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Ezekiel 43-48
New Living Translation

The Lord’s Glory Returns

43 After this, the man brought me back around to the east gateway. 2 Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory. 3 This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came[a] to destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground. 4 And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway.

5 Then the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. 6 And I heard someone speaking to me from within the Temple, while the man who had been measuring stood beside me. 7 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died.[b] 8 They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger. 9 Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever.

10 “Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan, 11 and they will be ashamed[c] of what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them. 12 And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness! The entire top of the mountain where the Temple is built is holy. Yes, this is the basic law of the Temple.

The Altar

13 “These are the measurements of the altar[d]: There is a gutter all around the altar 21 inches deep and 21 inches wide,[e] with a curb 9 inches[f] wide around its edge. And this is the height[g] of the altar: 14 From the gutter the altar rises 3 1⁄2 feet[h] to a lower ledge that surrounds the altar and is 21 inches[i] wide. From the lower ledge the altar rises 7 feet[j] to the upper ledge that is also 21 inches wide. 15 The top of the altar, the hearth, rises another 7 feet higher, with a horn rising up from each of the four corners. 16 The top of the altar is square, measuring 21 feet by 21 feet.[k] 17 The upper ledge also forms a square, measuring 24 1⁄2 feet by 24 1⁄2 feet,[l] with a 21-inch gutter and a 10 1⁄2-inch curb[m] all around the edge. There are steps going up the east side of the altar.”

18 Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for the burning of offerings and the sprinkling of blood when the altar is built. 19 At that time, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who minister before me, are to be given a young bull for a sin offering, says the Sovereign Lord. 20 You will take some of its blood and smear it on the four horns of the altar, the four corners of the upper ledge, and the curb that runs around that ledge. This will cleanse and make atonement for the altar. 21 Then take the young bull for the sin offering and burn it at the appointed place outside the Temple area.

22 “On the second day, sacrifice as a sin offering a young male goat that has no physical defects. Then cleanse and make atonement for the altar again, just as you did with the young bull. 23 When you have finished the cleansing ceremony, offer another young bull that has no defects and a perfect ram from the flock. 24 You are to present them to the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and offer them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

25 “Every day for seven days a male goat, a young bull, and a ram from the flock will be sacrificed as a sin offering. None of these animals may have physical defects of any kind. 26 Do this each day for seven days to cleanse and make atonement for the altar, thus setting it apart for holy use. 27 On the eighth day, and on each day afterward, the priests will sacrifice on the altar the burnt offerings and peace offerings of the people. Then I will accept you. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

The Prince, Levites, and Priests

44 Then the man brought me back to the east gateway in the outer wall of the Temple area, but it was closed. 2 And the Lord said to me, “This gate must remain closed; it will never again be opened. No one will ever open it and pass through, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered here. Therefore, it must always remain shut. 3 Only the prince himself may sit inside this gateway to feast in the Lord’s presence. But he may come and go only through the entry room of the gateway.”

4 Then the man brought me through the north gateway to the front of the Temple. I looked and saw that the glory of the Lord filled the Temple of the Lord, and I fell face down on the ground.

5 And the Lord said to me, “Son of man, take careful notice. Use your eyes and ears, and listen to everything I tell you about the regulations concerning the Lord’s Temple. Take careful note of the procedures for using the Temple’s entrances and exits. 6 And give these rebels, the people of Israel, this message from the Sovereign Lord: O people of Israel, enough of your detestable sins! 7 You have brought uncircumcised foreigners into my sanctuary—people who have no heart for God. In this way, you defiled my Temple even as you offered me my food, the fat and blood of sacrifices. In addition to all your other detestable sins, you have broken my covenant. 8 Instead of safeguarding my sacred rituals, you have hired foreigners to take charge of my sanctuary.

9 “So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigners, including those who live among the people of Israel, will enter my sanctuary if they have not been circumcised and have not surrendered themselves to the Lord. 10 And the men of the tribe of Levi who abandoned me when Israel strayed away from me to worship idols[n] must bear the consequences of their unfaithfulness. 11 They may still be Temple guards and gatekeepers, and they may slaughter the animals brought for burnt offerings and be present to help the people. 12 But they encouraged my people to worship idols, causing Israel to fall into deep sin. So I have taken a solemn oath that they must bear the consequences for their sins, says the Sovereign Lord. 13 They may not approach me to minister as priests. They may not touch any of my holy things or the holy offerings, for they must bear the shame of all the detestable sins they have committed. 14 They are to serve as the Temple caretakers, taking charge of the maintenance work and performing general duties.

15 “However, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok continued to minister faithfully in the Temple when Israel abandoned me for idols. These men will serve as my ministers. They will stand in my presence and offer the fat and blood of the sacrifices, says the Sovereign Lord. 16 They alone will enter my sanctuary and approach my table to serve me. They will fulfill all my requirements.

17 “When they enter the gateway to the inner courtyard, they must wear only linen clothing. They must wear no wool while on duty in the inner courtyard or in the Temple itself. 18 They must wear linen turbans and linen undergarments. They must not wear anything that would cause them to perspire. 19 When they return to the outer courtyard where the people are, they must take off the clothes they wear while ministering to me. They must leave them in the sacred rooms and put on other clothes so they do not endanger anyone by transmitting holiness to them through this clothing.

20 “They must neither shave their heads nor let their hair grow too long. Instead, they must trim it regularly. 21 The priests must not drink wine before entering the inner courtyard. 22 They may choose their wives only from among the virgins of Israel or the widows of the priests. They may not marry other widows or divorced women. 23 They will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is common, what is ceremonially clean and unclean.

24 “They will serve as judges to resolve any disagreements among my people. Their decisions must be based on my regulations. And the priests themselves must obey my instructions and decrees at all the sacred festivals, and see to it that the Sabbaths are set apart as holy days.

