<< Ezekiel XLVIII >>

 1 Now these are the names of the tribes: From the north end, beside the way of Hethlon to the entrance of Hamath, Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, northward beside Hamath, (and they shall have their sides east and west,) Dan, one portion.
 2 And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, Asher, one portion.
 3 And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, Naphtali, one portion.
 4 And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, Manasseh, one portion.
 5 And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, Ephraim, one portion.
 6 And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, Reuben, one portion.
 7 And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, Judah, one portion.
 8 And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the oblation which ye shall offer, five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the portions, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.
 9 The oblation that ye shall offer unto Jehovah shall be five and twenty thousand reeds in length, and ten thousand in breadth.
 10 And for these, even for the priests, shall be the holy oblation: toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of Jehovah shall be in the midst thereof.
 11 It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, that have kept my charge, that went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.
 12 And it shall be unto them an oblation from the oblation of the land, a thing most holy, by the border of the Levites.
 13 And answerable unto the border of the priests, the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.
 14 And they shall sell none of it, nor exchange it, nor shall the first-fruits of the land be alienated; for it is holy unto Jehovah.
 15 And the five thousand that are left in the breadth, in front of the five and twenty thousand, shall be for common use, for the city, for dwelling and for suburbs; and the city shall be in the midst thereof.
 16 And these shall be the measures thereof: the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.
 17 And the city shall have suburbs: toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty.
 18 And the residue in the length, answerable unto the holy oblation, shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward; and it shall be answerable unto the holy oblation; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that labor in the city.
 19 And they that labor in the city, out of all the tribes of Israel, shall till it.
 20 All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation four-square, with the possession of the city.
 21 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; in front of the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward in front of the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, answerable unto the portions, it shall be for the prince: and the holy oblation and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof.
 22 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, it shall be for the prince.
 23 And as for the rest of the tribes: from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin, one portion.
 24 And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon, one portion.
 25 And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar, one portion.
 26 And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun, one portion.
 27 And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad, one portion.
 28 And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, unto the great sea.
 29 This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their several portions, saith the Lord Jehovah.
 30 And these are the egresses of the city: On the north side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure;
 31 and the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel, three gates northward: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one.
 32 And at the east side four thousand and five hundred reeds, and three gates: even the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one.
 33 And at the south side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one.
 34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred reeds, with their three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one.
 35 It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Jehovah is there.
 

1 Now these are the names of the tribes: From the north end, beside the way of Hethlon to the entrance of Hamath, Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, northward beside Hamath, (and they shall have their sides east and west,) Dan, one portion.

1. See Chapter XLVII., 16, 18. A. 1715.
1-8. See Chapter XLVII., 17-20. E. 417.
    That partition continued. P. P.
1 et seq. By the twelve tribes are meant all the truths and goods in the aggregate. E. 39.
1-35. That the twelve tribes of Israel are not here understood as inheriting the earth, nor that anyone tribe was to do so is evident. By the earth or land is understood the church, by the twelve tribes all things relating to the church, by each one of them some universal and essential principle of the church. E. 431.
    The representation of heaven and the church is determined according to the order in which the tribes are named. The first name, or first tribe, is the index from which all things that follow are determined, consequently all things of heaven and the church with variety. E. 431.
1 et seq. 31-34. By tribes are not here meant tribes, for at that time the ten tribes were already dispersed through the whole earth, nor did they afterward return. It is manifest that by the twelve tribes are signified all things of the Lord's kingdom, or all things of faith and love. A. 3858.

2 And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, Asher, one portion.
3 And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, Naphtali, one portion.
4 And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, Manasseh, one portion.

2, 3. By the land said to be distributed among the tribes for an inheritance, is signified the church. By the sons of Israel, among whom it was to be distributed, are signified all truths derived from good belonging to the church in the aggregate. E. 438.
2-8, 23-28. The enumeration of tribes is altogether according to the state of the subject in each, to which the order corresponds. The state is manifested by what precedes and what follows. A. 3862.

5 And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, Ephraim, one portion.
6 And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, Reuben, one portion.
7 And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, Judah, one portion.

5. See Chapter XXXVII., 16. S. 79.

8 And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the oblation which ye shall offer, five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the portions, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.
9 The oblation that ye shall offer unto Jehovah shall be five and twenty thousand reeds in length, and ten thousand in breadth.
10 And for these, even for the priests, shall be the holy oblation: toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of Jehovah shall be in the midst thereof.
11 It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, that have kept my charge, that went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.
12 And it shall be unto them an oblation from the oblation of the land, a thing most holy, by the border of the Levites.
13 And answerable unto the border of the priests, the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.
14 And they shall sell none of it, nor exchange it, nor shall the first-fruits of the land be alienated; for it is holy unto Jehovah.
15 And the five thousand that are left in the breadth, in front of the five and twenty thousand, shall be for common use, for the city, for dwelling and for suburbs; and the city shall be in the midst thereof.

