Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 47:8

8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east-country, and go down into the desert , and go into the sea : which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.

Verse 6. let. a.

Some read it as a proper name, and so render it, they did run toward Galilee in the East, and the Hebrew bears it indeed, as to the sound of the word; but it cannot be the meaning of the place, for Galilee, neither the upper or lower were East, but North-West from Ierusalem toward Tyre: our Translation doth therefore better render it the East Country, or border, as the Hebrew properly.

To Arabia say the 72. in their Gr. Version, if this were the course of the waters, they did run a course quite [illegible: 1 letter]ontrary to that of Galilee, which lay North and by West from Ierusalem, whereas Arabia lay South and by East from Ierusalem. 'Tis then the Champagne, plain country, or the desert, as we read it, and may literally be understood of t[illegible: 2 letters] desert of Maon, or Kadesh, or Ziph, which lay on the dead Sea, [illegible: 1 letter]nd this suits well enough with E[illegible: 1 letter] gedi, and En-Eglaim, mentioned as bordering on these waters, verse 10.

The Sea of Tiberias say some, others, the Sea called the dead Sea, or Lake of Sodom, which needed healing.

When they run into this Sea, or fall into it, which is our usual phrase.

The waters of the Sea shall be healed, made wholsome, where the Grace of God from his Temple and Altar flowes, as this water, it heals the corrupt vitious nature of man, and renders barren, horrid and terrible deserts, as a land of waters, and Gardens so represented here, and so promised by the Lord, Isa. 35.1, 2. and 41.19. and 43.19, 20. and 51.3. Once more to this verse let me add, that as the Hebrew Doctors do, so we may take it here, that these flowing waters do divide themselves, and that some flow toward one Sea, i. e. the Sea of Tiberias, this toward Galilee, other parts flow toward Arabia the Desert, and so in their way take their course by Engedi the desert of Ziph, and into the dead Sea.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 span].