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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.

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

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

“The area set aside for the Lord’s Temple will be 8 1⁄3 miles long and 6 2⁄3 miles wide.[b] 10 For the priests there will be a strip of land measuring 8 1⁄3 miles long by 3 1⁄3 miles wide,[c] 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.[d] 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,[e] 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[f] on each side—north, south, east, and west. 17 Open lands will surround the city for 150 yards[g] 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[h] 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[i] 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[j] and then follows the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean.[k]

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.[l] And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord Is There.’[m]

Footnotes

  1. 48:8 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers].
  2. 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.
  3. 48:10 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers] long by 10,000 [cubits] [5.3 kilometers] wide; also in 48:13a.
  4. 48:13 See note on 48:9.
  5. 48:15 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers] long by 5,000 [cubits] [2.65 kilometers] wide.
  6. 48:16 Hebrew 4,500 [cubits] [2.4 kilometers]; also in 48:30, 32, 33, 34.
  7. 48:17 Hebrew 250 [cubits] [133 meters].
  8. 48:18 Hebrew 10,000 [cubits] [5.3 kilometers] to the east and 10,000 [cubits] to the west.
  9. 48:20 Hebrew 25,000 [cubits] [13.3 kilometers]; also in 48:21.
  10. 48:28a Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.
  11. 48:28b Hebrew the Great Sea.
  12. 48:35a Hebrew 18,000 [cubits] [9.6 kilometers].
  13. 48:35b Hebrew Yahweh Shammah.

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