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Chapter 47[a]

The Temple Stream. Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I beheld water flowing out eastward from under the threshold of the temple, for the temple faced east. The water was flowing down from the southern end of the temple, south of the altar. He took me out through the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces the east, where I saw that the water was trickling forth from the south side.

The man walked off to the east with a measuring line in his hand, and he measured off a thousand cubits. Then he led me through the water, which was ankle-deep.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:1 In the new land of the new people water will gush forth more abundantly than it did from the rock which Moses struck (Ex 17:1-7) and will provide copious irrigation for a Palestine that will have been changed into a new earthly paradise, as in the first days of humanity’s existence (Gen 2:10-14). This stream will more than ever show itself to be a gift of God, who is present in the temple and from there pours out his favors on his purified people. St. John considers this promise to be fulfilled when, on the cross, water flows from the open side of Christ, the new temple, like streams of water leaping up for everlasting life (see Jn 2:21; 4:14; 7:37; 19:34). In the Apocalypse, he will speak of the great river of life that springs from the throne of the Lamb (Rev 22:1).

The River From the Temple

47 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water(A) coming out 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 temple, south of the altar.(B) He then brought me out through the north gate(C) and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

As the man went eastward with a measuring line(D) in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[a] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:3 That is, about 1,700 feet or about 530 meters

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.

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