Ezekiel 29-32
New Living Translation
A Message for Egypt
29 On January 7,[a] during the tenth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, turn and face Egypt and prophesy against Pharaoh the king and all the people of Egypt. 3 Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“I am your enemy, O Pharaoh, king of Egypt—
you great monster, lurking in the streams of the Nile.
For you have said, ‘The Nile River is mine;
I made it for myself.’
4 I will put hooks in your jaws
and drag you out on the land
with fish sticking to your scales.
5 I will leave you and all your fish
stranded in the wilderness to die.
You will lie unburied on the open ground,
for I have given you as food to the wild animals and birds.
6 All the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord,
for to Israel you were just a staff made of reeds.
7 When Israel leaned on you,
you splintered and broke
and stabbed her in the armpit.
When she put her weight on you,
you collapsed, and her legs gave way.
8 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring an army against you, O Egypt, and destroy both people and animals. 9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.
“Because you said, ‘The Nile River is mine; I made it,’ 10 I am now the enemy of both you and your river. I will make the land of Egypt a totally desolate wasteland, from Migdol to Aswan, as far south as the border of Ethiopia.[b] 11 For forty years not a soul will pass that way, neither people nor animals. It will be completely uninhabited. 12 I will make Egypt desolate, and it will be surrounded by other desolate nations. Its cities will be empty and desolate for forty years, surrounded by other ruined cities. I will scatter the Egyptians to distant lands.
13 “But this is what the Sovereign Lord also says: At the end of the forty years I will bring the Egyptians home again from the nations to which they have been scattered. 14 I will restore the prosperity of Egypt and bring its people back to the land of Pathros in southern Egypt from which they came. But Egypt will remain an unimportant, minor kingdom. 15 It will be the lowliest of all the nations, never again great enough to rise above its neighbors.
16 “Then Israel will no longer be tempted to trust in Egypt for help. Egypt’s shattered condition will remind Israel of how sinful she was to trust Egypt in earlier days. Then Israel will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”
Nebuchadnezzar to Conquer Egypt
17 On April 26, the first day of the new year,[c] during the twenty-seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: 18 “Son of man, the army of King Nebuchadnezzar[d] of Babylon fought so hard against Tyre that the warriors’ heads were rubbed bare and their shoulders were raw and blistered. Yet Nebuchadnezzar and his army won no plunder to compensate them for all their work. 19 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He will carry off its wealth, plundering everything it has so he can pay his army. 20 Yes, I have given him the land of Egypt as a reward for his work, says the Sovereign Lord, because he was working for me when he destroyed Tyre.
21 “And the day will come when I will cause the ancient glory of Israel to revive,[e] and then, Ezekiel, your words will be respected. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
A Sad Day for Egypt
30 This is another message that came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and give this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“Weep and wail
for that day,
3 for the terrible day is almost here—
the day of the Lord!
It is a day of clouds and gloom,
a day of despair for the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt,
and those who are slaughtered will cover the ground.
Its wealth will be carried away
and its foundations destroyed.
The land of Ethiopia[f] will be ravished.
5 Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all Arabia,[g]
and all their other allies
will be destroyed in that war.
6 “For this is what the Lord says:
All of Egypt’s allies will fall,
and the pride of her power will end.
From Migdol to Aswan[h]
they will be slaughtered by the sword,
says the Sovereign Lord.
7 Egypt will be desolate,
surrounded by desolate nations,
and its cities will be in ruins,
surrounded by other ruined cities.
8 And the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord
when I have set Egypt on fire
and destroyed all their allies.
9 At that time I will send swift messengers in ships
to terrify the complacent Ethiopians.
Great panic will come upon them
on that day of Egypt’s certain destruction.
Watch for it!
It is sure to come!
10 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
By the power of King Nebuchadnezzar[i] of Babylon,
I will destroy the hordes of Egypt.
11 He and his armies—the most ruthless of all—
will be sent to demolish the land.
They will make war against Egypt
until slaughtered Egyptians cover the ground.
12 I will dry up the Nile River
and sell the land to wicked men.
I will destroy the land of Egypt and everything in it
by the hands of foreigners.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
13 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I will smash the idols[j] of Egypt
and the images at Memphis.[k]
There will be no rulers left in Egypt;
terror will sweep the land.
14 I will destroy southern Egypt,[l]
set fire to Zoan,
and bring judgment against Thebes.[m]
15 I will pour out my fury on Pelusium,[n]
the strongest fortress of Egypt,
and I will stamp out
the hordes of Thebes.
