Ezekiel 48:21-31

21 "'What remains will be for the prince - the land on the two sides of the holy offering and section for the city, that is, the portion eastward from the eight [miles] of the offering's eastern border to the land's eastern border and the portion westward from the eight [miles] of the offering's western border to the land's western border - this land adjacent to the [tribal] portions will be for the prince, with the holy offering and the sanctuary of the house inside it.

22 Thus the land belonging to the L'vi'im and the section for the city will be inside that which belongs to the prince. "'The territory belonging to the prince will be between the territory of Y'hudah and the territory of Binyamin -

23 which brings us to the rest of the tribes: "'Binyamin's territory will run from east to west.

24 "'Shim'on's territory will run alongside the territory of Binyamin from east to west.

25 "'Yissakhar's territory will run alongside the territory of Shim'on from east to west.

26 "'Z'vulun's territory will run alongside the territory of Yissakhar from east to west.

27 "'Gad's territory will run alongside the territory of Z'vulun from east to west.

28 "'Alongside the territory of Gad, from the Negev southward, the border will run from Tamar to the water at M'rivat-Kadesh, then to the Vadi [of Egypt], and on to the Great Sea.

29 This is the land you are to distribute by lot to the tribes of Isra'el for inheritance, and these are their portions,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

30 "'These are the city exits; they are to be named after the tribes of Isra'el, three gates on each of the four sides; the four sides each measure just under one-and-a-half [miles]: on the north, gates named after Re'uven, Y'hudah and Levi; on the east, gates named after Yosef, Binyamin and Dan; on the south, gates named after Shim'on, Yissakhar and Z'vulun; and on the west, gates named after Gad, Asher and Naftali.

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Ezekiel 48:21-31 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 48

In this chapter an account is given of the portions of the twelve tribes in the land of Israel; seven to the north of the sanctuary, Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Judah, Eze 48:1-7, between which and Benjamin lay the holy portion of the land, for the sanctuary and the priests of it, and for the Levites, and for the city and its suburbs, and for the prince, Eze 48:8-22 then the portions of the other five tribes to the south of the sanctuary, Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad, Eze 48:23-29, after which the city is described by its outlets, north, east, south, and west; by its twelve gates, three at each point; by its circumference and by its name, Eze 48:30-35.