13He shall provide a lamb, a yearling, without blemish, for a burnt offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning he shall provide it. 14And he shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning regularly, one-sixth of an ephah, and one-third of a hin of oil to moisten the choice flour, as a grain offering to the LORD; this is the ordinance for all time. 15Thus the lamb and the grain offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, as a regular burnt offering.
16Thus says the Lord GOD: If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons out of his inheritance,a it shall belong to his sons, it is their holding by inheritance. 17But if he makes a gift out of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty; then it shall revert to the prince; only his sons may keep a gift from his inheritance. 18The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their holding; he shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own holding, so that none of my people shall be dispossessed of their holding.
19Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, to the north row of the holy chambers for the priests; and there I saw a place at the extreme western end of them. 20He said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so communicate holiness to the people.”
21Then he brought me out to the outer court, and led me past the four corners of the court; and in each corner of the court there was a court—22in the four corners of the court were smallb courts, forty cubits long and thirty wide; the four were of the same size. 23On the inside, around each of the four courtsc was a row of masonry, with hearths made at the bottom of the rows all around. 24Then he said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who serve at the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.”
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a Gk: Heb it is his inheritance
b Gk Syr Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
c Heb the four of them
46.1–18 Stipulations regarding the prince.
46.1–7 The prince and sacrifices. The inner east gate is to be closed except on the sabbath and new moon (cf. the closing of the exterior east gate, 44.1–3). When the prince (note on 34.23–24) enters and moves through the gate to stand at the interior door with the appropriate offerings (v. 2), the priests will perform his sacrifices. By contrast, the people of the land (v. 3) may only come near the outside opening of the gate.
46.4 On the sabbath sacrifices, cf. Num 28.9–10. The sabbath was important for Ezekiel; see 20.12–13.
46.6 On new moon sacrifices, cf. Num 28.11–15.
46.8–10 Entering and exiting during festivals. As with v. 2, the prince approaches the interior east gate from the outside and proceeds to the inner door. Though he makes his ritual entrance at the same time as the people, they must use different exterior gates from those through which they entered. Moreover, they must move according to either a north–south or south–north axis, apparently a form of traffic control during major festivals.
46.11 See v. 7.
46.12–15 Instructions for the prince when making a freewill (noncalendrical) or daily (calendrical) offering. On the freewill or voluntary offering, which may result from payment of a vow, see Lev 22.18–23; on the daily offering, see Num 28.3–8.
46.16–18 The prince’s land (45.7; 48.21–22) may be inherited by his sons, but it is to remain in that family in perpetuity. Such land could be temporarily granted to someone outside, one of his servants, but the land would revert to kin ownership on the year of liberty, i.e., the year of release associated with the jubilee celebration (Lev 25.8–17).
46.18a The prince is not to take others’ inheritance; cf. note on 45.9.
46.19–24 Sacrifice preparation areas for priests and laity. Near the inner north gate and in the holy chambers is a room where priests prepare the guilt, sin, and grain offerings; cf. 42.13.
46.20 Not to…communicate holiness to the people. The holy is a threat to the people, e.g., when Uzzah touched the ark and died (2 Sam 6.6–7); cf. 44.19.
46.21–24 Sizable cooking areas in the four corners of the exterior court. Those who serve at the temple, i.e., the Levites, prepare foodstuffs on behalf of the people; cf. 2 Chr 35.11–13.
EZEKIEL 47
Water Flowing from the Temple
1Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. 2Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east;a and the water was coming out on the south side.
3Going on eastward with a cord in his hand, the man measured one thousand cubits, and then led me through the water; and it was ankle-deep. 4Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was up to the waist. 5Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. 6He said to me, “Mortal, have you seen this?”
Then he led me back along the bank of the river. 7As I came back, I saw on the bank of the river a great many trees on the one side and on the other. 8He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant waters, the water will become fresh. 9Wherever the river goes,b every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes. 10People will stand fishing beside the seac from En-gedi to Eneglaim; it will be a place for the spreading of nets; its fish will be of a great many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. 11But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. 12On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”
The New Boundaries of the Land
13Thus says the Lord GOD: These are the boundaries by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. 14You shall divide it equally; I swore to give it to your ancestors, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance.