16 Yes, I will set fire to all Egypt!
Pelusium will be racked with pain;
Thebes will be torn apart;
Memphis will live in constant terror.
17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis[o] will die in battle,
and the women[p] will be taken away as slaves.
18 When I come to break the proud strength of Egypt,
it will be a dark day for Tahpanhes, too.
A dark cloud will cover Tahpanhes,
and its daughters will be led away as captives.
19 And so I will greatly punish Egypt,
and they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Broken Arms of Pharaoh
20 On April 29,[q] during the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. His arm has not been put in a cast so that it may heal. Neither has it been bound up with a splint to make it strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am the enemy of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt! I will break both of his arms—the good arm along with the broken one—and I will make his sword clatter to the ground. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians to many lands throughout the world. 24 I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and put my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he will lie there mortally wounded, groaning in pain. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, while the arms of Pharaoh fall useless to his sides. And when I put my sword in the hand of Babylon’s king and he brings it against the land of Egypt, Egypt will know that I am the Lord. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, dispersing them throughout the earth. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Egypt Compared to Fallen Assyria
31 On June 21,[r] during the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, give this message to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all his hordes:
“To whom would you compare your greatness?
3 You are like mighty Assyria,
which was once like a cedar of Lebanon,
with beautiful branches that cast deep forest shade
and with its top high among the clouds.
4 Deep springs watered it
and helped it to grow tall and luxuriant.
The water flowed around it like a river,
streaming to all the trees nearby.
5 This great tree towered high,
higher than all the other trees around it.
It prospered and grew long thick branches
because of all the water at its roots.
6 The birds nested in its branches,
and in its shade all the wild animals gave birth.
All the great nations of the world
lived in its shadow.
7 It was strong and beautiful,
with wide-spreading branches,
for its roots went deep
into abundant water.
8 No other cedar in the garden of God
could rival it.
No cypress had branches to equal it;
no plane tree had boughs to compare.
No tree in the garden of God
came close to it in beauty.
9 Because I made this tree so beautiful,
and gave it such magnificent foliage,
it was the envy of all the other trees of Eden,
the garden of God.
10 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because Egypt[s] became proud and arrogant, and because it set itself so high above the others, with its top reaching to the clouds, 11 I will hand it over to a mighty nation that will destroy it as its wickedness deserves. I have already discarded it. 12 A foreign army—the terror of the nations—has cut it down and left it fallen on the ground. Its branches are scattered across the mountains and valleys and ravines of the land. All those who lived in its shadow have gone away and left it lying there.
13 “The birds roost on its fallen trunk,
and the wild animals lie among its branches.
14 Let the tree of no other nation
proudly exult in its own prosperity,
though it be higher than the clouds
and it be watered from the depths.
For all are doomed to die,
to go down to the depths of the earth.
They will land in the pit
along with everyone else on earth.
15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When Assyria went down to the grave,[t] I made the deep springs mourn. I stopped its rivers and dried up its abundant water. I clothed Lebanon in black and caused the trees of the field to wilt. 16 I made the nations shake with fear at the sound of its fall, for I sent it down to the grave with all the others who descend to the pit. And all the other proud trees of Eden, the most beautiful and the best of Lebanon, the ones whose roots went deep into the water, took comfort to find it there with them in the depths of the earth. 17 Its allies, too, were all destroyed and had passed away. They had gone down to the grave—all those nations that had lived in its shade.
18 “O Egypt, to which of the trees of Eden will you compare your strength and glory? You, too, will be brought down to the depths with all these other nations. You will lie there among the outcasts[u] who have died by the sword. This will be the fate of Pharaoh and all his hordes. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
A Warning for Pharaoh
32 On March 3,[v] during the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, mourn for Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and give him this message:
“You think of yourself as a strong young lion among the nations,
but you are really just a sea monster,
heaving around in your own rivers,
stirring up mud with your feet.
3 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I will send many people
to catch you in my net
and haul you out of the water.
4 I will leave you stranded on the land to die.
All the birds of the heavens will land on you,
and the wild animals of the whole earth
will gorge themselves on you.
5 I will scatter your flesh on the hills
and fill the valleys with your bones.
6 I will drench the earth with your gushing blood
all the way to the mountains,
filling the ravines to the brim.
7 When I blot you out,
I will veil the heavens and darken the stars.
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
and the moon will not give you its light.
8 I will darken the bright stars overhead
and cover your land in darkness.
I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!
