CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Ezekiel 48
Chapter 48 of 48
Chapter Overview
What happens in Ezekiel 48
The final chapter divides the restored land among the twelve tribes of Israel, with the holy portion and the city in the middle. The chapter and the entire book end with the new name of the city: 'The Lord Is There.'
Scripture
Ezekiel 48
Land for the Northern Tribes
Study note
The land was divided into horizontal strips from east to west. The seven tribes in the northern section, from north to south, were Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Judah. Each tribe received a strip of land stretching from the eastern to the western border. Judah was placed directly north of the holy portion in the center.
1 "Here are the tribal lands: Starting at the far north, Dan's land runs along the Hethlon road to Lebo-hamath. It goes on to Hazar-enan on the Damascus border, with Hamath to the north. It stretches from east to west. Dan gets one share." 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, Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.
2 "Next to Dan's land, running east to west, Asher gets one share." And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher.
3 "Next to Asher's land, running east to west, Naphtali gets one portion." And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali.
4 "Next to Naphtali's land, running east to west, Manasseh gets one share." And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh.
5 "Next to Manasseh's land, running east to west, Ephraim gets one share." And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Ephraim.
6 "Next to Ephraim's land, running east to west, Reuben gets one share." And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Reuben.
7 "Next to Reuben's land, running east to west, Judah gets one share." And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah.
The Holy Portion in the Center
Study note
In the center of the land was the special holy section. This included land for the Zadokite priests with the sanctuary in the middle, land for the Levites, land for the city, and land for the prince on each side. The city itself was in the center of its area, with open land around it for farming. Workers from all the tribes of Israel would farm the city's land. This arrangement placed God's dwelling at the very heart of the nation.
8 "Bordering Judah's territory, running east to west, is the special district you must set apart. It will be about eight miles wide, matching the length of the tribal portions from east to west. The sanctuary will stand at its center." 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 special district you set apart for the Lord will be about eight miles long and about three and a quarter miles wide." 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 "This holy district belongs to the priests. It will measure about eight miles on the north and south sides, about three and a quarter miles on the west, and about three and a quarter miles on the east. The Lord's sanctuary will be at its center." 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 "This area is for the holy priests from Zadok's line. They stayed faithful to me. They did not stray when the other Levites wandered off with the Israelites." 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 "This will be their special piece of the holy land. It is a most sacred area next to the land given to the Levites." And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.
13 "Right next to the priests' land, the Levites will get a strip about eight miles long and about three and a quarter miles wide. It is the same total size." 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 "They must never sell, trade, or transfer this prime section of land. It is holy, set apart for the Lord." And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD.
15 "The remaining strip, about eight miles long and about one and two-thirds miles wide, is for general public use -- for the city, for housing, and for open land. The city will be built at its center." 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 "Here are the city's sizes. The north side is about one and a half miles. The south, east, and west sides are the same." 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 "Open green space will go around the city. It will be about four hundred and thirty-seven and a half feet on each side -- north, south, east, and west." 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 "Land left over next to the holy area will grow food. It runs about three and a quarter miles east and west. This food is for the city's workers." 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 "Workers from every tribe of Israel will farm this land to feed the city." And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel.
20 "The entire special district will form a square about eight miles on each side. Set apart the holy district along with the city property as one unit." 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 "Everything left over on both sides of the holy area and city property will belong to the prince. It will stretch east and west next to the tribal shares and next to the holy area with the temple at its center. The Levites' land and the city property will be in the middle." 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 "The prince's land lies between Judah to the north and Benjamin to the south. The Levites' land and the city land sit at its center." 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.
Land for the Southern Tribes
Study note
South of the holy portion, five tribes received their land strips from east to west: Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad. Benjamin was placed closest to the holy portion, directly south of the city. The listing of all twelve tribes showed that the entire nation would be reunited in the restored land.
23 "Now for the remaining tribes: running from east to west, Benjamin receives one portion." As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin shall have a portion.
24 "Next to Benjamin's land, from east to west, Simeon gets one share." And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall have a portion.
25 "Next to Simeon's land, from east to west, Issachar gets one share." And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion.
26 "Next to Issachar's land, from east to west, Zebulun gets one portion." And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a portion.
27 "Next to Zebulun's land, from east to west, Gad gets one share." And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion.
28 "Gad's southern border runs from Tamar to the waters of Meribah-kadesh. It follows the Brook of Egypt out to the Great Sea." 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 you will divide by drawing lots for the tribes of Israel. These are their shares, says the Lord God." 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.
The Gates of the City and Its New Name
Study note
The city had twelve gates, three on each side, each named after a tribe of Israel. The north gates were for Reuben, Judah, and Levi. The east gates were for Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan. The south gates were for Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun. The west gates were for Gad, Asher, and Naphtali. The distance around the city was about six miles. The book ends with the city's new name: 'The Lord Is There,' which in Hebrew is 'Yahweh Shammah.' This is the ultimate promise of the book: God will dwell permanently with his people.
30 "Here are the city's gates: The north wall measures about one and a half miles." And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures.
31 "The city gates are named after the tribes of Israel. The north wall has three gates: the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi." 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 "The east wall measures about one and a half miles, with three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan." 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 "The south wall is about one and a half miles long. It has three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun." 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 "The west wall measures about one and a half miles, with three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali." 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 "The total perimeter of the city measures about six miles. And from that day forward, the city's name will be 'The Lord Is There.'" It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.
Key Themes
Themes in Ezekiel 48
The restored land dividedGod's presence in the cityUnity of the tribesThe Lord is there
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
Ezekiel 35 Revelation 21:2-3
The new Jerusalem in Revelation, where God dwells with his people forever, fulfills Ezekiel's vision of the city named 'The Lord is There,' completing God's plan to live among his people.
Apply This Today
Living Ezekiel 48
The book of Ezekiel ends with the most hopeful name a city could have: 'The Lord is there.' After all the warnings, judgments, and visions, the final word is one of presence. God's ultimate goal is to dwell with His people. Whatever we face in life, the best thing that can be said about our future is that the Lord will be there.
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