15This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, and on to Zedad,d 16Berothah, Sibraim (which lies between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enon, which is north of the border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north.e This shall be the north side.
18On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar.f This shall be the east side.
19On the south side, it shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, from there along the Wadi of Egyptg to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side.
20On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side.
21So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. 22You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who reside among you and have begotten children among you. They shall be to you as citizens of Israel; with you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23In whatever tribe aliens reside, there you shall assign them their inheritance, says the Lord GOD.
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a Meaning of He
b uncertain
b Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb the two rivers go
c Heb it
d Gk: Heb Lebo-zedad, 16Hamath
e Meaning of Heb uncertain
f Compare Syr: Heb you shall measure
g Heb lacks of Egypt
47.1–12 The guide returns to show Ezekiel a stream flowing out from beneath the temple, past the altar, and out under the exterior east gate. Water imagery has already been associated with the presence of the deity (1.24; 43.2). The river apparently reflects the motif of the deity’s garden or dwelling as a watery and fertile place (e.g., Gen 2.10–14; Ps 46.4), which clearly links the river to Jerusalem; see note on 28.2. The late prophetic writings Joel 3.18; Zech 13.1; 14.8 share Ezekiel’s basic expectation.
47.2 The flow is to the southeast.
47.3–5 The man takes four measurements at 1,000 cubit intervals, which reveal that the river is growing progressively larger and deeper—it is ankle-deep, knee-deep, up to the waist, and finally could not be crossed.
47.6–7 As they retrace their steps, Ezekiel observes the fertile growth on the riverbanks; cf. descriptions of the Jordan banks (Jer 12.5; Zech 11.3).
47.8 The river continues southeast into the Arabah, which means here the Jordan rift valley just north of the sea, the Dead Sea. The water will become fresh; cf. 2 Kings 2.22 for the same Hebrew expression.
47.9–12 The river as a source of fertility.
47.9 The river goes. The Masoretic tradition reads “the two rivers go,” which reflects an expectation of two rivers attested in Zech 14.8. Living creature, swarms, fish, vocabulary from Gen 1.
47.10 Fish will be prolific and the fishing excellent (cf. 26.5, 14 on earlier fishing imagery). Engedi, an oasis with spring, waterfall, and small canyon on the western bank of the Dead Sea. En-eglaim. Site unknown, though some scholars think it lies on the eastern bank of the Dead Sea. Like the fish of the Great Sea probably refers to a prolific fishery and not specific saltwater species.
47.11 Saline wetlands will be preserved, not for ecological reasons but for salt production, i.e., they are to be left for salt, which was used in ritual practice (43.24).
47.12 Cf. v. 7, a picture of preternatural fertility: deciduous trees whose leaves do not fall and that bear fruit every month. The fertility provides for food and healing. All this is attributable to the source of the river: the sanctuary.
47.13–48.29 New configuration of the land, a continuation of the process begun in 45.1–8.
47.13–22 Boundaries and allocation of the land. This process suggests that Ezekiel envisions a new settlement preceded by a new exodus and wilderness wanderings (20.33–35).
47.13 Joseph…two portions, i.e., Manasseh and Ephraim, 48.4–5.
47.14 What was promised to the ancestors will be fulfilled for a future generation.
47.15–21 The idealized perimeter boundary of the land: on the north, basically Damascus to the coast; on the east, the Jordan; south, a line through Kadesh-barnea on the southern side; and west, the Mediterranean. Cf. earlier boundaries, e.g., in Num 34; Josh 15. Striking is the absence of Transjordanian tribal land (Num 34.13–15).
47.22–23 Quite a liberal allowance concerning inheritance and aliens. Cf. 44.6–9; Lev 19.34;24.22; Num 15.29; Deut 23.2–8 on the status of the so-called resident aliens. In order to “inherit” land, the alien family must be of two generations.