9 “I will disturb many hearts when I bring news of your downfall to distant nations you have never seen. 10 Yes, I will shock many lands, and their kings will be terrified at your fate. They will shudder in fear for their lives as I brandish my sword before them on the day of your fall. 11 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“The sword of the king of Babylon
will come against you.
12 I will destroy your hordes with the swords of mighty warriors—
the terror of the nations.
They will shatter the pride of Egypt,
and all its hordes will be destroyed.
13 I will destroy all your flocks and herds
that graze beside the streams.
Never again will people or animals
muddy those waters with their feet.
14 Then I will let the waters of Egypt become calm again,
and they will flow as smoothly as olive oil,
says the Sovereign Lord.
15 And when I destroy Egypt
and strip you of everything you own
and strike down all your people,
then you will know that I am the Lord.
16 Yes, this is the funeral song
they will sing for Egypt.
Let all the nations mourn.
Let them mourn for Egypt and its hordes.
I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
Egypt Falls into the Pit
17 On March 17,[w] during the twelfth year, another message came to me from the Lord: 18 “Son of man, weep for the hordes of Egypt and for the other mighty nations.[x] For I will send them down to the world below in company with those who descend to the pit. 19 Say to them,
‘O Egypt, are you lovelier than the other nations?
No! So go down to the pit and lie there among the outcasts.[y]’
20 The Egyptians will fall with the many who have died by the sword, for the sword is drawn against them. Egypt and its hordes will be dragged away to their judgment. 21 Down in the grave[z] mighty leaders will mockingly welcome Egypt and its allies, saying, ‘They have come down; they lie among the outcasts, hordes slaughtered by the sword.’
22 “Assyria lies there surrounded by the graves of its army, those who were slaughtered by the sword. 23 Their graves are in the depths of the pit, and they are surrounded by their allies. They struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere, but now they have been slaughtered by the sword.
24 “Elam lies there surrounded by the graves of all its hordes, those who were slaughtered by the sword. They struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere, but now they have descended as outcasts to the world below. Now they lie in the pit and share the shame of those who have gone before them. 25 They have a resting place among the slaughtered, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes. Yes, they terrorized the nations while they lived, but now they lie in shame with others in the pit, all of them outcasts, slaughtered by the sword.
26 “Meshech and Tubal are there, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes. They once struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere. But now they are outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword. 27 They are not buried in honor like their fallen heroes, who went down to the grave[aa] with their weapons—their shields covering their bodies[ab] and their swords beneath their heads. Their guilt rests upon them because they brought terror to everyone while they were still alive.
28 “You too, Egypt, will lie crushed and broken among the outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword.
29 “Edom is there with its kings and princes. Mighty as they were, they also lie among those slaughtered by the sword, with the outcasts who have gone down to the pit.
30 “All the princes of the north and the Sidonians are there with others who have died. Once a terror, they have been put to shame. They lie there as outcasts with others who were slaughtered by the sword. They share the shame of all who have descended to the pit.
31 “When Pharaoh and his entire army arrive, he will take comfort that he is not alone in having his hordes killed, says the Sovereign Lord. 32 Although I have caused his terror to fall upon all the living, Pharaoh and his hordes will lie there among the outcasts who were slaughtered by the sword. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
Footnotes
- 29:1 Hebrew On the twelfth day of the tenth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on January 7, 587 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
- 29:10 Hebrew from Migdol to Syene as far as the border of Cush.
- 29:17 Hebrew On the first day of the first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on April 26, 571 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
- 29:18 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar; also in 29:19.
- 29:21 Hebrew I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel.
- 30:4 Hebrew Cush; similarly in 30:9.
- 30:5 Hebrew Cush, Put, Lud, all Arabia, Cub. Cub is otherwise unknown and may be another spelling for Lub (Libya).
- 30:6 Hebrew to Syene.
- 30:10 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar.
- 30:13a The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung.
- 30:13b Hebrew Noph; also in 30:16.
- 30:14a Hebrew Pathros.
- 30:14b Hebrew No; also in 30:15, 16.
- 30:15 Hebrew Sin; also in 30:16.
- 30:17a Hebrew of Awen and Pi-beseth.
- 30:17b Or and her cities.
- 30:20 Hebrew On the seventh day of the first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on April 29, 587 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
- 31:1 Hebrew On the first day of the third month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on June 21, 587 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
- 31:10 Hebrew you.
- 31:15 Hebrew to Sheol; also in 31:16, 17.
- 31:18 Hebrew among the uncircumcised.
