Ezekiel 47

Waters from under the Temple

1 Then the man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.

2 Next he brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and there I saw the water trickling out from the south side.

3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits ^[a] and led me through ankle-deep water.

4 Then he measured off a thousand cubits and led me through knee-deep water. Again he measured a thousand cubits and led me through waist-deep water.

5 Once again he measured off a thousand cubits, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough for swimming—a river that could not be crossed on foot.

6 “Son of man, do you see this?” he asked. Then he led me back to the bank of the river.

7 When I arrived, I saw a great number of trees along both banks of the river.

8 And he said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah. When it empties into the Dead Sea, ^[b] the water there becomes fresh. ^[c]

9 Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures and a great number of fish, because it flows there and makes the waters fresh; so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish.

10 Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. ^[d]

11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.

12 Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”

The Borders of the Land

13 This is what the Lord GOD says: “These are the boundaries by which you are to divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall receive two portions. ^[e]

14 You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with an uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will fall to you as an inheritance.

15 This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side it will extend from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon through Lebo-hamath to Zedad,

16 Berothah, and Sibraim ^[f] (which is on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran.

17 So the border will run from the Sea to Hazar-enan, along the northern border of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern boundary.

18 On the east side the border will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the Eastern Sea and as far as Tamar. ^[g] This will be the eastern boundary.

19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, and along the Brook of Egypt ^[h] to the Great Sea. This will be the southern boundary.

20 And on the west side, the Great Sea will be the boundary up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western boundary.

21 You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.

22 You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners who dwell among you and who have children. You are to treat them as native-born Israelites; along with you, they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

23 In whatever tribe a foreigner dwells, you are to assign his inheritance there,” declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 47 Commentary

Chapter 47

- These waters signify the gospel of Christ, which went forth from Jerusalem, and spread into the countries about; also the gifts and powers of the Holy Ghost which accompanied it, by virtue of which is spread far, and produced blessed effects. Christ is the Temple; and he is the Door; from him the living waters flow, out of his pierced side. They are increasing waters. Observe the progress of the gospel in the world, and the process of the work of grace in the heart; attend the motions of the blessed Spirit under Divine guidance. If we search into the things of God, we find some things plain and easy to be understood, as the waters that were but to the ankles; others more difficult, which require a deeper search, as the waters to the knees, or the loins; and some quite beyond our reach, which we cannot penetrate; but must, as St. Paul did, adore the depth, ( Romans 11 ) . It is wisdom to begin with that which is most easy, before we proceed to that which is dark and hard to be understood. The promises of the sacred word, and the privileges of believers, as shed abroad in their souls by the quickening Spirit, abound where the gospel is preached; they nourish and delight the souls of men; they never fade nor wither, nor are exhausted. Even the leaves serve as medicines to the soul: the warnings and reproofs of the word, though less pleasant than Divine consolations, tend to heal the diseases of the soul. All who believe in Christ, and are united to him by his sanctifying Spirit, will share the privileges of Israelites. There is room in the church, and in heaven, for all who seek the blessings of that new covenant of which Christ is Mediator.

Footnotes

• [a]. 1,000 (long) cubits is approximately 1,750 feet or 533.4 meters.
• [b]. That is, the Dead Sea
• [c]. Hebrew is healed; similarly in verses 9 and 11
• [d]. That is, the Mediterranean Sea; also in verses 15, 19, and 20
• [e]. Since Levi had no portion, Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh received land as two tribes.
• [f]. LXX; MT 15...through Lebo to Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah, and Sibraim
• [g]. See Syriac; that is, of Israel, to the Dead Sea and as far as Tamar; Hebrew of Israel. And along the Eastern Sea you are to measure.
• [h]. Hebrew does not include of Egypt.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 47

This chapter gives an account of the vision of the holy waters, and of the borders of the holy land, and the division of it to Israelites and strangers. The waters are described by the original and spring of them, Eze 47:1,2, by the progress and increase of them, Eze 47:3-5, by the healing and quickening nature of them, and the places where they were so, and were not, Eze 47:8-11, and by the trees which grew upon the banks of them, Eze 47:6,7,12. The borders of the holy land are fixed, Eze 47:13,14, the northern border, Eze 47:15-17, the eastern border, Eze 47:18, the southern, Eze 47:19, and the western, Eze 47:20, which is to be divided by lot to the tribes of Israel, and the strangers that sojourn among them, Eze 47:21-23.