25 “A priest must not defile himself by being in the presence of a dead person unless it is his father, mother, child, brother, or unmarried sister. In such cases it is permitted. 26 Even then, he can return to his Temple duties only after being ceremonially cleansed and then waiting for seven days. 27 The first day he returns to work and enters the inner courtyard and the sanctuary, he must offer a sin offering for himself, says the Sovereign Lord.

28 “The priests will not have any property or possession of land, for I alone am their special possession. 29 Their food will come from the gifts and sacrifices brought to the Temple by the people—the grain offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. Whatever anyone sets apart[o] for the Lord will belong to the priests. 30 The first of the ripe fruits and all the gifts brought to the Lord will go to the priests. The first batch of dough must also be given to the priests so the Lord will bless your homes. 31 The priests may not eat meat from any bird or animal that dies a natural death or that dies after being attacked by another animal.

Division of the Land

45 “When you divide the land among the tribes of Israel, you must set aside a section for the Lord as his holy portion. This piece of land will be 8 1⁄3 miles long and 6 2⁄3 miles wide.[p] The entire area will be holy. 2 A section of this land, measuring 875 feet by 875 feet,[q] will be set aside for the Temple. An additional strip of land 87 1⁄2 feet[r] wide is to be left empty all around it. 3 Within the larger sacred area, measure out a portion of land 8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles wide.[s] Within it the sanctuary of the Most Holy Place will be located. 4 This area will be holy, set aside for the priests who minister to the Lord in the sanctuary. They will use it for their homes, and my Temple will be located within it. 5 The strip of sacred land next to it, also 8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles wide, will be a living area for the Levites who work at the Temple. It will be their possession and a place for their towns.[t]

6 “Adjacent to the larger sacred area will be a section of land 8 1⁄3 miles long and 1 2⁄3 miles wide.[u] This will be set aside for a city where anyone in Israel can live.

7 “Two special sections of land will be set apart for the prince. One section will share a border with the east side of the sacred lands and city, and the second section will share a border on the west side. Then the far eastern and western borders of the prince’s lands will line up with the eastern and western boundaries of the tribal areas. 8 These sections of land will be the prince’s allotment. Then my princes will no longer oppress and rob my people; they will assign the rest of the land to the people, giving an allotment to each tribe.

Rules for the Princes

9 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Stop your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Quit robbing and cheating my people out of their land. Stop expelling them from their homes, says the Sovereign Lord. 10 Use only honest weights and scales and honest measures, both dry and liquid.[v] 11 The homer[w] will be your standard unit for measuring volume. The ephah and the bath[x] will each measure one-tenth of a homer. 12 The standard unit for weight will be the silver shekel.[y] One shekel will consist of twenty gerahs, and sixty shekels will be equal to one mina.[z]

Special Offerings and Celebrations

13 “You must give this tax to the prince: one bushel of wheat or barley for every 60[aa] you harvest, 14 one percent of your olive oil,[ab] 15 and one sheep or goat for every 200 in your flocks in Israel. These will be the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings that will make atonement for the people who bring them, says the Sovereign Lord. 16 All the people of Israel must join in bringing these offerings to the prince. 17 The prince will be required to provide offerings that are given at the religious festivals, the new moon celebrations, the Sabbath days, and all other similar occasions. He will provide the sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, liquid offerings, and peace offerings to purify the people of Israel, making them right with the Lord.[ac]

18 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In early spring, on the first day of each new year,[ad] sacrifice a young bull with no defects to purify the Temple. 19 The priest will take blood from this sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the Temple, the four corners of the upper ledge of the altar, and the gateposts at the entrance to the inner courtyard. 20 Do this also on the seventh day of the new year for anyone who has sinned through error or ignorance. In this way, you will purify[ae] the Temple.

21 “On the fourteenth day of the first month,[af] you must celebrate the Passover. This festival will last for seven days. The bread you eat during that time must be made without yeast. 22 On the day of Passover the prince will provide a young bull as a sin offering for himself and the people of Israel. 23 On each of the seven days of the feast he will prepare a burnt offering to the Lord, consisting of seven young bulls and seven rams without defects. A male goat will also be given each day for a sin offering. 24 The prince will provide a basket of flour as a grain offering and a gallon of olive oil[ag] with each young bull and ram.

25 “During the seven days of the Festival of Shelters, which occurs every year in early autumn,[ah] the prince will provide these same sacrifices for the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the grain offering, along with the required olive oil.

46 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The east gateway of the inner courtyard will be closed during the six workdays each week, but it will be open on Sabbath days and the days of new moon celebrations. 2 The prince will enter the entry room of the gateway from the outside. Then he will stand by the gatepost while the priest offers his burnt offering and peace offering. He will bow down in worship inside the gateway passage and then go back out the way he came. The gateway will not be closed until evening. 3 The common people will bow down and worship the Lord in front of this gateway on Sabbath days and the days of new moon celebrations.

4 “Each Sabbath day the prince will present to the Lord a burnt offering of six lambs and one ram, all with no defects. 5 He will present a grain offering of a basket of choice flour to go with the ram and whatever amount of flour he chooses to go with each lamb, and he is to offer one gallon of olive oil[ai] for each basket of flour. 6 At the new moon celebrations, he will bring one young bull, six lambs, and one ram, all with no defects. 7 With the young bull he must bring a basket of choice flour for a grain offering. With the ram he must bring another basket of flour. And with each lamb he is to bring whatever amount of flour he chooses to give. With each basket of flour he must offer one gallon of olive oil.

