Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 48:35

"It shall be eighteen thousand [reeds] round about: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Jehovah is there." — Ezekiel 48:35 (ASV)

Around eighteen thousand. — The circuit of the city, not including its “suburbs,” or open space, was 4 x 4,500 = 18,000 reeds, or something over thirty-four miles. Josephus estimated the circuit of Jerusalem in his day at four miles.

Measures. — This word is rightly supplied from Ezekiel 48:30, 33. On the symmetry of the city and its gates and the names of the gates, compare Revelation 21:12; Revelation 13:16.

The Lord is there. — With this name of the city Ezekiel closes his vision and his book. It is a most fitting close, for the object has been to depict, under the figures of the Jewish dispensation, the glories of the Church of the future. The culmination of this glory must always be that the Lord, according to His promise (John 6:56), will dwell in the believer, and the believer in Him.

Imperfectly as this may be carried out here on earth, the effect of the Gospel is to bring about more and more fully its realisation; and the closing book of the volume of Revelation, catching the echoes of Ezekiel’s prophecy, looks forward to the Holy City, the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, and declares, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God (Revelation 21:2–3).