The Prophet Ezekiel

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 47 -

Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing 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.

Next he brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and there I saw the water trickling out from the south side.

As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits (a) and led me through ankle-deep water.

Then he measured off a thousand cubits and led me through knee-deep water. Again he measured a thousand cubits and led me through waist-deep water.

Once again he measured off a thousand cubits, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough for swimming—a river that could not be crossed on foot.

“Son of man, do you see this?” he asked. Then he led me back to the bank of the river.

When I arrived, I saw a great number of trees along both banks of the river.

And he said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah. When it empties into the Sea,(b) the water there becomes fresh.(c)

Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures and a great number of fish, because it flows there and makes the waters fresh; so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish.

Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.(d)

But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.

Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”

The Borders of the Land

This is what the Lord GOD says: “These are the boundaries by which you are to divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall receive two portions.(e)

You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with an uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will fall to you as an inheritance.

This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side it will extend from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon through Lebo-hamath to Zedad,

Berothah, and Sibraim (f) (which is on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran.

So the border will run from the Sea to Hazar-enan, along the northern border of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary.

On the east side the border will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the Eastern Sea and as far as Tamar.(g) This will be the eastern boundary.

On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, and along the Brook of Egypt (h) to the Great Sea. This will be the southern boundary.

And on the west side, the Great Sea will be the boundary up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western boundary.

You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.

You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners who dwell among you and who have children. You are to treat them as native-born Israelites; along with you, they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

In whatever tribe a foreigner dwells, you are to assign his inheritance there,” declares the Lord GOD.

Footnotes

(a)47:3 1,000 (long) cubits is approximately 1,750 feet or 533.4 meters.

(b)47:8 That is, the Dead Sea

(d)47:10 That is, the Mediterranean Sea; also in verses 15, 19, and 20

(e)47:13 Since Levi had no portion, Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh received land as two tribes.

(f)47:16 LXX; MT 15...through Lebo to Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah, and Sibraim

(g)47:18 See Syriac; that is, of Israel, to the Dead Sea and as far as Tamar; Hebrew of Israel. And along the Eastern Sea you are to measure.

(h)47:19 Hebrew does not include of Egypt.

He brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, waters flowed out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, for the front of the temple faced toward the east. The waters came down from underneath, from the right side of the temple, on the south of the altar.

Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me around by the way outside to the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looks toward the east. Behold, waters ran out on the right side.

When the man went out eastward with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits,(a) and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles.

Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through waters that were to the waist.

Afterward he measured one thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be walked through.

He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and caused me to return to the bank of the river.

Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

Then he said to me, “These waters flow out toward the eastern region and will go down into the Arabah. Then they will go toward the sea and flow into the sea which will be made to flow out; and the waters will be healed.

It will happen that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, will live. Then there will be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters have come there, and the waters of the sea will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river comes.

It will happen that fishermen will stand by it. From En Gedi even to En Eglaim will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceedingly many.

But its swamps and marshes will not be healed. They will be given up to salt.

By the river banks, on both sides, will grow every tree for food, whose leaf won’t wither, neither will its fruit fail. It will produce new fruit every month, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary. Its fruit will be for food, and its leaf for healing.”

The Borders of the Land

The Lord GOD says: “This shall be the border by which you shall divide the land for inheritance according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions.

You shall inherit it, one as well as another; for I swore to give it to your fathers. This land will fall to you for inheritance.

“This shall be the border of the land: “On the north side, from the great sea, by the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of Zedad;

Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazer Hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran.

The border from the sea shall be Hazar Enon at the border of Damascus; and on the north northward is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

“The east side, between Hauran, Damascus, Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border to the east sea you shall measure. This is the east side.

“The south side southward shall be from Tamar as far as the waters of Meriboth Kadesh, to the brook, to the great sea. This is the south side southward.

“The west side shall be the great sea, from the south border as far as opposite the entrance of Hamath. This is the west side.

“So you shall divide this land to yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.

You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the aliens who live among you, who will father children among you. Then they shall be to you as the native-born among the children of Israel. They shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

In whatever tribe the stranger lives, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord GOD.

Footnotes

(a)47:3 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.