Division of the land A. M. 3430. B. C. 574. Olymp. LI. 3. Anno Servii Tullii, R. Roman., 5. ward the east two hundred and | Levites, and from the possession 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. A. M. 3430. Anno Servin Tullii, R. Roman., 5. of the city being in the midst of Olymp. LI. 3. 24 And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall 19 And they that serve the city shall serve have a portion. it out of all the tribes of Israel. 20 All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city. b 21 And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof. 22 Moreover from the possession of the Ch. xlv. 6.b Ch. xlv. 7.- — Ver. 8, 10.—— Heb. one portion. from north to south, was for fields and gardens appointed for the support of those lay servants. On which we may remark, there was no cultivated land between the portion of the Levites and that of the prince, but only on the east and west sides. See chap. xlv. 6, and the map FF. Verse 21. And the residue for the prince] His portion was alongside that of the Levites, from west to east; these were on each side twenty-five thousand cubits in length, from the east to the west, by twelve thousand five hundred cubits in breadth from north to south. The space both above and below was equal, between the tribe of Judah and that of Benjamin to north and south; and the portion of the Levites, which had Judah and Benjamin to the north and south, and the portion of the prince to the east and to the west. See the map. Verse 28. From Tamar—in Kadesh] The former was on the south of the Dead Sea; and the latter, or Kadesh-Barnea, was still farther south, and at the extremity of the portion of Gad, which was the most southern tribe, as Dan was the most northern. Verse 30. These are the goings out] Each of the four sides of the city was four thousand five hundred | cubits long. There were three gates on each side, as mentioned below; and the whole circumference of the city was eighteen thousand cubits. See the map, plan B. dddd. 25 And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion. 26 And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a portion. 27 And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion. 28 And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea. e f 29 This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord God. 30 And these are the goings out of the city e Ch. xlvii. 19.- Heb. Meribah-kadesh.- 8 Ch. xlvii. 14, The Rector of Newhaven College, in New England, supposes the preceding representations to refer to the happy state of the church in what is called the Millennium. Leaving this period out of the question, the following observations are worthy of notice : "The Jews, for whom this vision was intended, would conceive their country to be divided to the twelve tribes, in lots of a regular and mathematical form; and not confused or intermixed, as in Joshua's time. Their city laid out larger than before; and exactly four-square, with regular suburbs; the temple and appendages much more commodious for their sacrifices, and the habitations of the priests and Levites regularly formed round about the temple. So that this whole plan of the division of the country, laying out of the city, temple, and all the appendages, appears to be perfectly regular and uniform, as if it were drawn all at one time, and by one hand, who had power to effect it; and therefore conveyed to the Jews the most complete idea they were capable of conceiving of the most perfect church, commonwealth, city, temple, and conveniences, for divine worship. I. The Holy Land, as described chap. xlvii. and xlviii., according to the original grant, being about two hundred and fifty miles long, north and south, and about one hundred and fifty miles wide, is divided, by parallel lines east and west, to the twelve tribes, each of them having a portion twenty miles wide. Conclusion of the A. M. 3430. B. C. 574. Olymp. LI. 3. Anno Servii Tullii, R. Roman., 5. on the north side, four thou- | five hundred measures: and sand and five hundred mea- three gates; one gate of Si sures. a 31 And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. 32 And at the east side four thousand and five hundred and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. : 33 And at the south side four thousand and Rev. xxi. 12, &c.—— Jer. xxxiii, 16.- Heb. Jehovahshammah. See Exod. xvii. 15. Judg. vi. 24. — -- Ps. ii. 6. Only between Judah and Benjamin there is a holy portion near ten miles wide; in the middle of which is the holy oblation, twenty-five thousand cubits; that is, about ten miles square for the priests, Levites, city, and temple, chap. xlv. 1, xlviii. 