Ezekiel 44:22 And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.

◄ Ezekiel 44:22 ►

New International Version
They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.

New Living Translation
They may choose their wives only from among the virgins of Israel or the widows of the priests. They may not marry other widows or divorced women.

English Standard Version
They shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but only virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

Berean Standard Bible
And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.

King James Bible
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 house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.

New King James Version
They shall not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel, or widows of priests.

New American Standard Bible
And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but shall take virgins from the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

NASB 1995
“And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman but shall take virgins from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

NASB 1977
“And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman but shall take virgins from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

Legacy Standard Bible
And they shall not take a widow or a divorced woman as a wife but shall take virgins from the seed of the house of Israel or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

Amplified Bible
And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman; but they shall marry virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow who was previously married to a priest.

Christian Standard Bible
He is not to marry a widow or a divorced woman, but may marry only a virgin from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He is not to marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

American Standard Version
Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away; but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that is the widow of a priest.

Contemporary English Version
A priest must not marry a divorced woman; he can marry only a virgin from Israel or the widow of another priest.

English Revised Version
Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that is the widow of a priest.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They must not marry widows or women who have been divorced. They may marry only virgins from the nation of Israel or widows of priests.

Good News Translation
No priest may marry a divorced woman; he is to marry only an Israelite virgin or the widow of another priest.

International Standard Version
They are not to marry a widow or a divorced woman. Instead, they are to marry virgins from the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest."

Majority Standard Bible
And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.

NET Bible
They must not marry a widow or a divorcee, but they may marry a virgin from the house of Israel or a widow who is a priest's widow.

New Heart English Bible
Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her who is put away; but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.

World English Bible
They shall not take for their wives a widow, or her who is put away; but they shall take virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And they do not take a widow or divorced woman to themselves for wives, but they take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, and the widow who is widow of a priest.

Young's Literal Translation
And a widow and divorced woman they do not take to them for wives: but -- virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, and the widow who is widow of a priest, do they take.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they Shall not take a widow and her thrust away, to them for wives: but virgins from the seed of the house of Israel, and a widow which shall be a widow from a priest, shall they take.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Neither shall they take to wife a widow, nor one that is divorced, but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel: but they may take a widow also, that is, the widow of a priest.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they shall not take as wife a widow or one who has been divorced. Instead, they shall take virgins from the offspring of the house of Israel. But they may also take a widow, if she is the widow of a priest.

New American Bible
They shall not take as wives either widows or divorced women, but only unmarried women from the line of Israel; however, they may take as wives widows who are widows of priests.

New Revised Standard Version
They shall not marry a widow, or a divorced woman, but only a virgin of the stock of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Neither shall they marry a widow nor her that is put away; but they shall marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they shall not take for themselves a widow or a divorced woman as wives, but they shall take only a virgin of the seed of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a Priest

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away; but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that is the widow of a priest.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Neither shall they take to themselves to wife a widow, or one that is put away, but a virgin of the seed of Israel: but if there should happen to be a priest's widow, they shall take her.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Duties of the Priests
…21No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court. 22And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest. 23They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Leviticus 21:13-14
The woman he marries must be a virgin. / He is not to marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one defiled by prostitution. He is to marry a virgin from his own people,

Leviticus 21:7
A priest must not marry a woman defiled by prostitution or divorced by her husband, for the priest is holy to his God.

1 Timothy 3:2
An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

1 Timothy 3:12
A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.

Titus 1:6
An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.

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.

Leviticus 21:1-4
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron’s sons, the priests, and tell them that a priest is not to defile himself for a dead person among his people, / except for his immediate family—his mother, father, son, daughter, or brother, / or his unmarried sister who is near to him, since she has no husband. ...

Leviticus 22:12-13
If the priest’s daughter is married to a man other than a priest, she is not to eat of the sacred contributions. / But if a priest’s daughter with no children becomes widowed or divorced and returns to her father’s house, she may share her father’s food as in her youth. But no outsider may share it.

1 Corinthians 7:39
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

1 Corinthians 9:5
Have we no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas?

1 Peter 3:7
Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Numbers 18:11
And this is yours as well: the offering of their gifts, along with all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I have given this to you and your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. Every ceremonially clean person in your household may eat it.

Numbers 18:19
All the holy offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and to your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt before the LORD for you and your offspring.”

1 Samuel 21:4-5
“There is no common bread on hand,” the priest replied, “but there is some consecrated bread—provided that the young men have kept themselves from women.” / David answered, “Women have indeed been kept from us, as is usual when I set out. And the bodies of the young men are holy even on common missions. How much more so today!”

