Category: Ezekiel

1 After that, the man brought me into the sanctuary of the Temple. He measured the walls on either side of its doorway,and they were 101/2feetthick.

2 The doorway was 171/2feetwide, and the walls on each side of it were 83/4feetlong. The sanctuary itself was 70 feet long and 35 feet wide.

3 Then he went beyond the sanctuary into the inner room. He measured the walls on either side of its entrance, and they were 31/2feetthick. The entrance was 101/2feet wide, and the walls on each side of the entrance were 121/4feetlong.

4 The inner room of the sanctuary was 35 feetlong and 35 feet wide. “This,” he told me, “is the Most Holy Place.”

5 Then he measured the wall of the Temple, and it was 101/2feet thick. There was a row of rooms along the outside wall; each room was 7 feetwide.

6 These side rooms were built in three levels, one above the other, with thirty rooms on each level. The supports for these side rooms rested on exterior ledges on the Temple wall; they did not extend into the wall.

7 Each level was wider than the one below it, corresponding to the narrowing of the Temple wall as it rose higher. A stairway led up from the bottom level through the middle level to the top level.

8 I saw that the Temple was built on a terrace, which provided a foundation for the side rooms. This terrace was 101/2feethigh.

9 The outer wall of the Temple’s side rooms was 83/4feet thick. This left an open area between these side rooms

10 and the row of rooms along the outer wall of the inner courtyard. This open area was 35 feet wide, and it went all the way around the Temple.

11 Two doors opened from the side rooms into the terrace yard, which was 83/4feet wide. One door faced north and the other south.

12 A large building stood on the west, facing the Temple courtyard. It was 1221/2feet wide and 1571/2feet long, and its walls were 83/4feetthick.

13 Then the man measured the Temple, and it was 175 feetlong. The courtyard around the building, including its walls, was an additional 175 feet in length.

14 The inner courtyard to the east of the Temple was also 175 feet wide.

15 The building to the west, including its two walls, was also 175 feet wide.

The sanctuary, the inner room, and the entry room of the Temple

16 were all paneled with wood, as were the frames of the recessed windows. The inner walls of the Temple were paneled with wood above and below the windows.

17 The space above the door leading into the inner room, and its walls inside and out, were also paneled.

18 All the walls were decorated with carvings of cherubim, each with two faces, and there was a carving of a palm tree between each of the cherubim.

19 One face—that of a man—looked toward the palm tree on one side. The other face—that of a young lion—looked toward the palm tree on the other side. The figures were carved all along the inside of the Temple,

20 from the floor to the top of the walls, including the outer wall of the sanctuary.

21 There were square columns at the entrance to the sanctuary, and the ones at the entrance of the Most Holy Place were similar.

22 There was an altar made of wood, 51/4feet high and 31/2feet across.Its corners, base, and sides were all made of wood. “This,” the man told me, “is the table that stands in theLord’s presence.”

23 Both the sanctuary and the Most Holy Place had double doorways,

24 each with two swinging doors.

25 The doors leading into the sanctuary were decorated with carved cherubim and palm trees, just as on the walls. And there was a wooden roof at the front of the entry room to the Temple.

26 On both sides of the entry room were recessed windows decorated with carved palm trees. The side rooms along the outside wall also had roofs.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/EZK/41-9f734ad79358c98b7b23c2a1808e65df.mp3?version_id=116—

Rooms for the Priests

1 Then the man led me out of the Temple courtyard by way of the north gateway. We entered the outer courtyard and came to a group of rooms against the north wall of the inner courtyard.

2 This structure, whose entrance opened toward the north, was 175 feetlong and 871/2feetwide.

3 One block of rooms overlooked the 35-footwidth of the inner courtyard. Another block of rooms looked out onto the pavement of the outer courtyard. The two blocks were built three levels high and stood across from each other.

4 Between the two blocks of rooms ran a walkway 171/2feetwide. It extended the entire 175 feet of the complex,and all the doors faced north.

5 Each of the two upper levels of rooms was narrower than the one beneath it because the upper levels had to allow space for walkways in front of them.

6 Since there were three levels and they did not have supporting columns as in the courtyards, each of the upper levels was set back from the level beneath it.

