Ezekiel Chapter 48 · Verse 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.
Original Language Analysis
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
1 of 16
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
All the oblation
H8641
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
All the oblation
Strong's:
H8641
Word #:
2 of 16
a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute
אָ֑לֶף
thousand
H505
אָ֑לֶף
thousand
Strong's:
H505
Word #:
5 of 16
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
אָ֑לֶף
thousand
H505
אָ֑לֶף
thousand
Strong's:
H505
Word #:
8 of 16
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
תָּרִ֙ימוּ֙
ye shall offer
H7311
תָּרִ֙ימוּ֙
ye shall offer
Strong's:
H7311
Word #:
10 of 16
to be high actively, to rise or raise (in various applications, literally or figuratively)
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
11 of 16
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
All the oblation
H8641
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
All the oblation
Strong's:
H8641
Word #:
12 of 16
a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ
the holy
H6944
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ
the holy
Strong's:
H6944
Word #:
13 of 16
a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity
Historical Context
The Hebrew terumah originally designated portions given to priests from sacrifices and tithes (Numbers 18:8-19). Here it expands to territorial dedication—the entire sacred district is an offering to God. This transforms land from mere property into worship, addressing the pre-exilic failure to recognize that all land belongs to Yahweh (Leviticus 25:23).
Questions for Reflection
- How does treating an entire geographical region as an "offering" challenge modern notions of property ownership versus stewardship?
- What does the repeated foursquare pattern from tabernacle to temple to eternal city teach about God's unchanging standards of holiness?
Analysis & Commentary
All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand—the complete sacred district forms a perfect square (25,000x25,000 cubits), encompassing priestly portion, Levitical portion, and city property. The term oblation (תְּרוּמָה, terumah) means "contribution" or "heave offering," indicating the entire land is lifted up/set apart for God.
Ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare—the command shifts from third-person description to direct address, making this a prescriptive mandate for restoration, not mere visionary speculation. The foursquare geometry echoes the high priest's breastplate (Exodus 28:16), the altar of incense (Exodus 30:2), and ultimately the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:16)—all expressing divine perfection through sacred geometry.