5 And the five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 of length, H753 and the ten H6235 thousand H505 of breadth, H7341 shall also the Levites, H3881 the ministers H8334 of the house, H1004 have for themselves, for a possession H272 for twenty H6242 chambers. H3957
For these Levites, H3881 the four H702 chief H1368 porters, H7778 were in their set office, H530 and were over the chambers H3957 and treasuries H214 of the house H1004 of God. H430 And they lodged H3885 round about H5439 the house H1004 of God, H430 because the charge H4931 was upon them, and the opening H4668 thereof every morning H1242 pertained to them. And certain of them had the charge of H5921 the ministering H5656 vessels, H3627 that they should bring them in H935 and out H3318 by tale. H4557 H4557 Some of them also were appointed H4487 to oversee the vessels, H3627 and all the instruments H3627 of the sanctuary, H6944 and the fine flour, H5560 and the wine, H3196 and the oil, H8081 and the frankincense, H3828 and the spices. H1314 And some of the sons H1121 of the priests H3548 made H7543 the ointment H4842 of the spices. H1314 And Mattithiah, H4993 one of the Levites, H3881 who was the firstborn H1060 of Shallum H7967 the Korahite, H7145 had the set office H530 over the things that were made H4639 in the pans. H2281 And other of their brethren, H251 of the sons H1121 of the Kohathites, H6956 were over the shewbread, H3899 H4635 to prepare H3559 it every sabbath. H7676 And these are the singers, H7891 chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of the Levites, H3881 who remaining in the chambers H3957 were free: H6362 H6359 for they were employed in that work H4399 day H3119 and night. H3915
And the priest H3548 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 shall be with the Levites, H3881 when the Levites H3881 take tithes: H6237 and the Levites H3881 shall bring up H5927 the tithe H4643 of the tithes H4643 unto the house H1004 of our God, H430 to the chambers, H3957 into the treasure H214 house. H1004 For the children H1121 of Israel H3478 and the children H1121 of Levi H3878 shall bring H935 the offering H8641 of the corn, H1715 of the new wine, H8492 and the oil, H3323 unto the chambers, H3957 where are the vessels H3627 of the sanctuary, H4720 and the priests H3548 that minister, H8334 and the porters, H7778 and the singers: H7891 and we will not forsake H5800 the house H1004 of our God. H430
Do ye G1492 not G3756 know G1492 that G3754 they which minister G2038 about holy things G2413 live G2068 of the things of G1537 the temple? G2411 and they which wait G4332 at the altar G2379 are partakers G4829 with the altar? G2379 Even G2532 so G3779 hath G1299 the Lord G2962 ordained G1299 that they which preach G2605 the gospel G2098 should live G2198 of G1537 the gospel. G2098
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 45
Commentary on Ezekiel 45 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 45
Eze 45:1-25. Allotment of the Land for the Sanctuary, the City, and the Prince.
1. offer an oblation—from a Hebrew root to "heave" or "raise"; when anything was offered to God, the offerer raised the hand. The special territorial division for the tribes is given in the forty-seventh and forty-eighth chapters. Only Jehovah's portion is here subdivided into its three parts: (1) that for the sanctuary (Eze 45:2, 3); (2) that for the priests (Eze 45:4); (3) that for the Levites (Eze 45:5). Compare Eze 48:8-13.
five and twenty thousand reeds, &c.—So English Version rightly fills the ellipsis (compare Note, see on Eze 42:16). Hence "cubits" are mentioned in Eze 45:2, not here, implying that there alone cubits are meant. Taking each reed at twelve feet, the area of the whole would be a square of sixty miles on each side. The whole forming a square betokens the settled stability of the community and the harmony of all classes. "An holy portion of the land" (Eze 45:1) comprised the whole length, and only two-fifths of the breadth. The outer territory in its distribution harmonizes with the inner and more sacred arrangements of the sanctuary. No room is to be given for oppression (see Eze 45:8), all having ample provision made for their wants and comforts. All will mutually co-operate without constraint or contention.
7. The prince's possession is to consist of two halves, one on the west, the other on the east, of the sacred territory. The prince, as head of the holy community, stands in closest connection with the sanctuary; his possession, therefore, on both sides must adjoin that which was peculiarly the Lord's [Fairbairn].
12. The standard weights were lost when the Chaldeans destroyed the temple. The threefold enumeration of shekels (twenty, twenty-five, fifteen) probably refers to coins of different value, representing respectively so many shekels, the three collectively making up a maneh. By weighing these together against the maneh, a test was afforded whether they severally had their proper weight: sixty shekels in all, containing one coin a fourth of the whole (fifteen shekels), another a third (twenty shekels), another a third and a twelfth (twenty-five shekels) [Menochius]. The Septuagint reads, "fifty shekels shall be your maneh."
13-15. In these oblations there is a progression as to the relation between the kind and the quantity: of the corn, the sixth of a tenth, that is, a sixtieth part of the quantity specified; of the oil, the tenth of a tenth, that is, an hundredth part; and of the flock, one from every two hundred.
18. The year is to begin with a consecration service, not mentioned under the Levitical law; but an earnest of it is given in the feast of dedication of the second temple, which celebrated its purification by Judas Maccabeus, after its defilement by Antiochus.
20. for him that is simple—for sins of ignorance (Le 4:2, 13, 27).
21. As a new solemnity, the feast of consecration is to prepare for the passover; so the passover itself is to have different sacrifices from those of the Mosaic law. Instead of one ram and seven lambs for the daily burnt offering, there are to be seven bullocks and seven rams. So also whereas the feast of tabernacles had its own offerings, which diminished as the days of the feast advanced, here the same are appointed as on the passover. Thus it is implied that the letter of the law is to give place to its spirit, those outward rites of Judaism having no intrinsic efficacy, but symbolizing the spiritual truths of Messiah's kingdom, as for instance the perfect holiness which is to characterize it. Compare 1Co 5:7, 8, as to our spiritual "passover," wherein, at the Lord's supper, we feed on Christ by faith, accompanied with "the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Literal ordinances, though not slavishly bound to the letter of the law, will set forth the catholic and eternal verities of Messiah's kingdom.