Ezekiel 47 12

Ezekiel 47:12 kjv

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.

Ezekiel 47:12 nkjv

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."

Ezekiel 47:12 niv

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."

Ezekiel 47:12 esv

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."

Ezekiel 47:12 nlt

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."

Ezekiel 47 verses

Ezekiel 47 12 meaning

Ezekiel 47:12 describes the remarkable life and continuous abundance that flows from the divine sanctuary in the visionary temple. Along the banks of the sacred river, an unending orchard flourishes, bearing trees that yield fresh fruit month after month without cease, and whose leaves remain evergreen. The sustenance and vitality of these trees—their perpetual fruit for nourishment and their leaves for healing—are entirely dependent on the holy waters originating from the very presence of God, signifying eternal provision, health, and spiritual life in God's restored kingdom.

Ezekiel 47 12 Context

Ezekiel 47 details a profound visionary river flowing from beneath the threshold of the future temple. This river miraculously deepens and widens, becoming a vast torrent. Its path brings life and abundance to the barren Arabah, causing numerous trees to spring up along its banks and filling the Dead Sea with fresh, living waters, teeming with fish. This chapter follows the extensive description of the idealized temple, symbolizing God's restored presence and blessing among His people. Historically, Israel had faced barrenness, both literally in the land and spiritually through exile due to idolatry. The vision therefore serves as a powerful promise of future restoration, unparalleled fertility, and holistic healing, directly counteracting the judgments and desolation that befell them, offering a polemic against the futility of human endeavors or pagan gods to bring such abundant life. The temple is not just a structure but the ultimate source of life for the entire renewed creation.

Ezekiel 47 12 Word analysis

• And by the river (nahar נָהָר):

  • Denotes a significant, flowing watercourse, not just any stream. Explicitly the miraculous, life-giving stream from the temple.
  • Significance: Highlights its divine origin and supernatural properties, serving as the central artery of life.

• upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side:

  • Emphasizes the direct influence and expansive reach of the sacred waters.
  • Significance: Denotes comprehensive and abundant flourishing, saturating both sides universally, ensuring no part lacks the divine blessing.

• shall grow:

  • Indicates spontaneous, miraculous emergence and thriving growth, not human cultivation.
  • Significance: Points to supernatural life, entirely nurtured by divine power.

• all trees ('etz עֵץ) for meat (l'ma'akhal לְמַאֲכָל):

  • 'Etz refers to any tree; kol ("all") suggests diversity or a complete covering. L'ma'akhal means "for food."
  • Significance: Extensive provision of sustenance. Reminiscent of the Tree of Life, underscoring fundamental and continuous nourishment.

• whose leaf ('aleh עָלֶה) shall not fade (yibbol יִבּוֹל):

  • 'Aleh means "leaf"; yibbol means "wither." This is a supernatural quality, defying natural decay.
  • Significance: A characteristic of unending vitality, representing enduring spiritual vigor and resistance to decline, a stark contrast to earthly foliage (Is 64:6).

• neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed (yitshom יִתֹּם):

  • Yitshom means "fail" or "cease." This ensures continuous production without scarcity or seasonal gaps.
  • Significance: Guarantees constant, inexhaustible provision, free from depletion or termination.

• it shall bring forth new fruit (bikkuurim בִּכּוּרִים in a sense of fresh yield) according to his months (la'chodashav לָחֳדָשָׁיו):

  • Bikkuurim here suggests fresh yield, not just early fruit. La'chodashav means "monthly" or "every month."
  • Significance: Regular, unfailing regularity—twelve yields a year—symbolizing perfect, full-cycle, and inexhaustible blessing, distinct from natural agricultural patterns.

• because their waters (mayim מַיִם) issued out of the sanctuary (miqqodesh מִקְּדֶשׁ):

  • This is the explicit causal link. Mayim are "waters." Miqqodesh is "from the sanctuary."
  • Significance: Emphasizes that all life, sustenance, and healing originate directly from God's holy presence, rendering the blessing entirely divine and potent against any notion of human or pagan sources of true life.

