Water Flowing from the Temple

47 Then he brought me back to (A)the door of the temple, and behold, (B)water was issuing from below (C)the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of (D)the altar. Then he brought me out by way of (E)the north gate and led me around on the outside to (F)the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.

Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, (G)the man measured a thousand cubits,[a] and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, (H)“Son of man, (I)have you seen this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river (J)very many trees on the one side and on the other. And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into (K)the Arabah, and enters the sea;[b] when the water flows into (L)the sea, the water will become fresh.[c] And wherever the river goes,[d] every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea[e] may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From (M)Engedi to (N)Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of (O)the Great Sea.[f] 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. 12 And on the banks, (P)on both sides of the river, there will grow (Q)all kinds of trees for food. (R)Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, (S)but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and (T)their leaves for healing.”

Division of the Land

13 Thus says the Lord God: “This is the boundary[g] by which (U)you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. (V)Joseph shall have two portions. 14 And you shall divide equally what (W)I swore (X)to give to your fathers. (Y)This land shall fall to you as your inheritance.

15 “This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from (Z)the Great Sea (AA)by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, and on to (AB)Zedad,[h] 16 (AC)Berothah, Sibraim (which lies on the border between (AD)Damascus and (AE)Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the boundary shall run from the sea to (AF)Hazar-enan, which is on the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north.[i] This shall be the north side.[j]

18 “On the east side, the boundary shall run between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between (AG)Gilead and the land of Israel; to (AH)the eastern sea and as far as Tamar.[k] This shall be the east side.

19 “On the south side, it shall run from (AI)Tamar as far as (AJ)the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along (AK)the Brook of Egypt[l] to (AL)the Great Sea. This shall be the south side.

20 “On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point (AM)opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side.

21 (AN)“So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. 22 (AO)You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and (AP)for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. (AQ)They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:3 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
  2. Ezekiel 47:8 That is, the Dead Sea
  3. Ezekiel 47:8 Hebrew will be healed; also verses 9, 11
  4. Ezekiel 47:9 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, Targum; Hebrew the two rivers go
  5. Ezekiel 47:9 Hebrew lacks the waters of the sea
  6. Ezekiel 47:10 That is, the Mediterranean Sea; also verses 15, 19, 20
  7. Ezekiel 47:13 Probable reading; Hebrew The valley of the boundary
  8. Ezekiel 47:15 Septuagint; Hebrew the entrance of Zedad, Hamath
  9. Ezekiel 47:17 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  10. Ezekiel 47:17 Probable reading; Hebrew and as for the north side
  11. Ezekiel 47:18 Compare Syriac; Hebrew to the eastern sea you shall measure
  12. Ezekiel 47:19 Hebrew lacks of Egypt

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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. 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.

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. 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. 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. 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. As I walked back along the side of the river, I saw many trees on both sides of the water. He said to me, “This water flows east, down to the Arabah Valley. 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.