Ezekiel 47

The River from the Temple

¹He brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, waters flowed out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, for the front of the temple faced toward the east. The waters came down from underneath, from the right side of the temple, on the south of the altar.

²Then he brought me out by the way of the gate northward, and led me around by the way outside to the outer gate, by the way of the gate that looks toward the east. Behold, waters ran out on the right side.

³When the man went out eastward with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles.

⁴Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through waters that were to the waist.

⁵Afterward he measured one thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be walked through.

⁶He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and caused me to return to the bank of the river.

⁷Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

⁸Then he said to me, “These waters flow out toward the eastern region and will go down into the Arabah. Then they will go toward the sea and flow into the sea which will be made to flow out; and the waters will be healed.

⁹It will happen that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, will live. Then there will be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters have come there, and the waters of the sea will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river comes.

¹⁰It will happen that fishermen will stand by it. From En Gedi even to En Eglaim will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceedingly many.

¹¹But its swamps and marshes will not be healed. They will be given up to salt.

¹²By the river banks, on both sides, will grow every tree for food, whose leaf won’t wither, neither will its fruit fail. It will produce new fruit every month, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary. Its fruit will be for food, and its leaf for healing.”

The Boundaries of the Land

¹³The Lord GOD says: “This shall be the border by which you shall divide the land for inheritance according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions.

¹⁴You shall inherit it, one as well as another; for I swore to give it to your fathers. This land will fall to you for inheritance.

¹⁵“This shall be the border of the land: “On the north side, from the great sea, by the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of Zedad;

¹⁶Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazer Hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran.

¹⁷The border from the sea shall be Hazar Enon at the border of Damascus; and on the north northward is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

¹⁸“The east side, between Hauran, Damascus, Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border to the east sea you shall measure. This is the east side.

¹⁹“The south side southward shall be from Tamar as far as the waters of Meriboth Kadesh, to the brook, to the great sea. This is the south side southward.

²⁰“The west side shall be the great sea, from the south border as far as opposite the entrance of Hamath. This is the west side.

²¹“So you shall divide this land to yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.

²²You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the aliens who live among you, who will father children among you. Then they shall be to you as the native-born among the children of Israel. They shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

²³In whatever tribe the stranger lives, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord GOD.

Previous Ezekiel 46

Next Ezekiel 48

Ezekiel receives a vision of life-giving waters flowing from the restored temple, beginning as a trickle but deepening into an uncrossable river that brings healing and abundance wherever it flows. The waters transform the Dead Sea region into a thriving ecosystem filled with fish and fruit-bearing trees whose leaves provide healing. God then establishes the boundaries for the promised land to be divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, fulfilling His covenant promises to their ancestors.

Context

This vision of restoration follows Ezekiel's detailed temple vision (chapters 40-46) and precedes the final chapter describing the holy city and tribal allotments.

Key Themes

Outline

1-2
Waters from the Temple Ezekiel sees water flowing eastward from under the temple threshold and is led to observe it from outside the gates.
3-6
The Deepening River The guide measures the river at intervals, showing it progressively deepening from ankle-deep to unpassable swimming depth.
7-12
Life-Giving Effects The river brings healing to the Dead Sea, supports abundant fish life, and nourishes fruit trees with healing leaves along its banks.
13-23
Tribal Land Boundaries God establishes the borders of the promised land and instructs how it should be divided among the twelve tribes as their inheritance.

The River from the Temple

47:1–47:12

prophecy vision hopeful

Ezekiel sees a vision of life-giving waters flowing from the temple, growing deeper as they flow eastward and bringing healing and abundant life wherever they go. This symbolic river represents God's transformative power and the restoration that flows from His presence.

theme_rarity

Ezekiel's temple river uniquely combines "renewal" and "healing" themes in the same passage—a pairing found nowhere else in biblical literature, emphasizing God's comprehensive restoration.

The Boundaries of the Land

47:13–47:23

prophecy instruction solemn

God establishes the boundaries of the promised land for the twelve tribes of Israel, with Joseph receiving two portions. The passage includes provisions for foreigners to receive inheritance among the tribes, showing God's inclusive covenant faithfulness.

person_contrast

Joseph's double inheritance here uniquely fulfills Jacob's deathbed adoption of Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons, making Joseph the only patriarch to receive two tribal portions in the eschatological land division.

Insight Rare Theme

Ezekiel's temple river uniquely combines "renewal" and "healing" themes in the same passage—a pairing found nowhere else in biblical literature, emphasizing God's comprehensive restoration.

Insight Character Study

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Ezekiel 47:1 5 references

Lexicals 5

2 Chronicles 4:10 Lexical

He set the sea on the right side of the house eastward, toward the south.

Ezekiel 47

The River from the Temple

The Boundaries of the Land

The River from the Temple

The Boundaries of the Land

Insights

Cross-References

Ezekiel 47:1 5 references

Ezekiel 47:2 5 references

Ezekiel 47:3 3 references

Ezekiel 47:8 1 reference

Ezekiel 47:10 2 references

Ezekiel 47:12 5 references

Ezekiel 47:13 1 reference

Ezekiel 47:15 5 references

Ezekiel 47:16 1 reference

Ezekiel 47:17 5 references

Ezekiel 47:18 5 references

Ezekiel 47:19 5 references

Ezekiel 47:20 5 references

Ezekiel 47:22 5 references

Ezekiel 47:23 1 reference

Interlinear

Historical Context