7 There was an outer wall that separated the rooms from the outer courtyard; it was 871/2feet long.

8 This wall added length to the outer block of rooms, which extended for only 871/2feet, while the inner block—the rooms toward the Temple—extended for 175 feet.

9 There was an eastern entrance from the outer courtyard to these rooms.

10 On the southside of the Temple there were two blocks of rooms just south of the inner courtyard between the Temple and the outer courtyard. These rooms were arranged just like the rooms on the north.

11 There was a walkway between the two blocks of rooms just like the complex on the north side of the Temple. This complex of rooms was the same length and width as the other one, and it had the same entrances and doors. The dimensions of each were identical.

12 So there was an entrance in the wall facing the doors of the inner block of rooms, and another on the east at the end of the interior walkway.

13 Then the man told me, “These rooms that overlook the Temple from the north and south are holy. Here the priests who offer sacrifices to theLordwill eat the most holy offerings. And because these rooms are holy, they will be used to store the sacred offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.

14 When the priests leave the sanctuary, they must not go directly to the outer courtyard. They must first take off the clothes they wore while ministering, because these clothes are holy. They must put on other clothes before entering the parts of the building complex open to the public.”

15 When the man had finished measuring the inside of the Temple area, he led me out through the east gateway to measure the entire perimeter.

16 He measured the east side with his measuring rod, and it was 875 feet long.

17 Then he measured the north side, and it was also 875 feet.

18 The south side was also 875 feet,

19 and the west side was also 875 feet.

20 So the area was 875 feet on each side with a wall all around it to separate what was holy from what was common.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/EZK/42-7006258483e804a4900ca42f420af0db.mp3?version_id=116—

The Lord’s Glory Returns

1 After this, the man brought me back around to the east gateway.

2 Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory.

3 This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he cameto destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground.

4 And the glory of theLordcame into the Temple through the east gateway.

5 Then the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of theLordfilled the Temple.

6 And I heard someone speaking to me from within the Temple, while the man who had been measuring stood beside me.

7 TheLordsaid to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died.

8 They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger.

9 Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever.

10 “Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan,

11 and they will be ashamedof what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them.

12 And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness! The entire top of the mountain where the Temple is built is holy. Yes, this is the basic law of the Temple.

The Altar

13 “These are the measurements of the altar: There is a gutter all around the altar 21 inches deep and 21 inches wide,with a curb 9 incheswide around its edge. And this is the heightof the altar:

14 From the gutter the altar rises 31/2feetto a lower ledge that surrounds the altar and is 21 incheswide. From the lower ledge the altar rises 7 feetto the upper ledge that is also 21 inches wide.

15 The top of the altar, the hearth, rises another 7 feet higher, with a horn rising up from each of the four corners.

16 The top of the altar is square, measuring 21 feet by 21 feet.

17 The upper ledge also forms a square, measuring 241/2feet by 241/2feet,with a 21-inch gutter and a 101/2-inch curball around the edge. There are steps going up the east side of the altar.”

18 Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the SovereignLordsays: These will be the regulations for the burning of offerings and the sprinkling of blood when the altar is built.

19 At that time, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who minister before me, are to be given a young bull for a sin offering, says the SovereignLord.

20 You will take some of its blood and smear it on the four horns of the altar, the four corners of the upper ledge, and the curb that runs around that ledge. This will cleanse and make atonement for the altar.

21 Then take the young bull for the sin offering and burn it at the appointed place outside the Temple area.

22 “On the second day, sacrifice as a sin offering a young male goat that has no physical defects. Then cleanse and make atonement for the altar again, just as you did with the young bull.

23 When you have finished the cleansing ceremony, offer another young bull that has no defects and a perfect ram from the flock.

24 You are to present them to theLord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and offer them as a burnt offering to theLord.

25 “Every day for seven days a male goat, a young bull, and a ram from the flock will be sacrificed as a sin offering. None of these animals may have physical defects of any kind.

26 Do this each day for seven days to cleanse and make atonement for the altar, thus setting it apart for holy use.

27 On the eighth day, and on each day afterward, the priests will sacrifice on the altar the burnt offerings and peace offerings of the people. Then I will accept you. I, the SovereignLord, have spoken!”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/EZK/43-692e1261c4b604a4335ba683282a3f35.mp3?version_id=116—

The Prince, Levites, and Priests

1 Then the man brought me back to the east gateway in the outer wall of the Temple area, but it was closed.

2 And theLordsaid to me, “This gate must remain closed; it will never again be opened. No one will ever open it and pass through, for theLord, the God of Israel, has entered here. Therefore, it must always remain shut.

