Ezekiel 47:9

Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures and a great number of fish, because it flows there and makes the waters fresh; so wherever the river flows, everything will flourish.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — A divine speaker addresses Ezekiel during a vision of a temple river flowing eastward. The vision captures the moment the water reaches the Dead Sea and begins transforming the surrounding landscape.

The words — The Hebrew יִשְׁרֹץ (yish.Rotz) literally means "it swarms" or "teems," describing rapid biological multiplication. The phrase כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה (kol-nefesh chaiyah) translates directly to "every living creature."

The thread — The life-giving water motif reappears in Isaiah 55:1 and John 7:37, where thirst is met by divine provision. John 6:63 links this sustaining flow to the Spirit, contrasting it with fleshly profit.

Why it lands — The text states that the river's movement instantly creates fresh water, swarming creatures, and flourishing ecosystems. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine action, not human effort, initiates biological and spiritual renewal.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהָיָ֣הve./ha.Yahand/ it will be כָל־khol-every נֶ֣פֶשׁNe.feshcreature חַיָּ֣ה׀chai.Yahliving אֲֽשֶׁר־'asher-which יִשְׁרֹ֡ץyish.Rotzit swarms אֶ֣ל'elto כָּל־kol-every אֲשֶׁר֩'a.Sherwhere יָב֨וֹאya.Vo'it will go שָׁ֤םshamthere נַחֲלַ֙יִם֙na.cha.La.yimtwo rivers יִֽחְיֶ֔הyich.Yehit will live וְהָיָ֥הve./ha.Yahand/ it will be הַדָּגָ֖הha./da.Gahthe/ fish רַבָּ֣הra.Bahmany מְאֹ֑דme.'Odvery כִּי֩kifor בָ֨אוּVa.'uthey have gone שָׁ֜מָּהSha.ma/hthere/ towards הַמַּ֣יִםha./Ma.yimthe/ waters הָאֵ֗לֶּהha./'E.leh<the>/ these וְיֵרָֽפְאוּ֙ve./ye.ra.fe.'Uso/ they may be healed וָחָ֔יva./Chaiand/ it will live כֹּ֛לkolevery אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-where יָ֥בוֹאYa.Vo'it will go שָׁ֖מָּהSha.ma/hthere/ towards הַנָּֽחַל׃ha./Na.chalthe/ river

King James Version

And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.

Cross-references

John 7:37 On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Isaiah 55:1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!
John 4:14 But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
Psalms 78:16 He brought streams from the stone and made water flow down like rivers.
Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
Exodus 15:26 saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”
Psalms 103:3 He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases,
Isaiah 12:3 With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,
Isaiah 30:26 The light of the moon will be as bright as the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter—like the light of seven days—on the day that the LORD binds up the brokenness of His people and heals the wounds He has inflicted.