וַיָּ֣שֶׁב אֹתִ֗י דֶּ֣רֶךְ שַׁ֤עַר הַמִּקְדָּשׁ֙ הַחִיצ֔וֹן הַפֹּנֶ֖ה קָדִ֑ים וְה֖וּא סָגֽוּר׃ Then he led me back to the outer gate of the Sanctuary that faced eastward; it was shut.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלַ֜י יְהֹוָ֗ה הַשַּׁ֣עַר הַזֶּה֩ סָג֨וּר יִֽהְיֶ֜ה לֹ֣א יִפָּתֵ֗חַ וְאִישׁ֙ לֹא־יָ֣בֹא ב֔וֹ כִּ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣א ב֑וֹ וְהָיָ֖ה סָגֽוּר׃ And the LORD said to me: This gate is to be kept shut and is not to be opened! No one shall enter by it because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut.
אֶֽת־הַנָּשִׂ֗יא נָ֥שִׂיא ה֛וּא יֵֽשֶׁב־בּ֥וֹ (לאכול) [לֶאֱכׇל־]לֶ֖חֶם לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה מִדֶּ֨רֶךְ אוּלָ֤ם הַשַּׁ֙עַר֙ יָב֔וֹא וּמִדַּרְכּ֖וֹ יֵצֵֽא׃ Only the prince may sit in it and eat bread before the LORD, since he is a prince; he shall enter by way of aThis does not contradict v. 2 because the vestibule is at the inner end of the gate; cf. 40.9.the vestibule of the gate,-a and shall depart by the same way.
וַיְבִיאֵ֜נִי דֶּֽרֶךְ־שַׁ֣עַר הַצָּפוֹן֮ אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַבַּ֒יִת֒ וָאֵ֕רֶא וְהִנֵּ֛ה מָלֵ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יְהֹוָ֑ה וָאֶפֹּ֖ל אֶל־פָּנָֽי׃ Then he led me, by way of the north gate, to the front of the Temple. I looked, and lo! the Presence of the LORD filled the Temple of the LORD; and I fell upon my face.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלַ֜י יְהֹוָ֗ה בֶּן־אָדָ֡ם שִׂ֣ים לִבְּךָ֩ וּרְאֵ֨ה בְעֵינֶ֜יךָ וּבְאׇזְנֶ֣יךָ שְּׁמָ֗ע אֵ֣ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ מְדַבֵּ֣ר אֹתָ֔ךְ לְכׇל־חֻקּ֥וֹת בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֖ה וּלְכׇל־תּוֹרֹתָ֑ו וְשַׂמְתָּ֤ לִבְּךָ֙ לִמְב֣וֹא הַבַּ֔יִת בְּכֹ֖ל מוֹצָאֵ֥י הַמִּקְדָּֽשׁ׃ Then the LORD said to me: O mortal, mark well, look closely and listen carefully to everything that I tell you regarding all the laws of the Temple of the LORD and all the instructions regarding it. Note well who may enter the Temple and all who must be excluded from the Sanctuary.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ אֶל־מֶ֙רִי֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֑ה רַב־לָכֶ֛ם מִֽכׇּל־תּוֹעֲב֥וֹתֵיכֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ And say to the rebellious House of Israel: Thus said the Lord GOD: Too long, O House of Israel, have you committed all your abominations,
בַּהֲבִיאֲכֶ֣ם בְּנֵי־נֵכָ֗ר עַרְלֵי־לֵב֙ וְעַרְלֵ֣י בָשָׂ֔ר לִהְי֥וֹת בְּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י לְחַלְּל֣וֹ אֶת־בֵּיתִ֑י בְּהַקְרִֽיבְכֶ֤ם אֶת־לַחְמִי֙ חֵ֣לֶב וָדָ֔ם וַיָּפֵ֙רוּ֙ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֔י אֶ֖ל כׇּל־תּוֹעֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ admitting aliens, uncircumcised of spirit and uncircumcised of flesh, to be in My Sanctuary and profane My very Temple, when you offer up My food—the fat and the blood. YoubHeb. “They.” have broken My covenant with all your abominations.
