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River of the Temple, Division of the Land and Its Boundaries

47 And he brought me back to the doorway of the temple and, look! There was water coming out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, because the face of the temple was eastwards; and the water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, from south of the altar. And he brought me out by the way of the north gate and he led me around by the way leading to the outside of the outer gate[a] by way of the gate facing east, and look, there was water trickling from the south side. As the man went eastward a measuring line was in his hand, and he measured a thousand cubits.[b] And he led me through on into the water; it was ankle deep.[c] And he measured a thousand cubits,[d] and he brought me over into the waters and it was knee deep.[e] And he measured a thousand cubits,[f] and he brought me over into the waters and it was waist deep.[g] And he measured a thousand cubits,[h] and it became a stream that I was not able to cross, because the water rose, waters a person could swim in,[i] and became a stream that could not be crossed. And he asked me, “Son of man,[j] did you see this?” And he made me go, and he brought me back along the bank of the stream.

When I returned,[k] then look! On the bank of the river were many trees on both sides.[l] And he said to me, “These waters are going out to the eastern region, and they go down to the Jordan Valley,[m] and they come to the sea[n] and flow into the sea where they issue out,[o] and the waters in the sea will be healed.[p] And then every living creature with which it teems,[q] to every place the waters come[r] it will live; and very many fish will live because these waters came there, and so the water will be healed[s] and everything will be alive everywhere that[t] the stream will come.[u] 10 And then fishers[v] from En Gedi and on up to En Eglaim will stand beside it, a sea-girt drying yard for nets; their fish for the dragnets will be of every kind,[w] like the fish of the great sea,[x] and very many. 11 But its marshes and its swamps will not be cured, for they were given for salt. 12 And along the stream will go up on its banks from both sides[y] every tree producing food;[z] its leaf will not wither and it will not cease producing its fruit. Every month[aa] it will bear early fruit, for its waters are going out from the sanctuary, and its fruit will be as food, and its leaf for healing.”

13 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “This is the boundary by which you shall distribute the land for the twelve[ab] tribes of Israel: Two shares shall be for Joseph. 14 And you must take possession of it, each one a share like his brother, of this land which I swore[ac] to give it to your fathers, and so this land shall fall to you as an inheritance. 15 And[ad] this is the boundary of the land: On the north side,[ae] from the great sea by the way of Hethlon until you come to Zedad,[af] 16 Hamath[ag] to Berothath to Sibraim, which is[ah] between the boundary of Damascus and the boundary of Hamath, on to Hazer Hatticon, which is on the boundary of Hauran. 17 And so the boundary will be from the sea[ai] to Hazar Enan at the boundary of Damascus northwards and the boundary of Hamath to the north, and this is the boundary on the side of the north. 18 And the eastern boundary[aj] will be between Hauran and Damascus, and from between Gilead and the land of Israel along the Jordan River from[ak] the boundary on the eastern sea to Tamar. And[al] this is the border on the east.[am] 19 And on the south side the border[an] will run from Tamar up to the waters of Meribot Kadesh and along the wadi[ao] to the Great Sea.[ap] And this is the boundary to the south.[aq] 20 And on the west side[ar] the Great Sea[as] shall be the boundary up to opposite Lebo-Hamath. This is the western boundary.[at]

21 You shall divide this land for yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 And then you shall allocate it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens dwelling as aliens in the midst of you who have children in the midst of you, and so they shall be to you just like full citizens among the Israelites.[au] With you they shall be allotted with an inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Israel. 23 And then in the tribe in which an alien who is with you dwells, there you shall give his inheritance,” declares[av] the Lord Yahweh.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:2 Literally “way of the outside to the gate of the outside”
  2. Ezekiel 47:3 Literally “in the cubit”; about 1,750 feet
  3. Ezekiel 47:3 Literally “water of ankles”
  4. Ezekiel 47:4 About 1,750 feet
  5. Ezekiel 47:4 Literally “water of knees”
  6. Ezekiel 47:4 About 1,750 feet
  7. Ezekiel 47:4 Literally “water of waist”
  8. Ezekiel 47:5 About 1,750 feet
  9. Ezekiel 47:5 Literally “water of swimming”
  10. Ezekiel 47:6 Or “mortal,” or “son of humankind”
  11. Ezekiel 47:7 Literally “At my returning”
  12. Ezekiel 47:7 Literally “from this and from this”
  13. Ezekiel 47:8 Literally “Arabah”
  14. Ezekiel 47:8 Clearly refers to the Dead Sea
  15. Ezekiel 47:8 Literally “being brought out/are issued out”
  16. Ezekiel 47:8 Or “made fresh”
  17. Ezekiel 47:9 Or “swarms”
  18. Ezekiel 47:9 Literally “to all of which they come there the water”
  19. Ezekiel 47:9 Or “fresh”
  20. Ezekiel 47:9 Literally “all that”
  21. Ezekiel 47:9 Literally “that it will come there the stream”
  22. Ezekiel 47:10 Or “fishermen”
  23. Ezekiel 47:10 Literally “to the”
  24. Ezekiel 47:10 That is, the Mediterranean
  25. Ezekiel 47:12 Literally “from this and from this”
  26. Ezekiel 47:12 Literally “of food”
  27. Ezekiel 47:12 Literally “for its months”
  28. Ezekiel 47:13 Literally “two ten”
  29. Ezekiel 47:14 Literally “I raised my hand”
  30. Ezekiel 47:15 Or “Bow”
  31. Ezekiel 47:15 Literally “to the side of the north”
  32. Ezekiel 47:15 Literally “to the arriving at Zedad”
  33. Ezekiel 47:16 Or “Lebo-Hamath to Zeded” (cf. NRSV, NJPS)
  34. Ezekiel 47:16 Or “are”
  35. Ezekiel 47:17 That is, the Mediterranean
  36. Ezekiel 47:18 Literally “and the side of the east”
  37. Ezekiel 47:18 Or “to”
  38. Ezekiel 47:18 Or “Now”
  39. Ezekiel 47:18 Literally “and this is the side of the east”
  40. Ezekiel 47:19 Literally “and the side of the south to south”
  41. Ezekiel 47:19 That is, the Wadi of Egypt
  42. Ezekiel 47:19 That is, the Mediterranean
  43. Ezekiel 47:19 Literally “and this is the side of south to the south”
  44. Ezekiel 47:20 Literally “and the side of the west”
  45. Ezekiel 47:20 That is, the Mediterranean
  46. Ezekiel 47:20 Literally “this is the side of the west”
  47. Ezekiel 47:22 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  48. Ezekiel 47:23 Literally “declaration of”

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. 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.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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