Ezekiel 23:1-32:9

New International Version

Two Adulterous Sisters

23 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.^{(A) 3} They became prostitutes in Egypt,^(B) engaging in prostitution^(C) from their youth.^(D) In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed.^{(E) 4} The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.^(F)

⁵ “Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians^(G)—warriors^{(H) 6} clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. ⁷ She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.^{(I) 8} She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt,^(J) when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.^(K)

⁹ “Therefore I delivered her into the hands^(L) of her lovers,^(M) the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.^{(N) 10} They stripped^(O) her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women,^(P) and punishment was inflicted^(Q) on her.^(R)

¹¹ “Her sister Oholibah saw this,^(S) yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.^{(T) 12} She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men.^{(U) 13} I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.^(V)

¹⁴ “But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall,^(W) figures of Chaldeans^[a] portrayed in red,^{(X) 15} with belts^(Y) around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea.^{[b] 16} As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers^(Z) to them in Chaldea.^{(AA) 17} Then the Babylonians^(AB) came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust.^{(AC) 18} When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body,^(AD) I turned away^(AE) from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.^{(AF) 19} Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. ²⁰ There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. ²¹ So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.^[c](AG)

²² “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers^(AH) against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side^(AI)— ²³ the Babylonians^(AJ) and all the Chaldeans,^(AK) the men of Pekod^(AL) and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses.^{(AM) 24} They will come against you with weapons,^[d] chariots and wagons^(AN) and with a throng of people; they will take up positions against you on every side with large and small shields and with helmets. I will turn you over to them for punishment,^(AO) and they will punish you according to their standards. ²⁵ I will direct my jealous anger^(AP) against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and daughters,^(AQ) and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire.^{(AR) 26} They will also strip^(AS) you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry.^{(AT) 27} So I will put a stop^(AU) to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore.

²⁸ “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to deliver you into the hands^(AV) of those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust. ²⁹ They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you stark naked,^(AW) and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed.^(AX) Your lewdness^(AY) and promiscuity^{(AZ) 30} have brought this on you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.^{(BA) 31} You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup^(BB) into your hand.^(BC)

³² “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(BH)

³⁵ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten^(BI) me and turned your back on me,^(BJ) you must bear^(BK) the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution.”

³⁶ The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront^(BL) them with their detestable practices,^{(BM) 37} for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.^{(BN) 38} They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary^(BO) and desecrated my Sabbaths.^{(BP) 39} On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated^(BQ) it. That is what they did in my house.^(BR)

⁴⁰ “They even sent messengers for men who came from far away,^(BS) and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup^(BT) and put on your jewelry.^{(BU) 41} You sat on an elegant couch,^(BV) with a table^(BW) spread before it on which you had placed the incense^(BX) and olive oil that belonged to me.^(BY)

⁴² “The noise of a carefree^(BZ) crowd was around her; drunkards^(CA) were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets^(CB) on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads.^{(CC) 43} Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute,^(CD) for that is all she is.’ ⁴⁴ And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah. ⁴⁵ But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood,^(CE) because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.^(CF)

⁴⁶ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob^(CG) against them and give them over to terror and plunder.^{(CH) 47} The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters^(CI) and burn^(CJ) down their houses.^(CK)

⁴⁸ “So I will put an end^(CL) to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.^{(CM) 49} You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry.^(CN) Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.^(CO)”

Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot

24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(CP) 2} “Son of man, record^(CQ) this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.^{(CR) 3} Tell this rebellious people^(CS) a parable^(CT) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁶ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁹ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹³ “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed^(DE) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.^(DF)

¹⁴ “‘I the Lord have spoken.^(DG) The time has come for me to act.^(DH) I will not hold back; I will not have pity,^(DI) nor will I relent.^(DJ) You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,^(DK) declares the Sovereign Lord.^(DL)’”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

¹⁵ The word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁶ “Son of man, with one blow^(DM) I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.^(DN) Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.^{(DO) 17} Groan quietly;^(DP) do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban^(DQ) fastened and your sandals^(DR) on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard^(DS) or eat the customary food of mourners.^(DT)”

¹⁸ So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.^(DU)

¹⁹ Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?^(DV) Why are you acting like this?”

