Ezekiel 47:16

16 Berothah, and Sibraim, which lies between the territory of Damascus and the territory of Hamath, and on to Hazor-hatticon on the border of Hauran.

Ezekiel 47:16 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 47:16

Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim
The line of the northern border should be drawn on by Hamath, the same with Antiochia in Syria, since called Epiphania, as Jerom observes, from Antiochus Epiphanies; and go on by Berothah, a city of Hadadezer king of Zobah, ( 2 Samuel 8:8 ) , the same with the Barothena of Ptolemy F17, placed by him in Syria; and from thence the line would be carried on to Sibraim, a city in Arabia Deserta: which is between the border of Damascus;
the chief city in Syria: and the border of Hamath; before mentioned. Calmet F18 imagines it to be that which Ishmael Abulfeda calls Hovvarin; which he says is a village of the country of Ems or Hamath, to the southeast of the city. Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran;
this seems to be explanative of Sibraim, which lay between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; and therefore is called the middle town or village, as "Hazarhatticon" signifies; and lay by the coast of Hauran, which Jerom calls a town of Damascus, with which it is mentioned, ( Ezekiel 47:18 ) , from whence the country adjacent is called Auranitis, as this place is here by the Septuagint. The Targum calls Hazar the fish pool of the Agbeans; but for what reason, and what is meant by it, I know not.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 Geograph. l. 5. c. 19.
F18 Dictionary, in the word "Sibraim".

Ezekiel 47:16 In-Context

14 It is to be divided up equally. I swore in a solemn oath to give it to your ancestors, swore that this land would be your inheritance.
15 "These are the boundaries of the land:
16 Berothah, and Sibraim, which lies between the territory of Damascus and the territory of Hamath, and on to Hazor-hatticon on the border of Hauran.
17 The boundary runs from the Sea to Hazor-enon, with the territories of Damascus and Hamath to the north. That is the northern boundary.
18 "The eastern boundary runs between Damascus and Hauran, down along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel to the Eastern Sea as far as Tamar. This is the eastern boundary.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.