1 Now these are the names H8034 of the tribes. H7626 From the north H6828 end H7097 to the coast H3027 of the way H1870 of Hethlon, H2855 as one goeth H935 to Hamath, H2574 Hazarenan, H2704 the border H1366 of Damascus H1834 northward, H6828 to the coast H3027 of Hamath; H2574 for these are his sides H6285 east H6921 and west; H3220 a H259 portion for Dan. H1835
2 And by the border H1366 of Dan, H1835 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 a H259 portion for Asher. H836
3 And by the border H1366 of Asher, H836 from the east H6921 side H6285 even unto the west H3220 side, H6285 a H259 portion for Naphtali. H5321
4 And by the border H1366 of Naphtali, H5321 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 a H259 portion for Manasseh. H4519
5 And by the border H1366 of Manasseh, H4519 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 a H259 portion for Ephraim. H669
6 And by the border H1366 of Ephraim, H669 from the east H6921 side H6285 even unto the west H3220 side, H6285 a H259 portion for Reuben. H7205
7 And by the border H1366 of Reuben, H7205 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 a H259 portion for Judah. H3063
8 And by the border H1366 of Judah, H3063 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 shall be the offering H8641 which ye shall offer H7311 of five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 reeds in breadth, H7341 and in length H753 as one H259 of the other parts, H2506 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side: H6285 and the sanctuary H4720 shall be in the midst H8432 of it.
9 The oblation H8641 that ye shall offer H7311 unto the LORD H3068 shall be of five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 in length, H753 and of ten H6235 thousand H505 in breadth. H7341
10 And for them, even for the priests, H3548 shall be this holy H6944 oblation; H8641 toward the north H6828 five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 in length, and toward the west H3220 ten H6235 thousand H505 in breadth, H7341 and toward the east H6921 ten H6235 thousand H505 in breadth, H7341 and toward the south H5045 five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 in length: H753 and the sanctuary H4720 of the LORD H3068 shall be in the midst H8432 thereof.
11 It shall be for the priests H3548 that are sanctified H6942 of the sons H1121 of Zadok; H6659 which have kept H8104 my charge, H4931 which went not astray H8582 when the children H1121 of Israel H3478 went astray, H8582 as the Levites H3881 went astray. H8582
12 And this oblation H8642 of the land H776 that is offered H8641 shall be unto them a thing most H6944 holy H6944 by the border H1366 of the Levites. H3881
13 And over against H5980 the border H1366 of the priests H3548 the Levites H3881 shall have five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 in length, H753 and ten H6235 thousand H505 in breadth: H7341 all the length H753 shall be five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand, H505 and the breadth H7341 ten H6235 thousand. H505
14 And they shall not sell H4376 of it, neither exchange, H4171 nor alienate H5674 H5674 the firstfruits H7225 of the land: H776 for it is holy H6944 unto the LORD. H3068
15 And the five H2568 thousand, H505 that are left H3498 in the breadth H7341 over against H6440 the five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand, H505 shall be a profane H2455 place for the city, H5892 for dwelling, H4186 and for suburbs: H4054 and the city H5892 shall be in the midst H8432 thereof.
16 And these shall be the measures H4060 thereof; the north H6828 side H6285 four H702 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred, H3967 and the south H5045 side H6285 four H702 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred, H3967 and on the east H6921 side H6285 four H702 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred, H3967 and the west H3220 side H6285 four H702 thousand H505 and five H2568 H2568 hundred. H3967
17 And the suburbs H4054 of the city H5892 shall be toward the north H6828 two hundred H3967 and fifty, H2572 and toward the south H5045 two hundred H3967 and fifty, H2572 and toward the east H6921 two hundred H3967 and fifty, H2572 and toward the west H3220 two hundred H3967 and fifty. H2572
18 And the residue H3498 in length H753 over against H5980 the oblation H8641 of the holy H6944 portion shall be ten H6235 thousand H505 eastward, H6921 and ten H6235 thousand H505 westward: H3220 and it shall be over against H5980 the oblation H8641 of the holy H6944 portion; and the increase H8393 thereof shall be for food H3899 unto them that serve H5647 the city. H5892
19 And they that serve H5647 the city H5892 shall serve H5647 it out of all the tribes H7626 of Israel. H3478
20 All the oblation H8641 shall be five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 by five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand: H505 ye shall offer H7311 the holy H6944 oblation H8641 foursquare, H7243 with the possession H272 of the city. H5892
21 And the residue H3498 shall be for the prince, H5387 on the one side and on the other of the holy H6944 oblation, H8641 and of the possession H272 of the city, H5892 over against H6440 the five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 of the oblation H8641 toward the east H6921 border, H1366 and westward H3220 over against H6440 the five H2568 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 toward the west H3220 border, H1366 over against H5980 the portions H2506 for the prince: H5387 and it shall be the holy H6944 oblation; H8641 and the sanctuary H4720 of the house H1004 shall be in the midst H8432 thereof.
22 Moreover from the possession H272 of the Levites, H3881 and from the possession H272 of the city, H5892 being in the midst H8432 of that which is the prince's, H5387 between the border H1366 of Judah H3063 and the border H1366 of Benjamin, H1144 shall be for the prince. H5387
23 As for the rest H3499 of the tribes, H7626 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 Benjamin H1144 shall have a H259 portion.
