Ezekiel 44:19 When they go out to the outer court, to the people, they are to take off the garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.

◄ Ezekiel 44:19 ►

New International Version
When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated through contact with their garments.

New Living Translation
When they return to the outer courtyard where the people are, they must take off the clothes they wear while ministering to me. They must leave them in the sacred rooms and put on other clothes so they do not endanger anyone by transmitting holiness to them through this clothing.

English Standard Version
And when they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall put off the garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers. And they shall put on other garments, lest they transmit holiness to the people with their garments.

Berean Standard Bible
When they go out to the outer court, to the people, they are to take off the garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.

King James Bible
And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.

New King James Version
When they go out to the outer court, to the outer court to the people, they shall take off their garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and put on other garments; and in their holy garments they shall not sanctify the people.

New American Standard Bible
And when they go out into the outer courtyard, into the outer courtyard to the people, they shall take off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments, so that they will not transfer holiness to the people with their garments.

NASB 1995
“When they go out into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.

NASB 1977
“And when they go out into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments that they may not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.

Legacy Standard Bible
And when they go out into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.

Amplified Bible
When they go out into the outer court, into the outer courtyard to the people, they shall take off the garments in which they have been ministering and leave them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other clothing so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their [ceremonial] garments.

Christian Standard Bible
Before they go out to the outer court, to the people, they must take off the clothes they have been ministering in, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people through their clothes.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Before they go out to the outer court, to the people, they must take off the clothes they have been ministering in, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people through their clothes.”

American Standard Version
And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they minister, and lay them in the holy chambers; and they shall put on other garments, that they sanctify not the people with their garments.

Contemporary English Version
And before they leave to join the other people in the outer courtyard, they must take off their priestly clothes, then place them in the sacred rooms and put on their regular clothes. That way, no one will touch their sacred clothes and be harmed.

English Revised Version
And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they minister, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments, that they sanctify not the people with their garments.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When they go out among the people in the outer courtyard, they must take off the clothes that they wore as they served. They must leave their clothes in the side rooms of the holy place and put on other clothes so that they do not transfer the holiness from their clothes to the people.

Good News Translation
Before they go to the outer courtyard where the people are, they must first take off the clothes they wore on duty in the Temple and leave them in the holy rooms. They are to put on other clothing in order to keep their sacred clothing from harming the people.

International Standard Version
"When they enter the outer courtyard, that is, the outer courtyard where the people are, they are to take off their garments in which they were ministering, lay them in the consecrated chambers, and put on different garments so they will not transfer holiness to the people through their garments.

Majority Standard Bible
When they go out to the outer court, to the people, they are to take off the garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.

NET Bible
When they go out to the outer court to the people, they must remove the garments they were ministering in, and place them in the holy chambers; they must put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.

New Heart English Bible
When they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they minister, and lay them in the holy rooms; and they shall put on other garments, that they not sanctify the people with their garments.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.

World English Bible
When they go out into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they minister and lay them in the holy rooms. They shall put on other garments, that they not sanctify the people with their garments.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And in their going forth to the outer court—to the outer court to the people—they strip off their garments, in which they are ministering, and have placed them in the holy chambers, and have put on other garments; and they do not sanctify the people in their own garments.

Young's Literal Translation
And in their going forth unto the outer court -- unto the outer court unto the people -- they strip off their garments, in which they are ministering, and have placed them in the holy chambers, and have put on other garments; and they do not sanctify the people in their own garments.

Smith's Literal Translation
And in their going forth to the enclosure without, to the enclosure to the people, they shall lay off their garments which they serve in them, and set them in the cells of the holy place, and put on other garments; and they shall not consecrate the people in their garments.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when they shall go forth to the outward court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them up in the store chamber of the sanctuary, and they shall clothe themselves with other garments: and they shall not sanctify the people with their vestments.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when they go forth to the outer court to the people, they shall strip off their vestments, in which they ministered, and they shall place them in the storeroom of the sanctuary, and they shall clothe themselves with other garments. And they shall not sanctify the people in their vestments.

