portae sanctuarii exterioris, quae respiciebat ad orientem : et erat clausa.
And he brought me back to the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary, which looked towards the east: and it was shut.
44:2 Et dixit Dominus ad me : Porta haec clausa erit : non aperietur, et vir non transibit per eam, quoniam Dominus Deus Israel ingressus est per eam : eritque clausa
*H And the Lord said to me: This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall pass through it: because the Lord the God of Israel hath entered in by it, and it shall be shut
Ver. 2-3. Opened. No man perfectly understands the Scriptures but the Son of God. Mat. xi. 27. S. Jer. — This also insinuates, that Mary ever remained a pure virgin. S. Aug. &c. W. — Shut, even for the prince. Some (H.) kings of Juda claimed the privilege of entering by it at any time, and passed through a part of the court assigned to the priests. 2 Par. vi. 12. and 4 K. xvi. 18. This shall be no longer tolerated. The gate might be opened in the week days if the prince wished to offer sacrifice, but not else, except on the sabbaths. C. xlvi. 1. 12. — Lord, in peace offerings and religious feasts. — Porch. Each had two doors. C. xlvi. 2. C.
44:3 principi. Princeps ipse sedebit in ea, ut comedat panem coram Domino : per viam portae vestibuli ingredietur, et per viam ejus egredietur.
For the prince. The prince himself shall sit in it, to eat bread before the Lord: he shall enter in by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.
44:4 Et adduxit me per viam portae aquilonis in conspectu domus : et vidi, et ecce implevit gloria Domini domum Domini : et cecidi in faciem meam.
*H And he brought me by the way of the north gate, in the sight of the house: and I saw, and behold the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord: and I fell on my face.
Ver. 4. Face. This astonishment and attention (v. 5.) intimate the mysteries of the Church, prefigured by the Jewish rites. W.
44:5 Et dixit ad me Dominus : Fili hominis, pone cor tuum, et vide oculis tuis, et auribus tuis audi omnia quae ego loquor ad te de universis caeremoniis domus Domini, et de cunctis legibus ejus : et pones cor tuum in viis templi per omnes exitus sanctuarii.
*H And the Lord said to me: Son of man, attend with thy heart and behold with thy eyes, and hear with thy ears, all that I say to thee concerning all the ceremonies of the house of the Lord, and concerning all the laws thereof: and mark well the ways of the temple, with all the goings out of the sanctuary.
Ver. 5. Ways, or "the going in," and all that concerns the temple and sacrifices.
44:6 Et dices ad exasperantem me domum Israel : Haec dicit Dominus Deus : Sufficiant vobis omnia scelera vestra, domus Israel :
And thou shalt say to the house of Israel that provoketh me: Thus saith the Lord God: Let all your wicked doings suffice you, O house of Israel:
44:7 eo quod inducitis filios alienos incircumcisos corde, et incircumcisos carne, ut sint in sanctuario meo, et polluant domum meam : et offertis panes meos, adipem et sanguinem, et dissolvitis pactum meum in omnibus sceleribus vestris.
*H In that you have brought in strangers uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, and to defile my house: and you offer my bread, the fat, and the blood: and you have broken my covenant by all your wicked doings.
Ver. 7. Flesh. People of this description were not to enter the temple, which is here called the sanctuary, even though they adored God. In some cases pagans were admitted into any part, except the most holy. Epiphanes (C.) and Pompey forced their passage thither, to the great sorrow of the Jews. Jos. Bel. i. 5. See Eccli. lii. Acts xxi. 28. — During the plundering of the city, the Chaldees did the like; (Lam. i. 10. H.) and while idols were set up, all rules were neglected. — Doings. You observe the exterior, and not the spirit of religion.
44:8 Et non servastis praecepta sanctuarii mei, et posuistis custodes observationum mearum in sanctuario meo vobismetipsis.
*H And you have not kept the ordinances of my sanctuary: but you have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.
Ver. 8. Yourselves, out of ambition, contrary to the regulations of David. C.
44:9 Haec dicit Dominus Deus : Omnis alienigena incircumcisus corde, et incircumcisus carne, non ingredietur sanctuarium meum : omnis filius alienus qui est in medio filiorum Israel.
Thus saith the Lord God: No stranger uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, no stranger that is in the midst of the children of Israel.
