5. The man measured about a third of a mile again. But it was now a river that I could not cross. The water had risen too high. It was deep enough for swimming. It was a river that no one could cross.
6. The man asked me, “Human being, do you see this?”Then the man led me back along the bank of the river.
7. As I went back, I saw many trees on both sides of the water.
8. The man said to me, “This water will flow toward the eastern areas. It will go down into the Jordan Valley. When the water enters the Dead Sea, it will become fresh.
9. And everywhere the river goes, there will be many animals and fish. Wherever this water goes the Dead Sea will become fresh. So where the river goes there will be many living things.
10. Fishermen will stand by the sea. From En Gedi all the way to En Eglaim will become a place to spread fishing nets. There will be many kinds of fish in the Dead Sea. There will be as many kinds of fish as there are in the Mediterranean Sea.
11. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh. They will be left for salt.
12. All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not dry and die. The trees will have fruit every month because the water for them comes from the Temple. The fruit from the trees will be for food. And their leaves will be for medicine.”
13. This is what the Lord God says: “These are the borders to divide the land among the 12 tribes of Israel. Joseph will have two parts of land.
14. You will divide the land equally. I promised to give it to your ancestors. So this land will belong to you from your family.
15. “This will be the border line of the land.“On the north side it will start at the Mediterranean Sea. It will go by the Hethlon Road. This is where the road turns toward Lebo Hamath. And it will go to the cities of Zedad,
16. Berothah and Sibraim. Sibraim is on the border between Damascus and Hamath. And it will go on to the city of Hazer Hatticon on the border of the country of Hauran.
17. So the border line will go from the Mediterranean Sea east to the city of Hazar Enan. This is on the northern border of Damascus. And the country of Hamath will be on the north side of the border.