以西结书 29
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
将埃及地赐给巴比伦王
29 第十年十月十二日，耶和华的话临到我说： 2 “人子啊！你要面向埃及王法老，说预言攻击他和埃及全地。 3 你要说：‘主耶和华这样说：
埃及王法老啊！我要与你为敌，
你这卧在自己河中的大海怪，
你曾经说过：“这河是我的，是我自己造的。”
4 但我耶和华必用钩子钩住你的腮颊，
使你河中的鱼都紧贴着你的鳞甲，
我必把你和你河中所有紧贴着你的鳞甲的鱼，
都从你河中拉上来。
5 我必把你和你河中所有的鱼，都丢在旷野；
你必倒在田间，无人收殓，无人埋葬。
我已经把你给了地上的走兽和空中的飞鸟作食物。
6 埃及所有的居民就都知道我是耶和华。
因为你作了以色列家芦苇的杖。
7 他们用手抓住你的时候，
你就断裂，伤了他们的肩头；
他们倚靠你，
你就折断、扭伤了他们的腰。
8 因此，主耶和华这样说：看哪！我必使刀剑攻击你，把人和牲畜都从你那里剪除。 9 埃及地必荒凉废弃，人就知道我是耶和华。
“‘因为法老曾说：“这河是我的，是我自己做的。” 10 所以我必与你和你的河为敌；我必使埃及地，从密夺到色弗尼，直到古实边界，都全然荒凉废弃。 11 人的脚必不经过那里，兽的蹄也不经过那里；四十年之久，无人居住。 12 我必使埃及成为荒地中的荒地，四十年之久，它的城必成为废城中的废城。我必把埃及人分散到列邦，四散在各地。
13 “‘主耶和华这样说：满了四十年，我必把埃及人从他们所分散到的万族中招聚回来。 14 我必使埃及被掳的人归回，使他们归回自己根源之地巴忒罗，在那里他们必成为低微的国。 15 这国必成为列国中最低微的，也必不能再攀到列国之上；我必使他们弱小，以致他们不能再管辖列国。 16 埃及必不再作以色列家的倚靠；每逢以色列家转去仰赖埃及人的时候，他们就想起自己的罪孽。这样，他们就知道我是主耶和华。’”
17 二十七年正月初一日，耶和华的话临到我说： 18 “人子啊！巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒使他的军兵千辛万苦攻打推罗，以致各人都头秃肩破；但是他和他的军兵攻打推罗所付出的辛劳，并没有从那里得到甚么报酬。 19 因此，主耶和华这样说：看哪！我必把埃及地赐给巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒，他把埃及的财富带走，抢其中的财为掳物，夺其中的货为掠物，作他军兵的报酬。 20 我把埃及地赐给他，作辛劳的报酬，因为他们都是为我效力的。这是主耶和华的宣告。 21 到了那天，我必使以色列家的角生出来，我也必使你以西结在他们中间开口。他们就知道我是耶和华。”
Ezekiel 29
Expanded Bible
Prophecy Against Egypt
29 It was the tenth year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month [C January 7, 587 bc]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], ·look [L set your face] toward the king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and all Egypt. 3 Say: ‘This is what the Lord God says:
[L Look; T Behold] I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
You are like a great ·crocodile [or monster; or dragon] that lies in the Nile River.
You say, “The Nile is mine;
I made it for myself.”
4 But I will put hooks in your jaws,
and I will make the fish of the Nile stick to your ·sides [scales].
I will pull you up out of your ·rivers [streams],
with all the fish of your streams sticking to your ·sides [scales].
5 I will leave you in the ·desert [wilderness] ,
you and all the fish from your ·rivers [streams].
You will fall onto the ·ground [open field];
you will not be picked up or ·buried [L gathered].
I have given you to the ·wild animals [L beasts of the earth]
and to the birds of the sky for food.
6 Then all the people who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.
“‘·Israel tried to lean on you for help, but you were like a crutch made out of a weak stalk of grass [L Because you were a reed staff for the house of Israel…; Is. 36:6]. 7 When their hands grabbed you, you ·splintered [broke] and tore open their shoulders. When they leaned on you, you ·broke [splintered] and made all their ·backs twist [or legs go wobbly; or loins shake].
