Portions of land for the sanctuary, for the city, and for the prince. Ordinances for the prince.
In distribution of the land (after the captiuitie) seueral portions are assigned for the Priestes, the Leuites, the Citie, and the Prince: the rest was for the people. 9. Rulers are admonished to obserue iust measures: 15. and to offer due sacrifices.
1And when you shall begin to divide the land by lot, separate ye firstfruits to the Lord, a portion of the land to be holy, in length twenty-five thousand and in breadth ten thousand: it shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about.Allorchè voi comincerete a dividere a sorte la terra, separatene le primizie pel Signore, una parte della terra, che si consagri al Signore, di lunghezza venticinque mila misure, di larghezza dieci mila misure, questa sarà santa in tutto il suo giro per ogni parte.AND when you shal begin to diuide the land by lot, seperate ye first fruits to our Lord, a peece sanctified of the land, in length twentie fiue thousand, and in bredth tenne thousand: it shal be sanctified in al the border therof round about.Cumque cœperitis terram dividere sortito, separate primitias Domino, sanctificatum de terra, longitudine viginti quinque millia, et latitudine decem millia: sanctificatum erit in omni termino ejus per circuitum. 2And there shall be for the sanctuary on every side five hundred by five hundred, foursquare round about: and fifty cubits for the suburbs thereof round about.Di tutto questo sarà consagrato un quadrato di cinquecento misure per tutti i quattro lati, e cinquanta cubiti di sito vacuo all'intorno.And it shal be sanctified on euerie side by fiue hundred and fiue hundred, foure square round about: and of fiftie cubits for the suburbs therof round about.Et erit ex omni parte sanctificatum quingentos per quingentos, quadrifariam per circuitum, et quinquaginta cubitis in suburbana ejus per gyrum. 3And with this measure thou shalt measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand, and in it shall be the temple and the holy of holies.E con questa stessa misura misurerai la lunghezza di venticinque mila cubiti, e la larghezza di dieci mila dove sarà il tempio, e il Santo de' santi.And from this measure thou shalt measure the length, of fiue and twentie thousand, and the bredth of tenne thousand, & in it shal be the temple, and sanctum sanctorum.Et a mensura ista mensurabis longitudinem viginti quinque millium, et latitudinem decem millium: et in ipso erit templum, Sanctumque sanctorum. 4The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to the ministry of the Lord: and it shall be a place for their houses, and for the holy place of the sanctuary.Questa parte santificata della terra sarà pei sacerdoti ministri del santuario, che entrano nel ministero del Signore, e sarà il luogo per le (loro) case, e pel santuario di santità.The sanctified peece of the land shal be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuarie, which approch to the ministerie of our Lord: and it shal be a place to them for houses, and for the sanctuarie of holines.Sanctificatum de terra erit sacerdotibus ministris sanctuarii, qui accedunt ad ministerium Domini: et erit eis locus in domos, et in sanctuarium sanctitatis.
5And five and twenty thousand of length, and ten thousand of breadth shall be for the Levites, that minister in the house: they shall possess twenty store chambers.E venticinque mila misure di lunghezza, e dieci mila di larghezza saranno pei Leviti, che servono alla casa: ed eglino avran venti camere.And fiue and twentie thousand of length, & tenne thousand of bredth shal be for the Leuits, which minister in the house: they shal possesse twentie celles.Viginti quinque autem millia longitudinis, et decem millia latitudinis erunt Levitis qui ministrant domui: ipsi possidebunt viginti gazophylacia. 6And you shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, according to the separation of the sanctuary, for the whole house of Israel.E pel sito della città assegnerete cinque mila misure di larghezza, e venticinque mila di lunghezza (di contro alla porzione separata del santuario) per tutta la casa d'Israele.And the possession of the citie you shal geue fiue thousand of bredth, and of length fiue and twentie thousand, according to the seperation of the sanctuarie, to al the house of Israel.Et possessionem civitatis dabitis quinque millia latitudinis, et longitudinis viginti quinque millia, secundum separationem sanctuarii, omni domui Israël. 7For the prince also on the one side and on the other side, according to the separation of the sanctuary, and according to the possession of the city, over against the separation of the sanctuary, and over against the possession of the city: from the side of the sea even to the sea, and from the side of the east even to the east. And the length according to every part from the west border to the east border.Al principe ancora (darete sua porzione) ai qua, e di là fin dove si stende la porzione separata pel santuario, e la porzione data alla città dirimpetto al santuario separato, e dirimpetto alla porzione della città da un lato del mare fino all'altro, e da un lato orientale fino all'altro orientale: e la lunghezza della porzione sarà eguale in ciascuna delle due parti dal suo termine occidentale fino al termine orientale.To the prince also on this side and on that side, according to the separation of the sanctuarie, and according to the possession of the citie, against the face of the seperation of the sanctuarie, and against the face of the possession of the citie: from the side of the Sea euen to the Sea, and from the side of the East euen to the East. And the length according to euerie part from the West border to the East border.Principi quoque hinc et inde in separationem sanctuarii, et in possessionem civitatis, contra faciem separationis sanctuarii, et contra faciem possessionis urbis, a latere maris usque ad mare, et a latere orientis usque ad orientem: longitudinis autem juxta unamquamque partem, a termino occidentali usque ad terminum orientalem. 8He shall have a portion of the land in Israel: and the princes shall no more rob my people: but they shall give the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes:Egli avrà una porzione di terra in Israele: e i principi non saccheggeranno più il mio popolo, ma distribuiranno la terra alla casa d'Israele, tribù per tribù.Of the land shal he haue possession in Israel: and the princes shal no more spoile my people: but the land they shal geue to the house of Israel according to their tribes.De terra erit ei possessio in Israël, et non depopulabuntur ultra principes populum meum: sed terram dabunt domui Israël secundum tribus eorum.
