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Ezekiel, 45

1. ' "When you draw lots to divide the country by heritage, you must set a sacred portion of the country aside for Yahweh: twenty-five thousand cubits long and twenty thousand wide. The whole of this land must be sacred,

1. 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.

2. and of this an area five hundred by five hundred cubits must be for the sanctuary, with a boundary fifty cubits wide right round.

2. Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred [in length], with five hundred [in breadth], square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof.

3. Out of this area you must also measure a section twenty-five thousand by ten thousand cubits, in which will be the sanctuary, the Holy of Holies.

3. And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary [and] the most holy [place].

4. This will be the sacred portion of the country, belonging to the priests who officiate in the sanctuary and approach Yahweh to serve him. It will contain room for their houses and room for the sanctuary.

4. The holy [portion] of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary.

5. A portion twenty-five thousand by ten thousand cubits will be owned by the Levites serving the Temple, with towns for them to live in.

5. And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth, shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers.

6. You must give the city possession of an area five thousand by twenty-five thousand cubits, near the land belonging to the sanctuary; this must be for the whole House of Israel.

6. And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy [portion]: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.

7. "The prince must have a territory either side of the sacred portion and of the property of the city, adjacent to the sacred portion and the property of the city, stretching westwards from the west and eastwards from the east, its size equal to one of the portions between the west and the east frontiers

7. And a [portion shall be] for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy [portion], and of the possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy [portion], and before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward: and the length [shall be] over against one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border.

8. of the country. This will be his property in Israel. Then my princes will no longer oppress my people; they must leave the rest of the country for the House of Israel, for its tribes.

8. In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and [the rest of] the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

9. "The Lord Yahweh says this: Enough, princes of Israel! Give up your violence and plundering, do what is upright and just, stop crushing my people with taxation -- declares the Lord Yahweh.

9. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.

10. Have fair scales, a fair ephah, a fair bat.

10. Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.

11. Let the ephah and bat be equal, let the bat hold one-tenth of a homer and the ephah one-tenth of a homer. Let the measures be based on the homer.

11. The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.

12. The shekel must be twenty gerah. Twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels and fifteen shekels must make one mina.

12. And the shekel [shall be] twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.

13. "This is the offering that you must levy: the sixth of an ephah for every homer of wheat, and the sixth of an ephah for every homer of barley.

13. This [is] the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley:

14. The dues on oil: one bat of oil out of every ten bat or out of every kor (which is equal to ten bat or one homer, since ten bat equal one homer).

14. Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, [ye shall offer] the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, [which is] an homer of ten baths; for ten baths [are] an homer:

15. You must levy one sheep on every flock of two hundred from the pastures of Israel for the oblation, the burnt offerings and the communion sacrifice. This must form your expiation -- declares the Lord Yahweh.

15. And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD.

16. Let all the people of the country be subject to this due for the prince of Israel.

16. All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel.

17. The prince must make himself responsible for providing the burnt offerings, the oblation and the libations for feasts, New Moons, Sabbaths and all the solemn festivals of the House of Israel. He must provide the sacrifice for sin, the oblation, the burnt offerings and the communion sacrifices to make expiation for the House of Israel.

17. And it shall be the prince's part [to give] burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.

18. "The Lord Yahweh says this: On the first day of the first month, you must take a young bull without blemish, to purify the sanctuary.

18. Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first [month], in the first [day] of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:

19. The priest must take blood from the sacrifice for sin and put it on the doorposts of the Temple, on the four corners of the altar plinth and on the doorposts of the gates of the inner court.

19. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put [it] upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.

20. You must do the same on the seventh of the month, on behalf of anyone who has sinned through inadvertence or ignorance. This is how you must make expiation for the Temple.

20. And so thou shalt do the seventh [day] of the month for every one that erreth, and for [him that is] simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.

21. On the fourteenth day of the first month, you must celebrate the feast of the Passover. For seven days everyone must eat unleavened loaves.

21. In the first [month], in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

22. On that day, the prince must offer a bull as a sacrifice for sin, for himself and all the people of the country.

22. And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock [for] a sin offering.

23. For the seven days of the feast, he must offer Yahweh burnt offerings of seven bulls and seven rams without blemish, daily for a week, and one he-goat daily as a sacrifice for sin,

23. And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily [for] a sin offering.

24. and as an oblation, one ephah for each bull and one ephah for each ram, and a hin of oil for every ephah.

