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.

Afterward he brought me again to the door of the house; and behold, waters issued forth from under the threshold of the house eastward; for the fore-front of the house stood toward the east. And the waters flowed down from the side of the house, south of 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].

Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward; and he brought me round by the way without to the outer gate, that looked toward the east; and behold, there ran out waters 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.

And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the waters, and the waters were to the soles of the feet.

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.

Again he measured a thousand cubits, and led me through the waters, and the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand cubits, and led me through, and the waters were 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].

Again he measured a thousand cubits, and it was a river, which I could not pass through; for the waters were high, waters to swim in, a river which could not be passed through.

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

And he said to me, Hast thou seen this, son of man? Then he brought 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.

Now when I had returned, behold, at the brink of the river were very many trees, on the one side and on the other.

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.

Then said he to me, These waters issue forth toward the east region, and run down into the desert, and go into the sea; they go forth into the sea, and the waters shall be healed.

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 living thing that moveth, whithersoever the river shall come, shall live, and there shall be very many fish there; for when these waters shall come thither, [[the waters of the sea]] shall be healed, and everything shall live whither the river cometh.

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 it shall come to pass that fishers shall stand upon it; from En-gedi to En-eglaim shall be places to spread nets; and therein shall be fish according to their kinds, like the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

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 the miry places thereof, and the marshes thereof, shall not be healed; they shall be appointed for 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 by the river, upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for food, whose leaf shall not fade, and whose fruit shall not fail; every month shall they bring forth new fruit; because their waters issue forth from the sanctuary. And their fruit shall be for food, and their leaves for medicine.

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 saith the Lord Jehovah: This is the border, according to which ye shall distribute the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions.

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 ye shall inherit it, one like another. For I have lifted up my hand, that I would give it to your fathers; and this land shall fall to you for an inheritance.

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 this shall be the border of the land toward the north side: from the great sea toward the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad,

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].

Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath, and Hazar-hatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.

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.

And the border from the sea shall be Hazar-Enon, the border of Damascus and farther northward, and the border of Hamath.

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.

This is the north side. And the east side ye shall measure between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel by the Jordan, from the border to the east sea. This is the east side.

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 south side southward shall be from Tamar to the waters of strife in Kadesh, as far as the river by the great sea.

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

This is the south side southward. And the west side shall be the great sea, from the border till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.

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

So shall ye divide this land among you, according 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.

And ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, who have begotten children among you; and they shall be to you as born in the country among the sons of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among 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 it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth there shall ye appoint him his inheritance, saith the Lord Jehovah.