But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:
The priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok. The priests of the line of Ithamar were to be discharged from ministrations in the temple, because of their corruptions, following in the steps of Eli's sons, against whom the same denunciation was uttered (1 Samuel 2:32; 1 Samuel 2:35). Zadok, according to his name, which means righteous, and his line, were to succeed (1 Kings 2:35; 1 Chronicles 24:3), as they did not take part in the general apostasy to the same degree, and perhaps (Fairbairn) the prophet, referring to their original state, speaks of them as they appeared when first chosen to the office.