Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezekiel 45

Introduction

1  The portion of land for the sanctuary;
6  for the city;
7  and for the prince.
9  Ordinances for the prince.
Verse 1

Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about.
shall divide by lot
Heb. cause the land to fall by lot.
47:21, 48:29, Numbers 34:13, Joshua 13:6, 14:2, Psalms 16:5,6
ye shall offer
2-7, 48:8-23, Leviticus 25:23, Proverbs 3:9
an holy portion
Heb. holiness.
Zechariah 14:20,21
the length
That our translators rightly added the word reeds, is evident from the length and breadth of the sanctuary being exactly the same as before, (comp. ver. 2, with ch. 42:16-19.) Estimating the reed at 3® yards, this holy oblation would constitute a square of nearly fifty miles on every side. From the north side a portion of nearly twenty miles in width, and nearly fifty in length, was appointed for the priests; and in the midst of this portion, the area of the sanctuary, about a mile square, to be enclosed by a wall, (ver. 1, 2.) Next to this, on the south, was the Levites' portion, of the same dimensions as that of the priests', (ver. 5;) and south of this was the portion for the city, of the same length as those of the priests and Levites, but only half the width, (ver. 6.) These three formed the square of 25,000 reeds, or nearly fifty miles; and that set apart for the prince, the breadth of which is not mentioned, extended in length from north to south, along the east and west sides of the square. As Canaan would not admit of so large a portion for the sanctuary, etc., this was no doubt intended to intimate the large extent of the church in the glorious times predicted.
Verse 2

Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof.
five hundred in length
42:16-20
suburbs
or, void places.
Verse 3

And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place.
and in it
48:10
Verse 4

The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary.
holy portion
1, 44:28, 48:11
which
40:45, 43:19, 44:13,14, Numbers 16:5
Verse 5

And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth, shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers.
the five
48:10,13,20
the ministers
1 Corinthians 9:13,14
for a possession
40:17, 1 Chronicles 9:26-33, Nehemiah 10:38,39
Verse 6

And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.
the city
48:15-18,30-35
Verse 7

And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy portion, and of the possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy portion, and before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward: and the length shall be over against one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border.
34:24, 37:24, 46:16-18, 48:21, Psalms 2:8,9, Isaiah 9:5,6, Luke 1:32,33
Verse 8

In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.
and my princes
In the predicted period, not only shall the ministers and worshippers of God be liberally provided for, but the princes will be both able and willing to defray the expenses of government, without oppressing their subjects, and will rule over them with equity and clemency, as the vicegerents of God; while the people will submit to them conscientiously, and live in peace, prosperity, and holiness. These things seem to be represented in language taken from the customs of the times in which the prophet wrote. Tithes are not mentioned in part of the vision, which shows that the ritual Mosaic law will not be in force.
19:3,7, 22:27, 46:18, Proverbs 28:16, Isaiah 11:3-5, 32:1,2, 60:17,18, Jeremiah 22:17, 23:5, Micah 3:1-4, Zephaniah 3:13, James 2:6, 5:1-6, Revelation 19:11-16
according
Joshua 11:23
Verse 9

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.
Let it
44:6, 1 Peter 4:3
remove
Nehemiah 5:10, Psalms 82:2-5, Isaiah 1:17, Jeremiah 22:3, Zechariah 8:16, Luke 3:14
execute
43:14-16
take away
Nehemiah 5:1-13, 1 Corinthians 6:7,8
exactions
Heb. expulsions.
Job 20:19, 22:9, 24:2-12, Micah 2:1,2,9
Verse 10

Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.
Leviticus 19:35,36, Proverbs 11:1, 16:11, 20:10, 21:3, Amos 8:4-6, Micah 6:10,11
Verse 11

The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.
ephah
The ephah was a dry measure, and the bath a liquid measure, containing about seven gallons, four pints, or three pecks, three pints; and the homer about seventy-five gallons, five pints.
Isaiah 5:10
Verse 12

