The River from the Temple

47 The man led me back to the door of the ·Temple [^Lhouse], and ·I saw [^Llook; ^Tbehold] water coming out from under the ·doorway [threshold] and flowing east. (The Temple faced east.) The water flowed down from the south side wall of the Temple and then south of the altar. ² The man brought me out through the outer north gate and led me around outside to the outer east gate. ·I found [^LAnd look/^Tbehold] the water ·coming [trickling] out on the south side of the gate.

³ The man went toward the east with a measuring line in his hand and measured ·about one-third of a mile [^La thousand cubits]. Then he led me through water that came up to my ankles. ⁴ The man measured ·about one-third of a mile [^La thousand] again and led me through water that came up to my knees. Then he measured ·about one-third of a mile [^La thousand] again and led me through water up to my waist. ⁵ The man measured ·about one-third of a mile [^La thousand] again, but it was now a river that I could not cross. The water had risen too high; it was deep enough for swimming; it was a river that no one could cross. ⁶ The man asked me, “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], do you see this?”

Then the man led me back to the bank of the river. ⁷ As I went back, I saw many trees on both sides of the river. ⁸ The man said to me, “This water will flow toward the eastern areas and go down into the ·Jordan Valley [^LArabah]. When it enters the ·Dead Sea [^LSea], it will ·become fresh [^Lbe healed; ^Cthe Dead Sea has no fish or other living creatures due to its high mineral content]. ⁹ Everywhere the river goes, there will be many fish. Wherever this water goes the ·Dead Sea [^LSea] will become fresh, and so where the river goes there will be ·many [swarms of] living things. ¹⁰ Fishermen will stand by ·the Dead Sea [^Lit]. From En Gedi [^Cmidway along the western side of the Dead Sea] all the way to En Eglaim [^Can unknown location, perhaps on the east bank of the Dead Sea] there will be places to spread fishing nets. There will be many kinds of fish there, as many as in the ·Mediterranean [^LGreat] Sea. ¹¹ But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will ·be left for salt [or remain salty]. ¹² All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not ·dry and die [wither] and ·there will always be fruit on them [^Ltheir fruit will not fail]. The trees will bear fruit every month, because the water for them comes from the ·Temple [sanctuary]. The fruit from the trees will be used for food, and their leaves for ·medicine [^Lhealing].”