Ezekiel 47

12. Instead of the "vine of Sodom and grapes of Gomorrah" ( Deuteronomy 32:32 ), nauseous and unwholesome, trees of life-giving and life-restoring virtue shall bloom similar in properties to, and exceeding in number, the tree of life in Eden ( Revelation 2:7 , Revelation 22:2 Revelation 22:14 ).
leaf . . . not fade--expressing not only the unfailing character of the heavenly medicine of the tree of life, but also that the graces of the believer (as a tree of righteousness), which are the leaves, and his deeds, which are the fruits that flow from those graces, are immortal ( Psalms 1:3 , Jeremiah 17:8 , Matthew 10:42 , 1 Corinthians 15:58 ).
new fruit--literally, "firstlings," or first fruit. They are still, each month afresh, as it were, yielding their first-fruit [FAIRBAIRN]. The first-born of a thing, in Hebrew idiom, means the chiefest. As Job 18:13 , "the first-born of death," that is, the most fatal death.

13. The redivision of the land: the boundaries. The latter are substantially the same as those given by Moses in Numbers 34:1-29 ; they here begin with the north, but in Numbers they begin with the south ( Numbers 34:3 ). It is only Canaan proper, exclusive of the possession of the two and a half tribes beyond Jordan, that is here divided.
Joseph . . . two portions--according to the original promise of Jacob ( Genesis 48:5 Genesis 48:22 ). Joseph's sons were given the birthright forfeited by Reuben, the first-born ( 1 Chronicles 5:1 ). Therefore the former is here put first. His two sons having distinct portions make up the whole number twelve portions, as he had just before specified "twelve tribes of Israel"; for Levi had no separate inheritance, so that he is not reckoned in the twelve.

15. Zedad--on the north boundary of Canaan.

16. Hamath--As Israel was a separate people, so their land was a separate land. On no scene could the sacred history have been so well transacted as on it. On the east was the sandy desert. On the north and south, mountains. On the west, an inhospitable sea-shore. But it was not always to be a separate land. Between the parallel ranges of Lebanon is the long valley of El-Bekaa, leading to "the entering in of Hamath" on the Orontes, in the Syrian frontier. Roman roads, and the harbor made at Cæsarea, opened out doors through which the Gospel should go from it to all lands. So in the last days, when all shall flock to Jerusalem as the religious center of the world.
Berothah--a city in Syria conquered by David ( 2 Samuel 8:8 ); meaning "wells."
Hazar-hatticon--meaning "the middle village."
Hauran--a tract in Syria, south of Damascus; Auranitis.

17. Hazar-enan--a town in the north of Canaan, meaning "village of fountains."

18. east sea--the Dead Sea. The border is to go down straight to it by the valley of the Jordan. So Numbers 34:11 Numbers 34:12 .

19. Tamar--not Tadmor in the desert, but Tamar, the last town of Judea, by the Dead Sea. Meaning "palm tree"; so called from palm trees abounding near it.

22. to the strangers--It is altogether unprecedented under the old covenant, that "strangers" should have "inheritance" among the tribes. There would not be room locally within Canaan for more than the tribes. The literal sense must therefore be modified, as expressing that Gentiles are not to be excluded from settling among the covenant-people, and that spiritually their privileges are not to be less than those of Israel ( Romans 10:12 , Galatians 3:28 , Ephesians 3:6 , Colossians 3:11 , Revelation 7:9 Revelation 7:10 ). Still, "sojourneth," in Ezekiel 47:23 , implies that in Canaan, the covenant people are regarded as at home, the strangers as settlers.