“In the holy district,
You shall measure off
A section
Twenty-five thousand cubits long,
Ten thousand cubits wide.
This shall be
The sanctuary,
The most holy place.
It shall be
A holy portion
Of the land.
It shall be
For the priests,
Who minister
In the sanctuary.
They approach Yahweh
To minister
To him.
It shall be
A place
For their houses,
A holy place
For the sanctuary.”
This 25,000 by 20,000-cubit area was divided into 2 parts. This first part included the space for the Zadok priests and the sanctuary itself so that it was 25,000 by 10,000 cubits. The sanctuary, the most holy place, the 500-square cubit building would be in this half of the holy land of Jerusalem. Besides the sanctuary, this area included the houses for the Zadok priests who ministered to Yahweh in this sanctuary. Thus, the holy priests would live next to the holy place, where they would be cultic ministers.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 