Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that the healed waters, previously barren, will teem with life to the point that fishermen will operate along the entire stretch of the Dead Sea, from its southern to its northern extremities. This emphasizes the transformative power of God's presence, extending even to the most desolate places, making them abundant and fruitful.
Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage continues Ezekiel's vision of life-giving waters flowing from the temple, healing the desolate Dead Sea. Following the description of the waters' restorative power and the burgeoning life along its banks, this verse specifically details how human activity will flourish, transforming the very shores of what was once a dead, salty wasteland into a vibrant fishing ground. The mention of specific locations, from Engedi to Eneglaim, emphasizes the widespread and complete nature of this miraculous renewal.
Ezekiel sees a river flowing from the temple, bringing life to the barren land. What does this imagery tell us about God's restorative power?
The vision of the river flowing from the temple is central to Ezekiel's prophecy. Initially, the waters are shallow, but as they flow, they deepen, bringing life and healing.
From Salt to Sweet
Ezekiel 47:8 tells us these waters flow into the Salt Sea (the Dead Sea) and heal its waters, making them abound with fish. This is a stark contrast to the Dead Sea's reality – a place so saline that nothing can live in it.
God's Life-Giving Presence
This imagery isn't just about a geographical change. It symbolizes God's presence and power to bring life and fruitfulness to the most desolate and spiritually dead places. Where God's presence flows, life follows.
The vision includes fishermen spreading nets, a task impossible in the Dead Sea's current state. Who are these fishermen, and what does their work signify?
The 'fishermen' in Ezekiel's vision represent those called and commissioned by God to bring life and salvation.
From Literal to Spiritual Fishing
Scholars widely interpret these fishermen as a metaphor for those who spread the Gospel. Jesus Himself called His first disciples, Peter and Andrew, who were fishermen, saying, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men' (Matthew 4:19).
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A Worldwide Mission
The mention of specific locations, 'from Engedi even unto Eneglaim,' signifies the vast reach of this mission. These places, though geographically specific, symbolize the breadth of the territory impacted by the Gospel. It points to a mission that extends far beyond any single region, encompassing people from all backgrounds and places.
The prophecy speaks of fish 'of very many kinds,' and 'exceeding many.' What does this abundance and diversity tell us about God's kingdom?
The abundance and variety of fish signify the incredible scope and inclusivity of God's salvific plan.
Diversity in Unity
The phrase 'according to their kinds' points to the rich diversity of people who will be drawn to God through the Gospel. It’s not a uniform catch, but a multitude representing every nation, tribe, and tongue, just as the Mediterranean Sea (the 'great sea') teemed with different species.
Unprecedented Fruitfulness
The promise that the fish will be 'exceeding many' assures us of the overwhelming success of God's redemptive work. This vision stands in stark contrast to the spiritual barrenness that preceded it, promising a future filled with God’s flourishing kingdom, where countless souls are brought to salvation.
Understand the original words
miqweh · Hebrew Noun
A place used for human industry, specifically the gathering of sustenance; in this context, it represents the abundance and the reach of the blessing that transforms a barren place into a place of utility and provision.
The prophecy in Ezekiel 47:10 speaks of vibrant life and abundant fishing along the Dead Sea, a stark contrast to its historically barren and salty nature. This imagery highlights the transformative power of God's presence and blessing, bringing life and fruitfulness even to the most desolate places, a theme deeply relevant to the exiles longing for restoration and to the spread of the Gospel in later times.
c. 750 BC
Isaiah Mentions Eglaim
The prophet Isaiah mentions Eglaim in a prophecy against Moab. This provides an earlier reference to a location near the Dead Sea, though its exact position relative to Ezekiel's En-eglaim is debated.
c. 593-571 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Vision of the New Temple and River
Ezekiel receives visions of a restored Jerusalem and Temple, including a river flowing from its altar. This vision is the source of the prophecy about the life-giving waters and the abundant fishing.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
Jerusalem is destroyed and many Judeans are exiled to Babylon. This event created a profound sense of loss and a longing for restoration, making Ezekiel's prophecies of renewal particularly poignant.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great allows the exiled Judeans to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This marked the beginning of the Second Temple period, a time of rebuilding but also of continuing national struggles.
c. 1st century AD
Early Christian Ministry
The ministry of Jesus and his apostles, including the calling of fishermen like Peter and Andrew, is seen by many commentators as a spiritual fulfillment of this prophecy, turning them into 'fishers of men'.
Jesus directly calls his first disciples, who were fishermen, to become 'fishers of men,' linking the imagery of fishing to spreading the Gospel.
Luke 5:4-7This passage depicts a miraculous catch of fish after the disciples had toiled all night, illustrating the abundance and unexpected success that follows obedience to Jesus's word, mirroring the great catch in Ezekiel's vision.
John 21:11After the resurrection, Jesus again provides a miraculous catch of fish, numbering 153 kinds, which some ancient commentators linked to the idea that the Gospel net would draw all types of people to salvation, echoing Ezekiel's vision of diverse fish.
Acts 2:41On the day of Pentecost, about 3,000 souls were converted in a single day, showcasing a massive spiritual harvest through the preaching of the apostles, fulfilling the prophetic vision of abundant 'fish' drawn by the 'fishermen'.
Romans 11:25Paul speaks of a 'partial hardening' that has come to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles comes in, suggesting a comprehensive gathering of people from all backgrounds into God's kingdom, much like the diverse fish filling Ezekiel's nets.
barnesEzekiel 47:10: "And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many."
"En-gedi" (see 1 Samuel 23:29 ) was about the middle of the western shore of the Dead Sea. En-eglaim does not occur elsewhere. Its form indicates that it was one of the double cities of Moab (see Ezekiel 25:9 note). It has been identified with "Ain-e…
clarkeEzekiel 47:10: "And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many."
The fishers shall stand upon it - On the above plan of interpretation these must mean - 1. The apostles of our Lord Jesus. 2. The preachers of the everlasting Gospel. See Matthew 4:19. From En-gedi - At the southern extremity of the Dead Sea. Unto En…
The verse highlights that the healed waters, previously barren, will teem with life to the point that fishermen will operate along the entire stretch of the Dead Sea, from its southern to its northern extremities. This emphasizes the transformative power of God's presence, extending even to the most desolate places, making them abundant and fruitful.
This passage continues Ezekiel's vision of life-giving waters flowing from the temple, healing the desolate Dead Sea. Following the description of the waters' restorative power and the burgeoning life along its banks, this verse specifically details how human activity will flourish, transforming the very shores of what was once a dead, salty wasteland into a vibrant fishing ground. The mention of specific locations, from Engedi to Eneglaim, emphasizes the widespread and complete nature of this miraculous renewal.
This passage continues Ezekiel's vision of life-giving waters flowing from the temple, healing the desolate Dead Sea. Following the description of the waters' restorative power and the burgeoning life along its banks, this verse specifically details how human activity will flourish, transforming the very shores of what was once a dead, salty wasteland into a vibrant fishing ground. The mention of specific locations, from Engedi to Eneglaim, emphasizes the widespread and complete nature of this miraculous renewal.
"Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea." — The verse highlights that the healed waters, previously barren, will teem with life to the point that fishermen will operate along the entire stretch of the Dead Sea, from its southern to its norther…
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Last reviewed October 2026