Ezekiel 48:30-35

4. The gates of the city (48:30-35)

TRANSLATION

(30) And these are the egresses of the city: On the north side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure; (31) and the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel, three gates northward: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one. (32) And at the east side four thousand and five hundred reeds, and three gates: even the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one. (33) And at the south side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one. (34) At the west side four thousand and five hundred reeds, with their three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one. (35) It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Yahweh-shamma,

COMMENTS

The new Jerusalem as envisioned by Ezekiel had twelve gates, three on each side. These gates were named after the twelve tribes. The gates on the north and south are named after the sons of Leah:

On the North Side

On the South Side

Reuben gate

Simeon gate

Judah gate

Issachar gate

Levi gate

Zebulun gate

Two gates on the east of the city were named for the sons of Rachel, and the third was named for the son of her handmaid Bilhah. The gates on the west were named for the sons of handmaids, Zilpah and Bilhah, These were:

On the East Side

On the West Side

Joseph gate

Gad gate

Benjamin gate

Asher gate

Dan gate

Naphtali gate

It should be noted in the enumeration of gates that Ephraim and Manasseh have been united under the designation Joseph.
The Jerusalem of the future would receive a new name. She would be called Yahweh-shamma, Yahweh is there. God will never again depart from that holy city (Ezekiel 48:35).

As one reads this description of Ezekiel's new Jerusalem, one cannot help but think of that new Jerusalem described by John in Revelation 21. It too had twelve gates, named after the twelve tribes of Israel. It also had twelve foundations which bore the names of the twelve apostles (Revelation 21:12-14). Like his prophetic predecessor, John foresaw the day when God would dwell with His people finally and forever (Revelation 21:3).