The Division of the Land among the Tribes

1-7The northern boundary of the land runs eastwards from the Mediterranean Sea to the city of Hethlon, to Hamath Pass, to the city of Enon, to the boundary between the kingdoms of Damascus and Hamath. Each tribe is to receive one section of land extending from the eastern boundary westwards to the Mediterranean Sea,48.1–7 One ancient translation extending… Sea; Hebrew having an eastern boundary and a western boundary. in the following order from north to south:

Dan

Asher

Naphtali

Manasseh

Ephraim

Reuben

Judah.

The Special Section in the Centre of the Land

8The next section of the land is to be set apart for special use. It is to be 12.5 kilometres wide from north to south, and the same length from east to west as the sections given to the tribes. The Temple will be in this section.

9In the centre of this section, a special area 12.5 kilometres by ten kilometres48.9 Probable text (see 45.1) ten kilometres; Hebrew five kilometres. is to be dedicated to the LORD. 10The priests are to have a portion of this holy area. From east to west their portion is to measure 12.5 kilometres, and from north to south, five kilometres. The Temple of the LORD is to be in the middle of this area. 11This holy area is to be for the priests who are descendants of Zadok. They served me faithfully and did not join the rest of the Israelites in doing wrong, as the other members of the tribe of Levi did. 12So they are to have a special area next to the area belonging to the Levites, and it will be the holiest of all. 13The Levites also are to have a special area, south of that of the priests. It too is to be 12.5 kilometres from east to west, by five kilometres from north to south. 14The area dedicated to the LORD is the best part of all the land, and none of it may be sold or exchanged or transferred to anyone else. It is holy and belongs to the LORD.

15The part of the special area that is left, 12.5 kilometres by 2.5 kilometres, is not holy, but is for the general use of the people. They may live there and use the land. The city is to be in the centre of it, 16and it will be a square, measuring 2,250 metres on each side. 17All round the city on each side there will be an open space 125 metres across. 18The land that is left after the city has been built in the area immediately to the south of the holy area — five kilometres by 2.5 kilometres on the east and five kilometres by 2.5 kilometres on the west — is to be used as farm land by the people who live in the city. 19Anyone who lives in the city, no matter which tribe he comes from, may farm that land.

20And so the total area in the centre of the section which was set apart will be a square measuring 12.5 kilometres on each side, and it will include the area occupied by the city.

21-22To the east and to the west of this area which contains the Temple, the priests' land, the Levites' land, and the city, the remaining land belongs to the ruling prince. It extends eastwards to the eastern boundary and westwards to the Mediterranean Sea, and is bounded on the north by the section belonging to Judah and on the south by the section belonging to Benjamin.

Land for the Other Tribes

23-27South of this special section, each of the remaining tribes is to receive one section of land running from the eastern boundary westwards to the Mediterranean Sea, in the following order from north to south:

Benjamin

Simeon

Issachar

Zebulun

Gad.

28On the south side of the portion given to the tribe of Gad, the boundary runs south-west from Tamar to the oasis of Kadesh, and then north-west along the Egyptian border to the Mediterranean Sea.

29The Sovereign LORD said, “That is the way the land is to be divided into sections for the tribes of Israel to possess.”

The Gates of Jerusalem

30-3448.30–34: Rev 21.12–13There are twelve entrances to the city of Jerusalem. Each of the four walls measures 2,250 metres and has three gates in it, each named after one of the tribes. The gates in the north wall are named after Reuben, Judah, and Levi; those in the east wall, after Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan; those in the south wall, after Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun; and those in the west wall are named after Gad, Asher, and Naphtali. 35The total length of the wall on all four sides of the city is 9,000 metres. The name of the city from now on will be, “The-LORD-is-Here!”