Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 48

Verse 8

“Length” is throughout measured from west to east, as breadth is from north to south.

The offering Ezekiel 48:9-22, or, “oblation,” here includes all the land given to priests, Levites, city, and prince; the different parts being distinguished. All these together are to extend from west to east in the same way as the portions of the other tribes, the imaginary Jordan being the eastern boundary of all.

Verse 10

Toward the north ... toward the east ... - i. e., the measurements are “along the north and east sides,” etc.

Verse 15

The five thousand ... - The remainder of the square of 25,000 reeds from north to south.

Profane - For common use, as distinguished from that which is holy unto the Lord.

Verse 17

The city being 4500 reeds square, 250 reeds are marked off north, south, east, west from the city land.

Verses 18-19

Ezekiel 48:18

Of old the city belonged to Benjamin and Judah, and its inhabitants were mainly from these tribes. Now all the tribes are to have equal part in it, and avoid jealousies (compare 2 Samuel 19:43).

Verse 20

The holy ... with ... - Or, “a fourth part as the holy oblation, for” etc.

Verse 21

Or, “And the residue shall be for the prince - on the one side and on the other side of the holy oblation and of the possession of the city over against the 25,000 of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the 25,000 toward the west border, over against the portions (of Judah and Benjamin, between which the oblation was included), shall be “for the prince; and it shall be that the holy oblation and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof.” This exactly describes the position of the prince’s allotments on the borders of the “oblations.”

Verse 30

The goings out of the city - The gates described in Ezekiel 48:31. “Measures” (reeds) concern the sides. Divide the verses thus: Ezekiel 48:30. “And these are the goings out of the city. Ezekiel 48:31. On the north side 4500 measures: and the gates of the city after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward etc.”

Verse 35

The circuit of the city walls, a square of 4500 reeds, was 18,000 reeds, not quite 37 English miles. The circuit of Jerusalem in the time of Josephus was reckoned by him to be about four miles.

The name ... - The manner of expressing a spiritual meaning by giving a name to a city, a people, or the like, is familiar to the prophets (see Ezekiel 43:15 note). Jerome explains it: “The name of the city shall be no longer Jerusalem (“the vision of peace”), but Adonai-shama (“the Lord is there”) (rather, Jehovah-shammah, “Jehovah is there”), because Yahweh will never again withdraw from it, as He once withdrew, but will hold it as His everlasting possession.” The visible presence of God’s glory, once represented in the tabernacle and in the temple, had departed, and should not return in the same form. Yet Ezekiel in “visions of God” sees a temple reconstructed to receive the glory of the divine presence, a prophetic vision fulfilled in Emmanuel (“God with us”), who tabernacled among men John 1:14. Compare Romans 9:25; Revelation 21:2-3.