*THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
EZEKIEL

Ezekiel 47

1The vision of the holy waters: 6the virtue of them. 13The borders of the land. 22The division of it by lot.


1AFTERWARD he brought me again unto the door of the 1house; and, behold, 2waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the 3forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, 4at the south side of the 5altar.

1 Of the new temple and of the sanctuary (as verse 12), which indeed was previously in Jerusalem, but was now destroyed. Compare Isa. 2:3; Micah 4:2; Zech. 14:8. Likewise Luke 24:47, 49; Acts 1:8; 2:2, 4; Rev. 22:1, where it is said that these wholesome streams of Jerusalem and Zion (whereof in the sequel) proceeded from heaven, and out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2 Typifying the wholesome and saving doctrine of the Gospel, with the abundant gifts of the Holy Spirit, under the New Testament. Compare Isa. 11:9; 12:3; 35:7; 41:18; 44:3; 51:1; Jer. 31:9; Joel 2:28; 3:18; Zech. 14:8. Likewise John 7:38; Rev. 22:1.

3 Hebr. face.

4 Or, toward, from the south, that is, the south side.

5 Understand the altar of burnt offering, which stood in front of the holy place; of which see Ezek. 43:13, etc. A type of our Lord Christ and of His only sacrifice upon the cross, where He merited for us the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which He sends to us from the Father; typified (as some conceive) by the water that flowed forth out of His side, John 19:34, 35.

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.

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 6were to the ankles.

6 Hebr. they were waters of the ankles, and so in the following waters of the knees, waters of the loins, typifying the progress, course and increase of the revelation of the Holy Gospel, together with the various measures of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in this life, and the perfection in the life to come.

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.

5Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, 7waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.

7 Hebr. waters of swimming.

6¶And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou 8seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the 9brink of the river.

8 That is, heeded all? Whereby the prophet was instructed diligently to heed or mind all things.

9 Hebr. lip; and so in the next verse.

7Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many 10treesa on the one side and on the other.

10 Typifying the multitude of the elect, who by virtue of these waters would grow everywhere in God’s house and be fruitful in all good works to the honor of God, and to the edification of their neighbor, as is further related in verse 12. See Psalm 1:3; 92:12; Isa. 44:3, 4; 55:11, 13; Jer. 17:8; John 15:2, etc.; 1 Cor. 3:6, 7, etc.

a Rev. 22:2.

8Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the 11east country, and go down into the 12desert, and go into the 13sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the 14waters shall be healed.

11 Or, East-Galilee, whereby some understand a part of Galilee, located beyond Jordan, where Chorazin was also situated, at the east side of the Galilean Sea, or the Sea of Gennesaret, where Jordan flowed through. But this ought especially to be compared with Isa. 9:1, 2; Mat. 4:12, 13, 14, 15, where it is related that the light of the Gospel did likewise first arise in these regions. See further of a two-fold Galilee, 1 Kings 9 on verse 11. Otherwise it might also be generally taken for the east-regions or borders, likewise for the region of Gilgal, out of Joshua 18:17, compare with Joshua 15:7, also situated at the east side of Jerusalem, but that way they went through the plains of Jericho, Jer. 52:7, 8; likewise 2 Sam. 2:29; 17:26, and further over Jordan toward the plain of Moab, of which in the sequel.

12 Of the Moabites. See Num. 22:1; Deut. 1:1; 3:17; 34:1, 8.

13 The Dead Sea or salt-sea, where Sodom and Gomorrah had been previously, and where Engedi and En-eglaim were located, of which in verse 10. See further Gen. 14 on verse 3.

14 From the same Dead Sea, which were deadly before.

9And it shall come to pass, that every thing 15that liveth, which 16moveth, whithersoever 17the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very 18great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for 19they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.

15 That is, all living creatures, that have life and sense, and make motion in them. See Gen. 1 on verse 20.

16 See Gen. 1 on verse 20.

17 Hebr. the two brooks shall come, that is, one of the two. It seems that these waters, in running along, divided themselves into two parts, though this is not mentioned here. See Zech. 14:8. However, otherwise it may be taken (with some) the dual number for the plural (as elsewhere is often done), and translate it streams.

18 Or, great, excellent; also verse 10. Understand the multitude of the elect, who would be certainly converted by the preaching of the Holy Gospel and by the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.

19 The other waters, by the flowing in of these.

10And it shall come to pass, that the 20fishers shall stand upon 21it from 22En-gedi even unto 23En-eglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth 24nets; 25their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the 26great sea, exceeding 27many.

20 That is, the teachers of the New Testament, who, as instruments of the powerful working Holy Spirit, shall by the net of the Gospel draw men out of their sinful and mortal condition to the fellowship of the Lord Christ and of His benefits. See Mat. 4:19; 13:47; Luke 5:10.

21 The Dead Sea.

22 Formerly called Hazezon-tamar, situated at the Dead Sea. See Gen. 14:7; 1 Sam. 24:1; 2 Chron. 20:2, with the annotations.

23 Also situated at the Dead Sea, where Jordan runs into it.

24 Or, fishing-net; as Ezek. 26:5.

25 Of the fishermen, which they shall catch, or from the aforesaid waters.

26 The Mediterranean Sea, as such distinguished from the inland seas or lakes. Also verses 15 and 20.

27 Or, great, glorious; as verse 9.

11But the miry places 28thereof and the marishesb thereof 29shall not be healed; they shall be given to 30salt.