3 Only the prince himself may sit inside this gateway to feast in theLord’s presence. But he may come and go only through the entry room of the gateway.”

4 Then the man brought me through the north gateway to the front of the Temple. I looked and saw that the glory of theLordfilled the Temple of theLord, and I fell face down on the ground.

5 And theLordsaid to me, “Son of man, take careful notice. Use your eyes and ears, and listen to everything I tell you about the regulations concerning theLord’s Temple. Take careful note of the procedures for using the Temple’s entrances and exits.

6 And give these rebels, the people of Israel, this message from the SovereignLord: O people of Israel, enough of your detestable sins!

7 You have brought uncircumcised foreigners into my sanctuary—people who have no heart for God. In this way, you defiled my Temple even as you offered me my food, the fat and blood of sacrifices. In addition to all your other detestable sins, you have broken my covenant.

8 Instead of safeguarding my sacred rituals, you have hired foreigners to take charge of my sanctuary.

9 “So this is what the SovereignLordsays: No foreigners, including those who live among the people of Israel, will enter my sanctuary if they have not been circumcised and have not surrendered themselves to theLord.

10 And the men of the tribe of Levi who abandoned me when Israel strayed away from me to worship idolsmust bear the consequences of their unfaithfulness.

11 They may still be Temple guards and gatekeepers, and they may slaughter the animals brought for burnt offerings and be present to help the people.

12 But they encouraged my people to worship idols, causing Israel to fall into deep sin. So I have taken a solemn oath that they must bear the consequences for their sins, says the SovereignLord.

13 They may not approach me to minister as priests. They may not touch any of my holy things or the holy offerings, for they must bear the shame of all the detestable sins they have committed.

14 They are to serve as the Temple caretakers, taking charge of the maintenance work and performing general duties.

15 “However, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok continued to minister faithfully in the Temple when Israel abandoned me for idols. These men will serve as my ministers. They will stand in my presence and offer the fat and blood of the sacrifices, says the SovereignLord.

16 They alone will enter my sanctuary and approach my table to serve me. They will fulfill all my requirements.

17 “When they enter the gateway to the inner courtyard, they must wear only linen clothing. They must wear no wool while on duty in the inner courtyard or in the Temple itself.

18 They must wear linen turbans and linen undergarments. They must not wear anything that would cause them to perspire.

19 When they return to the outer courtyard where the people are, they must take off the clothes they wear while ministering to me. They must leave them in the sacred rooms and put on other clothes so they do not endanger anyone by transmitting holiness to them through this clothing.

20 “They must neither shave their heads nor let their hair grow too long. Instead, they must trim it regularly.

21 The priests must not drink wine before entering the inner courtyard.

22 They may choose their wives only from among the virgins of Israel or the widows of the priests. They may not marry other widows or divorced women.

23 They will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is common, what is ceremonially clean and unclean.

24 “They will serve as judges to resolve any disagreements among my people. Their decisions must be based on my regulations. And the priests themselves must obey my instructions and decrees at all the sacred festivals, and see to it that the Sabbaths are set apart as holy days.

25 “A priest must not defile himself by being in the presence of a dead person unless it is his father, mother, child, brother, or unmarried sister. In such cases it is permitted.

26 Even then, he can return to his Temple duties only after being ceremonially cleansed and then waiting for seven days.

27 The first day he returns to work and enters the inner courtyard and the sanctuary, he must offer a sin offering for himself, says the SovereignLord.

28 “The priests will not have any property or possession of land, for I alone am their special possession.

29 Their food will come from the gifts and sacrifices brought to the Temple by the people—the grain offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. Whatever anyone sets apartfor theLordwill belong to the priests.

30 The first of the ripe fruits and all the gifts brought to theLordwill go to the priests. The first batch of dough must also be given to the priests so theLordwill bless your homes.

31 The priests may not eat meat from any bird or animal that dies a natural death or that dies after being attacked by another animal.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/EZK/44-c419092e407b3b6f8a8e24edc0b647fc.mp3?version_id=116—

Division of the Land

1 “When you divide the land among the tribes of Israel, you must set aside a section for theLordas his holy portion. This piece of land will be 81/3miles long and 62/3miles wide.The entire area will be holy.