- 32:1 Hebrew On the first day of the twelfth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on March 3, 585 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
- 32:17 Hebrew On the fifteenth day of the month, presumably in the twelfth month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar (see 32:1). This would put this message at the end of King Jehoiachin’s twelfth year of captivity, on March 17, 585 B.c.; also see note on 1:1. Greek version reads On the fifteenth day of the first month, which would put this message on April 27, 586 B.c., at the beginning of Jehoiachin’s twelfth year.
- 32:18 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 32:19 Hebrew the uncircumcised; also in 32:21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32.
- 32:21 Hebrew in Sheol.
- 32:27a Hebrew to Sheol.
- 32:27b The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
Ezekiel 29-32
New American Standard Bible
Judgment of Egypt
29 In the (A)tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against (B)Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all (C)Egypt. 3 Speak and say, ‘This is what the Lord [a]God says:
“Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,
The great [b](D)monster that lies in the midst of his [c]canals,
That (E)has said, ‘My Nile is mine, and I myself have made it.’
4 I will put (F)hooks in your jaws
And make the fish of your [d]canals cling to your scales.
And I will bring you up out of the midst of your [e]canals,
And all the fish of your [f]canals will cling to your scales.
5 I will (G)abandon you to the wilderness, you and all the fish of your [g]canals;
You will fall on the [h]open field; you will not be brought together or [i](H)gathered.
I have given you for (I)food to the animals of the earth and to the birds of the sky.
6 Then all the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the Lord,
Because they have been only a (J)staff made of reed to the house of Israel.
7 When they took hold of you with the hand,
You (K)broke and tore all their [j]hands;
And when they leaned on you,
You broke and made all their hips [k]shake.”
8 ‘Therefore the Lord God says this: “Behold, I am going to (L)bring upon you a sword, and I will cut off from you human and animal life. 9 The (M)land of Egypt will become a desolation and place of ruins. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“Because [l]you (N)said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I have made it,’ 10 therefore, behold, I am (O)against you and against your [m]canals, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from Migdol to Syene and as far as the border of [n]Cush. 11 A human foot will (P)not pass through it, nor will the foot of an animal pass through it, and it will not be inhabited for forty years. 12 So I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the (Q)midst of deserted lands. And her cities, in the midst of cities that are laid waste, will be desolate for forty years; and I will (R)scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the lands.”
13 ‘For this is what the Lord God says: “At the end of forty years I will (S)gather the Egyptians from the peoples [o]among whom they were scattered. 14 And I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of (T)Pathros, to the land of their origin, and there they will be a lowly kingdom. 15 It will be the (U)lowest of the kingdoms, and it will not raise itself above the nations again. And I will make them small so that they will not (V)rule over the nations. 16 And it will no longer be a kingdom on which (W)the house of Israel relies, [p](X)bringing to mind the guilt of their having turned [q]to Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.”’”
17 Now in the (Y)twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, (Z)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor [r]hard against Tyre; every head [s]had a (AA)bald spot and every shoulder was rubbed raw. But he and his army acquired no wages from Tyre for the labor that he had [t]performed against it.” 19 Therefore this is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am going to (AB)give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. And he will carry off her (AC)wealth and capture her spoils and seize her plunder; and it will be wages for his army. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor which he [u](AD)performed, because they acted for Me,” declares the Lord God.
21 “On that day I will make a (AE)horn sprout for the house of Israel, and I will [v](AF)open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Grief over Egypt
30 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord [w]God says:
“(AG)Wail, ‘Woe for the day!’
3 For the day is near,
Indeed, (AH)the day of the Lord is near;
It will be a day of (AI)clouds,
A time of doom for the nations.
4 A sword will come upon Egypt,
And there will be trembling in [x]Cush;
When the slain fall in Egypt,
They will (AJ)take away her [y]wealth,
And her foundations will be torn down.
5 [z]Cush, Put, Lud, all [aa](AK)Arabia, [ab]Libya and the [ac]people of the land [ad]that is in league will fall with them by the sword.”
6 ‘This is what the Lord says:
“Indeed, those who support (AL)Egypt will fall
And the pride of her power will come down;
From Migdol to Syene
They will fall within her by the sword,”
Declares the Lord God.
7 “They will be desolate
In the (AM)midst of the desolated lands;
And her cities will be
In the midst of the devastated cities.
8 And they will (AN)know that I am the Lord,
When I set a (AO)fire in Egypt
And all her helpers are broken.
9 On that day (AP)messengers will go out from Me in ships to frighten (AQ)carefree [ae]Cush; and (AR)trembling will come on them as on the day of Egypt; for behold, it is coming!”
