King James Version

What Does Ezekiel 45:6 Mean?

Ezekiel 45:6 in the King James Version says “And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the...” — study this verse from Ezekiel chapter 45 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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 45:6 · KJV

Context

4

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.

5

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.

6

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.

7

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.

8

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.

Read Ezekiel 45 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long—this urban allocation (approximately 1.7 by 8.3 miles) for the ir (עִיר, city) parallels the priestly and Levitical portions, creating a balanced theocratic structure centered on worship and God's presence.

Over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel—the phrase lenokhach terumot hakkodesh (לְנֹכַח תְּרוּמַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ, opposite/alongside the contribution of the holy portion) indicates the city's relationship to the sacred district. Unlike priestly territory (for specific tribes), this city serves kol beit Yisrael (כֹּל בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל, the whole house of Israel), demonstrating unity and equal access. In Christ, all believers—not just select tribes—have citizenship in the heavenly city and access to God (Philippians 3:20, Hebrews 12:22-24).

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Historical & Cultural Context

This vision presents an idealized land distribution correcting pre-exilic inequities where some tribes dominated while others were marginalized. The equal access for all Israel prefigures the church's unity transcending ethnic and tribal divisions (Ephesians 2:14-19).

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the city 'for the whole house of Israel' challenge ethnic or denominational exclusivism in the church?
  2. What does the balanced allocation of sacred space and civic space teach about integrating worship and daily life?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 17 words
וַאֲחֻזַּ֨ת1 of 17

“the possession”

H272

something seized, i.e., a possession (especially of land)

הָעִ֜יר2 of 17

“of the city”

H5892

a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)

תִּתְּנ֗וּ3 of 17

“And ye shall appoint”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

חֲמִשָּׁ֤ה4 of 17

“and five”

H2568

five

אֶ֔לֶף5 of 17

“thousand”

H505

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

רֹ֔חַב6 of 17

“broad”

H7341

width (literally or figuratively)

וְאֹ֗רֶךְ7 of 17

“long”

H753

length

חֲמִשָּׁ֤ה8 of 17

“and five”

H2568

five

וְעֶשְׂרִים֙9 of 17

“and twenty”

H6242

twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth

אֶ֔לֶף10 of 17

“thousand”

H505

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

לְעֻמַּ֖ת11 of 17

“over against”

H5980

conjunction, i.e., society; mostly adverb or preposition (with prepositional prefix), near, beside, along with

תְּרוּמַ֣ת12 of 17

“the oblation”

H8641

a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice or as tribute

הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ13 of 17

“of the holy”

H6944

a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity

לְכָל14 of 17
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

בֵּ֥ית15 of 17

“portion it shall be for the whole house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל16 of 17

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

יִהְיֶֽה׃17 of 17
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezekiel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezekiel 45:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezekiel 45:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezekiel 48:15-18Ezekiel 48:30-35

Test Your Knowledge

Ezekiel 45 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterEzekiel Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

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