Ezekiel 47

1 The man took me back to the Temple entrance. I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the Temple and flowing east (because the Temple faced east). The water was coming from under the south side of the Temple and ran south of the altar.

And he brought me to the entrance of the house; and, behold, water issued from under the porch eastward, for the front of the house looked eastward; and the water came down from the right side, from the south to the altar.

2 Then he took me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate that faced east. I saw water was trickling out from the south side of the gate.

And he brought me out by the way of the northern gate, and he led me round by the way outside to the gate of the court that looks eastward; and, behold, water came down from the right side,

3 The man walked east holding a measuring line He measured a thousand cubits and led me through the water which came up to my ankles.

in [the direction] in which a man went forth opposite; and [there was] a measuring line in his hand, and he measured a thousand [cubits] with the measure;

4 He measured another thousand cubits and led me through water which came up to my knees. He measured another thousand cubits and led me through water that came up to my waist.

and he passed through the water; [it was] water of a fountain: and [again] he measured a thousand, and passed through the water; and the water was up to the thighs: and [again] he measured a thousand; and he passed through water up to the loins.

5 He measured another thousand cubits, but this was a river I couldn't cross. The water had risen so high you could swim in it. It was a river that couldn't be crossed on foot.

and [again] he measured a thousand; and he could not pass through: for [the water] rose as of a torrent which [men] cannot pass over.

6 “Son of man, have you observed all this?” he asked. Then he took me back to the riverbank.

And he said to me, Hast thou seen [this], son of man? Then he brought me, and led me back to the brink of the river

7 When I got there, I saw a large number of trees on both sides of the river.

as I returned; and, behold, on the brink of the river [there were] very many trees on this side and on that side.

8 He told me, “This water flows out into the land to the east and into the Arabah. When it arrives at the Dead Sea, it turns the saltwater fresh.

And he said to me, This is the water that goes forth to Galilee that lies eastward, and it is gone down to Arabia, and has reached as far as to the sea to the outlet of the water: and it shall heal the waters.

9 There will be many animals and fish wherever the river flows. Because the river turns the saltwater fresh wherever it flows, everything will be able to live there.

And it shall come to pass, [that] every animal of living [and] moving creatures, all on which the river shall come, shall live: and there shall be there very many fish; for this water shall go thither, and it shall heal [them], and they shall live: everything on which the river shall come shall live.

10 Fishermen will stand on the shore of the Dead Sea. They will be able to spread their nets from En-gedi to En-eglaim and catch many kinds of fish. There will be plenty of fish just like the Mediterranean Sea.

And fishers shall stand there from Ingadin to Enagallim; it shall be a place to spread out nets upon; it shall be distinct; and the fishes thereof [shall be] as the fishes of the great sea, a very great multitude.

11 However, the marshes and swampy areas won't become fresh; they will remain salty.

But at the outlet of the water, and the turn of it, and where it overflows [its banks], they shall not heal at all; they are given to salt.

12 All types of fruit trees will grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves won't wither, and they won't fail to produce fruit. They will produce fruit every month, because the river flowing from the sanctuary comes to water them. Their fruit will be eaten as food and their leaves will be used for healing.”

And every fruit tree shall grow by the river, [even] on the bank of it on this side and on that side: they shall not decay upon it, neither shall their fruit fail: they shall bring forth the first-fruit of their early crop, for these their waters come forth of the sanctuary: and their fruit shall be for meat, and their foliage for health.

13 This is what the Lord God says: “These are the boundaries you are to use when allocating ownership of the land to the twelve tribes of Israel (Joseph is to receive two allocations.)

Thus saith the Lord God; Ye shall inherit these borders of the land; [they are] given by lot to the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

14 You are to allocate the land to them equally. I held up my hand and made a solemn promise to give it to your forefathers, so this land will come to you to own and to pass on as an inheritance.

And ye shall inherit it, each according to his brother's portion, [even the land] concerning which I lifted up my hand to give [it] to your fathers: and this land shall fall to you by lot.

15 These shall be the country's boundaries: On the northern side it runs from the Mediterranean Sea along the Hethlon road and through Lebo-hamath to Zedad;

And these are the borders of the land that lies northward, from the great sea that comes down, and divides the entrance of Emaseldam;

16 then on to Berothah, and Sibraim on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and all the way to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran.

Maabthera, Ebrameliam, between the coasts of Damascus and the coasts of Emathi, the habitation of Saunan, which [places] are above the coasts of Auranitis.

17 So the border is from the Mediterranean Sea to Hazar-enan, along the northern border with Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This is the northern boundary.

These are the borders from the sea, from the habitations of Aenan, the coasts of Damascus, and the northern [coasts].

18 The eastern boundary runs from Hauran and Damascus, down along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the Dead Sea and on to Tamar. This is the eastern boundary.

And the eastern coasts between Loranitis, and Damascus, and the land of Galaad, and the land of Israel, the Jordan divides to the sea that is east of the city of palm-trees. These are the eastern [coasts].

19 The southern boundary runs from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, then along the Wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the southern boundary.

And the southern and south-western [coasts are] from Thaeman and the city of palm-trees, to the water of Marimoth Cadem, reaching forth to the great sea. This part is the south and south-west.

20 The Mediterranean Sea is the western boundary all the way up to a location opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the western boundary.

This part of the great sea forms a border, till [one comes] opposite the entrance of Emath, [even] as far as the entrance thereof. These are the parts west of Emath.

21 You are to allocate this land for you to own according to the tribes of Israel.

So ye shall divide this land to them, [even] to the tribes of Israel.

22 You are to allocate land to own and to pass on as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the foreigners who live among you who have children. You shall treat them in the same way as Israelites born in the country. They are to be given a land allocation to own among the Israelite tribes in the same way as you.

Ye shall cast the lot upon it, for yourselves and the strangers that sojourn in the midst of you, who have begotten children in the midst of you: and they shall be to you as natives among the children of Israel; they shall eat with you in [their] inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Israel.

23 Foreigners are to be allocated land to own among the tribe where they live, declares the Lord God.”

And they shall be in the tribe of proselytes among the proselytes that are with them: there shall ye give them an inheritance, saith the Lord God.