Ezekiel 47:11

But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.

But the miry places {H1207} thereof and the marishes {H1360} thereof shall not be healed {H7495}; they shall be given {H5414} to salt {H4417}.

However, its mud flats and marshes will not become fresh but will remain salty.

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

But the miry places thereof, and the marshes thereof, shall not be healed; they shall be given up to salt.

Commentary

Ezekiel 47:11 is a crucial verse within Ezekiel's magnificent vision of the life-giving river flowing from the temple, offering a significant contrast to the pervasive healing and abundance described elsewhere in the chapter.

Context

This verse is part of a grand prophetic vision in Ezekiel chapter 47, where the prophet sees a river emanating from the new temple, growing in depth, and bringing life wherever it flows. This miraculous river transforms the barren desert and even purifies the Dead Sea, causing an abundance of fish and lush fruit trees along its banks (Ezekiel 47:9). However, amidst this widespread restoration and vitality, verse 11 presents a striking exception, highlighting areas that will not partake in this divine healing.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty and Judgment: While God's grace and healing are vast, this verse reveals that not all areas are receptive or destined for restoration. It underscores a principle of divine prerogative, where some places remain outside the sphere of renewal, serving as a stark reminder of consequences.
  • Resistance to Spiritual Life: Symbolically, the "miry places" and "marishes" can represent areas of stubbornness, unrepentance, or spiritual stagnation that resist the life-giving flow of God's Spirit and grace. They are places where water collects but does not flow, becoming stagnant and unproductive.
  • Barrenness and Desolation: The phrase "given to salt" signifies perpetual barrenness and desolation. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, salting the land was a practice associated with judgment, rendering soil infertile and uninhabitable, as seen in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Deuteronomy 29:23). This imagery emphasizes a permanent state of unfruitfulness for these particular areas.
  • Contrast of Life and Death: The verse sharply contrasts the vibrant, life-giving river with these unhealed, desolate areas. It highlights the ultimate choice or consequence of either embracing or rejecting the divine source of life.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms provide further depth:

  • "Miry places" (ืžึดื’ึฐืจึธืฉืึดื™ื, migrashim) and "marishes" (ื‘ึผึดืฆึผึนืืช, bitzot) refer to swamps, boggy ground, or stagnant pools. These are areas naturally prone to becoming unproductive and putrid if not regularly refreshed by flowing water.
  • "Healed" (ื™ึตืจึธืคึตืื•ึผ, yerafeu) comes from the root meaning to cure, restore, or make healthy. The emphatic declaration that they "shall not be healed" underscores their permanent, unchangeable state.
  • "Given to salt" (ืœึทืžึผึถืœึทื— ื™ึดื ึผึธืชึตื ื•ึผ, lammelach yinnatenu) literally means "for salt they shall be given." This idiom vividly conveys the idea of being abandoned to perpetual barrenness and judgment, mirroring the ancient practice of sowing salt on conquered or condemned cities to ensure their lasting desolation.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 47:11 serves as a profound spiritual warning and a call to introspection:

  • Spiritual Receptivity: It challenges us to consider if there are "miry places" or "marishes" in our own lives โ€“ areas of stubbornness, unconfessed sin, or unforgiveness โ€“ that resist the healing and purifying flow of God's Spirit. True spiritual growth requires a willingness to be cleansed and transformed by the divine river of life, which is often associated with the Holy Spirit and the teachings of Christ (compare with John 7:38).
  • Consequences of Rejection: The verse reminds us that while God's grace is abundant, there are consequences for persistent rejection or resistance to His life-giving power. Not all will partake in the full blessings of His kingdom if they choose to remain stagnant and unproductive.
  • Hope Amidst Reality: While a sobering truth, this verse also highlights the incredible power of the river elsewhere. It encourages us to ensure we are positioned to receive the life and healing that flows freely, rather than remaining in a state of spiritual barrenness. The promise of the river of the water of life in Revelation continues this imagery of divine provision for the redeemed.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 29:23 (5 votes)

    [And that] the whole land thereof [is] brimstone, and salt, [and] burning, [that] it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

  • Revelation 22:11 (3 votes)

    He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

  • 2 Peter 2:19 (2 votes)

    While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

  • 2 Peter 2:22 (2 votes)

    But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

  • Hebrews 10:26 (2 votes)

    For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

  • Hebrews 10:31 (2 votes)

    [It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

  • Psalms 107:34 (2 votes)

    A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.