Ezekiel 48 · Adam Clarke
Introduction This chapter contains a description of the several portions of the land belonging to each tribe, together with the portion allotted to the sanctuary, city, suburb, and prince, vv. 1-29; as also the measure and gates of the new city, Eze 48:30-35 . Verse 1 Now these are the names of the tribes - See the division mentioned Num 34:7-12 , which casts much light upon this.
Verse 9 The oblation - This was a portion of land twenty-five thousand cubits in length, by ten thousand broad; in the center of which was the temple, which must be destined for the use of the priests, the Levites, and the prince.
Verse 15 And the five thousand that are left - The territory of the Levites was twenty-five thousand square cubits, Eze 48:20 , But their city was only four thousand five hundred square cubits, see Eze 48:13 and Eze 48:16 ; there remained, therefore, ten thousand cubits square to be divided, of which five thousand cubits in breadth, by twenty-five thousand in length, on the east and west sides, were reserved for a sort of second city; or for suburbs where laymen might dwell who were employed by those priests and Levites who lodged in the temple and in the city, Eze 48:18 . And another space of one thousand cubits in breadth, by twenty-five thousand in length, which extended only from north to south, was for fields and gardens appointed for the support of those lay servants. On which we may remark, there was no cultivated land between the portion of the Levites and that of the prince, but only on the east and west sides. See Eze 45:6 , and the map FF.
Verse 21 And the residue - for the prince - His portion was alongside that of the Levites, from west to east; these were on each side twenty-five thousand cubits in length, from the east to the west. by twelve thousand five hundred cubits in breadth from north to south. The space both above and below was equal, between the tribe of Judah and that of Benjamin to north and south; and the portion of the Levites, which had Judah and Benjamin to the north and south, and the portion of the prince to the east and to the west. See the map.
Verse 28 From Tamar - in Kadesh - The former was on the south of the Dead Sea; and the latter, or Kadesh-Barnea, was still farther south, and at the extremity of the portion of Gad, which was the most southern tribe, as Dan was the most northern.
Verse 30 These are the goings out - Each of the four sides of the city was four thousand five hundred cubits long. There were three gates on each side, as mentioned below; and the whole circumference of the city was eighteen thousand cubits. See the map, plan B. dddd. The rector of New Haven College, in New England, supposes the preceding representations to refer to the happy state of the Church in what is called the Millennium. Leaving this period out of the question, the following observations are worthy of notice: - "The Jews, for whom this vision was intended, would conceive their country to be divided to the twelve tribes, in lots of a regular and mathematical form; and not confused or intermixed, as in Joshua's time. Their city laid out larger than before; and exactly foursquare, with regular suburbs; the temple and appendages much more commodious for their sacrifices, and the habitations of the priests and Levites regularly formed round about the temple. So that this whole plan of the division of the country, laying out of the city, temple, and all the appendages, appears to be perfectly regular and uniform, as if it were drawn all at one time, and by one hand, who had power to effect it; and therefore conveyed to the Jews the most complete idea they were capable of conceiving of the most perfect church, commonwealth, city, temple, and conveniences, for Divine worship. I. The Holy Land, as described chap. 47 and 48, according to the original grant, being about two hundred and fifty miles long, north and south, and about one hundred and fifty miles wide, is divided, by parallel lines east and west, to the twelve tribes, each of them having a portion twenty miles wide. Only between Judah and Benjamin there is a holy portion near ten miles wide; in the middle of which is the holy oblation, twenty-five thousand cubits; that is, about ten miles square for the priests, Levites, city, and temple, Eze 45:1 ; Eze 48:8 ; the two ends are for the prince, Eze 45:7 , etc. II. The holy oblation, lying in the middle of the holy portion, is twenty-five thousand cubits square, which is near ten miles; of which ten thousand cubits, or four miles, are taken off from the north side for a habitation for the priests, and as much for the Levites on the south side, Eze 45:4 , Eze 45:5 , and Eze 48:20 ; and five thousand cubits in the middle for the city portion, Eze 45:6 ; in the middle of which is the city, four thousand five hundred cubits square, which is nearly two miles, Eze 48:15 , Eze 48:16 . Round about this is left two hundred and fifty cubits, near thirty rods, for suburbs, Eze 48:17 . The remaining ten thousand cubits on the east side, and the ten thousand cubits on the west side, are for the profit of those who serve the city, out of all the tribes, Eze 48:18 , Eze 48:19 . The sanctuary is in the midst of the city, Eze 48:8 . III. The sanctuary or temple, and its appendages, were entirely surrounded with a wall six cubits high and six cubits thick, Eze 40:5 ; and five hundred cubits long on each side, Eze 42:15 , etc., and Eze 45:2 . In the middle square stands the temple, which was surrounded by a wall one hundred cubits long on each side, Eze 41:13 , and six cubits thick, Eze 41:5 . The side-chambers on the outside four cubits, Eze 41:5 . The Holy of Holies, at the west end, was twenty cubits square on the inside, Eze 41:4 . The holy place or outer court at the east end, was forty cubits, Eze 41:12 . The length of the porch on the north side was twenty cubits; the breadth was eleven cubits, Eze 40:49 ; and the width of the separate place on the south side twenty cubits. On each side of the temple, towards the four gates in the outer wall, stood two courts, eight in the whole, each one hundred cubits square, Eze 40:19 , Eze 40:23 , Eze 40:27 . In each of these were thirty-six little chambers or buildings, about six cubits square, viz., six at the entrance of the gate, Eze 40:7 , Eze 40:17 , Eze 40:20 , etc., and thirty on the pavement, Eze 40:17 , etc., which were for lodgings for the priests, for hanging up their garments, and their part of the sacrifices, Eze 42:13 ." Calmet has constructed a map to show the position of the tribes, and the quantum of space each was to possess. As this will give a better view of the subject than any written description can, I have inserted one constructed for this work, which, consulting the places said to be connected with the possessions of the different tribes, shows that the tribes did not all possess the same quantum of space, five of the southern tribes possessing only one half as much as those of the north.