Ezekiel 47

1 Then the man brought me back [to the starting point, in a vision] to the entrance [threshold, doorway] of the temple, and I saw water [a liquid, a source of refreshment] flowing from under the threshold [sill] of the temple toward the east [the direction of sunrise, the rising of the sun] (for the temple faced [was oriented, had its front] east [toward the rising sun]). The water was coming down [flowing, descending] from under the south [right, southern] side of the temple, south [toward the Negeb, the southern district] of the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God]. word study 2 Next he brought me out [through the way of the gate northward] through the north gate [facing the direction of Zaphon] and led me around [to the outside, beyond the wall] the outside to the outer gate [that looketh eastward, toward the rising sun] facing east, and there I saw [behold, look] the water [a source of refreshment] trickling out [pouring, flowing slowly] from the south side [the right side, the direction of the right hand]. word study 3 As the man [the divine messenger, angelic being] went eastward [toward the rising sun, in the direction of the east wind] with a measuring line [cord, rule] in his hand, he measured off a thousand [large number, multitude] cubits [unit of length, about the length of a forearm] and led me through ankle-deep [water to the ankles, soles of the feet] water [liquid, source of refreshment]. word study 4 Then he measured [stretched or extended] off a thousand [a large number, a company of people] cubits and led me through [caused me to pass over, transitioned me] knee-deep [to the knees, as a sign of humility] water [a liquid, a source of refreshment]. Again he measured [to stretch or extend] a thousand [a multitude] cubits and led me through [brought me through, caused me to cross over] waist-deep [to the loins, the small of the back] water [a spring or watercourse]. word study 5 Once again he measured off a thousand [large number, multitude] cubits, but now it was a river [stream, brook] that I could not cross, because the water [liquid, source of refreshment] had risen [grown, increased] and was deep enough for swimming [a place for swimming]—a river [stream, torrent] that could not be crossed on foot [by walking, without swimming]. word study 6 “Son [descendant, child] of man [the first human, Adam], do you see [have you observed, perceived] this?” he asked [said, spoke]. Then he led [guided, walked with] me back [caused me to return, turned me] to the bank [edge, brink] of the river [brook, stream]. word study 7 When I arrived [returned, turned back], I saw a great [very many, exceedingly] number of trees [strong and firm objects, wooden pillars] along both banks [lips, edges] of the river [brook, stream]. word study 8 And he said to me, “This water [these life-giving streams] flows out to the eastern [toward the rising sun] region and goes down into the Arabah [a desert plain]. When it empties into the Sea, the water [these healing waters] there becomes fresh [is healed, made wholesome]. word study 9 Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms [a great multitude, teeming with life] of living creatures [soul, the essence of life] and a great number [abundance, multitude] of fish, because it flows there [to the desolate places, bringing restoration] and makes the waters [the spiritual environment] fresh [healed, restored to wholeness]; so wherever the river [of God’s presence] flows, everything [all living things, the entire creation] will flourish [live, thrive, be revived]. word study 10 Fishermen [will be standing, taking their positions] will stand by the shore; from En-gedi [fountain of the kid, a town on the western shore] to En-eglaim [fountain of the two calves, a place on the Dead Sea] they will spread their nets [to cast out] to catch fish of many kinds [according to their species, as the fish of the great sea], like the fish of the Great Sea [the Mediterranean, a large body of water]. word study 11 But the swamps [miry places, fen] and marshes [cisterns, pools] will not become fresh [healed, wholesome]; they will be left [given up, set aside] for salt [to make salt, as a salt pit]. word study 12 Along both banks [on this side and on that] of the river [brook, stream], fruit trees [every tree for food, all trees for meat] of all kinds will grow [come up, ascend]. Their leaves [foliage] will not wither [fade, lose strength], and their fruit [produce, yield] will not fail [be consumed, come to an end]. