15 But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall approach unto me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to present unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord Jehovah. 16 They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall approach unto my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.
17 And it shall come to pass when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, when they minister in the gates of the inner court, and towards the house. 18 They shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird on anything that causeth sweat. 19 And when they go forth into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy cells; and they shall put on other garments, that they may not hallow the people with their garments. 20 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long: they shall duly poll their heads. 21 Neither shall any priest drink wine when they enter into the inner court. 22 And they shall not 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 is the widow of a priest. 23 And they shall teach my people [the difference] between holy and profane, and cause them to discern between unclean and clean. 24 And in controversy they shall stand to judge: they shall judge it according to my judgments; and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my solemnities; and they shall hallow my sabbaths. 25 And they shall come at no dead person to become unclean; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may become unclean. 26 And after he is cleansed, they shall count unto him seven days. 27 And on the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall present his sin-offering, saith the Lord Jehovah. 28 And it shall be unto them for an inheritance; I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession. 29 They shall eat the oblation and the sin-offering and the trespass-offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30 And the first of all the first-fruits of every [kind], and every heave-offering of every [kind], of all your heave-offerings, shall be for the priests; ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest on thy house. 31 The priests shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself, or of that which is torn, whether of fowl or of beast.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 44:15-31
Chapter Summary
This chapter contains ordinances relative to the true priests. The prince evidently means Christ, and the words in verse 2, may remind us that no other can enter heaven, the true sanctuary, as Christ did; namely, by virtue of his own excellency, and his personal holiness, righteousness, and strength. He who is the Brightness of Jehovah's glory entered by his own holiness; but that way is shut to the whole human race, and we all must enter as sinners, by faith in his blood, and by the power of his grace.