2 A section of this land, measuring 875 feet by 875 feet,will be set aside for the Temple. An additional strip of land 871/2feetwide is to be left empty all around it.

3 Within the larger sacred area, measure out a portion of land 81/3miles long and 31/3miles wide.Within it the sanctuary of the Most Holy Place will be located.

4 This area will be holy, set aside for the priests who minister to theLordin the sanctuary. They will use it for their homes, and my Temple will be located within it.

5 The strip of sacred land next to it, also 81/3miles long and 31/3miles wide, will be a living area for the Levites who work at the Temple. It will be their possession and a place for their towns.

6 “Adjacent to the larger sacred area will be a section of land 81/3miles long and 12/3miles wide.This will be set aside for a city where anyone in Israel can live.

7 “Two special sections of land will be set apart for the prince. One section will share a border with the east side of the sacred lands and city, and the second section will share a border on the west side. Then the far eastern and western borders of the prince’s lands will line up with the eastern and western boundaries of the tribal areas.

8 These sections of land will be the prince’s allotment. Then my princes will no longer oppress and rob my people; they will assign the rest of the land to the people, giving an allotment to each tribe.

Rules for the Princes

9 “For this is what the SovereignLordsays: Enough, you princes of Israel! Stop your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Quit robbing and cheating my people out of their land. Stop expelling them from their homes, says the SovereignLord.

10 Use only honest weights and scales and honest measures, both dry and liquid.

11 The homerwill be your standard unit for measuring volume. The ephah and the bathwill each measure one-tenth of a homer.

12 The standard unit for weight will be the silver shekel.One shekel will consist of twenty gerahs, and sixty shekels will be equal to one mina.

Special Offerings and Celebrations

13 “You must give this tax to the prince: one bushel of wheat or barley for every 60you harvest,

14 one percent of your olive oil,

15 and one sheep or goat for every 200 in your flocks in Israel. These will be the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings that will make atonement for the people who bring them, says the SovereignLord.

16 All the people of Israel must join in bringing these offerings to the prince.

17 The prince will be required to provide offerings that are given at the religious festivals, the new moon celebrations, the Sabbath days, and all other similar occasions. He will provide the sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, liquid offerings, and peace offerings to purify the people of Israel, making them right with theLord.

18 “This is what the SovereignLordsays: In early spring, on the first day of each new year,sacrifice a young bull with no defects to purify the Temple.

19 The priest will take blood from this sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the Temple, the four corners of the upper ledge of the altar, and the gateposts at the entrance to the inner courtyard.

20 Do this also on the seventh day of the new year for anyone who has sinned through error or ignorance. In this way, you will purifythe Temple.

21 “On the fourteenth day of the first month,you must celebrate the Passover. This festival will last for seven days. The bread you eat during that time must be made without yeast.

22 On the day of Passover the prince will provide a young bull as a sin offering for himself and the people of Israel.

23 On each of the seven days of the feast he will prepare a burnt offering to theLord, consisting of seven young bulls and seven rams without defects. A male goat will also be given each day for a sin offering.

24 The prince will provide a basket of flour as a grain offering and a gallon of olive oilwith each young bull and ram.

25 “During the seven days of the Festival of Shelters, which occurs every year in early autumn,the prince will provide these same sacrifices for the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the grain offering, along with the required olive oil.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/EZK/45-b42dd9f77271a3442596634fc579447e.mp3?version_id=116—

1 “This is what the SovereignLordsays: The east gateway of the inner courtyard will be closed during the six workdays each week, but it will be open on Sabbath days and the days of new moon celebrations.

2 The prince will enter the entry room of the gateway from the outside. Then he will stand by the gatepost while the priest offers his burnt offering and peace offering. He will bow down in worship inside the gateway passage and then go back out the way he came. The gateway will not be closed until evening.

3 The common people will bow down and worship theLordin front of this gateway on Sabbath days and the days of new moon celebrations.

4 “Each Sabbath day the prince will present to theLorda burnt offering of six lambs and one ram, all with no defects.

