Yechezkel 48:1-29

1 8 Now these are the shmot of the Shevatim (Tribes). From the northern frontier near the derech Chetlon, as one goeth to Chamat, to Chatzar Enan, to the northward border of Damascus, near Chamat; for these are his, from the eastern side to the western side, Dan, one portion.
2 And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, Asher, one portion.
3 And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, Naphtali, one portion.
4 And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, Menasheh, one portion.
5 And by the border of Menasheh, from the east side unto the west side, Ephrayim, one portion.
6 And by the border of Ephrayim, from the east side even unto the west side, Reuven, one portion.
7 And by the border of Reuven, from the east side unto the west side, Yehudah, one portion.
8 And by the border of Yehudah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the terumah [dedicated reserve of land] which ye shall offer of five and twenty elef [cubits] wide, and in length equal to one of the other portions, from the east side unto the west side; and the Bais [HaMikdash] shall be within it.
9 The terumah that ye shall offer unto Hashem shall be of five and twenty elef [cubits] in length, and of ten elef [cubits] in width.
10 And for them, even for the kohanim, shall be this terumat hakodesh; toward the north five and twenty elef, and toward the west ten elef in width, and toward the east ten elef in width, and toward the south five and twenty elef in length; and the Mikdash Hashem shall be within thereof.
11 It shall be for the kohanim hamekudash (set apart as kodesh) of the Bnei Tzadok; which have been shomer over My mishmeret, which went not astray when the Bnei Yisroel went astray, as the Levi’im went astray.
12 And this terumiyyah (separated portion) for the kohanim, out of the terumat ha’aretz, kodesh kodashim, next to the border of the Levi’im.
13 And over against the border of the kohanim, the Levi’im shall have five and twenty elef in length, and ten elef in width; all the length shall be five and twenty elef, and the width ten elef.
14 And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor transfer the reshit ha’aretz (prime land); for it is kodesh unto Hashem.
15 And the five alafim, that are left in the width over against the five and twenty elef, shall be chol (secular, unconsecrated) for the Ir, for dwelling, and for migrash (open lands); and the Ir shall be within thereof.
16 And these shall be the measurement thereof; the north side four alafim and five hundred, and the south side four alafim and five hundred, and on the east side four alafim and five hundred, and the west side four alafim and five hundred.
17 And the migrash (open land) of the Ir shall extend toward the north two hundred and fifty [cubits], and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty.
18 And the remainder of that area running lengthwise along the terumat hakodesh shall measure ten alafim [cubits] eastward, and ten alafim westward; and the increase thereof shall be for lechem unto them that serve the Ir.
19 And they that serve the Ir shall serve it out of all the Shivtei Yisroel.
20 All the terumah shall be foursquare, five and twenty elef by five and twenty elef; ye shall set apart as the terumat hakodesh and the property of the Ir.
21 And the remainder shall be for the Nasi, on the one side and on the other of the terumat hakodesh, and of the property of the Ir, along the five and twenty elef of the terumah toward the east border, and westward along the five and twenty elef toward the west border, along the chalakim (tribal portions) for the Nasi; and it shall be the terumat hakodesh; and the Mikdash HaBayit shall be within thereof.
22 Moreover from the property of the Levi’im, and from the property of the Ir, being in the midst of that which belongs to the Nasi, between the border of Yehudah and the border of Binyamin, shall be for the Nasi.
23 As for the rest of the Shevatim, from the east side unto the west side, Binyamin, one portion.
24 And by the border of Binyamin, from the east side unto the west side, Shim’on, one portion.
25 And by the border of Shim’on, from the east side unto the west side, Yissakhar, one portion.
26 And by the border of Yissakhar, from the east side unto the west side, Zevulun, one portion.
27 And by the border of Zevulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad, one portion.
28 And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of Merivat-Kadesh, to the wadi [of Egypt] the the Yam HaGadol (the Great Sea, i.e., Mediterranean Sea).
29 This is ha’aretz which ye shall allot unto the Shivtei Yisroel for nachalah, and these are their portions, saith Adonoi Hashem.

Yechezkel 48:1-29 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.

The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.