²⁰ So I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: ²¹ Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary^(DW)—the stronghold in which you take pride,^(DX) the delight of your eyes,^(DY) the object of your affection. The sons and daughters^(DZ) you left behind will fall by the sword.^{(EA) 22} And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard^(EB) or eat the customary food of mourners.^{(EC) 23} You will keep your turbans^(ED) on your heads and your sandals^(EE) on your feet. You will not mourn^(EF) or weep but will waste away^(EG) because of^[e] your sins and groan among yourselves.^{(EH) 24} Ezekiel^(EI) will be a sign^(EJ) to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’

²⁵ “And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes,^(EK) their heart’s desire,^(EL) and their sons and daughters^(EM) as well— ²⁶ on that day a fugitive will come to tell you^(EN) the news. ²⁷ At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.^(EO) So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.^(EP)”

A Prophecy Against Ammon

25 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against^(EQ) the Ammonites^(ER) and prophesy against them.^{(ES) 3} Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!^(ET)” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated^(EU) and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,^{(EV) 4} therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East^(EW) as a possession. They will set up their camps^(EX) and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.^{(EY) 5} I will turn Rabbah^(EZ) into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep.^(FA) Then you will know that I am the Lord. ⁶ For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands^(FB) and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,^{(FC) 7} therefore I will stretch out my hand^(FD) against you and give you as plunder^(FE) to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy^(FF) you, and you will know that I am the Lord.^(FG)’”

A Prophecy Against Moab

⁸ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab^(FH) and Seir^(FI) said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,” ⁹ therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth^(FJ), Baal Meon^(FK) and Kiriathaim^(FL)—the glory of that land. ¹⁰ I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered^(FM) among the nations; ¹¹ and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”^(FN)

A Prophecy Against Edom

¹² “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom^(FO) took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so, ¹³ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand^(FP) against Edom and kill both man and beast.^(FQ) I will lay it waste, and from Teman^(FR) to Dedan^(FS) they will fall by the sword.^{(FT) 14} I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger^(FU) and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”^(FV)

A Prophecy Against Philistia

¹⁵ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines^(FW) acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice^(FX) in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, ¹⁶ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines,^(FY) and I will wipe out the Kerethites^(FZ) and destroy those remaining along the coast.^{(GA) 17} I will carry out great vengeance^(GB) on them and punish^(GC) them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord,^(GD) when I take vengeance on them.^(GE)’”

A Prophecy Against Tyre

26 In the eleventh month of the twelfth^[f] year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(GF) 2} “Son of man, because Tyre^(GG) has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha!^(GH) The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,’ ³ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea^(GI) casting up its waves. ⁴ They will destroy^(GJ) the walls of Tyre^(GK) and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. ⁵ Out in the sea^(GL) she will become a place to spread fishnets,^(GM) for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder^(GN) for the nations,^{(GO) 6} and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

⁷ “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar^[g](GP) king of Babylon, king of kings,^(GQ) with horses and chariots,^(GR) with horsemen and a great army. ⁸ He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works^(GS) against you, build a ramp^(GT) up to your walls and raise his shields against you. ⁹ He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons.^{(GU) 10} His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the warhorses, wagons and chariots^(GV) when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. ¹¹ The hooves^(GW) of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars^(GX) will fall to the ground.^{(GY) 12} They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea.^{(GZ) 13} I will put an end^(HA) to your noisy songs,^(HB) and the music of your harps^(HC) will be heard no more.^{(HD) 14} I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt,^(HE) for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁵ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlands^(HF) tremble^(HG) at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan^(HH) and the slaughter takes place in you? ¹⁶ Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered^(HI) garments. Clothed^(HJ) with terror, they will sit on the ground,^(HK) trembling^(HL) every moment, appalled^(HM) at you. ¹⁷ Then they will take up a lament^(HN) concerning you and say to you:

¹⁹ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths^(HR) over you and its vast waters cover you,^{(HS) 20} then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit,^(HT) to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place^[h] in the land of the living.^{(HU) 21} I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more.^(HV) You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”^(HW)

A Lament Over Tyre

27 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, take up a lament^(HX) concerning Tyre. ³ Say to Tyre,^(HY) situated at the gateway to the sea,^(HZ) merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹² “‘Tarshish^(IS) did business with you because of your great wealth of goods;^(IT) they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.

¹³ “‘Greece,^(IU) Tubal and Meshek^(IV) did business with you; they traded human beings^(IW) and articles of bronze for your wares.

¹⁴ “‘Men of Beth Togarmah^(IX) exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.

¹⁵ “‘The men of Rhodes^[k](IY) traded with you, and many coastlands^(IZ) were your customers; they paid you with ivory^(JA) tusks and ebony.

¹⁶ “‘Aram^[l](JB) did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise,^(JC) purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,^(JD) coral^(JE) and rubies for your merchandise.

