Teks -- Ezekiel 44:28-31 (NET)

44:28 “‘This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you must give them no property in Israel; I am their property. 44:29 They may eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel will be theirs. 44:30 The first of all the first fruits and all contributions of any kind will be for the priests; you will also give to the priest the first portion of your dough, so that a blessing may rest on your house. 44:31 The priests will not eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or was torn to pieces by a wild animal.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Eze 44:28 - It

The sin-offering: but under this one, all other offerings are couched.

Wesley: Eze 44:28 - For an inheritance

Instead of lands and cities.

Wesley: Eze 44:30 - And the first

So soon as the first-fruits are ripe in the field, your vineyards, and olive yards.

Wesley: Eze 44:30 - Every oblation

Whether free - will offering, or prescribed.

Wesley: Eze 44:30 - The first of your dough

'Tis conceived this was of every mass of dough they made, and of the first of the dough, which every year they first made of the new corn, as by the custom of the Jews at this day appears.

Wesley: Eze 44:30 - That he

The priest may bless, and pray for thee.

JFB: Eze 44:28 - I am their inheritance

(Num 18:20; Deu 10:9; Deu 18:1; Jos 13:14, Jos 13:32).

JFB: Eze 44:30 - give . . . priest the first . . . that he may cause the blessing to rest

(Pro 3:9-10; Mal 3:10).

Clarke: Eze 44:28 - I am their inheritance

I am their inheritance - Those who affect to form their ecclesiastical matters on the model of the Jewish Church have with one consent left this out of the question. They will not live on the free-will offerings of the people; but must have vast revenues, and these secured to them by law. That every minister of God should be supported by the altar I grant; but I think, instead of that method of paying the parochial clergy which I see is so much objected to, and breeds so much dissension between the pastors and their flocks, it would be better, on these accounts, to assign them a portion of land adequate to their supply, or let the state maintain them as it does its other officers. In Israel God was their inheritance and their possession; but they had the breast and shoulder of all sin-offerings and trespass-offerings, and all dedicated things were theirs; and they had a portion of all the dough that was prepared for bread. These were considered as the Lord’ s property, and these he gave to them; and this is always implied in the Lord’ s being their inheritance and their possession. They had a plentiful support

Hitherto tithes have been thought the best mode of paying the clergy, and providing for the poor of each parish; but these matters have undergone such alterations since the time of their institution, that some emendation of the system is at present absolutely necessary

There should be a public acknowledgment of God in every nation, and this should be provided for by the state in a way the least burdensome to the people, that all may rejoice in the benefit. Happy the nations that have a Bible so correct, and a Liturgy so pure, as those in the British empire! In such cases, a religion established by the state is an unutterable blessing to the nation; only keep it to the Bible, and to the Liturgy, and all, under God, will be well; but when the sermon is against these, all is bad.

TSK: Eze 44:28 - I am their inheritance

I am their inheritance : Eze 45:4, Eze 48:9-11; Num 18:20; Deu 10:9, Deu 18:1, Deu 18:2; Jos 13:14, Jos 13:33; 1Pe 5:2-4

TSK: Eze 44:29 - eat // dedicated

eat : Lev 2:3, Lev 2:10, Lev 6:14-18, Lev 6:26, Lev 6:29, Lev 7:6; Num 18:9-11; 1Co 9:13, 1Co 9:14; Heb 13:10

dedicated : or, devoted, Lev 27:21, Lev 27:28 *compared with: Num 18:14

TSK: Eze 44:30 - first // all the firstfruits // that he may

first : or, chief

all the firstfruits : Exo 13:2, Exo 13:12, Exo 22:29, Exo 23:19; Num 3:13, Num 15:19-21, Num 18:12-18, Num 18:27-30; Deu 18:4; 2Ch 31:4-6, 2Ch 31:10; Neh 10:35-37; Jam 1:18

that he may : Deu 26:10-15; Pro 3:9, Pro 3:10; Mal 3:10,Mal 3:11

TSK: Eze 44:31

Exo 22:31; Lev 17:15, Lev 22:8; Deu 14:21; Rom 14:20; 1Co 8:13

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Eze 44:28 - For an inheritance // I am their inheritance // Ye shall give them no possession // I am their possession

Sin-offering being mentioned immediately before, gives the occasion of repeating the provision made for the priests, for under this one all other offerings are couched; and if the Lord do so expressly require a defiled priest to bring his sin-offering, in which the ministering priests had their share, he would expect the same of all Israel, which would amount to a great sum.

For an inheritance instead of lands and cities.

I am their inheritance God is the inheritance of all his people, but especially of his priests; and so what is given to God, by him is assigned to his officers.

Ye shall give them no possession as the rest of the tribes had.

I am their possession the peculiar blessing of God on them, and their share in his offerings, was a very rich possession.

Poole: Eze 44:29 - Every dedicated thing

We must not think that the whole of these were eat, God had his part, and the priest his part too; somewhat of each came to the priest.

Every dedicated thing as first-fruits, and tithes, &c., the priest had part of them.

Poole: Eze 44:30 - And the first // Every oblation // Of every sort // The first of your dough // That he

And the first so soon as the first-fruits are ripe in the field, your vineyards and olive-yards, &c.; nay, redemption money for the first-born of man was theirs.

Every oblation whether free-will offering or prescribed.

