The Life-Giving River

47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple and there was water flowing 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 threshold of the temple, south of the altar.^{(A) 2} Next he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate that faced east; there the water was trickling from the south side. ³ As the man went out east with a measuring line in his hand,^(B) he measured off a third of a mile^[a] and led me through the water. It came up to my ankles. ⁴ Then he measured off a third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my knees. He measured off another third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my waist. ⁵ Again he measured off a third of a mile, and it was a river that I could not cross on foot. For the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed on foot.

⁶ He asked me, “Do you see this, son of man?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. ⁷ When I had returned, I saw a very large number of trees along both sides of the riverbank.^{(C) 8} He said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down to the Arabah. When it enters the sea, the sea of foul water,^[b][c] the water of the sea becomes fresh.^{(D) 9} Every kind of living creature that swarms will live wherever the river flows,^[d] and there will be a huge number of fish because this water goes there. Since the water will become fresh, there will be life everywhere the river goes. ¹⁰ Fishermen will stand beside it from En-gedi to En-eglaim.^[e] These will become places where nets are spread out to dry. Their fish will consist of many different kinds, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.^{(E) 11} Yet its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be left for salt. ¹² All kinds of trees providing food will grow along both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail.^(F) Each month they will bear fresh fruit because the water comes from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be used for eating and their leaves for healing.”^(G)

The Borders of the Land

¹³ This is what the Lord God says: “This is^[f] the border you will use to divide the land^(H) as an inheritance for the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will receive two shares.^{(I) 14} You will inherit it in equal portions, since I swore^[g] to give it to your ancestors.^(J) So this land will fall to you as an inheritance.

¹⁵ This is to be the border of the land:

On the north side^(K) it will extend from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon and Lebo-hamath to Zedad,^{[h] 16} Berothah, and Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. ¹⁷ So the border will run from the sea to Hazar-enon at the border^(L) of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern side.

¹⁸ On the east side it will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; you will measure from the northern border to the eastern sea.^[i] This will be the eastern side.

¹⁹ On the south side it will run from Tamar to the Waters of Meribath-kadesh,^[j] and on to the Brook of Egypt^(M) as far as the Mediterranean Sea.^(N) This will be the southern side.

²⁰ On the west side the Mediterranean Sea will be the border, from the southern border up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western side.

²¹ “You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.^{(O) 22} You will allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens residing among you,^(P) who have fathered children among you. You will treat them^[k] like native-born Israelites; along with you, they will be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. ²³ In whatever tribe the alien resides, you will assign his inheritance there.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

The Tribal Allotments

48 “Now these are the names of the tribes:

⁸ “Next to the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, will be the portion you donate to the Lord, 8⅓ miles^[l] wide, and as long as one of the tribal portions from the east side to the west.^(Q) The sanctuary will be in the middle of it.

⁹ “The special portion you donate to the Lord will be 8⅓ miles long and 3⅓ miles^[m] wide. ¹⁰ This holy donation will be set apart for the priests alone. It will be 8⅓ miles long on the northern side, 3⅓ miles wide on the western side, 3⅓ miles wide on the eastern side, and 8⅓ miles long on the southern side. The Lord’s sanctuary will be in the middle of it. ¹¹ It is for the consecrated priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge^(R) and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray. ¹² It will be a special donation for them out of the holy donation of the land, a most holy place adjacent to the territory of the Levites.

¹³ “Next to the territory of the priests, the Levites will have an area 8⅓ miles long and 3⅓ miles wide. The total length will be 8⅓ miles and the width 3⅓ miles.^{(S) 14} They must not sell or exchange any of it, and they must not transfer this choice part of the land, for it is holy to the Lord.^(T)

¹⁵ “The remaining area, 1⅔ miles^[n] wide and 8⅓ miles long, will be for common use by the city,^(U) for both residential and open space. The city will be in the middle of it. ¹⁶ These are the city’s measurements:

¹⁷ The city’s open space will extend:

¹⁸ “The remainder of the length alongside the holy donation will be 3⅓ miles to the east and 3⅓ miles to the west. It will run alongside the holy donation. Its produce will be food for the workers of the city. ¹⁹ The city’s workers from all the tribes of Israel will cultivate it.^{(V) 20} The entire donation will be 8⅓ miles by 8⅓ miles; you are to set apart the holy donation along with the city property as a square area.

²¹ “The remaining area on both sides of the holy donation and the city property will belong to the prince.^(W) He will own the land adjacent to the tribal portions, next to the 8⅓ miles of the donation as far as the eastern border and^[q] next to the 8⅓ miles of the donation as far as the western border. The holy donation and the sanctuary of the temple will be in the middle of it. ²² Except for the Levitical property and the city property in the middle of the area belonging to the prince, the area between the territory of Judah and that of Benjamin will belong to the prince.^(X)

²³ “As for the rest of the tribes:

²⁸ Next to the territory of Gad toward the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the Waters^(Y) of Meribath-kadesh, to the Brook of Egypt, and out to the Mediterranean Sea. ²⁹ This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to Israel’s tribes,^(Z) and these will be their portions.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

The New City

³⁰ “These are the exits of the city:

³⁵ The perimeter of the city will be six miles,^[r] and the name of the city from that day on will be The Lord Is There.”^(AA)

The Call to Endurance

12 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses^(A) surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance^(B) the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus,^[a] the pioneer and perfecter^[b] of our faith. For the joy that lay before him,^[c] he endured the cross, despising the shame,^(C) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Fatherly Discipline

³ For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.^{(D) 4} In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:

⁷ Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline—which all receive^[e]—then you are illegitimate children and not sons.^{(F) 9} Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?^{(G) 10} For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness.^{(H) 11} No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit^(I) of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.^(J)

¹² Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees,^{(K) 13} and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated^[f] but healed instead.^(L)

Warning against Rejecting God’s Grace

¹⁴ Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness^(M)—without it no one will see the Lord.^{(N) 15} Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.^{(O) 16} And make sure that there isn’t any immoral^[g] or irreverent^(P) person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal.^{(Q) 17} For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance.^(R)

Psalm 128

Blessings for Those Who Fear God

A song of ascents.