Ezekiel 47

1 Then, [in the vision], the man brought me back to the entrance of the temple. There I saw water flowing out from under the entrance, flowing toward the east. The water was flowing from under the south side of the entrance, 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 the man brought me out of the inner courtyard through the north entryway, and then he led me around to the outer entryway on the east side [of the inner courtyard].

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 As the man continued walking toward the east, he had a measuring line in his hand. He measured off (1,750 feet/530 meters), and then led me through water that covered 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 Then he measured off another (1,750 feet/530 meters) and led me through water that was up to my knees. Then he measured off another (1,750 feet/530 meters) and led me through water that was 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 Then he measured off another (1,750 feet/530 meters) and led me through water that had become a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen [very high, with the result that] it would be necessary to swim across it. It was a river that no one could cross [by walking across it].

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

6 Then he said to me, “You human, think carefully about what you have seen.”

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

7 Then he led me to the bank of that river. There I saw many trees growing on each side 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 said to me, “This water flows east and down into the [Dead] Sea. And when it flows into the [Dead] Sea, its salty water becomes 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 Wherever the river flows, there will be lots of animals and fish. And there will be lots of fish in the [Dead] Sea, because the water that flows into it will cause the salt water to become (fresh water/water that people can drink). Wherever the river flows, everything [alongside it] will flourish.

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 there, and it shall heal [them], and they shall live: everything on which the river shall come shall live.

10 Fishermen will stand along the bank [of the Dead Sea to catch fish]. From En-Gedi [on the western side] to En-Eglaim [on the eastern side] there will be places [for fishermen] to spread their fishing nets. There will be many kinds of fish, like there are in 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 But the swamps and marshes [along the shore] will not become fresh; they will be left to the people to use make salt.

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 Many kinds of fruit trees will grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves will not wither, and they will always have fruit. They will bear fruit every month, because [they will continually get water from] the water [that comes] from the temple. Their fruit will be good to eat and their leaves will be [good] 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 [In the vision], Yahweh [also] said this to me: “Here is a list of the twelve tribes of Israel and the territory that each tribe must receive. [The descendants of] Joseph will receive two portions; [the tribe of Levi will not receive any].

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

14 I lifted up my arm and solemnly declared to your ancestors that I would give you this land to own permanently. [So divide the land equally among all of the other tribes].

And you 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 will be the boundaries of the land: On the north side, [it will extend] from the Mediterranean Sea east along the road to Hethlon, past 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 to [the cities of] Berothah and Sibraim, which are on the border between Damascus and Hamath. [From there the boundary will extend] as far [the city of] Hazer-Hatticon, which is on the border of the Hauran [region].

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 boundary will extend from the [Mediterranean] Sea to [the city of] Hazar-Enan on the border between Hamath to the north and Damascus [to the south]. That will be the northern boundary.

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

18 On the east side, the boundary [will extend] between Hauran and Damascus, [south] along the Jordan [River] between the Gilead [region] and the land of Israel, along the Dead Sea as far as [the town of] Tamar. That will be 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 On the south side, the boundary will extend from Tamar [southwest] to the springs near [the town of] Meribah-Kadesh. Then [the boundary will extend west] along the dry riverbed [at the border] of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. That will be 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 southwest.

20 On the west side, the boundary will be the Mediterranean Sea, north to near Lebo-Hamath.

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 must distribute this land among yourselves, among the tribes of Israel.

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

22 You must allot the land to be a permanent possession for yourselves, and [also] to be a permanent possession of any foreigners who are living among you and raising their children. You must consider those people to be like you who were born Israelis, and they must be allotted land among the tribes of Israel.

You 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 Wherever foreigners are living, you must give them some land to belong to them permanently. [That is what I], Yahweh the Lord, declare.”

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