Ezekiel 48:21
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.
Original Language Analysis
וְהַנּוֹתָ֣ר
And the residue
H3498
וְהַנּוֹתָ֣ר
And the residue
Strong's:
H3498
Word #:
1 of 35
to jut over or exceed; by implication, to excel; (intransitively) to remain or be left; causatively to leave, cause to abound, preserve
לַנָּשִׂ֑יא
for the prince
H5387
לַנָּשִׂ֑יא
for the prince
Strong's:
H5387
Word #:
2 of 35
properly, an exalted one, i.e., a king or sheik; also a rising mist
מִזֶּ֣ה׀
H2088
וּמִזֶּ֣ה׀
H2088
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
oblation
H8641
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
oblation
Strong's:
H8641
Word #:
5 of 35
a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ
and it shall be the holy
H6944
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ
and it shall be the holy
Strong's:
H6944
Word #:
6 of 35
a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity
וְלַאֲחֻזַּ֪ת
and of the possession
H272
וְלַאֲחֻזַּ֪ת
and of the possession
Strong's:
H272
Word #:
7 of 35
something seized, i.e., a possession (especially of land)
הָעִ֟יר
of the city
H5892
הָעִ֟יר
of the city
Strong's:
H5892
Word #:
8 of 35
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
פְּ֠נֵי
over against
H6440
פְּ֠נֵי
over against
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
10 of 35
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
אֶ֙לֶף֙
thousand
H505
אֶ֙לֶף֙
thousand
Strong's:
H505
Word #:
13 of 35
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
oblation
H8641
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
oblation
Strong's:
H8641
Word #:
14 of 35
a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute
עַד
H5704
עַד
Strong's:
H5704
Word #:
15 of 35
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
גְּב֣וּל
border
H1366
גְּב֣וּל
border
Strong's:
H1366
Word #:
16 of 35
properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e., (by implication) a boundary; by extension the territory inclosed
קָדִימָה֒
toward the east
H6921
קָדִימָה֒
toward the east
Strong's:
H6921
Word #:
17 of 35
the fore or front part; hence (by orientation) the east (often adverbially, eastward, for brevity the east wind)
יָ֔מָּה
and westward
H3220
יָ֔מָּה
and westward
Strong's:
H3220
Word #:
18 of 35
a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the mediterranean sea; sometimes a large river, or an artif
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
19 of 35
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
פְּ֠נֵי
over against
H6440
פְּ֠נֵי
over against
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
20 of 35
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
אֶ֙לֶף֙
thousand
H505
אֶ֙לֶף֙
thousand
Strong's:
H505
Word #:
23 of 35
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
עַל
H5921
עַל
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
24 of 35
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
גְּב֣וּל
border
H1366
גְּב֣וּל
border
Strong's:
H1366
Word #:
25 of 35
properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e., (by implication) a boundary; by extension the territory inclosed
יָ֔מָּה
and westward
H3220
יָ֔מָּה
and westward
Strong's:
H3220
Word #:
26 of 35
a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the mediterranean sea; sometimes a large river, or an artif
לְעֻמַּ֥ת
over against
H5980
לְעֻמַּ֥ת
over against
Strong's:
H5980
Word #:
27 of 35
conjunction, i.e., society; mostly adverb or preposition (with prepositional prefix), near, beside, along with
לַנָּשִׂ֑יא
for the prince
H5387
לַנָּשִׂ֑יא
for the prince
Strong's:
H5387
Word #:
29 of 35
properly, an exalted one, i.e., a king or sheik; also a rising mist
וְהָֽיְתָה֙
H1961
וְהָֽיְתָה֙
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
30 of 35
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
oblation
H8641
תְּרוּמַ֣ת
oblation
Strong's:
H8641
Word #:
31 of 35
a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ
and it shall be the holy
H6944
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ
and it shall be the holy
Strong's:
H6944
Word #:
32 of 35
a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity
וּמִקְדַּ֥שׁ
and the sanctuary
H4720
וּמִקְדַּ֥שׁ
and the sanctuary
Strong's:
H4720
Word #:
33 of 35
a consecrated thing or place, especially, a palace, sanctuary (whether of jehovah or of idols) or asylum
Historical Context
Pre-exilic kings often treated the temple as personal chapel (2 Kings 16:10-18, Ahaz remodeling the altar). Ezekiel 43:7-8 condemns kings who built palaces adjoining the temple, defiling it. This vision separates royal residence from sanctuary while still providing princely territory—the proper balance between honoring Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7) and preventing royal presumption.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the prince receiving prescribed (not seized) land challenge human tendencies to grasp power and accumulate possessions?
- What does the sanctuary "in the midst" teach about Christ as the center around whom all life—personal, communal, political—must orient?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The residue shall be for the prince—the Davidic ruler (nasi, prince/leader) receives land on both sides of the sacred square, extending east to the Jordan and west to the Mediterranean. Unlike monarchic land-grabbing (1 Kings 21, Ahab seizing Naboth's vineyard), this prince's portion is divinely prescribed, preventing royal encroachment on sacred space.
The sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof—the climactic phrase centers everything on God's dwelling. Prince, priests, Levites, city, and agricultural lands all orient around the sanctuary, establishing theocentric geography where God's presence—not human power—defines the center. This corrects the exilic crisis: God didn't lose His sanctuary; He temporarily withdrew it. Here He returns, enthroned at Israel's heart, with all other realities properly ordered around His glory.