Ezekiel 47 · Verse 1

Ezekiel 47:1

Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
Ezekiel 47:1, King James Version

Ezekiel 47:1 in other translations

BSBThen the man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw 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 temple, south of the altar.
WEBHe brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, waters flowed out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, for the front of the temple faced toward the east. The waters came down from underneath, from the right side of the temple, on the south of the altar.
ASVAnd he brought me back unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward (for the forefront of the house was toward the east); and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, on the south of the altar.
YLTAnd he causeth me to turn back unto the opening of the house; and lo, water is coming forth from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the front of the house is eastward, and the water is coming down from beneath, from the right side of the house, from the south of the altar.
DARBYAnd he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the front of the house was eastward. And the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, south of the altar.
BBEAnd he took me back to the door of the house; and I saw that waters were flowing out from under the doorstep of the house on the east, for the house was facing east: and the waters came down from under, from the right side of the house, on the south side of the altar.
WebsterAfterward he brought me again to the door of the house; and behold, waters issued out from under the threshhold of the house eastward: for the front of the house stood towards the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

What does Ezekiel 47:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Eze 47:1-23. Vision of the Temple Waters. Borders and Division of The land.

The happy fruit to the earth at large of God's dwelling with Israel in holy fellowship is that the blessing is no longer restricted to the one people and locality, but is to be diffused with comprehensive catholicity through the whole world. So the plant from the cedar of Lebanon is represented as gathering under its shelter "all fowl of every wing" (Eze 17:23). Even the desert places of the earth shall be made fruitful by the healing waters of the Gospel (compare Is 35:1). 1. waters--So Re 22:1, represents "the water of life as proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." His throne was set up in the temple at Jerusalem (Eze 43:7). Thence it is to flow over the earth (Joe 3:18; Zec 13:1; 14:8). Messiah is the temple and the door; from His pierced side flow the living waters, ever increasing, both in the individual believer and in the heart. The fountains in the vicinity of Moriah suggested the image here. The waters flow eastward, that is, towards the Kedron, and thence towards the Jordan, and so along the Ghor into the Dead Sea. The main point in the picture is the rapid augmentation from a petty stream into a mighty river, not by the influx of side streams, but by its own self-supply from the sacred miraculous source in the temple [Henderson]. (Compare Psa 36:8, 9; 46:4; Is 11:9; Ha 2:14). Searching into the things of God, we find some easy to understand, as the water up to the ankles; others more difficult, which require a deeper search, as the waters up to the knees or loins; others beyond our reach, of which we can only adore the depth (Ro 11:33). The healing of the waters of the Dead Sea here answers to "there shall be no more curse" (Re 22:3; compare Zec 14:11).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The vision of the holy waters issuing out of the temple, and their virtue; an emblem of the power of God's grace under the Gospel, capable of healing all but the incorrigibly impenitent, represented by the marshy ground that cannot be healed, Eze 47:1-12. Also a description of the several divisions of the Holy Land indiscriminately shared betwixt Jews and proselytes; to denote that in after times the privileges now enjoyed by the Jews should be also extended to the Gentiles, Eze 47:13-23. Verse 1 Behold, waters issued out from under the threshold - Ezekiel, after having made the whole compass of the court of the people, is brought back by the north gate into the courts of the priests; and, having reached the gate of the temple, he saw waters which had their spring under the threshold of that gate, that looked towards the east; and which passing to the south of the altar of burnt-offerings on the right of the temple, ran from the west to the east, that they might fall into the brook Kidron, and thence be carried into the Dead Sea. Literally, no such waters were ever in the temple; and because there were none, Solomon had what is called the brazen sea made, which held water for the use of the temple. It is true that the water which supplied this sea might have been brought by pipes to the place: but a fountain producing abundance of water was not there, and could not be there, on the top of such a hill; and consequently these waters, as well as those spoken of in Joe 3:18, and in Zac 14:8, are to be understood spiritually or typically; and indeed the whole complexion of the place here shows, that they are thus to be understood. Taken in this view, I shall proceed to apply the whole of this vision to the effusion of light and salvation by the outpouring of the Spirit of God under the Gospel dispensation, by which the knowledge of the true God was multiplied in the earth; and have only one previous remark to make, that the farther the waters flowed from the temple, the deeper they grew. With respect to the phraseology of this chapter, it may be said that St. John had it particularly in view while he wrote his celebrated description of the paradise of God, Revelation 22. The prophet may therefore be referring to the same thing which the apostle describes, viz., the grace of the Gospel, and its effects in the world.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
These waters signify the gospel of Christ, which went forth from Jerusalem, and spread into the countries about; also the gifts and powers of the Holy Ghost which accompanied it, by virtue of which is spread far, and produced blessed effects. Christ is the Temple; and he is the Door; from him the living waters flow, out of his pierced side. They are increasing waters. Observe the progress of the gospel in the world, and the process of the work of grace in the heart; attend the motions of the blessed Spirit under Divine guidance. If we search into the things of God, we find some things plain and easy to be understood, as the waters that were but to the ankles; others more difficult, which require a deeper search, as the waters to the knees, or the loins; and some quite beyond our reach, which we cannot penetrate; but must, as St. Paul did, adore the depth, Rom. 11. It is wisdom to begin with that which is most easy, before we proceed to that which is dark and hard to be understood. The promises of the sacred word, and the privileges of believers, as shed abroad in their souls by the quickening Spirit, abound where the gospel is preached; they nourish and delight the souls of men; they never fade nor wither, nor are exhausted. Even the leaves serve as medicines to the soul: the warnings and reproofs of the word, though less pleasant than Divine consolations, tend to heal the diseases of the soul. All who believe in Christ, and are united to him by his sanctifying Spirit, will share the privileges of Israelites. There is room in the church, and in heaven, for all who seek the blessings of that new covenant of which Christ is Mediator.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ezekiel 47:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְשִׁבֵנִי֮vay.shi.ve.Niand he brought back meH7725
אֶל\־'el-toH413
פֶּ֣תַחPe.tach[the] entrance ofH6607
הַבַּיִת֒ha.ba.Yitthe houseH1004
וְהִנֵּה\־ve.hi.neh-and there!H2009
מַ֣יִםMa.yimwatersH4325
יֹצְאִ֗יםyo.tze.'Im[were] going outH3318
מִתַּ֨חַתmi.Ta.chatfrom underH8478
מִפְתַּ֤ןmif.Tan[the] threshold ofH4670
הַבַּ֙יִת֙ha.Ba.yitthe houseH1004
קָדִ֔ימָהka.Di.maheast -wardH6921
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
פְנֵ֥יfe.Nei[the] face ofH6440
הַבַּ֖יִתha.Ba.yitthe houseH1004
קָדִ֑יםka.Dim[was] eastH6921
וְהַמַּ֣יִםve.ha.Ma.yimand the watersH4325
יֹרְדִ֗יםyo.re.Dim[were] going downH3381
מִתַּ֜חַתmi.Ta.chatfrom underH8478
מִכֶּ֤תֶףmi.Ke.teffrom [the] side ofH3802
הַבַּ֙יִת֙ha.Ba.yitthe houseH1004
הַיְמָנִ֔יתhay.ma.Nit<the> southH3233
מִנֶּ֖גֶבmi.Ne.gevfrom [the] southH5045
לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ\׃la.miz.Be.achof the altarH4196

