Ezekiel 47 - International Standard Version (ISV)

The Vision of the Temple River

47 After this, he brought me back to the doorway to the Temple. To my amazement, there was water flowing out toward the east from beneath the threshold of the Temple! (The Temple faced eastward.) The water flowed down from beneath the right side of the Temple,[a] that is, from the south-facing side where the altar was located. 2 Then he brought me out through the north gateway and around to the one outside that faces toward the east. To my amazement, water was trickling out from that part of[b] the south side, too!

3 As the man went out toward the east, he carried a measuring line in his hand. He measured out 1,000 cubits[c] as he led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 Then he measured out another 1,000 cubits,[d] where he led me through water that was knee-deep. And then he measured out another 1,000 cubits,[e] where the water was waist-deep. 5 When he had measured out another 1,000 cubits,[f] the water had become deep enough that I wasn’t able to ford it. Instead, I would have had to swim through it.

6 Then, as he was bringing me back along the river bank, he asked me, “Son of Man, did you see all of this?” 7 As we were coming back, I was amazed to see that there were many, many trees lining both banks of the river. 8 He told me, “This river flows toward the eastern territories all the way down into the Arabah,[g] and from there its water flows toward the Dead[h] Sea, where the sea water turns fresh. 9 It will support all kinds of living creatures that will thrive abundantly wherever the river flows. There will be a great many fish, because this water will flow there and turn the salt water fresh. As a result, everything will live wherever the river flows. 10 A day will come when fishermen will line its banks—from En-gedi to En-eglaim[i] there will be plenty of room to spread out nets. There will be all sorts of species of fish, as abundant as the fish that live in the Mediterranean[j] Sea. There will be lots of them!

11 “The river delta[k] will consist of swamps and marshes that will remain a salt water wetland preserve. 12 Lining each side of the river banks, all sorts of species of fruit trees will be growing. Their leaves will never wither and their fruit will never fail. They will bear fruit every month, because the water that nourishes them will be flowing from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves will contain substances that promote healing.”

Israel’s Future Borders Delineated

13 This is what the Lord God says: “This is to be the territorial border by which you apportion the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel, with Joseph double-portioned. 14 Apportion it for their inheritances, distributing everything equally as if you were distributing things to your own[l] brother, which is how I promised to give it to your ancestors. This way, the land will fall to you as an inheritance.

15 “This is to be the[m] border for the land: on the north side, from the Mediterranean[n] Sea by the Hethlon Road to the entrance of Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which lies between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), and Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 The border is to proceed from the Mediterranean[o] Sea to Hazer-enan (a border of Damascus), and on the north facing north is to be the border of Hamath. This is to be the north side.

18 “The eastern extremity is to proceed from between Hauran and[p] Damascus, then between Gilead, and then through the land of Israel—the Jordan River.[q] You are to measure from the northern border to the Dead[r] Sea. This is to be the eastern perimeter.

19 “You are to determine the southern extremity running from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, then from there proceeding to the Wadi,[s] and then to the Mediterranean[t] Sea. This is to be the southern[u] perimeter.

20 “The western[v] perimeter is to be the Mediterranean[w] Sea, from the southernmost border to a location opposite the entrance to Hamath. This is to be the western[x] perimeter.

