52 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
52 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Ezekiel 48:1–35"
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date = "2023-07-28"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ezekiel48.1-35)
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The final chapter of Ezekiel details the inheritance of each tribe's land
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allotment and the placements of the gates of the city. Thirty-five verses
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sounds like a lot to go through, but they are fairly repetitive and can be
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summarized in a few words.
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Unlike the original tribe allotments described in Joshua, the ones described
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here are horizontal stripes across the entire country. Additionally, the
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placements of the tribes differ from their historical regions. In equal
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measures from north to south, the land is given to the tribes of Dan, Asher,
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Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Judah. South of Judah is the holy
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portion given to the temple, the Levites, the priests, the city and its
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supporting farmland. This portion is a square in total, and different pieces of
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that square are devoted to the different purposes. To the east and west of this
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square is the portion of the land given to the prince, which extends to the
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east and west just like the tribal portions. South of the holy district and the
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prince's portion are the tribes of Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and
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Gad.
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The arrangement of the tribes appears to follow a preferential order based on
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who is closest to the holy district, and thus to the Lord. The notes in the
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Reformation Study Bible mention that the outermost tribes were born to the
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servants of Jacob's wives, Zilpah and Bilhah, while the sons born to Rachel and
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Leah themselves are closer. While interesting, I think it breaks down when you
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see that the two groups are jumbled within themselves without regard to who was
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whose mother. Instead, I think it has more to do with the fact that Judah and
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Benjamin were the two tribes that remained in the kingdom of Judah after the
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ten tribes split off, and they were the only tribes to produce kings that God
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Himself chose (Saul of Benjamin, and David and Solomon of Judah). It's still
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all speculation, though.
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The gates of the city in the holy district are to number twelve, three on each
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of the four sides. I had thought the names given to them might reflect the
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marching order of the tribes as they traveled through the wilderness from
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Egypt, but they don't match at all. This time, Levi is given a gate, and
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Manasseh and Ephraim are combined in their father Joseph.
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Last of all, the name of the city is revealed not to be Jerusalem any more, but
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changed to "Yahweh Is There". The Lord of Hosts, Creator of heaven and earth,
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the Almigthy, the Great I AM is in this city. Now and forever, God's dwelling
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place is with His people, never again to be separated.
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* * *
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We long for that day, when we can live with You, forever at peace.
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