Ezekiel 48:1-29

Divisions of the land (48:1-29)

Land to the north of the specially allocated central portion (see 45:1-8) was divided into seven equal portions by drawing parallel lines from the Mediterranean Sea to the eastern boundary. Although the terrain of the country would make such a division impossible in practice, the division had meaning. It indicated a measure of equality among the tribes (for their portions were equal in area; see 47:14), though there was a difference in responsibility (for the more important tribes were closer to Jerusalem and the temple) (48:1-7).In the centre of the land was the special portion for temple, priests, Levites, city and king (8; see notes on 45:1-8). The central section of this portion contained the site for the temple and was given to the priests (9-12). The section bordering it to the north was for the Levites (13-14).The section bordering the priests’ portion to the south was for the nation’s capital and its citizens. The city proper was a square, surrounded by a strip of open land, and was inhabited by people taken from all twelve tribes. To the west and east of the city were farming areas, where food was grown to support the people of the city (15-19). The entire portion of land for priests, Levites and national capital was square in plan (20). Either side of this central square portion was land for the king (21-22; see 45:7-8).To the south of the central portion were the remaining five tribes in their parallel strips of land. Again the more privileged tribes were closer to Jerusalem and the temple (23-29).