10 ‘This is what the Lord God says:
“(AS)I will also make the [af]hordes of Egypt cease
By the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
11 He and his people with him,
(AT)The most ruthless of the nations,
Will be brought in to destroy the land;
And they will draw their swords against Egypt
And fill the land with the slain.
12 Moreover, I will make the (AU)Nile canals dry
And (AV)sell the land into the hands of evil men.
And I will make the land desolate
And [ag]all that is in it,
By the hand of strangers; I the Lord have spoken.”
13 ‘This is what the Lord God says:
“I will also (AW)destroy the idols
And make the [ah]images cease from [ai](AX)Memphis.
And there will no longer be a prince in the land of Egypt;
And I will put fear in the land of Egypt.
14 I will make (AY)Pathros desolate,
Set a fire in (AZ)Zoan
And execute judgments on [aj](BA)Thebes.
15 I will pour out My wrath on [ak]Sin,
The stronghold of Egypt;
I will also eliminate the hordes of [al]Thebes.
16 I will set a fire in Egypt;
[am]Sin will writhe in anguish,
[an]Thebes will be breached
And [ao]Memphis will have [ap]distresses daily.
17 The young men of [aq](BB)On and of Pi-beseth
Will fall by the sword,
And [ar]the women will go into captivity.
18 In (BC)Tehaphnehes the day will [as]be (BD)dark
When I (BE)break there the yoke bars of Egypt.
Then the pride of her power will cease in her;
A cloud will cover her,
And her daughters will go into captivity.
19 So I will (BF)execute judgments on Egypt,
And they will know that I am the Lord.”’”
Victory for Babylon
20 In the (BG)eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 21 “Son of man, I have (BH)broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, behold, it has not been (BI)bound up [at]for healing [au]or wrapped with a bandage, so that it may be strong to wield the sword. 22 Therefore this is what the Lord God says: ‘Behold, I am (BJ)against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and I will break his arms, both the strong and the (BK)broken; and I will make the sword (BL)fall from his hand. 23 And I will (BM)scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the lands. 24 For I will (BN)strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put (BO)My sword in his hand; and I will break the arms of Pharaoh, so that he will groan before him with the groans of a wounded man. 25 So I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fail. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he (BP)reaches out with it against the land of Egypt. 26 When I scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the lands, then they will know that I am the Lord.’”
Pharaoh Warned of Assyria’s Fate
31 In the (BQ)eleventh year, in the third month, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his (BR)hordes,
‘Whom are you like in your greatness?
3 Behold, Assyria was a (BS)cedar in Lebanon
With beautiful branches and forest shade,
And [av](BT)very high,
And its top was among the [aw]clouds.
4 The (BU)waters made it grow, the [ax]deep made it high.
With its rivers it continually [ay]extended all around its planting place,
And sent out its channels to all the trees of the field.
5 Therefore (BV)its height was loftier than all the trees of the field
And its boughs became many and its branches long
Because of (BW)many waters [az]as it spread them out.
6 All the (BX)birds of the sky nested in its twigs,
And under its branches all the animals of the field gave birth,
And all great nations lived under its shade.
7 So it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches;
For its [ba]roots extended to many waters.
8 The (BY)cedars in (BZ)God’s garden [bb]could not match it;
The junipers [bc]could not compare with its branches,
And the plane trees [bd]could not match its branches.
No tree in (CA)God’s garden [be]could compare with it in its beauty.
9 I made it beautiful with the multitude of its branches,
And all the trees of (CB)Eden, which were in the (CC)garden of God, were jealous of it.
10 ‘Therefore this is what the Lord [bf]God says: “Because [bg]it is tall in stature and has put its top among the [bh]clouds, and its (CD)heart is haughty in its loftiness, 11 I will hand it over to a [bi](CE)ruler of the nations; he will thoroughly deal with it. In accordance with its wickedness I have (CF)driven it out. 12 (CG)Foreign (CH)tyrants of the nations have cut it down and left it; on the (CI)mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its branches have been broken in all the ravines of the land. And all the peoples of the earth have (CJ)gone down from its shade and left it. 13 All the (CK)birds of the sky will nest on its fallen trunk, and all the animals of the field will [bj]rest on its fallen branches, 14 so that all the trees by the waters will not be exalted in their stature, nor put their tops among the [bk]clouds, nor will any of their [bl]well-watered mighty ones stand straight in their height. For they have all been turned over to death, to the (CL)earth beneath, among [bm]mankind, [bn]with those who go down to the pit.”
