The Portions for the Tribes

1“Now these are the names of the tribes:

At the northern frontier, Dan (He has judged) will have one portion bordering the road of Hethlon (hiding place) to Lebo-hamath (fortress) and running on to Hazar-enan (village of fountains) on the border of Damascus (well-watered land) with Hamath to the north, and extending from the east side to the west side.

2Asher (happy) will have one portion bordering the territory of Dan (He has judged) from east to west.

3Naphtali (wrestling) will have one portion bordering the territory of Asher (happy) from east to west.

4Manasseh (causing to forget) will have one portion bordering the territory of Naphtali (wrestling) from east to west.

5Ephraim (doubly fruitful) will have one portion bordering the territory of Manasseh (causing to forget) from east to west.

6Reuben (behold a son) will have one portion bordering the territory of Ephraim (doubly fruitful) from east to west.

7Judah (praised) will have one portion bordering the territory of Reuben (behold a son) from east to west.

The Portions for the Priests and Levites

8Bordering the territory of Judah (praised), from east to west, will be the portion you⁺ are to set apart. It will be 25,000 cubits wide <8.3 mi / 13.3 km>,a and the length of a tribal portion from east to west. In the center will be the sanctuary.

9The special portion you⁺ set apart to the LORD {YHWH} shall be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide <3.3 mi / 5.3 km>.b

10This will be the holy portion for the priests. It will be 25,000 cubits long on the north side, 10,000 cubits wide on the west side, 10,000 cubits wide on the east side, and 25,000 cubits long on the south side. In the center will be the sanctuary of the LORD {YHWH}. 11It will be for the consecrated priests, the descendants of Zadok (righteous), who kept My charge and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites (God prevails) went astray. 12It will be a special portion for them set apart from the land, a most holy portion (a Most Holy Place)c adjacent to the territory of the Levites.

13Bordering the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an area 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. The whole length will be 25,000 cubits, and the width 10,000 cubits. 14They must not sell or exchange any of it, and they must not transfer this best part of the land, for it is holy to the LORD {YHWH}.

The Common Portion

15The remaining area, 5,000 cubits <1.7 mi / 2.7 km>d wide and 25,000 cubits long, will be for common use by the city, for houses, and for pastureland. The city will be in the center of it 16and will have these measurements: 4,500 cubits <1.5 mi / 2.4 km>e on the north side, 4,500 cubits on the south side, 4,500 cubits on the east side, and 4,500 cubits on the west side.

17The pastureland of the city will extend 250 cubits <437.5 ft / 133.4 m>f to the north, 250 cubits to the south, 250 cubits to the east, and 250 cubits to the west.

18The remainder of the length bordering the holy portion and running adjacent to it will be 10,000 cubits on the east side and 10,000 cubits on the west side. Its produce will supply food for the workers of the city. 19The workers of the city who cultivate it will come from all the tribes of Israel (he wrestles with God).

20The entire portion will be a square, 25,000 cubits by 25,000 cubits. You⁺ are to set apart the holy portion, along with the city property.

The Portion for the Prince

21The remaining area on both sides of the holy portion and of the property of the city will belong to the prince. He will own the land adjacent to the tribal portions, extending eastward from the 25,000 cubits of the holy district toward the eastern border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the western border. And in the center of them will be the holy portion and the sanctuary of the temple.

22So the Levitical property and the city property will lie in the center of the area belonging to the prince—the area between the borders of Judah (praised) and Benjamin (son of the right hand).

The Portions for the Remaining Tribes

23As for the rest of the tribes:

Benjamin (son of the right hand) will have one portion extending from the east side to the west side.

24Simeon (heard) will have one portion bordering the territory of Benjamin (son of the right hand) from east to west.

25Issachar (there is recompense) will have one portion bordering the territory of Simeon (heard) from east to west.

26Zebulun (exalted) will have one portion bordering the territory of Issachar (there is recompense) from east to west.

27And Gad (troop) will have one portion bordering the territory of Zebulun (exalted) from east to west.

28The southern border of Gad (troop) will run from Tamar (palm-tree) to the waters of Meribath-kadesh (quarreling) (holy), then along the Brook of Egyptg and out to the Great Sea (the Mediterranean Sea).h 29This is the land you⁺ are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel (he wrestles with God), and these will be their portions,” declares the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH}.

The City Gates and Dimensions

30“These will be the exits of the city:

Beginning on the north side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, 31the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel (he wrestles with God). On the north side there will be three gates: the gate of Reuben (behold a son), the gate of Judah (praised), and the gate of Levi.

32On the east side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, there will be three gates: the gate of Joseph (YHWH has added), the gate of Benjamin (son of the right hand), and the gate of Dan (He has judged).

33On the south side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, there will be three gates: the gate of Simeon (heard), the gate of Issachar (there is recompense), and the gate of Zebulun (exalted).

34And on the west side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, there will be three gates: the gate of Gad (troop), the gate of Asher (happy), and the gate of Naphtali (wrestling).

35The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits <6 mi / 9.6 km>,i and from that day on the name of the city will be:

THE LORD IS THERE {YHWH Shammah}.j”