Ezekiel 47

1 And he brought me back again unto the door of the house: and, behold, water was issuing out from under the threshold of the house eastward; for the front of the house stood toward the east; and the water came down from under [the threshold], from the right side of the house, to the south of the altar.

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.

2 Then did he bring me out by the way of the gate northwards and led me about the way without unto the outer gate by the way that looked eastward: and, behold, the water was running on the right side.

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.

3 When the man went forth eastward, having the measuring-line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, the water reaching to the ankles.

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.

4 Again he measured a thousand [cubits], and led me through the water, the water reaching to the knees. Again he measured a thousand [cubits], and led me through, the water reaching to the loins.

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.

5 And he measured again a thousand [cubits], it being a stream that I could not wade through; for the water was increased, being water fit to swim in, a stream that could not be waded through.

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.

6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this: Then did he lead me, and caused me to return to the bank of the stream.

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

7 Now when I returned, behold, there were at the banks of the stream very many trees, on the one side and on the other.

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

8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the eastern district, and go down into the plain, and fall into the sea, [the waters] being carried forth into the sea, so that the waters shall be healed.

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.

9 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the double-stream shall come, shall live: and the fish shall be [therein] in great abundance; for when this water shall have come thither, [the waters of the sea] shall be healed, and every thing shall live whither the stream cometh.

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.

10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand by it; from 'En-gedi even unto 'En-'eglayim, there shall be places for the spreading out of nets: after their various kinds shall the fish thereof be, like the fish of the great sea, exceedingly many.

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.

11 But its swamps and its lagoons shall not be healed, for [the production of] salt are they destined.

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

12 And by the stream upon its banks, on this side and on that side, shall grow up all kinds of trees for food, the leaves of which shall not fade, and the fruit of which shall not come to an end, every month shall they bring forth new ripe fruit; because its water is that which issueth out of the sanctuary; and their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for remedies.

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.”

13 Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, This shall be the boundary, whereby ye shall divide out the land unto the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.

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.)

14 And ye shall inherit it, every one like the other, [the land] concerning which I lifted up my hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for an inheritance.

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.

15 And this shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the great sea, the road to Chethlon, as far as to Zedad;

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;

16 Chamath, Berothah, Sibrayim, which is between the boundary of Damascus and the boundary of Chamath; Chazar-hattichon, which is by the boundary of Chavran.

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.

17 And the boundary shall be from the sea to Chazar-'enon, the boundary of Damascus, and the northern part on the north, and the boundary of Chamath. And this is the north side.

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.

18 And the east side shall ye measure between Chavran and Damascus [on the one side], and between Gil'ad and the land of Israel [on the other side] by the Jordan, from the [north] boundary unto the east sea. And this is the east side.

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.

19 And the south side; on the south, from Thamar even to the waters of contention at Kadesh, toward the brook [flowing] into the Great Sea. And this is the south side on the south.

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.

20 And the west side shall be the great sea from the [southern] boundary, as far as straight up to Chamath. This is the west side.

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

21 And ye shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.

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

22 And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance among yourselves, and to the strangers that sojourn in the midst of you, who shall have begotten children in the midst of you; and they shall be unto you as the native born among the children of Israel: with you shall they obtain an inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Israel.

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.

23 And it shall come to pass that in whatever tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord Eternal.

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