9Thus saith the Lord God: Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: cease from iniquity and robberies, and execute judgment and justice, separate your confines from my people, saith the Lord God.Queste cose dice il Signore Dio: Principi d'Israele, basti a voi questo: ponete da parte l'iniquità, e le rapine; fate giustizia, e diportatevi con equità; separate i vostri confini da que' del mio popolo, dice il Signore Dio.Thus saith our Lord God: Let it suffice you ô princes of Israel: intermitte ye iniquitie and robberies, and doe iudgement and iustice, seperate your confines from my people, saith our Lord God.Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: Sufficiat vobis, principes Israël: iniquitatem et rapinas intermittite, et judicium et justitiam facite: separate confinia vestra a populo meo, ait Dominus Deus. 10You shall have just balances, and a just ephi, and a just bate.La stadera sia giusta, e giusto il vostro ephi, e il bato.Iust balance, and a iust ephi, and a iust bat shal be to you.Statera justa, et ephi justum, et batus justus erit vobis. 11The ephi and the bate shall be equal, and of one measure: that the bate may contain the tenth part of a core, and the ephi the tenth part of a core: their weight shall be equal according to the measure of a core.L'ephi, e il bato saranno uguali, e della stessa misura, talmente che il bato terrà la parte decima del coro, e l'ephi la decima parte del coro: il loro peso sarà uguale paragonato alla misura del coro.The ephi, and the bat shal be equal, and of one measure: that the bat may take the tenth part of a core, & the ephi the tenth part of a core: according to the measure of a core shal be the equal balassing of them.Ephi et batus æqualia et unius mensuræ erunt, ut capiat decimam partem cori batus, et decimam partem cori ephi: juxta mensuram cori erit æqua libratio eorum. 12And the sicle hath twenty obols. Now twenty sicles, and five and twenty sicles, and fifteen sicles, make a mna,Il siclo ha venti oboli; e venti sicli, e venticinque sicli, e quindici sicli, fanno la mina.And a sicle hath twentie obolos. Moreouer twentie sicles, & fiue and twentie sicles, and fiftene sicles make Mnam.Siclus autem viginti obolos habet: porro viginti sicli, et viginti quinque sicli, et quindecim sicli, mnam faciunt. 13And these are the firstfruits, which you shall take: the sixth part of an ephi of a core of wheat, and the sixth part of an ephi of a core of barley.Le primizie poi, che voi offerirete, son queste: D'un coro di frumento la sesta parte di un ephi, e la sesta parte d'un ephi da un coro di orzo.And these are the first fruits, which you shal take: the sixth part of an ephi of a core of wheate, and the sixth part of an ephi of a core of barley.Et hæc sunt primitiæ quas tolletis: sextam partem ephi de coro frumenti, et sextam partem ephi de coro hordei.
14The measure of oil also, a bate of oil is the tenth part of a core: and ten bates make a core: for ten bates fill a core.Quanto poi alla misura dell'olio, (si darà) un bato di olio, la decima parte di ogni coro: dieci bati fanno il coro, e con dieci bati è pieno il coro.The measure of oyle also, a bat of oyle is the tenth part of a core: and ten battes make a core: because ten battes fil a core.Mensura quoque olei, batus olei, decima pars cori est: et decem bati corum faciunt, quia decem bati implent corum. 15And one ram out of a flock of two hundred, of those that Israel feedeth for sacrifice, and for holocausts, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them, saith the Lord God.E di ogni gregge di dugento capi, che sia nudrito in Israele, un ariete pel sacrifizio, pell'olocausto, e pell'obblazione di pace per loro espiazione, dice il Signore Dio.And one ramme of a flocke of two hundred, of those thinges that Israel nourisheth for sacrifice, and for holocaust, and for pacifiques, to expiate for them, saith our Lord God.Et arietem unum de grege ducentorum, de his quæ nutriunt Israël, in sacrificium, et in holocaustum, et in pacifica, ad expiandum pro eis, ait Dominus Deus. 16All the people of the land shall be bound to these firstfruits for the prince in Israel.Tutto il popolo della terra sarà debitore di queste primizie al principe d'Israele.Al the people of the land shal be bound to these first fruits for the prince in Israel.Omnis populus terræ tenebitur primitiis his principi in Israël. 17And the prince shall give the holocaust, and the sacrifice, and the libations on the feasts, and on the new moons, and on the sabbaths, and on all the solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall offer the sacrifice for sin, and the holocaust, and the peace offerings to make expiation for the house of Israel.Ed il principe sarà tenuto agli olocausti, ai sacrifici, e alle libagioni nelle solennità, e nelle calende, e ne' sabati, e in tutte quante le feste della casa d'Israele: egli offerirà il sacrifizio per il peccato, e l'olocausto, e le vittime pacifiche per l'espiazione della casa di Israele.And vpon the prince shal the holocaust be, and the sacrifice, and the libaments in the solemnities, and in the Calends, and in the Sabbathes, & in al the solemnities of the house of Israel: he shal make the sacrifice for sinne, & the holocaust, and the pacifiques to expiate for the house of Israel.Et super principem erunt holocausta, et sacrificium, et libamina, in solemnitatibus, et in calendis, et in sabbatis, et in universis solemnitatibus domus Israël: ipse faciet pro peccato sacrificium, et holocaustum, et pacifica, ad expiandum pro domo Israël.
18Thus saith the Lord God: In the first month, the first of the month, thou shalt take a calf of the herd without blemish, and thou shalt expiate the sanctuary.Queste cose dice il Signore Dio: il primo mese, il dì primo del mese, prenderai dall'armento un vitello senza macchia, ed espierai il santuario.Thus saith our Lord God. In the first moneth, the first of the moneth, thou shalt take a calfe of the heard vnspotted, and thou shalt expiate the sanctuarie.Hæc dicit Dominus Deus: In primo mense, una mensis, sumes vitulum de armento immaculatum, et expiabis sanctuarium. 19And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering: and he shall put it on the posts of the house, and on the four corners of the brim of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court.E il sacerdote prenderà del sangue dell'ostia offerta per il peccato, e ne aspergerà i cardini della casa, e i quattro angoli della sponda dell'altare, e i cardini della porta dell'atrio interiore.And the priest shal take of the bloud that shal be for sinne: and he shal put it on the posts of the house, and on the foure corners of the brimme of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court.Et tollet sacerdos de sanguine quod erit pro peccato, et ponet in postibus domus, et in quatuor angulis crepidinis altaris, et in postibus portæ atrii interioris. 20And so shalt thou do in the seventh day of the month, for every one that hath been ignorant, and hath been deceived by error, and thou shalt make expiation for the house.E il simile farai ai sette del mese per tutti quelli, che furon nell'ignoranza, e per errore peccarono, ed espierai la casa.And so shalt thou do in the seuenth of the moneth for euerie one, that hath bene ignorant, and was deceiued by errour, and you shal expiate for the house.Et sic facies in septima mensis, pro unoquoque qui ignoravit, et errore deceptus est: et expiabis pro domo. 21In the first month, the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the solemnity of the pasch: seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten.Il primo mese, ai quattordici del mese, avrete la solennità di Pasqua: per sette giorni si mangeranno gli azzimi.In the first moneth, the fourtenth day of the moneth shal be with you the solemnitie of pasch: seuen dayes shal Azymes be eaten.In primo mense, quartadecima die mensis, erit vobis Paschæ solemnitas: septem diebus azyma comedentur.
