Ezekiel 47 meaning explained in AI Summary
This chapter describes a vision Ezekiel receives of a miraculous river flowing from the Temple in Jerusalem, symbolizing God's life-giving presence and the future restoration of Israel.
1. The Miraculous River (vv. 1-5):
- An angel guides Ezekiel to the Temple entrance where he sees water flowing from beneath the threshold, growing deeper and wider as it flows eastward.
- The water's depth increases gradually, becoming a stream, then a river too deep to cross except by swimming.
2. Life-Giving Waters (vv. 6-12):
- The angel leads Ezekiel alongside the river, showing him trees growing abundantly on both banks.
- The river flows into the Dead Sea, healing its salty waters and teeming with fish.
- The trees bear fruit every month, their leaves offering healing properties.
3. Boundaries and Inheritance (vv. 13-23):
- The angel describes the boundaries of the land, to be divided equally among the twelve tribes of Israel.
- The location of each tribe's inheritance is specified, including the portion for the prince.
- Foreigners who join the Israelites will also receive an inheritance in the land.
Key Themes:
- God's Presence and Blessing: The river symbolizes God's life-giving presence, bringing healing, abundance, and restoration to the land and its people.
- Hope and Restoration: The vision offers hope for the future, promising the return of God's people to their land and the establishment of a renewed covenant relationship.
- Universal Blessing: The inclusion of foreigners who join the Israelites points to the universal reach of God's salvation and blessing.
Overall Message:
Ezekiel 47 conveys a message of hope and restoration for Israel, emphasizing God's faithfulness to his promises and the transformative power of his presence. The vision points to a future time when God's blessing will flow abundantly, bringing life and healing to all who are faithful to him.
Ezekiel 47 bible study ai commentary
A vision of a supernatural river flowing from the new temple, which starts as a trickle and grows into an uncrossable torrent. This river symbolizes the overwhelming, life-giving, and healing power of God's presence. It miraculously transforms the desolate Dead Sea into a source of life, supporting abundant fish and trees that provide constant food and healing. The chapter concludes with instructions for the division of this restored land, radically including foreigners as full inheritors alongside the tribes of Israel, pointing to a new covenant community based not on ethnicity but on dwelling with God.
Ezekiel 47 context
Ezekiel prophesied during the Babylonian Exile (6th century BC), after Solomon's temple was destroyed. The people of Judah were in despair, feeling abandoned by God and cut off from His presence, which was centered in the temple. This vision of a new, glorious temple (Ezekiel 40-46) and the life-giving river in this chapter served as a powerful message of hope. It assured them that God had not abandoned them and that a future restoration was coming that would be far more glorious and life-giving than anything they had experienced before. It was a direct counter-narrative to the hopelessness of exile.
Ezekiel 47:1
Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
In-depth-analysis
- The vision continues from the previous descriptions of the new temple. The guide is the same angelic being.
- Source of the River: The water emerges directly from "below the threshold of the temple." The temple is the dwelling place of God's glory (Ezekiel 43:4-5); therefore, the source of this life-giving river is God Himself.
- Direction: It flows east, the direction the temple faced and the direction God's glory entered (43:4). In Genesis, the garden of Eden was in the east (Gen 2:8), and the river flowed out of it.
- Specific Location: "South of the altar." The great altar of sacrifice is central. The life-giving water flows from the place of atonement, from God's presence. The "right side" (often implied by "south" in this context) in Hebrew thought signifies a place of honor, power, and blessing.
Bible references
- Revelation 22:1: "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb..." (A direct fulfillment/parallel showing the ultimate source is God's throne).
- Psalm 46:4: "There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High." (Theological parallel of a divine river of blessing).
- Joel 3:18: "...and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and water the Valley of Shittim." (A parallel prophecy of a river from God's temple).
Cross references
Zec 14:8 (living waters from Jerusalem), Ps 36:8-9 (drink from the river of God's delights), Gen 2:10 (river watering Eden), Jn 7:38 (rivers of living water from the believer).
Ezekiel 47:2
Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.
In-depth-analysis
- Ezekiel is led outside the temple complex to observe the river's path. He cannot exit through the east gate, as it is perpetually shut for the LORD (Ezekiel 44:1-2).
