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"The common-land of the city"

Text: Ezekiel 48:17

ALLOCATION OF LAND

The Lord set apart a holy district for Himself. The sanctuary would be located there. Land for the priests and the Levites was also allocated. But the Lord also provided “common-land” for the general use of the public.

“The five thousand cubits in width that remain, along the edge of the twenty-five thousand, shall be for general use by the city, for dwellings and common-land; and the city shall be in the centre. These shall be its measurements: the north side four thousand five hundred cubits, the south side four thousand five hundred, the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four thousand five hundred. The common-land of the city shall be: to the north two hundred and fifty cubits, to the south two hundred and fifty, to the east two hundred and fifty, and to the west two hundred and fifty. The rest of the length, alongside the district of the holy section, shall be ten thousand cubits to the east and ten thousand to the west. It shall be adjacent to the district of the holy section, and its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. The workers of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it. The entire district shall be twenty-five thousand cubits by twenty-five thousand cubits, foursquare. You shall set apart the holy district with the property of the city.”
Ezekiel 48:15-20

1. For public use.

a) All the sides of the holy district had “common-land”.

b) The general public would have access to these areas.

2. The use of the common land.

a) It may be used to cultivate food crops.

b) The food can be sold to those who work in the city.

3. Workers in the common land.

a) They are allowed to cultivate the land.

b) This is not restricted to any particular tribe.

c) God provided for:

i) The priests.

ii) The Levites.

iii) All the twelve tribes of Israel.