44:10 Sed et Levitae qui longe recesserunt a me in errore filiorum Israel, et erraverunt a me post idola sua, et portaverunt iniquitatem suam,
*H Moreover the Levites that went away far from me, when the children of Israel went astray, and have wandered from me after their idols, and have borne their iniquity:
Ver. 10. Levites, or priests, (H.) who were seduced by Jeroboam, or offered victims on the high places. 4 K. xxiii. 9. Such lost their privileges and were condemned to serve in the meanest offices. It seems the race of Ithamar was alone guilty, and the threat against his house was now put in execution. 1 K. ii. 39. and iii. 14. Lev. xxi. 17. and 2 Esd. vii. 64. C.
44:11 erunt in sanctuario meo aeditui, et janitores portarum domus, et ministri domus : ipsi mactabunt holocausta et victimas populi, et ipsi stabunt in conspectu eorum ut ministrent eis.
*H They shall be officers in my sanctuary, and doorkeepers of the gates of the house, and ministers to the house: they shall slay the holocausts, and the victims of the people: and they shall stand in their sight, to minister to them.
Ver. 11. Slay. Levites might do this, but the priests poured the blood round the altar. v. 15. They could not well slay all the victims.
44:12 Pro eo quod ministraverunt illis in conspectu idolorum suorum, et facti sunt domui Israel in offendiculum iniquitatis : idcirco levavi manum meam super eos, ait Dominus Deus, et portabunt iniquitatem suam.
Because they ministered to them before their idols, and were a stumblingblock of iniquity to the house of Israel: therefore have I lifted up my hand against them, saith the Lord God, and they shall bear their iniquity:
44:13 Et non appropinquabunt ad me ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi, neque accedent ad omne sanctuarium meum juxta Sancta sanctorum : sed portabunt confusionem suam, et scelera sua quae fecerunt.
And they shall not come near to me, to do the office of priest to me, neither shall they come near to any of my holy things that are by the holy of holies: but they shall bear their shame, and their wickednesses which they have committed.
44:14 Et dabo eos janitores domus in omni ministerio ejus, et in universis quae fient in ea.
And I will make them doorkeepers of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein.
44:15 Sacerdotes autem et Levitae, filii Sadoc, qui custodierunt caeremonias sanctuarii mei, cum errarent filii Israel a me, ipsi accedent ad me ut ministrent mihi : et stabunt in conspectu meo, ut offerant mihi adipem et sanguinem, ait Dominus Deus.
*H But the priests, and Levites, the sons of Sadoc, who kept the ceremonies of my sanctuary, when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me, to minister to me: and they shall stand before me, to offer me the fat, and the blood, saith the Lord God.
Ver. 15. And Levites, of the higher order. H. — No simple Levites were of this family. It enjoyed the high priesthood from the time of Solomon.
44:16 Ipsi ingredientur sanctuarium meum, et ipsi accedent ad mensam meam, ut ministrent mihi, et custodiant caeremonias meas.
They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and to keep my ceremonies.
44:17 Cumque ingredientur portas atrii interioris, vestibus lineis induentur : nec ascendet super eos quidquam laneum, quando ministrant in portis atrii interioris et intrinsecus.
*H And when they shall enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments: neither shall any woollen come upon them, when they minister in the gates of the inner court and within.
Ver. 17. Court; that is to do duty. — Linen. Wool might have been taken from a dead sheep, which would render the person unclean. C.
44:18 Vittae lineae erunt in capitibus eorum, et feminalia linea erunt in lumbis eorum, et non accingentur in sudore.
*H 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.
Ver. 18. Sweat, or so as to make them perspire. Sept. "girded violently." H. — They must have liberty to move, (S. Jer.) and have the girdle about their breast. Braun.
44:19 Cumque egredientur atrium exterius ad populum, exuent se vestimentis suis in quibus ministraverant, et reponent ea in gazophylacio sanctuarii : et vestient se vestimentis aliis, et non sanctificabunt populum in vestibus suis.
*H And when they shall go forth to the outward court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them up in the store chamber of the sanctuary, and they shall clothe themselves with other garments: and they shall not sanctify the people with their vestments.
Ver. 19. Sanctify, by exposing them to the danger of touching the sacred vestments, which none were to touch but they that were sanctified. Ch. — Sanctify here means to defile. Ex. xxx. 29. C. and xxix. 37. Holy things must be done in holy places. W. — Divine religion has different clothing for the ministry, from what is used in common life. S. Jer. Ex. xxviii. 40. C.
