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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 Flowing from the Temple

47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there water was flowing from below the entryway of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east), and the water was flowing down from below the south side of the temple, south of the altar.(A) Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east,[a] and the water was trickling out on the south side.(B)

Going on eastward with a cord in his hand, the man measured one thousand cubits and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep.(C) Again he measured one thousand and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured one thousand and led me through the water, and it was up to the waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, “Mortal, have you seen this?”

Then he led me back along the bank of the river.(D) As I came back, I saw on the bank of the river a great many trees on the one side and on the other.(E) He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and when it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant waters, the water will become fresh.(F) Wherever the river goes,[b] every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish once these waters reach there. It will become fresh, and everything will live where the river goes. 10 People will stand fishing beside the sea[c] from En-gedi to En-eglaim; it will be a place for the spreading of nets; its fish will be of a great many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.(G) 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. 12 On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”(H)

The New Boundaries of the Land

13 Thus says the Lord God: These are the boundaries by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions.(I) 14 You shall divide it equally; I swore to give it to your ancestors, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance.(J)

15 This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath and on to Zedad,[d](K) 16 Berothah, Sibraim (which lies between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran.(L) 17 So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enon, which is north of the border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north.[e] This shall be the north side.(M)

18 On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar.[f] This shall be the east side.(N)

19 On the south side, it shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, from there along the Wadi of Egypt[g] to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side.(O)

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

21 So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who reside among you and have fathered children among you. They shall be to you as native-born of Israel; with you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.(Q) 23 In whatever tribe aliens reside, there you shall assign them their inheritance, says the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. 47.2 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 47.9 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb the two rivers go
  3. 47.10 Heb it
  4. 47.15 Gk: Heb Lebo-zedad, Hamath
  5. 47.17 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  6. 47.18 Compare Syr: Heb you shall measure
  7. 47.19 Heb lacks of Egypt