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The River Coming from the House of God

47 Then he brought me back to the door of the house. And I saw water flowing from under the doorway toward the east, for the house looked toward the east. The water was flowing from under the right side of the house, from south of the altar. He brought me out through the north gate and led me around on the outside to the east gate. And I saw water coming from the south side.

Going toward the east, the man numbered 500 long steps, and he led me through the water, which covered my feet. He numbered another 500 long steps and led me through the water, which came up to my knees. He numbered another 500 long steps and led me through the water. This time it came above my legs. Again he numbered 500 long steps, and it was a river that I could not walk through. The water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, and no one could cross it. He said to me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he brought me back to the side of the river. As I returned, I saw that there were very many trees on both sides of the river. He said to me, “These waters go out toward the east country and down into the Arabah, then flow into the Dead sea. When they flow into the sea, the waters there become clean again. Every living thing that gathers where the river goes will live. There will be very many fish, because these waters go there and make the salt water clean. So everything will live where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside it. They will have places to spread their nets from Engedi to Eneglaim. The fish will be of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. 11 But its wet places and pools will not be good for animal life. They will be left for salt. 12 All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves will not dry up, and they will never stop giving fruit. They will give fruit every month because their water flows from the holy place. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”

13 The Lord God says, “This is how you should divide the land among the twelve family groups of Israel. Joseph will have two parts. 14 You must divide the land so each family receives the same amount. For I promised to give this land to your fathers, and it will be your land to own.

15 “This will be the side of the land: The north side will go from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon, and on to Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (between the lands of Damascus and Hamath), and to Hazer-hatticon, by the land of Hauran. 17 So the land will spread from the sea to Hazarenan on the north side of Damascus, with the land of Hamath toward the north. This will be the north side. 18 The east side of the land will go from between Hauran and Damascus along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the sea in the east. This will be the east side. 19 The south side of the land will go from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, then to the River of Egypt and to the Great Sea. This will be the south side. 20 The west side of the land will be the Great Sea, to a place beside Lebo-hamath. This will be the west side.

21 “So divide this land among your family groups of Israel. 22 Divide it by drawing names for yourselves and for the people from other lands who live with you and raise their children among you. You are to think of them as if they were born Israelites. They must be given a share of land with you among the families of Israel. 23 The man from another country must be given a share of land among the family group he lives with,” says the Lord God.

The River From the Temple

47 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water(A) coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.(B) He then brought me out through the north gate(C) and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

As the man went eastward with a measuring line(D) in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[a] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river(E) that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.(F) He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.(G) He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah,[b](H) where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh.(I) Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.(J) 10 Fishermen(K) will stand along the shore; from En Gedi(L) to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets.(M) The fish will be of many kinds(N)—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.(O) 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.(P) 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river.(Q) Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit(R) fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary(S) flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.(T)

The Boundaries of the Land

13 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “These are the boundaries(U) of the land that you will divide among the twelve tribes of Israel as their inheritance, with two portions for Joseph.(V) 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.(W)

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

“On the north side it will run from the Mediterranean Sea(Y) by the Hethlon road(Z) past Lebo Hamath to Zedad, 16 Berothah[c](AA) and Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath),(AB) as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 The boundary will extend from the sea to Hazar Enan,[d] along the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary.(AC)

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.[e] This will be the eastern boundary.(AD)

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

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

21 “You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You are to allot it as an inheritance(AJ) for yourselves and for the foreigners(AK) 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.(AL) 23 In whatever tribe a foreigner resides, there you are to give them their inheritance,” declares the Sovereign Lord.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:3 That is, about 1,700 feet or about 530 meters
  2. Ezekiel 47:8 Or the Jordan Valley
  3. Ezekiel 47:16 See Septuagint and 48:1; Hebrew road to go into Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah.
  4. Ezekiel 47:17 Hebrew Enon, a variant of Enan
  5. Ezekiel 47:18 See Syriac; Hebrew Israel. You will measure to the Dead Sea.