The Boundaries of the Land

13 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “These are the boundaries(A) of the land that you will divide among the twelve tribes of Israel as their inheritance, with two portions for Joseph.(B) 14 You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your ancestors, this land will become your inheritance.(C)

15 “This is to be the boundary of the land:(D)

“On the north side it will run from the Mediterranean Sea(E) by the Hethlon road(F) past Lebo Hamath to Zedad, 16 Berothah[a](G) and Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath),(H) as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 The boundary will extend from the sea to Hazar Enan,[b] along the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary.(I)

18 “On the east side the boundary will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the Dead Sea and as far as Tamar.[c] This will be the eastern boundary.(J)

19 “On the south side it will run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah Kadesh,(K) then along the Wadi of Egypt(L) to the Mediterranean Sea.(M) This will be the southern boundary.

20 “On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo Hamath.(N) This will be the western boundary.(O)

21 “You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You are to allot it as an inheritance(P) for yourselves and for the foreigners(Q) residing among you and who have children. You are to consider them as native-born Israelites; along with you they are to be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.(R) 23 In whatever tribe a foreigner resides, there you are to give them their inheritance,” declares the Sovereign Lord.(S)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:16 See Septuagint and 48:1; Hebrew road to go into Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah.
  2. Ezekiel 47:17 Hebrew Enon, a variant of Enan
  3. Ezekiel 47:18 See Syriac; Hebrew Israel. You will measure to the Dead Sea.

13 The Lord God proclaims: These[a] are the boundaries of the portions of land that will be distributed as an inheritance to the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will receive two portions. 14 What I swore to give to your ancestors, you will distribute as an inheritance equally. This land is given to you as an inheritance. 15 This is the boundary of the land. The northern limit begins at the Mediterranean Sea and goes in the direction of Hethlon toward Lebo-hamath, Zedad,[b] 16 Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the boundary of Damascus and the boundary of Hamath), and Hazer-hatticon (that is on the boundary of Hauran). 17 So the boundary from the Mediterranean Sea[c] to Hazar-enon will run north of the boundary of Damascus, with the boundary of Hamath to the north. This is the northern limit. 18 For the eastern limit, you will measure continuously between Hauran and Damascus and between Gilead and the land of Israel, along the Jordan River as far as the Dead Sea.[d] This is the eastern limit. 19 The southern limit runs from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh and from there along the border[e] of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the southern limit. 20 For the western limit, the Mediterranean Sea is the boundary up to Lebo-hamath. This is the western limit. 21 You will apportion this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 When you distribute the land as an inheritance, the immigrants who reside with you and raise families among you are considered full citizens along with the Israelites. They will receive an inheritance along with you among the tribes of Israel. 23 You will assign the immigrants’ inheritance with the tribe with whom they reside. This is what the Lord God says.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:13 LXX, Tg, Vulg; Heb uncertain
  2. Ezekiel 47:15 LXX; MT transposes Hamath and Zedad.
  3. Ezekiel 47:17 Or the sea
  4. Ezekiel 47:18 Or eastern sea
  5. Ezekiel 47:19 Or Wadi; traditionally Brook