Ezekiel45

Ezekiel 45 details the division of the holy land, specifying portions for the sanctuary, priests, Levites, city, and prince. It then commands princes to act justly, establishing righteous weights and measures for the people. The chapter concludes by outlining the specific oblations to be offered, emphasizing the prince's role in providing offerings for feasts, new moons, and sabbaths, including rituals for cleansing the sanctuary and observing Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Division of the Holy Land Portion

Moreover, when you shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, you shall offer an offering to the LORD, a holy portion of the land; the length shall be the length of twenty-five thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand: it shall be holy in all its border all around.

Of this there shall be a five hundred by five hundred square for the holy place; and fifty cubits for its suburbs all around.

Of this measure you shall measure a length of twenty-five thousand, and a breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary, which is most holy.

It is a holy portion of the land; it shall be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to the LORD; and it shall be a place for their houses, and a holy place for the sanctuary.

Twenty-five thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth, shall be to the Levites, the ministers of the house, for a possession to themselves, for twenty rooms.

You shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and twenty-five thousand long, side by side with the offering of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.

What is for the prince shall be on the one side and on the other side of the holy offering and of the possession of the city, in front of the holy offering and in front of the possession of the city, on the west side westward, and on the east side eastward; and in length answerable to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border.

In the land it shall be to him for a possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; but they shall give the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

Moral Duties of the Prince

Thus says the Lord GOD: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence and plunder, and execute justice and righteousness; dispossessing my people, says the Lord GOD.

You shall have just balances, and a just efah, and a just bath.

The efah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of a homer, and the efah the tenth part of a homer: its measure shall be after the homer.

The shekel shall be twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels shall be your mina.

Regulations for Offerings

This is the offering that you shall offer: the sixth part of an efah from a homer of wheat; and you shall give the sixth part of an efah from a homer of barley;

and the set portion of oil, of the bath of oil, the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is ten baths, even a homer; (for ten baths are a homer;)

and one lamb of the flock, out of two hundred, from the well-watered pastures of Israel—for a meal offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them, says the Lord GOD.

All the people of the land shall give to this offering for the prince in Israel.

It shall be the prince’s part to give the burnt offerings, and the meal offerings, and the drink offerings, in the feasts, and on the new moons, and on the Sabbaths, in all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meal offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.

Annual Festival Calendar

Thus says the Lord GOD: In the first month, in the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without defect; and you shall cleanse the sanctuary.

The priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it on the door posts of the house, and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court.

So you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who errs, and for him who is simple: so you shall make atonement for the house.

In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

On that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering.

The seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bulls and seven rams without defect daily the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin offering.

He shall prepare a meal offering, an efah for a bull, and an efah for a ram, and a hin of oil to an efah.

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

Study Notes for Ezekiel 45

Verse 1

This verse introduces the concept of the 'holy portion' (terumah), a sacred area set apart for God, which is a key element of the visionary temple complex. The dimensions (25,000 reeds long, 10,000 wide) emphasize the massive, ideal nature of this future territory.

Verse 2

The sanctuary itself is centrally located within the holy portion. The measurements are given in reeds, indicating a massive scale, with a square area (500 x 500) set aside for the immediate temple structures.

Verse 4

The most sacred part of the land is reserved exclusively for the Zadokite priests, who alone are permitted to 'come near to minister unto the Lord,' reinforcing their unique status established in earlier chapters (Ezek. 44:15-16).

Verse 5

The Levites, who minister to the house but not directly at the altar, are assigned a separate, large portion of land adjacent to the priests', reflecting the graded hierarchy of service within the new temple order.

Verse 6

This dimension describes the area allocated for the capital city itself, situated adjacent to the holy portion. This area is designated for the 'whole house of Israel,' ensuring a common area distinct from the sacred priestly and Levitical territories.

Verse 7

The prince (or ruler) is given a large, clearly defined portion of land that flanks the holy oblation and the city area on both the east and west, positioning him as the guardian and steward of the sacred center.

Verse 8

The promise that princes 'shall no more oppress my people' emphasizes a key theological goal of the restoration: the establishment of just governance, contrasting sharply with the corrupt leadership that led to the exile.

Verse 9

This verse marks a sharp transition from geographical organization to ethical demand. God commands the leaders to prioritize justice and equity, demonstrating that physical holiness must be accompanied by moral righteousness.

Verse 10

The requirement for 'just balances' and standardized measures (ephah for dry goods, bath for liquids) ensures economic fairness and prevents exploitation, linking worship to honest commerce.

Verse 12

This verse standardizes the monetary system, defining the shekel (weight) and the maneh (a larger unit, likely equivalent to 60 shekels in standard practice). The varied shekel weights listed here may represent specific accounting standards for different types of payments.

Verse 13

This section outlines the specific tithes (oblations) the community must provide for the temple services, detailing the fractions of wheat and barley required, ensuring the necessary resources for worship are sustained.

Verse 15

The inclusion of 'to make reconciliation for them' highlights the enduring purpose of the sacrificial system: atonement and restoration of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, even in the ideal future state.

Verse 17

The prince is assigned the responsibility of providing the necessary sacrifices for all communal festivals. This shows the prince's role is liturgical and administrative, not priestly, ensuring the smooth operation of the cult.

Verse 18

This initiates the liturgical calendar, beginning with a purification ritual at the start of the year (Nisan 1). This 'cleansing of the sanctuary' ensures the holiness of the building before the major festivals begin.

Verse 19

The application of the sin offering blood to key physical structures (posts, altar corners, gates) symbolizes the removal of defilement that may have accumulated through human error or contact.

Verse 20

The repetition of the cleansing ritual on the seventh day addresses unintentional sins committed by the ignorant or those who 'err,' underscoring the necessity of continuous purification for the temple complex.

Verse 21

This verse confirms the observance of the traditional Passover (Pesach) and Feast of Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzot) on the 14th day of the first month, linking the visionary temple to established Mosaic Law.

Verse 22

The prince is required to provide a sin offering for himself and the people on Passover, reinforcing his mediatory role between the community and God.

Verse 25

The final regulation concerns the Feast of Booths (Sukkot) in the seventh month, mirroring the required offerings for Passover. Ezekiel's calendar emphasizes these two major pilgrimage feasts, omitting the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost).

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Ezekiel45

Division of the Holy Land Portion

Moral Duties of the Prince

Regulations for Offerings

Annual Festival Calendar

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