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Ezekiel 21-29
New American Standard Bible

Parable of the Sword of the Lord

21 [a]And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, (A)set your face against Jerusalem, and [b](B)speak prophetically against the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel; 3 and say to the land of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Behold, (C)I am against you; and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you the (D)righteous and the wicked. 4 Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go out from its sheath against [c](E)humanity from south to north. 5 So [d]humanity will know that I, the Lord, have drawn My sword from its sheath. It will (F)not return to its sheath again.”’ 6 As for you, son of man, groan with [e]a breaking heart and bitter grief; you shall groan in their sight. 7 And when they say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the (G)news, for it is coming; and (H)every heart will melt, all hands will go limp, every spirit will be disheartened, and all [f]knees will drip with water. Behold, it is coming and it will happen,’ declares the Lord [g]God.”

8 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:’ Say,

‘(I)A sword, a sword sharpened
And also polished!
10 Sharpened to make a (J)slaughter,
Polished [h]to flash like lightning!’

Or shall we rejoice, the [i]rod of My son (K)despising every tree? 11 And it is given to be polished, so that it may be handled; the sword is sharpened and polished, to hand it over to the slaughterer. 12 (L)Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the (M)officials of Israel. They are turned over to the sword with My people, therefore [j]slap your thigh. 13 For there is a testing; and what if even the [k]rod which despises will cease to be?” declares the Lord God.

14 “You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands; and let the sword be (N)doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them, 15 so that their (O)hearts will waver, and many (P)fall at all their (Q)gates. I have granted the slaughter of the sword. Oh! It is made for striking like lightning, it is sharpened in readiness for slaughter. 16 Prove yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your [l]edge is ordered. 17 I will also clap My hands, and I will (R)satisfy My wrath; I, the Lord, have spoken.”

The Instrument of God’s Judgment

18 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 19 “Now as for you, son of man, [m](S)make two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them will go out of one land. And [n]make a signpost; [o]make it at the head of the way to the city. 20 You shall [p]mark a way for the sword to come to (T)Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah into (U)fortified Jerusalem. 21 For the king of Babylon stands at the [q]parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use (V)divination; he (W)shakes the arrows, he consults the [r](X)household idols, he looks at the liver. 22 Into his right hand came the divination, ‘Jerusalem,’ to (Y)set up battering rams, to open the mouth [s]for [t]slaughter, to raise the voice with a battle cry, to set up battering rams against the gates, to pile up assault ramps, to build a siege wall. 23 And it will be to them like a false divination in their eyes; (Z)they have sworn solemn oaths. But he (AA)makes guilt known, so that they may be seized.

24 “Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: ‘Because you have made your guilt known, in that your offenses are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins are seen—because you have come to mind, you will be seized by the hand. 25 And you, slain, wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose (AB)day has come, in the time of the [u]punishment of the end,’ 26 this is what the Lord God says: ‘Remove the [v]turban and take off the (AC)crown; this will [w]no longer be the same. (AD)Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high. 27 (AE)Ruins, ruins, ruins, I will make it! This also will be no longer until (AF)He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him.’

28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says concerning the sons of Ammon and their (AG)taunting,’ and say: ‘A sword, a sword is drawn, sharpened for the slaughter, to make it [x](AH)consume, so that it may be like lightning— 29 while they see (AI)false visions for you, while they divine lies for you—to place you on the necks of the wicked who are killed, whose day has come, in the (AJ)time of the [y]punishment of the end. 30 (AK)Return it to its sheath. In the (AL)place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you. 31 I will (AM)pour out My indignation on you; I will (AN)blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and I will hand you over to brutal men, (AO)craftsmen of destruction. 32 You will be [z](AP)fuel for the fire; your blood will be in the midst of the land. You will (AQ)not be remembered, for I, the Lord, have spoken.’”

The Sins of Israel

22 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then inform her of all her abominations. 3 And you shall say, ‘This is what the Lord [aa]God says: “A city (AR)shedding blood in her midst, so that her time is coming; and a city that makes idols, contrary to her own good, for defilement! 4 You have become (AS)guilty by [ab]the blood which you have shed, and you have become defiled by your idols which you have made. So you have brought your days closer and have come to your years; therefore I have made you a (AT)disgrace to the nations, and an object of mocking to all the lands. 5 Those who are near and those who are far from you will make fun of you, you of ill repute, full of (AU)turmoil.

