Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

6

[ocr errors]

of the twelve tribes to their own land, and

of fuch a happy state and condition in it,

[ocr errors]

under the Meffiah, as has never yet been accomplished.

• We will now conclude this head with a fhort view of the nine laft chapters of Ezekiel, which relate to the fame subject. The prophet is brought, in the vifion, into the land of Ifrael, and fet on a very

[ocr errors]

high mountain, where he fees an houfe or

temple, the particular dimenfions and measures of which are given to him, and by which we find it, in fome respects, to be different from Solomon's temple, then lately destroyed. Ezekiel xl. 41, and 42. It is to be built, not upon Mount Moriah, where Solomon's andZerubbabel's were; but upon Mount Zion, which is called God's holy mountain, on which he will dwell. Thus Micah iv. 7. fpeaking of the future happy times, fays, The Lord 'fhall reign over them in Mount Zion from

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]

henceforth even for ever. And Joel iii. 17.

21; fo fhall ye know, that I am the Lord

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy moun'tain. Now, as Ezekiel xliii. 1, to 10. and • xliv. I to 5. tells us, the glory of God ⚫ will refide in the future temple, it must confequently be built upon this mount, the highest hill in Jerufalem.' This glory is there defcribed as entering in at the eaft gate into the house, to dwell there for ever: And fome rules and directions are given to the priests concerning their future offerings. Ezekiel xliii. 13. to the end, and chap. xliv. and xlv. 13. to the end, ⚫ and chapter xlvi. The Ifraelites are also commanded to divide the land into thirteen

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

parts, one of which is to be an oblation or

holy portion unto the Lord, with the ⚫ lands belonging to their prince or head on • each fide of it. The other twelve parts

are to be given to the twelve tribes, who are to inhabit the land very differently ⚫ from what they have ever done yet; feven of the tribes being to dwell north of this ' oblation, and the other five fouth of it.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

1

Ezekiel xlviii. 1 to 8. 23 to 30. For in

• this divifion of the land Dan is to have all

• the

6

the northern, and Gad all the fouthern parts of the whole land; whereas, in the divifion by Joshua, Afher and Napthali C were the most northern tribes on this fide ' of Jordan, and Judah the most southern, ' while Reuben, Gad, and one half of the • tribe of Manaffeh had all the land on the • other fide of Jordan. See Joshua chap. xv. 16, 17, 18, and 19. A circumftance this, which,' with other differences in the two divifions of the land, particularly that of the oblation, which has never yet been laid out, plainly determines this prophecy to a future period, and that twelve tribes • will be restored at the time of the fulfil'ment of it.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

The oblation is to be a fquare of 25000 • cubits on each fide. We have used the

word cubits inftead of reeds, in our Eng'lish tranflation of Ezekiel xlv. 1, 2. and 'xlviii. 8, &c.' there being no word in the original answering either to the one or the other. Otherwife, as the reed was fix cubits long, by that fort of cubit, which is

[blocks in formation]

the cubit and a hand-breadth, the great cubit, or twenty inches and three quarters, 'the oblation would be a fquare of near

[ocr errors]

1

• forty-nine miles on every fide, which is near one eighth part of the whole land: To which add the prince's portion on the ' east and weft fides, and what little room 'would remain for the twelve tribes, and yet feven of them are to dwell north, and five fouth of it. And farther, the city within the walls would be above eight miles and three quarters on each fide, or above thirty-five miles round. For thefe reasons, we choose to understand the measurement by cubits instead of reeds, as the Septuagint reads it, in Eze'kiel xlii. 17, 20. and even still the city will be larger than ever it has been yet,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

being,' in this cafe, within the walls 18000 cubits, or 45 furlongs round,' that is five miles and five furlongs; whereas it was formerly but thirty-three furlongs round,'or four miles and one furlong, See Jofephus, War, b.

5,

ch, 4.

The

4

The oblation then, or holy portion to the Lord, is to be a fquare of 25000 cubits on each fide of which 25000 in length, and

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

10000 in breadth, are to be given to the priests for their habitations, and the house,

or temple of God is to be in it. Another part of the oblation, of the fame dimenfions with that of the priests, is to be given to the Levites for their poffeffion; and the remainder, being 25000 cubits long, and 5000 broad, is for the city and fuburbs, with lands adjoining, in the following manner. Ezekiel xlv. i to 7. and • xlviii. 8 to 21.The city is to be built fourfquare, 4500 cubits on every fide, having • twelve gates, three on each fide, to be call

ed after the names of the twelve tribes of • Ifrael; and the fuburbs are to extend 250 < cubits farther every way, making the city ' in all 5000 cubits on each fide, Ezekiel • xlviii. 16, 17, 30, to the end. And the remainder,being 10000 cubits long, and 5000 broad, on the eaft of the city, and the fame quantity of land lying weft of it, is to fupply the inhabitants of the city with • food.

N4

« AnteriorContinuar »