Ezekiel 47:1-12
Expanded Bible
The River from the Temple
47 The man led me back to the door of the ·Temple [L house], and ·I saw [L look; T behold] water coming out from under the ·doorway [threshold] and flowing east. (The Temple faced east.) The water flowed down from the south side wall of the Temple and then south of the altar. 2 The man brought me out through the outer north gate and led me around outside to the outer east gate. ·I found [L And look/T behold] the water ·coming [trickling] out on the south side of the gate.
3 The man went toward the east with a measuring line in his hand and measured ·about one-third of a mile [L a thousand cubits]. Then he led me through water that came up to my ankles. 4 The man measured ·about one-third of a mile [L a thousand] again and led me through water that came up to my knees. Then he measured ·about one-third of a mile [L a thousand] again and led me through water up to my waist. 5 The man measured ·about one-third of a mile [L a thousand] again, but it was now a river that I could not cross. The water had risen too high; it was deep enough for swimming; it was a river that no one could cross. 6 The man asked me, “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], do you see this?”
Then the man led me back to the bank of the river. 7 As I went back, I saw many trees on both sides of the river. 8 The man said to me, “This water will flow toward the eastern areas and go down into the ·Jordan Valley [L Arabah]. When it enters the ·Dead Sea [L Sea], it will ·become fresh [L be healed; C the Dead Sea has no fish or other living creatures due to its high mineral content]. 9 Everywhere the river goes, there will be many fish. Wherever this water goes the ·Dead Sea [L Sea] will become fresh, and so where the river goes there will be ·many [swarms of] living things. 10 Fishermen will stand by ·the Dead Sea [L it]. From En Gedi [C midway along the western side of the Dead Sea] all the way to En Eglaim [C an unknown location, perhaps on the east bank of the Dead Sea] there will be places to spread fishing nets. There will be many kinds of fish there, as many as in the ·Mediterranean [L Great] Sea. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will ·be left for salt [or remain salty]. 12 All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not ·dry and die [wither] and ·there will always be fruit on them [L their fruit will not fail]. The trees will bear fruit every month, because the water for them comes from the ·Temple [sanctuary]. The fruit from the trees will be used for food, and their leaves for ·medicine [L healing].”
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