Ezekiel 44

“Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.” The line’s distinctive content terms include back, east, gate. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD ; he shall enter by the way of the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled…” The line’s distinctive content terms include house, LORD, face. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say…” Naming Son keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD ; O ye house of Israel, let…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD ; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And after he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every dedicated thing in Israel…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.