Water from the Temple

1Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. 2And he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around [a]on the outside to the outer gate, by the way facing east. And behold, water was spurting out from the south side.

3When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand [b]cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. 4Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the [c]hips. 5Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not [d]wade across, because the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be crossed by wading. 6And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me [e]back to the bank of the river. 7Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; then they go toward the [f]sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become [g]fresh. 9And it will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the [h]river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others [i]become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many. 11But its swamps and marshes will not become [j]fresh; they will be [k]left for salt. 12And by the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”

Boundaries and Division of the Land

13This is what the Lord [l]GOD says: “This shall be the boundary by which you shall divide the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall have two portions. 14And you shall divide it for an inheritance, each one [m]equally with the other; for I [n]swore to give it to your forefathers, and this land shall fall to you [o]as an inheritance.

15“And this shall be the boundary of the land: on the north side, from the Great Sea by the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of [p]Zedad; 16[q]Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazer-hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran. 17The boundary shall [r]extend from the sea to Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, and on the north toward the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

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

19“The south side toward the south shall extend from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the brook of Egypt and to the Great Sea. This is the south side toward the south.

20“And the west side shall be the Great Sea, from the south border to a point opposite [s]Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.

21“So you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance among yourselves and among the strangers who stay in your midst, who bring forth sons in your midst. And they shall be to you as the native-born among the sons of Israel; they shall be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 23And in the tribe with which the stranger resides, there you shall give him his inheritance,” declares the Lord GOD.

[a] 2 Lit by way of
[b] 3 Each of these cubits equals about 21 in. or 53 cm
[c] 4 Lit loins
[d] 5 Lit cross
[e] 6 Lit and caused me to return
[f] 8 I.e., Dead Sea
[g] 8 Lit healed
[h] 9 Lit two rivers
[i] 9 Lit are healed
[j] 11 Lit healed
[k] 11 Lit given
[l] 13 Heb YHWH, usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
[m] 14 Lit like his brother
[n] 14 Lit lifted up My hand
[o] 14 Lit in
[p] 15 As in MT; LXX Hamath, Zedad; cf. 48:1
[q] 16 Or LXX Berothah
[r] 17 Lit be
[s] 20 Or the entrance of Hamath