Matthew 19:9
Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

Treasury of Scripture

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 house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.

Neither.

a widow

Leviticus 21:7,13,14
They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God…

1 Timothy 3:2,4,5,11
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; …

Titus 1:6
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

put away [heb] thrust forth

Deuteronomy 24:1-4
When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house…

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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

They must not marry
This phrase sets a clear directive for the Levitical priests, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a certain standard of holiness and purity in their personal lives. The Hebrew root for "marry" is "laqach," which means to take or to receive. This reflects the covenantal nature of marriage, seen as a sacred union that should reflect God's holiness. The priests, as mediators between God and the people, were to exemplify this holiness in their marriages.

a widow or a divorced woman
The prohibition against marrying a widow or a divorced woman underscores the importance of ritual purity and the symbolic representation of the priesthood. In ancient Israel, marriage to a widow or a divorced woman could be seen as a potential source of ritual impurity, which was a significant concern for those serving in the temple. The historical context reveals that the priesthood was to be set apart, maintaining a higher standard to symbolize the purity and faithfulness of God to His people.

but only a virgin
The term "virgin" in Hebrew is "bethulah," which signifies a woman who has not been married or had sexual relations. This requirement for priests to marry virgins was not merely about physical purity but also about the symbolic representation of Israel as a pure and devoted bride to God. The marriage of a priest to a virgin was a living metaphor for the covenant relationship between God and Israel, highlighting themes of faithfulness and dedication.

of the offspring of the house of Israel
This phrase emphasizes the importance of maintaining the cultural and religious identity of Israel. By marrying within the "house of Israel," priests were to ensure that their families remained within the covenant community, preserving the distinctiveness of God's chosen people. This reflects the broader biblical theme of Israel as a distinct and holy nation, set apart for God's purposes.

or a widow who is the widow of a priest
This exception to the rule acknowledges the unique status of a widow who had been married to a priest. Such a woman would have already been part of the priestly community and understood the demands and responsibilities of priestly life. This provision shows a compassionate understanding of the social and religious dynamics of the time, allowing for continuity and stability within the priestly families.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) A widow that had a priest before.--In regard both to marriage and to mourning (Ezekiel 44:25-27) the Levitical law made a broad distinction between the ordinary priest and the high priest. The former was only forbidden to marry a divorced woman (Leviticus 21:7), but was allowed to marry a widow; the latter could marry only a virgin of Israel (ib. 14). So also in the law of mourning; the high priest might not be "defiled" nor make any sign of mourning even for his nearest of kin (Leviticus 21:11-14). Ezekiel does not recognise this distinction, and in fact nowhere mentions the high priest at all; but, instead, gives a general law for all priests, somewhat between the two.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - As to marriage (since the priests in Ezekiel's "house" were no more expected to be celibates than were those employed about Moses' tabernacle or Solomon's temple), they were forbidden to marry widows (which the Levitical priests were not, though the high priest was) or divorced women, and allowed to wed only virgins of the house of Israel, or (the sole exception) widows of such as had been priests (compare with the priest-code, Leviticus 21:7, 13, 14). Ezekiel's enactment discovers two variations - first, that it does not formally forbid to the priests marriage with a harlot; and, second, that it sanctions marriage with a priest's widow. But the first was implied in the prohibition of marriage with an adulteress, and the second was a sign of the higher sanctity of the priesthood belonging to Ezekiel's temple. Hence, so far from indicating the priority of Ezekiel, it rather points to the priority of Leviticus.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And they shall not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

marry
יִקְח֥וּ (yiq·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

a widow
וְאַלְמָנָה֙ (wə·’al·mā·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 490: A widow, a desolate place

or a divorced woman,
וּגְרוּשָׁ֔ה (ū·ḡə·rū·šāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular
Strong's 1644: To drive out from a, possession, to expatriate, divorce

but must marry
יִקָּֽחוּ׃ (yiq·qā·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

a virgin
בְּתוּלֹ֗ת (bə·ṯū·lōṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1330: A virgin, sometimes, a bride

of the descendants
מִזֶּ֙רַע֙ (miz·ze·ra‘)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

of the house
בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Israel,
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

or a widow
אַלְמָנָ֔ה (’al·mā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 490: A widow, a desolate place

of a priest.
מִכֹּהֵ֖ן (mik·kō·hên)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 44:22 Neither shall they take for their wives (Ezek. Eze Ezk)