Ezekiel 46 16

Ezekiel 46:16 kjv

Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons'; it shall be their possession by inheritance.

Ezekiel 46:16 nkjv

'Thus says the Lord GOD: "If the prince gives a gift of some of his inheritance to any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance.

Ezekiel 46:16 niv

"?'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: If the prince makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons, it will also belong to his descendants; it is to be their property by inheritance.

Ezekiel 46:16 esv

"Thus says the Lord GOD: If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons as his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons. It is their property by inheritance.

Ezekiel 46:16 nlt

"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: If the prince gives a gift of land to one of his sons as his inheritance, it will belong to him and his descendants forever.

Ezekiel 46 verses

Ezekiel 46 16 meaning

Ezekiel 46:16 establishes a crucial legal principle regarding the disposition of the prince's personal property within the vision of the new temple and restored Israel. It stipulates that any gift given by the prince from his own inheritance to any of his sons becomes a permanent possession of those sons. This regulation ensures the perpetual lineage of the prince's estate through his direct male descendants, confirming their inalienable right to inherited property. It distinguishes permanent inheritance within the princely line from temporary grants made to servants, thus guaranteeing stability and preventing land disputes or improper transfers of ownership from the princely family.

Ezekiel 46 16 Context

Ezekiel 46 is part of a larger section (chapters 40-48) detailing a visionary temple, cultic ordinances, and a future division of the land in a restored Israel. These chapters present an ideal future, distinct from the historical pre-exilic abuses. Chapter 46 specifically outlines the "prince's" role in the temple worship, including his schedule of offerings, his access to temple gates, and his private land within the designated "holy allotment." Verses 1-15 detail the ceremonial aspects, while verses 16-18 address regulations concerning the prince's inheritance and the protection against his past corrupt actions where kings sometimes arbitrarily seized property. Verse 16 directly deals with the permanence of his gift to his sons, setting it apart from a temporary grant to a servant (described in verse 17), thus preventing arbitrary land confiscation or reallocation. The historical background often points to instances of abuse of power by Israelite kings, like Ahab's seizure of Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21), which this new legislation in Ezekiel's vision explicitly guards against, ensuring the orderly transfer of property within the divinely established framework. The emphasis on "the prince" rather than "the king" (as used for historical rulers) signifies a different, perhaps more circumscribed, leadership role under God's ultimate authority, bound by divine law.

Ezekiel 46 16 Word analysis

• Thus says the Lord God (כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, Koh amar Adonai Yehovih):
  • This is a prophetic formula indicating divine authority and the certainty of the pronouncement. It underscores that these are not mere human laws but direct commands from the Sovereign Lord.
  • Signifies the ultimate source of truth and justice in the vision.
• If the prince (אִם־הַנָּשִׂיא, im-hannaśi):
  • "If" (im) introduces a conditional statement, though in this legal context, it states a common occurrence and the law governing it.
  • "Prince" (נָשִׂיא, nasi): This term is crucial. In Ezekiel, it often replaces "king" (מֶלֶךְ, melekh). A nasi typically functions as a leader or exalted one, often representing tribal or community headship, rather than an absolute monarch. In Ezekiel, the nasi is clearly subordinate to God and is responsible for cultic provisions and just governance within prescribed boundaries, contrasting with the often despotic rule of earlier kings. The shift in terminology emphasizes a different, perhaps purer, form of leadership in the restored community, adhering strictly to divine ordinances.
• gives a gift (יִתֵּן מַתָּנָה, yitten mattanah):
  • "Gives" (yitten) indicates an action of bestowing.
  • "Gift" (מַתָּנָה, mattana): Refers to something given freely, a present. This implies the prince has personal property from which to give. The giving is an act of his own free will, not forced by law, but the consequences of that act are defined by divine law.
• of his inheritance (מִנַּחֲלָתוֹ, minnachalato):
  • "Inheritance" (נַחֲלָה, nachalah): Denotes inherited property, specifically land, often associated with a family's perpetual possession. It is a fundamental concept in Israelite law, tied to identity, security, and tribal lineage. It signifies property passed down through generations. The prince's inheritance here is separate from the land designated for the temple or the common people, having been allocated specifically for him in Ezekiel 45:7-8.
• to any of his sons (לְאֶחָד מִבָּנָיו, l'echad mibbanaw):
  • "To one from his sons." "Sons" (בָּנָיו, banaw) refers to direct male descendants. In Israelite society, inheritance typically flowed through the male line, ensuring the continuity of the family name and property within the ancestral boundaries. This confirms that the gift remains within the princely lineage.
• it shall belong to his sons; it is their property by inheritance. (הִיא תִהְיֶה לְבָנָיו נַחֲלָתָם הִיא אֲחֻזָּתָם, hi tiheyeh l'banaw nachalatam hi achuzzatam):
  • "It shall belong" (תִהְיֶה, tiheyeh) signifies future certainty and possession.
  • "To his sons; it is their inheritance" (l'banaw nachalatam): Reiterates that the gift becomes part of the sons' permanent inheritance, specifically within the male line.
  • "Their property" (אֲחֻזָּתָם, achuzzatam): A stronger term for permanent possession or landed property, emphasizing the inalienable nature of this possession. This combination strongly reinforces that such a gift is not a temporary lease but a permanent transfer within the family line, solidifying their claim.

