The Life-Giving River

1Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple and there was water flowing 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 threshold of the temple, south of the altar.a 2Next he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate that faced east; there the water was trickling from the south side. 3As the man went out east with a measuring line in his hand,a he measured off a third of a mileA and led me through the water. It came up to my ankles. 4Then he measured off a third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my knees. He measured off another third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my waist. 5Again he measured off a third of a mile, and it was a river that I could not cross on foot. For the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed on foot.

6He asked me, “Do you see this, son of man? ” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7When I had returned, I saw a very large number of trees along both sides of the riverbank.a 8He said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down to the Arabah. When it enters the sea, the sea of foul water,a B the water of the sea becomes fresh.a 9Every kind of living creature that swarms will live wherever the river flows,A and there will be a huge number of fish because this water goes there. Since the water will become fresh, there will be life everywhere the river goes. 10Fishermen will stand beside it from En-gedi to En-eglaim.A These will become places where nets are spread out to dry. Their fish will consist of many different kinds, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.a 11Yet its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be left for salt. 12All kinds of trees providing food will grow along both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail.a Each month they will bear fresh fruit because the water comes from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be used for eating and their leaves for healing.”b

The Borders of the Land

13This is what the Lord God says: “This isA the border you will use to divide the landa as an inheritance for the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will receive two shares.b 14You will inherit it in equal portions, since I sworeA to give it to your ancestors.a So this land will fall to you as an inheritance.

15This is to be the border of the land:

On the north sidea it will extend from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon and Lebo-hamath to Zedad,A 16Berothah, and Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17So the border will run from the sea to Hazar-enon at the bordera of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern side.

18On the east side it will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; you will measure from the northern border to the eastern sea.A This will be the eastern side.

19On the south side it will run from Tamar to the Waters of Meribath-kadesh,A and on to the Brook of Egypta as far as the Mediterranean Sea.b This will be the southern side.

20On the west side the Mediterranean Sea will be the border, from the southern border up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western side.

21“You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.a 22You will allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens residing among you,a who have fathered children among you. You will treat themA like native-born Israelites; along with you, they will be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23In whatever tribe the alien resides, you will assign his inheritance there.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.