6 “Behold, the (AV)rulers of Israel, each according to his [ac]power, have been among you for the purpose of shedding blood. 7 They have (AW)treated father and mother with contempt among you. They have oppressed the (AX)stranger in your midst; they have oppressed the (AY)orphan and the widow among you. 8 You have (AZ)despised My holy things and (BA)profaned My Sabbaths. 9 Slanderous men have been among you for the purpose of shedding blood, and among you they have eaten at the mountain shrines. In your midst they have (BB)committed outrageous sin. 10 Among you [ad]they have (BC)uncovered their fathers’ nakedness; among you they have abused her who was (BD)unclean in her menstruation. 11 And one has committed abomination with his (BE)neighbor’s wife, another has outrageously defiled his (BF)daughter-in-law, and another among you has sexually (BG)abused his sister, his father’s daughter. 12 Among you they have (BH)taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken [ae](BI)interest, you have injured your neighbors by (BJ)oppression, and you have (BK)forgotten Me,” declares the Lord God.

13 “Behold, then, I strike with My hand your (BL)profit which you have made and [af]the bloodshed which is among you. 14 Can (BM)your heart endure, or can your hands be strong for the days that I will deal with you? (BN)I, the Lord, have spoken and will act. 15 And I will (BO)scatter you among the nations and disperse you among the lands, and I will (BP)eliminate your uncleanness from you. 16 Then you will defile yourself in the sight of the nations, and you will (BQ)know that I am the Lord.”’”

17 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become [ag](BR)waste metal to Me; all of them are (BS)bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the (BT)smelting furnace; they are the [ah]waste metal of silver. 19 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: ‘Because all of you have become [ai]waste metal, therefore, behold, I am going to gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As they gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the (BU)smelting furnace to blow fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in My anger and in My wrath, and I will place you there and melt you. 21 And I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you will be melted in the midst of it. 22 As silver is melted in the furnace, so you will be melted in the midst of it; and you will know that I, the Lord, have (BV)poured out My wrath on you.’”

23 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 24 “Son of man, say to her, ‘You are a land that is (BW)not clean or rained on in the day of indignation.’ 25 There is a (BX)conspiracy of her prophets in her midst like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have (BY)devoured lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many (BZ)widows in the midst of her. 26 Her (CA)priests have done violence to My Law and have (CB)profaned My holy things; they have made no (CC)distinction between the holy and the [aj]common, and they have not taught the difference between the (CD)unclean and the clean; and they have closed their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am defiled among them. 27 Her leaders within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and (CE)destroying lives in order to make (CF)dishonest profit. 28 And her prophets have coated with whitewash for them, seeing (CG)false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘This is what the Lord God says,’ when the Lord has not spoken. 29 The people of the land have practiced (CH)extortion and committed robbery, and they have oppressed the poor and needy, and have (CI)oppressed the stranger without justice. 30 I (CJ)searched for a man among them who would (CK)build up a wall and (CL)stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found [ak]no one. 31 So I have poured out My (CM)indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; I have brought (CN)their way upon their heads,” declares the Lord God.

Oholah and Oholibah’s Sin and Its Consequences

23 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, 2 “Son of man, there were (CO)two women, the daughters of one mother; 3 and they prostituted themselves in Egypt. They (CP)prostituted themselves in their youth; there their breasts were squeezed and there their virgin breasts were handled. 4 Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. And they became Mine, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. And as for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

5 “Oholah prostituted herself [al]while she was Mine; and she lusted after her lovers, after the (CQ)Assyrians, her neighbors, 6 who were clothed in purple, (CR)governors and officials, all of them handsome young men, horsemen riding on horses. 7 She bestowed her [am]obscene practices on them, all of whom were the choicest [an]men of Assyria; and with all whom she lusted after, with all their idols she (CS)defiled herself. 8 She did not abandon her obscene practices (CT)from the time in Egypt; for in her youth [ao]men had slept with her, and they handled her virgin breasts and poured out their obscene practice on her. 9 Therefore, I handed her over to her (CU)lovers, to the [ap]Assyrians, after whom she lusted. 10 They (CV)uncovered her nakedness; they took her sons and her daughters, but they killed her with the sword. So she became a [aq]subject of gossip among women, and they executed judgments on her.