8 “The prince must enter the gateway through the entry room, and he must leave the same way. 9 But when the people come in through the north gateway to worship the Lord during the religious festivals, they must leave by the south gateway. And those who entered through the south gateway must leave by the north gateway. They must never leave by the same gateway they came in, but must always use the opposite gateway. 10 The prince will enter and leave with the people on these occasions.

11 “So at the special feasts and sacred festivals, the grain offering will be a basket of choice flour with each young bull, another basket of flour with each ram, and as much flour as the worshiper chooses to give with each lamb. Give one gallon of olive oil with each basket of flour. 12 When the prince offers a voluntary burnt offering or peace offering to the Lord, the east gateway to the inner courtyard will be opened for him, and he will offer his sacrifices as he does on Sabbath days. Then he will leave, and the gateway will be shut behind him.

13 “Each morning you must sacrifice a one-year-old lamb with no defects as a burnt offering to the Lord. 14 With the lamb, a grain offering must also be given to the Lord—about three quarts of flour with a third of a gallon of olive oil[aj] to moisten the choice flour. This will be a permanent law for you. 15 The lamb, the grain offering, and the olive oil must be given as a daily sacrifice every morning without fail.

16 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: If the prince gives a gift of land to one of his sons as his inheritance, it will belong to him and his descendants forever. 17 But if the prince gives a gift of land from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it only until the Year of Jubilee, which comes every fiftieth year.[ak] At that time the land will return to the prince. But when the prince gives gifts to his sons, those gifts will be permanent. 18 And the prince may never take anyone’s property by force. If he gives property to his sons, it must be from his own land, for I do not want any of my people unjustly evicted from their property.”

The Temple Kitchens

19 In my vision, the man brought me through the entrance beside the gateway and led me to the sacred rooms assigned to the priests, which faced toward the north. He showed me a place at the extreme west end of these rooms. 20 He explained, “This is where the priests will cook the meat from the guilt offerings and sin offerings and bake the flour from the grain offerings into bread. They will do it here to avoid carrying the sacrifices through the outer courtyard and endangering the people by transmitting holiness to them.”

21 Then he brought me back to the outer courtyard and led me to each of its four corners. In each corner I saw an enclosure. 22 Each of these enclosures was 70 feet long and 52 1⁄2 feet wide,[al] surrounded by walls. 23 Along the inside of these walls was a ledge of stone with fireplaces under the ledge all the way around. 24 The man said to me, “These are the kitchens to be used by the Temple assistants to boil the sacrifices offered by the people.”

The River of Healing

47 In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side. 2 The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out through the south side of the east gateway.

3 Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet[am] and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles. 4 He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist. 5 Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through.

6 He asked me, “Have you been watching, son of man?” Then he led me back along the riverbank. 7 When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river. 8 Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea.[an] The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure. 9 There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows.[ao] Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows. 10 Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea. All the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim, the shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun. Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean.[ap] 11 But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will still be salty. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, for they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing.”

Boundaries for the Land

13 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Divide the land in this way for the twelve tribes of Israel: The descendants of Joseph will be given two shares of land.[aq] 14 Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I took a solemn oath and swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your possession.

15 “These are the boundaries of the land: The northern border will run from the Mediterranean toward Hethlon, then on through Lebo-hamath to Zedad; 16 then it will run to Berothah and Sibraim,[ar] which are on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and finally to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran. 17 So the northern border will run from the Mediterranean to Hazar-enan, on the border between Hamath to the north and Damascus to the south.

18 “The eastern border starts at a point between Hauran and Damascus and runs south along the Jordan River between Israel and Gilead, past the Dead Sea[as] and as far south as Tamar.[at] This will be the eastern border.

19 “The southern border will go west from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[au] and then follow the course of the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean. This will be the southern border.

20 “On the west side, the Mediterranean itself will be your border from the southern border to the point where the northern border begins, opposite Lebo-hamath.

21 “Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel. 22 Distribute the land as an allotment for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be like native-born Israelites to you and will receive an allotment among the tribes. 23 These foreigners are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!

Division of the Land

48 “Here is the list of the tribes of Israel and the territory each is to receive. The territory of Dan is in the extreme north. Its boundary line follows the Hethlon road to Lebo-hamath and then runs on to Hazar-enan on the border of Damascus, with Hamath to the north. Dan’s territory extends all the way across the land of Israel from east to west.

2 “Asher’s territory lies south of Dan’s and also extends from east to west. 3 Naphtali’s land lies south of Asher’s, also extending from east to west. 4 Then comes Manasseh south of Naphtali, and its territory also extends from east to west. 5 South of Manasseh is Ephraim, 6 and then Reuben, 7 and then Judah, all of whose boundaries extend from east to west.

8 “South of Judah is the land set aside for a special purpose. It will be 8 1⁄3 miles[av] wide and will extend as far east and west as the tribal territories, with the Temple at the center.

9 “The area set aside for the Lord’s Temple will be 8 1⁄3 miles long and 6 2⁄3 miles wide.[aw] 10 For the priests there will be a strip of land measuring 8 1⁄3 miles long by 3 1⁄3 miles wide,[ax] with the Lord’s Temple at the center. 11 This area is set aside for the ordained priests, the descendants of Zadok who served me faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites. 12 It will be their special portion when the land is distributed, the most sacred land of all. Next to the priests’ territory will lie the land where the other Levites will live.

13 “The land allotted to the Levites will be the same size and shape as that belonging to the priests—8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles wide. Together these portions of land will measure 8 1⁄3 miles long by 6 2⁄3 miles wide.[ay] 14 None of this special land may ever be sold or traded or used by others, for it belongs to the Lord; it is set apart as holy.

