And last, he took me to the door of the temple itself, and shewed me where a stream of water flowed eastwards from beneath the threshold of it. Eastward the temple looked, and eastward these waters flowed, somewhat to the temple’s right, so as to pass by the southern side of the altar.

Through the northern gate he led me, and round the walk that passed the outer gate, taking the eastern sun; and here, to the right of the gate, the water gushed out.

Eastward then he faced, the man of the measuring-rod; measured a thousand cubits, and led me across a stream that reached my ankles.

Another thousand, and when I crossed the stream it reached my knees;

another thousand, and it was up to my waist, another thousand, and now it had become a torrent I might not cross any longer, so high the waters had swelled, out of my depth.

Mark it well, son of man, said he; and with that he brought me out on to the bank again;

when I reached it, I found that there were trees growing thick on either hand.

This stream, he told me, must flow eastward to the sand-dunes, and so fall into the desert; pass into the Dead Sea and beyond it, cleansing those waters by its passage.

Wherever it flows, there shall be teeming life once again; in the Dead Sea itself there will be shoals of fish, once this stream has reached it, this stream that heals all things and makes all things live.

Fisher-folk will line the shores of it, and there will be drying of nets all the way from Engaddi to Engallim, and fish there will be in great shoals, varied in kind as the ocean fish are.

Only the swamps and marshes about it there is no cleansing; these shall turn into salt-pits.

And on either bank of the stream fruit-trees shall grow of every kind; never leaf lost, never fruit cast; month after month they shall yield a fresh crop, watered by that sanctuary stream; fruit for man’s eating, and medicinal leaves.

This message, too, the Lord God has for you, about the frontiers of the territory you are to divide among the twelve tribes; twelve, because Joseph must have a double portion.

I promised it to your fathers long ago; This land, I told them, shall be allotted to you.✻ And you must allot it among yourselves in equal shares.

These are to be its boundaries on the north; from Hethalon, on the Great Sea, across the pass which leads to Sedada

and Emath, by Berotha and Sabarim (where Emath marches with Syria) and Hazar Tichon (near the Hauran country)

to the Syrian frontier-town of Hazar Enan, its extreme limit inland. Ever northward it stretches, this northern frontier of yours, till it reaches Emath.

The eastern frontier is to be drawn between Hauran and what is now Syria, between Galaad and Israel proper, down the line of the Jordan to the Dead Sea.

Towards the south and the noon-day sun, the line stretches from Thamar to the Waters of Challenge at Cades, then follows the Brook of Egypt to the sea;

and on the west, it runs straight from the Egyptian border to the Emath pass.✻

All this territory must be apportioned between the tribes of Israel;

then you will divide it up among yourselves. Aliens will have their share in it, such aliens as have thrown in their lot with yours and bred amongst you; native Israelites you shall count them, and allot them their portions in this tribe or that.

Amidst the tribe which has given him shelter, each shall find a home, the Lord God says.