5 He will present a grain offering of a basket of choice flour to go with the ram and whatever amount of flour he chooses to go with each lamb, and he is to offer one gallon of olive oilfor each basket of flour.

6 At the new moon celebrations, he will bring one young bull, six lambs, and one ram, all with no defects.

7 With the young bull he must bring a basket of choice flour for a grain offering. With the ram he must bring another basket of flour. And with each lamb he is to bring whatever amount of flour he chooses to give. With each basket of flour he must offer one gallon of olive oil.

8 “The prince must enter the gateway through the entry room, and he must leave the same way.

9 But when the people come in through the north gateway to worship theLordduring the religious festivals, they must leave by the south gateway. And those who entered through the south gateway must leave by the north gateway. They must never leave by the same gateway they came in, but must always use the opposite gateway.

10 The prince will enter and leave with the people on these occasions.

11 “So at the special feasts and sacred festivals, the grain offering will be a basket of choice flour with each young bull, another basket of flour with each ram, and as much flour as the worshiper chooses to give with each lamb. Give one gallon of olive oil with each basket of flour.

12 When the prince offers a voluntary burnt offering or peace offering to theLord, the east gateway to the inner courtyard will be opened for him, and he will offer his sacrifices as he does on Sabbath days. Then he will leave, and the gateway will be shut behind him.

13 “Each morning you must sacrifice a one-year-old lamb with no defects as a burnt offering to theLord.

14 With the lamb, a grain offering must also be given to theLord—about three quarts of flour with a third of a gallon of olive oilto moisten the choice flour. This will be a permanent law for you.

15 The lamb, the grain offering, and the olive oil must be given as a daily sacrifice every morning without fail.

16 “This is what the SovereignLordsays: If the prince gives a gift of land to one of his sons as his inheritance, it will belong to him and his descendants forever.

17 But if the prince gives a gift of land from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it only until the Year of Jubilee, which comes every fiftieth year.At that time the land will return to the prince. But when the prince gives gifts to his sons, those gifts will be permanent.

18 And the prince may never take anyone’s property by force. If he gives property to his sons, it must be from his own land, for I do not want any of my people unjustly evicted from their property.”

The Temple Kitchens

19 In my vision, the man brought me through the entrance beside the gateway and led me to the sacred rooms assigned to the priests, which faced toward the north. He showed me a place at the extreme west end of these rooms.

20 He explained, “This is where the priests will cook the meat from the guilt offerings and sin offerings and bake the flour from the grain offerings into bread. They will do it here to avoid carrying the sacrifices through the outer courtyard and endangering the people by transmitting holiness to them.”

21 Then he brought me back to the outer courtyard and led me to each of its four corners. In each corner I saw an enclosure.

22 Each of these enclosures was 70 feet long and 521/2feet wide,surrounded by walls.

23 Along the inside of these walls was a ledge of stone with fireplaces under the ledge all the way around.

24 The man said to me, “These are the kitchens to be used by the Temple assistants to boil the sacrifices offered by the people.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/EZK/46-faff6075c8828bc9946ab9944cd57b48.mp3?version_id=116—

The River of Healing

1 In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side.

2 The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out through the south side of the east gateway.

3 Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feetand then led me across. The water was up to my ankles.

4 He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist.

5 Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through.

6 He asked me, “Have you been watching, son of man?” Then he led me back along the riverbank.

7 When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river.

8 Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea.The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure.

9 There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows.Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows.

10 Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea. All the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim, the shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun. Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean.

11 But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will still be salty.

12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, for they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing.”

Boundaries for the Land

13 This is what the SovereignLordsays: “Divide the land in this way for the twelve tribes of Israel: The descendants of Joseph will be given two shares of land.

14 Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I took a solemn oath and swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your possession.

15 “These are the boundaries of the land: The northern border will run from the Mediterranean toward Hethlon, then on through Lebo-hamath to Zedad;

16 then it will run to Berothah and Sibraim,which are on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and finally to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran.

17 So the northern border will run from the Mediterranean to Hazar-enan, on the border between Hamath to the north and Damascus to the south.

18 “The eastern border starts at a point between Hauran and Damascus and runs south along the Jordan River between Israel and Gilead, past the Dead Seaand as far south as Tamar.This will be the eastern border.

19 “The southern border will go west from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadeshand then follow the course of the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean. This will be the southern border.

