Ezekiel

The Spring of the Temple

The man took me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from the threshold and moving eastward. The temple faced east, and the water flowed from the south side of the temple, near the south side of the altar.

He then led me out through the north gate and around to the outside, to the outer gate facing east; there I saw the stream coming from the south side.

The man had a measuring cord in his hand. As he moved eastward, he measured off a thousand cubits and led me across the water, which was up to my ankles.

He measured another thousand cubits and made me cross the water, which reached my knees. He measured yet another thousand cubits, and we crossed the water, which was up to my waist.

After measuring another thousand cubits, I could not cross the torrent, for it had swollen to a depth that made crossing impossible without swimming.

The man then said to me: “Son of man, did you see?” He led me further and then brought me back to the bank of the river.

There I saw many trees on both sides of the river.

He said to me: “This water flows eastward, down to the Arabah, and when it reaches the Sea of Foul-Smelling Water, the water will become healthy.

Wherever the river goes, swarms of creatures will live in it; fish will be abundant, and the seawater will turn fresh. Wherever it flows, life will flourish.

Fishermen will stand on the banks and spread nets from En-Gedi to En-Eglaim. Many kinds of fish will be found there, just like in the open sea, and very numerous.

The swamps and marshes will not become healthy; instead, they will be used as salt beds.

Along both banks of the river, there will be all kinds of fruit trees with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; each month they will produce a fresh crop because the water comes from the temple. The fruit will be tasty to eat, and the leaves will be used for healing.

The Lord says this: Here are the boundaries of the territories to be assigned to the twelve tribes of Israel, with two portions for Joseph.

You must distribute it fairly among yourselves since I swore to your ancestors that I would give them this land, which now falls to you as your inheritance.

Here are the borders of the land. On the north, from the Great Sea, along the route of Hethlon, to the Pass of Hamath, and on to Zedad,

Berothah, Sibraim, situated between the territories of Damascus and Hamath—and to Hazar-enon on the borders of Hauran.

The boundary will stretch from the sea to Hazar-enon, with Damascus and Hamath on the north; this is the northern boundary.

On the east, the Jordan River will act as a boundary between Hauran and Damascus, between Gilead and the land of Israel, extending down to the Eastern Sea as far as Tamar; this marks the eastern boundary.

On the south, from Tamar southward to the waters of Meribah in Kadesh, to the torrent of Egypt and the Great Sea; this defines the southern boundary.

On the west, the Great Sea will serve as the boundary extending straight up toward Lebo-hamath; this is the western boundary.

You are to distribute this land among yourselves, the tribes of Israel.

You are to divide the inheritance among yourselves and the foreigners living among you who have children there, treating them as citizens of Israel. They are to draw lots with you for their portion of the inheritance, along with the tribes of Israel.

You must give the foreigner his inheritance in the tribe where he resides—this is the Lord’s declaration.