What Does Ezekiel 44:15 Mean in the King James?
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 come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The same Hebrew root names both their coming near to God and their bringing the offering near: approach and offering are one movement.
THE MEANING
The verse holds a living contrast: even as the people wander from God, some remain at their post guarding what is entrusted. They come near to serve, and the offering is named plainly as fat and blood. Here nearness takes shape as service and as the bringing close of what is offered.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that when the wider community wanders, every keeper has also abandoned the charge.
THE ROOT
יִקְרְבוּ
yiqrevu
GROWS FROM
קרב
q-r-b
Approach, draw near; in a causative form, bring near.
“come near / offer” in this verse is yiqrevu. The verse uses קרב (qarab, approach or draw near) both for the priests coming near and for their offering. The gift and the approach are not separate ideas here: the offering makes nearness tangible.
ALSO GROWS
qorban: Offering; something brought near
קָרְבָּן
The offering’s name grows from the same root, joining what is presented with the act of approaching.
qarov: Near, close
קָרוֹב
This branch carries the sense of closeness in the same word family as the priests’ approach and their offering.
שָׁמְרוּ
shameru
GROWS FROM
שמר
sh-m-r
Guard, watch, keep.
“kept / charge” in this verse is shameru. The phrase doubles the watch: the priests “kept” a “charge,” with both words growing from שמר (shamar, guard or watch). Their role is presented as active vigilance that continues while others wander.
ALSO GROWS
mishmeret: Keeping, guard duty, charge
מִשְׁמֶרֶת
This is the word translated “charge” in the phrase they kept the charge, so the action and the entrusted duty share a root.
shomer: Watcher, guard, keeper
שֹׁמֵר
This branch names the quality the verse gives the priests: they remain watchers at their post while the people wander.
צָדוֹק
Tsadoq
GROWS FROM
צדק
ts-d-q
Alignment, rightness; being just or upright.
The name צָדוֹק (Tsadoq, Zadok) shares the root צדק (ts-d-q, alignment or rightness). In a verse about guarding what is set apart and approaching God, the name carries a quality within the identity of this priestly line.
ALSO GROWS
tsedeq: Alignment, rightness
צֶדֶק
This noun shares the seed in Zadok’s name and gives its sense of rightness a clear form.
tsaddiq: Upright, aligned person
צַדִּיק
This related form connects the name’s root to the quality of uprightness.
THE PATTERN
Nearness to God takes visible form in service and in what is brought as an offering.
This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.THE THREAD
And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.The verb translated “bring” grows from קרב (qarab, approach or draw near), the same root behind Ezekiel’s “come near” and “offer.” Leviticus makes the movement visible: an offering is brought close to the altar, just as the priests draw near as they serve.
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