Words-group analysis:

• "If the prince gives a gift of his inheritance to any of his sons...": This phrase sets the scope of the legal pronouncement. It's about personal property, freely given, and directed towards direct male heirs. This specificity ensures clarity regarding which transactions are governed by this rule, contrasting later with grants to servants.
• "...it shall belong to his sons; it is their property by inheritance.": This concluding declaration leaves no ambiguity. It establishes a perpetual, inalienable right to the land transferred in this manner. The repetition of terms like "sons," "inheritance," and "property" underscores the legal permanence and safeguards the dynastic integrity of the prince's line concerning his inherited assets. It provides a legal bedrock, ensuring stability and preventing the potential for land concentration or dispossession often seen in historical monarchies.

Ezekiel 46 16 Bonus section

The strict regulations concerning the nasi's inheritance in Ezekiel’s vision serve as a polemic against the arbitrary actions of previous Judean kings who, under a more centralized monarchy, frequently disregarded established Israelite land laws. Historically, kings sometimes annexed private lands to their royal estates, disrupting the ancient system of familial land tenure established since the conquest of Canaan. By instituting precise, divinely ordained boundaries for the nasi's property transactions, Ezekiel’s vision presents a rectified socio-political order, where even the leader is confined by ethical and legal precedents that uphold the principles of justice and permanent inheritance. This focus on ordered property transfer within the ideal community highlights not just practical economics but reflects God's desire for stability, fairness, and the prevention of tyranny, safeguarding individual and family rights even amidst elevated authority.

Ezekiel 46 16 Commentary

Ezekiel 46:16 is a foundational legal directive in the vision of the restored Israel, explicitly establishing the permanence of inheritance from the prince to his sons. This verse operates on multiple levels. Theologically, it underscores divine order and justice, ensuring stability and preventing the abuses of power characteristic of previous rulers who might arbitrarily dispossess citizens (as exemplified by Ahab and Naboth). The shift from "king" to "prince" signifies a leadership under strict divine mandate, subject to established laws, emphasizing stewardship over absolute sovereignty. Legally, it secures the lineal transfer of property, reinforcing the crucial Israelite concept of perpetual family inheritance and land tenure. By distinguishing gifts to sons (permanent) from those to servants (temporary, covered in the following verse), it outlines precise boundaries for the prince's exercise of generosity, ensuring that his gifts do not undermine the structure of inheritance and property rights within the holy land. This protection of familial patrimony within the princely line serves as a model for righteous governance, where even the highest human authority operates within the framework of God's unchanging law, promoting justice and order for generations to come.