וְלֹ֥א שְׁמַרְתֶּ֖ם מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת קׇדָשָׁ֑י וַתְּשִׂימ֗וּן לְשֹׁמְרֵ֧י מִשְׁמַרְתִּ֛י בְּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י לָכֶֽם׃ {ס} You have not discharged the duties concerning My sacred offerings, but have appointed them to discharge the duties of My Sanctuary for you.
כֹּה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִה֒ כׇּל־בֶּן־נֵכָ֗ר עֶ֤רֶל לֵב֙ וְעֶ֣רֶל בָּשָׂ֔ר לֹ֥א יָב֖וֹא אֶל־מִקְדָּשִׁ֑י לְכׇ֨ל־בֶּן־נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֕ר בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ Thus said the Lord GOD: Let no alien, uncircumcised in spirit and flesh, enter My Sanctuary—no alien whatsoever among the people of Israel.
כִּ֣י אִם־הַלְוִיִּ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר רָחֲקוּ֙ מֵעָלַ֔י בִּתְע֤וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּע֣וּ מֵעָלַ֔י אַחֲרֵ֖י גִּלּוּלֵיהֶ֑ם וְנָשְׂא֖וּ עֲוֺנָֽם׃ But the Levites who forsook Me when Israel went astray—straying from Me to follow their fetishes—shall suffer their punishment:
וְהָי֤וּ בְמִקְדָּשִׁי֙ מְשָׁ֣רְתִ֔ים פְּקֻדּוֹת֙ אֶל־שַׁעֲרֵ֣י הַבַּ֔יִת וּֽמְשָׁרְתִ֖ים אֶת־הַבָּ֑יִת הֵ֠מָּה יִשְׁחֲט֨וּ אֶת־הָעוֹלָ֤ה וְאֶת־הַזֶּ֙בַח֙ לָעָ֔ם וְהֵ֛מָּה יַעַמְד֥וּ לִפְנֵיהֶ֖ם לְשָׁרְתָֽם׃ They shall be servitors in My Sanctuary, appointed over the Temple gates, and performing the chores of My Temple; they shall slaughter the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people. They shall attend on them and serve them.
יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְשָׁרְת֤וּ אוֹתָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י גִלּוּלֵיהֶ֔ם וְהָי֥וּ לְבֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְמִכְשׁ֣וֹל עָוֺ֑ן עַל־כֵּן֩ נָשָׂ֨אתִי יָדִ֜י עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה וְנָשְׂא֖וּ עֲוֺנָֽם׃ Because they served the House of Israel in the presence of their fetishes and made them stumble into guilt, therefore—declares the Lord GOD—I have sworn concerning them that they shall suffer their punishment:
וְלֹֽא־יִגְּשׁ֤וּ אֵלַי֙ לְכַהֵ֣ן לִ֔י וְלָגֶ֙שֶׁת֙ עַל־כׇּל־קׇ֣דָשַׁ֔י אֶל־קׇדְשֵׁ֖י הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים וְנָֽשְׂאוּ֙ כְּלִמָּתָ֔ם וְתוֹעֲבוֹתָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשֽׂוּ׃ They shall not approach Me to serve Me as priests, to come near any of My sacred offerings, the most holy things. They shall bear their shame for the abominations that they committed.
וְנָתַתִּ֣י אוֹתָ֔ם שֹׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַבָּ֑יִת לְכֹל֙ עֲבֹ֣דָת֔וֹ וּלְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה בּֽוֹ׃ {פ}
I will make them watchmen of the Temple, to perform all its chores, everything that needs to be done in it.
וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים הַלְוִיִּ֜ם בְּנֵ֣י צָד֗וֹק אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁמְר֜וּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת מִקְדָּשִׁי֙ בִּתְע֤וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵֽעָלַ֔י הֵ֛מָּה יִקְרְב֥וּ אֵלַ֖י לְשָׁרְתֵ֑נִי וְעָמְד֣וּ לְפָנַ֗י לְהַקְרִ֥יב לִי֙ חֵ֣לֶב וָדָ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ cBy contrast with the Levite-priests whose demotion has just been announced.But the levitical priests descended from Zadok,-c who maintained the service of My Sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from Me—they shall approach Me to minister to Me; they shall stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood—declares the Lord GOD.
הֵ֜מָּה יָבֹ֣אוּ אֶל־מִקְדָּשִׁ֗י וְהֵ֛מָּה יִקְרְב֥וּ אֶל־שֻׁלְחָנִ֖י לְשָׁרְתֵ֑נִי וְשָׁמְר֖וּ אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתִּֽי׃ They alone may enter My Sanctuary and they alone shall approach My table to minister to Me; and they shall keep My charge.
וְהָיָ֗ה בְּבוֹאָם֙ אֶֽל־שַׁעֲרֵי֙ הֶחָצֵ֣ר הַפְּנִימִ֔ית בִּגְדֵ֥י פִשְׁתִּ֖ים יִלְבָּ֑שׁוּ וְלֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֤ה עֲלֵיהֶם֙ צֶ֔מֶר בְּשָׁרְתָ֗ם בְּשַׁעֲרֵ֛י הֶחָצֵ֥ר הַפְּנִימִ֖ית וָבָֽיְתָה׃ And when they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen vestments: they shall have nothing woolen upon them when they minister inside the gates of the inner court.
פַּאֲרֵ֤י פִשְׁתִּים֙ יִהְי֣וּ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֔ם וּמִכְנְסֵ֣י פִשְׁתִּ֔ים יִֽהְי֖וּ עַל־מׇתְנֵיהֶ֑ם לֹ֥א יַחְגְּר֖וּ בַּיָּֽזַע׃ They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen breeches on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causes sweat.
וּ֠בְצֵאתָ֠ם אֶל־הֶחָצֵ֨ר הַחִיצוֹנָ֜ה אֶל־הֶחָצֵ֣ר הַחִיצוֹנָה֮ אֶל־הָעָם֒ יִפְשְׁט֣וּ אֶת־בִּגְדֵיהֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֙מָּה֙ מְשָׁרְתִ֣ם בָּ֔ם וְהִנִּ֥יחוּ אוֹתָ֖ם בְּלִֽשְׁכֹ֣ת הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וְלָֽבְשׁוּ֙ בְּגָדִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וְלֹא־יְקַדְּשׁ֥וּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם בְּבִגְדֵיהֶֽם׃ When they go out to the outer court—the outer court where the people are—they shall remove the vestments in which they minister and shall deposit them in the sacred chambers;dCf. 42.13–14. they shall put on other garments, lest they make the people consecratedeThereby rendering the people unfit for ordinary activity. by [contact with] their vestments.
וְרֹאשָׁם֙ לֹ֣א יְגַלֵּ֔חוּ וּפֶ֖רַע לֹ֣א יְשַׁלֵּ֑חוּ כָּס֥וֹם יִכְסְמ֖וּ אֶת־רָאשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ They shall neither shave their heads nor let their hair go untrimmed; they shall keep their hair trimmed.
וְיַ֥יִן לֹא־יִשְׁתּ֖וּ כׇּל־כֹּהֵ֑ן בְּבוֹאָ֖ם אֶל־הֶחָצֵ֥ר הַפְּנִימִֽית׃ No priest shall drink wine when he enters into the inner court.
וְאַלְמָנָה֙ וּגְרוּשָׁ֔ה לֹא־יִקְח֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם לְנָשִׁ֑ים כִּ֣י אִם־בְּתוּלֹ֗ת מִזֶּ֙רַע֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהָֽאַלְמָנָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה אַלְמָנָ֔ה מִכֹּהֵ֖ן יִקָּֽחוּ׃ They shall not marry widowsfI.e., of laymen. or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of the stock of the House of Israel, or widows who are widows of priests.