And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.
the shekel
Exodus 30:13, Leviticus 27:25, Numbers 3:47
twenty shekels
That is, 20 + 25 + 15 = 60; for the maneh as a weight was equal to sixty shekels, though as a coin it was only equal to fifty, weighing about 2 lb. 6 oz.; and reckoning the shekel at 2s. 6d. being in value 6£. 5s.
Verse 14

Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer:
the tenth
Verse 15

And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD.
lamb
or, kid. out of the fat.
Proverbs 3:9,10, Malachi 1:8,14
peace offerings
or, thank offerings.
to make
Leviticus 1:4, 6:30, Daniel 9:24, Romans 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:19-21, Ephesians 2:16, Colossians 1:21, Hebrews 2:17, 9:22,23
Verse 16

All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel.
the people
Exodus 30:14,15
shall give this
Heb. shall be for. for. or, with.
Isaiah 16:1
Verse 17

And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.
the prince's
The prince is never mentioned in the ritual appointments of Moses, but here he is required to provide the oblations; and the variations in the Mosaic law, in the number of the several sacrifices, and the proportion of the meat offering to each, being ten times as much as the law prescribed, with several other circumstances, seem more like enacting a new law, than enforcing that of Moses. These variations may intimate a change in the external constitution of the church; and it is probable that they are to be understood emblematically.
46:4-12, 2 Samuel 6:19, 1 Kings 8:63,64, 1 Chronicles 16:2,3, 29:3-9, 2 Chronicles 5:6, 7:4,5, 2 Chronicles 8:12,13, 30:24, 31:3, 35:7,8, Ezra 1:5, 6:8,9, Psalms 68:18, John 1:16, Romans 11:35,36, Ephesians 5:2
in the feasts
Leviticus 23:1-44, Numbers 28:1-29, Isaiah 66:23
he shall prepare
Psalms 22:15-26,29, John 6:51-57, 1 Corinthians 5:7,8, Hebrews 13:10, 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18
peace offerings
or, thank offerings.
43:27, Colossians 3:17, Hebrews 13:15
Verse 18

Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:
In the first month
This seems to enjoin, not a mere dedication, but an annual purification of the sanctuary; of which there is nothing said in the Mosaic law.
Exodus 12:2, Numbers 28:11-15, Matthew 6:33
without blemish
Leviticus 22:20, Hebrews 7:26, 9:14, 1 Peter 1:19
and cleanse
43:22,26, Leviticus 16:16,33, Hebrews 9:22-25, 10:3,4,19-22
Verse 19

And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.
and upon the four corners
43:14,20, Leviticus 16:18-20
Verse 20

And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.
every one
Leviticus 4:27-35, Psalms 19:12, Romans 16:18,19, Hebrews 5:2
that is simple
Who wants understanding to conduct himself properly.
so shall
15,18, Leviticus 16:20
Verse 21

In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.
ye shall
Exodus 12:1-51, Leviticus 23:5-8, Numbers 9:2-14, 28:16-25, Deuteronomy 16:1-8, 1 Corinthians 5:7,8
Verse 22

And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.
the prince
Matthew 20:28, 26:26-28
bullock
Leviticus 4:14, 2 Corinthians 5:21
Verse 23

And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.
seven days
Leviticus 23:8
a burnt
Numbers 28:15-31, 29:5,11-38
seven bullocks
Numbers 23:1,2, Job 42:8, Hebrews 10:8-12
Verse 24

And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.
46:5-7, Numbers 28:12-15
Verse 25

In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.
In the seventh
The prince shall do at the feast of tabernacles the same thing he was desired to do on the passover.
Leviticus 23:33-43, Numbers 29:12-38, Deuteronomy 16:13-15, 2 Chronicles 5:3, 7:8-10, Nehemiah 8:14-18, Zechariah 14:16-19, John 7:2,37-39

Comments

Back to Top

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first!

Add Comment

* Required information
Powered by Commentics
Back to Top