New American Bible
And when they go out to the people in the outer court, they shall take off the garments in which they served and leave them in the rooms of the sanctuary, and put on other garments so they do not transmit holiness to the people by their garments.

New Revised Standard Version
When they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall remove the vestments in which they have been ministering, and lay them in the holy chambers; and they shall put on other garments, so that they may not communicate holiness to the people with their vestments.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And when they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they ministered and leave them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments, that they may not sanctify the people with their garments.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And when they go out to the outer courtyard to the people, they shall strip their garments in which they minister, and they shall leave them in the chambers of Holiness, and they will wear other garments, so that they will not hallow the people in their own garments

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they minister, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments, that they sanctify not the people with their garments.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And when they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their robes, in which they minister; and they shall lay them up in the chambers of the sanctuary, and shall put on other robes, and they shall not sanctify the people with their robes.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Duties of the Priests
…18They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire. 19When they go out to the outer court, to the people, they are to take off the garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people with their garments. 20They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but must carefully trim their hair.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Leviticus 6:10-11
And the priest shall put on his linen robe and linen undergarments, and he shall remove from the altar the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed and place them beside it. / Then he must take off his garments, put on other clothes, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place.

Exodus 28:40-43
Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons, to give them glory and splendor. / After you put these garments on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them so that they may serve Me as priests. / Make linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, extending from waist to thigh. ...

Leviticus 16:23-24
Then Aaron is to enter the Tent of Meeting, take off the linen garments he put on before entering the Most Holy Place, and leave them there. / He is to bathe himself with water in a holy place and put on his own clothes. Then he must go out and sacrifice his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering to make atonement for himself and for the people.

Leviticus 8:7-9
He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He tied the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him. / Then he put the breastpiece on him and placed the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece. / Moses also put the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the holy diadem, on the front of the turban, as the LORD had commanded him.

Leviticus 10:6-7
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LORD has ignited. / You shall not go outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, or you will die, for the LORD’s anointing oil is on you.” So they did as Moses instructed.

Numbers 18:7
But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”

2 Chronicles 5:11
Now all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves regardless of their divisions. And when the priests came out of the Holy Place,

2 Chronicles 29:5
“Listen to me, O Levites,” he said. “Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers. Remove from the Holy Place every impurity.

Nehemiah 7:65
The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.

Nehemiah 12:30
After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

Matthew 22:11-12
But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. / ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.

Matthew 9:16
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result.

Mark 2:21
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, and a worse tear will result.

Luke 5:36
He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will tear the new garment as well, and the patch from the new will not match the old.

John 13:10
Jesus told him, “Whoever has already bathed needs only to wash his feet, and he will be completely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.”

Treasury of Scripture

And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.

they shall put

Ezekiel 42:13,14
Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy…

Leviticus 6:10,11
And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar…

sanctify

Ezekiel 46:20
Then said he unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake the meat offering; that they bear them not out into the utter court, to sanctify the people.

Exodus 29:37
Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.

Exodus 30:29
And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.

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Chambers Clothes Clothing Communicate Consecrate Court Forth Garments Holiness Holy Lay Means Minister Ministered Ministering Outer Priests Robes Rooms Sacred Sanctify Square Transmit Utter Wherein Work

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Ezekiel 44

1. The east gate assigned only to the prince
4. The priests reproved for polluting the sanctuary
9. Idolaters incapable of the priests office
15. The sons of Zadok are accepted thereto
17. Ordinances for the priests

Berean Study Bible

When they go out to the outer court
This phrase indicates a transition from a sacred space to a more common area. The "outer court" refers to the part of the temple accessible to the general populace, contrasting with the inner sanctuaries reserved for priests. Historically, the temple's design reflected a hierarchy of holiness, with the outer court being less sacred than the inner areas. This movement from sacred to common underscores the separation between the holy and the profane, a recurring theme in the Old Testament.

to the people
The priests are moving towards the people, who represent the lay community of Israel. This movement signifies the priests' role as intermediaries between God and His people. In a broader theological context, it reflects the mission of God's chosen leaders to engage with and minister to the community, bringing divine instruction and guidance.

