Ezekiel 44
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Then he brought me w back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, x which faces east. And it was shut.
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And the Lord said to me, "This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for y the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it. Therefore it shall remain shut.
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Only z the prince may sit in it a to eat bread before the Lord. He b shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way."
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Then he brought me by way of c the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and behold, d the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord. And e I fell on my face.
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And the Lord said to me, f "Son of man, mark well, g see with your eyes, g and hear with your ears all that I shall tell you concerning h all the statutes of the temple of the Lord and all its laws. And mark well h the entrance to the temple and all the exits from the sanctuary.
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And say to i the rebellious house, to the j house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: O house of Israel, k enough of all your abominations,
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in l admitting foreigners, m uncircumcised in heart and flesh, to be in my sanctuary, n profaning my temple, when you offer to me my food, the fat and the blood. You have broken my covenant, in addition to all your abominations.
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And o you have not kept charge of my holy things, but you have set others to keep my charge for you in my sanctuary.
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"Thus says the Lord God: p No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel, shall enter my sanctuary.
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But q the Levites who went far from me, going astray from me after their idols r when Israel went astray, s shall bear their punishment.
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They shall be t ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight u at the gates of the temple and ministering in the temple. They shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and v they shall stand before the people, to minister to them.
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Because they ministered to them before their idols and became w a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have x sworn concerning them, declares the Lord God, and they shall bear their punishment.
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They y shall not come near to me, to serve me as priest, nor come near any of my holy things and the things that are most holy, but z they shall bear their shame and the abominations that they have committed.
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Yet I will appoint them to keep a charge of the temple, b to do all its service and all that is to be done in it.
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"But c the Levitical priests, c the sons of Zadok, who kept a the charge of my sanctuary r when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me d to minister to me. And they shall stand before me to offer me e the fat and the blood, declares the Lord God.
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They shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall approach f my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.
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When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear g linen garments. They shall have nothing of wool on them, while they minister at the gates of the inner court, and within.
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They shall have linen turbans on their heads, and linen undergarments around their waists. They shall not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat.
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And when they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall put off the garments in which they have been ministering h and lay them in the holy chambers. And i they shall put on other garments, j lest they transmit holiness to the people with their garments.
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k They shall not shave their heads or l let their locks grow long; they shall surely trim the hair of their heads.
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m No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court.
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n They shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but only virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.
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o They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and o show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.
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p In a dispute, they shall act as judges, and they shall judge it according to my judgments. They shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts, and q they shall keep my Sabbaths holy.
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r They shall not defile themselves by going near to a dead person. However, for father or mother, for son or daughter, for brother or unmarried sister they may defile themselves.
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s After he has become clean, they shall count seven days for him.
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And on the day that he goes into the Holy Place, t into the inner court, to minister in the Holy Place, u he shall offer his sin offering, declares the Lord God.
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v "This shall be their inheritance: I am their inheritance: and w you shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession.
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x They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, and y every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs.
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z And the first of all the firstfruits of all kinds, and every offering of all kinds from all your offerings, shall belong to the priests. a You shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, b that a blessing may rest on your house.
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c The priests shall not eat of d anything, whether bird or beast, that has died of itself or is torn by wild animals.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 43:5
The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 43:1
Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 43:4
As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 34:24
And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord ; I have spoken.
Ezekiel 37:25
They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever.
Ezekiel 45:7
And to the prince shall belong the land on both sides of the holy district and the property of the city, alongside the holy district and the property of the city, on the west and on the east, corresponding in length to one of the tribal portions, and extending from the western to the eastern boundary
Ezekiel 46:2
The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening.
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Cross References
Genesis 31:54
And Jacob offered a sacrifice in the hill country and called his kinsmen to eat bread. They ate bread and spent the night in the hill country.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 46:2
The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening.
Ezekiel 46:12
When the prince provides a freewill offering, either a burnt offering or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the Lord, the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall offer his burnt offering or his peace offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out the gate shall be shut.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 40:20
As for the gate that faced toward the north, belonging to the outer court, he measured its length and its breadth.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 43:5
The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 1:28
Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 2:1
And he said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 40:4
And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 40:4
And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 43:11
And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, that is, its whole design; and make known to them as well all its statutes and its whole design and all its laws, and write it down in their sight, so that they may observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 43:11
And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, that is, its whole design; and make known to them as well all its statutes and its whole design and all its laws, and write it down in their sight, so that they may observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 2:3
And he said to me, "Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 40:4
And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 45:9
Thus says the Lord God : Enough, O princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression, and execute justice and righteousness. Cease your evictions of my people, declares the Lord God.
1 Peter 4:3
For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 44:9
Thus says the Lord God : No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel, shall enter my sanctuary.
Nehemiah 7:64 - 65
These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.
Acts 21:28
Crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.
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Cross References
Jeremiah 9:26
Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.
Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 23:39
For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 44:7
In admitting foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, to be in my sanctuary, profaning my temple, when you offer to me my food, the fat and the blood. You have broken my covenant, in addition to all your abominations.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 44:15
But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me. And they shall stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the Lord God.
Ezekiel 48:11
This shall be for the consecrated priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 48:11
This shall be for the consecrated priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 4:4
Then lie on your left side, and place the punishment of the house of Israel upon it. For the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their punishment.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 46:24
Then he said to me, "These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.
