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Say to that rebellious house, the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Enough of all your abominations, house of Israel! You have admitted foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, into my sanctuary to profane it when you offered me food, the fat and blood.[a] Thus you have broken my covenant by all your abominations.(A) Instead of caring for the service of my sanctuary, you appointed these foreigners to care for the service of my sanctuary.

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Footnotes

  1. 44:7–14 According to Ezekiel, the Levites’ priestly role is reduced to the performance of menial tasks as punishment for their misdeeds (cf. vv. 10–14). This demotion was enforced during the restoration of Temple worship under Ezra and Nehemiah; this may explain the small number of Levites willing to return to Jerusalem after the exile.

Say to rebellious Israel,(A) ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel! In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart(B) and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant.(C) Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary.(D)

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