Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 45

Verse 1

Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length [shall be] the length of five and twenty thousand [reeds], and the breadth [shall be] ten thousand. This [shall be] holy in all the borders thereof round about.

Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot. — As Ezekiel 48:29 , where we have the division of the land, and the several seats assigned to each tribe. Here we have first provision made for the church service, which Christ’s people are most zealous of, and do therefore allot, before any divident, a portion for the Lord’s house and servants, and that very large, to prefigure the largeness of the Church of the New Testament. See Revelation 7:9-10 , … Here Jerome aeknowledgeth himself to be in a labyrinth. The Jews call again for their Elias. Oecolampadius comes in with his huius loci mysteria tacitus veneror, and thinks this part of the prophecy such as no human understanding can fathom. Howbeit -

“ Nil desperandum Christo duce, et auspice Christo. ”

The length shall be. — See Trapp on " Ezekiel 40:1 "

Verse 2

Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred [in length], with five hundred [in breadth], square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof.

For the suburbs. — Which hath its name in Hebrew from its being severed from the city, and, as it were, cast out of it. It is better rendered, as in the margin, void places.

Verse 3

And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary [and] the most holy [place].

The length of five and twenty thousand. — Here the same again is repeated, as Ezekiel 45:1 and further is shown how this holy portion of ground was to be employed to the use of the priests.

Verse 4

The holy [portion] of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary.

And it shall be a place for their houses. — Ministers should he resident upon their charges, and as incumbent, dwell near, and as it were lean over their work.

Verse 5

And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth, shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers.

For twenty chambers, — i.e., For twenty rows of chambers.

Verse 6

And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy [portion]: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.

And ye shall appoint the possession of the city. — After the church service settled, and the ministry provided for. Aristotle’s Polit., lib. vii. cap. 8. advice is πρωτον περι θειων επιμελει , first take care of divine things - that is the best policy.

It shall be for the whole house of Israel. — A rendezvous for them at festival times.

Verse 7

And a [portion shall be] for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy [portion], and of the possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy [portion], and before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward: and the length [shall be] over against one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border.

And a portion shall be for the prince. — See on Ezekiel 44:3 . Understand it of the civil magistrate, who is lord keeper of both tables of the law, and ought to have a special care of the Church’s welfare. Here his portion is said to lie on both sides of the oblation of the holy portion; and Song of Solomon 8:9 magistrates are required to hem ministers in with boards of cedar, i.e., to provide for their security, that they may be "without fear among them," as Timothy. 1 Corinthians 16:10

Verse 8

In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and [the rest of] the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

And my princes shall no more oppress my people. — As Samuel foretold they would do, 1 Samuel 8:11-18 and accordingly they did. But in the Christian commonwealth it should be better, as indeed it was in the days of Constantine the Great, Valentinian, and Theodosius, - which three godly emperors called themselves the vassals of Christ, - and is now, blessed be God, among us at this day.

Verse 9

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.

Let it suffice you. — Be content with your double portion, your so large a lot; and that ye may be so, hear the laws that I lay upon you: remove violence and spoil, execute judgment and justice; take away your exactions, …; see that ye have just balances and a just ephah. Let these things be done, or you will be quickly undone. Is it not enough to be above men, but you must needs be above mankind, as those princes would be that would not be under the law?

Verse 10

Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.

Ye shall have just balances. — Leviticus 19:35-36 Proverbs 11:1 ; Proverbs 16:11 ; Proverbs 20:10 ; Proverbs 20:23 Micah 6:10-11 ; See Trapp on " Leviticus 19:35 " See Trapp on " Leviticus 19:36 " See Trapp on " Proverbs 11:1 " See Trapp on " Proverbs 16:11 " See Trapp on " Proverbs 20:10 " See Trapp on " Proverbs 20:23 " See Trapp on " Micah 6:10 " See Trapp on " Micah 6:11 " The gospel rule is, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Matthew 7:12 And, "Let no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter; because that the Lord is the avenger of all such"; and the civil magistrate is his minister, "a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil" either by force or fraud. Romans 13:4

Verse 11

The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.

The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure. — Of the same capacity, only the ephah is the measure of dry things, and the bath of moist.

Verse 12

And the shekel [shall be] twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.

And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs — Exodus 30:13 Leviticus 27:25 Numbers 3:47 .

Fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh. — Or, μνα , mina, pound weight.

Verse 13

This [is] the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley:

This is the oblation. — After order taken that both prince and people might have whereof to make oblations. Ezekiel 45:9-12 Here follow laws concerning these matters also.

Verse 14

Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, [ye shall offer] the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, [which is] an homer of ten baths; for ten baths [are] an homer:

Out of the cor, which is an homer. — Only "cor" is the Chaldee word, "homer" the Hebrew.

Verse 15

And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD.

Out of the fat pastures. — Those that are well watered and most fruitful. God must have the very best of the best, and that on pain of a heavy curse. Malachi 1:14

Verse 16

All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel.

For the prince, — i.e., Upon a levy made by the prince for that purpose. Of these oblations, prefiguring evangelical sacrifices, the use followeth, Ezekiel 46:4 it being first premised what the prince should do over and above these offerings of wheat, barley, oil, and lambs.

Verse 17

And it shall be the prince’s part [to give] burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.

He shall prepare the sin offering. — Or, He shall offer, so some render it, and apply it to Christ. so Ezekiel 45:22 This prince then is in addition a priest of the tribe of Judah. See Psalms 110:4 Hebrews 7:11-28 ; Hebrews 8:1-6 . Non mirum quod hic haereant Iudaei; Oecolamp. here the Jews are puzzled.

Verse 18

Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first [month], in the first [day] of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:

Thou shalt take. — Thou, O prince, shalt.

A young bullock. — One, and no more. Ut unitas singularis sacvificii Christi intimaretur.

Verse 19

And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put [it] upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.

And put it upon the posts. — This and other ceremonies were not enjoined by the law of Moses. The Jews cannot tell what to say to it. They will not see that old things are past, and all things become new.

Verse 20

And so thou shalt do the seventh [day] of the month for every one that erreth, and for [him that is] simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.

And so thou shalt. — This also is a new injunction, see Ezekiel 45:19 and very comfortable to those that sin of passion or precipitancy. See 1 John 2:1-2 .

Verse 21

In the first [month], in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

In the fourteenth day. — Upon that very day, not duly observed then by the Jews, was "Christ our passover sacrificed for us." 1 Corinthians 5:7

Verse 22

And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock [for] a sin offering.

Shall the prince prepare. — See Ezekiel 45:17 .

Verse 23

And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily [for] a sin offering.

A burnt offering. — In token of self-denial.

Verse 24

And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.

A meat offering. — Made of meal, in token of mortification, and submission to God in all things.

Verse 25

In the seventh [month], in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.

In the feast of the seven days, — i.e., Of tabernacles, wont to be of eight days. Leviticus 23:34-35 Quam sunt nova omnia There are all thing new. Of Pentecost here is no mention at all.