Ezekiel 47:13-23
New English Translation
Boundaries for the Land
13 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Here[a] are the borders[b] you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.)[c] 14 You must divide it equally just as I vowed to give it to your forefathers;[d] this land will be assigned as your inheritance.[e]
15 “This will be the border of the land:[f] On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to the entrance of Zedad; 16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath, as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 The border will run from the sea to Hazar Enan, at the border of Damascus, and on the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side. 18 On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, will be the Jordan. You will measure from the border to the eastern sea. This is the east side. 19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, the river,[g] to the Great Sea. This is the south side. 20 On the west side the Great Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo Hamath. This is the west side.
21 “This is how you will divide this land for yourselves among the tribes of Israel. 22 You must allot it as an inheritance among yourselves and for the resident foreigners who live among you, who have fathered sons among you. You must treat them as native-born among the people of Israel; they will be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.[h] 23 In whatever tribe the resident foreigner lives, there you will give him his inheritance,” declares the Sovereign Lord.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 47:13 tc This translation follows the reading זֶה (zeh) instead of גֵּה (geh), a nonexistent word, as supported by the LXX.
- Ezekiel 47:13 tn Or “territory”; see D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:715.
- Ezekiel 47:13 tc The grammar is awkward, though the presence of these words is supported by the versions. L. C. Allen (Ezekiel [WBC], 2:274) suggests that it is an explanatory gloss.sn One portion for Ephraim, the other for Manasseh (Gen 48:17-20).
- Ezekiel 47:14 sn Gen 15:9-21.
- Ezekiel 47:14 tn Heb “will fall to you as an inheritance.”
- Ezekiel 47:15 sn The measurements resemble those in Num 34:1-2.
- Ezekiel 47:19 tn Or “valley.” The syntax is difficult. Some translate “to the river,” others “from the river”; in either case the preposition is supplied for the sake of English.
- Ezekiel 47:22 sn A similar attitude toward non-Israelites is found in Isa 56:3-8. There the term is נֵכָר (nekar, “foreigner”) and specifically the descendant (בֶּן, ben) of a nekar who becomes a follower of the Lord. Likewise the resident foreigner גֵּר (ger) in this verse is one who has given allegiance to the Lord (see notes at Exod 12:19 and Deut 29:11). What is new for the resident foreigner (גֵּר, ger) in this prophecy is having an inheritance in Israel. Previously the resident foreigner could own a house but not land.
Ezekiel 47:13-23
Expanded Bible
Borders of the Land
13 This is what the Lord God says: “These are the borders of the land to be divided for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will have two parts of land [C the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s two sons adopted by Jacob (Gen. 48:17–20)]. 14 You will divide the land equally. I ·promised [vowed; L swore with uplifted hand] to give it to your ·ancestors [fathers], so this land will ·belong to you as family property [become your inheritance].
15 “This will be the ·border line [boundary] of the land: “On the north side it will start at the ·Mediterranean [L Great] Sea. It will go through Hethlon, toward ·Lebo Hamath [or Lebo of Hamath; C often identified as the northern limit of Israel; Num. 13:21; Josh. 13:5; 1 Kin. 8:65] and on to the towns of Zedad, 16 Berothah, and Sibraim on the border between Damascus [C capital of Aram (Syria)] and Hamath [C city 120 miles north of Damascus]. Then it will go on to the town of Hazer Hatticon on the border of the country of Hauran. 17 So the border line will go from the ·Mediterranean Sea [L Sea] east to the town of Hazar Enan, where the land belonging to Damascus and Hamath lies on the north side. This will be the north side of the land.
18 “On the east side the border runs south from a point between Hauran and Damascus. It will go along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel and will continue to the town of Tamar [C probaby En-Gedi; 2 Chr. 20:2] on the ·Dead [L eastern] Sea. This will be the east side of the land.
19 “On the south side the border line will go west from Tamar all the way to the waters of Meribah Kadesh [C likely Kadesh Barnea (Num. 34:4), fifty miles south of Beersheba]. Then it will run along the brook of Egypt to the ·Mediterranean [L Great] Sea. This will be the south side of the land.
20 “On the west side the ·Mediterranean [L Great] Sea will be the ·border line [boundary] up to a place across from Lebo Hamath [v. 15]. This will be the west side of your land.
21 “You will divide this land among the tribes of Israel. 22 You will divide it as ·family property [an inheritance] for yourselves and for the foreigners who live and have children among you. You are to treat these foreigners the same as people born in Israel; they are to ·share the land [be allotted an inheritance] with the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the foreigner lives, you will give him ·some land [L his inheritance],” says the Lord God.
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