How does the sanctuary stream lead into the land’s allotment?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

A deepening, life-giving stream precedes measured borders and possession for tribes and resident strangers with children.

Chapter breakdown

Ezechiel is brought to the house's entrance and sees water flowing eastward from beneath its threshold, on the right side south of the altar. Taken out by the north gate and around to the outer east gate, he sees it flowing on the right. The man with a measuring line leads him through four successive measurements of a thousand cubits: the water reaches his ankles, then his knees, then his loins, and finally becomes a deep torrent he cannot pass. Asked whether he has seen this, he is brought back to the bank, where many trees grow on both sides.

The waters run toward the eastern sandhillocks, down to the desert's plain and into the sea, healing its waters. Living things reached by the torrent live, and fish become abundant. Fishers stand from Engaddi to Engallim, drying their nets; the fish are of many kinds, like those of the great sea. The shore and fenny places remain unhealed and become salt pits. Fruit trees on either bank retain their leaves and fruit, bearing firstfruits each month because sanctuary water reaches them. Their fruit is for food and their leaves for medicine, within the vision's description.

The edition separately says this water is mystical, since no such water flowed from the temple. It interprets the stream as Christ's doctrine, grace and baptism; the trees as Christian virtues, the fish as Christians, the fishers as apostles and apostolic preachers, and the fenny places as those outside the Church, separated from its waters. These are the edition's interpretations of the vision.

The twelve tribes receive the land, with a double portion for Joseph, each possessing it like his brother according to the oath to their fathers. The northern boundary runs from the great sea through Hethalon toward Sedada, Emath, Berotha and Sabarim between Damascus and Emath, and the house of Tichon by Auran, reaching the court of Enan with Damascus to the north and Emath's border. The eastern boundary runs between Auran, Damascus, Galaad and Israel's land, with Jordan marking the line toward the eastern sea. The southern boundary runs from Thamar to the waters of contradiction at Cades, then the torrent toward the great sea. The western boundary is the great sea, straight toward Emath.

The land is divided by lot among Israel's tribes and the strangers who come among them and beget children there. These strangers receive possession like native Israelites, in the tribe among which they live.

The story inside

Four thousand-cubit measurements bring the water from ankle depth to an impassable torrent. Fish and fruit flourish, while shore and fenny places remain salt pits. Strangers who come and beget children receive possession in their resident tribe.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Four thousand-cubit measurements bring the water from ankle depth to an impassable torrent.
2
Fish and fruit flourish, while shore and fenny places remain salt pits.
3
Strangers who come and beget children receive possession in their resident tribe.

Test your recall

Which strangers share the tribal allotments?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 96571–96575
47:1. And he brought me again to the gate of the house, and behold waters issued out from under the threshold of the house toward the east: for the forefront of the house looked toward the east: but the waters came down to the right side of the temple to the south part of the altar.
Lines 96577–96584
Waters.... These waters are not to be understood literally (for there were none such that flowed from the temple); but mystically, of the baptism of Christ, and of his doctrine and his grace: the trees that grow on the banks are Christian virtues: the fishes are Christians, that spiritually live in and by these holy waters, the fishermen are the apostles, and apostolic preachers: the fenny places, where there is no health, are such as by being out of the church are separated from these waters of life.
Lines 96590–96600
47:3. And when the man that had the line in his hand went out towards the east, he measured a thousand cubits: and he brought me through the water up to the ankles. 47:4. And again he measured a thousand, and he brought me through the water up to the knees. 47:5. And he measured a thousand, and he brought me through the water up to the loins. And he measured a thousand, and it was a torrent, which I could not pass over: for the waters were risen so as to make a deep torrent, which could not be passed over.
Lines 96608–96616
47:8. And he said to me: These waters that issue forth toward the hillocks of sand to the east, and go down to the plains of the desert, shall go into the sea, and shall go out, and the waters shall be healed. 47:9. And every living creature that creepeth whithersoever the torrent shall come, shall live: and there shall be fishes in abundance after these waters shall come thither, and they shall be healed, and all things shall live to which the torrent shall come.
Lines 96626–96630
47:12. And by the torrent on the banks thereof on both sides shall grow all trees that bear fruit: their leaf shall not fall off, and their fruit shall not fail: every month shall they bring forth firstfruits, because the waters thereof shall issue out of the sanctuary: and the fruits thereof shall be for food, and the leaves thereof for medicine.
Lines 96665–96672
47:22. And you shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you, and to the strangers that shall come over to you, that shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as men of the same country born among the children of Israel: they shall divide the possession with you in the midst of the tribes of Israel. 47:23. And in what tribe soever the stranger shall be, there shall you give him possession, saith the Lord God.