Ezekiel 47:12
in Ezekiel 47Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall the fruit thereof fail: it shall bring forth new fruit every month, because the waters thereof issue out of the sanctuary; and the fruit thereof shall be for food, and the leaf thereof for healing.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Ezekiel 47
Commentary
8 notes on this verseShall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade - A description that suits the righteous, who are still producing - 1. The fruits of faith. 2. The fruits of the Spirit. 3. The fruits of love to God, obedience to his holy will, and love to all men. Benevolence, mercy, charity, kindness, etc. The leaf thereof for medicine - See Rev 22:1-5. Even the leaves, the holy profession of the righteous, is a spiritual medicine. Righteousness is thus encouraged in the world.
This site's exposition
fruit trees of all kinds will grow
Along both banks grow “fruit trees of all kinds”, bearing each month “because the water from the sanctuary flows to them”. Revelation 22:1-2 takes up the same picture, with a tree of life that bears fruit every month, its leaves given to heal the nations.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 12) And over the torrent (or river) there shall spring up on its banks on both sides every fruit-bearing tree, its leaf shall not wither (or it shall not grow old): and its fruit shall not fail. Every month they shall bring forth first fruits (or all things shall be renewed); because its waters shall go forth from the sanctuary, and its fruit shall be for food, and its leaves for medicine (or its ascent for health).
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
The fruits of their righteousness are one way or other beneficial. The very leaves of these trees are for medicine, for bruises and sores, margin. Good Christians with their good discourses, which are as their leaves, as well as with their charitable actions, which are as their fruits, do good to those about them; they strengthen the weak, and bind up the broken-hearted.
And there is plainly a reference to this in St. John's vision of a pure river of water of life, Rev. xxii. That seems to represent the glory and joy which are grace perfected. This seems to represent the grace and joy which are glory begun.
And by the river on the banks thereof, on this side and on that side,....
An appointment of the borders of the land of Canaan, which was to be divided by lot to the tribes of Israel and the strangers that sojourned among them,
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
22:2, 14). leaf . . . not fade--expressing not only the unfailing character of the heavenly medicine of the tree of life, but also that the graces of the believer (as a tree of righteousness), which are the leaves, and his deeds, which are the fruits that flow from those graces, are immortal (Ps 1:3; 1Co 15:58). new fruit--literally, "firstlings," or first fruit.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
month after month its fruits will ripen From month to month its fruits will ripen.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 7 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
29 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and at | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַנַּ֣חַל | hanachal | the river | H5158 → | 141 times |
| יַעֲלֶ֣ה | yaaleh | it will grow up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שְׂפָת֣וֹ | sefato | bank its | H8193 → | 176 times |
| מִזֶּ֣ה׀ | mizeh | from this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| וּמִזֶּ֣ה׀ | umizeh | and from this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עֵֽץ־ | ʾetz- | tree of | H6086 → | 328 times |
| מַ֠אֲכָל | maakhol | food | H3978 → | 30 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִבּ֨וֹל | yibol | it will wither | H5034 → | |
| עָלֵ֜הוּ | ʾalehu | leafage its | H5929 → | |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִתֹּ֣ם | yitom | it will be finished | H8552 → | 63 times |
| פִּרְי֗וֹ | piryo | fruit its | H6529 → | 119 times |
| לָֽחֳדָשָׁיו֙ | lochodashav | to months its | H2320 → | 284 times |
| יְבַכֵּ֔ר | yevaker | it will bear early fruit | H1069 → | |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מֵימָ֔יו | meimav | waters its | H4325 → | 581 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַמִּקְדָּ֖שׁ | hamikdash | the sanctuary | H4720 → | 75 times |
| הֵ֣מָּה | hemah | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| יֽוֹצְאִ֑ים | yotzim | [are] coming out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| וְהָיָ֤ה | vehayu | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| פִרְיוֹ֙ | firyo | fruit its | H6529 → | 119 times |
| לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל | lemaakhal | for food | H3978 → | 30 times |
| וְעָלֵ֖הוּ | vealehu | and leafage its | H5929 → | |
| לִתְרוּפָֽה׃ ס | litrufah | [will be] for healing | H8644 → |
וְעַל־and at
veal-H5921 →5755 times
הַנַּ֣חַלthe river
hanachalH5158 →141 times
יַעֲלֶ֣הit will grow up
yaalehH5927 →890 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שְׂפָת֣וֹbank its
sefatoH8193 →176 times
מִזֶּ֣ה׀from this
mizehH2088 →1180 times
וּמִזֶּ֣ה׀and from this
umizehH2088 →1180 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
עֵֽץ־tree of
ʾetz-H6086 →328 times
מַ֠אֲכָלfood
maakholH3978 →30 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִבּ֨וֹלit will wither
yibolH5034 →
עָלֵ֜הוּleafage its
ʾalehuH5929 →
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִתֹּ֣םit will be finished
yitomH8552 →63 times
פִּרְי֗וֹfruit its
piryoH6529 →119 times
לָֽחֳדָשָׁיו֙to months its
lochodashavH2320 →284 times
יְבַכֵּ֔רit will bear early fruit
yevakerH1069 →
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מֵימָ֔יוwaters its
meimavH4325 →581 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַמִּקְדָּ֖שׁthe sanctuary
hamikdashH4720 →75 times
הֵ֣מָּהthey
hemahH1992 →553 times
יֽוֹצְאִ֑ים[are] coming out
yotzimH3318 →1067 times
וְהָיָ֤הand it will be
vehayuH1961 →3559 times
פִרְיוֹ֙fruit its
firyoH6529 →119 times
לְמַֽאֲכָ֔לfor food
lemaakhalH3978 →30 times
וְעָלֵ֖הוּand leafage its
vealehuH5929 →
לִתְרוּפָֽה׃ ס[will be] for healing
litrufahH8644 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 1:3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 17:8
He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not…
- Psalms 92:14
In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain,
- John 15:6
If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
- Ezekiel 19:10
Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of the abundant waters.
- Genesis 39:23
The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
- Jeremiah 17:8
Through
Jeremiah 17:8He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not…
it leads to
- Psalms 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
- Psalms 1:3
Through
Revelation 22:2down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month.…
it leads to
- Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 22:1
Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
- Revelation 2:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.