Ezekiel 44:4-14 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

The Levites. The regulations that follow are among the most important in the book, and they have played a great part in the critical rearrangement of OT literature and the consequent reconstruction of OT history (p. 129). The drastic character of the innovation about to be described is forcibly suggested by the solemn introduction in Ezekiel 44:5. In the past the menial offices of the sanctuary had been discharged by aliens often probably prisoners of waruncircumcised in flesh and therefore, from Ezekiel's point of view, also uncircumcised in heart. That is an abomination, to be tolerated no more within Yahweh's holy house. But who is henceforth to discharge those duties? The Levites, Ezekiel answers; and by that he means those who had officiated at the worship of the high places, nominally no doubt a Yahweh worship, but in reality, and especially to a man like Ezekiel, idolatrous. When these country sanctuaries were declared illegitimate in the time of Josiah (2 Kings 22 f.) the new legislation permitted them to come to Jerusalem and officiate on equal terms with the priests of the Jerusalem Temple (Deuteronomy 18:6-8). But this generous concession was thwarted by the intolerant attitude of the Jerusalem priests (2 Kings 23:9). Ezekiel here solves the problem by admitting them indeed to the sanctuary service, but only to the humbler offices, such as the watching of the gates, the slaying of the sacrificial animals, etc. They could not offer sacrifice that was the privilege of the priests alone. Thus, while formerly priests and Levites were synonymous and every Levite might be a priest, Ezekiel distinguishes sharply between them, and the distinction is presupposed throughout the priestly literature in the middle of the Pentateuch, which reflects the opinions and usage of the post-exilic Church, in this as in so much else influenced by Ezekiel. In other words he regards the position of the Levites at the Temple as a degradation imposed upon them as a penalty for their participation in the idolatrous worship of the high places. (Ezekiel 44:6, rebellious, recalls the stern tones of the first half of the book. In Ezekiel 44:7, for they have broken read, with LXX, ye broke. In Ezekiel 44:8, for set keepers read, set them as keepers. For for yourselves read therefore, which introduces Ezekiel 44:9; Ezekiel 44:12, lifted up mine hand, i.e. in oath.)