15 “An additional strip of land 8 1⁄3 miles long by 1 2⁄3 miles wide,[az] south of the sacred Temple area, will be allotted for public use—homes, pasturelands, and common lands, with a city at the center. 16 The city will measure 1 1⁄2 miles[ba] on each side—north, south, east, and west. 17 Open lands will surround the city for 150 yards[bb] in every direction. 18 Outside the city there will be a farming area that stretches 3 1⁄3 miles to the east and 3 1⁄3 miles to the west[bc] along the border of the sacred area. This farmland will produce food for the people working in the city. 19 Those who come from the various tribes to work in the city may farm it. 20 This entire area—including the sacred lands and the city—is a square that measures 8 1⁄3 miles[bd] on each side.

21 “The areas that remain, to the east and to the west of the sacred lands and the city, will belong to the prince. Each of these areas will be 8 1⁄3 miles wide, extending in opposite directions to the eastern and western borders of Israel, with the sacred lands and the sanctuary of the Temple in the center. 22 So the prince’s land will include everything between the territories allotted to Judah and Benjamin, except for the areas set aside for the sacred lands and the city.

23 “These are the territories allotted to the rest of the tribes. Benjamin’s territory lies just south of the prince’s lands, and it extends across the entire land of Israel from east to west. 24 South of Benjamin’s territory lies that of Simeon, also extending across the land from east to west. 25 Next is the territory of Issachar with the same eastern and western boundaries.

26 “Then comes the territory of Zebulun, which also extends across the land from east to west. 27 The territory of Gad is just south of Zebulun with the same borders to the east and west. 28 The southern border of Gad runs from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[be] and then follows the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean.[bf]

29 “These are the allotments that will be set aside for each tribe’s exclusive possession. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!

The Gates of the City

30 “These will be the exits to the city: On the north wall, which is 1 1⁄2 miles long, 31 there will be three gates, each one named after a tribe of Israel. The first will be named for Reuben, the second for Judah, and the third for Levi. 32 On the east wall, also 1 1⁄2 miles long, the gates will be named for Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan. 33 The south wall, also 1 1⁄2 miles long, will have gates named for Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun. 34 And on the west wall, also 1 1⁄2 miles long, the gates will be named for Gad, Asher, and Naphtali.

35 “The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles.[bg] And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord Is There.’[bh]”

Footnotes

  1. 43:3 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Latin Vulgate; Masoretic Text reads I came.
  2. 43:7 Or kings on their high places.
  3. 43:11 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads if they are ashamed.
  4. 43:13a Hebrew measurements of the altar in long cubits, each being a cubit [18 inches or 45 centimeters] and a handbreadth [3 inches or 8 centimeters] in length.
  5. 43:13b Hebrew a cubit [53 centimeters] deep and a cubit wide.
  6. 43:13c Hebrew 1 span [23 centimeters].
  7. 43:13d As in Greek version; Hebrew reads base.
  8. 43:14a Hebrew 2 cubits [1.1 meters].
  9. 43:14b Hebrew 1 cubit [53 centimeters]; also in 43:14d.
  10. 43:14c Hebrew 4 cubits [2.1 meters]; also in 43:15.
  11. 43:16 Hebrew 12 [cubits] [6.4 meters] long and 12 [cubits] wide.
  12. 43:17a Hebrew 14 [cubits] [7.4 meters] long and 14 [cubits] wide.
  13. 43:17b Hebrew a gutter of 1 cubit [53 centimeters] and a curb of 1⁄2 a cubit [27 centimeters].
  14. 44:10 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung; also in 44:12.
  15. 44:29 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering.
  16. 45:1 As in Greek version, which reads 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers] long and 20,000 [cubits] [10.6 kilometers] wide; Hebrew reads 25,000 [cubits] long and 10,000 [cubits] [3 1⁄3 miles or 5.3 kilometers] wide. Compare 45:3, 5; 48:9.
  17. 45:2a Hebrew 500 [cubits] [265 meters] by 500 [cubits], a square.
  18. 45:2b Hebrew 50 cubits [26.5 meters].
  19. 45:3 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers] long and 10,000 [cubits] [5.3 kilometers] wide; also in 45:5.
  20. 45:5 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads They will have as their possession 20 rooms.
  21. 45:6 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers] long and 5,000 [cubits] [2.65 kilometers] wide.
  22. 45:10 Hebrew Use honest scales, an honest ephah, and an honest bath.
  23. 45:11a The homer measures about 50 gallons or 220 liters.
  24. 45:11b The ephah is a dry measure; the bath is a liquid measure.
  25. 45:12a The shekel weighs about 0.4 ounces or 11 grams.
  26. 45:12b Elsewhere the mina is equated to 50 shekels.
  27. 45:13 Hebrew 1⁄6 of an ephah from each homer of wheat and 1⁄6 of an ephah from each homer of barley.
  28. 45:14 Hebrew the portion of oil, measured by the bath, is 1⁄10 of a bath from each cor, which consists of 10 baths or 1 homer, for 10 baths are equivalent to a homer.
  29. 45:17 Or to make atonement for the people of Israel.
  30. 45:18 Hebrew On the first day of the first month, of the Hebrew calendar. This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in March or April.
  31. 45:20 Or will make atonement for.
  32. 45:21 This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late March, April, or early May.
  33. 45:24 Hebrew an ephah [20 quarts or 22 liters] of flour . . . and a hin [3.8 liters] of olive oil.
  34. 45:25 Hebrew the festival which begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month (see Lev 23:34). This day in the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in late September, October, or early November.
  35. 46:5 Hebrew an ephah [20 quarts or 22 liters] of choice flour . . . a hin [3.8 liters] of olive oil; similarly in 46:7, 11.
  36. 46:14 Hebrew 1⁄6 of an ephah [3.7 liters] of flour with 1⁄3 of a hin [1.3 liters] of olive oil.
  37. 46:17 Hebrew until the Year of Release; see Lev 25:8-17.
  38. 46:22 Hebrew 40 [cubits] [21.2 meters] long and 30 [cubits] [15.9 meters] wide.
  39. 47:3 Hebrew 1,000 cubits [530 meters]; also in 47:4, 5.
  40. 47:8 Hebrew the sea.
  41. 47:9 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads of these two rivers flow.
  42. 47:10 Hebrew the Great Sea; also in 47:15, 17, 19, 20.
  43. 47:13 It was important to retain twelve portions of land. Since Levi had no portion, the descendants of Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, received land as two tribes.
  44. 47:15-16 As in Greek version; Masoretic Text reads then on through Lebo to Zedad; 16 then it will run to Hamath, Berothah, and Sibraim.
  45. 47:18a Hebrew the eastern sea.
  46. 47:18b As in Greek version; Hebrew reads you will measure.
  47. 47:19 Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.
  48. 48:8 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers].
  49. 48:9 As in one Greek manuscript and the Greek reading in 45:1: 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers] long and 20,000 [cubits] [10.6 kilometers] wide; Hebrew reads 25,000 [cubits] long and 10,000 [cubits] [3 1⁄3 miles or 5.3 kilometers] wide. Similarly in 48:13b. Compare 45:1-5; 48:10-13.
  50. 48:10 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers] long by 10,000 [cubits] [5.3 kilometers] wide; also in 48:13a.
  51. 48:13 See note on 48:9.
  52. 48:15 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers] long by 5,000 [cubits] [2.65 kilometers] wide.
  53. 48:16 Hebrew 4,500 [cubits] [2.4 kilometers]; also in 48:30, 32, 33, 34.
  54. 48:17 Hebrew 250 [cubits] [133 meters].
  55. 48:18 Hebrew 10,000 [cubits] [5.3 kilometers] to the east and 10,000 [cubits] to the west.
  56. 48:20 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers]; also in 48:21.
  57. 48:28a Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.
  58. 48:28b Hebrew the Great Sea.
  59. 48:35a Hebrew 18,000 [cubits] [9.6 kilometers].
  60. 48:35b Hebrew Yahweh Shammah.
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Ezekiel 43-48
New International Version

