Ezekiel 47

1 Then he brought me back unto the entrance of the house, and lo! waters coming forth from under the threshold of the house eastward, because the front of the house, was to the east, —and the waters, were coming down from beneath, from the right side of the house, on 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 he brought me out by way of the north gate, and took me round by an outer way, unto an outer gate that which looketh eastward—and lo! waters trickling forth out of 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 with a measuring line in his hand, then measured he a thousand, by the cubit, and caused me to pass through the waters—waters 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 Then measured he a thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters—waters reaching to the knees, —and again measured he a thousand, and caused me to pass through-waters 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 Then measured he a thousand—a river which I could not pass through—for the waters had risen-waters to swim in, a river, that could not be forded.

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 Then said he unto me Hast thou seen son of man? Then he took me along and caused me to return to the bank of the river.

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

7 When I returned, then lo! by the bank of the river, trees very many, —on this side and on that side.

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

8 And he said unto me, These waters, are going forth unto the region toward the east and shall go down unto the waste plain, and shall enter the sea, unto the sea being led forth, then shall the waters 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 living soul that swarmeth whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live, and the fish shall become a very great multitude; for these waters have come thither, that they may be healed so shall everything live whithersoever the river 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 there shall stand by it fishers, from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim, places for spreading out nets, shall they be, —after their kind, shall be their fish, like the fish of the great sea exceeding 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 the swamps thereof and the pools thereof, shall not be healed to salt, have they been given up.

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

12 And, by the river, shall grow up on the bank thereof on this side and on that side every tree for food the leaf whereof, shall not fade, neither shall fail the fruit thereof, by its months, shall it break forth, for, as for the waters thereof, out of the sanctuary, are they coming forth, —and the fruit thereof shall be, for food, and, the leaf thereof, for healing.

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 saith My Lord Yahweh, This shall be the boundary whereby ye shall take your inheritances in the land, according to the twelve tribes of Israel, —Joseph shall have 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 so shall ye inherit it each man like his brother, as to which I lifted my hand to give it to your fathers, —so shall this land fall to you as 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 This then shall be the boundary of the land, —on the north side, from the great sea by the way of Hethlon to the entering, in of 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 Hamath Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the boundary of Damascus and the boundary of Hamath, —Hazer-hatticon, which is by the boundary of Hauran.

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 Thus shall there be a boundary, from the sea Hazar-enin the boundary of Damascus, even the north northward and the boundary of Hamath, —even 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 for the east side, from between Hauran and Damascus and from between Gilead and the land of Israel the Jordan, from the boundary by the sea eastward, shall ye measure—even 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 for the south side southward, from Tamar as far as the waters of Meriboth-kadesh, towards the torrent bed unto the great sea, —even the south side southward.

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 for the west side, the great sea, from the boundary as far as over against the entering in of Hamath— 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 So then ye shall apportion this land to you by 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 as an inheritance, to yourselves and to the sojourners who are sojourning in your midst, who have begotten children in your midst, —so shall they be to you as a native among the sons of Israel with you, shall they cast lots for 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 be that with whatsoever tribe the sojourner hath become a sojourner, there shall ye give his inheritance, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.

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