15 ‘This is what the Lord God says: “On the day when it went down to Sheol I (CM)caused mourning; I closed the [bo]deep over it and held back its rivers. And its many waters were stopped up, and I made Lebanon mourn for it, and all the trees of the field wilted away on account of it. 16 I made the nations (CN)quake from the sound of its fall when I made it (CO)go down to Sheol with those who go down to the pit; and all the [bp]well-watered trees of Eden, the choicest and best of (CP)Lebanon, were (CQ)comforted in the earth beneath. 17 They also (CR)went down with it to Sheol to those who were (CS)slain by the sword; and those who were its [bq]strength lived (CT)in its shade among the nations.
18 “To which among the trees of Eden are you so alike in glory and greatness? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth beneath; you will lie in the midst of the (CU)uncircumcised with those who were killed by the sword. (CV)This is Pharaoh and all his hordes!”’ declares the Lord God.”
Grief over Pharaoh and Egypt
32 In the (CW)twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, take up a (CX)song of mourning over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him,
‘You [br]compared yourself to a young (CY)lion of the nations,
Yet you are like the (CZ)monster in the seas;
And you (DA)burst forth in your rivers
And muddied the waters with your feet
And [bs]fouled their rivers.’”
3 This is what the Lord [bt]God says:
“Now I will (DB)spread My net over you
With a contingent of many peoples,
And they will lift you up in My net.
4 I will leave you on the land;
I will hurl you on the [bu]open field.
And I will cause all the (DC)birds of the sky to [bv]nest on you,
And I will satisfy the animals of the whole earth [bw]with you.
5 I will lay your flesh (DD)on the mountains
And fill the valleys with your refuse.
6 I will also make the land drink the discharge of your (DE)blood
As far as the mountains,
And the ravines will be full of you.
7 And when I (DF)extinguish you,
I will (DG)cover the heavens and darken their (DH)stars;
I will cover the (DI)sun with a cloud
And the moon will not give its light.
8 All the shining (DJ)lights in the heavens
I will darken over you
And will set darkness on your land,”
Declares the Lord God.
9 “I will also (DK)trouble the hearts of many peoples when I (DL)bring your destruction among the nations, into lands which you have not known. 10 And I will make many peoples (DM)appalled at you, and their kings will be horribly afraid of you when I brandish My sword before them; and (DN)they will tremble again and again, every person for his own life, on the day of your fall.”
11 For (DO)the Lord God says (DP)this: “The sword of the king of Babylon will [bx]attack you. 12 By the swords of the warriors I will make your multitude fall; all of them are (DQ)tyrants of the nations,
And they will (DR)devastate the pride of Egypt,
And all its multitude will be destroyed.
13 I will also eliminate all its cattle from beside many waters;
And (DS)a human foot will not muddy them anymore,
And the hoofs of animals will not muddy them.
14 Then I will make their waters settle,
And make their rivers run like oil,”
Declares the Lord God.
15 “When I make the land of Egypt a (DT)desolation,
And the land is destitute of that which filled it,
When I strike all those who live in it,
Then they shall (DU)know that I am the Lord.
16 This is a (DV)song of mourning, and they shall sing it. The daughters of the nations shall sing it. Over Egypt and over all her hordes they shall sing it,” declares the Lord God.
17 In the (DW)twelfth year, on the (DX)fifteenth of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, (DY)lament for the hordes of Egypt and (DZ)bring it down, her and the daughters of the mighty nations, to the (EA)netherworld, with those who go down to the pit;
19 ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty?
Go down and make your bed with the (EB)uncircumcised.’
20 They shall fall in the midst of those who are killed by the sword. [by]She is turned over to the sword; they have (EC)dragged her and all her hordes away. 21 The (ED)strong among the mighty ones shall speak of him and his helpers from the midst of Sheol: ‘They have gone down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, killed by the sword.’
22 “(EE)Assyria is there and all her company; [bz]her graves are all around [ca]her. All of them killed, fallen by the sword, 23 whose (EF)graves are set in the remotest parts of the pit, and her company is all around her grave. All of them killed, fallen by the sword, who [cb]spread terror in the land of the living.
24 “(EG)Elam is there and all her hordes around her grave; all of them killed, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised to the (EH)lower parts of the earth, who inflicted their terror on the (EI)land of the living, and (EJ)bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit. 25 They have made a (EK)bed for her among the slain with all her hordes. Her graves are around it, they are all uncircumcised, killed by the sword (although their terror was [cc]inflicted on the land of the living), and they bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit; [cd]they were put in the midst of the slain.
