Ezekiel 48

1 “Here is a list of the tribes of Israel [and the territory that each tribe is to receive]: [The tribe of] Dan will be allotted land at the northern boundary [of Israel]: It will extend east from the Mediterranean Sea east to Hethlon [city], then from there to Hamath Pass, and on to [the town of] Hazar-Enan south of Damascus, between Damascus and Hamath. The tribe of Dan will receive land on the northern border [of Israel] from the eastern end [of the country] west to the [Mediterranean] Sea.

And these are the names of the tribes from the borders of the north, by the way of Hethalon, as they go to Emath, the court of Enan the border of Damascus northward, by the way of Emath. And from the east side thereof to the sea, shall be one portion for Dan.

2 South of their land will be the territory [for the tribe] of Asher.

And by the border of Dan, from the east side even to the side of the sea, one portion for Aser:

3 South of their land will be the territory [for the tribe] of Naphtali.

And by the border of Aser, from the east side even to the side of the sea, one portion for Nephthali.

4 South of their land will be the territory [for the tribe] of Manasseh.

And by the border of Nephthali, from the east side even to the side of the sea, one portion for Manasses.

5 South of their land will be the territory [for the tribe] of Ephraim.

And by the border of Manasses, from the east side even to the side of the sea, one portion for Ephraim.

6 South of their land will be the territory [for the tribe] of Reuben.

And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even to the side of the sea, one portion for Ruben.

7 South of their land will be the territory [for the tribe] of Judah.

And by the border of Ruben, from the east side even to the side of the sea, one portion for Juda.

8 South of their land will be an area set apart for special use. The temple will be in the center of that area.

And by the border of Juda, from the east side even to the side of the sea, shall be the firstfruits which you shall set apart, five and twenty thousand in breadth, and in length, as every one of the portions from the east side to the side of the sea: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst thereof.

9 It must be (8.3 miles/13.3 km.) long and (6.7 miles/10.6 km.) wide.

The firstfruits which you shall set apart for the Lord: shall be the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand.

10 For the priests, there must be a strip of land (8.3 miles/13.3 km.) long and (3.3 miles/5.3 km.) wide. The temple will be in the center of that area.

And these shall be the firstfruits of the sanctuary for the priests: toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the sea ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east also ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the Lord shall be in the midst thereof.

11 That area is for the priests who are descendants of Zadok. They are ones who served me faithfully and did not turn away from me, like most of the descendants of Levi and the other Israeli people did.

The sanctuary shall be for the priests of the sons of Sadoc, who kept my ceremonies, and went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites also went astray.

12 When the land is distributed, that area must be given to the priests; it is land that is very sacred. It will be next to the land that will be given to the other descendants of Levi.

And for them shall be the firstfruits of the firstfruits of the land holy of holies, by the border of the Levites.

13 The land that will be allotted to the [other] descendants of Levi will be the same size as the land allotted to the priests. So together, those two portions of land will be (8.3 miles/13.3 km.) long and (6.6 miles/10.6 km.) wide.

And the Levites in like manner shall have by the borders of the priests five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth. All the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.

14 None of this special land will ever be permitted to be sold or traded or used by other people, because it belongs to me, Yahweh. It is set apart for me.

And they shall not sell thereof, nor exchange, neither shall the firstfruits of the land be alienated, because they are sanctified to the Lord.

15 The rest [of that sacred area, a strip of land] (8.3 miles/13.3 km.) long and (1.7 miles/2.65 km.) wide will be allotted for other people to use. It will be land where they will be permitted to build homes and have pasturelands. There will be a city at the center.

But the five thousand that remain in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof.

16 The city will be square, (1.5 miles/2.4 km.) on each side.

And these are the measures thereof: on the north side four thousand and five hundred: and on the south side four thousand and five hundred: and on the east side four thousand and five hundred: and on the west side four thousand and five hundred.

17 Around the city there will be an area for farming, that will be (150 yards/135 meters) in each direction.

And the suburbs of the city shall be to the north two hundred and fifty, and to the south two hundred and fifty, and to the east two hundred and fifty, and to the sea two hundred and fifty.

