The River From the Temple
1 The man brought me back to the
entrance of the temple, and I saw water
coming out from under the threshold of
the temple toward the east (for the
temple faced east). The water was coming
down from under the south side of the
temple, south of the altar.
2 He then brought me out through the
north gate and led me around the outside
to the outer gate facing east, and the
water was flowing from the south side.
3 As the man went eastward with a
measuring line in his hand, he measured
off a thousand cubits and then led me
through water that was ankle-deep.
4 He measured off another thousand
cubits and led me through water that was
knee-deep. He measured off another
thousand and led me through water that
was up to the waist.
5 He measured off another thousand, but
now it was a river that I could not
cross, because the water had risen and
was deep enough to swim in—a river that
no one could cross.
6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see
this?” Then he led me back to the bank
of the river.
7 When I arrived there, I saw a great
number of trees on each side of the
river.
8 He said to me, “This water flows
toward the eastern region and goes down
into the Arabah, where it enters the
Sea. When it empties into the Sea, the
water there becomes fresh.
9 Swarms of living creatures will live
wherever the river flows. There will be
large numbers of fish, because this
water flows there and makes the salt
water fresh; so where the river flows
everything will live.
10 Fishermen will stand along the shore;
from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be
places for spreading nets. The fish will
be of many kinds—like the fish of the
Great Sea.
11 But the swamps and marshes will not
become fresh; they will be left for
salt.
12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on
both banks of the river. Their leaves
will not wither, nor will their fruit
fail. Every month they will bear,
because the water from the sanctuary
flows to them. Their fruit will serve
for food and their leaves for healing.”
The Boundaries of the Land
13 This is what the Sovereign LORD says:
“These are the boundaries by which you
are to divide the land for an
inheritance among the twelve tribes of
Israel, with two portions for Joseph.
14 You are to divide it equally among
them. Because I swore with uplifted hand
to give it to your forefathers, this
land will become your inheritance.
15 “This is to be the boundary of the
land:
“On the north side it will run from the
Great Sea by the Hethlon road past Lebo
Hamath to Zedad,
16 Berothah and Sibraim (which lies on
the border between Damascus and Hamath),
as far as Hazer Hatticon, which is on
the border of Hauran.
17 The boundary will extend from the sea
to Hazar Enan, along the northern border
of Damascus, with the border of Hamath
to the north. This will be the north
boundary.
18 “On the east side the boundary will
run between Hauran and Damascus, along
the Jordan between Gilead and the land
of Israel, to the eastern sea and as far
as Tamar. This will be the east
boundary.
19 “On the south side it will run from
Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah
Kadesh, then along the Wadi of Egypt to
the Great Sea. This will be the south
boundary.
20 “On the west side, the Great Sea will
be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo
Hamath. This will be the west boundary.
21 “You are to distribute this land
among yourselves according to the tribes
of Israel.
22 You are to allot it as an inheritance
for yourselves and for the aliens who
have settled among you and who have
children. You are to consider them as
native-born Israelites; along with you
they are to be allotted an inheritance
among the tribes of Israel.
23 In whatever tribe the alien settles,
there you are to give him his
inheritance,” declares the Sovereign
LORD.