Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 48:18
And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy [portion shall be] ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy [portion]; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city.
18. As the city with its suburbs was a square of 5000 cubits, there remained of the 25,000 in length assigned to it a portion 10,000 long on the E. and another equally long on the W. In their length these portions lay “over against,” i.e. along, the holy portion of the priests.
that serve the city ] The words are very difficult. It is plain that the 10,000 cubits of land E. and W. of the city serve to supply the inhabitants of the city with food. The restored land is a land of husbandmen, and those who dwell in the city live from the city’s domain. Either “serve” or “cultivate,” must be taken in the sense of inhabit and the words be read: for food to them that inhabit the city, 19 and they that inhabit the city &c; though such a usage has no parallel. Or, the word “city” must be taken in a general sense of the city and its domain of land: for food to the tillers of the city, 19 and they that till the city &c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Eze 48:18
Then, that serve – i. e., the cultivators or farmers.
Eze 48:19
Of old the city belonged to Benjamin and Judah, and its inhabitants were mainly from these tribes. Now all the tribes are to have equal part in it, and avoid jealousies (compare 2Sa 19:43).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The residue in length, which remains on each side of the five thousand cubits square area, will be ten thousand on the east, and ten thousand on the west.
Shall be over against the oblation; lie parallel and even with the south side of the Levites portion both on east and west.
The increase thereof; the product, revenues of this land.
For food; the maintenance, both salary and allowances of bread and wine.
Unto them that serve the city; for the city officers, so that they may live by the city, whose life is spent for the city, that the labourer may, as he is worthy of it, receive his wages.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward,…. 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 thousand; ten thousand to the east, and ten thousand to the west:
and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; that is, that space as yet undisposed of, the twenty thousand reeds, ten on the east, and ten on the west of the city, were close to, and ran even with, the oblation of the holy portion assigned to the priests and Levites:
and the increase thereof; or what these twenty thousand reeds of land should produce, or could be made of them:
shall be for food for them that serve the city; not the Gibeonites given to be hewers of wood and drawers of water, as Jarchi interprets it; which sense is justly rejected by Kimchi; since, as he observes, the Gibeonites shall not dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, nor minister in time to come: but either civil magistrates, who serve the church of Christ, when they secure the peace of it, protect and defend it; as they will, especially in the latter day, when these officers will be peace, and these exactors righteousness do all things justly and equitably; and when kings shall be nursing fathers and queens nursing mothers to the church; and it is but right they shall be provided for suitably to their rank, dignity, and office, and tribute be given to whom tribute is due: or ministers of the word, who are the church’s servants, and serve it in preaching the Gospel, and administering the ordinances of it; and go by various names, as husbandmen concerned in ploughing, sowing, reaping, and gathering in the harvest; as labourers in the vineyard, and employed in planting, watering, pruning, and propping the vines; and as stewards of the mysteries and manifold grace of God, to give to everyone in the city and family his portion of meat in due season; and as guides and governors, engaged in taking care of the good order and discipline of it; as watchmen, that go about it, or are set on the walls of it: and it is the will of God they should be comfortably provided for, and eat of the fruit of the field and vineyard they labour in; and of the milk of the flock they take care of; and reap carnal things where they have sowed spiritual, things: or else private believers, who serve the interest of Christ and one another by love; praying with and for one another; bearing one another’s burdens, and building up each other on their most holy faith: and for whom “food”, or “bread” u, as in the original, both temporal and spiritual, is provided; both being to be had of the Lord, with whom there is enough, and to spare; Christ is the bread of life, and his word and ordinances are the provisions of Zion; which all that serve the city or church of God may partake of.
u “in panem”, Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(18) Shall be for food.This piece of land, only four times the size of the city itself, would seem a very insufficient provision for raising all the food required for the labourers of the city. But here, as everywhere, it is to be remembered that the description is ideal
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“And the residue in length answerable to the holy Gift-offering shall be ten thousand eastward and ten thousand westward. And it shall be answerable to the holy Gift-offering. And its increase shall be for food for those who labour in the city. And those who labour in the city from all the tribes of Israel will till it.”
The land, on each side east and west of the city and the open space, measuring ten thousand each (by five thousand), will make up the other twenty thousand, which with the five thousand for the city and open space is adjacent to the twenty five thousand of the Levites’ portion. This will be for the production of food for the city, which itself will be inhabited by members of all the tribes of Israel.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 48:18 And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy [portion shall be] ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy [portion]; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city.
Ver. 18. For food to them that serve the city. ] To all the citizens, who all are to turn servitors to their fellow brethren that come to the public meetings, to serve one another in love, which they that do shall not lose their reward, but verily they shall be fed.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
that serve: Jos 9:27, Ezr 2:43-58, Neh 7:46-62
Reciprocal: Exo 29:36 – every day Eze 48:15 – for the city Rev 21:16 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 48:18. The strip of land described in this verse was to be cultivated, and the food raised was for the support of those living in the space described above.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 48:18-20. And the residue in length over against [or beside] the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward and ten thousand westward These two dimensions, of ten thousand in length both eastward and westward, remain on each side of the area, which is five thousand cubits square, and set apart for the site of the city. It shall be over against [or beside] the oblation of the holy portion It shall join to the Levites portion, both on the east and west side; and it shall lie parallel with the two portions belonging to the priests and Levites. And the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city Perform burdensome offices of public utility, whether of a higher or lower kind. They that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes This service being a burden, it was fit that all the tribes should bear their part in it. All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand, &c. That is, twenty-five thousand in length, multiplied by twenty-five thousand in breadth. Ye shall offer the oblation four-square So the heavenly Jerusalem is described, Rev 21:16, as lying four-square, a square figure being the emblem of perpetuity, strength, and solidity. With the possession of the city Or the land assigned for the site of the city; which was a square of five thousand cubits, and being added to the portion of the priests and Levites, made their twice ten thousand to be twenty-five thousand in breadth.