28 Namely, of the Dead Sea. Hereby may be understood the difference that there shall be between the elect, who shall be partakers of the aforesaid grace, and the reprobate, who shall continue and perish in their filthiness and sin. See Acts 13:48; 2 Cor. 2:15, 16, etc.

b marshes, swamps

29 Other, which shall not become healthy, etc.

30 See Deut. 29:23; Psalm 107:34; Jer. 17:6; Heb. 6:8. Some join this verse to the previous in another sense, thus: the miry and the marshy places thereof, I say, which were not wholesome, which delivered to the salt; understand: they shall all become wholesome and abounding with fish. Other, the miry places thereof and the marshes thereof, which were not wholesome, are given to salt, that is, for any use and profitableness; of which the attentive reader may judge.

12And by the river upon the 31bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow 32all trees for meat, whose 33leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be 34consumed: it shall bring forth 35new fruit according 36to his months, because their 37waters they issued out of the 38sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for 39medicine.c

31 Hebr. lip.

32 Hebr. all trees for meat, that is, all manner of trees, bearing fruit, which are suitable for meat, or are edible. See verse 7.

33 See Psalm 1 on verse 3.

34 Or, cease, perish.

35 Or, excellent, as the first ripe fruits, which are very acceptable. See Micah 7:1.

36 That is, those trees shall bear new fruit every month. Compare Rev. 22:2.

37 From which they grow, and with which they are watered.

38 See verse 1. Therefore they shall surely prosper and bear fruit.

39 Or, stamping, beating, as one uses to beat leaves or herbs small to use them in physic-drinks or salves.

c Rev. 22:2

13¶Thus saith the Lord GOD; 40This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have 41two 42portions.

40 Compare with these borders mentioned in Numbers 34 and Joshua 15 to 20, and see the annotations there. From the comparison the difference shall appear that is between both, which may be a further motive unto us to contemplate and meditate on the spiritual Israel and the heavenly Canaan.

41 One for Manasseh, and one for Ephraim. See Gen. 48:5; 1 Chron. 5:1, 2; Ezek. 48:4, 5.

42 Or, strings, that is, portions, which were wont to be measured out with strings or cords. See Psalm 16 on verses 5 and 6.

14And ye shall inherit it, 43one as well as another: concerningd the which I lifted up mine 44hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall 45fall unto you for inheritance.

43 Hebr. the man as his brother, that is, one shall inherit as well or as much as another, for there will be room enough made or prepared by Christ in the heavenly Canaan, or in the house of our heavenly Father for all believers, John 14:2. See further in the next chapter.

d Gen. 12:7; 17:8; 26:3; 28:13.

44 That is, to make an oath. See Gen. 14 on verse 22.

45 Namely, by lot, that is, ye shall divide it by calling or drawing of lots. Also verse 22; Ezek. 45:1. This is to signify that it was a gracious gift of God and a filial inheritance; nevertheless see Ezek. 45 on verse 1. If it be taken that it is as much as if the word lot were expressed in the text, then the casting or drawing of lots may be applied to everyone’s particular portion, for, the common borders of the tribes are expressed by God in the next chapter.

15And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the 46great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad;

46 As verse 10; but in these parts it was also called the Sea of Phenicia, or Syria.

16Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; 47Hazar-hatticon, which is by the coast of 48Hauran.

47 Or, the villages that are in the midst, which, etc.

48 Hebr. Chavran, also a region, situated at the east-end of Lebanon, over the Jordan, where it takes its origin.

17And the border from the sea shall be Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this 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 49by Jordan, from the border unto the 50east sea. And this is the east side.

49 Where the Jordan has its origin.

50 That is, the salt-sea or Dead Sea.

19And the south side 51southward, from 52Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the 53river to the 54great sea. And this is the south side southward.

51 Other, toward Teman, that is, Edom, where a Teman was situated. See Jer. 49:7, the sense agreeing, for Edom was situated in the south of Canaan.

52 Situated over against the east-end of Edom, in the wilderness of Zin or Kadesh, where the city of Kadesh is also placed by some maps, by the waters of strife, or the waters of Meribah, where Miriam, Aaron’s sister, died and was buried. See Num. 20:1, 13, 14, etc.; 27:14. Likewise Ezek. 48:28.

53 The river Sihor. See Joshua 13:3; 15:47; 1 Chron. 13:5, with the annotations.

54 The Mediterranean Sea, as verse 10, and in the 20th verse.

20The 55west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.

55 Hebr. corner of the sea. See Gen. 12 on verse 8.

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

22¶And it shall come to pass, that ye shall 56divide 57it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the 58strangers 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 59have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

56 By lot; as verse 14; Ezek. 45:1.

57 The aforesaid land.

58 By this new ordinance is signified that the christian church, that was to partake of the benefits of Christ and to inherit the heavenly Canaan, would not only consist of Jews, but also, according to the manifold prophecies of the Old Testament) of Gentiles, or all nations, without distinction. See Acts 15:7, 8, 9; Rom. 3:29; 4:11, etc.; 10:12; 15:9, etc.; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28, 29; Eph. 3:6; Col. 1:12; 3:11; Rev. 7:9, 10, etc.

59 That is, have their lot as well as you, the lot shall be likewise cast for them.

23And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, 60there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD.

60 Where so ever he shall join himself to the obedience of the Gospel and to the true congregation of the Lord Christ (which is the spiritual Israel and seed of Abraham), he shall be reckoned among the entire body of the church, and be an heir of God and a fellow-heir with the Lord Christ.