River of the Temple, Division of the Land and Its Boundaries

¹ And he brought me back to the doorway of the temple and, look! There was water coming out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, because the face of the temple was eastwards; and the water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, from south of the altar.

² And he brought me out by the way of the north gate and he led me around by the ⌞way leading to the outside of the outer gate⌟¹ by way of the gate facing east, and look, there was water trickling from the south side.

1. Literally “way of the outside to the gate of the outside”

³ As the man went eastward a measuring line was in his hand, and he measured a thousand ⌞cubits⌟.¹ And he led me through on into the water; it was ⌞ankle deep⌟.²

1. Literally “in the cubit”; about 1,750 feet
2. Literally “water of ankles”

⁴ And he measured a thousand cubits,¹ and he brought me over into the waters and it was ⌞knee deep⌟.² And he measured a thousand cubits,³ and he brought me over into the waters and it was ⌞waist deep⌟.⁴

1. About 1,750 feet
2. Literally “water of knees”
3. About 1,750 feet
4. Literally “water of waist”

⁵ And he measured a thousand cubits,¹ and it became a stream that I was not able to cross, because the water rose, ⌞waters a person could swim in⌟,² and became a stream that could not be crossed.

1. About 1,750 feet
2. Literally “water of swimming”

⁶ And he asked me, “Son of man,¹ did you see this?” And he made me go, and he brought me back along the bank of the stream.

1. Or “mortal,” or “son of humankind”

⁷ ⌞When I returned⌟,¹ then look! On the bank of the river were many trees ⌞on both sides⌟.²

1. Literally “At my returning”
2. Literally “from this and from this”

⁸ And he said to me, “These waters are going out to the eastern region, and they go down to the ⌞Jordan Valley⌟,¹ and they come to the sea² and flow into the sea where ⌞they issue out⌟,³ and the waters in the sea will be healed.⁴

1. Literally “Arabah”
2. Clearly refers to the Dead Sea
3. Literally “being brought out/are issued out”
4. Or “made fresh”

⁹ And then every living creature with which it teems,¹ ⌞to every place the waters come⌟² it will live; and very many fish will live because these waters came there, and so the water will be healed³ and everything will be alive ⌞everywhere that⌟⁴ ⌞the stream will come⌟.⁵

1. Or “swarms”
2. Literally “to all of which they come there the water”
3. Or “fresh”
4. Literally “all that”
5. Literally “that it will come there the stream”

¹⁰ And then fishers¹ from En Gedi and on up to En Eglaim will stand beside it, a sea-girt drying yard for nets; their fish for the dragnets will be ⌞of every kind⌟,² like the fish of the great sea,³ and very many.

1. Or “fishermen”
2. Literally “to the”
3. That is, the Mediterranean

¹¹ But its marshes and its swamps will not be cured, for they were given for salt.

¹² And along the stream will go up on its banks ⌞from both sides⌟¹ every tree ⌞producing food⌟;² its leaf will not wither and it will not cease producing its fruit. ⌞Every month⌟³ it will bear early fruit, for its waters are going out from the sanctuary, and its fruit will be as food, and its leaf for healing.”

1. Literally “from this and from this”
2. Literally “of food”
3. Literally “for its months”

¹³ Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “This is the boundary by which you shall distribute the land for ⌞the twelve⌟¹ tribes of Israel: Two shares shall be for Joseph.

1. Literally “two ten”

¹⁴ And you must take possession of it, each one a share like his brother, of this land which ⌞I swore⌟¹ to give it to your fathers, and so this land shall fall to you as an inheritance.

1. Literally “I raised my hand”

¹⁵ And¹ this is the boundary of the land: ⌞On the north side⌟,² from the great sea by the way of Hethlon ⌞until you come to Zedad⌟,³

1. Or “Bow”
2. Literally “to the side of the north”
3. Literally “to the arriving at Zedad”

¹⁶ Hamath¹ to Berothath to Sibraim, which is² between the boundary of Damascus and the boundary of Hamath, on to Hazer Hatticon, which is on the boundary of Hauran.

1. Or “Lebo-Hamath to Zeded” (cf. NRSV, NJPS)
2. Or “are”

¹⁷ And so the boundary will be from the sea¹ to Hazar Enan at the boundary of Damascus northwards and the boundary of Hamath to the north, and this is the boundary on the side of the north.

1. That is, the Mediterranean

¹⁸ ⌞And the eastern boundary⌟¹ will be between Hauran and Damascus, and from between Gilead and the land of Israel along the Jordan River from² the boundary on the eastern sea to Tamar. And³ ⌞this is the border on the east⌟.⁴

1. Literally “and the side of the east”
2. Or “to”
3. Or “Now”
4. Literally “and this is the side of the east”

¹⁹ ⌞And on the south side the border⌟¹ will run from Tamar up to the waters of Meribot Kadesh and along the wadi² to the Great Sea.³ And this is ⌞the boundary to the south⌟.⁴

1. Literally “and the side of the south to south”
2. That is, the Wadi of Egypt
3. That is, the Mediterranean
4. Literally “and this is the side of south to the south”

²⁰ ⌞And on the west side⌟¹ the Great Sea² shall be the boundary up to opposite Lebo-Hamath. ⌞This is the western boundary⌟.³

1. Literally “and the side of the west”
2. That is, the Mediterranean
3. Literally “this is the side of the west”

²¹ You shall divide this land for yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.

²² And then you shall allocate it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens dwelling as aliens in the midst of you who have children in the midst of you, and so they shall be to you just like full citizens among the ⌞Israelites⌟.¹ With you they shall be allotted with an inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Israel.

1. Literally “sons/children of Israel”

²³ And then in the tribe in which an alien who is with you dwells, there you shall give his inheritance,” ⌞declares⌟¹ the Lord Yahweh.

1. Literally “declaration of”