22And the prince on that day shall offer for himself, and for all the people of the land, a calf for sin.E in quel giorno il principe sacrificherà per se, e per tutto il popolo della terra un vitello per il peccato.And the prince in that day shal make for himself, and for al the people of the land, a calfe for sinne.Et faciet princeps in die illa, pro se et pro universo populo terræ, vitulum pro peccato. 23And in the solemnity of the seven days he shall offer for a holocaust to the Lord, seven calves, and seven rams without blemish daily for seven days: and for sin a he goat daily.E nella solennità dei sette giorni offerirà in olocausto al Signore sette vitelli, e sette arieti senza macchia ogni giorno pei sette dì, e per il peccato un capro ogni giorno.And in the solemnitie of the seuen dayes he shal make holocaust to our Lord seuen calues, & seuen rammes vnspotted dayly seuen dayes: and for sinne a bucke of goates dayly.Et in septem dierum solemnitate faciet holocaustum Domino, septem vitulos et septem arietes immaculatos, quotidie septem diebus: et pro peccato hircum caprarum quotidie. 24And he shall offer the sacrifice of an ephi for every calf, and an ephi for every ram: and a hin of oil for every ephi.E per ogni vitello offerirà un ephi di farina, e un ephi per ogni ariete, e un hin di olio per ogni ephi.And he shal make the sacrifice an ephi to a calfe, and an ephi to a ramme: and of oyle an hin to euerie ephi.Et sacrificium ephi per vitulum, et ephi per arietem faciet, et olei hin per singula ephi. 25In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, in the solemn feast, he shall do the like for the seven days: as well in regard to the sin offering, as to the holocaust, and the sacrifice, and the oil.Il settimo mese, nella solennità, che è ai quindici del mese, farà per sette giorni, come si è detto di sopra, tanto pell'espiazione del peccato, quanto pell'olocausto, e pelle obblazioni, e per olio.In the seuenth moneth the fiftenth day of the moneth, in the solemnitie he shal make as are before said for seuen dayes: as wel for sinne, as for holocaust, and in sacrifice, and in oyle.Septimo mense, quintadecima die mensis, in solemnitate, faciet sicut supra dicta sunt per septem dies, tam pro peccato quam pro holocausto, et in sacrificio, et in oleo.
45:1
Kennicott
By lot. Manuscript 2 reads bogurl; (printed benachala) so the Vulgate sortito. (Kennicott)
Haydock
Hebrew, "when you shall make the land fall," which usually implies by lot: yet the partition was not made thus, (chap. 48:1.) nor at all, (Calmet) otherwise the prophet might mention how the lots would have fallen to Dan, in the north, etc. (Haydock)
Calmet
The Jews either could not comply, or did not take this to be a command. If they had returned all together, they might probably have put it in execution. But many of them preferred staying where they had gotten a settlement, and the rest only returned in small parties, some not before the reign of Alexander [the Great]. Those who arrived first, occupied as much as possible their ancient limits, 1 Esdras 3:1., and 2 Esdras viii., and xi. (Calmet)
Challoner
Thousand: reeds, or cubits. (Challoner)
Calmet
Many prefer the latter, which is specified [in] ver. 2., (Haydock) as it agrees with the dimensions of the temple, Ezechiel 42:16. If reeds or toises were meant, the city would be disproportionate with the rest of the divisions: 50,000 would make 25 leagues, of 2,500 paces each; and if each tribe had as much, the country must have comprised 325 leagues, whereas from Emath to Cadesbarne (chap. 47:17.) there at[are?] not above 150. (Calmet)
Haydock
To form an idea of the proposed partition, we must suppose the country reached from a little north of Emesa, on the Orontes, to Cadesbarne south, and from the Mediterranean to Damascus, or a little farther east, and beyond the sources of Jazer. 1. Dan, 2. Aser, 3. Nephthali, 4. Manasses, 5. Ephraim, 6. Ruben, and 7. Juda, had about equal portions with that designed for 8. the temple, the Levites, and prince, whose southern limits reached almost to Accaron and the Dead Sea. 9. Benjamin, 10. Simeon, 11. Issachar, 12. Zabulon, and 13. Gad, had each about half the quantity of the others, though the tribes occupied the whole extent from east to west, their lots being marked out by parallel lines. Between Juda and Benjamin, a square of 500 cubits was assigned for the temple; another square of 4,500, or 18,000 in circuit, lay round the former for the city of the Levites: round this were suburbs 250 cubits broad, walled about, and having three gates on each side. Next them dwelt their lay servants, in a space 5,000 cubits broad, and 25,000 long, from east to west. A plot of ground on the north and south, sufficient to complete this square was to support them with provisions. On the east side of the Jordan, and on the west of this square for the priests and their servants, two portions almost of equal dimensions with it, were appropriated to the prince. His lot was 25,000 cubits long, and 12,500 broad, Ezechiel 48:21. See Calmet's plan. (Haydock)
Worthington
About. It could not be alienated to private men, or for any other purpose. (Worthington)
45:2
Suburbs. Hebrew also, "vacant spaces."