11 “Now her sister Oholibah saw this, yet she was (CW)more corrupt in her lust than she, and her obscene practices were [ar]more than the prostitution of her sister. 12 She lusted after the [as](CX)Assyrians, governors and officials, the ones near, opulently dressed, horsemen riding on horses, all of them handsome young men. 13 And I saw that she had defiled herself; they both took [at]the same way. 14 So she increased her obscene practices. And she saw men (CY)carved on the wall, images of the (CZ)Chaldeans drawn in bright red, 15 wearing belts around their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like officers, [au]like the [av]Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth. 16 And [aw]when she saw them she (DA)lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. 17 And the [ax](DB)Babylonians came to her to the bed of love and defiled her with their obscene practice. And when she had been defiled by them, [ay]she turned away from them in disgust. 18 She (DC)exposed her obscene practices and exposed her nakedness; then [az]I turned away from her in (DD)disgust, just as [ba]I had turned away from her (DE)sister in disgust. 19 Yet she multiplied her obscene practices, remembering the days of her youth, when she prostituted herself in the land of Egypt. 20 She (DF)lusted after their lovers, whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys and whose discharge is like the discharge of horses. 21 So you longed for the (DG)outrageous sin of your youth, when [bb]the Egyptians handled your breasts because of the breasts of your youth.

22 “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Lord [bc]God says: ‘Behold I am going to incite your lovers against you, from whom [bd]you turned away in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side: 23 the [be](DH)Babylonians and all the (DI)Chaldeans, (DJ)Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the [bf](DK)Assyrians with them; handsome young men, governors and officials all of them, officers and [bg]men of renown, all of them riding on horses. 24 And they will come against you with weapons, (DL)chariots, and [bh]wagons, and with a contingent of peoples. They will attack you on every side with shield, [bi]buckler, and helmet; and I will commit the (DM)judgment to them, and they will judge you according to their customs. 25 I will set My (DN)jealousy against you, so that they may deal with you in wrath. They will remove your nose and your ears; and your [bj]survivors will fall by the sword. They will take your (DO)sons and your daughters; and your [bk]survivors will be consumed by the fire. 26 They will also (DP)strip you of your clothes and take away your (DQ)beautiful jewelry. 27 So (DR)I will remove from you your outrageous sin and your prostitution that you brought from the land of Egypt, so that you will not raise your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.’ 28 For this is what the Lord God says: ‘Behold, I am going to hand you over to those whom you (DS)hate, to those from whom [bl]you turned away in disgust. 29 They will (DT)deal with you in hatred, take all your property, and leave you naked and bare. And the nakedness of your prostitution will be exposed, both your outrageous sin and your obscene practices. 30 These things will be done to you because you have (DU)adulterously pursued the nations, because you have defiled yourself with their idols. 31 You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will put (DV)her cup in your hand.’ 32 This is what the Lord God says:

‘You will (DW)drink your sister’s cup,
Which is deep and wide.
[bm]You will be (DX)laughed at and held in derision;
Because it contains much.
33 You will be filled with (DY)drunkenness and grief,
A cup of horror and desolation,
The cup of your sister Samaria.
34 And you will (DZ)drink it and drain it.
Then you will gnaw on its fragments
And tear your breasts;

for I have spoken,’ declares the Lord God. 35 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: ‘Because you have (EA)forgotten Me and (EB)discarded Me behind your back, suffer on your own part the punishment for your outrageous sin and your obscene practices.’”

36 Moreover, the Lord said to me, “Son of man, will you (EC)judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then (ED)declare to them their abominations. 37 For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. So they have committed adultery with their idols, and even made their sons, (EE)whom they bore to Me, pass through the fire to [bn]them as food. 38 Again, they have done this to Me: they have (EF)defiled My sanctuary on the same day, and have (EG)profaned My Sabbaths. 39 For when they slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered My (EH)sanctuary on the same day to profane it; and behold, this is what they did within My house.

40 “Furthermore, [bo]they have even sent for men who come from a great distance, to whom a messenger was sent; and behold, they came—for whom you bathed, (EI)put makeup on your eyes, and (EJ)adorned yourselves with jewelry; 41 and you sat on a splendid (EK)couch with a (EL)table arranged in front of it on which you had set My (EM)incense and My (EN)oil. 42 And the sound of a [bp](EO)carefree multitude was with her; and (EP)heavy drinkers were brought from the wilderness with people from the multitude of humanity. And they put (EQ)bracelets on [bq]the wrists of the women and beautiful crowns on their heads.

43 “Then I said concerning her who was (ER)worn out by adulteries, ‘[br]Will they now commit adultery with her when she is like this?’ 44 [bs]But they went in to her as they would go in to a prostitute. This is how they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women. 45 But they, righteous people, will (ES)judge them with the judgment of adulteresses and with the judgment of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.

