- for the city:
- The holy oblation of 25,000 square reeds, or near fifty square miles, was divided into three parts from north to south (see note on "Moreover, when ye shall divide²° by lot¹¹ the landª for inheritance,ª ye shall offerª° an oblationª unto the LORD,ª an holy portionª of¹ the land:ª the lengthª [shall be] the lengthª of fiveª and twentyª thousandª [reeds], and the breadthª [shall be] tenª thousand.ª This¹ [shall be] holyª in all¹ the bordersª thereof round about.ª" {Ezk 45:1}); a portion on the north of 10,000 reeds in width, and 25,000 in length, for the priests, in the midst of which was the sanctuary or temple, surrounded by a wall 500 reeds square ("The oblationª that¹ ye shall offerª° unto the LORDª [shall be] of fiveª and twentyª thousandª in length,ª and of tenª thousandª in breadth.ª ... And for them,¹ [even] for the priests,ª shall be¹ [this] holyª oblation;ª toward the northª fiveª and twentyª thousandª [in length], and toward the westª tenª thousandª in breadth,ª and toward the eastª tenª thousandª in breadth,ª and toward the southª fiveª and twentyª thousandª in length:ª and the sanctuaryª of the LORDª shall be¹ in the midstª thereof." {Ezk 48:9-10}; see note on "Now when he had made an endª° of¹ measuringª the innerª house,ª he brought me forthª° towardª the gateª whose¹ prospectª [is] towardª the east,ª and measuredª° it round about.ª" {Ezk 42:15}); next to this another portion of the same dimensions for the Levites ("And over againstª the borderª of the priestsª the Levitesª [shall have] fiveª and twentyª thousandª in length,ª and tenª thousandª in breadth:ª all¹ the lengthª [shall be] fiveª and twentyª thousand,ª and the breadthª tenª thousand.ª ... And they shall not¹ sellª° of¹ it, neither¹ exchange,ª° nor¹ alienateª°°° the firstfruitsª of the land:ª for¹ [it is] holyª unto the LORD.ª" {Ezk 48:13-14}); and on the south another portion of the same length, but only 5,000 reeds in breadth, for the city ("And the fiveª thousand,ª that are leftª° in the breadthª over againstª¹ the fiveª and twentyª thousand,ª shall be a profaneª [place] for the city,ª for dwelling,ª and for suburbs:ª and the cityª shall be¹ in the midstª thereof." {Ezk 48:15}). The city was situated in the midst of this portion, being 4,500 reeds, or about nine miles square ("And these¹ [are] the goings outª of the cityª on the northª side,ª¹ fourª thousandª and fiveª hundredª measures.ª" {Ezk 48:30}), having a suburb of 250 reeds, or about half a mile, on each side ("And the suburbsª of the cityª shall be¹ toward the northª two hundredª and fifty,ª and toward the southª two hundredª and fifty,ª and toward the eastª two hundredª and fifty,ª and toward the westª two hundredª and fifty.ª" {Ezk 48:17}), leaving 10,000 reeds or nearly ten miles, on the east side, and the same on the west side, for the profit of those who serve the city out of all the tribes ("And the residueª° in lengthª over againstª the oblationª of the holyª [portion shall be] tenª thousandª eastward,ª and tenª thousandª westward:ª and it shall be¹ over againstª the oblationª of the holyª [portion]; and the increaseª thereof shall be¹ for foodª unto them that serveª° the city.ª ... And they that serveª° the cityª shall serveª° it out of all¹¹ the tribesª of Israel.ª" {Ezk 48:18-19}). On the east and west sides of this square of 25,000 reeds, is the portion of the prince; each of which, estimating the breadth of the land at 150 miles, would form a square of fifty miles. Thus the whole plan of the division of the country, laying out of the city, temple, and all its appendages, is perfectly regular and uniform; and would therefore convey to the minds of the Jews the most complete idea they were capable of conceiving of the most perfect church, commonwealth, city, temple, and conveniences, on the largest and grandest scale for the Divine worship; and it doubtless ultimately points out the land of Immanuel, the city of the New Jerusalem, and his temple, the Christian church, the house of the living God. "Butª ifª I tarry long,ª° thatª thou mayest knowª° howª thou oughtestª° to behave thyselfª° inª the houseª of God,ª whichª isª° the churchª of the livingª° God,ª the pillarª andª groundª of the¹ truth.ª" {1Tm 3:15}
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