Of every sort of what sort soever, whether of flock, or herd, &c.

The first of your dough: it is conceived this was of every mass of dough they made, and of the first of the dough which every year they first made of the new corn, as by the custom of the Jews at this day appears, who, since they cannot give to the priest, will burn a little cake of every batch in the oven.

That he the priest, may bless and pray for thee.

Poole: Eze 44:31

This was forbidden to all the Jews, much more to the priests, Exo 22:31 Lev 22:8 .

Haydock: Eze 44:28 - No

No. This is omitted in Hebrew, Septuagint, &c. God was their portion. (Calmet) ---

They had no land but what lay near their cities. (Haydock)

Gill: Eze 44:28 - And it shall be unto them for an inheritance // they shall have an inheritance // I am their inheritance // And ye shall give them no possession in Israel

And it shall be unto them for an inheritance,.... Either the sin offering, or the priesthood, and the perquisites belonging to it: or,

they shall have an inheritance ^r; but what shall it be? God himself:

I am their inheritance; the Lord is the portion and inheritance of his people, who are made priests unto him, whether in a private or public capacity; they are heirs of God, he is their portion in the land of the living, and forever: God in all his perfections is theirs; and though incommunicable, they have the use and advantage of them, so far as they are capable and stand in need of them; as his eternity, immutability, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, grace, mercy, goodness, truth, and faithfulness: he is theirs in all his persons; God the Father is their covenant God and Father; the Son of God is their Head and Husband, their Saviour and Redeemer, Mediator and Peacemaker, their Prophet, Priest, and King; his blood, righteousness, sacrifice, and faithfulness, theirs, and even all that he is and has: the Spirit of God is their convincer and enlightener, their quickener and sanctifier; their Comforter, and the Spirit of adoption to them, the seal and earnest of their future glory; and God under every character is theirs, as the God of nature and providence, and as the God of all grace; and this is an inheritance rich and large, a soul satisfying portion, an inconceivable and an inexhaustible one.

And ye shall give them no possession in Israel; so the priests and Levites had none under the law, but were provided for in another way, Num 18:20, the Lord's people and priests, under the Gospel dispensation, for the most part are the poor of this world, who have no share in the possessions of it; their good things are not here, but in the world to come, and in God himself: "I am their possession"; the Lord is enjoyed by them now; his love is shed abroad in their hearts; they have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, and communion with the Holy Ghost; and which is infinitely better than all the possessions of this world; and besides, provision is made for their outward maintenance, as follows:

Gill: Eze 44:29 - They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering // and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs

They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering,.... Which were typical of Christ; the meat offering, or rather bread offering, it being made of fine flour, was a type of Christ the bread of life; and the sin and trespass offerings pointed at his being made sin and a sacrifice for it; which the people and priests of the Lord in a spiritual sense eat, feed, and live upon by faith: and besides, as the priests under the law had a part in all these offerings, whereby they and their families were maintained, Lev 2:3, so it is the will and ordination of Christ, that as those that ministered about holy things, and waited at the altar, should live of them, and partake with that, so they that preach the Gospel should live by it, 1Co 9:13,

and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs; or, "every devoted thing" ^s; that is, to holy uses, what the people willingly offer to support the interest of religion; signifying that the ministers of the word shall live upon the free contributions of the people.

Gill: Eze 44:30 - And the first of all the first fruits of all things, and every oblation, of all of every sort of your oblations shall be the priests // ye shall also give unto the priest of your dough // that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house

And the first of all the first fruits of all things, and every oblation, of all of every sort of your oblations shall be the priests,.... Suggesting, that their offerings or contributions, which should be made out of their substance, should be in proportion to it, and early as well as free; see Pro 3:9,

ye shall also give unto the priest of your dough; either of the first they made of the new corn of the year, or a piece or cake of whatsoever at any time they made; signifying, that the ministers of the word, that communicate spiritual things to men, should partake of their carnal ones, and have a part and share with them in all good things, in all the enjoyments of life, 1Co 9:11,

that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house; that is, that he, the priest or minister of the word, that partakes of the above things, and is comfortably provided for and supported, may pray to the Lord for such who liberally contribute to him; that a blessing may come and abide upon them and their families, and prosperity and success may attend them in their worldly business and employments of life; as well as they and theirs may be blessed with all spiritual blessings, with grace here, and glory hereafter.

Gill: Eze 44:31 - The priests shall not eat of anything that is dead of itself, or torn // Whether it be fowl or beast

The priests shall not eat of anything that is dead of itself, or torn,.... They shall have no need to eat of such things, being plentifully provided for with better; nor will it become them so to do through avarice, not allowing themselves to enjoy what is liberally given them. Here the Jewish doctors ^t observe that it is said, the priests shall not eat of these things, suggesting that Israelites might; this puzzles them, therefore they say, Elijah will explain this verse; and the gloss says, till Elijah comes, and explains it to us, we know not how to explain it. In the mystic sense it may signify, that the priests of the Lord should have no communication with such as are dead in sin, or are given to rapine and violence, and should abstain from everything of this kind themselves.

Whether it be fowl or beast; whether Pharisees and high flown professors of religion, or earthly and worldly persons, and such that are immersed in carnal pleasures, in sensual and brutish lusts. The allusion is to the law in Lev 17:15, which was common to all Israelites, priests and people.