Ezekiel 47:1–11

Water Flowing from the Temple

47Then he brought me back to ^xthe door of the temple, and behold, ^ywater was issuing from below ^zthe threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of ^athe altar. ²Then he brought me out by way of ^bthe north gate and led me around on the outside to ^cthe outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.

³Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, ^dthe man measured a thousand cubits,¹ and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. ⁴Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. ⁵Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. ⁶And he said to me, ^e“Son of man, ^fhave you seen this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. ⁷As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river ^gvery many trees on the one side and on the other. ⁸And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into ^hthe Arabah, and enters the sea;² when the water flows into ⁱthe sea, the water will become fresh.^{3 9}And wherever the river goes,⁴ every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea⁵ may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. ¹⁰Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From ^jEngedi to ^kEneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of ^lthe Great Sea.^{6 11}But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt.