Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 48

Verse 1

Now these [are] the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east [and] west; a [portion for] Dan.

Now these are the name, of the tribes. — Who are in this chapter assigned their several seats, and the land divided among them; but this division is much different from that of old, which was a plain prediction of a perfect and total abrogation of the Mosaic polity and Levitical worship, together with a new state of the Church of God after the coming of Jesus Christ.

To the coast of the way of Hethlon. — Ezekiel 47:15-17 . Judea was not, say geographers, over two hundred miles long, and fifty miles broad; but R. Kimchi here noteth, that the Talmudists affirm that the possession of Israel shall extend unto the utmost coasts of the earth, id quod ex spiritu dictum existima, Oecolamp. This was well and truly spoken, though they understood not what they spake, as dreaming only of an earthly kingdom. But as elsewhere, so here, the land of Canaan is put for the whole world, Psalms 89:11-12 whereof all true believers are heirs, together with faithful Abraham, Romans 4:11 whether they be Jews or Gentiles. Christ’s kingdom runs to the end of the earth. Psalms 2:8 ; Psalms 72:8

A Portion for Dan. — This tribe, which was, for their shameful revolt from the true religion, Judges 18:30 cut out of the roll, as it were, 1 Chronicles 7:1 ; 1 Chronicles 7:13-14 ; 1 Chronicles 7:20 ; 1 Chronicles 7:30 Revelation 7:5-8 is here reckoned first of those who had partem et sortem, part and lot among God’s people. So true is that of our Saviour, "Many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first." Matthew 19:30 ; Matthew 20:16 "Judge not therefore according to the appearance," … Repent, and God will re-accept. The fable of Antichrist to come of this tribe is long since exploded.

Verse 2

And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a [portion for] Asher.

From the east side to the west. — The longitude is described, not the latitude. For why? Christ’s kingdom is limitless, and his dominion without dimension.

Verse 3

And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a [portion for] Naphtali.

A portion for Naphtali. — There are many portions of inheritance in Christ’s kingdom; there are also in heaven many mansions, John 14:2 all which shall be divided among the elect.

Verse 4

And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a [portion for] Manasseh.

A portion for Manasseh. — Which they do not, of their own accord, and as they see good, seize upon, but take their share set them out of the divine sentence.

Verse 5

And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a [portion for] Ephraim.

A portion for Ephraim. — An equal portion with his elder brother Manasseh. In Christ’s kingdom all is of grace, nothing of merit.

Verse 6

And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a [portion for] Reuben.

And by the border of Ephraim. — There is a continuity and conjunction of all the portions, to set forth the communion that is between the saints; a sweet mercy, a heaven beforehand.

Verse 7

And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a [portion for] Judah.

A portion for Judah. — Who is set next to the sanctified oblation of the Lord, wherein were the portions of the priests, Levites, city, and prince. He must be a "Jew inwardly," a confessor and witness of the truth, who shall have part and portion in the privileges of God’s people.

Verse 8

And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand [reeds in] breadth, and [in] length as one of the [other] parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.

Shall be the offering. — Whereof see Ezekiel 45:1-7 .

Of five and twenty thousand reeds. — Which being exactly cast up, saith one, come to forty-five miles, and therefore cannot be meant of any city to be built by the Jews again after their return from Babylon, but must be understood as the Church under the gospel.

Verse 9

The oblation that ye shall offer unto the LORD [shall be] of five and twenty thousand in length, and of ten thousand in breadth.

Unto the Lord. — As distinguishing it from other oblations; here stood the sanctuary.

Verse 10

And for them, [even] for the priests, shall be [this] holy oblation; toward the north five and twenty thousand [in length], and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the midst thereof.

And for them, even for the priests. — No mention is here made of cities of refuge, as of old; "for they shall not hurt nor destroy in all God’s holy mountain: but the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isaiah 11:9

Verse 11

[It shall be] for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

Of the sons of Zadok. — See Ezekiel 44:15-18 .

Which went not astray. — To be faithful with God in a common defection is a singular praise. See my Righteous Man’s Recompense, p. 695.

Verse 12

And [this] oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.

And this oblation of the land. — Ministers of God’s Word may lawfully take maintenance of the Church. 1 Corinthians 9:7-13

Verse 13

And over against the border of the priests the Levites [shall have] five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length [shall be] five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.

The Levites shall have. — But after the priests. There are degrees of officers in the Church, and good order must be well observed there.

Five and twenty thousand in length. — These different portions set together make up a perfect square, which serveth well to set forth the beauty and firmity of the Church of Christ.

Verse 14

And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for [it is] holy unto the LORD.

And they shall not sell of it. — This law is here occasionally, and by the way, inserted. It seemeth to hold forth, that lands given to the ministers of Christ under the New Testament may never be again taken away, or put to any other use, but to their maintenance for ever. See Mr Clark’s Mirror, chap. of Sacrilege.

The firstfruits of the land, — i.e., This part thus consecrated to God, as the firstfruits of the earth were.

Verse 15

And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane [place] for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof.

Shall be a profane place, — i.e., A common place; and so all Israel were profane in a sense - sc., as compared to the priests and Levites, those consecrated persons. Symmachus and Theodotion render it λαικον . See Deuteronomy 20:6 .

And the city shall be in the midst thereof. — Ten miles at least distant from the temple, some say many more; to show, say they, what a long way he must go that would attain to eternal life. He must get above the world, howsoever, who would serve God acceptably.

Verse 16

And these [shall be] the measures thereof; the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.

And these shall be the measures thereof. — This representation is merely figurative and mystical, showing us how specious and spacious the Church of Christ is.

