Ezekiel 47:7

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

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.

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

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

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

Ezekiel 47:7 captures a vivid detail within the prophet Ezekiel's visionary tour of the new temple and its miraculous river. As Ezekiel observes the river's banks, he sees an extraordinary abundance of trees, symbolizing profound life, healing, and divine provision flowing from God's presence.

Context of Ezekiel 47:7

This verse is nestled within Ezekiel's extensive vision (chapters 40-48), delivered during the Babylonian exile. At a time when the people of Israel were in deep despair, their temple destroyed, and their land desolate, this vision offers a powerful message of future hope and restoration. Chapters 40-46 describe a new, glorious temple, and chapter 47 introduces a remarkable river that flows from under its threshold. This river begins as a trickle but steadily grows into a mighty, life-giving torrent, transforming everything it touches. Verse 7 specifically highlights an immediate and striking effect of this divine current: the proliferation of "very many trees" along its banks, an undeniable sign of the river's miraculous power and the abundant life it brings, building upon the description of the river's increasing depth in Ezekiel 47:5.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Abundance and Life: The phrase "very many trees" emphasizes an overwhelming superabundance of life. This imagery stands in stark contrast to the barrenness and desolation experienced by the exiles, promising a future characterized by incredible fertility and vitality.
  • Divine Provision and Blessing: The flourishing vegetation, sustained entirely by the river, powerfully illustrates God's boundless provision. It signifies that where God's presence (represented by the temple and the river flowing from it) is, there is immense blessing, sustenance, and flourishing.
  • Restoration and Renewal: For a people in exile, this vision is a profound message of hope. The vibrant ecosystem along the river's banks symbolizes God's ultimate ability to bring complete restoration and renewal, transforming spiritual and physical barrenness into thriving life. This promise extends to the healing of even the most desolate places, such as the Dead Sea, as detailed in Ezekiel 47:9.

Linguistic Insights

The King James Version's translation of "very many" in this verse comes from the Hebrew phrase me'od me'od (ืžึฐืึนื“ ืžึฐืึนื“). This is an emphatic doubling of the word for "very" or "much," a common Hebrew literary device used to intensify meaning. It highlights that the number of trees was not merely large, but extraordinarily, overwhelmingly abundant, underscoring the miraculous and supernatural nature of the vision and the sheer scale of God's provision.

Practical Application and Significance

Ezekiel's vision of the life-giving river and its abundant trees offers timeless spiritual lessons for believers today. It serves as a powerful reminder that:

  1. Even in our most desolate or barren spiritual seasons, God is capable of bringing forth abundant life, healing, and fruitfulness.
  2. True spiritual nourishment, vitality, and growth flow directly from God's presence and His Spirit, much like the river flows from the temple.
  3. The imagery of this river and its trees foreshadows the river of the water of life and the tree of life in the new Jerusalem (Revelation 22:1-2), pointing to eternal life, healing, and sustenance available in God's eternal kingdom.
  4. As believers, we are called to be like trees planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in its season, as beautifully described in Psalm 1:3, nourished by the constant flow of God's grace.

This verse ultimately encapsulates a message of profound hope, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to bring life, healing, and abundance out of desolation, culminating in the spiritual blessings found in His divine presence.

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Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 47:12 (7 votes)

    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 (4 votes)

    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 (2 votes)

    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 (2 votes)

    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 (2 votes)

    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 (2 votes)

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