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The Holy District

45 “When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set aside for the Lord a portion of the land as a holy district, twenty-five thousand cubits long and twenty[a] thousand cubits wide; it shall be holy throughout its entire extent. Of this, a square plot of five hundred by five hundred cubits shall be for the sanctuary, with fifty cubits for an open space around it. In the holy district you shall measure off a section twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand wide, in which shall be the sanctuary, the most holy place. It shall be a holy portion of the land; it shall be for the priests who minister in the sanctuary and approach the Lord to minister to him, and it shall be both a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary.(A) Another section, twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand cubits wide, shall be for the Levites who minister at the temple, as their holding for cities to live in.[b](B)

“Alongside the portion set apart as the holy district you shall assign as a holding for the city an area five thousand cubits wide and twenty-five thousand cubits long; it shall belong to the whole house of Israel.(C)

“And to the prince shall belong the land on both sides of the holy district and the holding of the city, alongside the holy district and the holding of the city, on the west and on the east, corresponding in length to one of the tribal portions and extending from the western to the eastern boundary(D) of the land. It is to be his property in Israel. And my princes shall no longer oppress my people, but they shall let the house of Israel have the land according to their tribes.(E)

“Thus says the Lord God: Enough, O princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression, and do what is just and right. Cease your evictions of my people, says the Lord God.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 45.1 Gk: Heb ten
  2. 45.5 Gk: Heb as their holding, twenty chambers

The Sacred Portion of the Land

45 “When you divide the land by lot as an inheritance,(A) you must set aside a donation to the Lord, a holy portion of the land,(B) 8⅓ miles[a] long and 6⅔ miles[b] wide. This entire tract of land will be holy. In this area there will be a square section[c] for the sanctuary, 875 by 875 feet,[d](C) with 87½ feet[e] of open space all around it. From this holy portion,[f] you will measure off an area 8⅓ miles[g] long and 3⅓ miles[h] wide, in which the sanctuary, the most holy place,(D) will stand.[i] It will be a holy area of the land to be used by the priests who minister in the sanctuary, who draw near to serve the Lord.(E) It will be a place for their houses, as well as a holy area for the sanctuary. There will be another area 8⅓ miles[j] long and 3⅓ miles[k] wide for the Levites who minister in the temple;(F) it will be their possession for towns to live in.[l]

“As the property of the city, you must set aside an area 1⅔ of a mile[m] wide and 8⅓ miles[n] long, adjacent to the holy donation of land.(G) It will be for the whole house of Israel. And the prince will have the area on each side of the holy donation of land and the city’s property, adjacent to the holy donation and the city’s property, stretching to the west on the west side and to the east on the east side.(H) Its length will correspond to one of the tribal portions from the western boundary to the eastern boundary. This will be his land as a possession in Israel. My princes will no longer oppress My people(I) but give the rest of the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

“This is what the Lord God says: You have gone too far,[o](J) princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression and do what is just and right.(K) Put an end to your evictions of My people.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 45:1 Lit 25,000 [cubits]
  2. Ezekiel 45:1 LXX reads 20,000 [cubits]; MT reads 10,000 [cubits]
  3. Ezekiel 45:2 Lit square all around
  4. Ezekiel 45:2 Lit 500 by 500 [cubits]
  5. Ezekiel 45:2 Lit 50 cubits
  6. Ezekiel 45:3 Lit this measured [portion]
  7. Ezekiel 45:3 Lit 25,000 [cubits]
  8. Ezekiel 45:3 Lit 10,000 [cubits]
  9. Ezekiel 45:3 Lit be
  10. Ezekiel 45:5 Lit 25,000 [cubits]
  11. Ezekiel 45:5 Lit 10,000 [cubits]
  12. Ezekiel 45:5 LXX; MT, Syr, Tg, Vg read possession—20 chambers
  13. Ezekiel 45:6 Lit 5,000 [cubits]
  14. Ezekiel 45:6 Lit 25,000 [cubits]
  15. Ezekiel 45:9 Lit Enough of you