46 “For this is what the Lord God says: ‘Bring up a contingent against them and turn them over to (ET)terror and plunder. 47 The contingent will (EU)stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and their daughters and (EV)burn their houses with fire. 48 So I will eliminate outrageous conduct from the land, so that all women will take warning and not commit [bt]outrageous sin as you have done. 49 Your outrageous conduct [bu]will be (EW)repaid to you, and you will bear the guilt for your idols; so you will know that I am the Lord God.’”

Parable of the Boiling Pot

24 Now the word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying, 2 “Son of man, write the name of the day, this very day. The king of Babylon [bv]has (EX)laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. 3 Present a (EY)parable to the (EZ)rebellious house and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord [bw]God says:

“Put on the (FA)pot, put it on and also pour water into it;
4 [bx](FB)Put in it the pieces of meat,
Every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder;
Fill it with choice bones.
5 Take the (FC)choicest of the flock,
And also stack [by]wood under [bz]the pot.
Make it boil vigorously.
Also boil its bones in it.”

6 ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

“Woe to the (FD)bloody city,
To the pot in which there is rust
And whose rust has not gone out of it!
Take out of it piece after piece,
[ca]Without making a choice.
7 For her blood is in her midst;
She placed it on the bare rock;
She did not (FE)pour it on the ground
To cover it with dust.
8 So that it may (FF)cause wrath to come up to take vengeance,
I have put her blood on the bare rock,
So that it will not be covered.”

9 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

“(FG)Woe to the bloody city!
I also will make the wood pile great.
10 Heap on the wood, kindle the fire,
[cb]Cook the meat thoroughly
And mix in the spices,
And let the bones be burned up.
11 Then (FH)set it empty on its burning coals
So that it may be hot
And its bronze may [cc]glow,
And its (FI)filthiness may be melted in it,
Its rust eliminated.
12 She has (FJ)wearied Me with work,
Yet her great rust has not gone from her;
Let her rust be in the fire!
13 In your filthiness is outrageous sin.
Because I would have cleansed you,
Yet you are (FK)not clean,
You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again
Until I have [cd](FL)expended My wrath on you.

14 I, the Lord, have spoken; it is (FM)coming and I will act. I will not overlook, I will not (FN)pity, and I will not be sorry; (FO)according to your ways and according to your deeds [ce]I will judge you,” declares the Lord God.’”

Death of Ezekiel’s Wife Is a Sign

15 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you (FP)what is precious to your eyes with a (FQ)fatal blow; but you shall not (FR)mourn and you shall not weep, and your (FS)tears shall not come. 17 Groan silently; do (FT)no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet, and do not [cf]cover your mustache, and (FU)do not eat the [cg]bread of other people.” 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded. 19 And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are doing?” 20 Then I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 21 ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Behold, I am about to profane My sanctuary, the pride of your power, (FV)that which is precious in your eyes and the longing of your soul; and your (FW)sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. 22 And you will do just as I have done; you will not [ch]cover your mustache, and you will not eat the [ci]bread of other people. 23 Your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet. You (FX)will not mourn and you will not weep; but (FY)you will rot away in your guilty deeds, and you will groan [cj]to one another. 24 So Ezekiel will be a (FZ)sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When it comes, then you will know that I am the Lord God.’”

25 ‘As for you, son of man, will it not be on the day when I take from them their (GA)stronghold, the joy of their splendor, that which is precious in their eyes and their [ck]heart’s longing, their sons and their daughters, 26 that on that day the one who (GB)escapes will come to you with information for your ears? 27 On that day your (GC)mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and no longer be silenced. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.’”

Judgment on Gentile Nations—Ammon

25 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against the (GD)sons of Ammon and prophesy against them, 3 and say to the sons of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of the Lord [cl]God! This is what the Lord God says: “Because you said, ‘(GE)Aha!’ against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into exile, 4 therefore, behold, I am going to give you to the [cm](GF)people of the east as a possession, and they will set up their encampments among you and make their dwellings among you; they will (GG)eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will make (GH)Rabbah a pasture for camels, and the sons of Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” 6 For this is what the Lord God says: “Because you have (GI)clapped your hands and stamped your feet, and have (GJ)rejoiced with all the malice in your soul against the land of Israel, 7 therefore, behold, I have (GK)reached out with My hand against you and I will give you as (GL)plunder to the nations. And I will (GM)cut you off from the peoples and (GN)eliminate you from the lands. I will exterminate you. So you will (GO)know that I am the Lord.”

