The Borders of the Land

13 This is what the Lord God says: “This is[a] the border you will use to divide the land(A) as an inheritance for the 12 tribes of Israel. Joseph will receive two shares.(B) 14 You will inherit it in equal portions, since I swore[b] to give it to your ancestors.(C) So this land will fall to you as an inheritance.

15 “This is to be the border of the land:

On the north side(D) it will extend from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon and Lebo-hamath to Zedad,[c] 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(E) 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.[d] This will be the eastern side.

19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh,[e] and on to the Brook of Egypt(F) as far as the Mediterranean Sea.(G) 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.(H) 22 You will allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners living among you,(I) who have fathered children among you. You will treat them[f] like native-born Israelites; along with you, they will be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the foreigner lives, you will assign his inheritance there.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:13 Tg, Vg; Syr reads The valley of
  2. Ezekiel 47:14 Lit lifted My hand
  3. Ezekiel 47:15 LXX; MT reads [and] Lebo to Zedad, Hamath; Ezk 48:1
  4. Ezekiel 47:18 = the Dead Sea
  5. Ezekiel 47:19 = Kadesh-barnea
  6. Ezekiel 47:22 Lit They will be to you

Boundaries for the Land

13 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Divide the land in this way for the twelve tribes of Israel: The descendants of Joseph will be given two shares of land.[a] 14 Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I took a solemn oath and swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your possession.

15 “These are the boundaries of the land: The northern border will run from the Mediterranean toward Hethlon, then on through Lebo-hamath to Zedad; 16 then it will run to Berothah and Sibraim,[b] which are on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and finally to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran. 17 So the northern border will run from the Mediterranean to Hazar-enan, on the border between Hamath to the north and Damascus to the south.

18 “The eastern border starts at a point between Hauran and Damascus and runs south along the Jordan River between Israel and Gilead, past the Dead Sea[c] and as far south as Tamar.[d] This will be the eastern border.

19 “The southern border will go west from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[e] and then follow the course of the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean. This will be the southern border.

20 “On the west side, the Mediterranean itself will be your border from the southern border to the point where the northern border begins, opposite Lebo-hamath.

21 “Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel. 22 Distribute the land as an allotment for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be like native-born Israelites to you and will receive an allotment among the tribes. 23 These foreigners are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!

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Footnotes

  1. 47:13 It was important to retain twelve portions of land. Since Levi had no portion, the descendants of Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, received land as two tribes.
  2. 47:15-16 As in Greek version; Masoretic Text reads then on through Lebo to Zedad; 16 then it will run to Hamath, Berothah, and Sibraim.
  3. 47:18a Hebrew the eastern sea.
  4. 47:18b As in Greek version; Hebrew reads you will measure.
  5. 47:19 Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.