God’s Glory Returns to the Temple

43 Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,(A) 2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters,(B) and the land was radiant with his glory.(C) 3 The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he[a] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. 4 The glory(D) of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east.(E) 5 Then the Spirit(F) lifted me up(G) and brought me into the inner court, and the glory(H) of the Lord filled the temple.(I)

6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. 7 He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne(J) and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The people of Israel will never again defile(K) my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings[b] for their kings at their death.[c](L) 8 When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. 9 Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever.(M)

10 “Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed(N) of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, 11 and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations[d] and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.(O)

12 “This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area(P) on top of the mountain will be most holy.(Q) Such is the law of the temple.

The Great Altar Restored

13 “These are the measurements of the altar(R) in long cubits,[e] that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span[f] around the edge. And this is the height of the altar: 14 From the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge that goes around the altar it is two cubits high, and the ledge is a cubit wide.[g] From this lower ledge to the upper ledge that goes around the altar it is four cubits high, and that ledge is also a cubit wide.[h] 15 Above that, the altar hearth(S) is four cubits high, and four horns(T) project upward from the hearth. 16 The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits[i] long and twelve cubits wide.(U) 17 The upper ledge(V) also is square, fourteen cubits[j] long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit.[k] The steps(W) of the altar face east.(X)”

18 Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings(Y) and splashing blood(Z) against the altar when it is built: 19 You are to give a young bull(AA) as a sin offering[l] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok,(AB) who come near(AC) to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. 20 You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar(AD) and on the four corners of the upper ledge(AE) and all around the rim, and so purify the altar(AF) and make atonement for it. 21 You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.(AG)

22 “On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. 23 When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.(AH) 24 You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt(AI) on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

25 “For seven days(AJ) you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.(AK) 26 For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. 27 At the end of these days, from the eighth day(AL) on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings(AM) and fellowship offerings(AN) on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

The Priesthood Restored

44 Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east,(AO) and it was shut. 2 The Lord said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it.(AP) It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. 3 The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence(AQ) of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.(AR)”

4 Then the man brought me by way of the north gate(AS) to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple(AT) of the Lord, and I fell facedown.(AU)

5 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the Lord. Give attention to the entrance(AV) to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary.(AW) 6 Say to rebellious Israel,(AX) ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel! 7 In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart(AY) and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant.(AZ) 8 Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary.(BA) 9 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.(BB)

10 “‘The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray(BC) and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin.(BD) 11 They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings(BE) and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people and serve them.(BF) 12 But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall(BG) into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand(BH) that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BI) 13 They are not to come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame(BJ) of their detestable practices.(BK) 14 And I will appoint them to guard the temple for all the work that is to be done in it.(BL)

15 “‘But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok(BM) and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat(BN) and blood, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BO) 16 They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to come near my table(BP) to minister before me and serve me as guards.(BQ)

17 “‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes;(BR) they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. 18 They are to wear linen turbans(BS) on their heads and linen undergarments(BT) around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.(BU) 19 When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated(BV) through contact with their garments.(BW)

20 “‘They must not shave(BX) their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed.(BY) 21 No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court.(BZ) 22 They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.(CA) 23 They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common(CB) and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.(CC)

24 “‘In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges(CD) and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed festivals,(CE) and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.(CF)

25 “‘A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself.(CG) 26 After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days.(CH) 27 On the day he goes into the inner court of the sanctuary(CI) to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer a sin offering[m](CJ) for himself, declares the Sovereign Lord.

