Ezekiel 45:1 kjv
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.
Ezekiel 45:1 nkjv
"Moreover, when you divide the land by lot into inheritance, you shall set apart a district for the LORD, a holy section of the land; its length shall be twenty-five thousand cubits, and the width ten thousand. It shall be holy throughout its territory all around.
Ezekiel 45:1 niv
"?'When you allot the land as an inheritance, you are to present to the LORD a portion of the land as a sacred district, 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits wide; the entire area will be holy.
Ezekiel 45:1 esv
"When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the LORD a portion of the land as a holy district, 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits broad. It shall be holy throughout its whole extent.
Ezekiel 45:1 nlt
"When you divide the land among the tribes of Israel, you must set aside a section for the LORD as his holy portion. This piece of land will be 8 1?3 miles long and 6 2?3 miles wide. The entire area will be holy.
Ezekiel 45 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 45:4 | The holy portion that is to be separated for the priests shall be twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width. | Part of the same allocation detail |
| Ezekiel 48:11 | It shall be a sanctuary for the priests, the sons of Zadok, who have kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray. | Identifies priestly beneficiaries |
| Numbers 18:8-20 | God establishes the Levitical priesthood and their inheritance of portions of offerings and the land. | Establishes precedent for priestly land |
| Deuteronomy 18:1-2 | The Levites have no inheritance, for the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them. | Reinforces the Levites' unique status |
| Joshua 14:3-4 | The Levites received no allotment of land among the tribes; they were to live in cities with their pasturelands. | Highlights difference in inheritance |
| Leviticus 27:14-15 | The land consecrated to the LORD has specific regulations for redemption and sale, implying its unique status. | Pertains to holiness of dedicated land |
| Jeremiah 31:6 | declares that in the day when watchmen cry in mount Ephraim, 'Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God.' | Prophecy of renewed Jerusalem |
| Isaiah 56:7 | even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and give them joy in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar. | Future inclusion and acceptance of worship |
| Haggai 2:7 | And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. | Prophecy of glory in the Temple |
| Malachi 3:3 | And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and as silver, that they may offer in righteousness the offerings of the LORD. | Purification of priesthood |
| Matthew 5:19 | Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. | Emphasis on obedience to divine commands |
| Hebrews 7:11-19 | Christ, as a priest after the order of Melchizedek, supersedes the Levitical priesthood, yet the principle of priestly service remains. | Fulfillment in Christ's priesthood |
| 1 Peter 2:5 | Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. | New Testament understanding of priesthood |
| Revelation 21:22 | And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. | Ultimate fulfillment in God's presence |
| Revelation 22:3 | And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: | Service in the eternal kingdom |
| 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 | Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? | Believers as temples of God |
| Numbers 35:1-8 | Instructions for cities and pasturelands for the Levites. | Earlier provision for Levites |
| Joshua 18:5 | And fifty thousand brethren with threescore and ten thousand brethren, shall go forth with you: and I will give them forty thousand men as wages. | Example of land division |
| 1 Chronicles 6:54-81 | Lists the cities given to the sons of Aaron and the Levites. | Historical fulfillment of land provision |
| John 14:2-3 | In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. | Christ preparing a place for His people |
Ezekiel 45 verses
Ezekiel 45 1 Meaning
Ezekiel 45:1 speaks of a specific land allotment for the priests and Levites within the sanctuary area of the restored Temple. This land was to be set apart as holy to the LORD, indicating its sacred purpose for the service of God and His ministers. The measurement signifies a precise division and consecration of a significant portion for religious functions.
Ezekiel 45 1 Context
This verse is found within Ezekiel's vision of the future Temple and a restored Israel, detailed from chapter 40 to chapter 48. This vision is set after the Babylonian exile, offering hope and a blueprint for future worship and national organization. Chapter 45 specifically addresses the allocation of land and the establishment of ordinances for the priests, Levites, and the prince, along with the divisions of the holy portion for the Temple itself. This verse marks the beginning of the description of the sacred allotment, laying the groundwork for the specific measurements and designations that follow. Historically, this vision provided comfort and a future vision for a people who had lost their land and their Temple, orienting them towards future restoration under God's reign.
Ezekiel 45 1 Word analysis
- And (וְ - wə): Conjunction, connecting this verse to the preceding ones, showing the continuity of the divine plan.
- when (כִּי־ - kî): While often translated as "when," here it functions more as a particle introducing the statement of possession or demarcation, similar to "Now."
