Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 45:1

1 MOreover when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds , and the breadth shall be ten thousand : this shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about.

Ye returned Iewes restor'd to your own land.

It was not on the return divided by lot, as 'twas by Ioshua, but lot, and inheritance are the same many times in the Scripture, and the expression alludes to the usual way of assigning inheritances.

Land of Canaan.

As 'tis fit God have his Portion first set out.

By it's Relation to God, and because dedicated to his service.

The Heb. doth not express either Reeds or cubits, our Translators supply Reeds, but the French reads it cubits (coudees.) Rochel edit. 1616. The Gr. keeps to the Heb. and adds not reed or cubit: could it be demonstrated which is here intended, we might proceed with greater clearness and certainty. 'Tis true Reeds are first mention'd, as the measure, but Cubits are also very often mention'd, as a known measure in measuring the Temple and Courts, as appears to any one that will read over these four Chapters, 40.41.42.43. beside the second verse expresly saith Cubits, and I am apt to think, that it hath relation as well to the 25000, ver. 1. as to the 500, ver. 2. I rather favour the Cubit Measure than the Reed, that so the whole content may not seem overgrown, for at Reed Measure this Portion contains at least 77 miles, and a little more in length; but at the Cubit Measure it amounts but to 12 miles and a half. This easily, the other hardly imaginable.

Reeds is at least 30 miles and a half, but Cubits amount to five miles in breadth, and this seems to me both likeliest to be intended, and easiest to be understood, however, since the first ver. mentions not the particular measure, I may as well borrow it from the second ver. as others fetch it from the 40 Chap. and I think, the third expresly limits us to the measure by Cubits, which see with Notes, let. o.

Set apart for holy uses, the whole circuit thereof.

Marginal references: Heb. cause the land to fall.; chap. 48.8.; Heb. Holiness.