28 “‘I am to be the only inheritance(CK) the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession. 29 They will eat(CL) the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings; and everything in Israel devoted[n] to the Lord(CM) will belong to them.(CN) 30 The best of all the firstfruits(CO) and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal(CP) so that a blessing(CQ) may rest on your household.(CR) 31 The priests must not eat anything, whether bird or animal, found dead(CS) or torn by wild animals.(CT)

Israel Fully Restored

45 “‘When you allot the land as an inheritance,(CU) you are to present to the Lord a portion of the land as a sacred district, 25,000 cubits[o] long and 20,000[p] cubits[q] wide; the entire area will be holy.(CV) 2 Of this, a section 500 cubits[r] square(CW) is to be for the sanctuary, with 50 cubits[s] around it for open land. 3 In the sacred district, measure off a section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits[t] wide. In it will be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 4 It will be the sacred portion of the land for the priests,(CX) who minister in the sanctuary and who draw near to minister before the Lord. It will be a place for their houses as well as a holy place for the sanctuary.(CY) 5 An area 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide will belong to the Levites, who serve in the temple, as their possession for towns to live in.[u](CZ)

6 “‘You are to give the city as its property an area 5,000 cubits[v] wide and 25,000 cubits long, adjoining the sacred portion; it will belong to all Israel.(DA)

7 “‘The prince will have the land bordering each side of the area formed by the sacred district and the property of the city. It will extend westward from the west side and eastward from the east side, running lengthwise from the western to the eastern border parallel to one of the tribal portions.(DB) 8 This land will be his possession in Israel. And my princes will no longer oppress my people but will allow the people of Israel to possess the land according to their tribes.(DC)

9 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You have gone far enough, princes of Israel! Give up your violence and oppression(DD) and do what is just and right.(DE) Stop dispossessing my people, declares the Sovereign Lord. 10 You are to use accurate scales,(DF) an accurate ephah[w](DG) and an accurate bath.[x] 11 The ephah(DH) and the bath are to be the same size, the bath containing a tenth of a homer and the ephah a tenth of a homer; the homer is to be the standard measure for both. 12 The shekel[y] is to consist of twenty gerahs.(DI) Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels equal one mina.[z]

13 “‘This is the special gift you are to offer: a sixth of an ephah[aa] from each homer of wheat and a sixth of an ephah[ab] from each homer of barley. 14 The prescribed portion of olive oil, measured by the bath, is a tenth of a bath[ac] from each cor (which consists of ten baths or one homer, for ten baths are equivalent to a homer). 15 Also one sheep is to be taken from every flock of two hundred from the well-watered pastures of Israel. These will be used for the grain offerings, burnt offerings(DJ) and fellowship offerings to make atonement(DK) for the people, declares the Sovereign Lord. 16 All the people of the land will be required to give this special offering to the prince in Israel. 17 It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons(DL) and the Sabbaths(DM)—at all the appointed festivals of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings,[ad] grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the Israelites.(DN)

18 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In the first month(DO) on the first day you are to take a young bull without defect(DP) and purify the sanctuary.(DQ) 19 The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the upper ledge(DR) of the altar(DS) and on the gateposts of the inner court. 20 You are to do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sins unintentionally(DT) or through ignorance; so you are to make atonement for the temple.

21 “‘In the first month on the fourteenth day you are to observe the Passover,(DU) a festival lasting seven days, during which you shall eat bread made without yeast. 22 On that day the prince is to provide a bull as a sin offering for himself and for all the people of the land.(DV) 23 Every day during the seven days of the festival he is to provide seven bulls and seven rams(DW) without defect as a burnt offering to the Lord, and a male goat for a sin offering.(DX) 24 He is to provide as a grain offering(DY) an ephah for each bull and an ephah for each ram, along with a hin[ae] of olive oil for each ephah.(DZ)

25 “‘During the seven days of the festival,(EA) which begins in the seventh month on the fifteenth day, he is to make the same provision for sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings and oil.(EB)

46 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The gate of the inner court(EC) facing east(ED) is to be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon(EE) it is to be opened. 2 The prince is to enter from the outside through the portico(EF) of the gateway and stand by the gatepost. The priests are to sacrifice his burnt offering(EG) and his fellowship offerings. He is to bow down in worship at the threshold of the gateway and then go out, but the gate will not be shut until evening.(EH) 3 On the Sabbaths(EI) and New Moons the people of the land are to worship in the presence of the Lord at the entrance of that gateway.(EJ) 4 The burnt offering the prince brings to the Lord on the Sabbath day is to be six male lambs and a ram, all without defect. 5 The grain offering given with the ram is to be an ephah,[af] and the grain offering with the lambs is to be as much as he pleases, along with a hin[ag] of olive oil for each ephah.(EK) 6 On the day of the New Moon(EL) he is to offer a young bull, six lambs and a ram, all without defect.(EM) 7 He is to provide as a grain offering one ephah with the bull, one ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he wants to give, along with a hin of oil for each ephah.(EN) 8 When the prince enters, he is to go in through the portico(EO) of the gateway, and he is to come out the same way.(EP)

9 “‘When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed festivals,(EQ) whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate. 10 The prince is to be among them, going in when they go in and going out when they go out.(ER) 11 At the feasts and the appointed festivals, the grain offering is to be an ephah with a bull, an ephah with a ram, and with the lambs as much as he pleases, along with a hin of oil for each ephah.(ES)

12 “‘When the prince provides(ET) a freewill offering(EU) to the Lord—whether a burnt offering or fellowship offerings—the gate facing east is to be opened for him. He shall offer his burnt offering or his fellowship offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out, the gate will be shut.(EV)

13 “‘Every day you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the Lord; morning by morning(EW) you shall provide it.(EX) 14 You are also to provide with it morning by morning a grain offering, consisting of a sixth of an ephah[ah] with a third of a hin[ai] of oil(EY) to moisten the flour. The presenting of this grain offering to the Lord is a lasting ordinance.(EZ) 15 So the lamb and the grain offering and the oil shall be provided morning by morning for a regular(FA) burnt offering.(FB)

16 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: If the prince makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons, it will also belong to his descendants; it is to be their property by inheritance.(FC) 17 If, however, he makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it until the year of freedom;(FD) then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs to his sons only; it is theirs. 18 The prince must not take(FE) any of the inheritance(FF) of the people, driving them off their property. He is to give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that not one of my people will be separated from their property.’”

