The Vision of the Temple River

47 After this, he brought me back to the doorway to the Temple. To my amazement, there was water flowing out toward the east from beneath the threshold of the Temple! (The Temple faced eastward.) The water flowed down from beneath the right side of the Temple,^[a] that is, from the south-facing side where the altar was located. ² Then he brought me out through the north gateway and around to the one outside that faces toward the east. To my amazement, water was trickling out from that part of^[b] the south side, too!

³ As the man went out toward the east, he carried a measuring line in his hand. He measured out 1,000 cubits^[c] as he led me through water that was ankle-deep. ⁴ Then he measured out another 1,000 cubits,^[d] where he led me through water that was knee-deep. And then he measured out another 1,000 cubits,^[e] where the water was waist-deep. ⁵ When he had measured out another 1,000 cubits,^[f] the water had become deep enough that I wasn’t able to ford it. Instead, I would have had to swim through it.

⁶ Then, as he was bringing me back along the river bank, he asked me, “Son of Man, did you see all of this?” ⁷ As we were coming back, I was amazed to see that there were many, many trees lining both banks of the river. ⁸ He told me, “This river flows toward the eastern territories all the way down into the Arabah,^[g] and from there its water flows toward the Dead^[h] Sea, where the sea water turns fresh. ⁹ It will support all kinds of living creatures that will thrive abundantly wherever the river flows. There will be a great many fish, because this water will flow there and turn the salt water fresh. As a result, everything will live wherever the river flows. ¹⁰ A day will come when fishermen will line its banks—from En-gedi to En-eglaim^[i] there will be plenty of room to spread out nets. There will be all sorts of species of fish, as abundant as the fish that live in the Mediterranean^[j] Sea. There will be lots of them!

¹¹ “The river delta^[k] will consist of swamps and marshes that will remain a salt water wetland preserve. ¹² Lining each side of the river banks, all sorts of species of fruit trees will be growing. Their leaves will never wither and their fruit will never fail. They will bear fruit every month, because the water that nourishes them will be flowing from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves will contain substances that promote healing.”

Israel’s Future Borders Delineated

¹³ This is what the Lord God says: “This is to be the territorial border by which you apportion the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel, with Joseph double-portioned. ¹⁴ Apportion it for their inheritances, distributing everything equally as if you were distributing things to your own^[l] brother, which is how I promised to give it to your ancestors. This way, the land will fall to you as an inheritance.

¹⁵ “This is to be the^[m] border for the land: on the north side, from the Mediterranean^[n] Sea by the Hethlon Road to the entrance of Zedad, ¹⁶ Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which lies between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), and Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. ¹⁷ The border is to proceed from the Mediterranean^[o] Sea to Hazer-enan (a border of Damascus), and on the north facing north is to be the border of Hamath. This is to be the north side.

¹⁸ “The eastern extremity is to proceed from between Hauran and^[p] Damascus, then between Gilead, and then through the land of Israel—the Jordan River.^[q] You are to measure from the northern border to the Dead^[r] Sea. This is to be the eastern perimeter.

¹⁹ “You are to determine the southern extremity running from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, then from there proceeding to the Wadi,^[s] and then to the Mediterranean^[t] Sea. This is to be the southern^[u] perimeter.

²⁰ “The western^[v] perimeter is to be the Mediterranean^[w] Sea, from the southernmost border to a location opposite the entrance to Hamath. This is to be the western^[x] perimeter.

²¹ “You are to apportion this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel, ²² dividing it by lottery among yourselves and among the foreigners who live among you and bear children among you. You are to treat them like native-born Israelis. Among you they,^[y] too, are to be allotted an inheritance with the tribes of Israel. ²³ Furthermore, you are to provide the foreigner’s inheritance there in the tribe within which he remains,” declares the Lord God.