The Church Fathers on this verse

Ezekiel 44:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They shall eat the victim both for sin and for trespass: and every vowed thing in Israel shall be theirs.

Douay-Rheims

הַמִּנְחָה֙ וְהַחַטָּ֣את וְהָאָשָׁ֔ם הֵ֖מָּה יֹֽאכְל֑וּם וְכָל־חֵ֥רֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לָהֶ֥ם יִהְיֶֽה׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Jerome of Stridon

4th centuryChurch Father

And they shall partake of the grain offering and the sin offering as well as the trespass offering; all that has been vowed or set apart from Israel shall be theirs. The firstfruits of all firstfruits and the first yields of every type of offering shall be allocated to the priests, and you are to present the first of your sustenance to the priest, so that he may confer a blessing upon your dwelling. In place of a bread offering, which in Hebrew is termed mana'ah, Aquila and Simmah translate it as gift. Furthermore, for the term votum, translated in the LXX as ὰφο'ρισμα—meaning separated—Aquila, Simmachus, and Theodotion use the term ὰνα'θημα, also signifying separated, which corresponds to the Hebrew term herem.

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It is important to note that all the Lord now communicates through the prophet, He had previously conveyed through Moses. One might wonder why there is a reiteration of what has already been stated. This repetition serves to rekindle what may have slipped from the minds of people due to careless reading, inattentive listening, or forgetfulness, and to renew it through the living word—a word that is written not with ink but by the Spirit of God. Thus, the Savior has not authored any book of His teachings, in contrast to the misguided claims of various apocrypha; rather, He speaks each day through His Spirit and the Father to the hearts of believers. This also provides an answer to those who criticize the prophets for echoing truths found within the Pentateuch. The priests shall partake from the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering, as it is written, “The sins of my people they shall eat” (Hos. 4:8). We ought not to take delight merely in the act of giving, but instead to be cautious of the judgment that comes from misusing such sacred distinctions. The term beginnings refers to both the firstborn of living and non-living entities, as well as the first produce from the earth. We present the firstfruits of our nourishment to the priests, ensuring they partake before us, so that our blessing and offering may be secured in their hands, and through their prayers, may the Lord bless our homes. The honor of the priesthood is significant; however, their downfall is equally dire if they commit transgressions. We should rejoice in their elevation, yet remain mindful of the peril of their fall. True joy lies not solely in reaching great heights, but in the sorrow associated with losing such a standing. We are accountable not only for our transgressions but also for the gifts we utilize and neglect to honor.

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Passages read together with this verse.