45:3
Measure, from the centre of the temple; so that the dimensions given must be doubled, (chap. 48:10.) as also ver. 5.
45:4
Place. There the priests shall dwell.
45:5
Chambers for the Levites on duty. Septuagint read, "towns." But only one seems to be specified, 18,000 cubits in circumference.
45:6
According. Hebrew, "along or (Calmet) over-against the oblation of the holy portion." (Protestants)
Haydock
Israel, destined to serve the priests. (Haydock)
45:7
Calmet
Border. Two equal lots, one on the east and the other on the west, were assigned the prince, each 20,000 cubits broad, and 12,500 long, Ezechiel 48:21. (Calmet)
Worthington
He dwelt near the priests, for their protection; as the people were on both sides of him, that he might sustain no injury. (Worthington)
45:8
Rob. Instead of their right, (1 Kings 8:11.) the source of continual vexations, a certain revenue is specified, ver. 13.
45:9
Calmet
Confines: encroach not. (Calmet)
Calmet
Hebrew and Septuagint, "take away your oppressions;" (Haydock) Chaldean, "scandals." (Calmet)
45:11
Worthington
The ephi and the bate. These measures were of equal capacity; but the bate served for liquids, and the ephi for dry things, (Challoner) ver. 13, 14. (Worthington)
Ezechiel specifies the measures, that the people might not use those of Babylon, after their return.
45:12
Sicles. It would be shorter to say, "sixty sicles make a mna."
45:13
Menochius
Take, for the prince's revenue. He had the sixtieth part of corn and of oil; or rather (Calmet) he had an exact tithe of the latter, ver. 14. (Chaldean) (Menochius)
45:15
Calmet
One ram. He shall receive the tithe of sheep, etc., and take one out of two hundred, on condition that he furnish victims, ver. 17. (Calmet)
Worthington
The obligation was mutual. St. Jerome explains it of the high priest and people. (Worthington)
45:17
Holocaust. This was given before perhaps gratis, 2 Paralipomenon 31:3. Solomon and Ezechias shewed great magnificence. After the captivity the people laid on the third of a sicle per head, as this order was not observed, 2 Esdras 10:32.
45:18
Calmet
Take, or order the priests to do this annually, to prepare for the Passover, ver. 21. Moses mentions nothing of this, and it does not appear to have been put in execution. (Calmet)
Haydock
Yet it might be the first year after the dedication of the temple. The prophet does not say it was to be done every year. (Haydock)
45:20
Calmet
Seventh, or so many days before the solemn feast. Septuagint, "on the first of the seventh month," the feast of trumpets, Numbers 29:1. (Calmet)
45:24
Haydock
Sacrifice. Hebrew mincha, flour. Protestants, "meat offering." (Haydock)
45:25
Calmet
Day: the feast of tabernacles, to be observed like the Pasch, Numbers 29:12. (Calmet)
45:1
Twenty-five thousand.... Viz., reeds or cubits.
45:11
The ephi and the bate.... These measures were of equal capacity, but the bate served for liquids, and the ephi for dry things.
45:1
The land that was assigned to holie vses, vvas called sanctified, and could not be alienated to priuate men nor other purposes.
sanctificatum.
45:7
The princes portion of land vvas round about the clergies portion, that he might defend them, and the peoples part round about the princes, that they might defend him.
45:11
These measures vvere of equal capacitie, but the ephi serued for drie thinges; & the bat for liquid, as appeareth. v. 13. & 14.
45:16
As the people were bond to pay certaine first fruites to their temporal prince:
45:17
so he was mutually bond to pay the charges of publique sacrifices for al the people. S. Ierom also expoundeth this mutual obligation to consist betwen the people and hiegh priest.
45:1
1. AND WHEN YOU SHALL BEGIN TO DIVIDE THE LAND BY LOT — among the Jews returning from Babylon. He says "by lot," not that it was divided by lot by Nehemiah (as Joshua, cap. XIV, 2, divided it by lot): for it was divided by the arbitrament and prescription of God, as follows: but he calls lot inheritance (for this is what the Hebrew נחלה nachala signifies), which used to be divided by lots; whence in Hebrew word for word it is: "When you shall make the land fall into inheritance," that is, when you shall divide the land by lot. Thus Vatablus. Again, although on the part of God dividing according to His arbitrament there was no lot: yet there was a lot with respect to the Hebrews, to each of whom his own portion came, as it were by lot and chance, as much as was on their part. Thus the Apostle says we are called by lot to grace and salvation. For on the part of those called it is a lot, not merit, not debt, although on the part of God calling it is not a lot, nor chance, but a destined counsel and decree. SEPARATE THE FIRST FRUITS TO THE LORD. — In Hebrew הרימו harimu, that is, lift up, that is: Offer an oblation to the Lord, that is, separate a portion of the land which may be offered to the Lord, and be sacred to Him. For the first fruits of crops used to be lifted up on high, when they were offered to the Lord, as is evident from Levit. XXIII, 11. Hence to lift up by catachresis is the same as to offer. SANCTIFIED, — so that that portion of land may be sanctified and consecrated to the Lord. TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND IN LENGTH, — not cubits, as some think, but reeds: for the measuring reed in the hand of the man measuring these things was, cap. XL, 3, and the land used to be measured not in cubits, but in reeds or canes. Thus St. Jerome, Maldonatus, Vatablus and others. Symbolically, the number 25 here and elsewhere is sacred. For it is of the first fruits of the Lord, and of priests, Levites, city and temple. In like manner, the same was sanctified by the annunciation and conception of the Blessed Virgin, and the incarnation of the Son of God, who is the firstborn of all creation, and that in the temple, namely the sacred womb of the Virgin. For St. Athanasius or rather Anastasius to Antiochus the prince, Quaest. XVII, teaches that Christ incarnate in the womb of the Virgin on the 25th of March, and on the same day in the beginning of the world God created the first man. Hence it is that in this very month all trees and herbs, and animals also, are prolific, as if created by God at this time. Nazianzenus also, orat. 2 in Pascha: "A secret discourse," he says, "among the Hebrews is that this is the time in