Ezekiel 48 35

Ezekiel 48:35 kjv

It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

Ezekiel 48:35 nkjv

All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE."

Ezekiel 48:35 niv

"The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits. "And the name of the city from that time on will be: the LORD is there."

Ezekiel 48:35 esv

The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There."

Ezekiel 48:35 nlt

"The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be 'The LORD Is There.' "

Ezekiel 48 verses

Ezekiel 48 35 meaning

Ezekiel 48:35 concludes the prophet's grand vision with a powerful declaration about the future holy city. It specifies the precise dimensions of the city's perimeter, emphasizing its divine design and order. More profoundly, it reveals the city's eternal name, "The Lord Is There," which encapsulates the ultimate promise of God's permanent and intimate presence among His redeemed people, reversing the prior judgment and departure of His glory.

Ezekiel 48 35 Context

This verse is the climatic conclusion to the entire Book of Ezekiel. It culminates the extensive visions and prophecies concerning the restoration of Israel and, specifically, the detailed description of a new temple, a renewed priesthood, a re-divided land among the twelve tribes, and finally, a purified city, as described from chapter 40 onwards. Following a devastating period of Babylonian exile, when Jerusalem and its temple lay in ruins, God's glory having dramatically departed, this final declaration provides the exiled people with an ultimate message of hope and complete restoration. The immediate context of Ezekiel 48 is the meticulous tribal allocation of land, with the sacred district (comprising the temple, priestly area, and the city) at its center. The naming of the twelve gates after the tribes, each 1,500 cubits wide, leads directly to the summary measurement of the entire city's circumference and its new, profound name, signifying that all the elaborate arrangements serve one supreme purpose: God's perpetual indwelling.

Ezekiel 48 35 Word analysis

• The circumference: (Hebrew: qō·ṭeṭ) Signifies the outer limit, boundary, or perimeter. Its measurement here implies divine precision, order, and forethought in the city's design. This is a real, measurable space within the vision.
• of the city: (Hebrew: hā·‘îr) Refers to the sacred, holy city depicted in the vision, not merely the historical, defiled Jerusalem, but an idealized, purified urban dwelling for God's people.
• shall be eighteen thousand cubits: (Hebrew: šmōneh ‘eśreh ’ălāphîm ’ammāh) A specific numerical quantity denoting its grand scale. Using Ezekiel’s long cubit (approximately 20.4 inches or 51.8 cm), this equates to approximately 6.5 miles or 10.4 kilometers. While sizable, this figure is a precise, orderly dimension, symbolizing the divinely regulated existence of the renewed community. It indicates God's purposeful establishment and a controlled, holy environment.
• And the name: (Hebrew: ū·šêm) In ancient Near Eastern and biblical thought, a name is not merely an identifier but intrinsically conveys character, nature, and destiny. To rename something is to redefine its essence and purpose.
• of the city from that day on: (Hebrew: hā·‘îr mim·yō·wm hā·hūw’) Establishes a permanent, enduring reality. "From that day on" points to an eschatological, irreversible change in the city's status and identity, contrasting with its past as "Jerusalem" which often carried connotations of apostasy and judgment. It marks a new, perpetual era defined by God's presence.
• will be: The LORD Is There: (Hebrew: yhwh šām·māh) This is the climactic and most profound declaration. YHWH (the divine covenant name of God) paired with šām·māh ("there" or "hither/thither," indicating presence or direction toward a place). It affirms God's literal, faithful, and permanent indwelling with His people. It utterly reverses the traumatic departure of God's glory from the temple in Ezekiel 10-11 and provides the ultimate assurance of God's unfailing commitment. It renames the entire city, infusing its very being with the essence of God's unfailing presence.

• "The circumference of the city will be eighteen thousand cubits": This phrase emphasizes divine precision and order in the new city. The exact measurement signifies not randomness, but a well-ordered, intentionally designed sacred space by God Himself. This tangible, yet divinely ordered, boundary reinforces the idea of a consecrated community distinct from the outside world.
• "And the name of the city... will be: The Lord Is There": This collective phrase is the theological apex of Ezekiel's prophecy. It redefines the city's entire existence, shifting its identity from one marred by human sin and divine judgment (Jerusalem) to one characterized by God's eternal, manifest presence (YHWH Shammah). It’s a powerful declaration of God’s complete restoration and communion with His people, signifying that God’s physical dwelling is not confined to a building, but encompasses the entire new city, giving it life and meaning.

Ezekiel 48 35 Bonus section

The concept of YHWH Shammah represents the ultimate fulfillment of God's covenant promise to dwell with His people (e.g., Ex 25:8). While rooted in a physical vision of a city, its eschatological resonance transcends a literal earthly re-establishment of Jerusalem. Many Christian scholars view this as pointing to the New Jerusalem described in Revelation 21, where God's presence is so complete that no physical temple is needed, for "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple" (Rev 21:22). The specific circumference measurement might also be symbolic, signifying divine completeness or a numerically ordered cosmos, or simply emphasizing that God defines all aspects of this new reality. The name YHWH Shammah embodies the entire longing of God's people for His dwelling, making it not just a city, but the very embodiment of the realized kingdom of God.

Ezekiel 48 35 Commentary

Ezekiel 48:35 provides a magnificent and hope-filled conclusion to Ezekiel's prophetic visions. After meticulously describing a restored temple, priesthood, land, and community, the final declaration anchors the entire enterprise on God's unwavering presence. The specific measurement of the city's perimeter speaks to divine design and meticulous order, implying that this future dwelling place is entirely God's conception and construction, rather than human ambition. However, the spiritual weight rests in its new name, YHWH Shammah – "The Lord Is There." This name signals a profound theological reversal, replacing the tragic departure of God's glory depicted early in the book. It declares that God will not only return but will eternally establish His residence among His people, making His manifest presence the very identity and purpose of the city. This signifies ultimate reconciliation, intimate fellowship, and security. It points to a final state of complete restoration, far beyond any physical rebuild, encompassing the new heavens and new earth where God Himself is the ultimate temple and light.