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 47:1

  • Revelation 22:1

    And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

  • Zechariah 14:8

    And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

  • Joel 3:18

    And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.

  • Isaiah 55:1

    Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

  • Ezekiel 47:12

    And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

  • John 7:37-39

    In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

  • Jeremiah 2:13

    For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

  • Psalms 46:4

    There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

  • Revelation 22:17

    And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

  • Zechariah 13:1

    In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

  • Ezekiel 41:2

    And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits.

  • Isaiah 30:25

    And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 The vision of the holy waters.
6 The virtue of them.
13 The borders of the land.
22 The division of it by lot.

the door.
41:2,23-26
waters issued.Solomon's temple and the second temple were doubtless well supplied with water, probably conveyed there by means of pipes; but these waters flowed from the temple, not as a common sewer, but as a fertilizing river. A fountain producing abundance of water was not in the temple, and could not be there on the top of such a hill; and consequently these waters, as well as those spoken of by Joel and Zechariah, must be understood figuratively and typically. These waters doubtless were an emblem of the "gospel preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;" and their gradual rise beautifully represents it progress, from small beginnings to an immensely large increase; and the latter part of the representation may relate to the times when it shall fill the earth, and produce the most extensive and important effects on the state of making in every nation.
Ps 46:4; Isa 30:25; 55:1; Jer 2:13; Joe 3:18; Zec 13:1; 14:8
Joh 7:37-39; Re 22:1,17
from under the threshold.
12; Isa 2:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 47:1

    Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

  • Ezekiel 47:2

    Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

Read all of Ezekiel 47

Ezekiel 47:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
HÍZOME tornar luego á la entrada de la casa; y he aquí aguas que salían de debajo del umbral de la casa hacia el oriente: porque la fachada de la casa estaba al oriente: y las aguas descendían de debajo, hacia el lado derecho de la casa, al mediodía del altar.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il me fit retourner à l’entrée de la maison, et voici des eaux qui sortaient de dessous le seuil de la maison, vers l’orient, car la façade de la maison était tournée vers l’orient. Et les eaux descendaient de dessous, du côté droit de la maison, au midi de l’autel.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und er führte mich zurück zu der Tür des Hauses und siehe, Wasser flossen unter der Schwelle des Hauses hervor gegen Osten, denn die Vorderseite des Hauses war gegen Osten; und die Wasser flossen herab von unten, von der rechten Seite des Hauses her, südlich vom Altar.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et convertit me ad portam domus, et ecce aquæ egrediebantur subter limen domus ad orientem: facies enim domus respiciebat ad orientem, aquæ autem descendebant in latus templi dextrum, ad meridiem altaris.