• and the fruit (pəri פְּרִי) thereof shall be for meat (l'ma'akhal לְמַאֲכָל):

  • Pəri is "fruit." Reiterates the primary purpose.
  • Significance: Re-emphasizes the fruit's essential role as life-sustaining nourishment in overwhelming abundance.

• and the leaf ('aleh עָלֶה) thereof for medicine (litrupah לִתְרוּפָה):

  • Litrupah means "for healing" or "for remedy/restoration." This adds a potent, restorative benefit.
  • Significance: The vision promises holistic provision, covering both life's maintenance (food) and restoration (healing), encompassing spiritual and physical well-being in God's kingdom.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat": This collective phrase establishes the divine river as the immediate source of universal and abundant provision. The broad distribution (on this side and on that side) signals the comprehensive and boundless blessing, transforming any barrenness into luxuriant provision, emphasizing both quantity and direct contact with the sacred.

  • "whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months": This set of clauses describes the supernatural, continuous vitality and renewal. The trees transcend natural cycles of decay and seasonal limits, showcasing an unending cycle of freshness (not fade), persistent plenty (not consumed), and cyclical newness (new fruit according to his months), ensuring total and continuous provision throughout the year.

  • "because their waters issued out of the sanctuary": This forms the critical theological foundation, directly attributing all miraculous qualities—life, sustenance, healing, renewal—to God's divine and holy presence. The sanctuary is portrayed as the sole and omnipotent fount of these blessings, underscoring the absolute sovereignty of God's power and direct causation. This stands in clear polemical opposition to human-made solutions or idolatrous cults claiming similar provisions.

  • "and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine": This concluding summary highlights the dual, holistic benefits imparted by the divine outpouring. It reiterates fruit for meat for essential, continuous nourishment; and importantly adds leaf for medicine, extending the blessing to include healing, restoration, and well-being. This speaks to a complete provision: for sustaining life and mending all forms of brokenness, encompassing both physical and spiritual health.

Ezekiel 47 12 Bonus section

The Hebrew word for "medicine," litrupah (לִתְרוּפָה), is a unique term in the Old Testament, sometimes also translated as "remedy" or "healing." Its usage here forms a potent thematic connection with Revelation 22:2, which explicitly states "the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." This reveals a consistent biblical promise regarding God's ultimate plan for universal restoration and the complete eradication of disease and decay. The vision goes beyond mere sustenance; it speaks of comprehensive health and spiritual restoration, addressing not only physical ailments but also spiritual sickness and societal brokenness. Furthermore, the perpetual nature of the trees—"whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed," and yielding "new fruit according to his months"—emphasizes God's promise of ceaseless blessing and inexhaustible resources in the coming age, where limitations of time and natural cycles no longer apply. This also suggests the eternal impact and unfading fruitfulness of living in God's presence and drawing from the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 47 12 Commentary

Ezekiel 47:12 depicts an astonishing vision of paradisiacal abundance and unending vitality directly flowing from God's sanctuary. This imagery speaks to an ideal state of complete divine provision, where all needs—nourishment and healing—are perpetually met. The trees are not ordinary; their unfading leaves and monthly, unending fruit represent a break from the natural order, demonstrating God's supernatural power to sustain and renew. The ultimate source is explicitly attributed to the "waters issued out of the sanctuary," underscoring that such perfect life and wholeness can only come from the very presence and holiness of God. This vision powerfully counteracts the spiritual barrenness and physical devastation experienced by Israel, offering a prophetic promise of an age where God's active, life-giving presence ushers in a new creation characterized by absolute fertility, robust health, and unbroken blessing. This finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament, especially Revelation 22:1-2, depicting the "tree of life" with its monthly fruit and healing leaves, signifying the restoration of Edenic bliss in the new heavens and new earth through Christ.

Short examples:

• A believer's life continually nourished by God's Word yields a steady stream of spiritual fruit and resilience, even in trying times.
• The work of the Holy Spirit in a person provides both daily strength and healing for spiritual wounds and weaknesses.
• The community sustained by Christ's presence bears consistent witness (fruit) and offers hope and restoration (medicine) to the broken world.