3 And by the border H1366 of Asher, H836 from the east H6921 side H6285 even unto the west H3220 side, H6285 a H259 portion for Naphtali. H5321
The sixth H8345 lot H1486 came out H3318 to the children H1121 of Naphtali, H5321 even for the children H1121 of Naphtali H5321 according to their families. H4940 And their coast H1366 was from Heleph, H2501 from Allon H438 to Zaanannim, H6815 and Adami, H129 Nekeb, H5346 and Jabneel, H2995 unto Lakum; H3946 and the outgoings H8444 thereof were at Jordan: H3383 And then the coast H1366 turneth H7725 westward H3220 to Aznothtabor, H243 and goeth out H3318 from thence to Hukkok, H2712 and reacheth H6293 to Zebulun H2074 on the south side, H5045 and reacheth H6293 to Asher H836 on the west side, H3220 and to Judah H3063 upon Jordan H3383 toward the sunrising. H4217 H8121 And the fenced H4013 cities H5892 are Ziddim, H6661 Zer, H6863 and Hammath, H2575 Rakkath, H7557 and Chinnereth, H3672 And Adamah, H128 and Ramah, H7414 and Hazor, H2674 And Kedesh, H6943 and Edrei, H154 and Enhazor, H5877 And Iron, H3375 and Migdalel, H4027 Horem, H2765 and Bethanath, H1043 and Bethshemesh; H1053 nineteen H8672 H6240 cities H5892 with their villages. H2691 This is the inheritance H5159 of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Naphtali H5321 according to their families, H4940 the cities H5892 and their villages. H2691
And Bilhah H1090 Rachel's H7354 maid H8198 conceived H2029 again, and bare H3205 Jacob H3290 a second H8145 son. H1121 And Rachel H7354 said, H559 With great H430 wrestlings H5319 have I wrestled H6617 with my sister, H269 and I have prevailed: H3201 and she called H7121 his name H8034 Naphtali. H5321
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezekiel 48
Commentary on Ezekiel 48 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 48
Eze 48:1-35. Allotment of the Land to the Several Tribes.
1. Dan—The lands are divided into portions of ideal exactness, running alongside of each other, the whole breadth from west to east, standing in a common relation to the temple in the center: seven tribes' portions on the north, five in the smaller division in the south. The portions of the city, the temple, the prince, and the priesthood, are in the middle, not within the boundaries of any tribe, all alike having a common interest in them. Judah has the place of honor next the center on the north, Benjamin the corresponding place of honor next the center on the south; because of the adherence of these two to the temple ordinances and to the house of David for so long, when the others deserted them. Dan, on the contrary, so long locally and morally semi-heathen (Jud 18:1-31), is to have the least honorable place, at the extreme north. For the same reason, St. John (Re 7:5-8) omits Dan altogether.
3. Asher—a tribe of which no one of note is mentioned in the Old Testament. In the New Testament one is singled out of it, the prophetess Anna.
4. Manasseh—The intercourse and unity between the two and a half tribes east of the Jordan, and the nine and a half west of it, had been much kept up by the splitting of Manasseh, causing the visits of kinsmen one to the other from both sides of the Jordan. There shall be no need for this in the new order of things.
5. Ephraim—This tribe, within its two dependent tribes, Manasseh and Benjamin, for upwards of four hundred years under the judges held the pre-eminence.
6. Reuben—doomed formerly for incest and instability "not to excel" (Ge 49:4). So no distinguished prophet, priest, or king had come from it. Of it were the notorious Dathan and Abiram, the mutineers. A pastoral and Bedouin character marked it and Gad (Jud 5:16).
15-17. The five thousand rods, apportioned to the city out of the twenty-five thousand square, are to be laid off in a square of four thousand five hundred, with the two hundred fifty all around for suburbs.
profane—that is, not strictly sacred as the sacerdotal portions, but applied to secular uses.
24. Benjamin—Compare Jacob's prophecy (Ge 49:27; De 33:12). It alone with Judah had been throughout loyal to the house of David, so its prowess at the "night" of the national history was celebrated as well as in the "morning."
25. Simeon—omitted in the blessing of Moses in De 33:1-29, perhaps because of the Simeonite "prince," who at Baal-peor led the Israelites in their idolatrous whoredoms with Midian (Nu 25:14).
26. Issachar—Its ancient portion had been on the plain of Esdraelon. Compared (Ge 49:14) to "a strong ass crouching between two burdens," that is, tribute and tillage; never meddling with wars except in self-defense.
31. gates—(Re 21:12, &c.). The twelve gates bear the names of the twelve tribes to imply that all are regarded as having an interest in it.
35. Lord is there—Jehovah-Shammah. Not that the city will be called so in mere name, but that the reality will be best expressed by this descriptive title (Jer 3:17; 33:16; Zec 2:10; Re 21:3; 22:3).