Ezekiel 47

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.

1Then the man brought me back to the door of the temple, God's house. I saw water coming out from under the doorway. It flowed toward the east, because the house faced east. The water ran down from the south side of the house, south of the altar.

2Then 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.

2Next he took me out through the north gate. He led me around the outside to the outer gate that faces east. There I saw water trickling out on the south side.

3And 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.

3The man had a measuring line in his hand. He walked east and measured a thousand cubits. Then he led me through the water. It came up to my ankles.

NoteA cubit was about 18 inches, the length of a man's arm from elbow to fingertips. A thousand cubits is about a third of a mile.

4Again 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.

4He measured another thousand cubits and led me through. Now the water came up to my knees. He measured another thousand and led me through again. This time the water came up to my waist.

5Afterward 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.

5Then he measured another thousand cubits. Now it was a river I could not walk across. The water had risen too deep. You would have to swim to cross it.

6And 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.

6He said to me, "Son of man, do you see this?" "Son of man" was the name God used for Ezekiel. Then he led me back to the edge of the river.

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

7When I came back, I saw many, many trees. They grew along both sides of the river.

8Then 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.

8Then he said to me, "This water flows out toward the east. It goes down into the dry, low land. It runs into the salty sea. When it pours in, that water turns fresh.

NoteThe sea here is the Dead Sea. Its water is so salty that fish cannot live in it. The KJV says the water is "healed," which means it turns fresh.

9And 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.

9Everywhere the river goes, living things will live. There will be huge numbers of fish. The river makes the water fresh. So everything will live where the river flows.

10And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; 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.

10Fishermen will stand along the shore. From En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread out their nets. There will be many kinds of fish. There will be as many as in the Great Sea.

11But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.

11But the muddy swamps and marshes will stay salty. They will be left as places to get salt.

12And 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.

12All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will never dry up. Their fruit will never run out. Every month they will grow new fruit. This is because the water comes from God's holy house. The fruit will be food, and the leaves will help sick people get well."

NoteIn the KJV, "meat" means food of any kind, not just meat from animals.

13Thus 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.

13This is what the Lord GOD says: "Here are the borders for dividing up the land. Give a share to each of the twelve tribes, the family groups of Israel. Joseph's family will get two shares.

14And 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.

14Divide the land fairly, so each one gets the same. Long ago I raised my hand and promised this land to your fathers. So it will belong to you.

15And 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;

15Here is the border of the land on the north side. It starts at the Great Sea and goes by the road to Hethlon. It runs on toward Zedad.

16Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.

16It goes on to Hamath, Berothah, and Sibraim. Sibraim lies between the land of Damascus and the land of Hamath. The line reaches Hazer-hatticon, near the edge of Hauran.

17And the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side.

17So the border runs from the sea to Hazar-enan. It follows the north edge of Damascus, with Hamath farther north. That is the north side.

18And 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.

18Measure the east side from Hauran and Damascus. It follows the Jordan River between Gilead and the land of Israel. It goes down to the Eastern Sea. That is the east side.

19And 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.

19The south side runs from Tamar to the waters of Meribah at Kadesh. Then it follows the brook out to the Great Sea. That is the south side.

20The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.

20The west side is the Great Sea. It runs north to a place across from Hamath. That is the west side.

21So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel.

21So divide this land among yourselves, one share for each tribe of Israel.

22And 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.

22Divide it by drawing lots, which is a fair way to choose. The land is a gift for you to keep. Also give a share to the foreigners who live among you and have children there. Treat them like Israelites born in the land. They will get land along with your tribes.

23And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD.

23Give each foreigner his share in the tribe where he lives," says the Lord GOD.