Wesley's Notes on the Bible 1669Commentary on Chapter XLVII

1. Eastward - The fountain lay to the west, the conduit pipes were laid to bring the water to the temple, and so must run eastward, and perhaps one main pipe might be laid under the east-gate of the temple. The right side - On the south-side of the temple.

2. Out - Of the inmost court. The outer gate - The outmost north- gate in the wall that compassed the whole mountain of the Lord's house.

3. He measured - By the line in his hand. He brought me - Went before, and the prophet followed; all this was in vision.

8. The sea - The Dead-sea, or lake of Sodom. Shall be healed - The waters of the sea shall be healed, made wholesome. So where the grace of God from his temple and altar flows, it heals the corrupt nature of man, and renders barren terrible deserts, as a land of waters and gardens.

9. Shall live - Be preserved alive, and thrive, whereas no fish can live in the Dead-sea. For they - The poisonous waters of the Dead- sea shall be made wholesome for fish. Shall live - Thrive, and multiply in the virtue of the healing streams. Thus is the fruitfulness of the grace of God in the church set forth.

10. En-gedi - Which lay on the southwest of the lake of Sodom. En-eglaim - A city on the northeast of the Dead-sea. To spread forth nets - All along on the west-side of this sea to dry them.

12. Consumed - Never be consumed, never decay, there shall always be fruit, and enough. Their waters - Those that watered them. Issued out - And so carried a blessing with them.

13. The border - The utmost bounds of the whole land. Shall inherit - That is, shall divide for inheritance to the tribes of Israel. Joseph - That is, the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh.

15. The great sea - The Mediterranean, which was the greatest sea the Jews knew.

18. The east sea - The Dead-sea, which lay on the east of Jerusalem. Thus a line drawn from Damascus through Auranitis, Gilead, the land of Israel beyond Jordan to the east-sea, made the eastern frontier.

19. The river - Called the river of Egypt, lay directly in the way to Egypt from Jerusalem. The great sea - To the southwest part of the Mediterranean sea near Gaza.

22. Children - Who from their birth should be invested with this right of inheriting.

23. His inheritance - This certainly looks at gospel times, when the partition-wall between Jew and Gentile was taken down, and both put on a level before God, both made one in Christ Jesus.