The stream flowing from the temple

1The man took me back to the temple, where I saw a stream flowing from under the entrance. It began in the south part of the temple, where it ran past the altar and continued east through the courtyard.47.1: Zec 14.8; Jn 7.38; Rev 22.1.

2We walked out of the temple area through the north gate and went around to the east gate. I saw the small stream of water flowing east from the south side of the gate.

3The man walked east, then took out his measuring stick and measured five hundred metres downstream. He told me to wade through the stream there, and the water came up to my ankles. 4Then he measured another five hundred metres downstream, and told me to wade through it there. The water came up to my knees. Another five hundred metres downstream the water came up to my waist. 5Another five hundred metres downstream, the stream had become a river that could be crossed only by swimming. 6The man said, “Ezekiel, son of man, pay attention to what you've seen.”

We walked to the river bank, 7where I saw dozens of trees on each side. 8The man said:

This water flows eastwards to the valley of the River Jordan and empties into the Dead Sea, where it turns the salt water into fresh water. 9Wherever this water flows, there will be all kinds of animals and fish, because it will bring life and fresh water to the Dead Sea. 10From En-Gedi to Eneglaim, people will fish in the sea and dry their nets along the coast. There will be as many kinds of fish in the Dead Sea as there are in the Mediterranean Sea. 11But the marshes along the shore will remain salty, so that people can use the salt from them.

12Fruit trees will grow all along this river and produce fresh fruit every month. The leaves will never dry out, because they will always have water from the stream that flows from the temple, and they will be used for healing people.47.12: Rev 22.2.

The borders of the restored land and its division among the tribes

The borders of the land

13-14The LORD God said to the people of Israel:

When the land is divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, the Joseph tribe47.13,14 the Joseph tribe: That is, the two tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph's sons. will receive two shares. Divide the land equally, because I promised your ancestors that this land would some day belong to their descendants. These are the borders of the land:

15The northern border will begin at the Mediterranean Sea, then continue eastward to Hethlon, to Lebo-Hamath, then across to Zedad, 16Berothah,47.15,16 to Lebo-Hamath, then across to Zedad, 16 Berothah: One ancient translation; Hebrew “to Lebo-Zedad, 16 then across to Hamath, Berothah”. and Sibraim, which is on the border between the two kingdoms of Damascus and Hamath. The border will end at Hazer-Hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17So the northern border will run between the Mediterranean Sea and Hazar-Enon, which is on the border between Damascus and Hamath.47.17 which is on the border between Damascus and Hamath: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

18The eastern border will begin on the border between the two kingdoms of Hauran and Damascus. It will run south along the River Jordan, which separates the territories of Gilead and Israel, and it will end at the Dead Sea near the town of Tamar.47.18 near the town of Tamar: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

19The southern border will begin at Tamar, then run south-west to the springs near Meribath-Kadesh. It will continue along the Egyptian Gorge and will end at the Mediterranean Sea.

20The western border will run north along the Mediterranean Sea to a point just west of Lebo-Hamath.

21That is the land to be divided among the tribes of Israel. 22It will belong to the Israelites and to any foreigners living among them whose children were born in Israel. These foreigners must be treated like any other Israelite citizen, and they will receive 23a share of the land given to the tribe where they live. I, the LORD God, have spoken.