Ezekiel 47:11 kjv
But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
Ezekiel 47:11 nkjv
But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt.
Ezekiel 47:11 niv
But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.
Ezekiel 47:11 esv
But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt.
Ezekiel 47:11 nlt
But the marshes and swamps will not be purified; they will still be salty.
Ezekiel 47 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezek 47:11 | but its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be left for salt. | Restoration of land; future judgment |
| Gen 13:10 | So Lot looked around and saw that the whole Jordan Valley was well-watered everywhere… this was like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you go toward Zoar. | Jordan Valley as fertile before judgment |
| Num 13:23-24 | They reached the Valley of Eshkol, where they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes… The place was called Eshkol because of the grape cluster the Israelites cut off there. | Eshkol as a place of abundant produce |
| Deut 2:17 | And the Lord spoke to me, saying, ‘You shall not disturb or besiege them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even a foot’s length, because I have given the hill country of Esau to Joseph for a possession.’ | God's prohibition of encroaching on Esau's land |
| 2 Kgs 2:19-22 | Then the men of Jericho said to Elisha, “Look, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.”... He went to the spring of the waters and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor unfruitful land shall come from it.’” | Elisha's healing of Jericho's water |
| Isa 24:1-12 | Behold, the Lord will make the earth empty and make it desolate, and twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants… | Prophecy of universal desolation |
| Isa 35:1-10 | The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose… | Prophecy of desert transformation |
| Jer 17:5-8 | Thus says the Lord: “Cursed be the man who trusts in man… He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.” | Description of a cursed, salt land |
| Jer 51:63-64 | As soon as you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and cast it into the middle of the Euphrates. Then say, “So shall Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster that the Lord will bring upon her…” | Symbolic casting into a river as judgment |
| Joel 2:18-20 | Then the Lord became jealous for his land and took pity on his people. The Lord said to his people, “Behold, I am sending to you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied…” | God's restoration after judgment |
| Zeph 1:2-3 | “I will utterly sweep away everything from the land,” declares the Lord. “I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea. And I will make the wicked stumble. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. | Prophecy of universal destruction |
| Zech 14:8-11 | On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and half toward the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter. On that day the Lord shall become king over all the earth. The entire land shall be a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem… And people shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more ban of utter destruction, but Jerusalem shall be securely inhabited. | Future reign of God and living waters |
| Matt 11:23-24 | And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted into heaven? You will be brought down to Hades! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, they would have remained until this day. But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.” | Judgment on cities for unbelief |
| Rev 11:6 | They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their testimony, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they may desire. | Heavenly authority to strike with plagues |
| Rev 21:1 | Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. | New creation without the sea (barrenness reference?) |
| Rev 22:1-2 | 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, through the middle of the street of the city, and on either side of the river was the tree of life… and its leaves were for the healing of the nations. | River of life in the New Jerusalem |
| Ps 107:33-34 | He turns rivers into a barren waste, and springs of water into thirsty ground, barren land because of wickedness. | God's power to turn fertile land barren |
| Jer 18:16 | I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth by reason of sword, famine, and pestilence, says the Lord. | Consequences of sin as devastation |
| Hos 2:14-15 | Nevertheless, I will again do wonderful things to her… and I will give her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a gateway of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth… | Hope and restoration after barrenness |
| Zech 8:12 | For there will be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew, and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. | Future abundance and peace |
Ezekiel 47 verses
Ezekiel 47 11 Meaning
This verse describes a specific place called the "Arabah" which will be healed and given over to salt. This healing implies a former desolation or impurity that is rectified. The reference to salt signifies both preservation and barrenness, suggesting the area will be rendered incapable of cultivation but preserved from its former state of pollution or dryness. It points to a future restoration and a new ecological reality in a parched land.
Ezekiel 47 11 Context
Ezekiel 47 describes a vision of a new temple and a miraculous river flowing from beneath it. This river brings life and fertility to areas that were previously barren, notably the Dead Sea, transforming it. The chapter is set within the broader prophetic context of Ezekiel's messages to the exiled Israelites. It offers hope and a vision of future restoration after the destruction and dispersion of the nation due to their sins. This particular verse, 47:11, stands as a contrast to the life-giving power of the river. While the river heals the swamps and marshes it flows through, there is a specific area, the Arabah, whose marshes and swamps are left unreclaimed by this life-giving water and are instead left for salt. This implies a finality or a specific purpose for this residual barrenness in contrast to the overall renewal. Historically, the Arabah was known for its arid and desolate nature.
Ezekiel 47 11 Word Analysis
- וְחַרְיֹאֶיהָ (vechar’yo’eyha): "and its swamps" or "marshes". The root implies a marshy, mirey place. This word highlights the natural, yet often unproductive, areas found near bodies of water or where water collects.
- וּמִשְׁאַוּתֶיהָ (umi’shau’otheyha): "and its marshes". Similar to the previous word, emphasizing wet, boggy, or swampy terrain. The repetition stresses the unhealed nature of these specific locations.
- לֹא (lo): "not". A direct negation.
- רָפְאוּ (raphe’u): "they are healed". From the root "rapha" meaning to heal, to mend, to restore. This is the crucial word indicating a lack of restoration for these particular areas.
- נִתְּנוּ (nit’teunu): "they are given". Passive form of "nathan," to give.
- לְמַלָּח (le’malah): "for salt". From the root "malach," meaning salt. Salt can represent preservation, but also barrenness and desolation, as seen in Gen 19:26, Deut 29:23, Job 39:6.
- וְהָיָה (vehayah): "and it shall be" or "and it will be". Connects the state of being given to salt with a future condition.
Word Group Analysis:
- "swamps and marshes... not healed... left for salt": This group of words forms a powerful contrast to the river's healing power described earlier in the chapter. It signifies specific areas within the wider region that remain intentionally barren, a deliberate state of desolation or preserved uninhabitable land. The repetition of marsh-like terrain (חר יואיה and משאותיה) underscores that these are natural features, yet their destiny here is different from the life-giving water's effect.
Ezekiel 47 11 Bonus Section
The choice of the "Arabah" is significant. This valley, part of the rift valley system, includes the area of the Dead Sea, historically known for its extreme salinity and barrenness. The prophecy of the river making the Dead Sea itself teeming with life (Ezekiel 47:8) makes the exception for the marshes of the Arabah all the more striking. It implies that even within the renewed landscape, pockets of stark, non-productive nature will persist, serving a particular divine purpose that is not fully explicated in terms of life-giving fertility. Some interpret this residual barrenness as a reminder of past sin or as an eternal testament to God's selective sovereignty.
Ezekiel 47 11 Commentary
This verse speaks to a divine decree of permanence regarding certain desolate conditions, even amidst overwhelming restoration. While the vision of Ezekiel 47 paints a picture of widespread renewal, with life flowing even into the Dead Sea, specific marshy and swampy areas in the Arabah are designated to remain barren and salty. This isn't a failure of God's healing power but rather an intentional allocation. The "salt" signifies an area devoid of productive life, a natural state of sterility, or possibly a place set apart. It contrasts sharply with the fertile land created by the river's flow, highlighting that not all areas will experience the same type of "healing." This can be interpreted as God's ultimate sovereignty over creation, including designated barrenness for specific purposes, or a type of judgment that persists in contrast to grace. The Arabah's saltiness, by divine word, preserves a state of unproductivity and starkness.