Ezekiel 48 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

The Land for the Tribes of Israel

48 “The northern border goes east from the Mediterranean Sea to Hethlon to Hamath Pass and then all the way to Hazar Enan. This is on the border between Damascus and Hamath. The land for the tribes in this group will go from the east of these borders to the west. From north to south, the tribes in this area are Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Judah.

The Special Section of Land

⁸ “The next area of land will be for a special use. This land is south of Judah’s land. This area is 25,000 cubits^[a] long from north to south. From east to west, it will be as wide as the land that belongs to the other tribes. The Temple will be in the middle of this section of land. ⁹ You will dedicate this land to the Lord. It will be 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits^[b] wide. ¹⁰ This special area of land will be divided among the priests and Levites.

“The priests will get one part of this area. The land will be 25,000 cubits long on the north side, 10,000 cubits^[c] wide on the west side, 10,000 cubits wide on the east side, and 25,000 cubits long on the south side. The Lord’s Temple will be in the middle of this area of land. ¹¹ This land is for Zadok’s descendants. These men were chosen to be my holy priests, because they continued to serve me when the other people of Israel left me. Zadok’s family did not leave me like the other people from the tribe of Levi. ¹² This share from this holy part of the land will be especially for these priests. It will be next to the land of the Levites.

¹³ “Next to the land for the priests, the Levites will have a share of the land. It will be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. They will get the full length and width of this land—25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits wide. ¹⁴ The Levites will not sell or trade any of this land. They will not be able to sell any of it. They must not cut up this part of the country, because this land belongs to the Lord—it is very special. It is the best part of the land.

The Shares for the City Property

¹⁵ “There will be an area of land 5000 cubits^[d] wide by 25,000 cubits long that is left over from the land given to the priests and Levites. This land can be for the city, for grasslands for animals, and for building houses. The common people may use this land. The city will be in the middle of it. ¹⁶ These are the city’s measurements: The north side will be 4500 cubits.^[e] The south side will be 4500 cubits. The east side will be 4500 cubits. The west side will be 4500 cubits. ¹⁷ The city will have grasslands. These grasslands will be 250 cubits^[f] on the north and 250 cubits on the south. They will be 250 cubits on the east and 250 cubits on the west. ¹⁸ What is left of the length along the side of the holy area will be 10,000 cubits on the east and 10,000 cubits on the west. This land will be along the side of the holy area. This land will grow food for the city workers. ¹⁹ The city workers from all the tribes of Israel will farm this land.

²⁰ “This special area of land will be square. It will be 25,000 cubits long by 25,000 cubits wide. You must set apart this area for its special purposes. One part is for the priests, one part is for the Levites, and one part is for the city.

^21-22 “Part of that special land will be for the ruler of the country. That special area of land is square. It is 25,000 cubits long by 25,000 cubits wide. Part of this special land is for the priests, part of it is for the Levites, and part of it is for the Temple. The Temple is in the middle of this area of land. The rest of the land belongs to the ruler of the country. The ruler will get the area between the land of Benjamin and the land of Judah.

^23-27 “South of this special area will be the land for the tribes that lived east of the Jordan River. Each tribe will get a section of land that goes from the eastern border to the Mediterranean Sea. From north to south, these tribes are Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad.

²⁸ “The southern border of Gad’s land will go from Tamar to the oasis at Meribah-kadesh, then along the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. ²⁹ This is the land that you will divide among the tribes of Israel. This is what each group will get.” This is what the Lord God said!

The Gates of the City

³⁰ “These are the gates of the city. The gates will be named for the tribes of Israel.

“The north side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. ³¹ There will be three gates: Reuben’s Gate, Judah’s Gate, and Levi’s Gate.

³² “The east side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. There will be three gates: Joseph’s Gate, Benjamin’s Gate, and Dan’s Gate.

³³ “The south side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. There will be three gates: Simeon’s Gate, Issachar’s Gate, and Zebulun’s Gate.

³⁴ “The west side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. There will be three gates: Gad’s Gate, Asher’s Gate, and Naphtali’s Gate.

³⁵ “The distance around the city will be 18,000 cubits.^[g] From now on, the name of the city will be the lord is there.^[h]”

Footnotes

1. Ezekiel 48:8 25,000 cubits 8.05 miles (12.96 km). Also in verses 9, 13, 15, 20, 21-22.
2. Ezekiel 48:9 20,000 cubits 6.44 miles (10.37 km). Most Greek copies have 25,000 cubits, and the standard Hebrew text has 10,000 cubits, but see Ezek. 45:1. Also in verse 13.
3. Ezekiel 48:10 10,000 cubits 3.22 miles (5.18 km). Also in verses 13, 18.
4. Ezekiel 48:15 5000 cubits 1.61 miles (2.6 km).
5. Ezekiel 48:16 4500 cubits 1.45 miles (2.33 km). Also in verses 30, 32-34.
6. Ezekiel 48:17 250 cubits 425' 1 1/2" (129.58 m).
7. Ezekiel 48:35 18,000 cubits 5.8 miles (9.33 km).
8. Ezekiel 48:35 The Lord Is There In Hebrew this name sounds like Jerusalem.