8 “‘So this is what the Lord God says: I will ·cause an enemy to attack [L bring a sword against] you and kill your people and animals. 9 Egypt will become an ·empty desert [desolate wasteland]. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“‘Because you said, “The Nile River is mine, and I have made it,” 10 I am against you and your ·rivers [streams]. I will destroy the land of Egypt and make it an ·empty desert [desolate wasteland] from Migdol [C in the north] to Aswan [C in the south], all the way to the border of Cush [C Ethiopia]. 11 No ·person or animal will walk [L foot of man shall pass through it and no foot of beast will pass] through it, and no one will live in Egypt for forty years. 12 I will make the land of Egypt ·the most deserted country of all [L a desolation among desolate lands]. Her cities will be ·the most deserted of all [a desolation among] ruined cities for forty years. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, spreading them among the countries.
13 “‘This is what the Lord God says: After forty years I will gather Egypt from the nations where they have been scattered. 14 I will ·bring back the Egyptian captives [restore the fortunes of Egypt] and make them return to ·southern Egypt [L the land of Pathros], to the land ·they came from [of their ancestry/origin]. They will become a ·weak [lowly; insignificant] kingdom there. 15 It will be the ·weakest [most lowly/insignificant] kingdom, and it will never again ·rule [L exalt itself over] other nations. I will make it so ·weak [small] it will never again rule over the nations. 16 The Israelites will never again ·depend on [rely on; have confidence in] Egypt. Instead, ·Egypt’s punishment [L it] will remind the Israelites of their sin in turning to Egypt for help. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.’”
Egypt Is Given to Babylon
17 It was the twenty-seventh year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the first month, on the first day of the month [C April 26, 571 bc]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 18 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army ·fight [L labor] hard against Tyre. Every soldier’s head was rubbed bare, and every shoulder was rubbed raw. But Nebuchadnezzar and his army gained ·nothing [or no wages] from ·fighting Tyre [L the labor he performed against her]. 19 So this is what the Lord God says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He will ·take away Egypt’s people and its wealth and its treasures [L carry off its wealth and loot and plunder it] as pay for his army. 20 I am giving Nebuchadnezzar the land of Egypt as ·a reward [compensation] for working hard for me, says the Lord God.
21 “·At that time [L On that day] I will ·make Israel grow strong again [L cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel; Ps. 132:17], and I will ·let you, Ezekiel, speak to them [L give you an open mouth among them]. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezekiel 29
New English Translation
A Prophecy Against Egypt
29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month,[a] the Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, turn toward[b] Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3 Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Look, I am against[c] you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,
the great monster[d] lying in the midst of its waterways,
who has said, “My Nile is my own, I made it for myself.”[e]
4 I will put hooks in your jaws
and stick the fish of your waterways to your scales.
I will haul you up from the midst of your waterways,
and all the fish of your waterways will stick to your scales.
5 I will leave you in the wilderness,
you and all the fish of your waterways;
you will fall in the open field and will not be gathered up or collected.[f]
I have given you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the skies.
6 Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord
because they were a reed staff[g] for the house of Israel;
7 when they grasped you with their hand,[h] you broke and tore[i] their shoulders,
and when they leaned on you, you splintered and caused their legs to be unsteady.[j]
8 “‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will kill[k] every person and every animal. 9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate ruin. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“‘Because he said, “The Nile is mine and I made it,” 10 I am against[l] you and your waterways. I will turn the land of Egypt into an utter desolate ruin from Migdol[m] to Syene,[n] as far as the border with Ethiopia. 11 No human foot will pass through it, and no animal’s foot will pass through it; it will be uninhabited for forty years. 12 I will turn the land of Egypt into a desolation in the midst of desolate lands; for forty years her cities will lie desolate in the midst of ruined cities. I will scatter Egypt among the nations and disperse them among foreign countries.
