Ezekiel 47:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To clarify that Rebla refers to this renowned city in Cael-Syria, we see that it extends to a spring, which certainly signifies Daphne, the source from which this city draws abundant water. Gnaeus Pompey established this site, the first to bring Judea under Roman dominion, thus inspiring the name Daphne due to the plentiful laurel and cypress trees found there.

The borders then proceed eastward to the Sea of Henereth, also known as the Lake of Tiberias. Despite being a freshwater body, it is designated as a sea in Scripture terminology, whereby all accumulations of water are referred to as seas. The borders continue, as it states, reaching as far as the Jordan, ultimately being cut off by the sea—interpreted as either the Dead Sea or, according to some, the Gulf of the Red Sea, where Agila stands, home to a Roman garrison.

Ezekiel describes the boundary on the east side as lying between the city of Abran, situated in the wilderness of Damascus, and the mountain associated with hell, linked to the hills of Lebanon. This region was inherited by Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, positioned behind Phoenicia and Arabia. Jacob arrived at this mountain during his journey from Harris, where Laban caught up with him (Gen. 31). Jeremiah also speaks of it, saying, "Gilead, thou art the head of Lebanon to me" (Jeremiah 22:6). Gilead, the son of Mahir, son of Manasseh, conquered this land among the Amorites. The eastern boundary is delineated by the Jordan River, which separates it from the eastern sea, meaning here the Dead Sea, rather than the Gulf of the Red Sea.

To interpret it symbolically, after completing the northern side through a long route encompassing Ephalon, Sadada, Berotha, Sabarim, Tikon, and Abram, including Damascus and the court of Enon until reaching Emath, the east side runs between the wrath of Abram and the blood of Damascus, which signifies repentance, along with Gilead representing revelation or the hill of testimony. This signifies an expectation of salvation following remorse and judgment, stretching towards the land of Israel that embodies peace and culminates in the gentle waters of the Jordan. Distanced from the sea, it receives light from the east, concluding at the Jordan River, symbolizing the brook of judgment, and marking the eastern boundary. However, the term used by the Seventy, φοινικῶνος, meaning palm trees, is absent in the Hebrew text, where a proper translation would be "measure," indicating a clear misinterpretation resulting from the similarity between the letters dalet and resh, leading them to read thamorru instead of thamoddu.

Their flourishing is akin to wholeness; recognizing the immense goodness of living in accordance with God, we draw benefit from it, achieving divine health.

Following this, the prophet receives revelation regarding the boundaries of Israel. From the northern region, the limits extend to Imath, identified as the threshold of Damascus. Imath is referred to as Epiphany, while some call it Emessa; both names appear in sacred Scripture, indicating, “To Imath the great.” To the east, the boundary is marked by the Jordan, and to the south it extends to the waters of the precursor, as translated by the Syrian interpreter, Mari Moth. The western edge will be defined by the sea. God commanded this territory to be allocated not only to the descendants of Israel but also to the sojourners who lived among them, as it is stated, having borne children among you. Consequently, in every tribe, the foreigners residing among them shall inherit alongside the tribe itself, as pronounced by the prophet.