Lux Domini

Ezekiel 48

Chapter context

What is happening in Ezekiel 48?

glory of Godjudgmentexilenew heart

Ezekiel 48 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as restoration, new heart, dry bones, and temple vision. Ezekiel is a priestly-prophetic book of visions, enacted signs, judgment against Judah and the nations, and a vast closing vision of restored life and worship. Read this chapter with the wider themes of glory of God, judgment, and exile in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

1 Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.   2 And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher.   3 And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali.   4 And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh.   5 And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Ephraim.   6 And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Reuben.   7 And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah.   8 And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.   9 The oblation that ye shall offer unto the LORD shall be of five and twenty thousand in length, and of ten thousand in breadth.   10 And for them, even for the priests, shall be this holy oblation; toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the midst thereof.   11 It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.   12 And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.   13 And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.   14 And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD.   15 And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof.   16 And these shall be the measures thereof; the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.   17 And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty.   18 And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city.   19 And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel.   20 All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city.   21 And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof.   22 Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince’s, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince.   23 As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin shall have a portion.   24 And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall have a portion.   25 And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion.   26 And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a portion.   27 And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion.   28 And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea.   29 This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord GOD.   30 And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures.   31 And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi.   32 And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan.   33 And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun.   34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali.   35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.  

Study helps

Glossary

Damascus Place v. 1

Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Damascus.

Hamath Place v. 1

Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Hama.

Hazar-enan Place v. 1

Village of fountains, a place on the north-east frontier of Palestine ( Num. 34:9 , 10). Some have identified it with Ayan ed-Dara in the heart of the central chain of Anti-Libanus. Modern identification: Al Qaryatayn.

Hethlon Place v. 1

Wrapped up, a place on the north border of Palestine. The “way of Hethlon” ( Ezek. 47:15 ; 48:1 ) is probably the pass at the end of Lebanon from the Mediterranean to the great plain of Hamath. Modern identification: Haitla.

Lebo-hamath Place v. 1

Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Labweh.

Naphtali Person v. 3-4, 34

My wrestling, the fifth son of Jacob. His mother was Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid ( Gen. 30:8 ). When Jacob went down into Egypt, Naphtali had four sons ( Gen. 46:24 ). Little is known of him as an individual.

Reuben Person v. 6-7, 31

Behold a son!, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah ( Gen. 29:32 ). His sinful conduct, referred to in Gen. 35:22 , brought down upon him his dying father’s malediction (48:4).

Zadok Person v. 11

Righteous. (1. ) A son of Ahitub, of the line of Eleazer ( 2 Sam. 8:17 ; 1 Chr. 24:3 ), high priest in the time of David ( 2 Sam. 20:25 ) and Solomon ( 1 Kings 4:4 ).

Most Holy Place Place v. 12

Biblical altar. Modern identification: Mount Moriah.

City People v. 15, 17-22, 30-31, 35

The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).

Benjamin Person v. 22-24, 32

Son of my right hand. (1. ) The younger son of Jacob by Rachel ( Gen. 35:18 ). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place.

Simeon Person v. 24-25, 33

Hearing. (1. ) The second son of Jacob by Leah ( Gen. 29:33 ). He was associated with Levi in the terrible act of vengeance against Hamor and the Shechemites (34:25, 26).

Zebulun Person v. 26-27, 33

Dwelling, the sixth and youngest son of Jacob and Leah ( Gen. 30:20 ). Little is known of his personal history. He had three sons (46:14).

Gad Person v. 27-28, 34

Fortune; luck. (1. ) Jacob’s seventh son, by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, and the brother of Asher ( Gen. 30:11-13 ; 46:16 , 18). In the Authorized Version of 30:11 the words, “A troop cometh: and she called,” etc.

Brook of Egypt Place v. 28

The land of the Nile and the pyramids, the oldest kingdom of which we have any record, holds a place of great significance in Scripture. Modern identification: Wadi al Arish.

Great Sea Place v. 28

(Heb. yam), signifies (1) “the gathering together of the waters,” the ocean ( Gen. 1:10 ); (2) a river, as the Nile ( Isa. 19:5 ), the Euphrates ( Isa. 21:1 ; Jer. 51:36 ); (3) the Red Sea. Modern identification: Mediterranean Sea.

Meribah Place v. 28

Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Ain el Qudeirat.

Negeb Place v. 28

Biblical region. Modern identification: Tel Beer Sheva.

Tamar Place v. 28

Palm. (1. ) A place mentioned by Ezekiel (47:19; 48:28), on the southeastern border of Palestine. Some suppose this was “Tadmor” (q. v. ). Modern identification: En Hazeva.

Levi Person v. 31

Adhesion. (1. ) The third son of Jacob by Leah. The origin of the name is found in Leah’s words ( Gen. 29:34 ).

The Lord Is There Place v. 35

Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jerusalem.