They shall be ministers in my sanctuary: Despite their punishment, the Levites, instead of the unqualified men described in verses 5-9, will be allowed to serve God on the Temple compound. Contemporary English Version says “They will still be allowed to serve me as temple workers.” Their role will be fourfold:

1. Having oversight at the gates of the temple means they will “guard the gates of the Temple” (New Century Version; similarly Contemporary English Version). Their role as Temple “gatekeepers” (New King James Version ) is probably to make sure that only people who are ritually clean enter. New International Version renders this clause as “having charge of the gates of the temple” (similarly Good News Translation, New International Reader’s Version, King James Version, Complete Jewish Bible).
2. And serving in the temple probably refers to doing the more menial tasks in the Temple, which freed the priests to do the more spiritual tasks (see verses 15-16). Good News Translation renders this clause as “and by performing the work of the Temple,” New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh has “and performing the chores of My Temple,” and New American Bible says simply “and temple servants.”
3. They shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people means the Levites will kill the animals and birds that the people bring to sacrifice to God. For the difference between burnt offering and sacrifice, see the comments on 40.42.
4. And they shall attend on the people, to serve them is literally “and they will stand in front of them [that is, the people] to serve them,” which means they will help the people who come to worship God in the Temple. New Living Translation says “and be present to help the people,” and Contemporary English Version has “and by helping the worshipers.”

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .