יחזקאל, פרק מ״ח, פסוק ל״א

The design of the future city stands as a powerful symbol of national unity and shared partnership. The primary approach among commentators is that naming the city gates after the tribes of Israel serves a specific purpose. It establishes that the city is not the private territory of any single tribe. Instead, it belongs to the entire nation, with everyone holding an equal share. On the northern boundary of the city, three distinct gates are established, with each one dedicated to a specific tribe, beginning with a gate named for Reuben.

Looking at the broader spatial layout, [מלבי"ם] explains that each of the city's four sides contains exactly three gates. The arrangement begins at the northwest corner and moves eastward, placing the gates of Reuben, Judah, and Levi on the northern wall. Furthermore, he identifies a precise parallel between the placement of these gates and the arrangement of the tribes on the High Priest's breastplate.

On the breastplate, the tribes were divided into four rows. The layout of the city gates mirrors this by creating a deliberate pattern where the tribes from each row are split. Specifically, one tribe from a given row is positioned on the exact opposite side of the city from the other two tribes in that same row. For example, Reuben and Levi belong to the first row on the breastplate and are located in the north. Simeon, the third member of their row, is placed directly across from them in the south. This calculated design of dividing the breastplate rows and placing them in opposition repeats across all directions of the city.