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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to see this as just a list of rules, but notice the specific allowance: priests can marry a widow who was married to a priest. This isn't just about maintaining a lineage; it highlights a deep respect for those who have already shared in the sacred life and walk, indicating their continued spiritual significance even in widowhood.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is detailing the strict requirements for the new, purified priesthood that will serve in the restored temple. These instructions focus on maintaining the holiness and distinctiveness of these future priests, covering everything from their entry into the sanctuary to their personal lives, including their marital choices. This specific regulation aims to ensure the priests' wives also embody a high standard of purity, reflecting the sanctity of their husbands' service.
Ezekiel's vision sets strict marriage rules for priests. Why such specific guidelines, and how do they compare to earlier laws?
In this vision of a restored temple and priesthood, Ezekiel outlines specific marriage restrictions for priests that differ from, and in some ways intensify, the rules found in Leviticus.
Why was a priest's widow given a special exception in these strict marriage rules?
The allowance for priests to marry a widow is a fascinating detail that offers insight into the community and continuity of the priestly line.
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Ezekiel's stricter rules for priests marrying widows and divorced women, compared to some earlier laws, reflect a heightened emphasis on ritual purity and the distinct holiness of the priesthood in the post-exilic era.
c. 1400 BC
Priestly Code Established
The Torah, including laws for priests regarding marriage, is given to Israel. The High Priest is restricted to marrying only a virgin, while ordinary priests may marry widows (Leviticus 21).
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Jehoiachin and many Judean leaders, including priests and prophets like Ezekiel, are exiled to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, conquer Jerusalem, destroy Solomon's Temple, and deport many more inhabitants.
c. 570 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Vision of the New Temple
Ezekiel receives detailed visions of a future temple, its complex system of worship, and the restored priesthood.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Reforms in Jerusalem
Upon returning from exile, Ezra confronts and corrects widespread intermarriage with foreign women among the returned Judeans, possibly influenced by similar concerns for priestly purity.
This passage shows a similar concern for the purity of the priesthood by outlining marriage restrictions, specifically that the high priest could only marry a virgin, which echoes the emphasis on specific marriage qualifications for priests found in Ezekiel.
Ezra 10:18This historical account details the severe consequences and the need for repentance when priests and others married foreign or unacceptable women, highlighting the importance of lineage and proper unions within the Israelite community, a concern also present in Ezekiel's regulations.
1 Timothy 3:2The New Testament continues the theme of qualifications for spiritual leaders, stating that overseers (elders) must be the husband of one wife, emphasizing a standard of marital faithfulness and character for those in service, which aligns with the purity concerns for priests in Ezekiel.
1 Peter 2:9This verse describes believers as a 'royal priesthood,' suggesting that the holiness required of Old Testament priests, including their marital standards, has a parallel in the call for all believers to live holy lives, reflecting God's nature in the new covenant.
barnesEzekiel 44:22: "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."
Restrictions and exceptions intended to mark the holiness of the office of a priest, imposing on him additional (compare the marginal reference) obligations to purity, and communicating it in some degree to his wife. In the Christian Church all the members are "priests" 1 Peter 2:5 ; Revelation 1:6 ; Reve…
clarkeEzekiel 44:22: "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 shall they take for their wives a widow - This was prohibited to the high priest only, by Moses, Leviticus 21:13 , Leviticus 21:14 .
It's easy to see this as just a list of rules, but notice the specific allowance: priests can marry a widow who was married to a priest. This isn't just about maintaining a lineage; it highlights a deep respect for those who have already shared in the sacred life and walk, indicating their continued spiritual significance even in widowhood.
Ezekiel is detailing the strict requirements for the new, purified priesthood that will serve in the restored temple. These instructions focus on maintaining the holiness and distinctiveness of these future priests, covering everything from their entry into the sanctuary to their personal lives, including their marital choices. This specific regulation aims to ensure the priests' wives also embody a high standard of purity, reflecting the sanctity of their husbands' service.
Ezekiel is detailing the strict requirements for the new, purified priesthood that will serve in the restored temple. These instructions focus on maintaining the holiness and distinctiveness of these future priests, covering everything from their entry into the sanctuary to their personal lives, including their marital choices. This specific regulation aims to ensure the priests' wives also embody a high standard of purity, reflecting the sanctity of their husbands' service.
"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." — It's easy to see this as just a list of rules, but notice the specific allowance: priests can marry a widow who was married to a priest. This isn't just about maintaining a lineage; it highlights a…
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Last reviewed October 2026