יחזקאל, פרק מ״ז, פסוק ט״ו

Ezekiel's prophetic vision shifts from detailing how the land will be divided to drawing a precise map of its future borders. The mapping begins by establishing the northern boundary, using clear geographical landmarks to define the edges of the Land of Israel.

The northern borderline begins in the west at the Great Sea, known as the Mediterranean. From the coast, it stretches eastward along a path passing through a place called Chethlon, likely located in the region of northern Syria, before continuing toward the city of Zedad [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The exact nature of these boundaries is a subject of deep discussion, centering on whether they represent the historical borders of the land or an entirely new geographical reality. One primary approach suggests that this map simply reaffirms the familiar boundaries originally outlined in the Torah portion of Masei. According to this view, the prophecy is strictly defining the western portion of the Land of Israel, intentionally excluding the territory on the eastern side of the Jordan River [רש״י, מצודת דוד].

In contrast, another perspective argues that these boundaries represent a massive future expansion of the land [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל]. Repeating the ancient borders would offer no new insight and would seem to contradict other prophetic promises that speak of the land growing and including inheritance on the eastern side of the Jordan. Instead, this approach maintains that in the future, the land's area will transform dramatically, expanding in every direction. Consequently, the northern border described here does not trace the historical line. It reaches much further north to include major cities like Tyre, Sidon, and Damascus. Because of this vast expansion, places like Chethlon, which historically sat outside the land, are now brought within the new, extended borders of the Land of Israel.