1The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple towards the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.2He then brought me out through the north gate and led me round the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.3As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[1] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep.4He 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.5He 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.6He asked me, ‘Son of man, do you see this?’ Then he led me back to the bank of the river.7When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.8He said to me, ‘This water flows towards the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah,[2] where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh.9Swarms 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.10Fishermen 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.11But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.12Fruit 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.’
The boundaries of the land
13This 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.14You 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,16Berothah[3] and Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer Hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran.17The boundary will extend from the sea to Hazar Enan,[4] along the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary.18On 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.[5] This will be the eastern boundary.19On 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.20On 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.22You 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.23In whatever tribe a foreigner resides, there you are to give them their inheritance,’ declares the Sovereign Lord.
Ezekiel 47
English Standard Version
Water Flowing from the Temple
1Then 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. (Ps 46:4; Eze 9:3; Eze 43:1; Eze 43:13; Joe 3:18; Zec 14:8; Re 22:1)2Then 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. (Eze 40:6; Eze 40:35)3Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits,[1] and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. (Eze 40:3)4Again 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.5Again 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.6And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. (Eze 2:1; Eze 8:6)7As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. (Eze 47:12; Re 22:2)8And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea;[2] when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.[3] (De 1:1; De 3:17; De 4:49; Jos 3:16)9And wherever the river goes,[4] 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[5] may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.10Fishermen 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.[6] (Jos 15:12; 1Sa 23:29; Isa 15:8)11But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt.12And 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.” (Ge 2:9; Ps 1:3; Jer 17:8; Eze 47:7; Re 22:2)
Division of the Land
13Thus says the Lord God: “This is the boundary[7] by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. (Jos 17:14; Eze 45:8; Eze 48:1; Eze 48:4; Eze 48:23)14And you shall divide equally what I swore to give to your fathers. This land shall fall to you as your inheritance. (Ge 12:7; Eze 20:5; Eze 48:29)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,[8] (Nu 34:8; Eze 47:10; Eze 48:1)16Berothah, Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. (2Sa 8:8; Isa 7:8; Eze 47:15; Eze 48:1)17So 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.[9] This shall be the north side.[10] (Eze 48:1)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.[11] This shall be the east side. (Jos 13:11; Joe 2:20)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[12] to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side. (Ge 14:7; Nu 20:13; Nu 34:5; Jos 15:12; 2Ch 20:2)20“On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side. (Eze 47:15)21“So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. (Eze 47:13)22You 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. (Ex 12:19; Ex 12:48; Isa 14:1; Eze 45:1; Eze 48:29; Ro 10:12; Ga 3:28; Eph 3:6; Col 3:11)23In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord God.