13 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years[o] I will gather Egypt from the peoples where they were scattered. 14 I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and will bring them back[p] to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin; there they will be an insignificant kingdom. 15 It will be the most insignificant of the kingdoms; it will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small that they will not rule over the nations. 16 It will never again be Israel’s source of confidence, but a reminder of how they sinned by turning to Egypt for help.[q] Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’”
17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month,[r] the Lord’s message came to me: 18 “Son of man, King Nebuchadrezzar[s] of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre.[t] Every head was rubbed bald and every shoulder rubbed bare; yet he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the work he carried out against it. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon. He will carry off her wealth, capture her loot, and seize her plunder; it will be his army’s wages. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his compensation for attacking Tyre,[u] because they did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord. 21 On that day I will make Israel powerful,[v] and I will give you the right to be heard[w] among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 29:1 tn January 7, 587 b.c.
- Ezekiel 29:2 tn Heb “set your face against.”
- Ezekiel 29:3 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘hinnenî ’êlékâ’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
- Ezekiel 29:3 tn Heb “jackals,” but many medieval Hebrew mss read correctly “the serpent.” The Hebrew term appears to refer to a serpent in Exod 7:9-10, 12; Deut 32:33; Ps 91:13. It also refers to large creatures that inhabit the sea (Gen 1:21; Ps 148:7). In several passages it is associated with the sea or with the multiheaded sea monster Leviathan (Job 7:12; Ps 74:13; Isa 27:1; 51:9). Because of the Egyptian setting of this prophecy and the reference to the creature’s scales (v. 4), many understand a crocodile to be the referent here (e.g., NCV “a great crocodile”; TEV “you monster crocodile”; CEV “a giant crocodile”).
- Ezekiel 29:3 sn In Egyptian theology Pharaoh owned and controlled the Nile. See J. D. Currid, Ancient Egypt and the Old Testament, 240-44.
- Ezekiel 29:5 tc Some Hebrew mss, the Targum, and the LXX read “buried.”
- Ezekiel 29:6 sn Cf. Isa 36:6.
- Ezekiel 29:7 tc The Hebrew consonantal text (Kethib) implies בְכַפְּךָ (vekappeka, “by your hand”) but the marginal reading (Qere) has simply בַכַּף (vakkaf, “by the hand”). The LXX reads: “with their hand,” implying בְכַפָּם (vekappam).
- Ezekiel 29:7 tn Or perhaps “dislocated.”
- Ezekiel 29:7 tn Heb “you caused to stand for them all their hips.” An emendation that switches two letters but is supported by the LXX yields the reading: “you caused all their hips to shake.” See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:103. In 2 Kgs 18:21 and Isa 36:6 trusting in the Pharaoh is compared to leaning on a staff. The oracle may reflect Hophra’s attempt to aid Jerusalem (Jer 37:5-8).
- Ezekiel 29:8 tn Heb “I will cut off from you.”
- Ezekiel 29:10 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘hinnenî ’êlékâ’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
- Ezekiel 29:10 sn This may refer to a site in the Egyptian Delta that served as a refuge for Jews (Jer 44:1; 46:14).
- Ezekiel 29:10 sn Syene is known today as Aswan.
- Ezekiel 29:13 sn In Ezek 4:4-8 it was said that the house of Judah would suffer forty years.
- Ezekiel 29:14 tc Thus the MT, which reads וַהֲשִׁבֹתִי (vahashivoti, “I will cause to return”), a Hiphil of the verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return”). The LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate translate as though the Hebrew had the vocalization וְהֹשַׁבְתִּי (vehoshavti, “I will cause to inhabit”), a Hiphil from יָשַׁב (yashav “to dwell”).
- Ezekiel 29:16 tn Heb “reminding of iniquity when they turned after them.”
- Ezekiel 29:17 sn April 26, 571 b.c.
- Ezekiel 29:18 tn Heb “Nebuchadrezzar” is a variant and more exact spelling of Nebuchadnezzar, as the Babylonian name Nabu-kudurri-uṣur has an “r” rather than an “n” (so also in v. 19).
- Ezekiel 29:18 sn Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre from 585 to 571 b.c.
- Ezekiel 29:20 tn Heb “for which he worked,” referring to the assault on Tyre (v. 18).
- Ezekiel 29:21 tn Heb “I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel.” The horn is used as a figure for military power in the OT (Ps 92:10). A similar expression is made about the Davidic dynasty in Ps 132:17.
- Ezekiel 29:21 tn Heb “I will grant you an open mouth.”
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