Ezekiel 47:13-23

Boundaries for the Land

47:13 This is what the sovereign Lord says: “Here ¹  are the borders ²  you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.) ³  47:14 You must divide it equally just as I vowed to give it to your forefathers; ⁴  this land will be assigned as your inheritance. ⁵ 

47:15 “This will be the border of the land: ⁶  On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to the entrance of Zedad; 47:16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath, as far as Hazer-hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran. 47:17 The border will run from the sea to Hazar-enan, at the border of Damascus, and on the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side. 47:18 On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, will be the Jordan. You will measure from the border to the eastern sea. This is the east side. 47:19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, the river, ⁷  to the Great Sea. This is the south side. 47:20 On the west side the Great Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.

47:21 “This is how you will divide this land for yourselves among the tribes of Israel. 47:22 You must allot it as an inheritance among yourselves and for the foreigners who reside among you, who have fathered sons among you. You must treat them as native-born among the people of Israel; they will be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. ⁸  47:23 In whatever tribe the foreigner resides, there you will give him his inheritance,” declares the sovereign Lord.

[47:13]  ¹ tc This translation follows the reading זֶה (zeh) instead of גֵּה (geh), a nonexistent word, as supported by the LXX.

[47:13]  ² tn Or “territory”; see D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:715.

[47:13]  ³ tc The grammar is awkward, though the presence of these words is supported by the versions. L. C. Allen (Ezekiel [WBC], 2:274) suggests that it is an explanatory gloss.

[47:14]  ⁴ sn Gen 15:9-21.

[47:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “will fall to you as an inheritance.”

[47:15]  ⁶ sn The measurements resemble those in Num 34:1-2.

[47:19]  ⁷ tn Or “valley.” The syntax is difficult. Some translate “to the river,” others “from the river”; in either case the preposition is supplied for the sake of English.

[47:22]  ⁸ sn A similar attitude toward non-Israelites is found in Isa 56:3-8.