1Then he brought me back to the door of the house. Look, water was flowing out from under the doorway of the house toward the east, for the front of the house faced east. The water came down from under the right side of the house, on the south side of the altar.
2Then he led me out through the north gate, and took me round the outside to the outer gate, by the way that faces east. Look, water was running out on the right side.
3The man with the measuring line in his hand went out toward the east. He measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water. The water came up to my ankles.
4Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water. The water came up to my knees. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through. The water came up to my waist.
5Then he measured a thousand more, and now it was a river that I could not cross. The water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed.
6He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he led me back to the edge of the river.
7When I came back, I saw very many trees on the bank of the river, on one side and on the other.
8Then he said to me, "This water flows out toward the eastern country, and goes down into the desert, and goes into the sea. When it flows into the sea, the water there will be made fresh."
9Every living creature that moves will live wherever the rivers come. There will be very many fish, because this water will come there. The water will be made fresh, and everything will live wherever the river comes.
10Fishermen will stand beside it from Engedi as far as Eneglaim. It will be a place for spreading out nets. There will be fish of every kind, like the fish of the great sea, very many of them.
11But its muddy places and its marshes will not be made fresh. They will be left for salt.
12"By the river, on its bank, on this side and on that side, all kinds of fruit trees will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear new fruit every month, because the water for them flows out from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine."
13This is what the Lord GOD says: "These will be the borders by which you will divide the land as your inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions."
14You will inherit it, each one as much as the other. I lifted up my hand and swore to give it to your fathers. This land shall fall to you as your inheritance.
15This shall be the border of the land on the north side: from the great sea, by the way of Hethlon, as you go to Zedad;
16Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which lies between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; and Hazarhatticon, which is by the border of Hauran.
17So the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus, and northward to the north, and the border of Hamath. This is the north side.
18The east side you shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by the Jordan, from the border to the east sea. This is the east side.
19The south side, toward the south, shall run from Tamar to the waters of strife in Kadesh, and along the river to the great sea. This is the south side, toward the south.
20The west side shall be the great sea, from the border until you come opposite Hamath. This is the west side.
21So you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.
22You shall divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the foreigners who live among you and have children among you. They shall be to you like those born in the country among the children of Israel. They shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.
23"In whatever tribe the foreigner lives, there you shall give him his inheritance," says the Lord GOD.