Chapter 47[a]
The Temple Stream. 1 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I beheld water flowing out eastward from under the threshold of the temple, for the temple faced east. The water was flowing down from the southern end of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He took me out through the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces the east, where I saw that the water was trickling forth from the south side.
3 The man walked off to the east with a measuring line in his hand, and he measured off a thousand cubits. Then he led me through the water, which was ankle-deep. 4 Again, he measured off a thousand cubits and made me wade across the stream again. This time the water reached my knees. Again, he measured off a thousand cubits and made me wade across the stream again. This time the water reached my waist.
5 Once again, he measured off a thousand cubits, but now I beheld a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen, and it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed except by swimming. 6 He asked me, “Have you seen this, son of man?” Then he brought me back to the bank of the river.
7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, “This water flows east and goes down into the Arabah and empties into the sea, whose salt waters it makes fresh.
9 “Wherever the river flows, swarms of living creatures will live there and multiply. There will be an abundance of fish, for this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh. 10 Also, fishermen will gather along its banks from En-gedi to Englaim, spreading their nets. All kinds of fish will be found there, like the fish of the Great Sea.
11 “However, its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Along the river, on both banks, fruit trees of every kind will grow, with leaves that never wither and with fruit that never fails. They will bear fresh fruit every month, because they will be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit will serve as food, and their leaves will serve for healing.”
The New Israel
13 Boundaries of the Land. Thus says the Lord God: These are the boundaries by which you are to divide the land as an inheritance for the twelve tribes of Israel, with two portions allotted to Joseph. 14 You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore to your fathers that I would give it to your forefathers, this land will be given to you as your inheritance.
15 These will be the boundaries of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by the road from Hethlon, past Lebo-hamath, and on to Zedad, 16 Berothah, and Sibraim, between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath, as far as Hazar-enon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 Thus, the border will extend from the sea to Hazar-enon, with the frontier of Hamath and Damascus to the north. This was the northern boundary.
18 On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar. This is the eastern boundary.
19 On the south side, from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, and from there along the Wadi of Egypt to the Great Sea. This is the southern boundary.
20 On the west side is the Great Sea, which forms the boundary as far as a point parallel to and opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the western boundary.
21 The Northern Allotment. You are to distribute this land yourselves among the tribes of Israel 22 and allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who reside in your midst and have begotten children among you. You are to treat them as children of Israel. With you, they shall be allotted as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.[b] 23 In whatever tribe an alien settles, there you shall assign him his inheritance. This is the word of the Lord God.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 47:1 In the new land of the new people water will gush forth more abundantly than it did from the rock which Moses struck (Ex 17:1-7) and will provide copious irrigation for a Palestine that will have been changed into a new earthly paradise, as in the first days of humanity’s existence (Gen 2:10-14). This stream will more than ever show itself to be a gift of God, who is present in the temple and from there pours out his favors on his purified people. St. John considers this promise to be fulfilled when, on the cross, water flows from the open side of Christ, the new temple, like streams of water leaping up for everlasting life (see Jn 2:21; 4:14; 7:37; 19:34). In the Apocalypse, he will speak of the great river of life that springs from the throne of the Lamb (Rev 22:1).
- Ezekiel 47:22 The old law (Deut 23:2-9) denied aliens the right to inherit property.