In this chapter an account is given of the portions of the twelve tribes in the land of Israel; seven to the north of the sanctuary, Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Judah, Ezek.

Now these are the names of the tribes That shall inherit the land; and an account is given of each of the portions of it they shall have for an inheritance; by which are meant, not the twelve tribes of Israel literally, among whom the land was never so divided as here, either in Joshua’s time, or…

And by the border of Dan Next to it, just by it, closely adjoining to it; for it should be observed, that these tribes, and their inheritances, are contiguous to each other; which denotes the union of true Christians, or believers in Christ, with each other; they are members one of another, one…

And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali. ] Close to the tribe of Asher and his inheritance, in the same direction from east to west, lay the part assigned to the tribe of Naphtali: such Christians who are wrestlers with God in prayer, and…

And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh. ] Just in like manner, next to Naphtali lay the tribe of Manasseh, and the portion of land appointed for that tribe; even such Christians who “forget” the things that are behind, and reach to those that…

And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Ephraim. ] Close to the tribe of Manasseh, and the inheritance of it, which is no more reckoned a half, but a whole tribe, and has an inheritance equal to the rest, lay the tribe of Ephraim, and the inheritance…

And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Reuben. ] Who, through his sin, lost his birthright; but now, his sin being forgiven and forgotten, has a portion assigned him upon the border of Ephraim, and next to the tribe of Judah; when in Moses and Joshua’s…

And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah. ] Such who “confess” the Lord before men, and “praise” his name for all blessings, temporal and spiritual, they receive from him: these seven tribes already mentioned, as they lay contiguous to each other, and…

And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering Or the oblation of a holy portion of the land unto the Lord before made mention of, this was close by the tribe of Judah, and in the same direction with that and the rest of the tribes, proceeding in length…

The oblation that ye shall offer to the Lord That which belonged to the sanctuary, and to the priests, which was taken and separated for that use; which here, and in the following verses, is particularly and separately considered: shall be of five and twenty thousand in length; that is, five and…

And for them, even the priests, shall be this holy oblation, &c.] This holy portion of land, excepting that which is for the sanctuary, is to be for the use of the priests to build houses on to dwell in; signifying, that the ministers of the Gospel are to be taken care of, and sufficient provision…

It shall be for the priests that are sanctified That are set apart by the Lord; called by him to this office, and sanctified with the gifts and graces of his Spirit; and so fitted and qualified for the work: of the sons of Zadok, which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of…

And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy Be peculiarly theirs, and not converted to any other use; but be accounted most sacred, and not alienable, or made use of by other persons, or to other purposes by the border of the Levites; it should be continued,…

And over against the border of the priests Next to their border, close to it, running parallel with it: the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth; for accommodations for them; for chambers to lodge in, and other uses; all concerned in the house and…

And they shall not sell of it Any part of it that is allotted to them, neither the priests nor the Levites; simony is not to be practised: neither exchange; for any other land in lieu of it: nor alienate the first fruits of the land; or appropriate them to any other use than that of the priests and…

And the five thousand that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand Which belonged to the Levites, which was a square of twenty five thousand reeds by twenty five thousand; by the side of, or parallel to, the twenty five thousand in length, ran twenty five thousand in…

And this shall be the measures thereof Of the city: the north side four thousand and five hundred; that is, measures or reeds: 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; in all eighteen…

And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty That is, so many reeds: and toward the south two hundred and fifty; which make five hundred; and these being added to four thousand five hundred, north and south, make five thousand: and toward the east two hundred and…

And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward, &c.] What remained in length, which ran parallel with the holy portion of the land, after five thousand reeds were taken out for the city and suburbs, were twenty…

And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel. ] Whether they be civil magistrates, or ministers of the word, they shall be of Israel, and be Israelites indeed; and shall be taken out of the several tribes; some out of one tribe, and some out of another; all shall have…

All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand Or, “every oblation” [[21]]; everyone of the oblations; that for the priests and the sanctuary; that for the Levites, and that for the city, its suburbs, and the maintenance of those that served the city; each were a…

And the residue shall be for the prince Not the civil magistrate, but the Prince Messiah; the King, Governor, and Protector of his church and people: on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city: his portion shall lie on each side of the portion for the…

Moreover, from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city Or, “beyond” these, as it may be rendered, on the other side of them; or, “except” [[24]] these: being in the midst of that which is the prince’s; between his two portions; or, as it is next explained, between the…

As for the rest of the tribes Not yet mentioned, which lay to the south of the sanctuary, and are as follow: from the east side to the west side, Benjamin shall have a portion; the sons of God’s right hand, who are as near and dear to him as a man’s right hand is to him.

And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall have a portion. ] Close by the border of Benjamin, running east and west, Simeon’s part and inheritance in the land shall be; even such true Israelites as “hear”, understand, and believe the Gospel, and practise what…

And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion. ] Next, closely adjoining to Simeon’s inheritance, and in the same direction, shall be Issachar’s; such Christians as shall have the “rewards” of grace for their services and sufferings in times of tribulation.

And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a portion. ] In like manner, next to Issachar’s inheritance, and bordering on it, shall be Zebulun’s; who shall be no more a haven for ships, having a different situation and allotment; and may describe such Christians as…

And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion. ] The last of the tribes; a “troop” of overcomers, who are more than conquerors over all their enemies through Christ: all Christians shall have their part and portion in the church below, and in all the privileges…

And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward Of the sanctuary of the Lord, of the portion of the priests and Levites, of the city, and what belonged to that, and of the prince’s portion.

This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance This is the land, as thus described; and these the tribes of Israel, or the Israelites indeed, who shall have their respective shares in it, as thus allotted to them for their inheritance; which is not of a…

And these are the goings out of the city The gates of it, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it, by which they went out of it, and into it; and also the sides of it.

And the gates of the city shall be after names of the tribes of Israel According to number of them, twelve, and called by their names; the names of the several tribes being written on them; see , this shows that all true Israelites indeed, Israel not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, have a…

And at the east side four thousand and five hundred Measures or reeds: this side was equal to the north, as the rest were to this; the whole city in its circumference making an equilateral square: and three gates; which were as follow: one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan;…

And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures, &c.] The south side of the city measured just the same as the north and east sides did: and three gates; were on that side, as on the others: one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun; at which these tribes entered,…

At the west side four thousand and five hundred Measures or reeds; so many were the length of this side; the same with north, south, and east, and made a foursquare; and such the city was, as the New Jerusalem is said to be, : with their three gates: one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of…

It was round about eighteen thousand measures Putting the numbers together which each side made, the circumference of the city was eighteen thousand measures; which, according to Cornelius a Lapide, were thirty two thousand miles; which shows that no city literally taken can be here meant, but…