26 “(EL)Meshech, (EM)Tubal, and all their hordes are there; their graves [ce]surround them. All of them were killed by the sword (EN)uncircumcised, though they inflicted their terror on the land of the living. 27 (EO)Nor do they lie beside the fallen [cf](EP)heroes of the uncircumcised, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war and whose swords were placed under their heads; but the punishment for their (EQ)wrongdoing rested on their bones, though the terror of these [cg]heroes was once in the land of the living. 28 But in the midst of the uncircumcised you will be broken and lie with those killed by the sword.
29 “There also is (ER)Edom, its kings and all its [ch]princes, who [ci]despite all their might are laid with those killed by the sword; they will lie with the uncircumcised and with those who go down to the pit.
30 “There also are the [cj]chiefs of the (ES)north, all of them, and all the (ET)Sidonians, who in spite of the terror resulting from their might, in shame went down with the slain. So they lay down uncircumcised with those killed by the sword and bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit.
31 “These Pharaoh will see, and he will (EU)find consolation regarding all his hordes killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his army,” declares the Lord God. 32 “Though I inflicted the terror of him on the land of the living, yet he will be laid to rest among the uncircumcised along with those killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his hordes,” declares the Lord God.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 29:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 29:3 Heb tannim
- Ezekiel 29:3 Or Nile
- Ezekiel 29:4 Or Nile
- Ezekiel 29:4 Or Nile
- Ezekiel 29:4 Or Nile
- Ezekiel 29:5 Or Nile
- Ezekiel 29:5 Lit faces of the field
- Ezekiel 29:5 Or with several mss and Targum, buried
- Ezekiel 29:7 As in some ancient versions; MT shoulders
- Ezekiel 29:7 Cf. ancient versions; MT stand
- Ezekiel 29:9 As in ancient versions; MT he
- Ezekiel 29:10 Or Nile
- Ezekiel 29:10 Or Ethiopia
- Ezekiel 29:13 Lit where
- Ezekiel 29:16 Lit causing to remember
- Ezekiel 29:16 Lit after them
- Ezekiel 29:18 Lit a great labor
- Ezekiel 29:18 I.e., injuries from the labor
- Ezekiel 29:18 Lit labored
- Ezekiel 29:20 Lit labored
- Ezekiel 29:21 Lit give you an opening of the mouth
- Ezekiel 30:2 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 30:4 Or Ethiopia
- Ezekiel 30:4 Or multitude
- Ezekiel 30:5 Or Ethiopia
- Ezekiel 30:5 Or the mixed people
- Ezekiel 30:5 Or Cub
- Ezekiel 30:5 Lit sons
- Ezekiel 30:5 Lit of the covenant
- Ezekiel 30:9 Or Ethiopia
- Ezekiel 30:10 Or people; lit crowd, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 30:12 Lit her fullness
- Ezekiel 30:13 Or futile ones
- Ezekiel 30:13 Or Noph
- Ezekiel 30:14 Or No
- Ezekiel 30:15 Or Pelusium
- Ezekiel 30:15 Or No
- Ezekiel 30:16 Or Pelusium
- Ezekiel 30:16 Or No
- Ezekiel 30:16 Or Noph
- Ezekiel 30:16 Or adversaries
- Ezekiel 30:17 Or Aven
- Ezekiel 30:17 Lit they
- Ezekiel 30:18 As in many mss and ancient versions; MT restrain
- Ezekiel 30:21 Lit to give healing
- Ezekiel 30:21 Lit to wrap it
- Ezekiel 31:3 Lit high of stature
- Ezekiel 31:3 As in LXX; MT thick boughs
- Ezekiel 31:4 I.e., subterranean waters
- Ezekiel 31:4 Lit was going
- Ezekiel 31:5 Lit in its sending forth
- Ezekiel 31:7 Lit root was
- Ezekiel 31:8 Lit did
- Ezekiel 31:8 Lit did
- Ezekiel 31:8 Lit were not like
- Ezekiel 31:8 Lit did
- Ezekiel 31:10 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 31:10 As in Syriac; MT you are
- Ezekiel 31:10 As in LXX; MT thick branches
- Ezekiel 31:11 Or mighty one
- Ezekiel 31:13 Lit be on
- Ezekiel 31:14 As in LXX; MT thick branches
- Ezekiel 31:14 Lit drinkers of water
- Ezekiel 31:14 Lit sons of mankind
- Ezekiel 31:14 Lit to
- Ezekiel 31:15 I.e., subterranean waters
- Ezekiel 31:16 Lit drinkers of water
- Ezekiel 31:17 Lit arm
- Ezekiel 32:2 Or were like
- Ezekiel 32:2 Lit fouled by stamping
- Ezekiel 32:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 32:4 Lit faces of the field
- Ezekiel 32:4 Lit dwell
- Ezekiel 32:4 Lit from
- Ezekiel 32:11 Lit come upon you
- Ezekiel 32:20 Or The sword is given
- Ezekiel 32:22 Lit his
- Ezekiel 32:22 Lit him
- Ezekiel 32:23 Lit gave, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 32:25 Lit given
- Ezekiel 32:25 As in ancient versions; MT he was
- Ezekiel 32:26 Lit are around him
- Ezekiel 32:27 Or mighty ones
- Ezekiel 32:27 Or mighty ones
- Ezekiel 32:29 Or leaders
- Ezekiel 32:29 Lit in
- Ezekiel 32:30 Or leaders
Revelation 11
New Living Translation
The Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. 2 But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”