24. And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.

25. "For the feast that falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, he must do the same for seven days, offering the sacrifice for sin, the burnt offerings, the oblation and the oil." '

25. In the seventh [month], in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.



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Footnotes:

45:1-5 - Ezekiel describes the division of the promised land among the tribes of Israel, emphasizing the central role of the prince. This distribution reflects divine order and justice, with each tribe receiving a specific portion. The prince, as leader, has crucial responsibilities in governing and restoring order (see also Numbers 34:1-12 and Ezekiel 48:21-22).

45:6-9 - The temple portion of the territory is set aside, highlighting the centrality of worship to God. This sacred area will be dedicated to worship and divine service, demonstrating the importance of reverence and commitment to the Lord in all spheres of life (see also 1 Kings 6:2 and Revelation 21:2).

45:10-12 - Laws related to justice, honesty, and the weighing of goods are emphasized. Righteousness in business transactions is evidence of the holiness God requires of His people. Economic justice is vital to maintaining social harmony and community integrity (see also Leviticus 19:35-36 and Proverbs 11:1).

45:13-17 - The tax (or tribute) for the temple and the priests is instituted, symbolizing the need to sustain worship and obedience to God. Voluntary contributions to the temple are an expression of gratitude and a means of maintaining communion with God (see also Malachi 3:10 and Luke 21:1-4).

45:18-25 - The chapter concludes with guidance on the annual celebrations and the sacrificial system, pointing to the return of true worship to God. These festivals are to be celebrated with purity, maintaining the sanctity of God's worship in the new temple (see also Leviticus 23:1-44 and John 4:23-24).

Verses related to Ezekiel, 45:

Ezekiel chapter 45 outlines the division of the land and establishes ordinances for leaders. How does this plan reflect divine justice? The text describes the allocation of land for the sanctuary, the priests, and the prince, as well as establishing fair measures and adequate offerings. This chapter emphasizes equity, holiness, and responsibility in leadership. The instructions aim at righteous government and proper worship. Reflect with us on five biblical passages that illuminate the eternal principles presented in this significant chapter.

Leviticus 25:10: "Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberation throughout the land and for all its inhabitants. This will be a year of jubilee for you, when each of you will return to your homestead and clan." - The concept of jubilee and land redistribution in Leviticus relates to the division of the land described in Ezekiel 45.

Numbers 35:2: "Command the Israelites to give the Levites cities to live in, from the inheritance they will possess, with pastures around them." - This passage regarding the provision of land for the Levites is similar to the instructions in Ezekiel 45 regarding the allocation of land for the priests.

Proverbs 11:1: "The Lord hates dishonest scales, but accurate weights give him pleasure." - This verse about the importance of fair measurements relates to the instructions on measures and weights in Ezekiel 45.

Amos 8:5: "You say, 'When will the new moon end so we can sell the wheat? And when will the Sabbath end so that we can sell the grain, reducing the measure, increasing the price, and deceiving with dishonest scales?'" - This criticism of dishonest traders contrasts with the instructions on fair measures in Ezekiel 45.

2 Corinthians 9:7: "Each one should give as he has determined in his heart, not with regret or under obligation, for God loves a cheerful giver." - Although in a different context, this verse about giving generously relates to the offerings described in Ezekiel 45.

FAQ:

What does Ezekiel 45 say about the distribution of land to the people?

Ezekiel 45 describes how the land will be divided among the prince, the priests, and the people, reflecting a just and orderly system of governance. (Ezekiel 45:1-5)

How are offerings and sacrifices treated in Ezekiel 45?

Offerings and sacrifices are presented as a form of consecration and reparation, reflecting the importance of continual worship and adoration of God. (Ezekiel 45:13-17)

What is the function of the prince in Ezekiel 45?

The prince's role is to rule justly, ensure proper worship, and ensure that offerings and sacrifices are made correctly. (Ezekiel 45:8-9)

What do the portions of land represented in Ezekiel 45 mean?

The land allotments represent God's command to ensure justice, equity, and holiness among the tribes of Israel by providing space for the temple and the priests. (Ezekiel 45:1-5)

How does Ezekiel 45 describe the observance of the religious calendar?

Ezekiel 45 highlights the importance of religious festivals and sacrifices, which must be carried out according to God's commandments, promoting the sanctification of the people. (Ezekiel 45:18-25)


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