It shall be the holy portion of the land means the part of the land described in verse 3 will be holy, that is, set aside for the LORD.

It shall be for the priests means that land will also be “set aside for the priests” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation), it will be theirs to use, it will belong to them. New Century Version provides a helpful model for this clause and the previous one, saying “This holy part of the land will be for the priests.”

The priests are described as those who minister in the sanctuary and approach the LORD to minister to him (see the comments on 40.46 and 44.15). It is acceptable to shorten this clause to “who serve in the temple” (Contemporary English Version), “who serve the LORD in his Temple” (Good News Translation), or “who minister to the LORD in the sanctuary” (New Living Translation).

And it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary: This area of land will be a place where the priests will live, and where the Temple will be located. This sentence may be rendered “This part of the land will be for the priests’ houses and for the Temple” (similarly New Century Version).

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .