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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge -
EZEKIEL 48
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1 The portions of the twelve tribes;
8 of the sanctuary;
15 of the city and suburbs;
21 and of the prince.
23 The portions of the twelve tribes.
30 The dimensions and gates of the city.
VERSE 1
- the names.
* Ex 1:1-5 Nu 1:5-15; 13:4-15 Re 7:4-8
- From.
* Eze 47:15-17 Nu 34:7-9
- a portion. Heb. one portion. Dan.
* Ge 30:3-6 Jos 19:40-47 Jud 18:26-29 2Sa 24:2 1Ki 12:28,29
* Mt 20:15,16
VERSE 2
- Asher.
* Ge 30:12,13 Jos 19:24-31
VERSE 3
- Naphtali.
* Ge 30:7,8 Jos 19:32-39
VERSE 4
- by the border.
In this division of the Holy Land, a portion is laid out for
each of the twelve tribes directly across the country, from
east to west; and deducting the square of 25,000 reeds, or
nearly fifty miles on each side, between Judah and Benjamin,
for the priests, Levites, city, and temple, with the
inheritance of the prince to the east and west, (see on ch.
1 45:1,) from 280 miles, the length of the country from north
to south, there will remain for each tribe a portion of less
than twenty miles in width, and 150 in length. This division
of the land entirely differs from that which was made in the
days of Joshua, in which the tribes were not only differently
placed, but confused and inter-mixed; while here distinct
lots are assigned to each of the twelve tribes, in a regular
mathematical form. Literally such a division never took
place: it seems to denote the equality of privileges which
subsists among all the tribes of Believers, of whatever
nation, and whatever their previous character may have been.
- Manasseh.
* Ge 30:22-24; 41:51; 48:5,14-20 Jos 13:29-31; 17:1-11
VERSE 5
- Ephraim.
* Jos 16:1-10; 17:8-10,14-18
VERSE 6
- Reuben.
* Ge 29:32; 49:3,4 Jos 13:15-21
VERSE 7
- Judah.
* Ge 29:35 Jos 15:1-63; 19:9
VERSE 8
- the offering.
* Eze 45:1-6
- the sanctuary.
* :35 Isa 12:6; 33:20-22 Zec 2:11,12 2Co 6:16 Eph 2:20-22 Col 2:9
* Re 21:3,22; 22:3
VERSE 9
- the oblation
* :8,10,21 Eze 44:30
VERSE 10
- for the priests.
* Eze 44:28; 45:4 Nu 35:1-9 Jos 21:1-45 Mt 10:10 1Co 9:13,14
- and the sanctuary.
* :8
VERSE 11
- It shall be for the priests that are sanctified. or, The
sanctified portion shall be for the priests. the sons
* Eze 40:46; 43:19; 44:15,16
- charge. or, ward, or ordinance.
* Mt 24:45,45,46 2Ti 4:7,8 1Pe 5:4 Re 2:10
- as the Levites.
* Eze 44:10
VERSE 12
- a thing.
* Eze 45:4 Le 27:21
VERSE 13
- five and twenty thousand in.
* Eze 45:3 De 12:19 Lu 10:7
VERSE 14
- they shall.
* Ex 22:29 Le 27:10,28,33
- for.
* :12 Le 23:20; 27:9,32 Mal 3:8-10
VERSE 15
- a profane.
* Eze 22:26; 42:20; 44:23; 45:6
- for the city.
The holy oblation of 25,000 square reeds, or near fifty
square miles, was divided into three parts from north to
south (see on ch. 1 45:1): a portion on the north of 10,000
reeds in width, and 25,000 in length, for the priests, in the
midst of which was the sanctuary or temple, surrounded by a
wall 500 reeds square, (ver. 9, 10; see on ch. 15 42:15;) next
to this another portion of the same dimensions for the
Levites, (ver. 13, 14;) and on the south another portion of
the same length, but only 5,000 reeds in breadth, for the
city (ver. 15.) The city was situated in the midst of this
portion, being 4,500 reeds, or about nine miles square, (see
on ver. 30,) having a suburb of 250 reeds, or about half a
mile, on each side, (ver. 17,) leaving 10,000 reeds or nearly
ten miles, on the east side, and the same on the west side,
for the profit of those who serve the city out of all the
tribes, (ver. 18, 19.) On the east and west sides of this
square of 25,000 reeds, is the portion of the prince; each of
which, estimating the breadth of the land at 150 miles, would
form a square of fifty miles. Thus the whole plan of the
division of the country, laying out of the city, temple, and
all its appendages, is perfectly regular and uniform; and
would therefore convey to the minds of the Jews the most
complete idea they were capable of conceiving of the most
perfect church, commonwealth, city, temple, and conveniences,
on the largest and grandest scale for the Divine worship; and
it doubtless ultimately points out the land of Immanuel, the
city of the New Jerusalem, and his temple, the Christian
church, the house of the living God.
* 1Ti 3:15
VERSE 16
* :16
VERSE 17
VERSE 18
- that serve.
* Jos 9:27 Ezr 2:43-58 Ne 7:46-62
VERSE 19
- shall serve.
* Eze 45:6 1Ki 4:7-23 Ne 11:1-36
VERSE 20
- four-square.
* Heb 12:17 Re 21:16
VERSE 21
- the residue.
* :22; 34:23,24; 37:24; 45:7,8 Ho 1:11
- and westward.
* :8-10
VERSE 22
VERSE 23
- Benjamin.
