7. You made my temple unclean because you brought into my sanctuary foreigners who were physically and spiritually uncircumcised. When you offered my food of fat and blood to me, you broke my covenant with all your detestable practices.
8. You didn’t keep charge of my holy things. On the contrary, you appointed them to keep charge in my sanctuary for you.
9. The Lord God proclaims: Foreigners who are spiritually and physically uncircumcised must not enter my sanctuary; that is, all foreigners among the Israelites.
10. But the Levites, who went far from me when Israel went astray, who went astray from me after their idols, will bear their guilt.
11. They will keep charge in my sanctuary, and they will oversee the temple gates and keep charge of the temple. They will slaughter the entirely burned offerings and the sacrifices for the people, and they will stand before them to minister to them.
12. Because they ministered to them before their idols, they brought about the downfall of the house of Israel. For that reason I made a solemn pledge against them—this is what the Lord God says—and they will bear their guilt.
13. They won’t approach me to officiate for me as priests or approach any of my holy things or the most holy place. Though they will bear their humiliation and the consequences of their detestable practices,
14. I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, all its work, and all that is done in it.
15. As for the priests of the levitical family of Zadok who did keep charge of my sanctuary when the Israelites strayed away from me, they will draw near to me to serve me. They will stand in my presence to present fat and blood to me. This is what the Lord God says.
16. They will come into my sanctuary, and they will approach my table to minister to me. They will keep my charge.