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.

EZEKIEL 45:6KJV
Know the Bible

Ezekiel 45:6 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 45:6 mean?

Ezekiel 45:6 describes a specific area of land that is to be set aside for the city, measuring five thousand units wide and twenty-five thousand units long, placed next to the special offering area. This land is meant to belong to all the people of Israel.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the Israelites who are in exile. The context is a vision about how the land should be divided when the people return, with careful instructions for the temple, the priests, and the city itself. The verse emphasizes that this city portion is not just for a select group but for the entire nation.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 45:6

  • "Possession" (אֲחֻזָּה, ʾăḥuzzāh): This word means a permanent holding or inheritance, highlighting that the land set aside for the city is meant to be a lasting part of Israel’s territory.
  • "Oblation" (תְּרוּמָה, tərumah): This refers to a special offering or contribution, often something set apart for God. Here, it marks the area next to the land reserved for the temple and priests, showing the city’s close connection to holy things.
  • "Holy" (קֹדֶשׁ, qodesh): This word means something set apart or sacred. The city’s land is described as being next to the “holy portion,” underlining its importance and proximity to what is dedicated to God.

Why Ezekiel 45:6 matters

  • Ezekiel 45:6 clarifies that the city’s land is not for private ownership or a single tribe but is appointed for the whole house of Israel, stressing unity and shared blessing.
  • The verse connects the city’s territory directly to the sacred areas, showing that everyday life and worship are meant to be closely linked in the restored community.
  • This instruction fits into a larger vision in Ezekiel of a carefully ordered, just society where land and worship are distributed fairly and with purpose.

Where else these words appear

“against” Hebrew H5980 · used in 28 verses

  • Exodus 25:27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
  • 1 Chronicles 25:8 And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.
  • Ezekiel 3:13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.

“possession” Hebrew H272 · used in 58 verses

  • Genesis 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
  • Leviticus 25:41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.
  • Joshua 21:41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.

“oblation” Hebrew H8641 · used in 63 verses

  • Exodus 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
  • Numbers 15:19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD.
  • Ezra 8:25 And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:

“broad” Hebrew H7341 · used in 89 verses

  • Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
  • 1 Kings 6:20 And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.
  • Ezekiel 41:2 And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits.