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River of the Temple, Division of the Land and Its Boundaries

47 And he brought me back to the doorway of the temple and, look! There was water coming out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, because the face of the temple was eastwards; and the water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, from south of the altar. And he brought me out by the way of the north gate and he led me around by the way leading to the outside of the outer gate[a] by way of the gate facing east, and look, there was water trickling from the south side. As the man went eastward a measuring line was in his hand, and he measured a thousand cubits.[b] And he led me through on into the water; it was ankle deep.[c] And he measured a thousand cubits,[d] and he brought me over into the waters and it was knee deep.[e] And he measured a thousand cubits,[f] and he brought me over into the waters and it was waist deep.[g] And he measured a thousand cubits,[h] and it became a stream that I was not able to cross, because the water rose, waters a person could swim in,[i] and became a stream that could not be crossed. And he asked me, “Son of man,[j] did you see this?” And he made me go, and he brought me back along the bank of the stream.

When I returned,[k] then look! On the bank of the river were many trees on both sides.[l] And he said to me, “These waters are going out to the eastern region, and they go down to the Jordan Valley,[m] and they come to the sea[n] and flow into the sea where they issue out,[o] and the waters in the sea will be healed.[p] And then every living creature with which it teems,[q] to every place the waters come[r] it will live; and very many fish will live because these waters came there, and so the water will be healed[s] and everything will be alive everywhere that[t] the stream will come.[u] 10 And then fishers[v] from En Gedi and on up to En Eglaim will stand beside it, a sea-girt drying yard for nets; their fish for the dragnets will be of every kind,[w] like the fish of the great sea,[x] and very many. 11 But its marshes and its swamps will not be cured, for they were given for salt. 12 And along the stream will go up on its banks from both sides[y] every tree producing food;[z] its leaf will not wither and it will not cease producing its fruit. Every month[aa] it will bear early fruit, for its waters are going out from the sanctuary, and its fruit will be as food, and its leaf for healing.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:2 Literally “way of the outside to the gate of the outside”
  2. Ezekiel 47:3 Literally “in the cubit”; about 1,750 feet
  3. Ezekiel 47:3 Literally “water of ankles”
  4. Ezekiel 47:4 About 1,750 feet
  5. Ezekiel 47:4 Literally “water of knees”
  6. Ezekiel 47:4 About 1,750 feet
  7. Ezekiel 47:4 Literally “water of waist”
  8. Ezekiel 47:5 About 1,750 feet
  9. Ezekiel 47:5 Literally “water of swimming”
  10. Ezekiel 47:6 Or “mortal,” or “son of humankind”
  11. Ezekiel 47:7 Literally “At my returning”
  12. Ezekiel 47:7 Literally “from this and from this”
  13. Ezekiel 47:8 Literally “Arabah”
  14. Ezekiel 47:8 Clearly refers to the Dead Sea
  15. Ezekiel 47:8 Literally “being brought out/are issued out”
  16. Ezekiel 47:8 Or “made fresh”
  17. Ezekiel 47:9 Or “swarms”
  18. Ezekiel 47:9 Literally “to all of which they come there the water”
  19. Ezekiel 47:9 Or “fresh”
  20. Ezekiel 47:9 Literally “all that”
  21. Ezekiel 47:9 Literally “that it will come there the stream”
  22. Ezekiel 47:10 Or “fishermen”
  23. Ezekiel 47:10 Literally “to the”
  24. Ezekiel 47:10 That is, the Mediterranean
  25. Ezekiel 47:12 Literally “from this and from this”
  26. Ezekiel 47:12 Literally “of food”
  27. Ezekiel 47:12 Literally “for its months”

Water from the Temple

47 Then he brought me back to the (A)door of the house; and behold, (B)water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. And he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around [a]on the outside to the outer gate, by the way facing east. And behold, water was spurting out from the south side.

When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand [b]cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the [c]hips. Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not [d]wade across, because the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a (C)river that could not be crossed by wading. And he said to me, “Son of man, have you (D)seen this?” Then he brought me [e]back to the bank of the river. Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many (E)trees on the one side and on the other. Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the (F)Arabah; then they go toward the [f]sea, being made to flow into the (G)sea, and the waters of the sea become [g]fresh. And it will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the [h]river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others [i]become fresh; so (H)everything will live where the river goes. 10 And it will come about that (I)fishermen will stand beside it; from (J)Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the (K)spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the (L)Great Sea, (M)very many. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become [j]fresh; they will be [k]left for (N)salt. 12 And (O)by the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of (P)trees for food. Their (Q)leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their (R)leaves for healing.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:2 Lit by way of
  2. Ezekiel 47:3 Each of these cubits equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
  3. Ezekiel 47:4 Lit loins
  4. Ezekiel 47:5 Lit cross
  5. Ezekiel 47:6 Lit and caused me to return
  6. Ezekiel 47:8 I.e., Dead Sea
  7. Ezekiel 47:8 Lit healed
  8. Ezekiel 47:9 Lit two rivers
  9. Ezekiel 47:9 Lit are healed
  10. Ezekiel 47:11 Lit healed
  11. Ezekiel 47:11 Lit given