Ezekiel 47:8

Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert - or plain; Hebrew, "Arabah" ( , "THE SEA OF THE PLAIN;" ; , "THE SALT SEA"). ARABAH, OR 'THE PLAIN,' IS THE NAME STILL GIVEN TO THE VALLEY OF THE JORDAN AND THE PLAIN SOUTH OF THE DEAD SEA, AND EXTENDING TO THE ELANITIC GULF OF THE RED SEA. The sea - the Dead Sea. "The sea" noted as covering with its waters the guilty cities of the plain, Sodom and Gomorrah. In

“The sea” is a term commonly applied to the Dead Sea. Compare Deuteronomy 3:17, “the sea of the plain (Arabah), even the salt sea.” The more literal rendering of the verse in this sense would be, “and go into the sea; into the sea go the waters that issue forth, and the waters shall be healed.” HEALED - Every living thing (of which there were none before) shall abound in the “healed” waters. The absence of living creatures in the Dead Sea has been remarked by ancient and modern writers. So the water which Jesus should give should bring life to the dead in trespasses and sins. Compare John 4:14; Revelation 22:2....

EXPOSITION As the first part of Ezekiel's vision (Ezekiel 40-43.) dealt with the temple, or "house," and the second (Ezekiel 44-47.) with the ritual, or "worship," so the third, which beans with the present chapter (Ezekiel 47:1; Ezekiel 48:1.), treats of the land, or "inheritance" setting forth first its relation to the temple (verses 1-12) and to outlying countries (verses 13-21), and secondly its division among the tribes, inclusive of the priests, Levites, sanctuary, prince, and city (Ezekiel 48:1), with a statement of the dimensions and gates of the last (verses 24-35). The opening section of the present chapter (verses 1-12) is by Kliefoth and others connected with the second part as a conclusio

THEN SAID HE UNTO ME,.... The man that measured the waters spoke to the prophet again, and showed him the course of the waters; the quickening and healing virtue of them, and the multitude of fish in them: THESE WATERS ISSUE OUT TOWARD THE EAST COUNTRY; the Gospel was first preached in the eastern parts of the world; Ezekiel 47:3, or "towards the first, or east Galilee" f; in Galilee Christ began to preach, and wrought his first miracle; here he called his disciples, and chiefly conversed; and here he had the greatest followers, and some of the first Christian churches were formed here after his ascension, Matthew 4:12: AND GO DOWN INTO THE DESERT; or wilderness, the wilderness of the people, the Gentiles; to whom the Gospel was carried when rejected by the Jews, and wh

III. THE VISION CONCERNING THE LAND (47-48) CHAPTER 4 7 _ 1. The waters of healing from the temple (Ezekiel 47:1) _ 2. Borders of the land (Ezekiel 47:13) 3. Concerning the stranger in the land (Ezekiel 47:22)...

EZEKIEL 47, 48. THE HOLY LAND, ITS BEAUTY, BOUNDARIES, AND DIVISIONS. Now that the Temple and its worship, which are indispensable to the welfare of the land, have been described, Ezekiel directs his parting glance to the land itself, introducing his description with a beautiful and suggestive picture, particularly refreshing after the long stretch of minute ceremonial detail, of the life-giving stream that flowed from the heart of the sanctuary. The clearness and keenness with which the prophet's imagination is working, comes out in the frequent repetition of the word Behold. EZEKIEL 47:1. THE RIVER OF LIFE. From under the threshold of the Temple the prophet, led by his supernatural guide, is startled to see water trickling out and flowing past the altar eastwards, growing deeper and stronger as it flows, in the direction of the Dead Sea, into which it finally falls.

EAST COUNTRY. the eastern Allah i.e. circular border-land. Used of the Jordan in Joshua 22:11. DESERT. plain. Hebrew 'arabah. See Deuteronomy 3:17; Deuteronomy 4:49. the sea. THE SEA. called Salt, or Dead Sea....

The river issuing from the temple. The prophet saw a stream issuing from beneath the threshold of the house, which pursued its way eastward, passing the altar on the south side and emerging into the open on the right hand of the outer east gate. A thousand cubits from the gate the waters were ankle deep, but speedily they became a river so deep that it could be crossed only by swimming (Ezekiel 47:3). A luxuriant nature attended the course of the stream; trees grew on every side, ever green and with unfailing fruit, the leaves of which possessed a healing virtue (Ezekiel 47:7_; Ezekiel 47:12_). The desert place to the east became transformed, and the bitter waters of the Dead Sea into which the river flowed were made sweet,

AND GO DOWN INTO THE DESERT— That is to say, along the plain towards the lake, where Sodom formerly stood, called the _Dead_ or _Salt Sea._ Almost all the writers who describe this _sea_ or _lake,_ observe, that nothing can live in it. The text tells us, that these living and salubrious streams, by mixing with the salt and brackish waters of the sea, shall render them wholesome, and fit for use; mystically implying the healing virtue of God's grace in curing the vices of corrupt man....

III. THE FUTURE LAND 47:1-48:35 In his last vision Ezekiel observes the blessing which the people of God would enjoy in the new Temple age. In that blessed land the tribes of Israel would have eternal possession. Here he discusses (1) the transformation of the promised land (Ezekiel 47:1-12); (2) the boundaries of the promised land (Ezekiel 47:13-21); (3) the place of aliens in the land (Ezekiel 47:22-23); (4) the apportionment of the land among the tribes (Ezekiel 48:1-35). THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PROMISED LAND 47:1-12 TRANSLATION (1) And he brought me back unto