8; the two ends are for the prince, chap. xlv. 7, &c. II. The holy oblation, lying in the middle of the holy portion, is twenty-five thousand cubits square, which is near ten miles; of which ten thousand cubits, or four miles, are taken off from the north side for a habitation for the priests, and as much for the Levites on the south side, chap. xlv. 4, 5, and xlviii. 20; and five thousand cubits in the middle for the city portion, chap. xlv. 6; in the middle of which is the city, four thousand five hundred cubits square, which is nearly two miles, chap. xlviii. 15, 16. Round about this is left two hundred and fifty cubits, near thirty rods, for suburbs, ver. 17. The remaining ten thousand cubits on the cast side, and the ten thousand cubits on the west side, are for the profit of those who serve the city, out of all the tribes, ver. 18, 19. The sanctuary is in the midst of the city, chap. xlviii. 8. III. The sanctuary or temple, and its appendages, were entirely surrounded with a wall six cubits high and six cubits thick, chap. xl. 5; and five hundred cubits long on each side, chap. xlii. 15, &c., and xlv. 2. In the middle square stands the temple, which was surrounded by a wall one hundred cubits long on each side, chap. xli. 13, and six cubits thick, chap. xli. 6. The side-chambers on the outside four cubits, ver. 6. The Holy of Holies, at the west end, was twenty cubits square on the inside, ver. 4. The holy place, or outer court at the east end, was forty cubits, ver. 12. The length of the porch on the north side was twenty cubits; the breadth was eleven cubits, chap. xl. 49; and the width of the separate place on the south side twenty cubits. On each side of the temple, towards the four gates in the outer wall, stood two courts, eight in the whole, each one hundred cubits square, chap. xl. 19, 23, 27. In each of these were thirty-six little chambers or buildings, about six cubits square, viz., six at the entrance of the gate, chap. xl. 7, 17, 20, &c., and thirty on the pavement, ver. 17, &c., which were for lodgings for the priests, for hanging up their garments, and their part of the sacrifices, chap. xlii. 13." Calmet has constructed a map to show the position of the tribes, and the quantum of space each was to meon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. A. M. 3430. B. C. 574. Olymp. LI. 3. Anno Servii Tullii, R. Roman., 5. 34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. 35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: b and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there. ix. 11. lxxvi. 2. xcix. 2. Jer. iii. 17. Joel iii. 21. Zech. ïi 10. Rev. xxi. 3. xxii. 3. possess. As this will give a better view of the subject than any written description can, I have inserted one constructed for this work, which, consulting the places said to be connected with the possessions of the different tribes, shows that the tribes did not al possess the same quantum of space, five of the southern tribes possessing only one half as much as these of the north. Verse 35. The name of the city from that day shal be, The Lord is there.] It would have been better to have retained the original words :— .YEHOVAH SHAMMAH יהוה שמה This is an allusion to the shechinah, or symbol of the Divine Presence, which was in the first, but most certainly was not in the second temple; but Ezekic tells us that the Divine Presence should be in the ety of which he speaks; and should be there so fully and so powerfully, that it should give name to the city itself; and that the very name, Jehovah shammci, should remind all men of the supereminently glorious Being who had condescended to make this city his habitation. Two points must be considered here:-1. That the prophet intended that, when they should be restorei, they should build the temple, and divide the land as he here directs, if the thing could be found to be practicable. 2. That he had another temple, another holy city, another Promised Land, in view. The lard of Immanuel, the city of the New Jerusalem; and his temple, the Christian church, which is the house of the living God, 1 Tim. iii. 15, in which the presenc of Christ shall ever be found; and all its inhabitants, all that believe on his name, shall be temples of the Holy Ghost. Nor can there be any reasonable două that the prophet here, by the Spirit of God, not on points out the return of the Israelites from the Babylonish captivity, and what was to befall them pr viously to the advent of Jesus Christ; but also th glorious spread of the Gospel in the earth, and the final conversion of the tribes of Israel by the preaching of that gospel. In conclusion, I think it necessary to state, thi there are but few of the prophets of the Old Test ment who have left a more valuable treasure to the church of God than Ezekiel. It is true, he is several places obscure'; but there is a great proport of the work that is in the