19 Then the man brought me through the entrance(FG) at the side of the gate to the sacred rooms facing north,(FH) which belonged to the priests, and showed me a place at the western end. 20 He said to me, “This is the place where the priests are to cook the guilt offering and the sin offering[aj] and bake the grain offering, to avoid bringing them into the outer court and consecrating(FI) the people.”(FJ)

21 He then brought me to the outer court and led me around to its four corners, and I saw in each corner another court. 22 In the four corners of the outer court were enclosed[ak] courts, forty cubits long and thirty cubits wide;[al] each of the courts in the four corners was the same size. 23 Around the inside of each of the four courts was a ledge of stone, with places for fire built all around under the ledge. 24 He said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple are to cook the sacrifices of the people.”

The River From the Temple

47 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water(FK) coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.(FL) 2 He then brought me out through the north gate(FM) and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line(FN) in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[am] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river(FO) that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.(FP) 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.(FQ) 8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah,[an](FR) where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh.(FS) 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.(FT) 10 Fishermen(FU) will stand along the shore; from En Gedi(FV) to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets.(FW) The fish will be of many kinds(FX)—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.(FY) 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.(FZ) 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river.(GA) Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit(GB) fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary(GC) flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.(GD)”

The Boundaries of the Land

13 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “These are the boundaries(GE) of the land that you will divide among the twelve tribes of Israel as their inheritance, with two portions for Joseph.(GF) 14 You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your ancestors, this land will become your inheritance.(GG)

15 “This is to be the boundary of the land:(GH)

“On the north side it will run from the Mediterranean Sea(GI) by the Hethlon road(GJ) past Lebo Hamath to Zedad, 16 Berothah[ao](GK) and Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath),(GL) as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 The boundary will extend from the sea to Hazar Enan,[ap] along the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary.(GM)

18 “On the east side the boundary will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the Dead Sea and as far as Tamar.[aq] This will be the eastern boundary.(GN)

19 “On the south side it will run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah Kadesh,(GO) then along the Wadi of Egypt(GP) to the Mediterranean Sea.(GQ) This will be the southern boundary.

20 “On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo Hamath.(GR) This will be the western boundary.(GS)

21 “You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You are to allot it as an inheritance(GT) for yourselves and for the foreigners(GU) residing among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.(GV) 23 In whatever tribe a foreigner resides, there you are to give them their inheritance,” declares the Sovereign Lord.(GW)

The Division of the Land

48 “These are the tribes, listed by name: At the northern frontier, Dan(GX) will have one portion; it will follow the Hethlon road(GY) to Lebo Hamath;(GZ) Hazar Enan and the northern border of Damascus next to Hamath will be part of its border from the east side to the west side.

2 “Asher(HA) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Dan from east to west.

3 “Naphtali(HB) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Asher from east to west.

4 “Manasseh(HC) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Naphtali from east to west.

5 “Ephraim(HD) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Manasseh(HE) from east to west.(HF)

6 “Reuben(HG) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Ephraim from east to west.

7 “Judah(HH) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Reuben from east to west.

8 “Bordering the territory of Judah from east to west will be the portion you are to present as a special gift. It will be 25,000 cubits[ar] wide, and its length from east to west will equal one of the tribal portions; the sanctuary will be in the center of it.(HI)

9 “The special portion you are to offer to the Lord will be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits[as] wide.(HJ) 10 This will be the sacred portion for the priests. It will be 25,000 cubits long on the north side, 10,000 cubits wide on the west side, 10,000 cubits wide on the east side and 25,000 cubits long on the south side. In the center of it will be the sanctuary of the Lord.(HK) 11 This will be for the consecrated priests, the Zadokites,(HL) who were faithful in serving me(HM) and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray.(HN) 12 It will be a special gift to them from the sacred portion of the land, a most holy portion, bordering the territory of the Levites.

13 “Alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites will have an allotment 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. Its total length will be 25,000 cubits and its width 10,000 cubits.(HO) 14 They must not sell or exchange any of it. This is the best of the land and must not pass into other hands, because it is holy to the Lord.(HP)

15 “The remaining area, 5,000 cubits[at] wide and 25,000 cubits long, will be for the common use of the city, for houses and for pastureland. The city will be in the center of it 16 and will have these measurements: the north side 4,500 cubits,[au] the south side 4,500 cubits, the east side 4,500 cubits, and the west side 4,500 cubits.(HQ) 17 The pastureland for the city will be 250 cubits[av] on the north, 250 cubits on the south, 250 cubits on the east, and 250 cubits on the west. 18 What remains of the area, bordering on the sacred portion and running the length of it, will be 10,000 cubits on the east side and 10,000 cubits on the west side. Its produce will supply food for the workers of the city.(HR) 19 The workers from the city who farm it will come from all the tribes of Israel. 20 The entire portion will be a square, 25,000 cubits on each side. As a special gift you will set aside the sacred portion, along with the property of the city.

21 “What remains on both sides of the area formed by the sacred portion and the property of the city will belong to the prince. It will extend eastward from the 25,000 cubits of the sacred portion to the eastern border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the western border. Both these areas running the length of the tribal portions will belong to the prince, and the sacred portion with the temple sanctuary will be in the center of them.(HS) 22 So the property of the Levites and the property of the city will lie in the center of the area that belongs to the prince. The area belonging to the prince will lie between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin.