which God created the whole mass. And this is the spring time, in which herbs grow." Whence on this day, or thereabouts, Pascha is celebrated. Wherefore the Romans on this 25th day of March celebrated Hilaria, that is, feasts of joy and public games, and joyful days; because at that time the sun again, having traversed the space of the Zodiac through all the stations of the signs, returns to us. See more in Peter Bongus, book On the Mysteries of Numbers, pag. 450. R. David and Vatablus note here that length is reckoned from East to West, breadth from South to North, as cosmographers also regard and describe. For otherwise the length of Judaea was reckoned from South to North, breadth from East to West: for it extended further in that direction, was narrower in this. 19. And you shall give, deliver these rites received from me to the priests and Levites, or rather you shall give a calf, and you shall sacrifice it, so that you may really show them how they ought to sacrifice: for they had forgotten this in so long a Babylonian captivity. Whence he subjoins vers. 20: "And taking of the blood thereof, you shall put it upon the four horns thereof." It appears therefore that Ezekiel really sacrificed, and by rite taught the priests ignorant of the rite of sacrificing. Thus Maldonatus. Who are of the seed of Sadoc. For in Sadoc, Abiathar being removed, Solomon transferred the priesthood and pontificate to his posterity, as I said cap. XL, 46. Sadoc in Hebrew is the same as just, says St. Jerome. Who draw near to me, who draw near to the altar to minister to me. IT SHALL BE SANCTIFIED ON EVERY SIDE THEREOF BY ITS BORDERS, — as if to say: This measured space of land, already separated and dedicated to God, not for the temple alone (for this had only 500 reeds on each side of the world, as is evident from cap. XLII, 16 and seq.), but also for the habitation and use of the priests who are the ministers of God. St. Jerome thinks that only the place for the priests around the temple is designated here, while they were about to minister in it: for otherwise, when they were not ministering, they dwelt scattered throughout all Judaea. Similarly vers. 3, he commands twenty treasuries to be built for the Levites around the temple, namely when they were ministering in it. For a hundred, nor a thousand, would not have sufficed for all others. But this concerning the place of the priests can be called into doubt. For a huge space is assigned to them here, namely 25 thousand reeds, which make fifty miles, as I shall show at the end of cap. XLVII.
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2. AND IT SHALL BE SANCTIFIED ON EVERY SIDE. — Vatablus translates clearly: From this (that is, from this first part of the offering) a square space of five hundred reeds on every side shall be yielded to the more sacred place, that is, it shall be for the sanctuary. From the whole place of the priests he cuts off and designates here the temple. FIVE HUNDRED BY FIVE HUNDRED, — that is, five hundred on each side. It is a Hebraism; understand "five hundred" not cubits, but reeds, as is evident from what was said in chapter XLII, 16. Thus St. Jerome. FIFTY CUBITS IN ITS SUBURBS. — "Suburbs," in Hebrew מגרש migras, he calls a place neither planted with trees nor occupied by houses, but left empty, as Vatablus translates it, for the sake of reverence and holiness, as well as for the sake of beauty, namely so that the temple might be more conspicuous. Thus St. Jerome. Otherwise Vilalpando on page 23. For by "suburbs" he understands the court of the Gentiles, which he thinks is described here. But that is not rightly called "suburbs."
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3. AND FROM THIS MEASURE. — From, that is, in. For thus in Hebrew min is often put for bet. Moreover, in this measure, that is, in the reed, as if to say: You shall measure this place consecrated to God, namely the length of twenty-five thousand and the width of ten thousand reeds by the same measure by which you measured the temple, chapter XLII, 16, namely by the reed, and in this space you shall designate the place for the temple. Therefore some think wrongly that the station of the Levites is described here.
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4. SANCTIFIED OF THE LAND, — as if to say: This place from the land of Judah shall be separated and sanctified, so that the temple may be built in it, and around it after the intervening space of fifty cubits, as I said in verse 2, the houses of the priests shall be built. Note morally this place for the residence of Pastors and Priests, inasmuch as God wished them to reside and dwell here in the circuit of the temple. See H. Pintus here.
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5. AND TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND, — namely another portion besides those which have already been assigned to the priests. For he commands here that an equal amount of space be measured out to the Levites as was measured out to the priests: "The same," says St. Jerome, "spaces are assigned here in length and width for the multitude of Levites, which the fewness of priests has." The portion and seat of the Levites near the temple is described here; inasmuch as they themselves ministered to the Lord in it, and served the priests, as deacons do to our presbyters. Otherwise St. Jerome distinguishes these things; for he thinks these belong to the preceding, and to the priests. But to the Levites he assigns the following measurement of the city, namely twenty-five thousand in length and five thousand in width, so that their lot was smaller than the lot of the priests by five thousand in width. THEY SHALL POSSESS TWENTY TREASURIES, — namely in the temple, that is, in the court of the priests. For it was necessary that while they ministered in their turns, they should have their dwellings there equally as the priests. Thus R. Solomon and Maldonatus. Others think it is commanded here that twenty chambers be built in their portion. But what are these among so many and so great? For many thousands of them demanded many more dwellings and houses: hence their lot is equated here to the lot of the priests. For the space of the place is equal and the same to them here, namely what has twenty-five thousand reeds in length and ten thousand in width.
