Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 45

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.

Of this — Whole portion of twenty five thousand cubits long, or twelve miles and half, and ten thousand broad, or five miles and a little more.

For the sanctuary — For a platform for the sanctuary, both house and court.

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.

And in it — In the center of this.

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.

The possession — Land to be a possession to the citizens of Jerusalem, and to be the content of the city.

Broad — About two miles and half broad, and twelve miles and half long.

Long — This must run along parallel in length with the holy portion, though but half its breadth.

For the whole house — As the capital city, to which the tribe’s resort, it must be large enough to entertain them.

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.

The prince — The king.

Our side — One half of the prince’s portion lay on the west side of those three already set out.

The other side — The other half lay on the east-side thereof, so the portion of the city, Levites and priests, lay in the middle.

The holy portion — Of priests, and Levites, and sanctuary.

Before — It lay parallel as broad as these three were broad, and so run on both sides in its breadth from north to south, and had its length as the other, from east to west.

Over against — What is called now over-against, or by the side, is called before three times together. So now you have an exact square of twenty-five thousand cubits laid out for God, the Levites and city, which appears thus in the breadth10000 For the priests10000 For the Levites5000 For the city. And the length of each, twenty-five thousand, that is twelve miles and half square.