Moab

8 ‘The Lord God says this: “Because (GP)Moab and Seir say, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations,’ 9 therefore, behold, I am going to [cn]deprive the flank of Moab of its cities, of its cities [co]which are on its frontiers, the glory of the land, (GQ)Beth-jeshimoth, (GR)Baal-meon, and (GS)Kiriathaim; 10 and I will give it as a possession along with the sons of Ammon to the [cp](GT)people of the east, so that the sons of Ammon will not be remembered among the nations. 11 So I will execute judgments on Moab, and they will know that I am the Lord.”

Edom

12 ‘The Lord God says this: “Because (GU)Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has incurred great guilt, and avenged themselves upon them,” 13 therefore this is what the Lord God says: “I will also (GV)reach out with My hand against Edom and (GW)eliminate human and animal life from it. And I will turn it into ruins; from (GX)Teman even to (GY)Dedan they will fall by the sword. 14 And (GZ)I will inflict My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel. Therefore, they will act in Edom (HA)in accordance with My anger and My wrath; so they will know My vengeance,” declares the Lord God.

Philistia

15 ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Because the Philistines have acted in (HB)revenge, and have taken vengeance with malice in their souls to destroy with everlasting hostility,” 16 therefore this is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am going to (HC)reach out with My hand against the Philistines and eliminate the (HD)Cherethites; and I will destroy the remnant of the seacoast. 17 I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes; and they will (HE)know that I am the Lord, when I inflict My vengeance on them.”’”

Judgment on Tyre

26 Now in the eleventh year, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, because (HF)Tyre has said in regard to Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The (HG)gateway of the peoples is broken; it has [cq](HH)opened to me. I shall be filled, now that she is laid waste,’ 3 therefore this is what the Lord [cr]God says: ‘Behold, I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring up (HI)many nations against you, as the (HJ)sea brings up its waves. 4 They will (HK)destroy the walls of Tyre and tear down her towers; and I will sweep her debris away from her and make her a bare rock. 5 She will become a dry place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,’ declares the Lord God; ‘and she will become (HL)plunder for the nations. 6 Also her (HM)daughters who are [cs]on the mainland will be killed by the sword, and they will know that I am the Lord.’”

7 For the Lord God says this: “Behold, I am going to bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, (HN)king of kings, with horses, (HO)chariots, cavalry, and [ct]a great army. 8 He will kill your daughters [cu]on the mainland with the sword; and he will make (HP)siege walls against you, pile up an (HQ)assault ramp against you, and raise up a large shield against you. 9 And he will direct the blow of his battering rams against your walls, and he will tear down your towers with his [cv]axes. 10 Because of the multitude of his (HR)horses, the dust raised by them will cover you; your walls will (HS)shake from the noise of cavalry, [cw]wagons, and chariots when he (HT)enters your gates as warriors enter a city that is breached. 11 With the hoofs of his (HU)horses he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your strong [cx]pillars will (HV)go down to the ground. 12 Also they will take your riches as spoils and plunder your (HW)merchandise, (HX)tear down your walls and destroy your (HY)delightful houses, and [cy]throw your stones, your timbers, and your debris (HZ)into the water. 13 So I will put an end to the sound of your (IA)songs, and the sound of your (IB)harps will no longer be heard. 14 I will turn you into a bare rock; you will become a dry place for the spreading of nets. You will not be (IC)rebuilt, for I the (ID)Lord have spoken,” declares the Lord God.

15 The Lord God says this to Tyre: “Will the (IE)coastlands not (IF)shake from the sound of your downfall when the wounded groan, when the slaughter takes place in your midst? 16 Then all the princes of the sea will (IG)descend from their thrones, remove their robes, and strip off their colorfully woven garments. They will (IH)clothe themselves with [cz]trembling; they will sit on the ground, (II)tremble again and again, and be appalled at you. 17 And they will take up a (IJ)song of mourning over you and say to you,

‘(IK)How you have perished, you inhabited one,
From the seas, you famous city,
Which was (IL)mighty on the sea,
She and her inhabitants,
Who imposed [da]her terror
On all her inhabitants!
18 Now the (IM)coastlands will tremble
On the day of your downfall;
Yes, the coastlands which are by the sea
Will be horrified at your (IN)passing.’”

19 For this is what the Lord God says: “When I make you a desolate city, like the cities which are not inhabited, when I (IO)bring up the deep over you and the great waters cover you, 20 then I will bring you down with those who (IP)go down to the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you remain in the (IQ)lower parts of the earth, like the ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will not [db]be inhabited; but I will put (IR)glory in the land of the living. 21 I will [dc]cause you (IS)sudden terrors and you will no longer exist; though you will be sought, (IT)you will never be found again,” declares the Lord God.