highest degree edifying, and several portions that for the depth of the salva Description of the plan CHAP. XLVIII. of Ezekiel's temple. to be thirty cubits, or fifty-one feet three inches in height. FFF The court of the priests, one hundred cubits, or one hundred and seventy feet ten inches square, chap. xl. 7, xli. 14, 15. The Sanctuary, or Holy of Holies, twenty cubits, or thirty-four feet two inches square, chap. xli. 4, 1 Kings vi. 2. H The holy place, forty cubits long by twenty broad, or sixty-eight feet two inches long by thirtyfour feet two inches broad, chap. xli. 2, and 1 Kings vi. 2. tion predicted, and the accuracy and minuteness of the description, have nothing equal to them in the Old Testament Scriptures. On such portions, I have felt it my duty to be very particular, that I might be able to point out spiritual beauties and excellencies in this book which are beyond all praise; while IG passed slightly over prophecies and symbols which I did not fully understand; but have left to time, by the fulfilment of the events, to prove to successive generations with what heavenly wisdom this much neglected prophet has spoken. And I take this opportunity to recommend this book to the serious perusal of every pious man; and while he wonders at the extent of the wisdom by which Ezekiel has fathomed the depth of so many divine mysteries, let him give God the glory for this additional testimony to the unsearchable riches of Christ, and that plenary salvation which he has purchased for, and freely offers to, the vilest of the vile, and to the whole of the descendants of Adam. MASORETIC NOTES.-Number of verses, 1,273. Middle verse, chap. xxvi. 1. Masoretic sections, 29. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN OF EZEKIEL'S TEMPLE. As I utterly despair of making the prophet's description of this temple intelligible without a plan, I have introduced one drawn up with great labour and skill by Dom. August. Calmet, where the measurements, distances, gates, chambers, courts, inclosures, &c., are all carefully entered as far as they could possibly be ascertained from Ezekiel's description; which, it must be allowed, though wondrously circumstantial, is in several respects obscure. But by referring to the places, both in Kings and Chronicles, as well as in this Prophet, where the same things are mentioned, this obscurity will be considerably diminished, if not entirely removed. At the same time, for a description of the temple in general, I beg leave to refer the reader to 1 Kings vi., at the end, where this subject is considered at large. THE PLAN. [Let it be observed that the Hebrew cubit is about twenty inches and a half.] AAAA The first inclosure, or wall of six hundred cubits, i. e., one thousand and twenty-five royal feet in length on each side, chap. xlv. 2; and six cubits or ten feet three inches high, and as many in breadth, chap. xl. 5. BBBB The court of the Gentiles, or first court, fifty cubits in breadth, or eighty-five feet five inches, chap. xl. 2. CCCC The outward wall of the court of Israel, or inclosure, five hundred cubits square, i. e., eight hundred and fifty-four feet two inches. This wall might be thirty cubits high, taken from the level of the threshold of the gate. DDDD The court of Israel, one hundred cubits, or one hundred and seventy feet ten inches broad, chap. xl. 19. EEEE The outer wall, or inclosure of the court of the priests, two hundred cubits, or three hundred and forty-one feet eight inches square, is supposed I K The vestibule or porch, twenty cubits in breadth, by ten (or according to Ezekiel, eleven) cubits in length, i. e., thirty-four feet two inches long by seventeen feet one inch broad, chap. xl. 48, 1 Kings vi. 3. The altar of burnt-offerings, twelve cubits, or twenty feet six inches square, according to Ezekiel, chap. xliii. 12, 13, &c., or ten cubits high by twenty broad, i. e., seventeen feet one inch high, and thirty-four feet two inches broad, according to 2 Chron. iv. 1. LLL The wall of separation which encompassed the Temple, and the altar of burnt-offerings, of which the Scriptures do not give the dimensions. It was twenty cubits from the buildings in the court of the priests, and five from the Temple, chap. xli. 9, 10. Josephus makes it three cubits high, Antiq. lib. viii. c. 2. MMMMMM Gates of the court of Israel, and of 00000000 Chambers or apartments round the Q sixty-eight feet four inches long by thirty cubits, or fifty-one feet three inches broad, chap. xlv. 21 22, 23, 24. The north gate of the court of the priests, where the victims were prepared, and where they slew the animals designed for sacrifice, chap. xl. 38, 59. RRRR Galleries around the court of the priests, chap. xlii. 3. SSSSSS Apartments continued round the court of the priests. The aisle, which