The River of Life from the Temple
Study note
Water flowed from under the south side of the temple's threshold, heading east. As the guide measured, the water was ankle-deep after about one-third of a mile, knee-deep after another third, waist-deep after another third, and then too deep to cross. This ever-deepening river brought life wherever it flowed. When it reached the Dead Sea (the saltiest body of water on earth), the water became fresh. Fish would fill it, and fruit trees would grow along its banks, bearing fruit every month. Their leaves would not wither and would be used for healing. This vision of life-giving water became an important image in later Scripture.
1 The man brought me back to the temple entrance. There I saw water flowing out from beneath the south side of the temple threshold, heading east. The stream flowed from the temple's south side, passing south of the altar. Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
2 He led me out through the north gate and around the outside to the eastern outer gate. Water was trickling out from the south side. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
3 As the man walked east with his measuring line, he measured about a third of a mile. Then he had me wade through water that came up to my ankles. And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
4 He measured another third of a mile, and the water was up to my knees. Another third of a mile, and it reached my waist. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
5 He measured one more third of a mile, and now it had become a deep river I could not cross on foot. The water was deep enough to swim in -- a river nobody could wade across. Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
6 He asked me, "Do you see all this, son of man?" Then he walked me back to the riverbank. And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.
7 When I reached the bank, I was amazed to see a great number of trees growing on both sides of the river. Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
8 He explained, "This river flows east through the Jordan Valley and empties into the Dead Sea. When it reaches the Dead Sea, the salty water becomes fresh." Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.
9 "Everywhere this river flows, it will teem with life. Fish will fill these waters in huge numbers, because wherever this stream goes, it transforms salt water into fresh water. Everything it touches will thrive." And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.
10 "Fishermen will line the shores. From En-gedi all the way to En-eglaim, there will be spots for drying fishing nets. The fish will come in as many varieties as those found in the Mediterranean Sea." And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
11 "However, the swamps and marshes will not be made fresh. They will remain salty." But the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
12 "Fruit trees of every kind will grow on both riverbanks. Their leaves will never wilt and their fruit will never stop producing. Every month they will bear a fresh crop, nourished by the water flowing from the sanctuary. Their fruit will provide food, and their leaves will bring healing." And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
The Boundaries of the Land
Study note
God then defined the boundaries of the restored land. The northern border ran from the Mediterranean Sea through Hethlon and Hamath. The eastern border ran along the Jordan River between Gilead and the land of Israel, down to the Dead Sea. The southern border went through Tamar to the waters of Meribah-kadesh and along the brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean. The western border was the Mediterranean Sea itself. Foreigners who settled among the Israelites and had children there were to receive an inheritance just like native-born Israelites.
13 The Lord God says: "Here are the boundary lines for dividing the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph gets a double portion." Thus saith the Lord GOD; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.
14 "Divide it equally among the tribes. I raised my hand and swore to give this land to your ancestors, and now it falls to you as your inheritance." And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance.
15 "The land's northern border goes from the Mediterranean Sea along the Hethlon road to Lebo-hamath. It goes on to Zedad." And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad;
16 "Then to Berothah and Sibraim. These are on the border of Damascus and Hamath. The line goes as far as Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran." Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazar-hatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.
17 "So the northern border runs from the Mediterranean to Hazar-enan. It follows the northern border of Damascus, with Hamath's border to the north. That is the northern boundary." And the border from the sea shall be Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side.
18 "The eastern border runs between Hauran and Damascus. Then it follows the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, going south to the eastern sea as far as Tamar. That is the eastern border." And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side.
19 "The southern boundary runs from Tamar to the waters of Meribah-kadesh, then follows the Brook of Egypt all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. That is the southern boundary." And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side southward.
20 "The western border is just the Mediterranean Sea. It runs north to a point across from Lebo-hamath. That is the western border." The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.
21 "Divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel." So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel.
22 "Share the land by lot as something to pass down. Give it to yourselves and also to the foreigners who live among you and are raising children here. Treat them the same as native-born Israelites. They will get a share of land right alongside the tribes of Israel." And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.
23 "Whatever tribe a foreigner is living with, that is where you must give them their share of land, says the Lord God." And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD.