Ezekiel 48:31
in Ezekiel 48Beginning on the north side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. On the north side there will be three gates: the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel, three gates northward: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Ezekiel 48
Commentary
6 notes on this verseSimeon here is not divided in Jacob, nor is Zebulun a haven of ships, a plain intimation that it is not so much to be understood literally as spiritually, though the mystery of it is very much hidden from us. In gospel times old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
This site's exposition
These will be the exits of the city
on Ezekiel 48:30-31
The city has twelve gates, three to a side, “named after the tribes of Israel”. Levi took no strip of farmland, since its portion was the holy ground, and the gate list restores Levi to the twelve. Revelation 21:12-13 gives the New Jerusalem twelve gates named for the twelve tribes.
This site's exposition
the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi
The north wall carries three sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn, Judah the royal tribe, and Levi the priestly tribe. Henry observes that Simeon and Zebulun differ from Jacob's words in Genesis 49:7 and 49:13, and so reads the vision chiefly in a spiritual sense. Others read the gates literally.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Verse 30 and following) And you shall measure five thousand four hundred cubits outside the city on the northern side. And the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel: three gates on the north side. The gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one. And on the eastern side, you shall measure five thousand four hundred cubits, and there shall be three gates. The gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one.
But we do confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon the earth, although before heaven, only in another state of existence; inasmuch as it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years in the divinely-built city of Jerusalem, "let down from heaven," [Revelation 21:2] which the apostle also calls "our mother from above;" [Galatians 4:26] and, while declaring that our πολίτευμα, or citizenship, is in heaven, he predicates of it that it is really a city in heaven. This both Ezekiel had knowledge of [Ezekiel 48:30-35] and the Apostle John beheld. [Revelation 21:10-23] And the word of the new prophecy which is a part of our belief, attests how it foretold that there would be for a sign a picture of this very city exhibited to view previous to its manifestation. This prophecy, indeed, has been very lately fulfilled in an expedition to the East. For it is evident from the testimony of even heathen witnesses, that in Judæa there was suspended in the sky a city early every morning for forty days. As the day advanced, the entire figure of its walls would wane gradually, and sometimes it would vanish instantly. We say that this city has been provided by God for receiving the saints on their resurrection, and refreshing them with the abundance of all really spiritual blessings, as a recompense for those which in the world we have either despised or lost; since it is both just and God-worthy that His servants should have their joy in the place where they have also suffered affliction for His name's sake. Of the heavenly kingdom this is the process. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the gates of the city shall be after names of the tribes of Israel,....
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְשַׁעֲרֵ֣י | veshaarei | and [the] gates of | H8179 → | 374 times |
| הָעִ֗יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [will be] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שְׁמוֹת֙ | shemot | [the] names of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| שִׁבְטֵ֣י | shivtei | [the] tribes of | H7626 → | 190 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| שְׁעָרִ֥ים | shearim | gates | H8179 → | 374 times |
| שְׁלוֹשָׁ֖ה | sheloshah | three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| צָפ֑וֹנָה | tzafonah | [will be] north -ward | H6828 → | 153 times |
| שַׁ֣עַר | shaar | [the] gate of | H8179 → | 374 times |
| רְאוּבֵ֞ן | reuven | Reuben | H7205 → | 72 times |
| אֶחָ֗ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| שַׁ֤עַר | shaar | [the] gate of | H8179 → | 374 times |
| יְהוּדָה֙ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| אֶחָ֔ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| שַׁ֥עַר | shaar | [the] gate of | H8179 → | 374 times |
| לֵוִ֖י | levi | Levi | H3881 → | 291 times |
| אֶחָֽד׃ | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
וְשַׁעֲרֵ֣יand [the] gates of
veshaareiH8179 →374 times
הָעִ֗ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
עַל־[will be] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שְׁמוֹת֙[the] names of
shemotH8034 →864 times
שִׁבְטֵ֣י[the] tribes of
shivteiH7626 →190 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
שְׁעָרִ֥יםgates
shearimH8179 →374 times
שְׁלוֹשָׁ֖הthree
sheloshahH7969 →432 times
צָפ֑וֹנָה[will be] north -ward
tzafonahH6828 →153 times
שַׁ֣עַר[the] gate of
shaarH8179 →374 times
רְאוּבֵ֞ןReuben
reuvenH7205 →72 times
אֶחָ֗דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
שַׁ֤עַר[the] gate of
shaarH8179 →374 times
יְהוּדָה֙Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
אֶחָ֔דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
שַׁ֥עַר[the] gate of
shaarH8179 →374 times
לֵוִ֖יLevi
leviH3881 →291 times
אֶחָֽד׃one
ʾechadH259 →971 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 60:11Your gates will always stand open; they will never be shut, day or night, so that the wealth of the nations may be brought into you, with their kings being led in procession.
it leads to
- Revelation 21:25–26
Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there.
- Isaiah 60:5
Then you will look and be radiant, and your heart will tremble and swell with joy, because the riches of the sea will be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations will…
- Isaiah 60:18
No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders. But you will name your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.
- Revelation 21:25–26
Through
Revelation 21:21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate consisting of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass.
it leads to
- Revelation 21:18
The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold, as pure as glass.
- Revelation 17:4
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual…
- Revelation 22:2
down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month.…
- Matthew 13:45–46
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
- Revelation 18:16
saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
- Revelation 21:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this chapter
About Ezekiel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book III, Chapter 25.