was to the south of the eastern gate, was for the priests employed as guards of the Temple, chap. xl. 45. The aisle on the north side of the said gate was appointed for the singers, chap. xl. 44; the aisle that was on the eastern side of the south gate was for the priests employed about the altar, chap. xl. 46; the aisles which were to the west of the north gate and of the south gate, contained the halls where the priests ate, chap. xlii. 13. TT The kitchens of the court of the priests were those where they dressed the trespass-offering, sinoffering, and the meat-offerings, forty cubits, or sixty-eight feet four inches long, and thirty cubits, or fifty-one feet five inches broad, chap. xlvi. 20. He speaks only of that on the north. VVVV Flights of steps which led to the court of the people. In each flight there were seven steps, chap. xl. 22-26. XXX Flights of steps which led to the court of the priests; in each there were eight steps, chap. xl. 31, 34, 37. of Ezekiel's temple. and before the captivity the western gate did most certainly exist, see chap. xliii. 8; 2 Kings xi. 6; xvi. 18; 1 Chron. ix. 24; xxvi. 16, 18. 1. The gate of the porch of the holy place was fourteen cubits wide, i. e., twenty-three feet eleven inches, chap. xl. 48; 1 Kings vi. 3. 2. The gate of the holy place was ten cubits, or seventeen feet one inch wide, chap. xli. 1, 2. 3. The gate of the sanctuary was six cubits, or ten feet three inches wide. The wall of the separation was only two cubits, chap. xli. 1, 3. 4. The east gate of the court of the priests was shut all the week, and was not opened but on the sabbath and new moons, according to Ezekiel. It was there that the king had his seat, a sort of tribunal, chap. xliv. 2—4; xlvi. 1, 2, &c. Calmet observes, with respect to his plan, that be assigns only two galleries to the apartments which were around the court of Israel; but those which were around the court of the priests had three, chap. YY A flight of steps which led to the porch of the | xlii. 3, 5, 6. There is another difference between Temple, eight steps in each, chap. xl. 49. ааа Chambers about the Temple, thirty-three in number, Ezekiel makes them four cubits in breadth, chap. xli. 5; but in 1 Kings vi. 5, 6, they are stated to be five cubits in the lower stage, six in the second, and seven in the third. bb Flights of steps opposite to the chambers, which were continued round the temple, chap. xli. 7, and 1 Kings vi. 8. the palace (atrium) of the court of the priests, and that of the court of Israel. The walls of the first were built with three rows of hewn stones and one of cedar alternately, 1 Kings vi. 36; but this is not said to be the same in the structure of the outward court, or that of the people. In the Old Testament we find no mention of the court of the Gentiles. Only two courts are mentioned there, one of the priests, the other of the people; one C The steps of the altar of burnt-offerings turned the inner, the other the outer court; but it is certain toward the east, chap. xliii. 15, 16. dddd Tables of hewn stone, which were in the portico of the north gate of the priest's court, where they slew, flayed, and cut up the victims. Each table was one and a half cubit square, chap. xl. 38, 39-41. that such a court did exist, and is here marked BBBB. The height of the aisles, or apartments that were around the two courts, is not mentioned any where in the Scriptures; but they are here fixed at thirty cubits; for the temple was not higher, neither was Solomon's palace. See 1 Kings vii. 2. The great walls of the temple were all six cubits, EXPLANATION OF THE PLAN FOR THE DIVISION OF THE or ten feet three inches thick. These walls were: 1. That which formed the first inclosure; 2. The wall of the court of Israel; 3. The wall of the court of the priests; and 4. The walls of the Temple. But the outward wall of the thirty-three chambers, which were around the holy place and the sanctuary, was only five cubits broad, and fifteen high; i. e., eight feet six inches and a half in thickness, and twenty-five feet seven inches and a half in height, chap. xli. 9, 12. All the gates of the two courts, that of Israel and that of the priests, are of the same dimensions. The wall where was the opening was six cubits, or ten feet three inches in thickness. The gate was eight cubits, or thirteen feet right inches wide; and the opening of the gate was one cubit, and the gate was thirteen cubits, or twenty-two feet two inches and a half high, chap. xl. 9, 11. LAND OF CANAAN, ACCORDING TO EZEKIEL'S VISION, chap. xlviii. A The Temple of the Lord, five hundred cubits square, chap. xlv. 2. BB The city of the Levites, four thousand fire hundred cubits square, and eighteen thousand in compass, chap. xlviii. 