4 These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.
7 When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit[a] will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. 8 And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem,[b] the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. 9 And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. 10 All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.
11 But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. 12 Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.
13 At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is coming quickly.
The Seventh Trumpet Brings the Third Terror
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven:
“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,[c]
and he will reign forever and ever.”
16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. 17 And they said,
“We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty,
the one who is and who always was,
for now you have assumed your great power
and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were filled with wrath,
but now the time of your wrath has come.
It is time to judge the dead
and reward your servants the prophets,
as well as your holy people,
and all who fear your name,
from the least to the greatest.
It is time to destroy
all who have caused destruction on the earth.”
19 Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.
Revelation 11
New American Standard Bible
The Two Witnesses
11 Then there was given to me a [a](A)measuring rod like a staff; [b]and (B)someone said, “Get up and measure the [c]temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 [d]Leave out the (C)courtyard which is outside the [e]temple and do not measure it, because (D)it has been given to the nations; and they will (E)trample (F)the holy city for (G)forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two (H)witnesses, and they will prophesy for (I)1,260 days, clothed in (J)sackcloth.” 4 These are the (K)two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, (L)fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and so if anyone wants to harm them, (M)he must be killed in this way. 6 These have the power to (N)shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during (O)the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to (P)turn them into blood, and (Q)to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7 When they have finished their testimony, (R)the beast that comes up out of the (S)abyss will (T)make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie on the street of the (U)great city which [f]spiritually is called (V)Sodom and (W)Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 Those from (X)the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will look at their dead [g]bodies for three and a half days, and [h](Y)will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And (Z)those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will (AA)send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented (AB)those who live on the earth.
11 And after the three and a half days, (AC)the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “(AD)Come up here.” And they (AE)went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And [i]at that time there was a great (AF)earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; [j]seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and (AG)gave glory to the (AH)God of heaven.
14 The second (AI)woe has passed; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
The Seventh Trumpet: Christ’s Reign Foreseen
15 Then the (AJ)seventh angel sounded; and there were (AK)loud voices in heaven, saying,
“(AL)The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of (AM)His [k]Christ; and (AN)He will reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders, who (AO)sit on their thrones before God, (AP)fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,
“We give You thanks, (AQ)Lord God, the Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to (AR)reign. 18 And (AS)the nations were enraged, and (AT)Your wrath came, and (AU)the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to [l]reward Your (AV)bond-servants the prophets and the [m]saints and those who fear Your name, (AW)the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 And (AX)the [n]temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and (AY)the ark of His covenant appeared in His [o]temple, and there were flashes of (AZ)lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a (BA)great [p]hailstorm.
Footnotes
- Revelation 11:1 Lit reed
- Revelation 11:1 Lit saying
- Revelation 11:1 Or sanctuary
- Revelation 11:2 Lit Throw out
- Revelation 11:2 Or sanctuary
- Revelation 11:8 I.e., from the viewpoint of the Holy Spirit
- Revelation 11:9 Lit body
- Revelation 11:9 Lit do not permit
- Revelation 11:13 Or in that hour
- Revelation 11:13 Lit names of people, seven thousand
- Revelation 11:15 I.e., Messiah
- Revelation 11:18 Lit give the reward to
- Revelation 11:18 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Revelation 11:19 Or sanctuary
- Revelation 11:19 Or sanctuary
- Revelation 11:19 Lit hail
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
