THEOSISJerome of Stridon
And what remains of the holy allotment will extend ten thousand units to the east and ten thousand to the west, serving as a sacred portion, and the harvest from that section of land is to provide sustenance for the laborers of the city. These laborers will be drawn from all the tribes of Israel. The entire area designated as twenty-five thousand units in length and twenty-five thousand in breadth will be consecrated as a holy precinct and rightful inheritance of the city.
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Following the description of the holy city and its surroundings, the remaining sacred land, stretching ten thousand reeds to each side, is to be designated for those who serve the city’s needs, ensuring that it can be cultivated and that the workers who restore and fortify the city’s walls can be nourished from this territory, enhancing the city’s beauty and maintaining its roofs as required. This practice extends beyond Israel and into the realm of the Roman Empire, where certain estates have passed into the possession of cities through royal favor, inheritance, or generous gifts, all aimed at preserving the integrity of buildings and preventing public structures—which embellish the city—from being degraded through neglect. As stated, the laborers appointed for the city will hail from all tribes of Israel, emphasizing that no one may exempt themselves from the city’s work, but rather that all should ardently contribute to the building up of the Church. This mirrors the contributions made for the tabernacle, where, according to each person's ability, some brought precious materials like gold, silver, and fine fabrics while others contributed animal skins and goats’ hair; despite the varied nature of their offerings, the reward was equally bestowed upon all. Yet, those who gave less but with sincere intent, like the poor widow who offered two small coins and was commended by the Lord, held the highest esteem in His eyes, as stated: “Verily I say unto you, This poor widow hath cast in more than all.” All others contributed from their surplus, but she gave all she had (Luke 21:3-4). As we discuss the contributions to the city, it is important to note that the entire sacred area and zone of the city measures a total of two hundred forty-six thousand and one-third paces when calculated from all four sides. Given that twenty-five thousand reeds measure out to sixty-one thousand six hundred sixty-seven Roman paces, it follows that multiplying this figure by four yields the previously mentioned total. Thus, it is evident that the spiritual significance of this land exceeds the physical inheritance once held by the priests and Levites in Judea, who did not receive land like their brethren but were allocated forty-eight cities from each tribe—not as a complete possession, but as residences and places of refuge. This also implies that those who may seem like laypersons and do not hold a priestly office can still find sustenance from the holy land, which symbolizes meekness and faithfulness, as one person expressed: “I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps. 26:13).