Grief over Tyre

27 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “And you, son of man, (IU)take up a song of mourning over Tyre; 3 and say to Tyre, (IV)who sits at the [dd]entrance to the sea, (IW)merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, ‘This is what the Lord [de]God says:

“Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’
4 Your borders are in the heart of the seas;
Your builders have perfected your beauty.
5 They have [df]made all your planks of juniper trees from (IX)Senir;
They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
6 Of (IY)oaks from (IZ)Bashan they have made your rudders;
With ivory they have [dg]inlaid your deck of boxwood from the coastlands of (JA)Cyprus.
7 Your sail was of colorfully embroidered linen from Egypt
So that it became your flag;
Your [dh]awning was (JB)violet and purple from the coastlands of (JC)Elishah.
8 The inhabitants of Sidon and (JD)Arvad were your rowers;
Your (JE)wise men, Tyre, were [di]aboard; they were your sailors.
9 The elders of (JF)Gebal and her wise men were with you repairing your leaks;
All the ships of the sea and their sailors were with you in order to deal in your merchandise.

10 “(JG)Persia, (JH)Lud, and (JI)Put were in your army, your men of war. They hung up shield and helmet on you; they presented your splendor. 11 The sons of Arvad and your army were on your walls, all around, and the [dj]Gammadim were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they perfected your beauty.

12 “Tarshish was your customer because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth; with silver, iron, tin, and lead they paid for your merchandise. 13 (JJ)Javan, (JK)Tubal, and (JL)Meshech, they were your traders; with human (JM)lives and vessels of bronze they paid for your merchandise. 14 Those from (JN)Beth-togarmah gave horses, war horses, and mules for your merchandise. 15 The sons of (JO)Dedan were your traders. Many coastlands were [dk]your market; they brought (JP)ivory tusks and ebony as your payment. 16 (JQ)Aram was your customer because of the abundance of your [dl]goods; they paid for your merchandise with [dm](JR)emeralds, purple, (JS)colorfully woven cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17 Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of (JT)Minnith, [dn]cakes, honey, oil, and balsam they paid for your merchandise. 18 (JU)Damascus was your customer because of the abundance of your [do]goods, because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth, because of the wine of Helbon and white wool. 19 Vedan and Javan paid for your merchandise from Uzal; wrought iron, cassia, and spice reed were among your merchandise. 20 (JV)Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. 21 (JW)Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they were [dp]your customers for (JX)lambs, rams, and goats; for these they were your customers. 22 The traders of (JY)Sheba and Raamah, they traded with you; they paid for your merchandise with the best of all (JZ)balsam oil, and with all kinds of precious stones, and gold. 23 Haran, Canneh, (KA)Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. 24 They traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of violet and colorfully woven cloth, and in blankets of two colors, and tightly wound cords, which were among your merchandise. 25 The (KB)ships of Tarshish were [dq]the carriers for your merchandise.

And you were filled and were very [dr]glorious
In the heart of the seas.

26 “Your rowers have brought you
Into (KC)great waters;
The (KD)east wind has broken you
In the heart of the seas.
27 Your wealth, your wares, your merchandise,
Your seamen and your sailors,
Your repairers of leaks, your dealers in merchandise,
And all your men of war who are in you,
With all your contingent that is in your midst,
Will fall into the heart of the seas
On the day of your overthrow.
28 At the sound of the cry of your sailors,
The pasture lands will (KE)shake.
29 All who handle the oar,
The (KF)seamen and all the sailors of the sea
Will come down from their ships;
They will stand on the land,
30 And they will (KG)make their voice heard over you
And cry out bitterly.
They will (KH)throw dust on their heads,
They will (KI)wallow in ashes.
31 Also they will shave themselves (KJ)bald for you
And (KK)put on sackcloth;
And they will (KL)weep for you in bitterness of soul
With bitter mourning.
32 Moreover, in their wailing they will take up a (KM)song of mourning for you
And sing a song of mourning over you:
‘Who is like Tyre,
Like her who is silent in the midst of the sea?
33 When your merchandise went out from the seas,
You satisfied many peoples;
With the (KN)abundance of your wealth and your merchandise
You enriched the kings of the earth.
34 [ds]Now that you are (KO)broken by the seas
In the depths of the waters,
Your (KP)merchandise and all your company
Have fallen in the midst of you.
35 All the (KQ)inhabitants of the coastlands
Are appalled at you,
And their kings are horribly afraid;
They [dt]have a troubled look.
36 The merchants among the peoples (KR)hiss at you;
You have become [du]terrified
And you (KS)will cease to be forever.’”’”