Verse 17

And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty.

And the suburbs of the city. — These were much larger than the suburbs of the temple, as may be observed by comparing Eze.

See Ezekiel 45:2 .

Verse 18

And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy [portion shall be] ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy [portion]; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city.

For food to them that serve the city. — To all the citizens, who all are to turn servitors to their fellow brethren that come to the public meetings, to serve one another in love, which they that do shall not lose their reward, but verily they shall be fed.

Verse 19

And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel.

Shall serve it out of all the tribes, — i.e., At the common charge, and by a general contribution.

Verse 20

All the oblation [shall be] five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city.

Ye shall offer the holy oblation four square. — See on Ezekiel 48:13 . All our dealings must be square, or else we are not of the holy portion, of the new Jerusalem. Revelation 21:16

Verse 21

And the residue [shall be] for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house [shall be] in the midst thereof.

And the residue shall be for the prince. — His occasions are many, and therefore his proportion is very large; yet must he not be regni dilapidator, the waster of the kingdom, by his profuseness, as our Henry III was called, whereby he became ill-beloved of his people.

Verse 22

Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, [being] in the midst [of that] which is the prince’s, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince.

Being in the midst of that which is the prince’s. — The prince was taught, by this position of his portion, to have an equal care of Church and State.

Verse 23

As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin [shall have] a [portion].

Benjamin shall have a portion. — The division of the land, as it ended with Judah’s portion, in speaking of the seven former tribes, Ezekiel 48:8 so here it beginneth with Benjamin, in speaking of the five following.

Verse 24

And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon [shall have] a [portion].

See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:2 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:3 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:4 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:5 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:6 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:7 "

Verse 25

And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a [portion].

See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:2 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:3 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:4 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:5 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:6 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:7 "

Verse 26

And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a [portion].

See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:2 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:3 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:4 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:5 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:6 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:7 "

Verse 27

And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a [portion].

See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:2 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:3 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:4 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:5 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:6 " See Trapp on " Ezekiel 48:7 "

Verse 28

And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar [unto] the waters of strife [in] Kadesh, [and] to the river toward the great sea.

Even from Tamar. — Not Jericho, but Palmyra, called afterwards Adrianople, of the Emperor Adrian, who rebuilt and beautified it.

And to the river. — The river of Egypt, called Sihor. Joshua 13:3

Verse 29

This [is] the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these [are] their portions, saith the Lord GOD.

This is the land. — This is the epilogue of the whole chapter as to the greatness of the holy city. It remaineth only to touch at the situation and measures thereof, the gates also, and the ministers, together with their use and maintenance, the elegance, lastly, and perpetuity of the city.

For inheritance. — Not from the brook, as Tremellius mistranslateth it.

Verse 30

And these [are] the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures.

And these are the goings out of the city. — That is the utmost bounds, as Rabbi Solomon glosseth.

Verse 31

And the gates of the city [shall be] after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi.

And the gates of the city. — Through which all the Israel of God, both Jews and Gentiles from all parts, qua data porta, ruunt, do enter into the Church of Christ, flowing and flocking thereto, as waters do to the sea, and as the doves to their windows.

Three gates northward. — Twelve in all; the reason whereof, see in the note on Revelation 21:13 .

One gate of Levi. — Who, though he had no lot in the land, yet he had a gate into the city, as Vatablus here noteth.

Verse 32

And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan.

Four thousand and five hundred. — And the like on each side; of all which are made up fifty-four miles, at the least, so large is the city of God. Nineveh was nothing to it; no more is Alcair, Scanderoon, or Cambalu, the metropolis of Tartary, which yet is said to be twenty-eight miles around.

Verse 33

And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun.

One gate of Simeon. — Here all along the tribes are reckoned, not as they were before in this chapter, but as they are set down in Numbers at the marching of the tabernacle in the midst of them, saving that whole Joseph hath here but one gate, and Levi is taken into the number of the twelve tribes. And forasmuch as it entereth not into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that love him, and since this city is a type of heaven’s happiness, which is fitter to be believed than possible to be expressed, therefore I am the less troubled, saith good Oecolampadius here, that I understand no more of this surmounting matter.

Verse 34

At the west side four thousand and five hundred, [with] their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali.

At the west side, … — See on Ezekiel 48:32-33 .

Verse 35

[It was] round about eighteen thousand [measures]: and the name of the city from [that] day [shall be], The LORD [is] there.

It was round about eighteen thousand measures. — See on Ezekiel 48:32 Revelation 21:16 .

The Lord is there. — Jehovahshammah. This is the true Church’s name, and the true Christian’s happiness, such as no good can match, no evil overmatch - viz., that wheresoever he is, there God is, and therefore there heaven is; like as where the king is, there his court is. This very name implies God’s everlasting being with his Church, according to those precious texts of Scripture, every syllable whereof droppeth myrrh and mercy. Leviticus 26:11-12 Matthew 18:20 ; Matthew 28:20 John 14:23 1 Corinthians 15:28 Revelation 7:14-17 ; Revelation 21:3-5 ; Revelation 22:3-6 This is the truth of that which the temple, while it stood as a type or figure, did represent, "This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell." Psalms 132:14 God will not forsake his Church as he did the synagogue, but have it up to heaven to him, Revelation 21:1-3 where are crowns, sceptres, kingdoms, beatiful visions, unutterable ecstacies, sweetest varieties, felicities, eternities; and all because Jehovah-shammah, the Lord is there; to him be glory and praise everlasting. Amen. So be it.

The Jews, having finished a book, add - Benedictus qui dat fatigato robur.