⁹The Lord and King says, “No stranger whose heart is stubborn can enter my temple. They have not been circumcised. Even if they live among the people of Israel they can’t enter it.

¹⁰“Some Levites wandered far away from me when Israel went down the wrong path. They worshiped the statues of their gods. So they will be punished because they have sinned. ¹¹They might serve in my temple. They might be in charge of its gates. They might kill the burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people. And they might stand in front of the people and serve them in other ways.

¹²“But they served the people of Israel while they were worshiping their gods. They made the people fall into sin. So I raised my hand and took an oath. I warned them that I would punish them because of their sin,” announces the Lord and King. ¹³“They must not approach me to serve me as priests. They must not come near any of my holy things. They must stay away from my very holy offerings. They did many things they should have been ashamed of. I hated those things.

¹⁴“But I will still put them in charge of the temple duties. They can do all of the work that has to be done there.

¹⁵“But the priests must approach me to serve me. They are Levites from Zadok’s family line. They faithfully carried out their duties in my temple. They obeyed me when the people of Israel turned away from me. Those priests must serve me by offering sacrifices of fat and blood,” announces the Lord and King. ¹⁶“They are the only ones who can enter my temple. Only they can come near to serve me and do my work.

Read in Logos