44:20 Caput autem suum non radent, neque comam nutrient : sed tondentes attondent capita sua.
*H Neither shall they shave their heads, nor wear long hair: but they shall only poll their heads.
Ver. 20. Shave, like the priests of Isis. Juv. vi.
44:21 Et vinum non bibet omnis sacerdos, quando ingressurus est atrium interius.
*H And no priest shall drink wine when he is to go into the inner court.
Ver. 21. Wine. Lev. x. 9. The priests on duty abstain from wine. Jos. Bel. vi. 15.
44:22 Et viduam et repudiatam non accipient uxores, sed virgines de semine domus Israel : sed et viduam quae fuerit vidua a sacerdote, accipient.
*H Neither shall they take to wife a widow, nor one that is divorced, but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel: but they may take a widow also, that is, the widow of a priest.
Ver. 22. Widow. Moses laid this restraint upon the high priest. Lev. xxi. 13. C.
* Footnote
* Leviticus
21 : 14
But a widow or one that is divorced, or defied, or a harlot, he shall not take: but a maid of his own people.
44:23 Et populum meum docebunt quid sit inter sanctum et pollutum, et inter mundum et immundum ostendent eis.
And they shall teach my people the difference between holy and profane, and shew them how to discern between clean and unclean.
44:24 Et cum fuerit controversia, stabunt in judiciis meis, et judicabunt : leges meas et praecepta mea in omnibus solemnitatibus meis custodient, et sabbata mea sanctificabunt.
And when there shall be a controversy, they shall stand in my judgments, and shall judge: they shall keep my laws, and my ordinances in all my solemnities, and sanctify my sabbaths.
44:25 Et ad mortuum hominem non ingredientur, ne polluantur, nisi ad patrem et matrem, et filium et filiam, et fratrem, et sororem quae alterum virum non habuerit : in quibus contaminabuntur.
*H 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.
Ver. 25. Unclean, attending the funeral, which inferior priests alone might do. Lev. xxi. 10. M.
44:26 Et postquam fuerit emundatus, septem dies numerabuntur ei.
And after one is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days.
44:27 Et in die introitus sui in sanctuarium ad atrium interius, ut ministret mihi in sanctuario, offeret pro peccato suo, ait Dominus Deus.
*H And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, to the inner court, to minister unto me in the sanctuary, he shall offer for his sin, saith the Lord God.
Ver. 27. Day, after the seven first, (C.) though this would be a new regulation. M.
44:28 Non erit autem eis haereditas : ego haereditas eorum. Et possessionem non dabitis eis in Israel : ego enim possessio eorum.
*H And they shall have no inheritance, I am their inheritance: neither shall you give them any possession in Israel, for I am their possession.
Ver. 28. No. This is omitted in Heb. Sept. &c. God was their portion. C. — They had no land but what lay near their cities. H.
* Footnote
* Numbers
18 : 20
And the Lord said to Aaron: You shall possess nothing in their land, neither shall you have a portion among them: I am thy portion and inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.
* Footnote
* Deuteronomy
18 : 1
The priests and Levites, and all that are of the same tribe, shall have no part nor inheritance with the rest of Israel, because they shall eat the sacrifices of the Lord, and his oblations,
44:29 Victimam et pro peccato et pro delicto ipsi comedent, et omne votum in Israel ipsorum erit.
They shall eat the victim both for sin and for trespass: and every vowed thing in Israel shall be theirs.
44:30 Et primitiva omnium primogenitorum, et omnia libamenta ex omnibus quae offeruntur, sacerdotum erunt : et primitiva ciborum vestrorum dabitis sacerdoti, ut reponat benedictionem domui tuae.
And the firstfruits of all the firstborn, and all the libations of all things that are offered, shall be the priest's: and you shall give the firstfruits of your meats to the priest, that he may return a blessing upon thy house.
* Footnote
* Exodus
22 : 29
Thou shalt not delay to pay thy tithes and thy firstfruits: thou shalt give the firstborn of thy sons to me.
44:31 Omne morticinum, et captum a bestia, de avibus et de pecoribus, non comedent sacerdotes.
The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself or caught by a beast, whether it be fowl or cattle.
* Footnote
* Leviticus
22 : 8
That which dieth of itself, and that which was taken by a beast, they shall not eat, nor be defiled therewith. I am the Lord.