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47
1 The man took me back to the Temple entrance. I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the Temple and flowing east (because the Temple faced east). The water was coming from under the south side of the Temple and ran south of the altar.
2 Then he took me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate that faced east. I saw water was trickling out from the south side of the gate.
3 The man walked east holding a measuring line He measured a thousand cubits and led me through the water which came up to my ankles.
4 He measured another thousand cubits and led me through water which came up to my knees.
He measured another thousand cubits and led me through water that came up to my waist.
5 He measured another thousand cubits, but this was a river I couldn't cross. The water had risen so high you could swim in it. It was a river that couldn't be crossed on foot.
6 “Son of man, have you observed all this?” he asked. Then he took me back to the riverbank.
7 When I got there, I saw a large number of trees on both sides of the river. 8 He told me, “This water flows out into the land to the east and into the Arabah.* The Arabah is the Jordan Valley and its southern extension that includes the Dead Sea. When it arrives at the Dead Sea, it turns the saltwater fresh. 9 There will be many animals and fish wherever the river flows. Because the river turns the saltwater fresh wherever it flows, everything will be able to live there.
10 Fishermen will stand on the shore of the Dead Sea. They will be able to spread their nets from En-gedi to En-eglaim and catch many kinds of fish. There will be plenty of fish just like the Mediterranean Sea. 11 However, the marshes and swampy areas won't become fresh; they will remain salty.
12 All types of fruit trees will grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves won't wither, and they won't fail to produce fruit. They will produce fruit every month, because the river flowing from the sanctuary comes to water them. Their fruit will be eaten as food and their leaves will be used for healing.”
13 This is what the Lord God says: “These are the boundaries you are to use when allocating ownership of the land to the twelve tribes of Israel (Joseph is to receive two allocations.) 14 You are to allocate the land to them equally. I held up my hand and made a solemn promise to give it to your forefathers, so this land will come to you to own and to pass on as an inheritance.
15 These shall be the country's boundaries:
On the northern side it runs from the Mediterranean Sea along the Hethlon road and through Lebo-hamath to Zedad; 16 then on to Berothah, and Sibraim on the border between Damascus and Hamath, and all the way to Hazer-hatticon, on the border of Hauran. 17 So the border is from the Mediterranean Sea to Hazar-enan, along the northern border with Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This is the northern boundary.
18 The eastern boundary runs from Hauran and Damascus, down along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the Dead Sea and on to Tamar. This is the eastern boundary.
19 The southern boundary runs from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, then along the Wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the southern boundary.
20 The Mediterranean Sea is the western boundary all the way up to a location opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the western boundary.
21 You are to allocate this land for you to own according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You are to allocate land to own and to pass on as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the foreigners who live among you who have children. You shall treat them in the same way as Israelites born in the country. They are to be given a land allocation to own among the Israelite tribes in the same way as you. 23 Foreigners are to be allocated land to own among the tribe where they live, declares the Lord God.”

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*47:8 The Arabah is the Jordan Valley and its southern extension that includes the Dead Sea.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher