and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west 18 two hundred and fifty. And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase 19 thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city. And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of 20 Israel. All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy 21 oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city. And

city to the 4500 it appears that the whole breadth of the 5000 assigned to the city was occupied by it and its suburbs from N. to S.

18. As the city with its suburbs was a square of 5000 cubits, there remained of the 25,000 in length assigned to it a portion 10,000 long on the E. and another equally long on the W. In their length these portions lay "over against," i.e. along, the holy portion of the priests.

that serve the city] The words are very difficult. It is plain that the 10,000 cubits of land E. and W. of the city serve to supply the inhabitants of the city with food. The restored land is a land of husbandmen, and those who dwell in the city live from the city's domain. Either "serve" or "cultivate," must be taken in the sense of inhabit and the words be read: for food to them that inhabit the city, 19 and they that inhabit the city &c.; though such a usage has no parallel. Or, the word "city" must be taken in a general sense of the city and its domain of land: for food to the tillers of the city, 19 and they that till the city &c.

19. that serve the city] Those who render inhabit (Hitz.) consider that the verse states directly who the inhabitants of the city shall be: "and as for the inhabitants of the city, they shall inhabit it (reading fem.) out of all the tribes of Israel." On the other supposition: "and they that till the city shall till it (the domain of land) out of all the tribes of Israel." This rendering also states, though indirectly, that the city shall be common to all the tribes of Israel, and that whoever comes to sojourn there shall live by the land belonging to the city. However the words be translated there is no ref. to two classes of persons-citizens and labourers.

20. The verse means that the holy oblation when the possession of the city is included forms a square of 25,000 by 25,000.

21, 22. The domain of the prince. The domain of the Levites, priests and city formed a square of 25,000 cubits in the heart of the country. The portion of the prince shall be the land from the E. of this square to the Jordan, and from the W. of it to the sea. The "five and twenty thousand" here is the breadth N. to S.; the prince's domain shall be of the same breadth and be "over against" the square on the E. and W.

the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof. Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince's, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince.

22

As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the 23 west side, Benjamin shall have a portion. And by the 24 border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall have a portion. And by the border of Simeon, 25 from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion. And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the 26 west side, Zebulun a portion. And by the border of 27 Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion. And by the border of Gad, at the south side 28

over against the portions] Or, by the side of the portions, it shall be for the prince; and the holy oblation, and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof. The "portions" here are those of the tribes, which run from the Jordan to the sea; the prince's domain shall run alongside of them, i.e. Judah's on the N. and Benjamin's on the S. And the holy oblation lies between the two halves of the prince's domain.

22. Moreover from the possession] And from. The verse gives again the breadth of the prince's possession, by stating the two limits N. (the Levites) and S. (the city) of the central oblation. All the land lying between these limits, in other words between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, shall belong to the prince.

being in the midst] i.e. lying between the two halves of the prince's portion.

23-29. THE TRIBES LYING SOUTH OF THE OBLATION.

First, Benjamin, which changes places with Judah, and bounds the oblation on the south (v. 23). The two tribes that formed the ancient kingdom of Judah still have the prerogative of lying nearest the sanctuary. Then Simeon, formerly located in the south (v. 24). Then successively Issachar (v. 25), Zebulun (v. 26), and finally Gad (v. 27). The two former are brought down from the north, and Gad from beyond the Jordan.

southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great 29 sea. This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord GOD.

30

And these are the goings out of the city on the north 31 side, four thousand and five hundred measures. And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one 32 gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate 33 of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, 34 one gate of Zebulun. At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one 35 gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. It was round about

28.

The southern border is again given as stated in xlvii. 19. and to the river] to the brook (of Egypt), unto the great sea. Cf. xlvii. 19.

30-35. THE CITY WITH ITS TWELVE GATES, NAMED AFTER THE TRIBES. Cf. Rev. xxi. 12 seq.

30. goings out of the city] i.e. the extensions on all sides. measures] in measure, i.e. extent. The 4500 are naturally cubits. The city lies foursquare, each side being 4500. But on each side is a free place of 250 cubits, so that the city forms a square of 5000 cubits.

31. The measurement proceeds from W. to E. The gate Reuben was thus the westmost on the north of the city; Judah in the centre and Levi towards the east.

32. Of the three gates on the east side Benjamin's was in the centre, Joseph's to the north and Dan's to the south.

33. Those on the south were Simeon, Issachar and Zebulun, tribes now all located in the south of the country. For "measures," in measure or extent.

34. tali.

The gates on the west were those of Gad, Asher and Naph

35. The whole circumference of the city was 18,000 cubits, or somewhat under six miles. Josephus (Bell. Jud. V. 4, 3) reckoned the bounds of Jerusalem in his day at 33 stadia, or about four miles. For measures, cubits.

eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

The LORD is there] Cf. Rev. xxi. 3, "And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God." The prophet beheld the Lord forsake his temple (xi.), and he beheld him again enter it (xliii.) ; now he abides in it among his people for ever. The covenant ran that he should be their God and they his people; this is perfectly fulfilled in his presence among them. The end in view from the beginning has

been reached.