* :1-7 Ge 35:16-19 Jos 18:21-28
- a portion. Heb. one portion.
* :1
VERSE 24
- Simeon.
* Ge 29:33; 49:5-7 Jos 19:1-9
VERSE 25
- Issachar.
* Ge 30:14-18 Jos 19:17-23
VERSE 26
- Zebulun.
* Ge 30:19,20 Jos 19:10-16
VERSE 27
- Gad.
* Ge 30:10,11 Jos 13:24-28
VERSE 28
- from Tamar.
* Eze 47:19 2Ch 20:2
- strife in Kadesh. Heb. Meribah-kadesh.
* Nu 20:1,13 Ps 106:32
- the river.
* Ge 15:18 Nu 34:5 Jos 13:3 Isa 27:12
- the great sea.
* Eze 47:15,19,20
VERSE 29
* Eze 47:13-22 Nu 34:2,13 Jos 13:1-45 21:45
VERSE 30
- the goings.
* :16,32-35 Re 21:16
- four.
It is certainly most obvious to interpret these measures, not
of cubits, but of the measuring reed which the prophet's
conductor had in his hand; according to which, the city would
be about thirty-six miles in circumference, and nine miles on
each side of the square; which was nearly nine times larger
than the greatest extent to which Jerusalem ever attained,
(See on ver. 15; ch. 16 42:16.) The large dimensions of the
city and land were perhaps intended to intimate the extensive
and glorious propagation of the gospel in the times
predicted; and the land was not called Canaan, nor the city
Jerusalem, probably because they were figurative of spiritual
blessings to the church and to Israel.
VERSE 31
* Isa 26:1,2; 54:12; 60:11 Re 21:12,13,21,25
VERSE 32
* :32
VERSE 33
* :33
VERSE 34
VERSE 35
- and the name.
* Ge 22:14 Jer 33:16 Zec 14:21
- The Lord. Heb. JEHOVAH shammah.
* Ex 15:26; 17:15 Jud 6:24 Ps 46:5; 48:3,14; 68:18; 77:13; 132:14
* Isa 12:6; 14:32; 24:23 Jer 3:17 Joe 3:21 Zec 2:10 Re 21:3; 22:3
CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL.
The character of Ezekiel, as a Writer and Poet, is thus
admirably drawn by the masterly hand of Bishop Lowth: "Ezekiel
is much inferior to Jeremiah in elegance; in sublimity he is
not even excelled by Isaiah; but his sublimity is of a totally
different kind. He is deep, vehement, tragical; his sentiments
are elevated, animated, full of fire and indignation; his
imagery is crowded, magnificent, terrific; his language is
grand, solemn, austere, rough, and at times unpolished; he
abounds in repetitions, not for the sake of grace or elegance,
but from vehemence and indignation. Whatever subject he treats
of, that he sedulously puruses; from that he rarely departs,
but cleaves, as it were, to it; whence the connection is in
general evident and well preserved. In other respects he may
perhaps be exceeded by the other prophets; but, for that
species of composition to which he seems adapted by natural
gifts, the forcible, impetuous, grave, and grand, not one of
the sacred writers is superior to him. His diction is
sufficiently perspicuous; all his obscurity arises from the
nature of his subjects. Visions (as for instance, among
others, those of Hosea, Amos, and Zechariah,) are necessarily
dark and confused. The greater part of Ezekiel, particularly
towards the middle of the book, is poetical, whether we regard
the matter of the language." Abp. Newcombe judiciously
observes, The Prophet is not to be considered merely as a poet,
or as a framer of those august and astonishing visions, and of
those admirable poetical representations, which he committed to
writing; but as an instrument in the hands of God, who
vouchsafed to reveal himself, through a long succession of
ages, not only in divers parts constituting a magnificant and
uniform whole, but also in different manners, as by voice, by
dreams, by inspiration, and by plain or enigmatical vision.
"Ezekiel is a great poet, full of originality; and, in my
opinion, whoever censures him as if he were only an imitator of
the old prophets, can never have felt his power. He must not,
in general, be compared with Isaiah, and the rest of the old
prophets. Those are great, Ezekiel is also great; those in
their manner of poetry, Ezekiel in his." To justify this
character the learned prelate descends to particulars, and
gives apposite examples, not only of the clear, flowing, and
nervous, but also of the sublime; and concludes his
observations on his style, by stating it to be his deliberate
opinion, that if his "style is the old age of Hebrew language
and composition, (as has been alleged,) it is a firm and
vigorous one, and should induce us to trace its youth and
manhood with the most assiduous attention." As a Prophet,
Ezekiel must ever be allowed to occupy a very high rank; and
few of the prophets have left a more valuable treasure to the
church of God than he has. It is true, he is in several places
obscure; but this resulted either from the nature of his
subjects, or the events predicted being still unfulfilled; and,
when time has rolled away the mist of futurity, successive
generations will then perceive with what heavenly wisdom this
much neglected prophet has spoken. There is, however, a great
proportion of his work which is free from every obscurity, and
highly edifying. He has so accurately and minutely foretold
the fate and condition of various nations and cities, that
nothing can be more interesting than to trace the exact
accomplishment of these prophecies in the accounts furnished by
historians and travellers; while, under the elegant type of a
new temple to be erected, a new worship to be introduced, and a
new Jerusalem to be built, with new land to be allotted to the
twelve tribes, may be discovered the vast extent and glory of
the New Testament Church.
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