Ezekiel 47
Christian Standard Bible
The Life-Giving River
47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple and there was water flowing 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 threshold of the temple, south of the altar.(A) 2 Next he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate that faced east; there the water was trickling from the south side. 3 As the man went out east with a measuring line in his hand,(B) he measured off a third of a mile[a] and led me through the water. It came up to my ankles. 4 Then he measured off a third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my knees. He measured off another third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured off a third of a mile, and it was a river that I could not cross on foot. For the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed on foot.
6 He asked me, “Do you see this, son of man?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I had returned, I saw a very large number of trees along both sides of the riverbank.(C) 8 He said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down to the Arabah. When it enters the sea, the sea of foul water,[b][c] the water of the sea becomes fresh.(D) 9 Every kind of living creature that swarms will live wherever the river flows,[d] and there will be a huge number of fish because this water goes there. Since the water will become fresh, there will be life everywhere the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside it from En-gedi to En-eglaim.[e] These will become places where nets are spread out to dry. Their fish will consist of many different kinds, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.(E) 11 Yet its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be left for salt. 12 All kinds of trees providing food will grow along both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail.(F) Each month they will bear fresh fruit because the water comes from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be used for eating and their leaves for healing.”(G)
The Borders of the Land
13 This is what the Lord God says: “This is[f] the border you will use to divide the land(H) as an inheritance for the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will receive two shares.(I) 14 You will inherit it in equal portions, since I swore[g] to give it to your ancestors.(J) So this land will fall to you as an inheritance.
15 This is to be the border of the land:
On the north side(K) it will extend from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon and Lebo-hamath to Zedad,[h] 16 Berothah, and Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the border will run from the sea to Hazar-enon at the border(L) of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern side.
18 On the east side it will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; you will measure from the northern border to the eastern sea.[i] This will be the eastern side.
19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the Waters of Meribath-kadesh,[j] and on to the Brook of Egypt(M) as far as the Mediterranean Sea.(N) This will be the southern side.
20 On the west side the Mediterranean Sea will be the border, from the southern border up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western side.
21 “You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.(O) 22 You will allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens residing among you,(P) who have fathered children among you. You will treat them[k] like native-born Israelites; along with you, they will be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the alien resides, you will assign his inheritance there.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.
Footnotes
- 47:3 Lit 1,000 cubits, also in vv. 4,5
- 47:8 Or enters the sea, being brought out to the sea; Hb obscure
- 47:8 = the Dead Sea
- 47:9 LXX, Vg; MT reads the two rivers flow
- 47:10 Two springs near the Dead Sea
- 47:13 Tg, Vg; Syr reads The valley of
- 47:14 Lit lifted my hand
- 47:15 LXX; MT reads and Lebo to Zedad, Hamath; Ezk 48:1
- 47:18 = the Dead Sea
- 47:19 = Kadesh-barnea
- 47:22 Lit They will be to you
Ezekiel 47
New American Standard Bible
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
- Ezekiel 47:2 Lit by way of
- Ezekiel 47:3 Each of these cubits equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
- Ezekiel 47:4 Lit loins
- Ezekiel 47:5 Lit cross
- Ezekiel 47:6 Lit and caused me to return
- Ezekiel 47:8 I.e., Dead Sea
- Ezekiel 47:8 Lit healed
- Ezekiel 47:9 Lit two rivers
- Ezekiel 47:9 Lit are healed
- Ezekiel 47:11 Lit healed
- Ezekiel 47:11 Lit given
- Ezekiel 47:13 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 47:14 Lit like his brother
- Ezekiel 47:14 Lit lifted up My hand
- Ezekiel 47:14 Lit in
- Ezekiel 47:15 As in MT; LXX Hamath, Zedad; cf. 48:1
- Ezekiel 47:16 Or LXX Berothah
- Ezekiel 47:17 Lit be
- Ezekiel 47:20 Or the entrance of Hamath
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