8-22. The tribes named are not to be literally understood, for eleven of them were dispersed and had become Gentiles. By the tribes are understood such things as pertain to the church, and by Judah is understood the celestial church, or the church principled in love to the Lord, in which, therefore, the sanctuary is. E. 433.

9 The oblation that ye shall offer unto Jehovah shall be five and twenty thousand reeds in length, and ten thousand in breadth.
10 And for these, even for the priests, shall be the holy oblation: toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of Jehovah shall be in the midst thereof.

9-20. For those who are in the third heaven, who are the priests and Levites. P. P.

11 It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, that have kept my charge, that went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.
12 And it shall be unto them an oblation from the oblation of the land, a thing most holy, by the border of the Levites.
13 And answerable unto the border of the priests, the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.
14 And they shall sell none of it, nor exchange it, nor shall the first-fruits of the land be alienated; for it is holy unto Jehovah.
15 And the five thousand that are left in the breadth, in front of the five and twenty thousand, shall be for common use, for the city, for dwelling and for suburbs; and the city shall be in the midst thereof.

11, 12. See Chapter XL., 46. E. 444.

16 And these shall be the measures thereof: the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.
17 And the city shall have suburbs: toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty.
18 And the residue in the length, answerable unto the holy oblation, shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward; and it shall be answerable unto the holy oblation; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that labor in the city.
19 And they that labor in the city, out of all the tribes of Israel, shall till it.
20 All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation four-square, with the possession of the city.

16-34. By the east, the south, the west, and the north corners are meant the sides facing those quarters respectively. The reason why four corners are mentioned, and not the four quarters, is because corners signify all things, as they are the extremes. Extremes being the ultimate boundaries comprehend all things from the centre to the ultimate circumference. E. 417.

21 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; in front of the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward in front of the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, answerable unto the portions, it shall be for the prince: and the holy oblation and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof.
22 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, it shall be for the prince.
23 And as for the rest of the tribes: from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin, one portion.
24 And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon, one portion.
25 And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar, one portion.
26 And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun, one portion.

21. See Chapter XLIV., 3. A. 5044.
21-22. The Lord is in the midst of them. P. P.
23-29. The further partition or inheritance continued. P.P.

27 And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad, one portion.

27. The tribe of Gad itself is not here signified, but such principle of the church for which Gad stands. By Gad is signified the good of life from truths of doctrine. This also appears from the benediction of Gad in Deuteronomy XXXIII., 20, 21. E. 435.

28 And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, unto the great sea.
29 This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their several portions, saith the Lord Jehovah.

28. See Chapter XLVII., 19. A. 1678.

30 And these are the egresses of the city: On the north side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure;
31 and the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel, three gates northward: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one.
32 And at the east side four thousand and five hundred reeds, and three gates: even the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one.
33 And at the south side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one.

30-34. The knowledges of that church, which are introductory truths. P. P.
31-34. In the new Jerusalem there should be three gates to the north, three to the east, three to the south, and three to the west. The number three was representative. The third and a trine signifies what is complete. A. 2788.
    See Chapter XL., 6-49. A. 2851.
    See Chapter XLVIII., 2-8, 23-28. A. 3862.
    See Chapter XLII., 1-4. E. 208.

34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred reeds, with their three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one.
35 It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Jehovah is there.

34, 35. Asher signifies spiritual blessedness, which is blessedness originating in love and charity. Asher also signifies the delight of affections, such as pertain to those who are principled in truths, derived from the literal sense of the Word. E. 438.
35. By the Holy City, which is also called the Holy Jerusalem, nothing else is meant than the kingdom of the Lord, universal, and in each one in particular in whom the kingdom of the Lord is. In Ezekiel the city is called: Jehovah there. A. 402.
    Ezekiel describes his having been brought in the visions of God and set on a very high mountain, near to which he saw the frame of a city, and a man with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring rod. The name of the city was: Jehovah is there. E. 223.
    This church is the Lord's church. P. P.
    That the name of the city is: Jehovah there. D. P., Page 28.

Author: Emanuel Swedenborg (Compiled by Robert S. Fischer 1925)