Ezekiel 47:7

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

Now when I had returned {H7725}, behold, at the bank {H8193} of the river {H5158} were very {H3966} many {H7227} trees {H6086} on the one side and on the other.

Complete Jewish Bible

After being returned, I saw on the bank of the river a great number of trees on the one side and on the other.

Berean Standard Bible

When I arrived, I saw a great number of trees along both banks of the river.

American Standard Version

Now when I had returned, behold, upon the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezekiel 47:7 presents a striking visual within the prophet's grand vision of the restored temple and its miraculous river, depicting an overwhelming abundance of trees flourishing on both banks. This powerful imagery symbolizes the profound life, healing, and divine provision that emanate from God's presence, promising a future of spiritual and physical renewal for a desolate people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Ezekiel 47:7 is situated within a lengthy visionary sequence spanning chapters 40-48, which describes a new, glorious temple and the restoration of Israel. Chapter 47 specifically focuses on a remarkable river that flows from under the temple's threshold. The narrative meticulously tracks the river's progression from a shallow trickle to a mighty, impassable torrent, as detailed in [Ezekiel 47:1-5](/ezekiel/47-1 "Ezekiel 47:1-5 - The River's Progression"). Verse 7 marks a pivotal point in Ezekiel's observation, shifting from the river's increasing depth to its immediate and dramatic impact on the surrounding environment, highlighting the life-giving power that accompanies this divine flow.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Ezekiel was written during the Babylonian exile (597-538 BC), a period of profound national despair for the Israelites. Their capital, Jerusalem, and its sacred temple had been destroyed, and the people were forcibly removed from their homeland. In such a desolate context, visions of restoration, particularly involving a new temple and an abundant, life-giving river, would have offered immense hope. In the arid climate of the ancient Near East, water was synonymous with life, fertility, and blessing. The imagery of flourishing trees by a river bank (a common motif in ancient wisdom literature) would immediately convey prosperity and divine favor, standing in stark contrast to the barrenness of exile and the Dead Sea region mentioned later in the chapter.
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Ezekiel and the broader prophetic literature. It underscores the theme of **Divine Presence** as the ultimate source of life and blessing, with the river emanating directly from the temple. It powerfully illustrates **Restoration and Renewal**, promising that God can transform desolation into flourishing vitality, both spiritually and physically, a promise extended to the healing of the Dead Sea in [Ezekiel 47:9](/ezekiel/47-9 "Ezekiel 47:9 - Healing of the Waters"). Furthermore, the "very many trees" emphasize **Abundance and Superabundance**, signifying God's boundless provision and His capacity to bring forth extraordinary fruitfulness where His Spirit flows.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **mᵉʼôd (Hebrew, _mᵉʼôd'_):** This word, often translated as "very" or "exceedingly," signifies vehemence, intensity, or a superlative degree. Its use here serves as an intensifier, emphasizing that the number of trees was not merely large, but overwhelmingly, extraordinarily abundant, underscoring the miraculous and supernatural nature of the vision.
* **rab (Hebrew, _rab'_):** Meaning "abundant," "many," or "great," this term denotes a significant quantity or multitude. When paired with `mᵉʼôd`, it creates a powerful emphatic expression ("very many"), highlighting the sheer, overwhelming number of trees that lined the riverbanks.
* **ʻêts (Hebrew, _ʻêts'_):** This word refers to a "tree" or "wood," often implying firmness and stability. In biblical imagery, trees frequently symbolize life, strength, prosperity, and righteousness, especially when planted by water sources, suggesting a deep, stable connection to the source of life.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Now when I had returned":** This phrase indicates Ezekiel's continued movement and observation within the vision. It signifies a point of re-engagement or a new perspective after having traversed the river and measured its depths, setting the scene for a fresh revelation.
* **"behold, at the bank of the river":** The interjection "behold" (Hebrew: *hinneh*) draws immediate attention to a striking sight. The "bank of the river" (Hebrew: *sâphâh nachal*) specifies the precise location where this new phenomenon is observed, emphasizing that the life-giving effects are directly tied to the river's presence.
* **"[were] very many trees on the one side and on the other":** This is the core observation. The phrase "very many" (an emphatic doubling in Hebrew, *mᵉʼôd rab*) highlights an extraordinary, overwhelming abundance. The detail "on the one side and on the other" emphasizes the comprehensive and pervasive nature of this life, indicating that the river's blessing extends equally and fully across its entire reach.

#### Literary Devices
Ezekiel 47:7 is rich in **Vivid Imagery**, painting a clear and striking picture of flourishing life. The description of "very many trees" (a near **Hyperbole** due to the emphatic Hebrew) creates a sense of overwhelming abundance and vitality, contrasting sharply with the desolation experienced by the exiles. This imagery functions as powerful **Symbolism**, where the trees represent life, healing, prosperity, and divine blessing, directly sustained by the miraculous river. The river itself is a potent **Symbol** of God's life-giving presence and the Holy Spirit, transforming barrenness into an Edenic landscape. The bilateral distribution ("on the one side and on the other") further emphasizes the comprehensive and pervasive nature of this divine blessing.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 47:7 profoundly illustrates God's capacity to bring forth abundant life and flourishing even from the most desolate circumstances. It speaks to the transformative power of His presence, symbolized by the river flowing from the temple. This vision assures God's people that His restorative work is not merely a return to a former state, but a superabundant outpouring of new life, healing, and fruitfulness. It points to a future where God's Spirit will bring forth spiritual vitality and verdant growth in places once barren, reflecting His ultimate desire for His creation to thrive under His blessing.