23 “As for the rest of the tribes: Benjamin(HT) will have one portion; it will extend from the east side to the west side.

24 “Simeon(HU) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Benjamin from east to west.

25 “Issachar(HV) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Simeon from east to west.

26 “Zebulun(HW) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Issachar from east to west.

27 “Gad(HX) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Zebulun from east to west.

28 “The southern boundary of Gad will run south from Tamar(HY) to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, then along the Wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.(HZ)

29 “This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these will be their portions,” declares the Sovereign Lord.(IA)

The Gates of the New City

30 “These will be the exits of the city: Beginning on the north side, which is 4,500 cubits long, 31 the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. The three gates on the north side will be the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah and the gate of Levi.

32 “On the east side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin and the gate of Dan.

33 “On the south side, which measures 4,500 cubits, will be three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar and the gate of Zebulun.

34 “On the west side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher and the gate of Naphtali.(IB)

35 “The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits.[aw]

“And the name of the city from that time on will be:

the Lord is there.(IC)”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 43:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts I
  2. Ezekiel 43:7 Or the memorial monuments; also in verse 9
  3. Ezekiel 43:7 Or their high places
  4. Ezekiel 43:11 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts regulations and its whole design
  5. Ezekiel 43:13 That is, about 21 inches or about 53 centimeters; also in verses 14 and 17. The long cubit is the basic unit for linear measurement throughout Ezekiel 40–48.
  6. Ezekiel 43:13 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  7. Ezekiel 43:14 That is, about 3 1/2 feet high and 1 3/4 feet wide or about 105 centimeters high and 53 centimeters wide
  8. Ezekiel 43:14 That is, about 7 feet high and 1 3/4 feet wide or about 2.1 meters high and 53 centimeters wide
  9. Ezekiel 43:16 That is, about 21 feet or about 6.4 meters
  10. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 25 feet or about 7.4 meters
  11. Ezekiel 43:17 That is, about 11 inches or about 27 centimeters
  12. Ezekiel 43:19 Or purification offering; also in verses 21, 22 and 25
  13. Ezekiel 44:27 Or purification offering; also in verse 29
  14. Ezekiel 44:29 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord.
  15. Ezekiel 45:1 That is, about 8 miles or about 13 kilometers; also in verses 3, 5 and 6
  16. Ezekiel 45:1 Septuagint (see also verses 3 and 5 and 48:9); Hebrew 10,000
  17. Ezekiel 45:1 That is, about 6 1/2 miles or about 11 kilometers
  18. Ezekiel 45:2 That is, about 875 feet or about 265 meters
  19. Ezekiel 45:2 That is, about 88 feet or about 27 meters
  20. Ezekiel 45:3 That is, about 3 1/3 miles or about 5.3 kilometers; also in verse 5
  21. Ezekiel 45:5 Septuagint; Hebrew temple; they will have as their possession 20 rooms
  22. Ezekiel 45:6 That is, about 1 2/3 miles or about 2.7 kilometers
  23. Ezekiel 45:10 An ephah was a dry measure having the capacity of about 3/5 bushel or about 22 liters.
  24. Ezekiel 45:10 A bath was a liquid measure equaling about 6 gallons or about 22 liters.
  25. Ezekiel 45:12 A shekel weighed about 2/5 ounce or about 12 grams.
  26. Ezekiel 45:12 That is, 60 shekels; the common mina was 50 shekels. Sixty shekels were about 1 1/2 pounds or about 690 grams.
  27. Ezekiel 45:13 That is, probably about 6 pounds or about 2.7 kilograms
  28. Ezekiel 45:13 That is, probably about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
  29. Ezekiel 45:14 That is, about 2 1/2 quarts or about 2.2 liters
  30. Ezekiel 45:17 Or purification offerings; also in verses 19, 22, 23 and 25
  31. Ezekiel 45:24 That is, about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters
  32. Ezekiel 46:5 That is, probably about 35 pounds or about 16 kilograms; also in verses 7 and 11
  33. Ezekiel 46:5 That is, about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters; also in verses 7 and 11
  34. Ezekiel 46:14 That is, probably about 6 pounds or about 2.7 kilograms
  35. Ezekiel 46:14 That is, about 1 1/2 quarts or about 1.3 liters
  36. Ezekiel 46:20 Or purification offering
  37. Ezekiel 46:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  38. Ezekiel 46:22 That is, about 70 feet long and 53 feet wide or about 21 meters long and 16 meters wide
  39. Ezekiel 47:3 That is, about 1,700 feet or about 530 meters
  40. Ezekiel 47:8 Or the Jordan Valley
  41. Ezekiel 47:16 See Septuagint and 48:1; Hebrew road to go into Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah.
  42. Ezekiel 47:17 Hebrew Enon, a variant of Enan
  43. Ezekiel 47:18 See Syriac; Hebrew Israel. You will measure to the Dead Sea.
  44. Ezekiel 48:8 That is, about 8 miles or about 13 kilometers; also in verses 9, 10, 13, 15, 20 and 21
  45. Ezekiel 48:9 That is, about 3 1/3 miles or about 5.3 kilometers; also in verses 10, 13 and 18
  46. Ezekiel 48:15 That is, about 1 2/3 miles or about 2.7 kilometers
  47. Ezekiel 48:16 That is, about 1 1/2 miles or about 2.4 kilometers; also in verses 30, 32, 33 and 34
  48. Ezekiel 48:17 That is, about 440 feet or about 135 meters
  49. Ezekiel 48:35 That is, about 6 miles or about 9.5 kilometers
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Ezekiel 42
Daniel 1
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