- ye (אַתֶּם - ʾattem): Second person plural pronoun, directly addressing the people.
- shall fall (תִּפְּלוּ - tîppĕlû): From the root נָפַל (nāpal), meaning "to fall," but in this context, it signifies "to fall by lot" or "to be allotted." It refers to the act of assigning portions of land by casting lots.
- by lot (בְּגוֹרָל - bəḡōrāl): From גּוֹרָל (ḡōrāl), meaning "lot." This indicates a method of divinely guided division or distribution.
- the (אֶת־ - ʾet): Direct object marker.
- land (הָאָרֶץ - hāʾārĕṣ): The earth, the land. Refers to the specific territory to be divided.
- which (אֲשֶׁר - ʾăšer): Relative pronoun.
- ye (אַתֶּם - ʾattem): Second person plural pronoun.
- shall divide (תַּחְלְקוּ - taḥlĕqû): From the root חָלַק (ḥālaq), meaning "to divide," "to share," or "to distribute."
- for (לְ - lə): Preposition indicating purpose or destination.
- an inheritance (נַחֲלָה - naḥălâ): Inheritance, possession, portion.
- by (בְּ - bə): Preposition indicating manner or means.
- lot (גּוֹרָל - ḡōrāl): Lot. Reinforces the method of distribution.
- among (בְּתוֹךְ - bəṯôḵ): Among, in the midst of.
- the (אֶת־ - ʾet): Direct object marker.
- tribes (שִׁבְטֵי - šiḇṭê): Tribes (plural construct state).
- of (בְּנֵי - bəênê): Sons of.
- the (יִשְׂרָאֵל - yiśrāʾēl): Israel. Refers to the tribes of Israel.
Words-group by words-group analysis data
- "fall by lot" (תִּפְּלוּ בְּגוֹרָל - tîppĕlû bəḡōrāl): This phrase encapsulates the divine ordinance of allotting land. It highlights that the distribution was not arbitrary but determined by God, ensuring a just and ordered division according to His will, as seen in the initial division of Canaan by lot (Joshua 13:6).
- "divide for an inheritance by lot" (תַּחְלְקוּ לְנַחֲלָה בְּגוֹרָל - taḥlĕqû lənaḥălâ bəḡōrāl): This emphasizes that the land was not merely divided but given as an inheritance. The "lot" signifies that the boundaries and assignments were divinely ordained and fixed, reflecting God's sovereign hand in establishing His people and His people's ministry within His land.
- "among the tribes of the children of Israel" (בְּתוֹךְ שִׁבְטֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - bəṯôḵ šiḇṭê bəênê yiśrāʾēl): This phrase sets the scope of the division, clarifying that it occurred within the larger context of the tribal inheritances of Israel. However, the focus shifts immediately to a special portion, distinct from the tribal divisions, designated for the sacred service.
Ezekiel 45 1 Bonus section
This verse highlights the principle of divine order and divinely appointed leadership. The use of the lot was a consistent practice in ancient Israel for dividing land (Numbers 26:55-56, Joshua 14:2) and making important decisions, affirming God's active involvement in His people's affairs. Ezekiel’s vision often depicts a perfect, idealized future, suggesting that in this restored order, even the land and its divisions are meticulously planned by God, with specific provisions for those who minister in His presence. This future allocation, particularly for the priests and Levites, foreshadows a renewed focus on sacred service and proximity to God in the millennial kingdom, as depicted in the latter part of Ezekiel's prophecy. It serves as a tangible representation of a people living in direct covenant relationship with their God, where every aspect of life, including the land, is consecrated to Him.
Ezekiel 45 1 Commentary
Ezekiel 45:1 describes the formal act of dividing the land by lot among the tribes of Israel. This action is situated within Ezekiel's comprehensive vision of the future Temple and land allocation. The "lot" was a means of determining inheritance and responsibilities under God’s sovereignty (Proverbs 16:33). While this verse speaks of the general division, the following verses in Ezekiel 45 specify a unique, consecrated portion set apart for the priests. This contrasts with the tribal allotments and underscores the distinct and holy purpose of the land designated for God's service and His ministers, echoing the earlier arrangements for the Levites, who were scattered among all tribes but received no tribal territory themselves, their inheritance being the sacred service and its provisions. This division in Ezekiel's vision is eschatological, pointing to a perfected order of worship and a restored relationship with God, where even the land reflects holiness.