24 And by the border H1366 of Benjamin, H1144 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 Simeon H8095 shall have a H259 portion.
25 And by the border H1366 of Simeon, H8095 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 Issachar H3485 a H259 portion.
26 And by the border H1366 of Issachar, H3485 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 Zebulun H2074 a H259 portion.
27 And by the border H1366 of Zebulun, H2074 from the east H6921 side H6285 unto the west H3220 side, H6285 Gad H1410 a H259 portion.
28 And by the border H1366 of Gad, H1410 at the south H5045 side H6285 southward, H8486 the border H1366 shall be even from Tamar H8559 unto the waters H4325 of strife H4808 H4809 in Kadesh, H6946 and to the river H5158 toward the great H1419 sea. H3220
29 This is the land H776 which ye shall divide H5307 by lot unto the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 for inheritance, H5159 and these are their portions, H4256 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
30 And these are the goings out H8444 of the city H5892 on the north H6828 side, H6285 four H702 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 measures. H4060
31 And the gates H8179 of the city H5892 shall be after the names H8034 of the tribes H7626 of Israel: H3478 three H7969 gates H8179 northward; H6828 one H259 gate H8179 of Reuben, H7205 one H259 gate H8179 of Judah, H3063 one H259 gate H8179 of Levi. H3878
32 And at the east H6921 side H6285 four H702 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred: H3967 and three H7969 gates; H8179 and one H259 gate H8179 of Joseph, H3130 one H259 gate H8179 of Benjamin, H1144 one H259 gate H8179 of Dan. H1835
33 And at the south H5045 side H6285 four H702 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred H3967 measures: H4060 and three H7969 gates; H8179 one H259 gate H8179 of Simeon, H8095 one H259 gate H8179 of Issachar, H3485 one H259 gate H8179 of Zebulun. H2074
34 At the west H3220 side H6285 four H702 thousand H505 and five H2568 hundred, H3967 with their three H7969 gates; H8179 one H259 gate H8179 of Gad, H1410 one H259 gate H8179 of Asher, H836 one H259 gate H8179 of Naphtali. H5321
35 It was round about H5439 eighteen H8083 H6240 thousand H505 measures: and the name H8034 of the city H5892 from that day H3117 shall be, The LORD is there. H3074
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 48
Commentary on Ezekiel 48 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 48
Eze 48:1-35. Allotment of the Land to the Several Tribes.
1. Dan—The lands are divided into portions of ideal exactness, running alongside of each other, the whole breadth from west to east, standing in a common relation to the temple in the center: seven tribes' portions on the north, five in the smaller division in the south. The portions of the city, the temple, the prince, and the priesthood, are in the middle, not within the boundaries of any tribe, all alike having a common interest in them. Judah has the place of honor next the center on the north, Benjamin the corresponding place of honor next the center on the south; because of the adherence of these two to the temple ordinances and to the house of David for so long, when the others deserted them. Dan, on the contrary, so long locally and morally semi-heathen (Jud 18:1-31), is to have the least honorable place, at the extreme north. For the same reason, St. John (Re 7:5-8) omits Dan altogether.
3. Asher—a tribe of which no one of note is mentioned in the Old Testament. In the New Testament one is singled out of it, the prophetess Anna.
4. Manasseh—The intercourse and unity between the two and a half tribes east of the Jordan, and the nine and a half west of it, had been much kept up by the splitting of Manasseh, causing the visits of kinsmen one to the other from both sides of the Jordan. There shall be no need for this in the new order of things.
5. Ephraim—This tribe, within its two dependent tribes, Manasseh and Benjamin, for upwards of four hundred years under the judges held the pre-eminence.
6. Reuben—doomed formerly for incest and instability "not to excel" (Ge 49:4). So no distinguished prophet, priest, or king had come from it. Of it were the notorious Dathan and Abiram, the mutineers. A pastoral and Bedouin character marked it and Gad (Jud 5:16).
15-17. The five thousand rods, apportioned to the city out of the twenty-five thousand square, are to be laid off in a square of four thousand five hundred, with the two hundred fifty all around for suburbs.
profane—that is, not strictly sacred as the sacerdotal portions, but applied to secular uses.
24. Benjamin—Compare Jacob's prophecy (Ge 49:27; De 33:12). It alone with Judah had been throughout loyal to the house of David, so its prowess at the "night" of the national history was celebrated as well as in the "morning."
25. Simeon—omitted in the blessing of Moses in De 33:1-29, perhaps because of the Simeonite "prince," who at Baal-peor led the Israelites in their idolatrous whoredoms with Midian (Nu 25:14).
26. Issachar—Its ancient portion had been on the plain of Esdraelon. Compared (Ge 49:14) to "a strong ass crouching between two burdens," that is, tribute and tillage; never meddling with wars except in self-defense.
31. gates—(Re 21:12, &c.). The twelve gates bear the names of the twelve tribes to imply that all are regarded as having an interest in it.
35. Lord is there—Jehovah-Shammah. Not that the city will be called so in mere name, but that the reality will be best expressed by this descriptive title (Jer 3:17; 33:16; Zec 2:10; Re 21:3; 22:3).