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6. AND THE POSSESSION OF THE CITY. — Here he measures out a third lot and portion, namely of the city and citizens of Jerusalem, and assigns it equal in length to the lot of the priests and Levites; but inferior and unequal in width, namely five thousand reeds, whereas theirs was ten thousand. Let princes learn here how ample dwellings God has granted to His priests and ministers, so that they exceed the space of the city itself: although He does not forbid, but permits that, when the number of citizens, which was small at the return from Babylon, shall have grown, they themselves may enlarge these spaces. Thus formerly in the Thebaid and Egypt entire cities contained more thousands of monks than of lay citizens. Thus even now in Rome we see the greater part of Churches and Ecclesiastical buildings. Again, in founding the city, namely Jerusalem, God begins from the temple and the place of priests, and designates it before all things. Let princes imitate the same. ACCORDING TO THE SEPARATION OF THE SANCTUARY. — In Hebrew: In the region of the offering of holiness, that is of the portion of priests and Levites, that is to say, In the region of the lot; or after the lot of priests and Levites thou shalt build the city. God describes here the idea of a faithful and perfect city, just as Plato described the perfect idea of a republic in his book On the Republic, and in our age Blessed Thomas More in his Utopia, as also Xenophon in Cyrus, describing not so much Cyrus as the idea of a good prince. Although the Jews did not express it in reality, nor could they attain to it on account of poverty, neighboring enemies, fear of Cyrus, and other causes which I enumerated at the beginning of the chapter. Yet all these things pertain rather allegorically to the building of the Church, both militant and triumphant, which St. John describes in the Apocalypse XXI, where he plainly alludes to this building of Ezekiel, as is evident to one comparing the words and phrases of both. Wherefore not only St. Jerome, but also the Hebrews understand by the prince who follows the Messiah: hence also this prince is treated of at length in the following chapter. Again, this city is more narrow than Jerusalem was when rebuilt by Nehemiah: hence it also had a temple not within, but outside itself, as also the dwellings of priests. Wherefore this city, taken literally, to signify the secular principate and state in the Church, as well as the Ecclesiastical temple, is held by St. Jerome, Gregory, Hugh, the Carthusian, Maldonatus, Lyran, and Fernandius in vision XIX, section 1. Furthermore, just as the temple is more worthy than the city, so the episcopate excels the secular principate, and ought to direct it, not to be ruled by it. For sacred things excel profane things, and are their end and purpose: and God ought to be obeyed rather than the king. Thus St. Maurice to the Emperor Maximian, when compelling him and his Theban Martyrs to sacrifice to idols: "We are thy soldiers, O Emperor," said he, "but nevertheless servants of Christ: to thee we owe military discipline and service, but to God we owe obedience and innocence." Hence also St. Gregory Nazianzen, oration 17 to the princes of his diocese: "You also," said he, "the law of Christ subjects to my empire and throne. For we also bear empire, and I add a more excellent and perfect one; unless indeed it be right that flesh should submit spirit to the fasces, and that heavenly things should yield to earthly." If therefore a prince wish to rule Bishops, he does the same as if flesh ruled spirit, earth ruled heaven. TO ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. — "House," that is tribe: for from every tribe they were to dwell in Jerusalem.
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7. TO THE PRINCE ALSO, — namely you shall give his own place and space as to the others, but a particular one, and worthy of a prince. A fourth lot is here assigned to the prince. ON THIS SIDE AND ON THAT SIDE, — on both sides, namely, from the East and West; or toward the South and toward the North. FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE SANCTUARY. — "For" that is, up to: "separation" he calls the lot separated, that is to say, After the lot which I commanded to be separated first to the priests, then to the Levites, third to the city and citizens; in the fourth place you shall separate and designate a place for the prince, so that he himself, as it were the last, may encompass all like a rampart, as the guardian and defender of the commonwealth, as will be evident in chapter XLVIII, 21. From this verse 7, Fernandius concludes, namely XIX, section IV, that royal power flows from God, not immediately, but by means of the commonwealth, which is as it were intermediate between God and the king. For God by the instinct of nature gave to each people the right of creating a king for themselves. Others explain it, that is to say, Between the holy lot of the temple, of priests and Levites, and between the lay lot of the city and citizens, place the prince in the middle position, so that he may better protect both, namely both clergy and laity; and because it seems fitting that the first place be given to priests, the second to Levites, the third to the prince, the fourth to the people. Thus Maldonatus. This concerning the lot of the twelve tribes is true, not concerning the city, as will be evident in chapter XLVIII. Thus we see in well-ordered kingdoms, kings reside in the middle of the kingdom, and are as it were the center in a circle, so that from all sides they may be easily and equally approached by subjects, and they themselves may approach them, and so that with one glance as it were they may look around all the boundaries of their kingdom, and provide for each, and so that all regions may unite and connect themselves to them as it were in the middle. For a kingdom, the more united it is to itself and to its king, the more powerful and firm it is. The philosopher Calanus represented this to Alexander the Great on a dried hide: for when he stood on its edges, it would spring back; but when he trod on it in the middle, the whole remained still. Thus Plutarch in Alexander. The Hebrews give the reason, lest when the prayer which was made in the middle of the Eastern court before the Lord was finished, he who was adoring should turn toward the temple, returning to the same gate, and thus turn his back to the temple: which would have been rustic and uncivil. But the turning was equal, namely lateral, whether one went out by the same or by a different gate; and so he who entered by one gate and went out by another turned his back, or rather his side, as much as he who entered and went out by one and the same gate. Therefore the truer reason seems to have been, that in such a great crowd of people the passage might be easier. For if they had gone out by the same gate by which they had entered, they would have met those coming and entering, and thus would have hindered one another in passing, while these wished to enter and those to go out, which is avoided if those who enter by one gate go out by another. We experience this here in Rome in the Basilicas of the Apostles and Martyrs, when there are solemn stations. Otherwise the Hebrews and Vatablus, that is to say, In the portion of the prince there will be the portion of priests and Levites, likewise the temple with the city. But this is scarcely probable; for thus the lot of the prince would have included all the lots of the others, whereas here God assigns to him equally as to the others a peculiar and proper lot. BEFORE THE FACE OF THE SEPARATION OF THE SANCTUARY, — opposite the lot of the sacred place, and the lot or possession of the city. He explains what he had said a little before: "For the separation of the sanctuary, and for the separation of the city." These will be evident in chapter XLVIII, in the figure of the division of all the lots, which I shall