Ezechiele 48:17 Commento

In this chapter we have particular directions given for the distribution of the land, of which we had the metes and bounds assigned in the foregoing chapter. I. The portions of the twelve tribes, seven to the north of the sanctuary (Eze 48:1-7) and five to the south (Eze 48:23-29). II. The allotment of land for the sanctuary, and the priests (Eze 48:8-11), for the Levites (Eze 48:12-14), for the city (Eze 48:15-20), and for the prince (Eze 48:21, Eze 48:22). Much of this we had before, ch. 45. III. A plan of the city, its gates, and the new name given to it (v. 30-35), which seals up, and concludes, the vision and prophecy of this book.

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, 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 then the portions of the other five tribes to the south of the sanctuary, Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad, Eze 48:23, 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.

Moreover, from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city,.... Or, "beyond" these, as it may be rendered, on the other side of them; or, "except" (z) these: being in the midst of that which is the prince's; between his two portions; or, as it is next explained, between the border of Judah, and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince; that is, all beyond and excepting that which belonged to the priests and Levites, the sanctuary and the city, were the prince's, which lay between Judah and Benjamin: or thus it was; before the holy oblation one part of the prince's portion ran, parallel with the tribe of Judah, east and west; after the holy oblation on the other side, another part of his portion touched the tribe of Benjamin, and ran parallel with the east and west: and so were between them both, as well as on each side of the holy oblation: all this denotes the nearness of Christ to his church and people; his protection of them on all sides; and the largeness of his interest and kingdom; see Eze 45:7. (z)

(Verse 17.) The suburbs of the city on the north side shall be two hundred and fifty cubits in length, on the south side two hundred and fifty cubits in length, on the east side two hundred and fifty cubits in length, and on the west side two hundred and fifty cubits in length. As for the suburbs, which are called "Magras" in Hebrew, they have again transferred the distance of seventy times seventy cubits, that is, a space. And what is said, two hundred and fifty on each side, is understood to refer to reeds, which are six cubits and one palm in length, and on each side they make six hundred and seventeen and a little less steps, and in total one thousand reeds, making two thousand four hundred and sixty-eight steps: these spaces surround the walls of the city in a circle, so as to divide the city from the rest. From this it is shown that none of these spaces have the right to engage in the work of the city and to gather its fruits, but rather to be free from the use and work of men, so that the areas around the city walls, with their naturally growing shrubs and herbs, and other things that the land produces, may have beauty. But the remaining length, according to the holy area, shall be ten thousand cubits toward the east and ten thousand toward the west: and it shall be over against the holy sanctuary. And the fruits thereof shall be for food, and the leaf thereof for medicine. And the workers of the city, that work therein, shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel. All the fruits thereof shall be for the service of the holy city, and the priests of the sanctuary, who shall go in and out of the house of the Lord, shall eat it. And it shall be a place for a habitation unto them. And the separated cities shall be in the midst of that which shall be for the possession of the prince: and the possession of the holy place shall be in the midst of the portion of the Levites. He wants to designate the remaining part of the firstfruits of the sanctuary, ten thousand baskets extending towards the East, and another ten thousand baskets extending towards the West, to be allocated to those who work for the city for various purposes, whatever the city needs: so that the workers who build or restore the city walls, when necessary, may be nourished from the crops that grow on this land, and so that the city may have its adornment and the repaired roofs be restored. And this, not only in Israel or in the possession of the Holy Land, is contained spiritually in the mystery of the Church, but we also approve that it happens under Roman authority, so that certain villas belong to the rights of cities, either through royal generosity or through the inheritance and donation of many, so that buildings are not gradually ruined and public buildings, which are an ornament to the city, are not long neglected. But the workers, he said, or those who serve in the works of the city, will be from all the tribes of Israel: so that no one may consider themselves exempt from the work of the city, but all may eagerly build up the Church. This is also what we read was done in the tabernacle, that for the diversity of strengths, one offers gold and silver, scarlet, fine linen, and purple, and various and diverse coverings: others offer skins and the hair of goats: and although there were different gifts according to the quality of the substance, the reward of those who gave was one: indeed, greater than those who offered little, but more according to their abilities, as an example of the poor widow, who sent two small coins as gifts to the treasury; she was praised by the judgment of the Lord, saying: Truly I say to you, this widow, poor as she is, has put in more than all the others. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth to the offerings of God, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood. Therefore, as we have said about the works of the city, it must be briefly stated that all the first fruits of the sanctuary, and the possession of the city calculated together in a square, amount to two thousand four hundred and sixty-six, and a third part. For if twenty-five thousand reeds, which have six cubits and one palm, make ours, that is, Roman sixty, and one thousand, and six hundred and sixty-seven paces; there is no doubt that these, when multiplied by four, exceed the previous number. From which we understand that all things are to be understood spiritually, the possession of the Church is much broader than it was in Judea, who did not even receive a part of the holy land: but from each tribe they received forty-eight cities, not the full possession, but habitation and hospitality: so also the laity themselves, although they have not reached the priestly and Levitical degree, if they work in the city of the Lord, they may partake of the holy land, the land of meekness, and the land of believers, of whom one said: I believe to see the good things of the Lord, in the land of the living (Ps. 27:13).

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.

ALLOTMENT OF THE LAND TO SEVERAL TRIBES. (Eze. 48:1-35) Dan--The lands are divided into portions of ideal exactness, running alongside of each other, the whole breadth from west to east, standing in a common relation to the temple in the center: seven tribes' portions on the north, five in the smaller division in the south. The portions of the city, the temple, the prince, and the priesthood, are in the middle, not within the boundaries of any tribe, all alike having a common interest in them. Judah has the place of honor next the center on the north, Benjamin the corresponding place of honor next the center on the south; because of the adherence of these two to the temple ordinances and to the house of David for so long, when the others deserted them. Dan, on the contrary, so long locally and morally semi-heathen (Jdg. 18:1-31), is to have the least honorable place, at the extreme north. For the same reason, St. John (Rev 7:5-8) omits Dan altogether.