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Dividing the Land

48 “These are the ·areas of the tribes named here [L names of the tribes]: Dan will have one share at the northern border. It will go from the sea through Hethlon to Lebo Hamath [47:15], all the way to Hazar Enan [47:17], ·where Damascus lies to the north. It will stop there next to Hamath [or …which is located on the northern border of Damascus next to Hamath]. This will be Dan’s northern border from the east side to the ·Mediterranean Sea on the west side [L west].

“·South of [L Beside] Dan’s border, Asher will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

“·South of [L Beside] Asher’s border, Naphtali will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

“·South of [L Beside] Naphtali’s border, Manasseh will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

“·South of [L Beside] Manasseh’s border, Ephraim will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

“·South of [L Beside] Ephraim’s border, Reuben will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

“·South of [L Beside] Reuben’s border, Judah will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

“·South of [L Beside] Judah’s border will be the ·holy area which you are to give [portion set apart]. It will be ·about seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits] wide and as long and wide as one of the tribes’ shares. It will run from the east side to the west side. The ·Temple [L sanctuary] will be in the middle of this area.

“The share which you will give the Lord will be ·about seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits] long and ·three miles [L ten thousand cubits] wide. 10 The ·holy area [sacred allotment] will be divided among these people. The priests will have land ·about seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits] long on the north and south sides, and ·three miles [L ten thousand cubits] wide on the west and east sides. The ·Temple [sanctuary] of the Lord will be in the middle of it. 11 This land is for the ·priests who are given the holy duty of serving the Lord [L consecrated priests]. ·They [L …who] are the ·descendants [sons] of Zadok who ·did my work [were faithful to me; kept my charge] and did not ·leave me [go astray] when Israel and the Levites ·left me [went astray]. 12 They will have as their share a very holy part of the holy portion of the land. It will be next to the land of the Levites.

13 “Alongside the land for the priests, the Levites will have a share ·about seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits] long and ·three miles [L ten thousand cubits] wide; its full length will be ·about seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits] and its full width ·about three miles [L ten thousand cubits]. 14 The Levites are not to sell or ·trade [exchange] any of this land. They are not to ·let anyone else own [transfer; alienate] any of this best part of the land, because it ·belongs [is set apart/holy] to the Lord.

City Property

15 “The rest of the area will be ·about one and one-half miles [L five thousand cubits] wide and ·seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits] long. It will ·not be holy but [be for common use and] will belong to the city and be used for homes and pastures. The city will be in the middle of it. 16 These are the city’s measurements: the north side will be ·about one mile [L four thousand five hundred cubits], the south side ·about one mile [L four thousand five hundred cubits], the east side ·about one mile [L four thousand five hundred cubits], and the west side ·about one mile [L four thousand five hundred cubits]. 17 The city’s land for pastures will be ·about four hundred thirty-seven feet [L two hundred fifty cubits] on the north, ·four hundred thirty-seven feet [L two hundred fifty cubits] on the south, ·four hundred thirty-seven feet [L two hundred fifty cubits] on the east, and ·four hundred thirty-seven feet [L two hundred fifty cubits] on the west. 18 Along the long side of the holy area there will be left ·three miles [L ten thousand cubits] on the east and ·three miles [L ten thousand cubits] on the west. It will be used to grow food for the city workers. 19 The city workers from all the tribes of Israel will farm this land. 20 This whole area will be square, ·seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits] by ·seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits]. You shall give to the Lord the holy share along with the city property.

21 “Land that is left over on both sides of the holy area and city property will belong to the ·ruler [prince]. That land will extend eastward from the ·seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits] of the holy area to the eastern border and westward from the ·seven miles [L twenty-five thousand cubits] to the ·Mediterranean Sea [L western border]. Both of these areas run the length of the lands of the tribes, and they belong to the ·ruler [prince]. The holy area with the ·Holy Place [sanctuary] of the ·Temple [L house] will be in the middle. 22 The Levites’ land and the city property will be in the middle of the lands belonging to the ·ruler [prince]. Those lands will be between Judah’s border and Benjamin’s border.

The Other Tribes’ Land

23 “Here is what the rest of the tribes will receive: Benjamin will have one share. It will go from the east side to the ·Mediterranean Sea on the west side [L west side].

24 “·South of [L Beside] Benjamin’s land, Simeon will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

25 “·South of [L Beside] Simeon’s land, Issachar will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

26 “·South of [L Beside] Issachar’s land, Zebulun will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

27 “·South of [L Beside] Zebulun’s land, Gad will have one share. It will go from the east side to the west side.

28 “The southern border of Gad’s land will go ·east from Tamar on the Dead Sea [L from Tamar; 47:18] to the waters of Meribah Kadesh [47:19]. Then it will run along the brook of Egypt to the ·Mediterranean [L Great] Sea.

29 “This is the land you will divide among the tribes of Israel to be their shares,” says the Lord God.

The Gates of the City

30 “These will be the ·outside borders [or exits] of the city: The north side will measure ·more than one mile [L four thousand five hundred cubits]. 31 There will be three gates facing north: Reuben’s Gate, Judah’s Gate, and Levi’s Gate, named for the tribes of Israel.

32 “The east side will measure ·more than one mile [L four thousand five hundred cubits]. There will be three gates facing east: Joseph’s Gate, Benjamin’s Gate, and Dan’s Gate.

33 “The south side will measure ·more than one mile [L four thousand five hundred cubits]. There will be three gates facing south: Simeon’s Gate, Issachar’s Gate, and Zebulun’s Gate.

34 “The west side will measure ·more than one mile [L four thousand five hundred cubits]. There will be three gates facing west: Gad’s Gate, Asher’s Gate, and Naphtali’s Gate.

35 “The city will measure ·about six miles around [L eighteen thousand cubits]. From then on the name of the city will be The Lord Is There.”

The Division of the Land

48 “These are the tribes, listed by name: At the northern frontier, Dan(A) will have one portion; it will follow the Hethlon road(B) to Lebo Hamath;(C) 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.

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

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

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

“Ephraim(G) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Manasseh(H) from east to west.(I)

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

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

“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[a] wide, and its length from east to west will equal one of the tribal portions; the sanctuary will be in the center of it.(L)

“The special portion you are to offer to the Lord will be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits[b] wide.(M) 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.(N) 11 This will be for the consecrated priests, the Zadokites,(O) who were faithful in serving me(P) and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray.(Q) 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.(R) 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.(S)

15 “The remaining area, 5,000 cubits[c] 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,[d] the south side 4,500 cubits, the east side 4,500 cubits, and the west side 4,500 cubits.(T) 17 The pastureland for the city will be 250 cubits[e] 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.(U) 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.(V) 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(W) will have one portion; it will extend from the east side to the west side.

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

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

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

27 “Gad(AA) 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(AB) to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, then along the Wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.(AC)

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.(AD)

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.(AE)

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

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

the Lord is there.(AF)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 48:8 That is, about 8 miles or about 13 kilometers; also in verses 9, 10, 13, 15, 20 and 21
  2. Ezekiel 48:9 That is, about 3 1/3 miles or about 5.3 kilometers; also in verses 10, 13 and 18
  3. Ezekiel 48:15 That is, about 1 2/3 miles or about 2.7 kilometers
  4. Ezekiel 48:16 That is, about 1 1/2 miles or about 2.4 kilometers; also in verses 30, 32, 33 and 34
  5. Ezekiel 48:17 That is, about 440 feet or about 135 meters
  6. Ezekiel 48:35 That is, about 6 miles or about 9.5 kilometers