exhibit at the beginning of the chapter. FROM THE SEA SIDE EVEN TO THE SEA SIDE, — that is, as Vatablus says, from the Western region toward the West (for to the Hebrews "sea" is the Western region, hence by "sea" they signify the West), and from the Eastern region toward the East. He explains what he said above: "On this side and on that side," that is to say, You shall measure the boundaries of the prince on both sides both toward the West and toward the East. AND THE LENGTH ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE PARTS. — In Hebrew: And the length (of it shall be) opposite one of the parts, that is the length shall be taken from West to East opposite one of the parts, namely the southern part of the prince shall be opposite the southern part of the citizens, and the northern part of the prince opposite the northern part of the citizens from the Western boundary (of the part of the prince, equally as of the citizens) even to the East, says Maldonatus. How great this lot of the prince was, Scripture does not express, and the Interpreters vary. Maldonatus and others In a separate place. For "of those animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place for sin by the high priest, their bodies are burned outside the camp," Hebrews XIII, 11; Leviticus IV, 12; and chapter VI, 30, and XVI, 27: see the things said there. For this was a public expiation and consecration of the altar and of the place contaminated and profaned by the Chaldeans, by the victim of the calf, in which this rite is prescribed, Leviticus XVI, 27. Outside the sanctuary, outside the court of the priests, which is called the Sanctuary, because it was sanctified and consecrated by the blood of the slain calf, says Vatablus. Engallim was a village or city at the beginning of the Dead Sea, namely where the Jordan flows into the sea. And from this place fishermen stretched out their nets for drying, as far as Engaddi, as Ezekiel says here. "Engallim," says St. Jerome, "is at the beginning of the Dead Sea, where the Jordan enters. But Engaddi is where it ends and is consumed. Engaddi means the fountain of the goat, Engallim means the fountain of the calf." Note: Some understand by the prince the high priest; for he commands that the firstfruits be given to him, verses 16 and 17 and following. He commands this prince to act, that is to sacrifice victims: he was therefore a priest, not a layman. The reason is, because after the captivity the Jews lacked a king and secular prince, and the High Priests presided over the people both in political and sacred matters, as is evident from the Maccabees: hence also he soon commands this prince, that is the High Priest, not to burden the people with tributes, and to take care that weights are just. For it looks chiefly to the Messiah, or Christ, who was both a secular and a sacred prince, as the Hebrews and St. Jerome teach. But in chapter XLVI, 2 it will be clear that a secular prince is understood here, not a high priest.
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8. OF THE LAND SHALL BE HIS POSSESSION, — that is to say, The prince shall live from a part of the land, which I command to be assigned to him separately, lest he invade the fields of the people, or burden and oppress him with tributes. BUT THE LAND THEY SHALL GIVE. — that is to say, The remaining land of the people they shall distribute.
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9. LET IT SUFFICE YOU, — O princes! that you have hitherto burdened and plundered the people, see that you do not henceforth plunder or burden them. Wherefore: SEPARATE YOUR BORDERS, — so that, content with your own limits, you do not invade the lands of your people. The Hebrew and Vatablus translate: Remove your exactions, that is your tributes and levies. The Hebrew migras properly signifies borders, and suburban places.
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10. A JUST BALANCE. — For it is the duty of the prince to determine the quantity of weights and measures, and to take care that they are kept equal by men. For this is what public justice requires in buying and selling, which if violated, the whole commonwealth is disturbed and confused. Hence Solomon says in Proverbs XX, 10: "Weight and weight, measure and measure, both are abominable before God," that is to say, He who has different and unequal weights and measures, for example, uses a larger one when he buys, a smaller one when he sells; God the just abhors him, and as the avenger of justice. Josephus relates that the first city which Cain built, and named Enoch after his son, was corrupted by him chiefly in this, that he invented unjust weights and measures. How necessary this justice of weights and measures is, God teaches, who has sanctioned it both by word here, and in Leviticus XIX, 35, and Amos V, 15, and by example. For He Himself, as the Wise Man says, chapter XI, 21, in establishing this whole commonwealth of the universe, arranged all things in measure, and number, and weight. That the same is especially necessary in the commonwealth Aristotle teaches, book IX of the Metaphysics.
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11. THE EPHAH AND THE BATH EQUAL. — The ephah and the bath were equal measures; but the ephah was for dry things, the bath for liquid things, namely these were measures, the tenth part of a cor. For the cor contained three seahs, or satas, that is 30 modii; the ephah and bath, three modii. The Septuagint translates for bath chanicem, for cor gomor, but gomor is read corruptly for homer, as it is in the Hebrew. For gomor was a small measure of daily food, as I said at Exodus XVI, 16; but homer, or cor, vast and huge, containing 30 modii. ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE COR SHALL BE THE EQUAL DIVISION, — that is to say, equal division by weight and accommodation to the cor, that is to say, Both shall be required according to the measure of the cor, namely so that the ephah and bath are the tenth part of the cor. Thus Vatablus.
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12. A SHEKEL HAS TWENTY OBOLS. — A shekel, or stater, was a tetradrachm, equal in weight and value to four Italian julii, and four Spanish regals, or one Flemish florin; for this contains 20 obols, that is, stufers. See the remarks on Exodus XXX, 13. FURTHERMORE TWENTY SHEKELS, etc., — that is to say, A mina, or mina contains 60 shekels. Note: He distributes the mina here into three parts, because there were three separate species of currency, which the mina altogether comprised, namely there was a currency, first, of 15 shekels, or a quarter part of the mina; second, of 20 shekels, that is a third part of the mina; third, of 25 shekels, that is a third with a twelfth part of the mina. Thus R. David, Vatablus, Maldonatus and Vilalpando, vol. II, page 327, where he teaches that each of these species are also called mnas or minas, and therefore there were four kinds of mina, namely the first, 15; the second, 20; the third, 25; the fourth, 60 shekels, and Ezekiel hints at this here. Whence also Solomon, III Kings X, 17, is said to have made shields for his guards, each of which was covered with 300 minas of gold; where mina is not to be taken as 60 shekels (for thus these shields would have been very heavy, and unbearable by the strongest men), but 20. For thus 666 talents were consumed in these two hundred shields, which Vilalpandus correctly demonstrates by calculation from III Kings X, 16. The Hebrews and Maldonatus note that profane mina is spoken of here, for the sacred one was twice as large, and contained one hundred 20 shekels. But others deny this, and hold that the mina, sacred and profane, was one and the same, whether of the temple and the market, of the common people and the priests, as I said on Exodus XXX. Furthermore mina, or mna is said to be as מנה mana, that is a portion, or a part numbered and taken away, from the root מנה mana, that is he numbered. Whence Mane, Tekel, Phares, Daniel V, 25.