20 “On the west side, the Mediterranean itself will be your border from the southern border to the point where the northern border begins, opposite Lebo-hamath.

21 “Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel.

22 Distribute the land as an allotment for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be like native-born Israelites to you and will receive an allotment among the tribes.

23 These foreigners are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the SovereignLord, have spoken!

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/EZK/47-53953146e5a40bc91f52bf4a95ef9cff.mp3?version_id=116—

Division of the Land

1 “Here is the list of the tribes of Israel and the territory each is to receive. The territory of Dan is in the extreme north. Its boundary line follows the Hethlon road to Lebo-hamath and then runs on to Hazar-enan on the border of Damascus, with Hamath to the north. Dan’s territory extends all the way across the land of Israel from east to west.

2 “Asher’s territory lies south of Dan’s and also extends from east to west.

3 Naphtali’s land lies south of Asher’s, also extending from east to west.

4 Then comes Manasseh south of Naphtali, and its territory also extends from east to west.

5 South of Manasseh is Ephraim,

6 and then Reuben,

7 and then Judah, all of whose boundaries extend from east to west.

8 “South of Judah is the land set aside for a special purpose. It will be 81/3mileswide and will extend as far east and west as the tribal territories, with the Temple at the center.

9 “The area set aside for theLord’s Temple will be 81/3miles long and 62/3miles wide.

10 For the priests there will be a strip of land measuring 81/3miles long by 31/3miles wide,with theLord’s Temple at the center.

11 This area is set aside for the ordained priests, the descendants of Zadok who served me faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites.

12 It will be their special portion when the land is distributed, the most sacred land of all. Next to the priests’ territory will lie the land where the other Levites will live.

13 “The land allotted to the Levites will be the same size and shape as that belonging to the priests—81/3miles long and 31/3miles wide. Together these portions of land will measure 81/3miles long by 62/3miles wide.

14 None of this special land may ever be sold or traded or used by others, for it belongs to theLord; it is set apart as holy.

15 “An additional strip of land 81/3miles long by 12/3miles wide,south of the sacred Temple area, will be allotted for public use—homes, pasturelands, and common lands, with a city at the center.

16 The city will measure 11/2mileson each side—north, south, east, and west.

17 Open lands will surround the city for 150 yardsin every direction.

18 Outside the city there will be a farming area that stretches 31/3miles to the east and 31/3miles to the westalong the border of the sacred area. This farmland will produce food for the people working in the city.

19 Those who come from the various tribes to work in the city may farm it.

20 This entire area—including the sacred lands and the city—is a square that measures 81/3mileson each side.

21 “The areas that remain, to the east and to the west of the sacred lands and the city, will belong to the prince. Each of these areas will be 81/3miles wide, extending in opposite directions to the eastern and western borders of Israel, with the sacred lands and the sanctuary of the Temple in the center.

22 So the prince’s land will include everything between the territories allotted to Judah and Benjamin, except for the areas set aside for the sacred lands and the city.

23 “These are the territories allotted to the rest of the tribes. Benjamin’s territory lies just south of the prince’s lands, and it extends across the entire land of Israel from east to west.

24 South of Benjamin’s territory lies that of Simeon, also extending across the land from east to west.

25 Next is the territory of Issachar with the same eastern and western boundaries.

26 “Then comes the territory of Zebulun, which also extends across the land from east to west.

27 The territory of Gad is just south of Zebulun with the same borders to the east and west.

28 The southern border of Gad runs from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadeshand then follows the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean.

29 “These are the allotments that will be set aside for each tribe’s exclusive possession. I, the SovereignLord, have spoken!

The Gates of the City

30 “These will be the exits to the city: On the north wall, which is 11/2miles long,

31 there will be three gates, each one named after a tribe of Israel. The first will be named for Reuben, the second for Judah, and the third for Levi.

32 On the east wall, also 11/2miles long, the gates will be named for Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan.

33 The south wall, also 11/2miles long, will have gates named for Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun.

34 And on the west wall, also 11/2miles long, the gates will be named for Gad, Asher, and Naphtali.

35 “The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles.And from that day the name of the city will be ‘TheLordIs There.’”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/6/32k/EZK/48-24e3ff84b6ef94db2bfa68156e644450.mp3?version_id=116—