* [Psalm 1:3](/psalms/1-3 "Psalm 1:3 - The Blessed Man like a Tree")
* [Revelation 22:1-2](/revelation/22-1 "Revelation 22:1-2 - The River of Life and Tree of Life")
* [Jeremiah 17:7-8](/jeremiah/17-7 "Jeremiah 17:7-8 - Trusting in the Lord")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The vision of Ezekiel 47:7 offers profound spiritual encouragement for believers today. It reminds us that no matter how barren or desolate our personal circumstances, spiritual lives, or surrounding communities may seem, God's life-giving presence has the power to transform them into places of abundant fruitfulness and healing. This verse calls us to recognize the source of true vitality: not human effort or earthly resources, but the constant flow of God's Spirit from His presence. It challenges us to align our lives with this divine current, allowing His grace to nourish us so that we might be like those "very many trees," bearing fruit and bringing life to others. We are invited to trust in God's superabundant provision and to participate in His restorative work, believing that where His river flows, life will inevitably flourish.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the vision of abundant life from God's presence challenge our perceptions of barrenness or despair in our own lives?**
* **In what ways can we cultivate environments where the "river of God" can flow freely, fostering spiritual growth and fruitfulness in our personal lives and communities?**
* **What specific areas of your life, community, or world do you believe are most in need of the transformative, life-giving power symbolized by this river and its trees?**

### FAQ
**What is the significance of the "very many trees" in this vision?**

Answer: The "very many trees" (Hebrew: *mᵉʼôd rab ʻêts*) symbolize an extraordinary, overwhelming abundance of life, healing, and divine provision. In the context of the Babylonian exile and the desolation of the land, these trees represent God's promise to reverse barrenness and bring forth flourishing vitality. They signify that where God's presence, symbolized by the river, flows, there is boundless blessing and sustenance. This imagery echoes the blessed person in [Psalm 1:3](/psalms/1-3 "Psalm 1:3 - The Blessed Man"), who is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding fruit. It also foreshadows the "tree of life" in the New Jerusalem in [Revelation 22:2](/revelation/22-2 "Revelation 22:2 - The Tree of Life"), whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.

**How does this vision relate to the New Testament?**

Answer: Ezekiel's vision of the life-giving river finds profound fulfillment and echoes in the New Testament. The river flowing from the temple is a powerful type of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised would flow as "rivers of living water" from the heart of believers ([John 7:38](/john/7-38 "John 7:38 - Rivers of Living Water")). Jesus Himself is presented as the ultimate source of living water ([John 4:10](/john/4-10 "John 4:10 - Jesus, the Living Water")), satisfying spiritual thirst and bringing eternal life. Ultimately, the vision culminates in the New Jerusalem described in Revelation, where there is no longer a physical temple because God and the Lamb are its temple ([Revelation 21:22](/revelation/21-22 "Revelation 21:22 - No Temple in New Jerusalem")), and from the throne of God and the Lamb flows "the river of the water of life" ([Revelation 22:1](/revelation/22-1 "Revelation 22:1 - The River of Life")), nourishing the "tree of life" on its banks.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 47:7, with its striking imagery of abundant life springing from the temple river, finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the true Temple, the very dwelling place of God among humanity ([John 2:19-21](/john/2-19 "John 2:19-21 - Jesus, the Temple")). From Him, the source of all life, flows the spiritual reality foreshadowed by Ezekiel's river: the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised would pour forth as "rivers of living water" from the hearts of those who believe in Him ([John 7:38](/john/7-38 "John 7:38 - Rivers of Living Water")). Just as the trees on the riverbanks received their life and flourishing from the water, so believers, when united with Christ, are nourished by His Spirit and enabled to bear abundant spiritual fruit ([John 15:5](/john/15-5 "John 15:5 - Abiding in Christ")). This vision of a transformed, verdant landscape points forward to the new creation in Christ, where He makes all things new, bringing life out of spiritual barrenness and restoring humanity to a flourishing relationship with God, culminating in the eternal city where the Lamb Himself is the source of the river of life and the tree of life for the healing of the nations ([Revelation 22:1-2](/revelation/22-1 "Revelation 22:1-2 - The River of Life and Tree of Life")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ezekiel 47:12

And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

Revelation 22:2

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life, which bare twelve [manner of] fruits, [and] yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of the nations.

Genesis 2:9

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:10

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

1 Kings 9:26

And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which [is] beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.

2 Kings 2:13

¶ He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;