- A Trickle: The water begins as a small, insignificant trickle (mepakkîm, a dripping or gentle flow). This humble beginning is crucial for the progression that follows. God's greatest works often start small.
Bible references
- Zechariah 4:10: "For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice..." (Principle that God's work starts small).
- Matthew 13:31-32: "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed...it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the largest of shrubs..." (Parable of kingdom growth from a small start).
Cross references
Haggai 2:9 (future glory greater than former), Isaiah 60:22 (a small one will become a thousand).
Ezekiel 47:3-5
Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.
In-depth-analysis
- Measured Progression: The angel measures four consecutive units of 1,000 cubits (approx. 1/3 of a mile each). This systematic measurement emphasizes that the river's growth is a divine and ordered plan, not a random natural event.
- Ankle-deep: The initial blessing is accessible and easy to walk in.
- Knee-deep: The power and influence of the river grow, requiring more effort to navigate.
- Waist-deep: The water's power is now significant, controlling movement. Human strength is being overcome by the river's force.
- Uncrossable River: After roughly 4,000 cubits (over a mile), the blessing has grown exponentially into an overwhelming, mighty river. It is beyond human ability to cross, control, or contain. One can only be carried by it ("deep enough to swim in"). This illustrates the immeasurable, unstoppable, and all-encompassing nature of God's life-giving presence.
Bible references
- Isaiah 11:9: "...for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." (The all-encompassing nature of God's kingdom).
- Ephesians 3:18-19: "...may have strength to comprehend...what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge..." (The immeasurable nature of God's reality).
Cross references
Acts 2 (the start of the Spirit's outpouring which grew to fill the earth), Ro 11:33 (the depth of the riches and wisdom of God).
Polemics
Many scholars see this progression as symbolic of the Holy Spirit's work. It can represent the growth of the gospel from a small band of disciples in Jerusalem to a worldwide movement, or the spiritual journey of a believer, moving from initial faith into a deeper, more surrendered life completely carried by the Spirit.
Ezekiel 47:6-7
And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me and brought me back to the bank of the river. As I returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
In-depth-analysis
- "Son of man, have you seen this?": A rhetorical question to force Ezekiel (and the reader) to pause and comprehend the magnitude and implication of the vision. It's not just a river; it's a source of supernatural life.
- Supernatural Life: The effect of the river is immediate and profound. On its banks are "very many trees." This is not a slow, natural process of vegetation growth; it's an instantaneous creation of a lush ecosystem, showing the river's life-giving power.
Bible references
- Psalm 1:3: "He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither." (Imagery of a righteous person nourished by God's Word/presence).
- Revelation 22:2: "Also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month..." (Direct parallel to the New Jerusalem, linking this vision to its ultimate fulfillment).
Cross references
Is 35:1 (the desert will rejoice and blossom), Jer 17:7-8 (a man who trusts the Lord is like a tree by water).
Ezekiel 47:8-10
And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live. And there will be very many fish, for this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes...Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.
In-depth-analysis
- Destination and Healing: The river flows down to the "Arabah" (the Jordan Rift Valley) and into "the sea"—the Dead Sea, the lowest and saltiest body of water on earth, a symbol of death and barrenness since the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah.
- "The water will become fresh": The Hebrew uses the verb rāp̄ā’ ("to be healed"). The river doesn't just dilute the salt; it miraculously heals the cursed waters.
- Abundant Life: "Everything will live where the river goes." This definitive statement summarizes its power. It reverses the curse of death. The swarms of life and "very many kinds" of fish are a sign of total restoration.
- New Economy: The reference to fishermen from "Engedi to Eneglaim" transforms a desolate wasteland into a center of commerce and life. Engedi was a well-known oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea. Eneglaim's location is uncertain but is likely on the opposite shore, implying the entire sea is healed. The fish will be like that of the "Great Sea" (the Mediterranean), known for its variety and abundance.
Bible references
- 2 Kings 2:21: "...and he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, 'Thus says the Lord, I have healed this water'..." (A small-scale foreshadowing by Elisha of this eschatological healing).
- John 5:24: "...whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." (The spiritual reality of being healed from spiritual death).
Cross references
Gen 19 (curse of the Dead Sea region), Isa 35:6-7 (water in the wilderness), Mk 1:17 (Jesus calls fishermen to become "fishers of men").
