Ezekiel 47:18 kjv
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.
Ezekiel 47:18 nkjv
"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.
Ezekiel 47:18 niv
"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.
Ezekiel 47:18 esv
"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.
Ezekiel 47:18 nlt
"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.
Ezekiel 47 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 47:15 | "This is the north border: From the great sea toward Hethlon, as men go to Hamath, to Zedad," | North border origin |
| Genesis 13:15 | "for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever." | Promise of land |
| Numbers 34:7-8 | "And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point it out to Mount Hor;" | North border outline |
| Deuteronomy 34:1-4 | "Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho: and the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan," | Land overview by Moses |
| Joshua 13:2 | "This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Canaan," | Remaining land description |
| Jeremiah 3:2 | "Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been corrupted: thou hast sat for thyself as a harlot in the ways," | Geographical context |
| Isaiah 5:8 | "Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!" | Land acquisition |
| Revelation 21:12 | "And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:" | New Jerusalem gates |
| Genesis 12:7 | "And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him." | Land promise re-affirmation |
| Numbers 1:1-19 | Census of Israel | Land inheritance/division |
| Joshua 18:4 | "Give out therefore unto the children of Israel three tribes, that I may give them their inheritance therein." | Land division instructions |
| Zechariah 10:10 | "I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and they shall not have room enough." | Future land restoration |
| Psalm 80:1 | "Give ear, O shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth." | God's presence and leadership |
| Amos 9:14 | "And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them." | Future restoration and possession |
| Romans 11:26 | "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:" | Spiritual Israel |
| Galatians 3:29 | "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." | Heirs of Abraham's promise |
| Matthew 2:6 | "And thou, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a captain that shall rule my people Israel." | Prophecy about Jesus' birthplace |
| Acts 7:4-5 | "And he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, though he had no child." | Abraham's promise |
| 1 Corinthians 10:11 | "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." | Lessons from history |
| Hebrews 11:9 | "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:" | Faith of the patriarchs |
| Revelation 7:4 | "And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were an hundred and forty and four thousand sealed of all the tribes of the children of Israel." | Seal of God's people |
Ezekiel 47 verses
Ezekiel 47 18 Meaning
This verse describes the boundary of the promised land on the northern side, extending from the Mediterranean Sea eastward to Hazar-enan, near the northern border of Israel. This marks a specific geographical delineation for the allocation of the land.
Ezekiel 47 18 Context
Ezekiel 47 is part of Ezekiel's larger vision of a restored Israel, including a detailed description of a temple and the division of the land. The prophet is given specific boundaries for the new allocation of the land, extending from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. This particular verse specifies the northern boundary, linking it to geographical points mentioned earlier in the chapter. Historically, this vision offered hope and a blueprint for the exiled people of Israel, promising a future restoration of their land and covenant blessings, signifying a return to God's favor and a renewed inheritance. This chapter, and specifically verse 18, is a symbolic representation of God's faithfulness to His promises regarding the land of Israel, a theme that runs throughout the Old Testament. The geographical boundaries described are not only physical but also represent spiritual and eschatological dimensions of God's kingdom.
Ezekiel 47 18 Word analysis
ve'ēla (וְאֵלֶּה): "and these" - Connects to previous descriptions, introducing a new set of boundary specifications.
g'vul (גְּבוּל): "border" or "boundary" - Signifies a line of demarcation, indicating the limits of the land allocation.
tsaphon (צָפוֹן): "north" - Specifies the directional aspect of this particular border.
lem (לְמ): "from" or "to" - Preposition indicating the starting point of the boundary.
ha'yam (הַיָּם): "the sea" - Refers to the Great Sea (Mediterranean Sea), a major geographical feature in the west.
ha'gadol (הַגָּדוֹל): "the great" - Adjective intensifying the description of the sea.
tsafnat (צָפְנַת): "as men go to" or "leading towards" - Indicates a direction or path. This phrasing implies a general direction rather than a precise man-made road, aligning with ancient methods of defining boundaries.
chethlon (חֶתְלֹון): "Hethlon" - A place name used to mark the boundary's progression. This specific location contributes to the geographical definition.
ve'ala (וְאֶל־): "and to" - Continues the description of the boundary's extent.
hamath (חֲמָת): "Hamath" - Another significant geographical location, situated on the Orontes River in Syria. This extends the conceptual boundary further north than previously settled territories.
lelz'dad (לְצִדָּד): "to Zedad" - Zedad was a Canaanite city marking the northeastern entrance to the land, contributing to the northeastern corner definition.
haprati (הַפְּרָתִי): "the Euphrates" - Although the verse seems to conclude the description of the northern border's western part at Hamath and Zedad, the presence of "the Euphrates" later in Ezekiel's prophecy (Ezekiel 47:20) provides a larger, symbolic concept of Israel's potential territory extending eastward, often encompassing lands beyond the strict geographical definition of Canaan. In this verse, the implied eastward continuation of the northern border, referencing Hethlon and Hamath, connects conceptually to this broader understanding of land inheritance, even if the Euphrates itself isn't directly defining this northern limit in v. 18. It hints at a grander divine plan for Israel's territory.
Grouped words analysis:
- "the north border": Establishes the primary directional focus for this segment of land allocation.
- "From the great sea toward Hethlon, as men go to Hamath, to Zedad": This phrase provides a progressive definition of the northern limit, starting from the western sea and moving inland eastward along a conceptual line passing through key locations that historically marked the northern extent of Israel's influence or potential territorial claims. The "as men go" implies natural paths or lines of access that were known to the original audience, linking divine promise to observable geography.
Ezekiel 47 18 Bonus section
The detailed geographical boundaries provided by Ezekiel in this vision (chapters 40-48) are often interpreted as having a literal, future fulfillment in the millennial reign of Christ. However, some scholars view these dimensions as symbolic, representing the spiritual boundaries and blessings of God’s kingdom that extend to all believers, encompassing a spiritual inheritance rather than purely physical territory. The repetition of specific place names serves to ground the vision in known geography, thereby validating the divine origin and intent of the promise. The visionary nature of the entire passage suggests a perfected, renewed earth, aligning with the descriptions of New Jerusalem in Revelation. The "as men go" phrase can also be understood as aligning with natural geography, underscoring God’s sovereignty over all creation and its features. The extension to include points like Hamath, which was north of the traditional tribal territories of Israel, suggests a potential enlargement of the promised land in its future fulfillment.
Ezekiel 47 18 Commentary
Ezekiel 47:18 outlines the northern boundary of the promised land, extending from the Mediterranean Sea ("the great sea") northward towards Hethlon, and then eastward through Hamath to Zedad. This geographical description is highly symbolic, representing the complete and expanded inheritance God intended for His people. Hethlon and Hamath were generally considered the northernmost points of significant settlement or influence for Israel, marking a territorial extent that was sometimes reached and sometimes surpassed throughout Israel's history. The inclusion of Zedad further emphasizes the northeastern aspect of this border. This detailed boundary reinforces God's faithfulness to His promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:7), providing a vision of restored homeland. For the exilic community, this was a powerful message of hope and future restoration, not merely a geographical recounting but a spiritual promise of divine re-establishment and dominion. This border represents not just physical land but a divine allocation under God’s rule, signifying security and blessing.