1
These are the names of the tribes: At the far north, from the sea by way of Hethlon, to the entrance of Hamath, Hazar-enan, and the territory of Damascus, with Hamath bordering it on the north, from the east boundary to the west boundary, Dan shall have its portion.
2
Beside the territory of Dan, from the east boundary to the west boundary, Asher shall have its portion.
3
Beside the territory of Asher, from the east boundary to the west boundary, Naphtali shall have its portion.
4
Beside the territory of Naphtali, from the east boundary to the west boundary, Manasseh shall have its portion.
5
Beside the territory of Manasseh, from the east boundary to the west boundary, Ephraim shall have its portion.
6
Beside the territory of Ephraim, from the east boundary to the west boundary, Reuben shall have its portion.
7
Beside the territory of Reuben, from the east boundary to the west boundary, Judah shall have its portion.
8
Beside the territory of Judah, from the east boundary to the west boundary, there shall be the special offering that you are to set apart, twenty-five thousand cubits in width, and in length as long as one portion, from the east boundary to the west boundary; and the sanctuary shall be in its midst.
9
The special offering that you are to set apart to the LORD shall be twenty-five thousand cubits long and twenty thousand cubits wide.
10
And for these shall be the holy special offering: the portion for the priests shall be twenty-five thousand cubits in length northward and southward, and ten thousand cubits in width eastward and westward. And the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in its midst.
11
This shall be for the priests, the sanctified ones, the sons of Zadok, who kept My charge and did not go astray when the Israelites went astray, as the Levites did.
12
It shall be a special portion for them from the land set apart, a most holy thing, bordering the portion of the Levites.
13
The Levites’ portion shall be alongside the priests’ territory, twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand cubits in width. The whole of it shall be twenty-five thousand cubits long and twenty thousand cubits wide.
14
They shall not sell any of it or exchange it, and they shall not transfer the best of the land to another, for it is holy to the LORD.
15
What remains of the width, namely the five thousand cubits, adjoining the twenty-five thousand cubits, shall be common land; it is not holy, but it shall be for the city, for dwelling places and for pastureland.
16
And its measurements shall be these: on the north side and on the south side, four thousand five hundred cubits; on the east side and on the west side, also four thousand five hundred cubits.
17
The city shall have open land all around it: on the north and on the south, two hundred fifty cubits, and on the east and on the west, two hundred fifty cubits also.
18
What remains of the length, alongside the holy special offering, shall be ten thousand cubits on the east and ten thousand cubits on the west, and its produce shall be food for the workers of the city.
19
These workers, who come from all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it.
20
The whole special offering shall be twenty-five thousand cubits by twenty-five thousand cubits. In a square form you shall set apart the holy special offering together with the city’s property.
21
The remainder shall be the prince’s possession, namely on the east and on the west of the holy special offering and the city’s property, and adjoining the twenty-five thousand cubits, to the east as far as the eastern boundary and to the west as far as the western boundary, and parallel to the portions of the other tribes, shall be for the prince. In the middle of it shall be the holy special offering and the Sanctuary.
22
Except for the possession of the Levites and the possession of the city — which lie in the middle of the prince’s portion — what lies between the territory of Judah and the territory of Benjamin shall be for the prince.
23
As for the other tribes: from the eastern boundary to the western boundary, there shall be the portion of Benjamin.
24
Bordering the territory of Benjamin, from the eastern boundary to the western boundary, there shall be the portion of Simeon.
25
Bordering the territory of Simeon, from the eastern boundary to the western boundary, there shall be the portion of Issachar.
26
Bordering the territory of Issachar, from the eastern boundary to the western boundary, there shall be the portion of Zebulun.
27
Bordering the territory of Zebulun, from the eastern boundary to the western boundary, there shall be the portion of Gad.
28
The southern boundary of the territory of Gad shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah near Kadesh, then to the brook of Egypt, then to the Great Sea.
