Ezekiel 44:22

Translations

Modern

And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.

Traditional

Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.

Literal

And a widow or a divorced woman they shall not take to themselves as wife, but only virgins from the seed of the house of Israel, or the widow who is a widow of a priest, they may take.

Latin

Et viduam et repudiatam non accipient uxores, sed virgines de semine domus Israël: sed et viduam quæ fuerit vidua a sacerdote, accipient.

Original

Hebrew

English

And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.

Notes

Ezekiel 44:20–27

The priests had to avoid contact with death. They could not enter a place where a dead body was present. They also could not follow certain mourning customs, such as shaving their heads or letting their hair grow wild.

They were not allowed to drink wine before entering the inner courtyard. This rule helped prevent serious mistakes that could lead to death (see Leviticus 10:9).

The priests also had rules about marriage. They could marry only a virgin from Israel or the widow of a priest. These limits helped protect the purity of the priestly family line.

In all these ways, the priests were to show the people the clear difference between what was holy and what was common, and between what was clean and what was unclean.

Ezekiel 44:1–31

Now that the glory of the Lord had returned to the temple, access was critical. Who could approach this holy God? Like Ezekiel 43, this chapter focuses on the temple’s entrances and exits, as well as the duties and procedures for its use.

Theme notes and profiles

Israel’s Geography as Theology Temple Legislation as Theology Temple Worship The New Community

Events

Prophecies of Ezekielc. 593 BC

Related verses

Leviticus 21:7
A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
Leviticus 21:13–14
The woman he marries must be a virgin.
Deuteronomy 24:1–4
If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds some indecency in her, he may write her a certificate of divorce, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.
Titus 1:6
An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.
1 Timothy 3:2
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
1 Timothy 3:11–12
In the same way, the women must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things.
1 Timothy 3:4–5
An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Glossary

Book of Revelation Ezekiel (Person) Ezekiel, Book of Judaism Maccabean Period New Jerusalem Sadducees Son of Man Temple Theocracy

Topics

Priest: The Time of Moses: Marriage of

Ezekiel 44:22

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