Bible Strands
Ezekiel 48:21
The remaining area on both sides of the holy portion and of the property of the city will belong to the prince. He will own the land adjacent to the tribal portions, extending eastward from the 25,000 cubits of the holy district toward the eastern border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the western border. And in the center of them will be the holy portion and the sanctuary of the temple.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Ezekiel addresses the exiled house of Israel, detailing the final territorial allotment for the restored community. The prophet outlines the spatial boundaries surrounding the central holy portion after the tribal inheritance has been distributed.
The words — no.Tar (what remains) and na.Si' (to the prince) anchor the verse's declaration that leftover territory defaults to the ruler. The text specifies this land extends east and west from the 25,000-cubit holy district toward the outer borders.
The thread — The prince's adjacent territory is reiterated in Ezekiel 48:22, which places the city and Levitical property within his domain between Judah and Benjamin. The ruler's central shepherding role echoes Ezekiel 34:23 and Ezekiel 37:24, where a single Davidic king governs the reunited people.
Why it lands — The text requires a reader to recognize that the prince's inheritance is strictly bounded by and subordinate to the sanctified center. It demands a clear distinction between sacred space, civic property, and royal allotment without merging their functions.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And 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.
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 48:22 So the Levitical property and the city property will lie in the center of the area belonging to the prince—the area between the borders of Judah and Benjamin.
- Ezekiel 34:23 I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd.
- Ezekiel 37:24 My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow My ordinances and keep and observe My statutes.
- Ezekiel 45:7 Now the prince will have the area bordering each side of the area formed by the holy district and the property of the city, extending westward from the western side and eastward from the eastern side, running lengthwise from the western boundary to the eastern boundary and parallel to one of the tribal portions.
- Ezekiel 48:8 Bordering the territory of Judah, from east to west, will be the portion you are to set apart. It will be 25,000 cubits wide, and the length of a tribal portion from east to west. In the center will be the sanctuary.
- Ezekiel 48:10 This will be the holy portion for the priests. It will be 25,000 cubits long on the north side, 10,000 cubits wide on the west side, 10,000 cubits wide on the east side, and 25,000 cubits long on the south side. In the center will be the sanctuary of the LORD.
- Hosea 1:11 Then the people of Judah and of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint for themselves one leader, and will go up out of the land. For great will be the day of Jezreel.