29
This is the land that you shall divide by lot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the Lord GOD.”
30
“These are the exits of the city: on the north side, which measures four thousand five hundred cubits,”
31
there were three gates: the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi — for the gates of the city were named after the tribes of Israel —.
32
On the east side, which measured four thousand five hundred cubits, there were also three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan.
33
On the south side, which measured four thousand five hundred cubits, there were also three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun.
34
On the west side, which measured four thousand five hundred cubits, there were also three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali.
35
So the circuit of the city was eighteen thousand cubits. From that day on, the name of the city was: THE LORD IS THERE.”
🧭🏕️🛐 Summary of Ezekiel 48 – The Division of the Land and the New City of God
Ezekiel 48 is the closing chapter of the book of Ezekiel and gives the final spiritual map of the division of the land among the 12 tribes of Israel after the time of restoration. Everything is arranged fairly, symmetrically, and in good order. In the midst of it, God gives a holy portion for the priests, the Levites, and the holy city. The final name of the city is very important: “YHWH Sama Ada” (Yahweh Shammah) – “The Lord Is There.”
📌 1. Division of the Land for the 12 Tribes (verses 1–29)
➡️ The land is divided from north to south, not according to history, but in a prophetic and theological way
➡️ Each tribe receives a portion of equal width
➡️ Levi does not receive an ordinary territorial portion, because they have a special portion for service
➡️ In the middle of this division there are:
• Holy land for the Lord
• Portion for the priests (descendants of Zadok)
• Portion for the Levites
• City and common land for the people
🎯 The layout shows a divine rule that is just, balanced, and centered on the presence of God.
📌 2. The Holy City and Its Portion (verses 15–20)
➡️ This city is not the old Jerusalem, but the new holy city
➡️ Its size: 4,500 cubits × 4,500 cubits
➡️ Around it there is land for the people to farm and live
🎯 The center of Israel’s new life is the city of God, not political or military power.
📌 3. The Portion for the Prince and the Final Arrangement (verses 21–29)
➡️ On the east and west sides of the holy land there is a portion for the prince
➡️ Everything is arranged symmetrically and centered on God
➡️ The tribes are named in full, signifying the complete restoration of God’s people
🎯 Ruler and people live in spiritual order and equality, subject to God’s law.
📌 4. The Name of the City: “The LORD Is There” (verses 30–35)
➡️ The city has 12 gates, each named after one of the tribes of Israel
➡️ The city’s perimeter: 18,000 cubits
➡️ The name of the city: YHWH Is There (Yahweh Shammah)
🎯 The climax of restoration is not buildings or land, but the presence of God dwelling among His people.
📖 Main Teaching
- God does not only restore, but reorders the life of His people in an orderly and holy way
- All the tribes receive their portion fairly — none are left out
- The new city of God shows that the center of life must be the presence of God
- The final name of this book is a declaration of hope: “The LORD Is There” — this is the greatest promise
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 Revelation 21:2–3
“I saw the New Jerusalem… Behold, the tabernacle of God is among humanity…”
➡️ The fulfillment of Ezekiel 48: the Lord dwells among His people forever.
📖 Hebrews 11:10
“Abraham looked for a city with foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
➡️ Ezekiel 48 portrays the spiritual city designed by the Lord Himself.
📖 John 1:14
“The Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us.”
➡️ The presence of Jesus is YHWH with us — God truly present among people.
📖 Ephesians 2:19–22
“You are being built… into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
➡️ Now, the church becomes a spiritual city, a place where God is present.
🕊️ “This is the name of the city from that day on: ‘The Lord is there.’” – Ezekiel 48:35
🕊️ “The land shall be for them as an inheritance.” – Ezekiel 48:29
🕊️ “Each gate was named after one of the tribes of Israel.” – Ezekiel 48:31
🕊️ “The portion for the priests… who have served Me faithfully.” – Ezekiel 48:11
