Ezekiel47
New King James Version
1Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.
2He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.
3And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles.
4Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist.
5Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
6He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.
7When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other.
8Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed.
9And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.
10It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many.
11But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt.
12Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
13Thus says the Lord God: “These are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions.
14You shall inherit it equally with one another; for I raised My hand in an oath to give it to your fathers, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance.
15“This shall be the border of the land on the north: from the Great Sea, by the road to Hethlon, as one goes to Zedad,
16Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazar Hatticon (which is on the border of Hauran).
17Thus the boundary shall be from the Sea to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus; and as for the north, northward, it is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.
18“On the east side you shall mark out the border from between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, along the Jordan, and along the eastern side of the sea. This is the east side.
19“The south side, toward the South, shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea. This is the south side, toward the South.
20“The west side shall be the Great Sea, from the southern boundary until one comes to a point opposite Hamath. This is the west side.
21“Thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.
22It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.
23And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord God.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 47.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The Vision of the Temple. (1-23).
vv1-23
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, Rom. 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.
Key Words
שׁוּב: to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
פֶּתַח: an opening (literally), i.e. door (gate) or entrance way
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
הִנֵּה: lo!
מַיִם: water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
יָצָא: to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
תַּחַת: the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.
מִפְתָּן: a stretcher, i.e. a sill
קָדִים: the fore or front part; hence (by orientation) the East (often adverbially, eastward, for brevity the east wind)
Cross References
Ezekiel 47John's vision of the water of life proceeding out of the throne parallels Ezekiel's temple waters.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Describes the tree of life yielding fruit monthly with leaves for the healing of the nations.
Supported by JFB
Prophesies living waters flowing out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea, half westward.
Supported by JFB
A fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord to water the valley.
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There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God.
Supported by JFB
Jesus speaks of rivers of living water flowing from within those who believe, signifying the Spirit.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, parallel to waters healing the desert.
Supported by JFB
The gospel net cast into the sea gathering fish of every kind, matching Ezekiel's fishers.
Supported by JFB
Strangers who were far off are brought near to inherit spiritual privileges with Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Jesus calls His apostles to be 'fishers of men,' fulfilling the spiritual gathering motif.
Supported by JFB
Saltness and burning represents land given over to permanent barrenness, explaining the unhealed marshes.
Supported by JFB
Turning a fruitful land into barrenness (literally 'saltness') for the wickedness of those who dwell there.
Supported by JFB
The righteous are like trees planted by rivers of water whose leaf does not wither.
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Believers are called 'trees of righteousness' planted to display God's glory.
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Echoes Eden's trees that were pleasant to the sight and good for food.
Supported by JFB
A fountain opened to the house of David for sin and uncleanness.
Supported by JFB
The earth filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the Arabah ('plain') and the Salt Sea, which Ezekiel's waters flow into.
Supported by JFB