Ezekiel 47 19

Ezekiel 47:19 kjv

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.

Ezekiel 47:19 nkjv

"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.

Ezekiel 47:19 niv

"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.

Ezekiel 47:19 esv

"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.

Ezekiel 47:19 nlt

"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.

Ezekiel 47 verses

Ezekiel 47 19 meaning

Ezekiel 47:19 defines a portion of the southern border for the future, restored land of Israel as envisioned in Ezekiel's prophecy. This line extends from Tamar in the southeast, historically associated with an oasis, westward to the significant site of Meribah-kadesh (Kadesh Barnea), and finally further west to the traditional border marker of the Brook of Egypt. It establishes a clear, divinely ordained boundary for the tribes' inheritance, rooted in both historical geography and a promise of full restoration.

Ezekiel 47 19 Context

Ezekiel 47 describes a marvelous vision following the extensive details of the new temple (chapters 40-46). This chapter introduces a life-giving river flowing from the temple, bringing healing and fruitfulness wherever it goes, even transforming the Dead Sea into a vibrant ecosystem supporting abundant fish and trees. This miraculous river signifies God's revitalizing presence and blessing upon the land and people.

Verse 19 specifically details the southern border of this restored and blessed land. It is part of the overall boundary descriptions provided in verses 15-20, which delineate the full extent of the holy land. This precise demarcation underscores the ordered and secure nature of the renewed covenant community, contrasting sharply with the fragmentation and exile that Judah experienced. The selection of specific geographical points—Tamar, Meribah-kadesh, and the Brook of Egypt—connects this eschatological vision to the historical boundaries promised by God and, in part, achieved by ancient Israel. It sets the stage for the division of the land among the twelve tribes, as outlined in the subsequent chapter.

Historically, this vision came to Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile (c. 593-571 BC). For an audience stripped of their land and sovereignty, these meticulously detailed visions of a renewed temple, a fertile land, and clearly defined, secure borders offered immense hope for restoration and the ultimate fulfillment of God's covenant promises.

Ezekiel 47 19 Word analysis

• And on the south side / וְאֵת֙ פְּאַת־נֶגֶב֙ (ve'et pe'at-negev):

  • וְאֵת (ve'et): Conjunction "and" followed by the direct object marker, indicating "along" or "as for." It links this description to the previous border lines.
  • פְּאַת (pe'at): Meaning "corner," "side," "edge," or "extremity." It denotes a specific boundary line. This usage emphasizes the precise definition of the border.
  • נֶגֶב (negev): Meaning "south" or referring to the "Negeb desert region." It specifically designates the orientation of this boundary. For the original audience, the Negeb was a semi-arid region, but here, it implies a distinct border direction for a divinely fertile land.

• from Tamar / מִתָּמָ֔ר (mit-Tamar):

  • מִ (mi-): Preposition "from."
  • תָּמָר (Tamar): Hebrew for "date palm." It is also a specific geographical place name, often identified with Ein Hatzeva, an oasis rich in date palms located southeast of the Dead Sea, serving as a significant border point for ancient Judah. Its mention indicates a known and fixed starting point for the southeastern extent of the land. In this arid region, a place named for palms speaks of sustenance and life.

• as far as the waters of Meribah-kadesh / עַד־מֵי־מְרִיבַ֤ת קָדֵשׁ֙ (ad mei-merivat Qadesh):

  • עַד (ad): Preposition "until," "up to," "as far as."
  • מֵי־ (mei-): The construct form of "waters of."
  • מְרִיבַת (Merivat): The construct form of "strife" or "contention." It refers to the location where Israel contended with God and Moses struck the rock (Num 20).
  • קָדֵשׁ (Qadesh): Meaning "holy." Also a specific place name, Kadesh-barnea (lit. "holy wilderness of wandering"), a crucial stopping point during Israel's wilderness wanderings. The combination "Meribah-kadesh" evokes a specific historical memory: a place of testing, disobedience by Moses and Aaron, and God's faithfulness despite Israel's grumbling. Including this site in the ideal border signifies that even past failures are integrated into the perfected future under God's ultimate plan, or perhaps it highlights the definitive reach of God's restoration to the very places of prior challenge.

• to the Brook of Egypt / אֶל־נַ֣חַל מִצְרַ֔יִם (el nachal Mitzrayim):

  • אֶל (el): Preposition "to," "towards."
  • נַחַל (nachal): Meaning "wadi," "river valley," or "brook." In this context, it specifically refers to a seasonal riverbed. This is often identified as the Wadi El-Arish, marking the historical border between the land of Israel and Egypt.
  • מִצְרַיִם (Mitzrayim): Hebrew name for "Egypt."
  • This phrase defines the southwestern extremity of the land, aligning with traditional and often contested boundaries of the Promised Land (e.g., Num 34; 1 Kgs 8). Its inclusion anchors the prophetic vision to long-established geographical understandings of God's promised inheritance, reaffirming the integrity and historical roots of the divine land grant.

Ezekiel 47 19 Bonus section

The repeated emphasis on the precise borders in Ezekiel 47:15-20, and again in Ezekiel 48:28, serves multiple purposes. Firstly, for an exilic audience whose national identity and land were shattered, the explicit delineation of these boundaries, established by God, offered immense assurance of a future return and restoration with a distinct homeland. Secondly, the selection of ancient landmarks such as Meribah-kadesh and the Brook of Egypt reaffirms God's covenant faithfulness across generations, tying the prophetic future to the foundational promises made to Abraham and reiterated during the wilderness wandering and conquest. This vision of defined, expansive borders stands as a divine assertion against all human empires that historically threatened or altered Israel's land, underscoring that the true owner and arbiter of the land's extent is the Lord alone. It is a boundary of blessing, security, and permanent identity under God's rule.

Ezekiel 47 19 Commentary

Ezekiel 47:19 precisely outlines a key segment of the southern boundary for the renewed Israel. Far from an arbitrary line, these divinely chosen points – Tamar, Meribah-kadesh, and the Brook of Egypt – carry profound historical, geographical, and theological significance. Tamar marks a lush eastern oasis, an unlikely outpost for a desert border, emphasizing God's provision. Meribah-kadesh recalls a site of Israel's grumbling and Moses' failure, yet it stands as a clear demarcation point, implying that God's restoration transcends even the shadow of past sin. The Brook of Egypt consistently served as the traditional southwestern limit of Israel's promised territory. By weaving these specific, historical landmarks into a vision of future perfection, Ezekiel underscores that the coming restoration is not a wholly new, unrelated territory but a fulfillment and idealization of God's ancient covenant with His people, extending to its divinely ordained historical limits, providing clear, secure borders, a stark contrast to the insecurity of exile.