Ezekiel 47:13-23

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. ^[a]

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 ^[b] (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. ^[c] 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 ^[d] 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 47:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Since Levi had no portion, Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh received land as two tribes.
• [b]. LXX; MT 15...through Lebo to Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah, and Sibraim
• [c]. 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.
• [d]. Hebrew does not include of Egypt.