The vision of the holy waters issuing out from under the temple: the
borders of the land to be divided among the twelve tribes.
47:1. And he brought me again to the gate of the house, and behold
waters issued out from under the threshold of the house toward the
east: for the forefront of the house looked toward the east: but the
waters came down to the right side of the temple to the south part of
the altar.
Waters.... These waters are not to be understood literally (for there
were none such that flowed from the temple); but mystically, of the
baptism of Christ, and of his doctrine and his grace: the trees that
grow on the banks are Christian virtues: the fishes are Christians,
that spiritually live in and by these holy waters, the fishermen are
the apostles, and apostolic preachers: the fenny places, where there is
no health, are such as by being out of the church are separated from
these waters of life.
47:2. And he led me out by the way of the north gate, and he caused me
to turn to the way without the outward gate to the way that looked
toward the east: and behold there ran out waters on the right side.
47:3. And when the man that had the line in his hand went out towards
the east, he measured a thousand cubits: and he brought me through the
water up to the ankles.
47:4. And again he measured a thousand, and he brought me through the
water up to the knees.
47:5. And he measured a thousand, and he brought me through the water
up to the loins. And he measured a thousand, and it was a torrent,
which I could not pass over: for the waters were risen so as to make a
deep torrent, which could not be passed over.
47:6. And he said to me: Surely thou hast seen, O son of man. And he
brought me out, and he caused me to turn to the bank of the torrent.
47:7. And when I had turned myself, behold on the bank of the torrent
were very many trees on both sides.
47:8. And he said to me: These waters that issue forth toward the
hillocks of sand to the east, and go down to the plains of the desert,
shall go into the sea, and shall go out, and the waters shall be
healed.
47:9. And every living creature that creepeth whithersoever the torrent
shall come, shall live: and there shall be fishes in abundance after
these waters shall come thither, and they shall be healed, and all
things shall live to which the torrent shall come.
47:10. And the fishers shall stand over these waters, from Engaddi even
to Engallim there shall be drying of nets: there shall be many sorts of
the fishes thereof, as the fishes of the great sea, a very great
multitude:
47:11. But on the shore thereof, and in the fenny places they shall not
be healed, because they shall be turned into saltpits.
47:12. And by the torrent on the banks thereof on both sides shall grow
all trees that bear fruit: their leaf shall not fall off, and their
fruit shall not fail: every month shall they bring forth firstfruits,
because the waters thereof shall issue out of the sanctuary: and the
fruits thereof shall be for food, and the leaves thereof for medicine.
47:13. Thus saith the Lord God: This is the border, by which you shall
possess the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: for Joseph
hath a double portion.
47:14. And you shall possess it, every man in like manner as his
brother: concerning which I lifted up my hand to give it to your
fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for a possession.
47:15. And this is the border of the land: toward the north side, from
the great sea by the way of Hethalon, as men go to Sedada,
47:16. Emath, Berotha, Sabarim, which is between the border of Damascus
and the border of Emath the house of Tichon, which is by the border of
Auran.
47:17. And the border from the sea even to the court of Enan, shall be
the border of Damascus, and from the north to the north: the border of
Emath, this is the north side.
47:18. And the east side is from the midst of Auran, and from the midst
of Damascus, and from the midst of Galaad, and from the midst of the
land of Israel, Jordan making the bound to the east sea, and thus you
shall measure the east side.
47:19. And the south side southward is, from Thamar even to the waters
of contradiction of Cades: and, the torrent even to the great sea: and
this is the south side southward.
47:20. And the side toward the sea, is the great sea from the borders
straight on, till thou come to Emath: this is the side of the sea.
47:21. And you shall divide this land unto you by the tribes of Israel:
47:22. And you shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you, and to
the strangers that shall come over to you, that shall beget children
among you: and they shall be unto you as men of the same country born
among the children of Israel: they shall divide the possession with you
in the midst of the tribes of Israel.
47:23. And in what tribe soever the stranger shall be, there shall you
give him possession, saith the Lord God.