18 Outside the city, to the east and to the west, there will be a farming area. It will extend (3 miles/4.8 km.) to the east and (3 miles/4.8 km.) to the west. [Men who work there] will produce food for the people who work in the city.

And the residue in length by the firstfruits of the sanctuary, ten thousand toward the east, and ten thousand toward the west, shall be as the firstfruits of the sanctuary: and the fruits thereof shall be for bread to them that serve the city.

19 [Some of] those who come from the various Israeli tribes to work in the city may also work on the farmland.

And they that serve the city, shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel.

20 That entire special area, including the sacred lands and the city, will be a square that is (8.3 miles/13.3 km.) on each side.

All the firstfruits, of five and twenty thousand, by five and twenty thousand foursquare, shall be set apart for the firstfruits of the sanctuary, and for the possession of the city.

21 The areas to the east and to the west of the sacred area and the city will belong to the king. One area will extend east to the eastern boundary of Israel and the other will extend west to the Mediterranean Sea. The sacred area in which the temple is located will be in the middle.

And the residue shall be for the prince on every side of the firstfruits of the sanctuary, and of the possession of the city over against the five and twenty thousand of the firstfruits unto the east border: toward the sea also over against the five and twenty thousand, unto the border of the sea, shall likewise be the portion of the prince: and the firstfruits of the sanctuary, and the sanctuary of the temple shall be in the midst thereof.

22 The area that belongs to the king will be between the land [of the tribe] of [to the north] and the land [of the tribe] of Benjamin [to the south].

And from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city which ale in the midst of the prince’s portions: what shall be to the border of Juda, and to the border of Benjamin, shall also belong to the prince.

23 South of that special area, each of the other tribes must be allotted one portion of land that extends from the eastern [boundary of Israel] west [to the Mediterranean Sea]. [Beginning at the north] will be land for [the tribe of] Benjamin.

And for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west side, one portion for Benjamin.

24 South of their land will be the territory for [the tribe of] Simeon.

And over against the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, one portion for Simeon.

25 South of their land will be the territory for [the tribe of] Issachar.

And by the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, one portion for Issachar.

26 South of their land will be the territory for [the tribe of] Zebulun.

And by the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, one portion for Zabulon.

27 South of their land will be the territory for [the tribe of] Gad.

And by the border of Zabulon, from the east side to the side of the sea, one portion for Gad.

28 The southern boundary of [the tribe of] Gad will extend south from Tamar to the springs at Meribah-Kadesh, and from there [to the west] along the dry riverbed at the border of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.

And by the border of Gad, the south side southward: and the border shall be from Thamar, even to the waters of contradiction of Cades, the inheritance over against the great sea.

29 That is the land that you must allot to the tribes of Israel, to belong to them permanently. [That is what I], Yahweh the Lord, declare.”

This is the land which you shall divide by lot to the tribes of Israel: and these are the portions of them, saith the Lord God.

30 These will be the exits from the city: On the north side, which will be (1.5 miles/2.4 km.) long,

And these are the goings out of the city: on the north side thou shalt measure four thousand and five hundred.

31 there must be three gates; each one will have the name of one of the tribes of Israel. The first one will be named for Reuben, the next for Judah, the next for Levi.

And the gates of the city according to the names of the tribes of Israel, three gates on the north side, the gate of Ruben one, the gate of Juda one, the gate of Levi one.

32 On the east side, [also] (1.5 miles/2.4 km.) long, will be gates named for Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan.

And at the east side, four thousand and five hundred: and three gates, the gate of Joseph one, the gate of Benjamin one, the gate of Dan one.

33 On the south side, [also] (1.5 miles/2.4 km.) long, will be gates named for Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun.

And at the south side, thou shalt measure four thousand and five hundred: and three gates, the gate of Simeon one, the gate of Issachar one, the gate of Zabulon one.

34 On the west side, [also] (1.5 miles/2.4 km.) long, will be gates named for Gad, Asher, and Naphtali.

And at the west side, four thousand and five hundred, and their three gates, the gate of Gad one, the gate of Aser one, the gate of Nephthali one.

35 [So] the distance around the city will thus be (6 miles/9.6 km.). And from that time on, the name of the city will be ‘Yahweh Is There’.’

Its circumference was eighteen thousand: and the name of the city from that day, The Lord is there.