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Cross References
1 Chronicles 26:1
As for the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.
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Cross References
Numbers 16:9
Is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister to them.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 7:19
They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an unclean thing. Their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. They cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity.
Ezekiel 14:3 - 4
Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?
Ezekiel 14:7
For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the Lord will answer him myself.
Malachi 2:8
But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts.
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Cross References
Psalms 106:26
Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would make them fall in the wilderness.
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Cross References
Numbers 18:3
They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die.
2 Kings 23:9
However, the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 32:24
Elam is there, and all her multitude around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised into the world below, who spread their terror in the land of the living; and they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 40:45
And he said to me, This chamber that faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple.
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Cross References
1 Chronicles 23:28
For their duty was to assist the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, having the care of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all that is holy, and any work for the service of the house of God.
1 Chronicles 23:32
Thus they were to keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and to attend the sons of Aaron, their brothers, for the service of the house of the Lord.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 43:19
You shall give to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who draw near to me to minister to me, declares the Lord God, a bull from the herd for a sin offering.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 43:19
You shall give to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who draw near to me to minister to me, declares the Lord God, a bull from the herd for a sin offering.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 44:14
Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, to do all its service and all that is to be done in it.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 44:10
But the Levites who went far from me, going astray from me after their idols when Israel went astray, shall bear their punishment.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 44:11
They shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple and ministering in the temple. They shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before the people, to minister to them.
Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister to him and to bless in his name, to this day.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 44:7
In admitting foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, to be in my sanctuary, profaning my temple, when you offer to me my food, the fat and the blood. You have broken my covenant, in addition to all your abominations.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 41:22
An altar of wood, three cubits high, two cubits long, and two cubits broad. Its corners, its base, and its walls were of wood. He said to me, "This is the table that is before the Lord.
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Cross References
Exodus 28:39
You shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework.
Exodus 39:27
They also made the coats, woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 42:14
When the priests enter the Holy Place, they shall not go out of it into the outer court without laying there the garments in which they minister, for these are holy. They shall put on other garments before they go near to that which is for the people.
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Cross References
Leviticus 6:11
Then he shall take off his garments and put on other garments and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 46:20
And he said to me, "This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so transmit holiness to the people.
Exodus 29:37
Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.
Exodus 30:29
You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy.
Leviticus 6:27
Whatever touches its flesh shall be holy, and when any of its blood is splashed on a garment, you shall wash that on which it was splashed in a holy place.
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Cross References
Leviticus 21:5
They shall not make bald patches on their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts on their body.
Ezekiel 5:1
And you, O son of man, take a sharp sword. Use it as a barber's razor and pass it over your head and your beard. Then take balances for weighing and divide the hair.
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Cross References
Numbers 6:5
All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long.
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Cross References
Leviticus 10:9
Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.
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Cross References
Leviticus 21:7
They shall not marry a prostitute or a woman who has been defiled, neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.
Leviticus 21:13 - 14
And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
Leviticus 10:10 - 11
You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
Leviticus 10:10 - 11
You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 17:8 - 9
If any case arises requiring decision between one kind of homicide and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another, any case within your towns that is too difficult for you, then you shall arise and go up to the place that the Lord your God will choose.
2 Chronicles 19:8
Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgment for the Lord and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
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Cross References
Leviticus 21:1 - 3
And the Lord said to Moses, "Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: No one shall make himself unclean for the dead among his people.
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Cross References
Numbers 19:11 - 12
Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 44:17
When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen garments. They shall have nothing of wool on them, while they minister at the gates of the inner court, and within.
Ezekiel 44:21
No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 40:39
And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on either side, on which the burnt offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering were to be slaughtered.
Ezekiel 42:13
Then he said to me, "The north chambers and the south chambers opposite the yard are the holy chambers, where the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall put the most holy offerings - the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering - for the place is holy.
Leviticus 4:2 - 3
Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord 's commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them.
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Cross References
Numbers 18:20
And the Lord said to Aaron, "You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 45:4 - 5
It shall be the holy portion of the land. It shall be for the priests, who minister in the sanctuary and approach the Lord to minister to him, and it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary.
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Cross References
Leviticus 6:14 - 18
And this is the law of the grain offering. The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord in front of the altar.
Leviticus 6:25 - 29
Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering. In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord ; it is most holy.
Leviticus 7:1 - 6
This is the law of the guilt offering. It is most holy.
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Cross References
Leviticus 27:21
But the field, when it is released in the jubilee, shall be a holy gift to the Lord, like a field that has been devoted. The priest shall be in possession of it.
Leviticus 27:28
But no devoted thing that a man devotes to the Lord, of anything that he has, whether man or beast, or of his inherited field, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord.
Numbers 18:14
Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours.
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Cross References
Exodus 23:19
The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. "You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.
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Cross References
Numbers 15:20
Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it.
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Cross References
Malachi 3:10
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
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Cross References
Leviticus 22:8
He shall not eat what dies of itself or is torn by beasts, and so make himself unclean by it: I am the Lord.
Exodus 22:31
You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.
Leviticus 7:24
The fat of an animal that dies of itself and the fat of one that is torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but on no account shall you eat it.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 4:14
Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I have never defiled myself. From my youth up till now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has tainted meat come into my mouth.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.