Ezekiel 47

Water from the Temple

1Then he brought me back to the 1door of the house; and behold, 2water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. 2And he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around 3on the outside to the outer gate, by the way facing east. And behold, water was spurting out from the south side.

3When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand 4cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. 4Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the 5hips. 5Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not 6wade across, because the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a 7river that could not be crossed by wading. 6And he said to me, “Son of man, have you 8seen this?” Then he brought me 9back to the bank of the river. 7Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many 10trees on the one side and on the other. 8Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the 11Arabah; then they go toward the 12sea, being made to flow into the 13sea, and the waters of the sea become 14fresh. 9And it will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the 15river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others 16become fresh; so 17everything will live where the river goes. 10And it will come about that 18fishermen will stand beside it; from 19Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the 20spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the 21Great Sea, 22very many. 11But its swamps and marshes will not become 23fresh; they will be 24left for 25salt. 12And 26by the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of 27trees for food. Their 28leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their 29leaves for healing.”

Boundaries and Division of the Land

13This is what the Lord 30God says: “This shall be the 31boundary by which you shall divide the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall have two 32portions. 14And you shall divide it for an inheritance, each one 33equally with the other; for I 3435swore to give it to your forefathers, and this land shall fall to you 36as an inheritance.

15“And this shall be the boundary of the land: on the 37north side, from the Great Sea by the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of 3839Zedad; 164041Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of 42Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazer-hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran. 17The boundary shall 43extend from the sea to 44Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, and on the north toward the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

18“The 45east side, from between Hauran, Damascus, 46Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the 47Jordan; from the north border to the eastern sea you shall measure. This is the east side.

19“The 48south side toward the south shall extend from 49Tamar as far as the waters of 50Meribath-kadesh, to the 51brook of Egypt and to the 52Great Sea. This is the south side toward the south.

20“And the 53west side shall be the Great Sea, from the south border to a point opposite 5455Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.

21“So you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22You shall divide it by 56lot for an inheritance among yourselves and among the 57strangers who stay in your midst, who bring forth sons in your midst. And they shall be to you as the native-born among the sons of Israel; they shall be allotted an 58inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23And in the tribe with which the stranger resides, there you shall give him his inheritance,” declares the Lord God.