Ezekiel 47:1-5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 47:1-12

This part of Ezekiel's vision must so necessarily have a mystical and spiritual meaning that thence we conclude the other parts of his vision have a mystical and spiritual meaning also; for it cannot be applied to the waters brought by pipes into the temple for the washing of the sacrifices, the keeping of the temple clean, and the carrying off of those waters, for that would be to turn this pleasant river into a sink or common sewer. That prophecy, Zech. 14:8; may explain it, of living waters... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 47:1

Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house ,.... The door of the temple, even of the holy of holies; hither the prophet is said to be brought again, or "brought back" F24 וישבני "reduxit me", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Starckius. ; for he was last in the corners of the outward court, viewing the kitchens or boiling places of the ministers; but now he was brought back into the inner court, and to the door that led into the holiest of all: and,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 47:2

Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward ,.... Out of the inward court where he was, by the way of the north gate, the eastern gate being shut: and led me about the way without unto the utter gate, by the way that looketh eastward ; and from thence he had him round to the outward eastern gate, where he was at first, Ezekiel 40:6 , to meet the flow of waters that came through the inward and outward courts eastward: and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 47:3

And when the man that had the line in his hand ,.... The same as in Ezekiel 40:3 and is no other than Christ, who appeared in a human form to the prophet; and who hitherto had only made use of the measuring reed in taking the dimensions of the house, and what appertained to it; but now he uses the line of flax he had in his hand, in measuring the waters as they ran; by which line is meant the Scriptures, the word of God, by which all doctrines are to be measured: this is the rule that both... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 47:4

And again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees ,.... The man with his line measured another thousand cubits straight on from the first; and then bid the prophet cross and ford them again, and then they were knee deep: again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins ; a third time he measured a thousand cubits still onward, and ordered the prophet to wade through them, when they were risen so high as to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 47:5

Afterward he measured a thousand ,.... A fourth time a thousand cubits. Some think these four measurings respect the preaching of the Gospel in the four parts of the world; but rather they refer to four remarkable seasons of the ministry of it; as in the times of John the Baptist, and the disciples of Christ before his death; in the primitive churches of the three first centuries; at the time of the Reformation; and in the latter day glory, which is the fourth and last measuring: and it... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 47:1

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 47:2

There ran out waters - מפכים מים mayim mephaccim , the waters seem to have been at first in small quantity; for the words imply that they oozed or dropped out. They were at first so small that they came guttatim , drop by drop; but they increased so, that they became a river in which one could swim. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 47:3-5

He measured a thousand cubits - the waters were to the Ankles; a thousand more, - the waters were to the Knees; a thousand more, - they became a River that could not be forded. The waters were risen, and they were waters to Swim in. I. This may be applied to the gradual discoveries of the plan of salvation, - read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 47:1

Having completed his survey of the sacrificial kitchens in the outer court ( Ezekiel 46:19-24 ), the prophet was once more conducted by his guide to the door of the house , or of the temple in the strict sense, i.e. of the sanctuary. There he perceived that waters issued (literally, and behold waters issuing ) from under the threshold of the house , i.e. of the temple porch (see Ezekiel 40:48 , Ezekiel 40:49 ; and comp. Ezekiel 9:3 ), eastward , the direction having been... read more

Group of Brands