Ezekiel 47:7

Eze 47:7 Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river [were] very many trees on the one side and on the other.

Ver. 7. Behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees.] These were trees of righteousness, fruitful Christians. Arboretum Christi est Ecclesia. The trees of Christ are the churches. See Psa 1:3; Psa 92:12 Isa 44:3-5; Isa 55:11-13 Jer 17:8 Rev 22:2, where and elsewhere it is easy to observe that John the Divine borroweth the elegancies and flowers of this and other prophets in his description of the Church Christian.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Meaning, the multitude of them that should be refreshed by the spiritual waters.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

trees--not merely one tree of life as in Paradise (Gen 3:22), but many: to supply immortal food and medicine to the people of God, who themselves also become "trees of righteousness" (Isa 61:3) planted by the waters and (Psa 1:3) bearing fruit unto holiness.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(7) Very many trees.—In the corresponding vision of Rev_22:2 the same thought is symbolised by the “tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. Both banks of the wady, as is everywhere seen, were covered with trees.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now when I had returned,.... To the brink of the river:

behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side, and on the other; here was a new wonder observed, which had not been before; and therefore this note of admiration, "behold!" is prefixed; on a sudden sprung up trees on each side of the river, of a perfect stature, and full of fruit; which the prophet had not seen when he went along with the man on the bank of it, as he measured the waters; but now being returned, sees this wonderful sight; an emblem of true Christians, believers, and regenerate persons, who are trees of righteousness, planted by the river of divine love; watered with the grace of God, and doctrines of the Gospel; whereby they become fruitful in good works, and are to be seen wherever the Gospel comes with power and efficacy; see Psa 1:3, or, "an exceeding large tree" (e); so John saw but one tree, which was on each side of the river, which he calls the tree of life, Rev 22:2, but here it seems to be put for many, as appears from Eze 47:12.

(e) "arbor multa admodum", Cocceius, Starckius.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Trees naturally flourish where there is abundance of water Psa 1:3.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

In his first coming he observed no trees, and no mention is made of any, but it seems he found them on his return: though they do not really so soon grow, they might be visionally there.

At the bank of the river, where usually, for delight and ornament, and for profit too, men plant trees. Very many trees; the kinds are not mentioned, though (he excellency of them is commended, Eze 47:12, but the multitude of them is mentioned, and the growth intimated, in the Hebrew; and perhaps the uniformity of them, which seemed as of one tree, for so it is, the singular number, in the Hebrew.

On the one side and on the other; on the north and south sides, for the river ran from east to west.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Now when I had returned ynibeWvB is by the best interpreters, after Gesenius ("Hebrew Grammar," 2), regarded as an incorrect form for ybiWvB (literally, in my returning), though Schroder adheres to the transitive sense of the verb, and translates," when I had turned myself," and Hitzig takes the suffix yni as a genitive of possession, and renders, "when he came back with me." In any case, on the return journey the prophet observed that at (or, on) the bank (or, lip) of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Hitzig supposes the trees had not been there when the prophet made the down journey, but sprang up when he had turned to his guide (ver. 6), and stood with his back to the river. Kliefoth"s conclusion is better, that the trees had been there all the while, but that the prophet"s attention had not been directed to them. The luxuriant foliage of this vision reappears in that of the Apocalyptic river. (Rev_22:2)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

and behold, upon the bank of the stream, etc. While he led me and brought me back, a very great profusion of trees had grown on the banks of the stream on each side. profusion of trees [Heb. עֵץ,] abres; erbeiz in Old French, trees, vegetation.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.