“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. when: Heb. when ye cause the land to fall an holy: Heb. holiness”
By lot. Manuscript 2 reads bogurl; (printed benachala) so the Vulgate sortito. (Kennicott) — Hebrew, “when you shall make the land fall,” which usually implies by lot: yet the partition was not made thus, (chap. xlviii. 1.) nor at all, (Calmet) otherwise the prophet might mention how the lots would have fallen to Dan, in the north, &c. (Haydock) — The Jews either could not comply, or did not take this to be a command. If they had returned all together, they might probably have put it in execution. But many of them preferred staying where they had gotten a settlement, and the rest only returned in small parties, some not before the reign of Alexander [the Great]. Those who arrived first, occupied as much as possible their ancient limits, 1 Esdras iii. 1., and 2 Esdras viii., and xi. (Calmet) — Thousand: reeds, or cubits. (Challoner) — Many prefer the latter, which is specified [in] ver. 2., (Haydock) as it agrees with the dimensions of the temple, chap. xlii. 16. If reeds or toises were meant, the city would be disproportionate with the rest of the divisions: 50,000 would make 25 leagues, of 2,500 paces each; and if each tribe had as much, the country must have comprised 325 leagues, whereas from Emath to Cadesbarne (chap. xlvii. 17.) there at[are?] not above 150. (Calmet) — To form an idea of the proposed partition, we must suppose the country reached from a little north of Emesa, on the Orontes, to Cadesbarne south, and from the Mediterranean to Damascus, or a little farther east, and beyond the sources of Jazer. 1. Dan, 2. Aser, 3. Nephthali, 4. Manasses, 5. Ephraim, 6. Ruben, and 7. Juda, had about equal portions with that designed for 8. the temple, the Levites, and prince, whose southern limits reached almost to Accaron and the Dead Sea. 9. Benjamin, 10. Simeon, 11. Issachar, 12. Zabulon, and 13. Gad, had each about half the quantity of the others, though the tribes occupied the whole extent from east to west, their lots being marked out by parallel lines. Between Juda and Benjamin, a square of 500 cubits was assigned for the temple; another square of 4,500, or 18,000 in circuit, lay round the former for the city of the Levites: round this were suburbs 250 cubits broad, walled about, and having three gates on each side. Next them dwelt their lay servants, in a space 5,000 cubits broad, and 25,000 long, from east to west. A plot of ground on the north and south, sufficient to complete this square was to support them with provisions. On the east side of the Jordan, and on the west of this square for the priests and their servants, two portions almost of equal dimensions with it, were appropriated to the prince. His lot was 25,000 cubits long, and 12,500 broad, chap. xlviii. 21. See Calmet’s plan. (Haydock) — About. It could not be alienated to private men, or for any other purpose. (Worthington)
“Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof. suburbs: or, void places”
Suburbs. Hebrew also, “vacant spaces.”
“And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place.”
Measure, from the centre of the temple; so that the dimensions given must be doubled, (chap. xlviii. 10.) as also ver. 5.
“The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary.”
Place. There the priests shall dwell.
“And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth, shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers.”
Chambers for the Levites on duty. Septuagint read, “towns.” But only one seems to be specified, 18,000 cubits in circumference.
“And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.”
According. Hebrew, “along or (Calmet) over-against the oblation of the holy portion.” (Protestants) — Israel, destined to serve the priests. (Haydock)
“And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy portion, and of the possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy portion, and before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward: and the length shall be over against one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border.”
Border. Two equal lots, one on the east and the other on the west, were assigned the prince, each 20,000 cubits broad, and 12,500 long, chap. xlviii. 21. (Calmet) — He dwelt near the priests, for their protection; as the people were on both sides of him, that he might sustain no injury. (Worthington)
“In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.”
Rob. Instead of their right, (1 Kings viii. 11.) the source of continual vexations, a certain revenue is specified, ver. 13.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD. exactions: Heb. expulsions”
Confines: encroach not. (Calmet) — Hebrew and Septuagint, “take away your oppressions;” (Haydock) Chaldean, “scandals.” (Calmet)
“The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.”
The ephi and the bate. These measures were of equal capacity; but the bate served for liquids, and the ephi for dry things, (Challoner) ver. 13, 14. (Worthington) — Ezechiel specifies the measures, that the people might not use those of Babylon, after their return.
“And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.”
Sicles. It would be shorter to say, “sixty sicles make a mna.”
“This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley:”
Take, for the prince’s revenue. He had the sixtieth part of corn and of oil; or rather (Calmet) he had an exact tithe of the latter, ver. 14. (Chaldean) (Menochius)
“And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD. lamb: or, kid peace: or, thank offerings”
One ram. He shall receive the tithe of sheep, &c., and take one out of two hundred, on condition that he furnish victims, ver. 17. (Calmet) — The obligation was mutual. St. Jerome explains it of the high priest and people. (Worthington)
“And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel. peace: or, thank offerings”
Holocaust. This was given before perhaps gratis, 2 Paralipomenon xxxi. 3. Solomon and Ezechias shewed great magnificence. After the captivity the people laid on the third of a sicle per head, as this order was not observed, 2 Esdras x. 32.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:”
Take, or order the priests to do this annually, to prepare for the Passover, ver. 21. Moses mentions nothing of this, and it does not appear to have been put in execution. (Calmet) — Yet it might be the first year after the dedication of the temple. The prophet does not say it was to be done every year. (Haydock)
“And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.”
Seventh, or so many days before the solemn feast. Septuagint, “on the first of the seventh month,” the feast of trumpets, Numbers xxix. 1. (Calmet)
“And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.”
Sacrifice. Hebrew mincha, flour. Protestants, “meat offering.” (Haydock)
“In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil.”
Day: the feast of tabernacles, to be observed like the Pasch, Numbers xxix. 12. (Calmet)