Ezekiel 24:15-25:17

Christian Standard Bible

The Death of Ezekiel’s Wife: A Sign

¹⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁶ “Son of man, I am about to take the delight of your eyes^(A) away from you with a fatal blow. But you must not lament or weep or let your tears flow.^{(B) 17} Groan quietly; do not observe mourning rites for the dead.^(C) Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners.”^[a](D)

¹⁸ I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did just as I was commanded. ¹⁹ Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”

²⁰ So I answered them, “The word of the Lord came to me: ²¹ Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your heart. Also, the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.^{(E) 22} Then you will do just as I have done: You will not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners. ²³ Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not lament or weep^(F) but will waste away^(G) because of your iniquities and will groan to one another. ²⁴ Now Ezekiel will be a sign for you.^(H) You will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord God.’

²⁵ “As for you, son of man, know that on that day I will take from them their stronghold—their pride and joy, the delight of their eyes, and the longing of their hearts—as well as their sons and daughters. ²⁶ On that day a fugitive will come to you and report the news.^{(I) 27} On that day your mouth will be opened to talk with him; you will speak and no longer be mute.^(J) So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”

Prophecies Against the Nations

Judgment against Ammon

25 Then the word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, face the Ammonites and prophesy against them.^{(K) 3} Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God: This is what the Lord God says: Because you said, “Aha!” ^(L) about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile, ⁴ therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession. They will set up their encampments and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. ⁵ I will make Rabbah a pasture^(M) for camels and Ammon a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

⁶ “‘For this is what the Lord God says: Because you clapped your hands,^(N) stamped your feet, and rejoiced over the land of Israel with wholehearted contempt, ⁷ therefore I am about to stretch out my hand against you^(O) and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and eliminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the Lord.

Judgment against Moab

⁸ “‘This is what the Lord God says: Because Moab and Seir said,^(P) “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations.” ⁹ Therefore I am about to expose Moab’s flank beginning with its^[b] frontier cities, the splendor of the land: Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon,^(Q) and Kiriathaim. ¹⁰ I will give it along with Ammon to the people of the east as a possession, so that Ammon will not be remembered among the nations. ¹¹ So I will execute judgments against Moab, and they will know that I am the Lord.

Judgment against Edom

¹² “‘This is what the Lord God says: Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah^(R) and incurred grievous guilt by taking revenge on them, ¹³ therefore this is what the Lord God says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off both people and animals from it. I will make it a wasteland; they will fall by the sword from Teman to Dedan. ¹⁴ I will take my vengeance^(S) on Edom through my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to my anger and wrath. So they will know my vengeance. This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Judgment against Philistia

¹⁵ “‘This is what the Lord God says: Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with deep contempt,^(T) destroying because of their perpetual hatred, ¹⁶ therefore this is what the Lord God says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines,^(U) cutting off the Cherethites and wiping out what remains of the coastal peoples.^{[c](V) 17} I will execute severe vengeance against them with furious rebukes. They will know that I am the Lord^(W) when I take my vengeance on them.’”