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13. THESE ARE THE FIRST-FRUITS WHICH YOU SHALL TAKE. — In Hebrew אשר תרימו ascer tarimu, that is which you shall offer by lifting them up before the Lord. For by this rite the first-fruits were to be offered, according to the law of Leviticus XXIII, 11, so that they might thus testify that they had received these fruits from God, and therefore offer him the first-fruits of them. You will ask: Of which first-fruits is this speaking? R. David thinks that those are taxed here which were to be offered at the common dedication of the temple. Maldonatus thinks that the sacrifices of the princes are taxed here: but sacrifices are not first-fruits, and those are taxed in the following chapter. Therefore St. Jerome more rightly, with the Hebrews, properly holds that the first-fruits of grain, for example wheat, barley, etc., are taxed here to be offered to God and the priests, lest either the avarice of the priests should exact more, or the laity should give less than was fitting. He commands therefore that a sixtieth part of the grain be given to God as first-fruits: for he commands that a sixth part of an ephah be given, which is a sixtieth part of a cor. The Hebrews note that the first-fruits are taxed here according to a lax law. For they themselves hand down that for first-fruits neither less than a sixtieth part, nor more than a fortieth part was permitted to be given. Whence St. Jerome: "Between a fortieth," he says, "and a sixtieth part it was permitted to offer whatever they wished."
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14. THE MEASURE OF OIL ALSO. — He commands here that into a sixtieth part of flour, which is offered as first-fruits, a hundredth part of oil be mixed. For a tenth part of a bath, or ephah, is a hundredth part of a cor. For a cor contained ten baths, or ephahs.
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15. AND ONE RAM. — In Hebrew שה vesce echad, that is one beast, not a lamb or female, as the Hebrews wish, but a male. Whence Our translator rightly rendered it, "a ram." For males were to be offered to God in sacrifice. OF THE FLOCK OF TWO HUNDRED, — that is to say, He who has two hundred sheep shall give one, namely the two-hundredth, to God in sacrifice.
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16. ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND SHALL BE BOUND TO THESE FIRST-FRUITS FOR THE PRINCE, — namely of the priests, that is the Pontiff. Others less correctly understand the king: for to the Pontiff, not to the king, by divine law are first-fruits to be given. Otherwise the prince is taken here differently than in the following chapter and in chapter XLIV, 3. The sense is, that is to say, The people shall give to the Pontiff these first-fruits, so that by these he himself may sustain the burden of offering burnt offerings and victims on sabbaths, Calends, and other feasts for the whole people. Thus St. Jerome, Vatablus and the Hebrews everywhere. For this is what he adds:
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17. AND UPON THE PRINCE SHALL BE THE BURNT OFFERINGS, etc. — that is to say, Upon the prince, and upon the shoulders as it were of the prince shall fall the burden of burnt offerings, etc.
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18. FIRST MONTH. — Nisan, which corresponds partly to our March, partly to April, and is the first from the vernal equinox, and therefore the Paschal month, Exodus cap. XII, vers. 2. ON THE FIRST (that is, the first day) OF THE MONTH. — Thus often elsewhere by enallage the cardinal number is put for the ordinal, one for first. 8. TO THE HEAPS OF SAND OF THE EAST. — From the Hebrew גלילה gelila, it can also be translated, to the Eastern Galilee. Thus the Septuagint, the Hebrew text and Vatablus. The Hebrews relate that this river was divided into two streams, one Eastern, the other Western; by which the Latins understand the Eastern and Western Church, as Vatablus, Pintus and others say. The former, therefore, they say, flowed into the Sea of Galilee, namely Tiberias, or into the Dead Sea or Sea of Sodom, which was to the east; the other into the Mediterranean Sea, which was to the west. Although Maldonatus understands by the Eastern sea the Persian Gulf; but this is too far removed from Jerusalem and the temple.
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19. AND THE PRIEST SHALL TAKE OF THE BLOOD (of the sacrifice, or piacular offering) WHICH SHALL BE FOR SIN, AND SHALL PUT IT ON THE POSTS OF THE HOUSE, — namely of the temple. Thus the Hebrews. AND ON THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE LEDGE (not of the court, as the Rabbis wish, but) OF THE ALTAR. — For this had a double ledge, and it is called in Hebrew עזרה azara, cap. XLIII, 14, as also here. AND ON THE POSTS OF THE GATE OF THE INNER COURT. — The inner court was the court of the priests, as I said, cap. XLII, 3. Less correctly does R. David understand by the outer court the court of women, by the inner that of men.
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22. AND HE SHALL MAKE (that is, shall sacrifice) THE PRINCE, — not by himself, but through the priests, as is explained in the following cap. vers. 2.
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23. DAILY FOR SEVEN DAYS, — that is, daily seven calves, and seven rams, and this for seven days. Thus the Hebrew text, Vatablus and Maldonatus. These victims seem to be prescribed here for the prince alone. For the festival and the people had other and more numerous victims, which are prescribed in Numbers XXIX, 13 and following.
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24. A SACRIFICE OF AN EPHAH FOR EACH CALF. — For sacrifice in Hebrew is מנחה mincha, that is, a meal offering, or of fine flour, as if to say: He shall offer an ephah of fine flour with each calf, and with each ram an ephah, and shall mix one hin of oil. Concerning the hin, ephah, and other measures of the Hebrews, see what is said at the end of the Pentateuch.
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25. AT THE SOLEMNITY, — namely of the Feast of Tabernacles: for this was celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month, Leviticus XXIII, 39. FOR SIN, — as if to say: I have spoken of the victims, fine flour, and oil to be offered at the Feast of the Passover; the same are to be understood, and in the same manner and measure are to be observed at the Feast of Tabernacles. Thus Vatablus, Maldonatus and others. 15. NOW THIS IS THE BOUNDARY, — as if to say: These are the boundaries, these are the limits of Canaan to be divided among the twelve tribes. FROM THE GREAT SEA, — namely from that part of the Mediterranean Sea which extended toward the North; for he determines it here. From these victims, libations, and all other things, it is clear that this pertains literally to the temple and the Jewish commonwealth.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.