Ezekiel 47:9

New life and rebirth Sickness and healing The Holy Spirit

⁷ When I arrived, I saw a great number of trees along both banks of the river.

⁸ And he said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah. When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh.

Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures and a great number of fish, because it flows there and makes the waters fresh; so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish.

¹⁰ Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.

¹¹ But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures and a great number of fish, because it flows there and makes the waters fresh; so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish.
KJV: 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.
WEB: It will happen that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, will live. Then there will be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters have come there, and the waters of the sea will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river comes.
ASV: And it shall come to pass, that every living creature which swarmeth, in every place whither the rivers come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters are come thither, and [the waters of the sea] shall be healed, and everything shall live whithersoever the river cometh.
DARBY: And it shall come to pass that every living thing which moveth, whithersoever the double river shall come, shall live. And there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters shall come thither, and [the waters of the sea] shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh.
BLB: And it will come to pass [that] every soul living that moves, at every [place] where the rivers should come there, will live. And there will be a great abundance of fish, because these waters come there, and they will be healed. And will live everything wherever the river comes there.

ÅB: Og alle levende skapninger, som det vrimler av overalt hvor dobbeltbekken[^2] kommer, skal leve, og fiskene skal bli meget tallrike; for når dette vann kommer dit, blir der sundhet og liv overalt hvor bekken kommer.
OTB: Hvert levende vesen som vrimler hvor elven renner, vil leve. Det vil være en stor overflod av fisk, for disse vannene går dit og gjør saltvannet ferskt; så alt vil leve hvor elven går.
B1930: Og alle levende skapninger, som det vrimler av overalt hvor dobbeltbekken kommer, skal leve, og fiskene skal bli meget tallrike; for når dette vann kommer dit, blir der sundhet og liv overalt hvor bekken kommer. / < d.e. den store bekk; ESK 47, 5.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

John 7:37–38
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
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John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
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Isaiah 55:1
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
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John 4:14
But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
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Psalms 78:16
He brought streams from the stone and made water flow down like rivers.
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Ephesians 2:1–5
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
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Romans 8:2
For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
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Acts 2:47
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
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