Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 47:2
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 way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
2. The eastern gates being shut (Eze 44:2, Eze 46:1) the prophet is led put by the N. gate, round to the outer E. gate, at which he beheld the stream emerge into the open at the S. side of the gate.
by the way that looketh ] which looketh, viz. the gate.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Out of the way of the gate northward – Rather, by the way of the northward gate.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. There ran out waters] mayim mephaccim, the waters seem to have been at first in small quantity; for the words imply that they oozed or dropped out. They were at first so small that they came guttatim, drop by drop; but they increased so, that they became a river in which one could swim.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Then brought he me out of the inmost court, where he saw the waters running under the threshold, and by the south side of the altar.
The way of the gate northward: the east gate being shut, the prophet in this vision is led to the north gate, out of which he goeth into the next court, and so through them all, till he comes to the north gate of the outmost court.
Led me about; caused him to go about from that gate to the east gate of the same court.
The way without; not on the inside of the wall, but round on the outside of the wall, which will appear presently, and the reason why.
The utter gate; the outmost north gate in the wall, that compassed the whole mountain of the Lords house.
The way that looketh eastward; when the prophet was come quite out of all the courts, and is on the outside of the last wall, he is turned from the north gate towards the east gate, and walks up to that gate.
And, behold, there he found the watercourse.
On the right side; that is, on the south side. See Eze 47:1.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward,…. Out of the inward court where he was, by the way of the north gate, the eastern gate being shut:
and led me about the way without unto the utter gate, by the way that looketh eastward; and from thence he had him round to the outward eastern gate, where he was at first, Eze 40:6, to meet the flow of waters that came through the inward and outward courts eastward:
and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side; that is, on the south side of the gate, in a small quantity, and in a very still and easy way, like water out of the mouth of a vial, as the word b signifies. So Bartenora c, who understands this gate of the water gate, interprets the right side of the south; and observes, that the prophet first saw the waters come out very small, like the horns of a locust; but when they came to this gate, they became like water as it flows out of the mouth of a small pitcher: and from this whole account of the waters, it is plain they cannot be understood literally, but figuratively; and which confirm this to be the sense of the whole vision. They may be applied unto, and serve to illustrate, the love of God; the secret spring of which is in the heart and will of God; ran under ground from all eternity; channelled in Christ; broke up and issued forth in the mission of him into the world, under the threshold of him, the door of the church; and in and by him, the altar, sacrifice, and propitiation; wherein the love of God in an especial manner is manifested; and which has its heights and depths, immeasurable and unfathomable, Eph 3:18, these waters also may be applied to the grace of the Spirit of God in regeneration and conversion; which is compared to water, for its cleansing, fructifying, and refreshing nature; to “waters”, for the abundance of it; and this flows from the God of all grace through Christ, and out of his fulness is gradually increased, and becomes a well, yea, rivers of living water, Joh 7:37, but it seems best to understand them of the Gospel, and the doctrines of it; which, like water, cools those who are inflamed with the heat of the fiery law; extinguishes the thirst of sensible sinners, and refreshes them; cleanses and purifies their souls, which is instrumentally done with the washing of water by the word; and makes them fruitful and flourishing: this is not of men, but God; comes from heaven, the holy of holies; and out of the house and church of God; from Zion and Jerusalem, by Christ the door, and points to him the way; and is chiefly concerning him, the altar, his sacrifice and satisfaction, peace, atonement, and propitiation by him; see Isa 2:3.
b “manabant tanquam e phiala”, Junius Tremellius “phialabant”, Junius; “destillabant”, Cocceius, Starckius. c In Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Out of the way of the gate northward.Rather, out by the way of the north gate. The east gate, the direct way, was shut (Eze. 44:2); the prophet was therefore carried round to the outside of it by the way of the north gate. There he saw the waters on the right, or south, side of the gateway.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘Then he brought me out by the way of the north gate, and led me round by the outside route to the outer gate, that is, by the route of the gate that looks towards the east. And behold, there ran out waters on the south side.’
Ezekiel was now taken by way of the north gate to the outside of the east gate which was permanently closed because of its holiness, and the waters which were coming from the sanctuary were making their way under the gate on the south side. The flow was still not very large, but its source and passage was holy.
In a larger context we have here a combination of the lifegiving Spirit, proceeding from the place of the throne of God, and then through the holy place of the Prince, before flowing from the temple to the world.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 47:2. Then brought he me out of the way, &c. Out by the way, &c. Houbigant. There ran out waters on the right side; that is to say, from the south of the temple to the east; therefore the measure of the thousand cubits, which is made afterwards, is made from west to east, and the farther the river recedes from the temple the deeper it becomes. See Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 47:2 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 way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
Ver. 2. And, behold, there ran out waters. ] As out of a vial.
On the right side.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
utter = is outer.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
northward: Eze 44:2, Eze 44:4
Reciprocal: Jos 2:5 – of shutting Eze 40:35 – to the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The man then brought Ezekiel through the north gate to the outside of the outer wall of the temple enclosure. Just south of the east gate he saw water trickling to the east, a continuation of the stream that he had observed inside the temple enclosure.