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  • Ezekiel Chapter 47

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The river from the temple

47 The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple. There I saw water that was pouring out from under the entrance. It was pouring towards the east. (The front entrance of the temple opened towards the east.) The river of water came from under the south side of the temple. It went past the south side of the altar. 2 The man took me out through the north gate of the temple. We went around the outside to the gate that opens towards the east. There I saw a small stream of water. It was coming out from the south side of the gate.

3 The man went towards the east. He measured 500 metres in that direction. He took me through the water there. The water was as high as my ankles. 4 Then he measured another 500 metres along the stream. He took me through the water again. Here, the water was as high as my knees. He measured another 500 metres. He took me through the water and it was now as high as my belt. 5 Then he measured another 500 metres. Here the water had become a deep river. It was too deep for me to go across. Nobody could walk through it. They would need to swim.

6 The man said to me, ‘Son of man, you must remember what you have seen.’

Then he took me back to the river's edge. 7 When I got there, I saw very many trees. They were on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, ‘This river of water goes towards the land in the east. It goes into the valley of the Jordan River. Then the water goes into the Salt Sea. When it goes into the sea there, the water becomes pure instead of salty. [ a ] 9 Wherever the river goes, many kinds of animals and fish will live. There will be lots of fish in the Salt Sea because the water that goes in there will make it pure. There will be many living things in places where the river goes. 10 Men will stand on the edge of the sea to catch fish. They will use their nets to catch fish, all the way from En-Gedi to En-Eglaim. They will catch many kinds of fish, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. 11 But the water in the pools and the wet places around the Salt Sea will not become pure. There will still be salt for people there. 12 All kinds of fruit trees will live on each side of the river. Their leaves will never become dry. They will always give fruit every month. This is because the water that feeds them comes from the holy temple. The fruit from these trees will provide food. And their leaves will make sick people well.’

The borders of Israel's land

13 This is what the Almighty Lord says: ‘This is the land that you will share among Israel's 12 tribes. Give one part to each tribe, but Joseph's descendants will have two parts. [ b ] 14 Share the land in equal parts for each tribe. I promised your ancestors that I would give them this land to live in. So now it will belong to you and your descendants.

15 These will be the borders of your land:

The north border goes from the Mediterranean Sea to the city of Hethlon. It continues to go east, past Lebo-Hamath and to Zedad. 16 From there, it continues through Berothah and Sibraim. Those towns are on the border between Damascus and Hamath. Then it goes as far as Hazer-Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 The border goes from the Mediterranean Sea to Hazar-Enan. The border of Hamath is on the north side and the border of Damascus is on the south side. That is the north border of your land.

18 On the east side, the border of your land is the Jordan River. It starts between Hauran and Damascus. It goes between the region of Gilead and Israel's land, past the Salt Sea as far as Tamar. That is the east border.

19 On the south side, the border goes from Tamar to the springs of water near Meribath Kadesh. Then it goes along the Stream at Egypt's border to the Mediterranean Sea. That is the south border.

20 On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea is the border of your land. It goes north to a place on the west side of Lebo-Hamath. That is the north border of your land.

21 You must share this land among yourselves so that each tribe of Israel receives a part. 22 Each part that you receive will belong to you and to the foreigners who live among you. Those foreigners have given birth to their own children among you. Accept them as if they were born as Israelites. They must receive land for themselves among Israel's tribes. 23 Give them land among the tribe where they have decided to live.’

That is what the Almighty Lord says.

Footnotes

  1. 47:8 The Salt Sea is called the Dead Sea today.
  2. 47:13 Joseph's two sons were Ephraim and Manasseh. They each made a tribe.

The Water Flowing From the Temple

47 The man led me back to the entrance of the Temple. I saw water coming out from under the east gate of the Temple. (The front of the Temple is on the east side.) The water flowed down from under the south end of the Temple and ran south of the altar. 2 The man led me out through the north gate and then around the outside to the outer gate on the east side. The water was flowing out on the south side of the gate.

3 The man walked east with a tape measure in his hand. He measured 1000 cubits. [ a ] Then he told me to walk through the water at that place. The water was only ankle deep. 4 He measured another 1000 cubits. Then he told me to walk through the water at that place. There the water came up to my knees. Then he measured another 1000 cubits and told me to walk through the water at that place. There the water was waist deep. 5 He measured another 1000 cubits, but there the water was too deep to cross. It had become a river. The water was deep enough to swim in. It was a river that was too deep to cross. 6 Then the man said to me, “Son of man, [ b ] did you pay close attention to the things you saw?”

