Ezekiel 47:17

47:1-23 These waters signify the gospel of Christ, which went forth from Jerusalem, and spread into the countries about; also the gifts and powers of the Holy Ghost which accompanied it, by virtue of which is spread far, and produced blessed effects. Christ is the Temple; and he is the Door; from him the living waters flow, out of his pierced side. They are increasing waters. Observe the progress of the gospel in the world, and the process of the work of grace in the heart; attend the motions of the blessed Spirit under Divine guidance. If we search into the things of God, we find some things plain and easy to be understood, as the waters that were but to the ankles; others more difficult, which require a deeper search, as the waters to the knees, or the loins; and some quite beyond our reach, which we cannot penetrate; but must, as St. Paul did, adore the depth, Ro 11. It is wisdom to begin with that which is most easy, before we proceed to that which is dark and hard to be understood. The promises of the sacred word, and the privileges of believers, as shed abroad in their souls by the quickening Spirit, abound where the gospel is preached; they nourish and delight the souls of men; they never fade nor wither, nor are exhausted. Even the leaves serve as medicines to the soul: the warnings and reproofs of the word, though less pleasant than Divine consolations, tend to heal the diseases of the soul.

And the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus,.... Which was the furthermost part and end of the northern border, as fixed by Moses, Numbers 34:9 , and the north northward, and the border of Hamath; if this is carrying on the border further, it seems to be another Hamath, distinct from the former, Ezekiel 47:16, and this is the north side: of the land, and the description of the northern border of it, from the Mediterranean sea to Hazarenan.

(17) The border from the sea shall be Hazarenan. —Comparing this with Numbers 34:9 , it is plain that the sense is, “The (north) boundary which started from the sea shall terminate at Hazar-enan, where it meets the boundaries of Damascus.” Hazar-enan means “the village of springs,” and is mentioned in Ezekiel 48:1 , and in Numbers 34:9-10 , as the end of the north and beginning of the east boundary of the land. For “and the border of Hamath,” read even the border—i.e., the northern boundary is the (south) boundary of Hamath. While it is impossible to locate precisely this northern boundary, either as given in Numbers or by Ezekiel, it is evident that the two are identical, and that the line stretched from the Mediterranean to the territory of Damascus. The whole width of the country at this point would therefore be somewhat over thirty miles.

Verse 17. - The northern boundary is further defined as extending from the sea, i.e. the Mediterranean on the west, to Hazar-enan , or the "Village of fountains," in the east, which village again is declared to have been the border , frontier city (Keil), at the border (Revised Version) of Damascus , and as having on the north northward the border or territory of Hamath. The final clause adds, And this is the north side , either understanding וְאֵת , with Gesenius, as equivalent to αὐτός , ipse , "this same," or with Hitzig and Smend, after the Syriac, substituting for it here and in vers. 18, 19 ולֺאת as in ver. 20; though Hengstenberg and Keil prefer to regard אֵת as the customary sign of the accusative, and to supply some such thought as "ye see" (Hengstenberg), or "ye shall measure" (Keil), which ver. 18 shows was in the prophet's mind. Compared with the ancient north boundary of Canaan ( Numbers 34:7-9 ), this appointed by Ezekiel's Torah for the new land shows a marked correspondence. Ezekiel 47:17

17 . The verse repeats and sums up Ezekiel 47:15-16 , with special reference to the countries lying on the N. of the northern border of Israel. In Ezekiel 47:17 Hazar Enon is named as the extremity of the Northern boundary, in Ezekiel 47:16 Hazar hattikon (the middle Hazar). The places must be identical, whether hattikon be a misreading or not. LXX. reads Saunan, Cod. Alex. Eunan, and in Ezekiel 48:1 , Numbers 34:9 , Enon here is spelled Enan. In Ezekiel 47:16 the place is said to be on the border of Hauran. Ezekiel 47:17 may read: “and so the border shall be from the sea to Hazar Enon on the border of Damascus, and north northwards the border of Hamath: this is the north side” (reading this as Ezekiel 47:20 and possibly with omission of and before “border of Hamath,” words wanting in LXX.). The boundary is first stated generally as going from the sea to Hazar Enan, and then in the contrary direction north, Hamath being the country to the N. It is not certain that Hauran is the district now so called, but it is probable. Wetzstein (Del. Psalms iii. 439, Eaton’s Trans.), identifies the village of Haḍar at the East foot of Hermon with Hazar Enan. In all likelihood the end of the boundary line is hereabouts; in Deuteronomy 3:8 Hermon is the northernmost point of conquest, and Ezek. would probably follow this.

The northern boundary followed an easterly course from the sea, Hamath lying on the N., then a southerly course having Damascus on the E., till it terminated at Hazar Enon between Damascus and Hauran. But at what point of the sea it started, and in what latitude the line to the east ran is obscure. The identifications of Hethlon with Heitela and of Zedad with Sadad would give the latitude of Emesa (Homs), which is very far north; see Porter, Five Years in Damascus , 11. 354 seq . and map. More likely the prophet fancied the starting-point on the W. to be about Tyre.

The border; the utmost northern bounds. From the sea: see Ezekiel 47:15 . Hazar-enan; the village Enan, or Enon, near Sedada. The north northward; a line drawn from west to east, that shall distinguish the most northern boundaries of Israel from the most southern of Syria Damascena.

Boundaries of the Land to be Divided among the Tribes of Israel. Ezekiel 47:13. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, This is the boundary according to which ye shall divide the land among you for an inheritance, for Joseph portions. Ezekiel 47:14. And ye shall receive it for an inheritance, one as well as another, because I lifted up my hand to give it to your fathers; and thus shall this land fall to you for an inheritance. Ezekiel 47:15. And this is the boundary of the land: toward the north side, from the great sea onwards by the way to Chetlon, in the direction of Zedad; Ezekiel 47:16. Hamath, Berotah, Sibraim, which is between the boundary of Damascus and the boundary of Hamath, the central Hazer, which is on the boundary of Haruan. Ezekiel 47:17. And the boundary from the sea shall be Hazar-Enon, the boundary town of Damascus; and as for the north northwards, Hamath is the boundary. This, the north side. Ezekiel 47:18. And the east side between Hauran and Damascus and Gilead and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the boundary to the eastern sea ye shall measure. This, the east side. Ezekiel 47:19. And the south side toward the south; from Tamar to the water of strife, Kadesh, along the brook to the great sea. This, the south side toward the south. Ezekiel 47:20. And the west side; the great sea from the boundary to Hamath. This, the west side. Ezekiel 47:21. This land shall ye divide among you according to the tribes of Israel. Ezekiel 47:22.