16. cece Suburbs of the city of the Levites, two hundred and fifty cubits in breadth, chap. xlviii. 17. dddd The twelve gates of the Levitical city, four on each side, chap. xlviii. 31-34. EE City of the lay persons or workmen employed in the service of the priests and of the Levites, five thousand broad by twenty-five thousand cubis long, chap. xlv. 6. FF Cultivated ground for the maintenance of the lay artisans, chap. xlviii. 15. GG Portion of the prince of Israel, twenty-five thousand cubits long by twelve thousand five hun dred broad, chap. xlviii. 21. The western gate of the Temple is not mentioned by Ezekiel, because, according to his plan, the king's palace was not to be near the temple; and consequently this gate, which was the gate of the king, did not exist. But this was not followed, as we find that, after the return from Babylon, there were gates on the western side of the Temple, according to Josephus; | one hundred. The whole extent of the land from Kadesh-barnes south to Hethlon or Hamath north, was about fro hundred and twenty miles, its mean breadth about INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET DANIEL. DA ANIEL is said to have descended from the royal family of David; and he appears to have been carried into Babylon when very young, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim king of Judah, A. M. 3398, B. C. 602, or 606 before the vulgar era. He and his three fellowcaptives, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, being likely youths, were chosen to be about the king's court, and were appointed to have an education suitable to the employments for which they were destined. As they had been carefully bred up in the Mosaic institutions, they regulated their conduct by them, even in the court of a heathen king, where they were in the capacity of slaves; hence, though ordered to be fed from the royal table, they would not touch that food, because the Chaldeans ate of meat forbidden by the Mosaic law; and probably even that which might be denominated clean became defiled by having been sacrificed to idols before it was prepared for common use. At their earnest request, the officer under whose care they were placed permitted them to use vegetables only; and finding that they grew healthy and strong by this aliment, did not oblige them to use the portion sent from the king's table. Daniel appears to have been instructed in all the wisdom of the Chaldeans, which was at that time greatly superior to the learning of the ancient Egyptians; and he was soon distinguished in the Babylonish court, as well for his wisdom and strong understanding as for his deep and steady piety. His interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the variously compounded metallic image raised his credit so high at the court that he was established governor of the province of Babylon, and made chief of all the Magians, or wise men in that country. The chief facts and incidents of his history are so particularly woven throughout the book bearing his name, and undoubtedly written by himself, that they need not be detailed here. The reputation of Daniel was so great, even in his lifetime, that it became a proverb. "Thou art wiser than Daniel," said Ezekiel ironically to the king of Tyre, chap. xxviii. 3; and by the same prophet God ranks him among the most holy and exemplary of men, when he declares, speaking relative to Jerusalem, which had been condemned to destruction, "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own lives by their righteousness," chap. xiv. 14, 20. : Josephus, Ant. lib. x., c. 12, says that God bestowed many favours on him that he was advanced to the rank of the most considerable prophets; that he enjoyed the favour of princes, and the affection of the people during his life; and that after his death his memory became immortal. He observes also that, in the complexion of his predictions, he differs widely from all other prophets; they foretold scarcely any thing but disastrous events; on the contrary, he predicts the most joyous events, and fixes the times of accomplishment with more circumstantial precision than they did. And this is so true, that we cannot help thinking that God had given this eminent man a greater degree of light to fix the times when his predictions should issue, than he had given in general to all his predecessors, who simply declared the mind of God in relation to things future, without attempting to indicate the distance of time in which they should be fulfilled. There are but very few exceptions to this either in Isaiah or Jeremiah. And in this respect the prophecy of the seventy weeks of Daniel exceeds all that have gone before, as the incidents and transactions relative to its fulfilment were so various, and yet so fixed and declared six hundred years before the time, |