Ezekiel 47:6

And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen [this]? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.

And he said {H559} unto me, Son {H1121} of man {H120}, hast thou seen {H7200} this? Then he brought {H3212} me, and caused me to return {H7725} to the brink {H8193} of the river {H5158}.

He asked me, "Human being, have you seen this?" Then, guiding me, he got me back to the riverbank.

“Son of man, do you see this?” he asked. Then he led me back to the bank of the river.

And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the bank of the river.

Commentary

Context

Ezekiel 47:6 is situated within a profound vision given to the prophet Ezekiel, beginning in Ezekiel chapter 40. Chapters 40-48 describe a new temple, its ordinances, and particularly, a miraculous river flowing from it. This verse marks a pause in the guided tour of the river's increasing depth and life-giving properties, as detailed in Ezekiel 47:1-5. The divine guide asks Ezekiel if he has truly apprehended the significance of what he has witnessed before bringing him back to the river's edge, preparing for further revelation.

Key Themes

  • Divine Revelation and Understanding: The question, "Hast thou seen [this]?", is a direct challenge for Ezekiel to internalize and comprehend the profound spiritual realities being revealed. It's not enough to merely observe; one must grasp the significance of God's unfolding plan.
  • The Progressive Nature of God's Blessing: The river, which starts as a trickle and becomes an uncrossable torrent (Ezekiel 47:5), symbolizes the ever-increasing flow of God's presence, blessing, and spiritual life.
  • Divine Guidance: The unnamed guide, who leads Ezekiel throughout this vision (first introduced in Ezekiel 40:3), emphasizes that understanding spiritual truths often requires divine leading and instruction.

Linguistic Insights

  • The address "Son of man" (Hebrew: ben adam) is used over 90 times in the book of Ezekiel, consistently highlighting the prophet's human frailty and mortality in contrast to the majesty of God's revelation. It serves to emphasize that this profound vision is given to a mere human being.
  • The question "Hast thou seen [this]?" implies a deeper level of observation than just sight. It's a call to perceive and understand the spiritual implications of the vision, not just its physical manifestations.

Practical Application

  • Attentive Observation: This verse encourages believers to be attentive and reflective in their spiritual walk, not just passively receiving information, but actively seeking to understand God's work and word.
  • Recognizing God's Provision: The river's increasing depth reminds us that God's blessings and life-giving presence are boundless and ever-increasing, providing for all needs and bringing healing wherever they flow (Ezekiel 47:9).
  • The Need for Divine Guidance: Just as Ezekiel was guided, we also need the Holy Spirit's guidance to comprehend spiritual truths and navigate our lives of faith.

Reflection

Ezekiel 47:6 serves as a moment of divine pause and introspection within a magnificent prophetic vision. It underscores that God desires not just our attention, but our comprehension and engagement with His unfolding plan. The return to the river's brink suggests a renewed opportunity for deeper understanding and a fresh encounter with the river of life that ultimately points to the abundant life found in God's presence and the future restoration.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 44:5

    And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary.

  • Ezekiel 40:4

    And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew [them] unto thee [art] thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.

  • Zechariah 5:2

    And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof [is] twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.

  • Zechariah 4:2

    And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all [of] gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which [are] upon the top thereof:

  • Jeremiah 1:11

    ¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.

  • Jeremiah 1:13

    And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof [is] toward the north.

  • Ezekiel 8:6

    He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? [even] the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, [and] thou shalt see greater abominations.