Ezekiel 47:3

Ezekiel 47:3

And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.

a. ASV: When the man went forth eastward with the line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles.

b. YLT: In the going out of the man eastward, and a line in his hand, then he measureth a thousand by the cubit, and he causeth me to pass over into water -- water to the ankles.

c. Classic Amplified: And when the man went on eastward with the measuring line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were ankle-deep.

d. Septuagint: In [the direction] in which a man went forth opposite; and [there was] a measuring line in his hand, and he measured a thousand [cubits] with the measure;

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: As the man left to the east with a measuring rod in his hand, he measured  one thousand cubits and led me across the water, ankle deep water.

1. “And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward…”

a. [And when the] man [Strong: 376 'iysh eesh contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, + champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people, person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.] 

b. [that had the] line [Strong: 6957 qav kav or qav {kawv}; from 6960 (Compare 6961); a cord (as connecting), especially for measuring; figuratively, a rule; also a rim, a musical string or accord:--line.]

c. [in his] hand [Strong: 3027 yad yawd a primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows):--(+ be) able, X about, + armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad, (broken-)handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, + creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship, force, X from, hand(-staves, -y work), X he, himself, X in, labour, + large, ledge, (left-)handed, means, X mine, ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain, power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by them, X themselves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing, + thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, (way-)side, where, + wide, X with (him, me, you), work, + yield, X yourselves.]

d. [he] went forth [Strong: 3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw' a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any time, X to (and fro), utter.]

e. eastward [Strong: 6921 qadiym kaw-deem' or qadim {kaw-deem'}; from 6923; the fore or front part; hence (by orientation) the East (often adverbially, eastward, for brevity the east wind):--east(-ward, wind).]

2. “...he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.”

a. [he] measured [Strong: 4058 madad maw-dad' a primitive root: properly, to stretch; by implication, to measure (as if by stretching a line); figuratively, to be extended:--measure, mete, stretch self.]

b. [a] thousand [Strong: 505 'eleph eh'-lef prop, the same as 504; hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand:--thousand.]

c. cubits [Strong: 520 'ammah am-maw' prolonged from 517; properly, a mother (i.e. unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), i.e. a cubit; also a door-base (as a bond of the entrance):--cubit, + hundred (by exchange for 3967), measure, post.]

d. [and he] brought [me] [Strong: 5674 `abar aw-bar' a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation):--alienate, alter, X at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-)come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, + raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, + shave, cause to (make) sound, X speedily, X sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-)faring man, be wrath.]

e. [through the] waters [Strong: 4325 mayim mah'-yim dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+ piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).]

f. [the] waters [Strong: 4325 mayim mah'-yim dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+ piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).]

g. [were to the] ankles [Strong: 657 'ephec eh'-fes from 656; cessation, i.e. an end (especially of the earth); often used adverb, no further; also (like 6466) the ankle (in the dual), as being the extremity of the leg or foot:--ankle, but (only), end, howbeit, less than nothing, nevertheless (where), no, none (beside), not (any, -withstanding), thing of nought, save(-ing), there, uttermost part, want, without (cause).]

1). In the passage Ezekiel 47:1-12, Ezekiel describes a river that flows eastward from under the Temple  that reaches the Dead Sea. Wherever the river flows, it brings life. As it flows into the Dead Sea it will change the Dead Sea into a living sea able to support all kinds of fish.

a). Ezekiel 47:1-12 [NIV]    The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 

47:2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

47:3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 

47:4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 

47:5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. 

47:6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 

47:7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 

47:8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 

47:9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. 

47:10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—li ke the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. 

47:11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 

47:12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”