Ezekiel 47

“Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of…” Naming Afterward keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include gate, eastward, looketh. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me…” The number thousand makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a…” The number thousand makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to…” The number thousand makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“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…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD ; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazar-hatticon, which is…” Naming Hamath and Berothah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And the border from the sea shall be Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this…” Naming Kadesh and Tamar keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.