¹⁷ “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat^(JF) from Minnith^(JG) and confections,^[m] honey, olive oil and balm^(JH) for your wares.^(JI)

¹⁸ “‘Damascus^(JJ) did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods.^(JK) They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar ¹⁹ and casks of wine from Izal^(JL) in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia^(JM) and calamus.

²⁰ “‘Dedan^(JN) traded in saddle blankets with you.

²¹ “‘Arabia^(JO) and all the princes of Kedar^(JP) were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.

²² “‘The merchants of Sheba^(JQ) and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices^(JR) and precious stones, and gold.^(JS)

²³ “‘Harran,^(JT) Kanneh and Eden^(JU) and merchants of Sheba, Ashur^(JV) and Kilmad traded with you. ²⁴ In your marketplace they traded with you beautiful garments, blue fabric, embroidered work and multicolored rugs with cords twisted and tightly knotted.

A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre

28 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man^(KS), say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁶ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

¹¹ The word of the Lord came to me: ¹² “Son of man, take up a lament^(LK) concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

A Prophecy Against Sidon

²⁰ The word of the Lord came to me: ²¹ “Son of man, set your face against^(MC) Sidon;^(MD) prophesy against her ²² and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

²⁴ “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.^(MI) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.

²⁵ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather^(MJ) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,^(MK) I will be proved holy^(ML) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.^{(MM) 26} They will live there in safety^(MN) and will build houses and plant^(MO) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment^(MP) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.^(MQ)’”

A Prophecy Against Egypt

Judgment on Pharaoh

29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(MR) 2} “Son of man, set your face against^(MS) Pharaoh king of Egypt^(MT) and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.^{(MU) 3} Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁶ Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.

“‘You have been a staff of reed^(NC) for the people of Israel. ⁷ When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered^(ND) and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.^[q](NE)

⁸ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast.^{(NF) 9} Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“‘Because you said, “The Nile^(NG) is mine; I made it,^(NH)” ¹⁰ therefore I am against you^(NI) and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt^(NJ) a ruin and a desolate waste^(NK) from Migdol^(NL) to Aswan,^(NM) as far as the border of Cush.^{[r](NN) 11} The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.^{(NO) 12} I will make the land of Egypt desolate^(NP) among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.^(NQ)

¹³ “‘Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. ¹⁴ I will bring them back from captivity and return them to Upper Egypt,^(NR) the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly^(NS) kingdom.^{(NT) 15} It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations.^(NU) I will make it so weak that it will never again rule over the nations. ¹⁶ Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence^(NV) for the people of Israel but will be a reminder^(NW) of their sin in turning to her for help.^(NX) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.^(NY)’”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Reward

¹⁷ In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(NZ) 18} “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar^(OA) king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare^(OB) and every shoulder made raw.^(OC) Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre. ¹⁹ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king^(OD) of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder^(OE) the land as pay for his army.^{(OF) 20} I have given him Egypt^(OG) as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(OH)

²¹ “On that day I will make a horn^[s](OI) grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth^(OJ) among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(OK)”

A Lament Over Egypt

30 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁵ Cush and Libya,^(OR) Lydia and all Arabia,^(OS) Kub and the people^(OT) of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.^(OU)

⁶ “‘This is what the Lord says:

⁹ “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush^(OZ) out of her complacency. Anguish^(PA) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.^(PB)

¹⁰ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

I the Lord have spoken.

¹³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken

²⁰ In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(PW) 21} “Son of man, I have broken the arm^(PX) of Pharaoh^(PY) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed^(PZ) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. ²² Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.^(QA) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.^{(QB) 23} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.^{(QC) 24} I will strengthen^(QD) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword^(QE) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan^(QF) before him like a mortally wounded man. ²⁵ I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword^(QG) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.^{(QH) 26} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(QI)”

Pharaoh as a Felled Cedar of Lebanon

31 In the eleventh year,^(QJ) in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(QK) 2} “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

¹⁰ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud^(RA) of its height, ¹¹ I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,^{(RB) 12} and the most ruthless of foreign nations^(RC) cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys;^(RD) its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.^{(RE) 13} All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches.^{(RF) 14} Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined^(RG) for death,^(RH) for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.^(RI)

¹⁵ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away.^{(RJ) 16} I made the nations tremble^(RK) at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees^(RL) of Eden,^(RM) the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled^(RN) in the earth below.^{(RO) 17} They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword,^(RP) along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.

¹⁸ “‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised,^(RQ) with those killed by the sword.

“‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

A Lament Over Pharaoh

32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(RR) 2} “Son of man, take up a lament^(RS) concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:

³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: