THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The Levites are designated a portion extending twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand cubits in width, making a total area of twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand wide. This area, devoted to the Lord, is not to be sold or exchanged, nor is any part of the land to be removed, as it is consecrated to God. The remaining area of five thousand cubits in width and twenty thousand in length is to be an ordinary space for the city's habitation and its outskirts, with the city situated at its center.
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In the translation choices, the term we render as “ordinary” corresponds to various interpretations: while Aquila uses βὲβλον, Simmachus and Theodotion employ λαϊκὸν, the Greek Septuagint identifies it as προτει'χισμα, which can be translated as protective barrier. This secular space is open for the common people to dwell without any perception of impurity or defilement, acknowledging that all but the priests have access to it.
Moreover, this demonstrates that earthly pleasures and sensory experiences do not embody holiness, nor do they possess the sanctity reserved for the temple; instead, they reflect the mundane nature of life outside the priestly realm. At the heart of this area will be a city, as indicated by the scripture: “The river of God is full of water” (Psalms 65:10) and “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).
The distinction between καθηγεμονία (preposition) and διάστημα (distance), as rendered by the Septuagint, remains unclear to us as we seek understanding of these terms within the given context.