Ezekiel 47:11
But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they are to be left for salt.
In-depth-analysis
- A Notable Exception: Not all areas are healed. The marshes are left "for salt." This has several possible interpretations:
- Divine Provision: Salt was an essential and valuable commodity for seasoning and preservation. This could be a sign of God's practical provision even within this miracle.
- A Memorial: The salt flats could serve as a permanent reminder of the former state of death and curse, highlighting the magnitude of the miracle of healing.
- Symbol of Judgment/Rejection: The most common theological interpretation is that it symbolizes that some will not receive the life-giving flow of God's grace. It represents a chosen refusal of healing and life, a picture of those who remain under judgment.
Bible references
- Leviticus 2:13: "You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing..." (Salt as a symbol of covenant and preservation).
- Matthew 5:13: "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?" (Salt as a positive symbol of influence and value).
- Hebrews 6:8: "...but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned." (Land that is unproductive despite receiving rain/blessing is judged).
Cross references
Deu 29:23 (land turned to salt as a sign of curse), Jdg 9:45 (sowing a city with salt as a symbol of destruction).
Ezekiel 47:12
And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.
In-depth-analysis
- This verse provides details on the trees mentioned in verse 7, completing the picture of perfect provision.
- Perpetual Fruit: The trees are ever-bearing, producing new fruit every month, a symbol of constant, unfailing divine provision. This supernatural abundance is because their source of nourishment is the river from the sanctuary.
- Dual Purpose:
- Fruit for food (ma’ăḵāl): They provide physical sustenance.
- Leaves for healing (litrûp̄āh): The leaves are medicinal. The Hebrew word is directly related to the verb for "healed" (rāp̄ā’) used for the water, creating a thematic link. The river itself heals the land, and what grows from it brings healing to the people.
Bible references
- Revelation 22:2: "...The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." (An almost direct quotation, showing the ultimate fulfillment is the healing of all peoples through what Christ provides).
- Genesis 2:9: "And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden..." (A restoration and enhancement of the Garden of Eden).
Cross references
Ps 1:3 (leaf does not wither), Prov 3:18 (wisdom is a tree of life), Jer 17:8 (tree planted by water fears no drought).
Ezekiel 47:13-23
Thus says the Lord GOD... Joseph shall have two portions... And you shall divide the land by lot, one as much as another... you shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord GOD.
In-depth-analysis
- The focus shifts from vision to divine command regarding the new, restored land.
- Tribal Allotments: The division honors the past (12 tribes) but reconfigures it in an idealized way (detailed in chapter 48).
- Joseph's Double Portion: This fulfills Jacob's patriarchal blessing (Genesis 48:5), where he adopted Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own.
- Radical Inclusion of the Sojourner (gēr): This is the most stunning and theologically significant part of the land division. Under the Law of Moses, foreigners residing in Israel had rights and protections but could not own hereditary land. Here, that distinction is obliterated.
- Full Citizenship: Resident aliens are to be treated as "native-born" and are granted a land inheritance "among the tribes of Israel." Their portion is assigned within the tribe they live in. This is a radical step toward the new covenant reality. It points to a people of God defined not by bloodline but by faith and residence within the community.
Bible references
- Ephesians 2:19: "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." (The ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy in the church).
- Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free... for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (The spiritual reality of equality in the new covenant community).
- Isaiah 56:6-7: "And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord... these I will bring to my holy mountain... for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." (An Old Testament prophecy of Gentile inclusion).
Cross references
Nu 15:15-16 (one law for native and sojourner), Gen 48:5 (blessing of Joseph), Ro 9:24-26 (calling a people who were not a people), 1 Pe 2:10 (once you were not a people).
Ezekiel chapter 47 analysis
- Multiple Interpretations: The vision of the river and the new temple is understood in several ways, which are not mutually exclusive:
- Symbolic of the Church Age: The river is the flow of the Holy Spirit and the gospel, starting small at Pentecost (Acts 2) and growing to fill the earth, bringing spiritual life and healing wherever it goes. The inclusion of the sojourner is the inclusion of the Gentiles into the church.
- A Literal Future Millennium: Some interpreters see this as a literal description of a future earthly kingdom ruled by Christ, where the temple is rebuilt and a literal river flows and heals the Dead Sea.