21 “You are to apportion this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel, 22 dividing it by lottery among yourselves and among the foreigners who live among you and bear children among you. You are to treat them like native-born Israelis. Among you they,[y] too, are to be allotted an inheritance with the tribes of Israel. 23 Furthermore, you are to provide the foreigner’s inheritance there in the tribe within which he remains,” declares the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 47:1 I.e. the right side as one inside the temple faced toward the east.
  2. Ezekiel 47:2 The Heb. lacks that part of
  3. Ezekiel 47:3 I.e. about 1,750 feet; a royal cubit was about 21 inches
  4. Ezekiel 47:4 The Heb. lacks cubits
  5. Ezekiel 47:4 The Heb. lacks cubits
  6. Ezekiel 47:5 The Heb. lacks cubits
  7. Ezekiel 47:8 I.e. Israel’s southern desert areas including from the Sea of Galilee to the Red Sea through the Dead Sea
  8. Ezekiel 47:8 The Heb. lacks Dead
  9. Ezekiel 47:10 I.e. a city probably located on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, not far from En-gedi, perhaps modern ‘Ain Feshka
  10. Ezekiel 47:10 Lit. Great
  11. Ezekiel 47:11 The Heb. lacks delta
  12. Ezekiel 47:14 The Heb. lacks own
  13. Ezekiel 47:15 The Heb. lacks is to be the
  14. Ezekiel 47:15 Lit. Great
  15. Ezekiel 47:17 The Heb. lacks Mediterranean
  16. Ezekiel 47:18 Lit. Hauran and then between
  17. Ezekiel 47:18 The Heb. lacks River
  18. Ezekiel 47:18 Lit. Eastern
  19. Ezekiel 47:19 I.e. the Wadi of Egypt, a seasonal stream or river that channels water during rain seasons but is dry at other times; ancient Israel’s southwestern-most border
  20. Ezekiel 47:19 Lit. Great
  21. Ezekiel 47:19 Or Negev
  22. Ezekiel 47:20 Lit. sea; i.e. the border running along the Mediterranean Sea
  23. Ezekiel 47:20 Lit. Great
  24. Ezekiel 47:20 Lit. sea; i.e. the border running along the Mediterranean Sea
  25. Ezekiel 47:22 Or Israelis among you. They

You Might Also Like:

Ezekiel 47 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

47 And he causeth me to turn back unto the opening of the house; and lo, water is coming forth from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the front of the house [is] eastward, and the water is coming down from beneath, from the right side of the house, from the south of the altar. 2 And he ...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

47 And he turned me (again) to the gate of the house (of the Lord); and lo! waters went out (from) under the threshold of the house to the east; for the face of the house (of the Lord) beheld to the east; forsooth the waters came down into the right side of the temple, to the south part of the altar...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - World English Bible (WEB)

47 He brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, waters flowed out from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the front of the house faced toward the east. The waters came down from underneath, from the right side of the house, on the south of the altar. 2 Then he brought me out...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - The Voice (VOICE)

47 The man whose appearance was like bronze led me back to the temple’s entryway. There I observed a stream of water bubbling up from beneath the temple threshold, flowing eastward in the same direction the temple faced. The water was running parallel to the temple’s wall south of the altar. This fl...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

River of Life47 Then he brought me back to the door of the House. Behold, water was flowing out from under the threshold of the House eastward—for the front of the House faced east. The water was flowing down from under the right side of the House, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of ...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Water Flowing from the Temple47 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the al...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Water Flowing from the Temple47 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the al...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Water Flowing from the Temple47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple towards the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the al...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Water Flowing from the Temple47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there water was flowing from below the entryway of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east), and the water was flowing down from below the south side of the temple, south of the altar.(A)2 Then he br...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The River of Healing47 In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side. 2 The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - New Life Version (NLV)

The River Coming from the House of God47 Then he brought me back to the door of the house. And I saw water flowing from under the doorway toward the east, for the house looked toward the east. The water was flowing from under the right side of the house, from south of the altar. 2 He brought me out...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Healing Waters and Trees47 Then he brought me back to the door of the [a]temple; and there was (A)water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 H...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The river from the temple47 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple towards the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He then brought...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - New International Version (NIV)

The River From the Temple47 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water(A) coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.(B) 2 He then bro...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

A River Will Flow From the Temple47 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple. I saw water flowing east from under a temple gateway. The temple faced east. The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple. It was flowing south of the altar. 2 Then he brought me out thro...
Read More

Ezekiel 47 - New English Translation (NET)

Water from the Temple47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple. I noticed[a] that water was flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from under the right side of the temple, from south of the altar. 2 He le...
Read More