they must remove the garments they have been ministering in
The act of removing their ministerial garments symbolizes a transition from their sacred duties to a more ordinary state. These garments, described in detail in other parts of the Old Testament, were imbued with holiness and were to be worn only during specific religious functions. The removal of these garments signifies a respect for the sanctity of their role and the garments themselves, ensuring that holiness is not casually transmitted.

and leave them in the holy chambers
The "holy chambers" were designated areas within the temple complex where sacred items were stored. By leaving their garments in these chambers, the priests ensure that the sanctity of the garments is preserved. This practice highlights the importance of maintaining the purity and holiness of sacred objects, a principle deeply rooted in the Levitical laws.

and put on other clothes
This instruction to change into different clothes before interacting with the people emphasizes the distinction between the sacred and the secular. The "other clothes" are likely ordinary garments, suitable for everyday interaction. This change of attire serves as a physical reminder of the different roles and responsibilities the priests have when serving God versus when engaging with the community.

so that they do not transmit holiness to the people by means of their garments
This phrase underscores the concept of holiness as something that can be transmitted or imparted. In the ancient Near Eastern context, holiness was not just a moral or spiritual state but also a tangible quality that could be transferred through physical contact. The concern here is to prevent the inadvertent sanctification of the people, which could lead to unintended consequences, as the people were not prepared or consecrated to receive such holiness.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) They shall put off their garments.--The requirement that the priests shall wear their official dress only when engaged in official duty, putting it on when they entered the inner court, and putting it off when they went out, which is only implied in Exodus and Leviticus, is here expressly enjoined. Utter here, as elsewhere, means outer.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 19. - When the priests retired from the inner court, and before they passed into the outer court to mingle with the people, they were enjoined to lay aside their official robes, depositing them in the holy chambers already described (Ezekiel 42:1-14), and to put on other, i.e. their ordinary, clothes (comp. Leviticus 6:11). The reason for this injunction was that they might not sanctify the people (comp. Ezekiel 46:20) through the people's coming in contact with their garments. These, being in a manner, i.e. ceremonially, holy, would impart to the people a levitical or ritualistic sanctity which would disqualify them, for a time, at least, from attending to the common duties of life, as under the Law those were who touched the sacrificial flesh (Leviticus 6:18, 27), the altar (Exodus 29:37), and the vessels of the sanctuary (Exodus 30:29).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

When they go out
וּ֠בְצֵאתָם (ū·ḇə·ṣê·ṯām)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the outer
הַחִיצוֹנָ֜ה (ha·ḥî·ṣō·w·nāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2435: The, wall side, exterior, secular

court,
הֶחָצֵ֨ר (he·ḥā·ṣêr)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 2691: A yard, a hamlet

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the people,
הָעָם֒ (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

they are to take off
יִפְשְׁט֣וּ (yip̄·šə·ṭū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6584: To strip off, make a dash, raid

the garments
בִּגְדֵיהֶ֗ם (biḡ·ḏê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

in which
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

they have ministered,
מְשָׁרְתִ֣ם (mə·šā·rə·ṯim)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 8334: To attend as a, menial, worshipper, to contribute to

leave
וְהִנִּ֥יחוּ (wə·hin·nî·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3240: Bestow, cast down, lay down, up, leave off, let alone remain, pacify, place,

them
אוֹתָ֖ם (’ō·w·ṯām)
Direct object marker | third person masculine plural
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

in the holy
הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ (haq·qō·ḏeš)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity

chambers,
בְּלִֽשְׁכֹ֣ת (bə·liš·ḵōṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 3957: Room, chamber, hall, cell

and dress
וְלָֽבְשׁוּ֙ (wə·lā·ḇə·šū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3847: Wrap around, to put on a, garment, clothe

in other
אֲחֵרִ֔ים (’ă·ḥê·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other

clothes
בְּגָדִ֣ים (bə·ḡā·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

so that they do not
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

transmit holiness
יְקַדְּשׁ֥וּ (yə·qad·də·šū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6942: To be set apart or consecrated

to the people
הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

with their garments.
בְּבִגְדֵיהֶֽם׃ (bə·ḇiḡ·ḏê·hem)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 44:19 When they go forth into the outer (Ezek. Eze Ezk)