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
And Moses H4872 gave H5414 unto the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Reuben H7205 inheritance according to their families. H4940 And their coast H1366 was from Aroer, H6177 that is on the bank H8193 of the river H5158 Arnon, H769 and the city H5892 that is in the midst H8432 of the river, H5158 and all the plain H4334 by Medeba; H4311 Heshbon, H2809 and all her cities H5892 that are in the plain; H4334 Dibon, H1769 and Bamothbaal, H1120 and Bethbaalmeon, H1010 And Jahazah, H3096 and Kedemoth, H6932 and Mephaath, H4158 And Kirjathaim, H7156 and Sibmah, H7643 and Zarethshahar H6890 in the mount H2022 of the valley, H6010 And Bethpeor, H1047 and Ashdothpisgah, H798 H794 and Bethjeshimoth, H1020 And all the cities H5892 of the plain, H4334 and all the kingdom H4468 of Sihon H5511 king H4428 of the Amorites, H567 which reigned H4427 in Heshbon, H2809 whom Moses H4872 smote H5221 with the princes H5387 of Midian, H4080 Evi, H189 and Rekem, H7552 and Zur, H6698 and Hur, H2354 and Reba, H7254 which were dukes H5257 of Sihon, H5511 dwelling H3427 in the country. H776
And Leah H3812 conceived, H2029 and bare H3205 a son, H1121 and she called H7121 his name H8034 Reuben: H7205 for H3588 she said, H559 Surely H3588 the LORD H3068 hath looked H7200 upon my affliction; H6040 now therefore H3588 my husband H376 will love H157 me.
Reuben, H7205 thou art my firstborn, H1060 my might, H3581 and the beginning H7225 of my strength, H202 the excellency H3499 of dignity, H7613 and the excellency H3499 of power: H5794 Unstable H6349 as water, H4325 thou shalt not excel; H3498 because thou wentest up H5927 to thy father's H1 bed; H4904 then defiledst thou H2490 it: he went up H5927 to my couch. H3326
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).