The land is divided among the twelve tribes in parallel strips, with a sacred portion in the middle. The city has twelve gates named for the tribes, and the book ends with the name of the city: The LORD is there.
1 Now these are the names of the tribes . From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon , as one goeth to Hamath , Hazarenan , the border of Damascus northward , to the coast of Hamath ; for these are his sides east and west ; a portion for Dan .
2 And by the border of Dan , from the east side unto the west side , a portion for Asher .
3 And by the border of Asher , from the east side even unto the west side , a portion for Naphtali .
4 And by the border of Naphtali , from the east side unto the west side , a portion for Manasseh .
5 And by the border of Manasseh , from the east side unto the west side , a portion for Ephraim .
6 And by the border of Ephraim , from the east side even unto the west side , a portion for Reuben .
7 And by the border of Reuben , from the east side unto the west side , a portion for Judah .
8 And by the border of Judah , from the east side unto the west side , shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth , and in length as one of the other parts , from the east side unto the west side : and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.
9 The oblation that ye shall offer unto the LORD shall be of five and twenty thousand in length , and of ten thousand in breadth .
10 And for them, even for the priests , shall be this holy oblation ; toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth , and toward the east ten thousand in breadth , and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length : and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the midst thereof.
11 It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok ; which have kept my charge , which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray , as the Levites went astray .
12 And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites .
13 And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length , and ten thousand in breadth : all the length shall be five and twenty thousand , and the breadth ten thousand .
14 And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange , nor alienate the firstfruits of the land : for it is holy unto the LORD .
15 And the five thousand , that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand , shall be a profane place for the city , for dwelling , and for suburbs : and the city shall be in the midst thereof.
16 And these shall be the measures thereof; the north side four thousand and five hundred , and the south side four thousand and five hundred , and on the east side four thousand and five hundred , and the west side four thousand and five hundred .
17 And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty , and toward the south two hundred and fifty , and toward the east two hundred and fifty , and toward the west two hundred and fifty .
18 And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward , and ten thousand westward : and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city .
19 And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel .
20 All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand : ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare , with the possession of the city .
21 And the residue shall be for the prince , on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation , and of the possession of the city , over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border , and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border , over against the portions for the prince : and it shall be the holy oblation ; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof.
22 Moreover from the possession of the Levites , and from the possession of the city , being in the midst of that which is the prince's , between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin , shall be for the prince .
23 As for the rest of the tribes , from the east side unto the west side , Benjamin shall have a portion.
24 And by the border of Benjamin , from the east side unto the west side , Simeon shall have a portion.
25 And by the border of Simeon , from the east side unto the west side , Issachar a portion.
26 And by the border of Issachar , from the east side unto the west side , Zebulun a portion.
27 And by the border of Zebulun , from the east side unto the west side , Gad a portion.
28 And by the border of Gad , at the south side southward , the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh , and to the river toward the great sea .
29 This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance , and these are their portions , saith the Lord GOD .
30 And these are the goings out of the city on the north side , four thousand and five hundred measures .
31 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 .
32 And at the east side four thousand and five hundred : and three gates ; and one gate of Joseph , one gate of Benjamin , one gate of Dan .
33 And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures : and three gates ; one gate of Simeon , one gate of Issachar , one gate of Zebulun .
34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred , with their three gates ; one gate of Gad , one gate of Asher , one gate of Naphtali .
35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there .