Then the man led me back along the side of the river. 7 As I walked back along the side of the river, I saw many trees on both sides of the water. 8 He said to me, “This water flows east, down to the Arabah Valley. 9 This water flows into the Dead Sea so that the water in that sea becomes fresh and clean. There are many fish in this water, and all kinds of animals live where this river goes. 10 You can see fishermen standing by the river all the way from En Gedi to En Eglaim. You can see them throwing their fishing nets and catching many kinds of fish. There are as many kinds of fish in the Dead Sea as there are in the Mediterranean Sea. 11 But the swamps and small marshes will not become fresh. They will be left for salt. 12 All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves never will become dry and fall. The fruit will never stop growing on those trees. The trees will produce fruit every month, because the water for the trees comes from the Temple. The fruit from the trees will be for food, and their leaves will be for healing.”

Division of the Land for the Tribes

13 This is what the Lord God says: “These are the borders for dividing the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will have two parts. 14 You will divide the land equally. I promised to give this land to your ancestors, so I am giving this land to you.

15 “These are the borders of the land: On the north side, it goes from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon where the road turns toward Hamath and on to Zedad, 16 Berothah, Sibraim (which is on the border between Damascus and Hamath) and Hazer Hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the border will go from the sea to Hazar Enan on the northern border of Damascus and Hamath. This will be on the north side.

18 “On the east side, the border will go from Hazar Enan between Hauran and Damascus and continue along the Jordan River between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the eastern sea and all the way to Tamar. This will be the eastern border.

19 “On the south side, the border will go from Tamar all the way to the oasis at Meribah-kadesh. Then it will go along the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. This will be the southern border.

20 “On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the border all the way to the area in front of Lebo Hamath. This will be your western border.

21 “So you will divide this land among you for the tribes of Israel. 22 You will divide it as a property for yourselves and for the foreigners who live among you and who have had children among you. These foreigners will be residents—they will be like natural born Israelites. You will divide some land for them among the tribes of Israel. 23 The tribe where that resident lives must give him some land.” This is what the Lord God said!

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:3 1000 cubits 1/3 mile (518.32 m).
  2. Ezekiel 47:6 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel.

47 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.

4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.

5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.

6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.

7 Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.

9 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.

10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

11 But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.

12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

13 Thus saith the Lord God ; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.

14 And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance.

15 And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad;

16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.

17 And the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side.

18 And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side.

19 And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side southward.

20 The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.

21 So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel.

22 And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

23 And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord God .

Water from the Temple

47 Then he brought me back to the ( A ) door of the house; and behold, ( B ) water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. 2 And he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around [ a ] on the outside to the outer gate, by the way facing east. And behold, water was spurting out from the south side.

3 When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand [ b ] cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. 4 Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water , water reaching the [ c ] hips. 5 Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not [ d ] wade across, because the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a ( C ) river that could not be crossed by wading . 6 And he said to me, “Son of man, have you ( D ) seen this ?” Then he brought me [ e ] back to the bank of the river. 7 Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many ( E ) trees on the one side and on the other. 8 Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the ( F ) Arabah; then they go toward the [ f ] sea, being made to flow into the ( G ) sea, and the waters of the sea become [ g ] fresh. 9 And it will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the [ h ] river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others [ i ] become fresh; so ( H ) everything will live where the river goes. 10 And it will come about that ( I ) fishermen will stand beside it; from ( J ) Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the ( K ) spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the ( L ) Great Sea, ( M ) very many. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become [ j ] fresh; they will be [ k ] left for ( N ) salt. 12 And ( O ) by the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of ( P ) trees for food. Their ( Q ) leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their ( R ) leaves for healing.”

Boundaries and Division of the Land

13 This is what the Lord [ l ] God says: “This shall be the ( S ) boundary by which you shall divide the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall have two ( T ) portions. 14 And you shall divide it for an inheritance, each one [ m ] equally with the other; for I [ n ] ( U ) swore to give it to your forefathers, and this land shall fall to you [ o ] as an inheritance.

