Ezekiel 44:7
in Ezekiel 44In addition to all your other abominations, you brought in foreigners uncircumcised in both heart and flesh to occupy My sanctuary; you defiled My temple when you offered My food—the fat and the blood; you broke My covenant.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
in that ye have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to profane it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant, to add unto all your abominations.
KJV
In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.
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This verse in Ezekiel 44
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThe fat and the blood - These never went into common use; they were wholly offered to God. The blood was poured out; the fat consumed. Because of all your abominations - Several MSS. of Kennicott’s and De Rossi’s read their abominations, referring to the strangers mentioned before.
This site's exposition
by way of the north gate
on Ezekiel 44:4-9
The prophet sees the glory filling the house and falls facedown again. Israel had brought in “foreigners uncircumcised in both heart and flesh” while offering “the fat and the blood,” and so broke His covenant. The command is exact: “No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh may enter My sanctuary.”
This site's exposition
uncircumcised in both heart and flesh
Matthew Henry pictures Israel bringing foreign companions to share the sacrificial feasts, giving what was holy to dogs (Matthew 7:6). Adam Clarke notes that the fat and the blood belonged wholly to God. Admitting the uncircumcised to that offering broke the covenant.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(V. 6 seqq.) And you shall say to the rebellious house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Sufficient for you are all your sins, O house of Israel, because you bring in foreign sons (or foreigners) uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary and to defile my temple, and you offer my bread, fat, and blood, and you have broken (or transgressed) my covenant in all your sins; and you have not kept the precepts of my sanctuary and you have set the ministers of my observances in my sanctuary for yourselves.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
When they came to offer sacrifice they brought these with them to feast with them upon the sacrifice, because they were fond of their company, and this was one of their abominations, wherewith they polluted God's sanctuary; it was giving that which was holy unto dogs, Matt. vii.
In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
uncircumcised in heart--Israelites circumcised outwardly, but wanting the true circumcision of the heart (De 10:16; Ac 7:51). uncircumcised in flesh--not having even the outward badge of the covenant-people.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בַּהֲבִיאֲכֶ֣ם | bahaviakhem | when brought you | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בְּנֵֽי־ | benei- | sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| נֵכָ֗ר | nekhar | foreignness | H5236 → | 36 times |
| עַרְלֵי־ | ʾarlei- | uncircumcised of | H6189 → | 35 times |
| לֵב֙ | lev | heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| וְעַרְלֵ֣י | vearlei | and uncircumcised of | H6189 → | 35 times |
| בָשָׂ֔ר | vasar | flesh | H1320 → | 270 times |
| לִהְי֥וֹת | lihyot | to be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖י | bemikdashi | in sanctuary my | H4720 → | 75 times |
| לְחַלְּל֣וֹ | lechalelo | to profane it | H2490 → | 143 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּיתִ֑י | beiti | house my | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| בְּהַקְרִֽיבְכֶ֤ם | behakrivekhem | when brought near you | H7126 → | 280 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לַחְמִי֙ | lachmi | food my | H3899 → | 298 times |
| חֵ֣לֶב | chelev | fat | H2459 → | 92 times |
| וָדָ֔ם | vadam | and blood | H1818 → | 360 times |
| וַיָּפֵ֙רוּ֙ | vaiyaferu | and they broke | H6565 → | 50 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּרִיתִ֔י | beriti | covenant my | H1285 → | 284 times |
| אֶ֖ל | ʾel | because of | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| תּוֹעֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ | toavoteikhem | abominations your | H8441 → | 117 times |
בַּהֲבִיאֲכֶ֣םwhen brought you
bahaviakhemH935 →2568 times
בְּנֵֽי־sons of
benei-H1121 →4930 times
נֵכָ֗רforeignness
nekharH5236 →36 times
עַרְלֵי־uncircumcised of
ʾarlei-H6189 →35 times
לֵב֙heart
levH3820 →595 times
וְעַרְלֵ֣יand uncircumcised of
vearleiH6189 →35 times
בָשָׂ֔רflesh
vasarH1320 →270 times
לִהְי֥וֹתto be
lihyotH1961 →3559 times
בְּמִקְדָּשִׁ֖יin sanctuary my
bemikdashiH4720 →75 times
לְחַלְּל֣וֹto profane it
lechaleloH2490 →143 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בֵּיתִ֑יhouse my
beitiH1004 →2046 times
בְּהַקְרִֽיבְכֶ֤םwhen brought near you
behakrivekhemH7126 →280 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
לַחְמִי֙food my
lachmiH3899 →298 times
חֵ֣לֶבfat
chelevH2459 →92 times
וָדָ֔םand blood
vadamH1818 →360 times
וַיָּפֵ֙רוּ֙and they broke
vaiyaferuH6565 →50 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּרִיתִ֔יcovenant my
beritiH1285 →284 times
אֶ֖לbecause of
ʾelH413 →5510 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
תּוֹעֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃abominations your
toavoteikhemH8441 →117 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 4:4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to…
it leads to
- Romans 2:28–29
A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 10:16
Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.
- Deuteronomy 30:6
The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.
- Colossians 2:11
In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands.
- Jeremiah 9:26
Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and all the inhabitants of the desert who clip the hair of their temples. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in…
- Romans 2:28–29
Through
Ezekiel 44:9This is what the Lord GOD says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh may enter My sanctuary—not even a foreigner who lives among the Israelites.
it leads to
- Joel 3:17
Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, My holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy, never again to be overrun by foreigners.
- Joel 3:17
Through
Jeremiah 9:26Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and all the inhabitants of the desert who clip the hair of their temples. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to…
- Leviticus 26:41
and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and they will make amends for their iniquity,
- Jeremiah 4:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.