Tyre’s King Overthrown

28 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, say to the [dv]leader of Tyre, ‘The Lord [dw]God says this:

“Because your heart is haughty
And you have said, ‘(KT)I am a god,
I sit in the seat of [dx]gods
In the heart of the seas’;
Yet you are a (KU)mortal and not God,
Although you make your heart like the heart of God—
3 Behold, you are wiser than (KV)Daniel;
There is no secret that is a match for you!
4 By your wisdom and understanding
You have acquired (KW)riches for yourself
And have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries.
5 By your great wisdom, by your (KX)trade
You have increased your riches,
And your (KY)heart is haughty because of your riches—

6 Therefore this is what the Lord God says:

‘Because you have (KZ)made your heart
Like the heart of God,
7 Therefore, behold, I am going to bring (LA)strangers against you,
The (LB)most ruthless of the nations.
And they will draw their swords
Against the beauty of your wisdom
And profane your splendor.
8 They will bring you down to the pit,
And you will die the (LC)death of those who are killed
In the heart of the seas.
9 Will you still say, “I am a god,”
In the presence of one who kills you,
Though you are a mortal and not God,
In the hands of those who wound you?
10 You will die the death of the (LD)uncircumcised
By the hand of strangers,
For I have spoken!’ declares the Lord God!”’”

11 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 12 “Son of man, (LE)take up a song of mourning over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

“You [dy]had the seal of [dz]perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in (LF)Eden, the garden of God;
(LG)Every precious stone was your covering:
The (LH)ruby, the topaz and the diamond;
The beryl, the onyx and the jasper;
The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald;
And the gold, the workmanship of your [ea](LI)settings and [eb]sockets,
Was in you.
On the day that you were created
They were prepared.
14 You were the (LJ)anointed cherub who [ec]covers,
And I placed you there.
You were on the holy (LK)mountain of God;
You walked in the midst of the (LL)stones of fire.
15 You were (LM)blameless in your ways
From the day you were created
Until (LN)unrighteousness was found in you.
16 By the (LO)abundance of your trade
[ed]You were internally (LP)filled with violence,
And you sinned;
Therefore I have cast you as profane
From the mountain of God.
And I have destroyed you, you [ee]covering cherub,
From the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was haughty because of your (LQ)beauty;
You (LR)corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.
I threw you to the ground;
I put you before (LS)kings,
That they may see you.
18 By the multitude of your wrongdoings,
In the unrighteousness of your trade
You profaned your sanctuaries.
Therefore I have brought (LT)fire from the midst of you;
It has consumed you,
And I have turned you to (LU)ashes on the earth
In the eyes of all who see you.
19 All who know you among the peoples
Are appalled at you;
You have become [ef](LV)terrified
And you will cease to be (LW)forever.”’”

Judgment of Sidon

20 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 21 “Son of man, (LX)set your face toward (LY)Sidon, prophesy against her 22 and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

“Behold, I am against you, Sidon,
And I will appear in My glory in your midst.
Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I (LZ)execute judgments against her,
And I will reveal Myself as holy in her.
23 For (MA)I will send a plague to her
And blood to her streets,
And the (MB)wounded will [eg]fall in her midst
By the sword upon her on every side;
Then they will know that I am the Lord.

24 And there will no longer be for the house of Israel a (MC)painful thorn or a hurtful thorn bush from any surrounding them who despised them; then they will know that I am the Lord God.”

Israel Regathered

25 ‘This is what the Lord God says: “When I (MD)gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and show Myself holy among them in the sight of the nations, then they will (ME)live on their land which I gave to My servant Jacob. 26 They will (MF)live on it securely; and they will (MG)build houses, plant vineyards, and live securely when I (MH)execute judgments upon all around them who despise them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.”’”