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water [liquid, source of refreshment] from the sanctuary [holy place, temple] flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food [something to eat, nourishment] and their leaves for healing [medicine, remedy].” word study 13 This is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: “These are the boundaries [borders, territorial limits] by which you are to divide the land [the Promised Land] as an inheritance [a gift, a possession] among the twelve tribes [clans, families] of Israel [God’s chosen people]; Joseph [Jehovah has added] shall receive two [a double portion, an extra share] portions [allocations, inheritances]. word study 14 You are to divide it [one as well as another] equally among them. Because I swore [made a solemn promise] with an uplifted hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] to give [to bestow, to grant] it to your forefathers [ancestors, fathers], this land [the earth, the territory] will fall [be given, come into possession] to you as an inheritance [a possession, a heritage, bənachalāh]. word study 15 This [the specified boundary] shall be the boundary [border, limit] of the land [earth, territory]: On the north [Zaphon, northern direction] side it will extend from the Great [large, vast] Sea [Mediterranean, western sea] by way [road, path] of Hethlon [hiding place] through Lebo-hamath [entrance to Hamath] to Zedad [mountain, hill], word study 16 Berothah [a city north of Palestine], and Sibraim [meaning ’two peoples’, a place in Syria] (which is on the border [geographical boundary] between Damascus [the capital city of Syria] and Hamath [an ancient city in Syria]), as far as Hazer-hatticon [meaning ‘middle court’, a place in Palestine near Hermon], which is on the border [boundary line] of Hauran [a region east of the Jordan River]. word study 17 So the border [boundary, territorial limit] will run from the Sea [Mediterranean, western body of water] to Hazar-enan [village of springs, northeastern city], along the northern [Zaphon, direction] border of Damascus [capital city of Syria], with the territory [region, area] of Hamath [ancient city, northern location] to the north [Zaphon, direction]. This will be the northern [Zaphon, direction] boundary [side, edge]. word study 18 On the east [direction of the rising sun] side [corner or border] the border [boundary or limit] will run [extend or stretch] between [in the midst of, from one point to another] Hauran [a region east of the Jordan River] and Damascus [the capital city of Syria], along [adjacent to, beside] the Jordan [the river running from Lebanon to the Dead Sea] between [in the midst of, from one point to another] Gilead [a mountainous region, meaning’rocky region’] and the land [earth or territory, in this case, Israel] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants], to [toward, in the direction of] the Eastern [located in the east, or the east wind] Sea [a large body of water, in this case, the Dead Sea] and as far as [up to, until] Tamar [a town or location]. This [specifically, namely] will be the eastern [located in the east, or from an earlier time] boundary [border or limit]. word study 19 On the south [southern direction, towards the Negeb] side it will run from Tamar [a place of palm trees] to the waters [source of refreshment] of Meribath-kadesh [a place of provocation or strife], and along the Brook [a small river or stream] of Egypt to the Great [large and powerful] Sea [the Mediterranean, a vast body of water]. This will be the southern [southward, towards the Negeb] boundary [the edge or limit of a region]. word study 20 And on the west [Mediterranean] side [corner, edge], the Great [large, expansive] Sea [body of water, ocean] will be the boundary [border, limit] up to a point [location, area] opposite [across from, before] Lebo-hamath [the entrance to Hamath]. This [specifically, exactly] will be the western [seaward, maritime] boundary [border, edge]. word study 21 You are to divide [allocate, distribute] this land [territory, region] among yourselves [to you, for your possession] according to [in accordance with, following] the tribes [clans, families] of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob]. word study 22 You shall allot [divide by lot, distribute] it as an inheritance [a permanent possession, a heritage] for yourselves and for the foreigners [sojourners, non-Israelites] who dwell [reside, live] among you and who have children [beget sons, produce offspring]. You are to treat them as native-born [born in the country, indigenous] Israelites [descendants of Jacob]; along with you, they shall be allotted [receive, inherit] an inheritance [a portion, a share] among the tribes [clans, families] of Israel [God’s chosen people]. word study 23 In whatever tribe [clan or family group] a foreigner [sojourner or temporary resident] dwells, you are to assign [give or allot] his inheritance [permanent possession or heritage] there [in that specific location],” declares the Lord [Adonay, Master] GOD [Yehovah]. word study