Ezekiel 48:1

“Now these are the names of the tribes, &c.] That shall inherit the land; and an account is given of each of the portions of it they shall have for an inheritance; by which are meant, not the twelve tribes of Israel literally, among whom the land was never so divided as here, either in Joshua’s time, or after the captivity of Babylon, but the Christian church, or the people of Christ under the Gospel dispensation, as in (<660704>Revelation 7:4), built upon the doctrine of the twelve apostles of Christ: the stranger sojourners are not here mentioned, who, according to the preceding chapter, were equally to inherit with the children of Israel, but are included; they being Israelites indeed, and…”

“ALLOTMENT OF THE LAND TO SEVERAL TRIBES. (Eze. 48:1-35) Dan--The lands are divided into portions of ideal exactness, running alongside of each other, the whole breadth from west to east, standing in a common relation to the temple in the center: seven tribes' portions on the north, five in the smaller division in the south. The portions of the city, the temple, the prince, and the priesthood, are in the middle, not within the boundaries of any tribe, all alike having a common interest in them. Judah has the place of honor next the center on the north, Benjamin the corresponding place of honor next the center on the south; because of the adherence of these two to the temple ordinances and to…”

“The distribution of the holy land is seen in detail throughout Ezekiel 48:0. The order of the original occupation by the tribes under Joshua is partly, but only partly, followed. It is a new order of things - and its ideal character is evinced as elsewhere, by exact and equal measurements. From north to south seven tribes succeed each other. Then comes a portion, separated as an offering to the Lord, subdivided into: (1) a northern portion for the Levites, (2) a central portion for the priests and the temple, (3) a southern portion for the city and those who serve it. These three form a square, which does not occupy the whole breadth of the land, but is flanked on either side, east and west,…”

“48:1-8 The land assigned to the tribes was arranged in strips running east to west through the land, rather than piecemeal as it was before the Exile. This was more than simply a way of ensuring that each tribe received equal access to the various resources of the land. It aligned the land with the sacred east–west axis that was so prominent in the Temple. As in the Temple, the size and shape of the central areas were clearly defined, while those on the margins were less closely determined (see study note on 40:17-19). The four tribes most distant from the central sacred section (Dan, Asher, Naphtali, and Gad), and therefore in the least privileged position, were descended from the four sons…”

“the names: Exo 1:1-5; Num 1:5-15, Num 13:4-15; Rev 7:4-8 From: Eze 47:15-17; Num 34:7-9 a portion: Heb. one portion Dan: Gen 30:3-6; Jos 19:40-47; Jdg 18:26-29; Sa2 24:2; Kg1 12:28, Kg1 12:29; Mat 20:15, Mat 20:16 Ezekiel 48:2”

“The division of the land, like the definition of the boundaries ( Eze 47:15), commences in the north, and enumerates the tribes in the order in which they were to receive their inheritances from north to south: first, seven tribes from the northern boundary to the centre of the land ( Eze 48:1-7), where the heave for the sanctuary, with the land of the priests and Levites and the city domain, together with the prince's land on the two sides, was to be set apart ( Eze 48:8-22; and secondly, the other five tribes from this to the southern boundary ( Eze 48:23-29). Compare the map on Plate IV. Eze 48:1. And these are the names of the tribes: from the north end by the side of the way to Chetlon…”