- The Eternal State (New Heaven/Earth): The parallels with Revelation 22 are so strong that many see this vision as a preview of the New Jerusalem, where God's presence provides all life and healing for eternity. It is a symbol of heaven.
- The River and the Person of Christ: John's Gospel strongly identifies Jesus as the new temple (John 2:19-21) and the source of living water (John 4:10, 7:37-38). Therefore, the river from the temple is a vivid depiction of the life that flows from Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.
- A Polemic Against Paganism: In ancient Near Eastern myths, temples were often built on "primordial mounds" from which life was thought to emerge, and gods were associated with cosmic rivers. Ezekiel's vision takes this imagery and subverts it. Life doesn't emerge from a chaotic, mythological source; it flows directly and orderly from the presence of the one true, holy God, Yahweh, and it supernaturally transforms creation, rather than just being a part of it.
Ezekiel 47 summary
Ezekiel 47 presents a vision of hope and restoration through the symbol of a miraculous river flowing from God's presence in the temple. This river grows exponentially, healing the barren Dead Sea and bringing forth trees that provide perpetual food and healing. The chapter concludes with divine instructions for a new land inheritance that radically includes foreigners as equals, prophetically pointing to the spiritual reality of the new covenant, where all who dwell with God through faith in Christ pass from death to life and become one people.
Ezekiel 47 AI Image Audio and Video
Ezekiel chapter 47 kjv
- 1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
- 2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
- 3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
- 4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
- 5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
- 6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.
- 7 Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
- 8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.
- 9 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.
- 10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
- 11 But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
- 12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
- 13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.
- 14 And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance.
- 15 And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad;
- 16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.
- 17 And the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side.
- 18 And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side.
- 19 And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side southward.
- 20 The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.
- 21 So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel.
- 22 And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.
- 23 And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel chapter 47 nkjv
- 1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.
- 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.
- 3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles.
- 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist.
- 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
- 6 He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.
- 7 When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other.
- 8 Then he said to me: "This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed.
- 9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
- 10 It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many.
- 11 But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt.
- 12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine."
- 13 Thus says the Lord GOD: "These are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions.
- 14 You shall inherit it equally with one another; for I raised My hand in an oath to give it to your fathers, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance.
- 15 "This shall be the border of the land on the north: from the Great Sea, by the road to Hethlon, as one goes to Zedad,
- 16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazar Hatticon (which is on the border of Hauran).
- 17 Thus the boundary shall be from the Sea to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus; and as for the north, northward, it is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.
- 18 "On the east side you shall mark out the border from between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, along the Jordan, and along the eastern side of the sea. This is the east side.
- 19 "The south side, toward the South, shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea. This is the south side, toward the South.
- 20 "The west side shall be the Great Sea, from the southern boundary until one comes to a point opposite Hamath. This is the west side.
- 21 "Thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.
- 22 It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.
- 23 And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance," says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel chapter 47 niv
- 1 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water 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.
- 2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.
- 3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep.
- 4 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.
- 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in?a river that no one could cross.
- 6 He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this?" Then he led me back to the bank of the river.
- 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.
- 8 He said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh.
- 9 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.
- 10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds?like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.
- 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.
- 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."
- 13 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "These are the boundaries of the land that you will divide among the twelve tribes of Israel as their inheritance, with two portions for Joseph.
- 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.
- 15 "This is to be the boundary of the land: "On the north side it will run from the Mediterranean Sea by the Hethlon road past Lebo Hamath to Zedad,
- 16 Berothah and Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran.
- 17 The boundary will extend from the sea to Hazar Enan, along the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary.
- 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. This will be the eastern boundary.
- 19 "On the south side it will run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah Kadesh, then along the Wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. This will be the southern boundary.
- 20 "On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo Hamath. This will be the western boundary.
- 21 "You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.
- 22 You are to allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners 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.
- 23 In whatever tribe a foreigner resides, there you are to give them their inheritance," declares the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel chapter 47 esv
- 1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
- 2 Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.
- 3 Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep.
- 4 Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep.
- 5 Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.
- 6 And he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he led me back to the bank of the river.
- 7 As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other.
- 8 And he said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.
- 9 And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.
- 10 Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.
- 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt.
- 12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing."
- 13 Thus says the Lord GOD: "This is the boundary by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions.
