Ezekiel 47:9

And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. Whithersoever the rivers shall come - in Hebrew, 'two rivers.' Hence, Hebrew expositors think that the waters from the temple are to be divided into two branches-the one emptying itself into the eastern or Dead Sea, the other into the western or Mediterranean. So . However, though this probably is covertly implied in the Hebrew dual, the flowing of the waters into the Dead Sea only is expressed. Compare , "the waters shall be healed," which can apply only to it, not to the Mediterranean; also...

Verse Ezekiel 47:9. _EVERY THING - WHITHERSOEVER THE RIVERS SHALL COME, SHALL_ _LIVE_] _Life_ and _salvation_ shall continually accompany the _preaching_ of the Gospel; the _death of sin_ being removed, the life of righteousness shall be brought in. _THERE SHALL BE A VERY GREAT MULTITUDE OF FISH_] On the above plan this must refer to _genuine converts_ to the Christian faith; true believers, who have got life and salvation by the streams of God's grace. The _apostles_ were _fishers of men; converts_ were _the fish_ caught. See below. As the waters flow into the _DEAD Sea_, where no fish, it is said, can live, its waters must be healed, that is, made capable of preserving life; and so its nature be thus far most surprisingly altered....

THE RIVERS - literally, as in the margin. Perhaps with reference to the circumstance that this “brook or river” is to come into the Dead Sea through the same plain as the Jordan. The one river (Jordan) always flowed, but now, when another river comes in, and “two rivers” flow into the sea, the waters shall be healed....

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

AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT EVERYTHING THAT LIVETH, WHICH MOVETH,.... That is, every living man; everyone that lives naturally or corporeally, that lives, moves, and has his being in God, as all men have, Acts 17:28, WHITHERSOEVER THE RIVERS SHALL COME, SHALL LIVE; or, "the two rivers" i; the waters divided as before, east and west; not the two Testaments, Old and New; nor the two ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper; but the Gospel, which, wherever it shall come with power, and to whomsoever it so comes, they shall live spiritually; not to whomsoever it is preached, for to some it is not profitable; see Ezekiel 47:11, but is the savour of death unto death; but to all to whom it is accompanied by the Spirit of God it is the savour of life unto life; the Spirit that g

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.

THINGS. soul. Hebrew. _nephesh_. App-13. MOVETH. swarmeth....

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 IT SHALL COME TO PASS— As no fish can live in the Dead Sea, so, on the contrary, the waters which flow from the _fountain_ of salvation shall give life to all who drink of them. See Exodus 7:18. By the _fishers_ in the next verse may be understood the apostles, and other ministers of the gospel. _En-gedi_ was situated at the beginning of the _Red Sea,_ near the Jordan; and _En-eglaim_ where it disembogues itself....