וְאֶת־עַמִּ֣י יוֹר֔וּ בֵּ֥ין קֹ֖דֶשׁ לְחֹ֑ל וּבֵין־טָמֵ֥א לְטָה֖וֹר יֽוֹדִעֻֽם׃ They shall declare to My people what is sacred and what is profane, and inform them what is clean and what is unclean.
וְעַל־רִ֗יב הֵ֚מָּה יַעַמְד֣וּ (לשפט) [לְמִשְׁפָּ֔ט] בְּמִשְׁפָּטַ֖י (ושפטהו) [יִשְׁפְּטֻ֑הוּ] וְאֶת־תּוֹרֹתַ֤י וְאֶת־חֻקֹּתַי֙ בְּכׇל־מוֹעֲדַ֣י יִשְׁמֹ֔רוּ וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֖י יְקַדֵּֽשׁוּ׃ In lawsuits, too, it is they who shall act as judges; they shall decide them in accordance with My rules. They shall preserve My teachings and My laws regarding all My fixed occasions; and they shall maintain the sanctity of My sabbaths.
וְאֶל־מֵ֣ת אָדָ֔ם לֹ֥א יָב֖וֹא לְטׇמְאָ֑ה כִּ֣י אִם־לְאָ֡ב וּ֠לְאֵ֠ם וּלְבֵ֨ן וּלְבַ֜ת לְאָ֗ח וּלְאָח֛וֹת אֲשֶֽׁר־לֹא־הָיְתָ֥ה לְאִ֖ישׁ יִטַּמָּֽאוּ׃ [A priest] shall not defile himself by entering [a house] where there is a dead person. He shall defile himself only for father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister.
וְאַחֲרֵ֖י טׇהֳרָת֑וֹ שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים יִסְפְּרוּ־לֽוֹ׃ After he has become clean, seven days shall be counted off for him;
וּבְיוֹם֩ בֹּא֨וֹ אֶל־הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ אֶל־הֶחָצֵ֤ר הַפְּנִימִית֙ לְשָׁרֵ֣ת בַּקֹּ֔דֶשׁ יַקְרִ֖יב חַטָּאת֑וֹ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ and on the day that he reenters the inner court of the Sanctuary to minister in the Sanctuary, he shall present his sin offering—declares the Lord GOD.
וְהָיְתָ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לְֽנַחֲלָ֔ה אֲנִ֖י נַחֲלָתָ֑ם וַאֲחֻזָּ֗ה לֹֽא־תִתְּנ֤וּ לָהֶם֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲנִ֖י אֲחֻזָּתָֽם׃ This shall be their portion, for I am their portion; and no holding shall be given them in Israel, for I am their holding.
הַמִּנְחָה֙ וְהַחַטָּ֣את וְהָאָשָׁ֔ם הֵ֖מָּה יֹאכְל֑וּם וְכׇל־חֵ֥רֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לָהֶ֥ם יִהְיֶֽה׃ The meal offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings shall be consumed by them. Everything proscribedgSee Lev. 27.28. in Israel shall be theirs.
וְרֵאשִׁית֩ כׇּל־בִּכּ֨וּרֵי כֹ֜ל וְכׇל־תְּר֣וּמַת כֹּ֗ל מִכֹּל֙ תְּרוּמ֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם לַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים יִהְיֶ֑ה וְרֵאשִׁ֤ית עֲרִסֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ תִּתְּנ֣וּ לַכֹּהֵ֔ן לְהָנִ֥יחַ בְּרָכָ֖ה אֶל־בֵּיתֶֽךָ׃ All the choice first fruits of every kind, and all the gifts of every kind—of all your contributions—shall go to the priests. You shall further give the first of the yield of your bakinghSee Num. 15.20–21. to the priest, that a blessing may rest upon your home.
כׇּל־נְבֵלָה֙ וּטְרֵפָ֔ה מִן־הָע֖וֹף וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה לֹ֥א יֹאכְל֖וּ הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ {פ}
Priests shall not eat anything, whether bird or animal, that died or was torn by beasts.