- 14 And you shall divide equally what I swore to give to your fathers. This land shall fall to you as your inheritance.
- 15 "This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, and on to Zedad,
- 16 Berothah, Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran.
- 17 So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enan, which is on the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This shall be the north side.
- 18 "On the east side, the boundary shall run between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar. This shall be the east side.
- 19 "On the south side, it shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side.
- 20 "On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side.
- 21 "So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel.
- 22 You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.
- 23 In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel chapter 47 nlt
- 1 In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side.
- 2 The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out through the south side of the east gateway.
- 3 Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles.
- 4 He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist.
- 5 Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through.
- 6 He asked me, "Have you been watching, son of man?" Then he led me back along the riverbank.
- 7 When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river.
- 8 Then he said to me, "This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure.
- 9 There will be swarms of living things wherever the water of this river flows. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will become fresh. Life will flourish wherever this water flows.
- 10 Fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea. All the way from En-gedi to En-eglaim, the shores will be covered with nets drying in the sun. Fish of every kind will fill the Dead Sea, just as they fill the Mediterranean.
- 11 But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will still be salty.
- 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, for they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing."
- 13 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Divide the land in this way for the twelve tribes of Israel: The descendants of Joseph will be given two shares of land.
- 14 Otherwise each tribe will receive an equal share. I took a solemn oath and swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your possession.
- 15 "These are the boundaries of the land: The northern border will run from the Mediterranean toward Hethlon, then on through Lebo-hamath to Zedad;
- 16 then it will run to Berothah and Sibraim, which are on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and finally to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran.
- 17 So the northern border will run from the Mediterranean to Hazar-enan, on the border between Hamath to the north and Damascus to the south.
- 18 "The eastern border starts at a point between Hauran and Damascus and runs south along the Jordan River between Israel and Gilead, past the Dead Sea and as far south as Tamar. This will be the eastern border.
- 19 "The southern border will go west from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadesh and then follow the course of the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean. This will be the southern border.
- 20 "On the west side, the Mediterranean itself will be your border from the southern border to the point where the northern border begins, opposite Lebo-hamath.
- 21 "Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel.
- 22 Distribute the land as an allotment for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be like native-born Israelites to you and will receive an allotment among the tribes.
- 23 These foreigners are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!
- Bible Book of Ezekiel
- 1 Ezekiel in Babylon
- 2 Ezekiel's Call
- 3 A Watchman for Israel
- 4 The Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized
- 5 Jerusalem Will Be Destroyed
- 6 Judgment Against Idolatry
- 7 The Day of the Wrath of the Lord
- 8 Abominations in the Temple
- 9 Idolaters Killed
- 10 The Glory of the Lord Leaves the Temple
- 11 Judgment on Wicked Counselors
- 12 Judah's Captivity Symbolized
- 13 False Prophets Condemned
- 14 Idolatry Will Be Punished
- 15 Jerusalem, a Useless Vine
- 16 The Lord's Faithless Bride
- 17 Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine
- 18 The Soul Who Sins Shall Die
- 19 A Lament for the Princes of Israel
- 20 Israel's Continuing Rebellion
- 21 The Sword of the Lord
- 22 Israel's Shedding of Blood
- 23 Oholah and Oholibah the immoral sisters
- 24 The Siege of Jerusalem
- 25 Prophecy Against Ammon
- 26 Prophecy Against Tyre
- 27 A Lament for Tyre
- 28 Prophecy against the King of Tyre
- 29 Prophecy Against Egypt
- 30 A Lament for Egypt
- 31 Pharaoh to Be Slain
- 32 A Lament over Pharaoh and Egypt
- 33 Ezekiel Is Israel's Watchman
- 34 Prophecy Against the Shepherds of Israel
- 35 Prophecy Against Mount Seir
- 36 Prophecy to the Mountains of Israel
- 37 The Dry Bones Live
- 38 Prophecy Against Gog
- 39 The Lord Will Restore Israel
- 40 Vision of the New Temple
- 41 The Inner Temple
- 42 The Temple's Chambers
- 43 The Glory of the Lord Fills the Temple
- 44 The Gate for the Prince
- 45 The Holy District
- 46 The Prince and the Feasts
- 47 Water Flowing from the Temple
- 48 The Gates of the City