EZEKIEL 48
The Tribal Portions
1These are the names of the tribes: Beginning at the northern border, on the Hethlon road,a from Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enon (which is on the border of Damascus, with Hamath to the north), andb extending from the east side to the west,c Dan, one portion. 2Adjoining the territory of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher, one portion. 3Adjoining the territory of Asher, from the east side to the west, Naphtali, one portion. 4Adjoining the territory of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, Manasseh, one portion. 5Adjoining the territory of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, Ephraim, one portion. 6Adjoining the territory of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, Reuben, one portion. 7Adjoining the territory of Reuben, from the east side to the west, Judah, one portion.
8Adjoining the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the portion that you shall set apart, twenty-five thousand cubits in width, and in length equal to one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the middle of it. 9The portion that you shall set apart for the LORD shall be twenty-five thousand cubits in length, and twentyd thousand in width. 10These shall be the allotments of the holy portion: the priests shall have an allotment measuring twenty-five thousand cubits on the northern side, ten thousand cubits in width on the western side, ten thousand in width on the eastern side, and twenty-five thousand in length on the southern side, with the sanctuary of the LORD in the middle of it. 11This shall be for the consecrated priests, the descendantse of Zadok, who kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did. 12It shall belong to them as a special portion from the holy portion of the land, a most holy place, adjoining the territory of the Levites. 13Alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an allotment twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width. The whole length shall be twenty-five thousand cubits and the width twentyf thousand. 14They shall not sell or exchange any of it; they shall not transfer this choice portion of the land, for it is holy to the LORD.
15The remainder, five thousand cubits in width and twenty-five thousand in length, shall be for ordinary use for the city, for dwellings and for open country. In the middle of it shall be the city; 16and these shall be its dimensions: the north side four thousand five hundred cubits, the south side four thousand five hundred, the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four thousand five hundred. 17The city shall have open land: on the north two hundred fifty cubits, on the south two hundred fifty, on the east two hundred fifty, on the west two hundred fifty. 18The remainder of the length alongside the holy portion shall be ten thousand cubits to the east, and ten thousand to the west, and it shall be alongside the holy portion. Its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. 19The workers of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it. 20The whole portion that you shall set apart shall be twenty-five thousand cubits square, that is, the holy portion together with the property of the city.
21What remains on both sides of the holy portion and of the property of the city shall belong to the prince. Extending from the twenty-five thousand cubits of the holy portion to the east border, and westward from the twenty-five thousand cubits to the west border, parallel to the tribal portions, it shall belong to the prince. The holy portion with the sanctuary of the temple in the middle of it, 22and the property of the Levites and of the city, shall be in the middle of that which belongs to the prince. The portion of the prince shall lie between the territory of Judah and the territory of Benjamin.
23As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west, Benjamin, one portion. 24Adjoining the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon, one portion. 25Adjoining the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar, one portion. 26Adjoining the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun, one portion. 27Adjoining the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad, one portion. 28And adjoining the territory of Gad to the south, the boundary shall run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, from there along the Wadi of Egyptg to the Great Sea. 29This is the land that you shall allot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, says the Lord GOD.
30These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits by measure, 31three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. 32On the east side, which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjami
n, and the gate of Dan. 33On the south side, which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. 34On the west side, which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates,h the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali. 35The circumference of the city shall be eighteen thousand cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD is There.
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a Compare 47.15: Heb by the side of the way
b Cn: Heb and they shall be his
c Gk Compare verses 2-8: Heb the east side the west
d Compare 45.1: Heb ten
e One Ms Gk: Heb of the descendants
f Gk: Heb ten
g Heb lacks of Egypt
h One Ms Gk Syr: MT their gates three
48.1–29 Boundaries inside the land.
48.1–7 Tribal allocations to the north of the holy sector (vv. 8–22): Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, Judah. Each tribe receives an equal portion of land. The grants are strips of land that extend from the eastern to the western borders. The rationale for the ordering of the tribal land is unclear, e.g., Benjamin south of Judah. Cf. the tribal allocations in Josh 13–19.
48.8–22 The holy sector, the description of which dominates this depiction of the land. Cf. 45.1–8, which is an abbreviated form of this description.
48.12 The Zadokites’ allocation is a most holy place, an expression that presupposes various gradations of holiness in comparison to the binary distinction between holy and common; cf. 45.4.
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