Ezekiel 45:1-8

5. The apportionment of the sacred portion of the land

(45:1-8)

TRANSLATION

(1) Moreover, when you shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, you shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, a holy portion of the land; the length shall be the length of twenty-five thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand: it shall be holy in all the border thereof round about. (2) Of this there shall be for the holy place five hundred in length, square round about; and fifty cubits for the suburbs thereof round about. (3) And of this measure you shall measure a length of twenty-five thousand, and a breadth of ten thousand; and in it shall be the sanctuary, which is most holy. (4) It is a holy portion of the land; it shall be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, that come near to minister unto the LORD; and it shall be a place for their houses, and a holy place for the sanctuary. (5) And twenty-five thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth, shall be unto the Levites, the ministers of the house, for a possession unto themselves, for twenty chambers. (6) And you shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and twenty-five thousand long, side by side with the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel. (7) And whatsoever is for the prince shall be on the one side and on the other side of the holy oblation and of the possession of the city, in front of the holy oblatit)n and in front of the possession of the city, on the west side westward, and on the east side eastward; and in length answerable unto one Of the portions, from the west border unto the east border. (8) In the land it shall be to him for a possession in Israel: and My princes shall no more oppress My people; but they shall give the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

COMMENTS

Ezekiel anticipates an apportionment of the Holy Land among the tribes of Israel. The central portion of that land was to belong to the Lord. This rectangular area twenty-five thousand by ten thousand reeds[525] was to be reserved for the priests and the new Temple (Ezekiel 45:4). This portion of the land is viewed as more holy than the rest of the land (Ezekiel 45:1). In the center of this priestly portion of ground was a square (500 x 500 reeds) where the Temple would be located. It was separated from the area where the priests dwelled by fifty cubits of open space (Ezekiel 45:2-3).[526]

[525] Actually the unit of measurement is missing in the Hebrew text. Some scholars think the unit is the cubit.

[526] It if not clear whether Ezekiel 45:3 refers 10 an additional portion or 25,000 x 10,000 reeds. or whether this is the same portion mentioned in Ezekiel 45:1.

The Levites would occupy a portion of land equal in extent to and adjoining that of the priests. Scholars differ as to whether this area was north or south of the priests-' portion. At the extreme end of the Levites-' portion twenty chambers[527] were to be built apparently to house the gate-keepers so that they would be near the Temple (Ezekiel 45:5).[528]

[527] The RSV follows the Greek Old Testament and reads for cities to live in.

[528] In Ezekiel 45:5 the Levites are again called ministers of the house in contrast to the priests who were ministers unto the Lord.

The city of Jerusalem was allocated a rectangular portion of land (25,000 x 5,000 reeds) adjacent to the portion of the priests on the south. This section of the land could be inhabited by any Israelite without regard to tribe (Ezekiel 45:6). The total territory of the holy portion the territory allocated to the holy city, to the priests, Levites and Temple comprised an area 25,000 reeds square.

On either side of the holy portion (lit., holy offering[529]) which has been described in the previous verses were the territories of the prince (Ezekiel 45:7). The portion of the prince was equal to that assigned to entire tribes, except that within his territory was the 25,000 reed square holy portion (cf. Ezekiel 48:21). The princes of the future would not confiscate the land of their subjects; they would respect the tribal boundaries. These princes would be God-fearing men, and they would have adequate territories to support their own needs. Therefore, they would have neither the inclination nor the need to wrong the people of God (Ezekiel 45:8).

[529] The Hebrew word translated offering is teruma. This word is frequently translated heave-offering. A more accurate translation is

levy, or compulsory contribution. See Taylor. TOTC, p. 273

C. The Regulations Concerning Worship 45:9-46:24

At this point in his vision of the new Temple Ezekiel sets forth the regulations pertaining to (1) the rights and duties of the prince (Ezekiel 45:9-17); (2) the festival offerings (Ezekiel 45:18-25); (3) the offerings on the sabbath and new moon (Ezekiel 46:1-7); (4) the entrance and exit of the worshipers (Ezekiel 46:8-10); (5) the offerings of the prince on behalf of the people (Ezekiel 46:11-15); (6) the inheritance of the prince (Ezekiel 46:16-18); and (7) the preparation of the sacrificial meals (Ezekiel 46:19-24).