15 “And this shall be the boundary of the land: on the ( V ) north side, from the Great Sea by the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of [ p ] ( W ) Zedad; 16 [ q ] ( X ) Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of ( Y ) Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazer-hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran. 17 The boundary shall [ r ] extend from the sea to ( Z ) Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, and on the north toward the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

18 “The ( AA ) east side, from between Hauran, Damascus, ( AB ) Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the ( AC ) Jordan; from the north border to the eastern sea you shall measure. This is the east side.

19 “The ( AD ) south side toward the south shall extend from ( AE ) Tamar as far as the waters of ( AF ) Meribath-kadesh, to the ( AG ) brook of Egypt and to the ( AH ) Great Sea. This is the south side toward the south.

20 “And the ( AI ) west side shall be the Great Sea, from the south border to a point opposite [ s ] ( AJ ) Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.

21 “So you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You shall divide it by ( AK ) lot for an inheritance among yourselves and among the ( AL ) strangers who stay in your midst, who bring forth sons in your midst. And they shall be to you as the native-born among the sons of Israel; they shall be allotted an ( AM ) inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23 And in the tribe with which the stranger resides, there you shall give him his inheritance,” declares the Lord God .

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:2 Lit by way of
  2. Ezekiel 47:3 Each of these cubits equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
  3. Ezekiel 47:4 Lit loins
  4. Ezekiel 47:5 Lit cross
  5. Ezekiel 47:6 Lit and caused me to return
  6. Ezekiel 47:8 I.e., Dead Sea
  7. Ezekiel 47:8 Lit healed
  8. Ezekiel 47:9 Lit two rivers
  9. Ezekiel 47:9 Lit are healed
  10. Ezekiel 47:11 Lit healed
  11. Ezekiel 47:11 Lit given
  12. Ezekiel 47:13 Heb YHWH , usually rendered Lord , and so throughout the ch
  13. Ezekiel 47:14 Lit like his brother
  14. Ezekiel 47:14 Lit lifted up My hand
  15. Ezekiel 47:14 Lit in
  16. Ezekiel 47:15 As in MT; LXX Hamath, Zedad ; cf. 48:1
  17. Ezekiel 47:16 Or LXX Berothah
  18. Ezekiel 47:17 Lit be
  19. Ezekiel 47:20 Or the entrance of Hamath

The River From the Temple

47 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water ( A ) coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. ( B ) 2 He then brought me out through the north gate ( C ) and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line ( D ) in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits [ a ] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river ( E ) that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. ( F ) 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. ( G ) 8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, [ b ] ( H ) where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. ( I ) 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. ( J ) 10 Fishermen ( K ) will stand along the shore; from En Gedi ( L ) to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. ( M ) The fish will be of many kinds ( N ) —like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. ( O ) 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. ( P ) 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. ( Q ) Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit ( R ) fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary ( S ) flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing. ( T )

The Boundaries of the Land

13 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “These are the boundaries ( U ) of the land that you will divide among the twelve tribes of Israel as their inheritance, with two portions for Joseph. ( V ) 14 You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your ancestors, this land will become your inheritance. ( W )

15 “This is to be the boundary of the land: ( X )

“On the north side it will run from the Mediterranean Sea ( Y ) by the Hethlon road ( Z ) past Lebo Hamath to Zedad, 16 Berothah [ c ] ( AA ) and Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), ( AB ) as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 The boundary will extend from the sea to Hazar Enan, [ d ] along the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary. ( AC )

18 “On the east side the boundary will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the Dead Sea and as far as Tamar. [ e ] This will be the eastern boundary. ( AD )

19 “On the south side it will run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah Kadesh, ( AE ) then along the Wadi of Egypt ( AF ) to the Mediterranean Sea. ( AG ) This will be the southern boundary.

20 “On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo Hamath. ( AH ) This will be the western boundary. ( AI )

21 “You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You are to allot it as an inheritance ( AJ ) for yourselves and for the foreigners ( AK ) residing among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. ( AL ) 23 In whatever tribe a foreigner resides, there you are to give them their inheritance,” declares the Sovereign Lord . ( AM )

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:3 That is, about 1,700 feet or about 530 meters
  2. Ezekiel 47:8 Or the Jordan Valley
  3. Ezekiel 47:16 See Septuagint and 48:1; Hebrew road to go into Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah .
  4. Ezekiel 47:17 Hebrew Enon, a variant of Enan
  5. Ezekiel 47:18 See Syriac; Hebrew Israel. You will measure to the Dead Sea.