INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 45 This chapter treats of the division of the land in future time, and the persons and uses for which it is to be made; one part being for the sanctuary, and the priests that serve in it, and for their houses for them to dwell in, Ezekiel 45:1, another for the Levites and th... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, WHEN YE SHALL DIVIDE BY LOT THE LAND, FOR INHERITANCE,.... This is not to be understood literally of the division of the land of Israel; which agrees not with the division of it begun by Moses, and finished by Joshua, upon his conquest of it, and the introduction of the people of Israel in... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THIS THERE SHALL BE FOR THE SANCTUARY,.... Or temple, the house before described in the preceding Chapter s: FIVE HUNDRED IN LENGTH, AND FIVE HUNDRED IN BREADTH, SQUARE ROUND ABOUT: that is, five hundred reeds square, as is manifest from Ezekiel 42:16, and this denotes the largeness, perfection... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OF THIS MEASURE SHALT THOU MEASURE THE LENGTH OF FIVE AND TWENTY THOUSAND, AND THE BREADTH OF TEN THOUSAND,.... Not that the sense is, that of and according to the cubit measure last mentioned, this length and this breadth should be measured; but "after this measure", as Starckius renders it, an... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOLY PORTION OF THE LAND SHALL BE FOR THE PRIESTS, THE MINISTERS OF THE SANCTUARY,.... That is, the rest of it, which is not for the sanctuary, shall be for the use of the priests that minister in holy things in the sanctuary; either the ministers of the Gospel, who shall have a sufficient maint... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FIVE AND TWENTY THOUSAND, OF LENGTH, AND TEN THOUSAND OF BREADTH,.... This seems to be another portion of the land, distinct from the former, though of the same measure; see Ezekiel 48:13: SHALL ALSO THE LEVITES, THE MINISTERS OF THE HOUSE, HAVE FOR THEMSELVES; separate from the priests, to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL APPOINT THE POSSESSION OF THE CITY, e.] Which is something distinct from the house or temple, which was as the frame of a city, being so large, and consisting of so many parts, Ezekiel 40:2 and seems also different from the city in Ezekiel 48:30, the measures of the one and of the other... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A PORTION SHALL BE FOR THE PRINCE,.... Meaning not the civil magistrate; though he ought to be supported in his dignity and authority, and in such manner that he may be under no temptation to oppress his subjects; and who ought to be, and at this time will be, the protector of the Lord's people,... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE LAND SHALL BE HIS POSSESSION IN ISRAEL,.... Or, "as for the land, it shall be his for a possession in Israel" a; the people of the land shall be a people for possession, as in 1 Peter 2:9 or a peculiar people of his throughout all Israel; all the spiritual Israel, whether Jew or Gentile, shal... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD, LET IT SUFFICE YOU, O PRINCES OF ISRAEL,.... Christian kings and princes, for such there shall be in those times; and who will have large and ample salaries provided for them, as they should have to support their dignity; and with which they should be content, as they will be, a... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL HAVE JUST BALANCES,.... That is, take care that true weights and just measures be used in trade and commerce, that so one man may not impose upon and cheat another; which is the business of the civil magistrate to look after: AND A JUST EPHAH, AND A JUST BATH; and not make the ephah small,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EPHAH AND THE BATH SHALL BE OF ONE MEASURE,.... The one held as much of dry things as the other of liquor; which, according to Bishop Cumberland, were seven wine gallons, four pints, and a little more: THAT THE BATH MAY CONTAIN THE TENTH PART OF AN HOMER, AND THE EPHAH THE TENTH PART OF AN HOME... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SHEKEL SHALL BE TWENTY GERAHS,.... This is a rule for money or coin; the shekel was a silver coin, and is generally reckoned about the value of two shillings and six pence of our money, so a gerah about three half pennies: Bishop Cumberland reckons the shekel more exactly at two shillings an... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE OBLATION THAT YE SHALL OFFER,.... Not at the dedication of the temple, to be built in time to come, as Kimchi thinks; nor for the daily sacrifices, as others; but for the maintenance of the priests, that is, the ministers of the Gospel; for here begin the rules for the right ordering of... [ Continue Reading ]
CONCERNING THE ORDINANCE OF OIL, THE BATH OF OIL,.... This shows that the bath was for liquid measure; and as oil was a part of food with the Jews, as well as used in their offerings, a rule is given for the distribution of that to the Lord's ministers, that they may have everything convenient for t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ONE LAMB OUT OF THE FLOCK, OUT OF TWO HUNDRED,.... As provision is before made for bread and oil, so here for meat for the servants of the Lord: if a man had two hundred lambs in his flock, one of them was to be given to them; it may be observed, that this plainly refers to times when the Mosaic... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND SHALL GIVE THIS OBLATION,.... None shall be exempted from it; all according to their capacity and ability shall contribute to the support of the ministry, and the service of religion: FOR THE PRINCE IN ISRAEL; not the high priest, nor the civil magistrate, but the Prince... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE THE PRINCE'S PART TO GIVE BURNT OFFERINGS,.... Or, "upon the prince shall be the burnt offerings" e; it shall lie upon him to provide them; who is not the high priest, as Jarchi; nor the civil magistrate or king, as Menachem; but Christ, who is both Prince and Priest; and whose sacri... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD,.... Here begins the account of the times and seasons in which the above sacrifices should be prepared and offered; or that which was signified by them be held forth in the ministry of the word to the faith of God's people: IN THE FIRST MONTH, IN THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST SHALL TAKE OF THE BLOOD OF THE SIN OFFERING,.... An emblem of the blood of Christ, who was made sin for his people, and an offering for their sin; and which blood cleanses from all sin: AND PUT IT UPON THE POSTS OF THE HOUSE; of the house of God, the sanctuary or temple; upon everyon... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SO THOU SHALL DO THE SEVENTH DAY OF THE MONTH,.... Of the first month Nisan; here is another new rule or law, as Kimchi owns, of which no mention is made in the law of Moses: FOR EVERYONE THAT ERRETH, AND FOR HIM THAT IS SIMPLE: SO SHALL YE RECONCILE THE HOUSE; or, "expiate" it h; make atonemen... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE FIRST MONTH, IN THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH,.... Of the month Nisan, that day fortnight from the cleansing of the sanctuary; and that day week from the expiation of the house, and the recovery and reception of backsliders: YE SHALL HAVE THE PASSOVER; Christ the passover sacrificed for us... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UPON THAT DAY,.... The fourteenth day of the month Nisan; the first day of the passover, as Kimchi observes: SHALL THE PRINCE PREPARE FOR HIMSELF, AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND, A BULLOCK FOR A SIN OFFERING; here everything again is new, as the above Jewish writer observes; no one circumst... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SEVEN DAYS OF THE FEAST HE SHALL PREPARE A BURNT OFFERING TO THE LORD,.... Which is as follows: SEVEN BULLOCKS AND SEVEN RAMS WITHOUT BLEMISH DAILY THE SEVEN DAYS; that is, a bullock and a ram for each day: AND A KID OF THE GOATS DAILY FOR A SIN OFFERING; all which were typical of Christ, sign... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL PREPARE A MEAT OFFERING OF AN EPHAH FOR A BULLOCK,.... Of the meat offering, Ezekiel 45:17, this was to consist of an ephah of fine flour; and for every bullock on each of the seven days of the passover was a meat offering of such a quantity to be made: AND AN EPHAH FOR A RAM; a like q... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SEVENTH MONTH, IN THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH,.... The month Tisri, which answers to part of our September and October: SHALL HE DO THE LIKE IN THE FEAST OF THE SEVEN DAYS; the feast of tabernacles, which began the fifteenth of Tisri, and was kept seven days; and on the eighth day was a s... [ Continue Reading ]