The Life-Giving River

Trinity Presbyterian Church

Ezekiel 47:1-12

Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing

from below the 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 the altar. 2 Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me

around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the wa-

ter was trickling out on the south side.

3 Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand

cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. 4 Again 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. 5 Again 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. 6 And he said to

me,

“Son of man, have you seen this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 As I went back, I saw on the bank of the

river very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 And he said to me, “This water

flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea;

when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. 9 And wherever the river

goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For

this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will

live where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to

Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds,

like the fish of the Great Sea. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they

are to be left for salt. 12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all

kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will

bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary.

Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”