Ezekiel 47

The Life-Giving River

1 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple and there was 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 threshold] of the temple, south of the altar.^[a]

2 Next he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate that faced east; there the water was trickling from the south side.

3 As the man went out east with a measuring line in his hand,^[b] he measured off a third of a mile^[c] and led me through the water. It came up to [my] ankles.

4 Then he measured off a third [of a mile] and led me through the water. It came up to [my] knees. He measured off another third [of a mile] and led me through [the water]. It came up to [my] waist.

5 Again he measured off a third of a [mile], and it was a river that I could not cross [on foot]. For the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed [on foot].

6 He asked me, "Do you see [this], son of man?" Then he led me back to the bank of the river.

7 When I had returned, I saw a very large number of trees along both sides of the riverbank.^[d]

8 He said to me, "This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down to the Arabah. When it enters the sea, the sea of foul water,^[e][f] the water [of the sea] becomes fresh.^[g]

9 Every [kind of] living creature that swarms^[h] will live wherever the river flows,^[i] and there will be a huge number of fish^[j] because this water goes there. Since the water will become fresh, there will be life everywhere the river goes.

10 Fishermen will stand beside it from En-gedi to En-eglaim.^[k] These will become places where nets are spread out to dry. Their fish will consist of many different kinds, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.

11 Yet its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be left for salt.

12 All [kinds of] trees providing food will grow along both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail.^[l] Each month they will bear fresh fruit because the water [comes] from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for medicine."^[m]

The Borders of the Land

13 This is what the Lord God says: "This is^[n] the border you will [use to] divide the land^[o] as an inheritance for the 12 tribes of Israel. Joseph will receive two shares.^[p]

14 You will inherit it in equal portions, since I swore^[q] to give it to your ancestors. So this land will fall to you as an inheritance.

15 "This is to be the border of the land: On the north side it will extend from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon and Lebo-hamath to Zedad,^[r]

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

17 So the border will run from the sea to Hazar-enon at the border of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern side.

18 On the east side it will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; you will measure from the [northern] border to the eastern sea.^[s] This will be the eastern side.

19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh,^[t] and on to the Brook [of Egypt] as far as the Mediterranean Sea. This will be the southern side.

20 On the west side the Mediterranean Sea will be the border, from the [southern] border up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western side.

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

22 You will allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners living among you, who have fathered children among you. You will treat them^[u] like native-born Israelites; along with you, they will be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

23 In whatever tribe the foreigner lives, you will assign his inheritance there." [This is] the declaration of the Lord God .

Ezekiel 47 Commentary

Chapter 47

- These waters signify the gospel of Christ, which went forth from Jerusalem, and spread into the countries about; also the gifts and powers of the Holy Ghost which accompanied it, by virtue of which is spread far, and produced blessed effects. Christ is the Temple; and he is the Door; from him the living waters flow, out of his pierced side. They are increasing waters. Observe the progress of the gospel in the world, and the process of the work of grace in the heart; attend the motions of the blessed Spirit under Divine guidance. If we search into the things of God, we find some things plain and easy to be understood, as the waters that were but to the ankles; others more difficult, which require a deeper search, as the waters to the knees, or the loins; and some quite beyond our reach, which we cannot penetrate; but must, as St. Paul did, adore the depth, ( Romans 11 ) . It is wisdom to begin with that which is most easy, before we proceed to that which is dark and hard to be understood. The promises of the sacred word, and the privileges of believers, as shed abroad in their souls by the quickening Spirit, abound where the gospel is preached; they nourish and delight the souls of men; they never fade nor wither, nor are exhausted. Even the leaves serve as medicines to the soul: the warnings and reproofs of the word, though less pleasant than Divine consolations, tend to heal the diseases of the soul. All who believe in Christ, and are united to him by his sanctifying Spirit, will share the privileges of Israelites. There is room in the church, and in heaven, for all who seek the blessings of that new covenant of which Christ is Mediator.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ps 46:4; Zch 14:8; Rv 22:1
• [b]. Ezk 40:3
• [c]. Lit 1,000 cubits; also in vv. 4-5
• [d]. Rv 22:2
• [e]. Or enters the sea, being brought out to the sea; Hb obscure
• [f]. the Dead Sea
• [g]. Ex 15:26; 2 Kg 2:21
• [h]. Gn 1:21
• [i]. LXX, Vg; MT reads the two rivers flow
• [j]. Lk 5:6; Jn 21:6
• [k]. Two springs near the Dead Sea
• [l]. Ps 1:3
• [m]. Rv 22:2
• [n]. Tg, Vg; Syr reads The valley of
• [o]. Nm 34:2-12
• [p]. Gn 48:15-16; Jos 16:4-17:18
• [q]. Lit lifted My hand
• [r]. LXX; MT reads [and] Lebo to Zedad, Hamath; Ezk 48:1
• [s]. the Dead Sea
• [t]. Kadesh-barnea
• [u]. Lit They will be to you

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 47

This chapter gives an account of the vision of the holy waters, and of the borders of the holy land, and the division of it to Israelites and strangers. The waters are described by the original and spring of them, Eze 47:1,2, by the progress and increase of them, Eze 47:3-5, by the healing and quickening nature of them, and the places where they were so, and were not, Eze 47:8-11, and by the trees which grew upon the banks of them, Eze 47:6,7,12. The borders of the holy land are fixed, Eze 47:13,14, the northern border, Eze 47:15-17, the eastern border, Eze 47:18, the southern, Eze 47:19, and the western, Eze 47:20, which is to be divided by lot to the tribes of Israel, and the strangers that sojourn among them, Eze 47:21-23.