Bible Commentaries

Afterward he brought me again to the door of the house; and, behold, ^a waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the front of the house [stood toward] the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south [side] of the altar.

(a) By which are meant the spiritual graces that would be given to the Church under the kingdom of Christ.

Afterward he measured a thousand; [and it was] a river that I could not pass over: for the waters had risen, waters to swim in, a ^b river that could not be passed over.

(b) Signifying that the graces of God would never decrease, but ever abound in his Church.

Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river [were] very many ^c trees on the one side and on the other.

(c) Meaning, the multitude of them that would be refreshed by the spiritual waters.

Then said he to me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the ^d sea: [which being] brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.

(d) Showing that the abundance of these graces would be so great, that all the world would be full of it, which is here meant by the Persian sea, or Genezareth, and the sea called Mediterranean, (Zechariah 14:8).

And it shall come to pass, [that] every thing that liveth, which moveth, wherever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come there: for they shall be ^e healed; and every thing shall live where the river cometh.

(e) The waters which by nature are salt and unwholesome will be made sweet and comfortable.

And it shall come to pass, [that] the ^f fishermen shall stand upon it from Engedi even to ^g Eneglaim; they shall be a [place] to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of ^h the great sea, very many.

(f) Signifying that when God bestows his mercies in such abundance the ministers will by their preaching win many.

(g) Which were cities at the corners of the salt or dead sea.

(h) They will be here of all sorts and in as great abundance as in the great ocean where they are bred.

But ⁱ its miry places and its marshes shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.

(i) That is, the wicked and reprobate.

And this [shall be] the border ^k of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad;

(k) By the land of promise he signifies the spiritual land of which this was a figure.

And it shall come to pass, [that] ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be to you as born in the country among the children of Israel; ^l they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

(l) Meaning that in this spiritual kingdom there would be no difference between Jew nor Gentile but that all would be partakers of this inheritance in their head Christ.