“‘They shall not defile
Themselves
By getting near
To a dead person.
However,
They may defile
Themselves
For a father,
For a mother,
For a son,
For a daughter,
For a brother,
Or for an unmarried sister.
After he has become clean,
They shall count
Seven days for him.
Then he shall be clean.
On the day
That he goes
Into the holy place,
Into the inner court,
To minister
In the holy place,
He shall offer
His sin offering.’
Says Yahweh God.”
Yahweh God told Ezekiel what to do about the Zadok Levitical priests who defiled themselves by going near a dead person. They were not supposed to go close to a dead person. However, there were occasions when these priests could go near a dead person, and thus, defile themselves. In particular, this usually meant a close family member, a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister. Yet they would have to become clean again. They would have to wait 7 days before they could be clean. Then they would have to offer a sin offering for themselves in the holy place.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 