Judgment of Egypt

29 In the (MI)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 (MJ)Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all (MK)Egypt. 3 Speak and say, ‘This is what the Lord [eh]God says:

“Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,
The great [ei](ML)monster that lies in the midst of his [ej]canals,
That (MM)has said, ‘My Nile is mine, and I myself have made it.’
4 I will put (MN)hooks in your jaws
And make the fish of your [ek]canals cling to your scales.
And I will bring you up out of the midst of your [el]canals,
And all the fish of your [em]canals will cling to your scales.
5 I will (MO)abandon you to the wilderness, you and all the fish of your [en]canals;
You will fall on the [eo]open field; you will not be brought together or [ep](MP)gathered.
I have given you for (MQ)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 (MR)staff made of reed to the house of Israel.
7 When they took hold of you with the hand,
You (MS)broke and tore all their [eq]hands;
And when they leaned on you,
You broke and made all their hips [er]shake.”

8 ‘Therefore the Lord God says this: “Behold, I am going to (MT)bring upon you a sword, and I will cut off from you human and animal life. 9 The (MU)land of Egypt will become a desolation and place of ruins. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“Because [es]you (MV)said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I have made it,’ 10 therefore, behold, I am (MW)against you and against your [et]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 [eu]Cush. 11 A human foot will (MX)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 (MY)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 (MZ)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 (NA)gather the Egyptians from the peoples [ev]among whom they were scattered. 14 And I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of (NB)Pathros, to the land of their origin, and there they will be a lowly kingdom. 15 It will be the (NC)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 (ND)rule over the nations. 16 And it will no longer be a kingdom on which (NE)the house of Israel relies, [ew](NF)bringing to mind the guilt of their having turned [ex]to Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.”’”

17 Now in the (NG)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, (NH)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor [ey]hard against Tyre; every head [ez]had a (NI)bald spot and every shoulder was rubbed raw. But he and his army acquired no wages from Tyre for the labor that he had [fa]performed against it.” 19 Therefore this is what the Lord God says: “Behold, I am going to (NJ)give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. And he will carry off her (NK)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 [fb](NL)performed, because they acted for Me,” declares the Lord God.

21 “On that day I will make a (NM)horn sprout for the house of Israel, and I will [fc](NN)open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 21:1 Ch 21:6 in Heb
  2. Ezekiel 21:2 Lit flow
  3. Ezekiel 21:4 Lit all flesh
  4. Ezekiel 21:5 Lit all flesh
  5. Ezekiel 21:6 Lit shaking hips
  6. Ezekiel 21:7 Heb idiom meaning to wet oneself
  7. Ezekiel 21:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  8. Ezekiel 21:10 Lit that lightning may be to her
  9. Ezekiel 21:10 Or scepter
  10. Ezekiel 21:12 I.e., in grief
  11. Ezekiel 21:13 Or scepter
  12. Ezekiel 21:16 Lit face
  13. Ezekiel 21:19 Or set for yourself
  14. Ezekiel 21:19 Lit cut out a hand
  15. Ezekiel 21:19 Lit cut it
  16. Ezekiel 21:20 Lit set
  17. Ezekiel 21:21 Lit mother
  18. Ezekiel 21:21 Heb teraphim
  19. Ezekiel 21:22 Lit in
  20. Ezekiel 21:22 Another reading is war-cry
  21. Ezekiel 21:25 Or wrongdoing
  22. Ezekiel 21:26 Or headband
  23. Ezekiel 21:26 Lit not this
  24. Ezekiel 21:28 Lit finish
  25. Ezekiel 21:29 Or wrongdoing
  26. Ezekiel 21:32 Lit food
  27. Ezekiel 22:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  28. Ezekiel 22:4 Lit your
  29. Ezekiel 22:6 Lit arm
  30. Ezekiel 22:10 Lit he has
  31. Ezekiel 22:12 Possibly interest on money and food loans
  32. Ezekiel 22:13 Lit your
  33. Ezekiel 22:18 Lit dross
  34. Ezekiel 22:18 Lit dross
  35. Ezekiel 22:19 Lit dross
  36. Ezekiel 22:26 Lit profane
  37. Ezekiel 22:30 Lit not
  38. Ezekiel 23:5 Lit under Me
  39. Ezekiel 23:7 Lit fornications
  40. Ezekiel 23:7 Lit sons of Asshur
  41. Ezekiel 23:8 Lit they
  42. Ezekiel 23:9 Lit sons of Asshur
  43. Ezekiel 23:10 Lit name
  44. Ezekiel 23:11 I.e., more numerous, or worse
  45. Ezekiel 23:12 Lit sons of Asshur
  46. Ezekiel 23:13 Lit one
  47. Ezekiel 23:15 Lit the likeness of
  48. Ezekiel 23:15 Lit sons of Babel
  49. Ezekiel 23:16 Lit at the sight of her eyes
  50. Ezekiel 23:17 Lit sons of Babel
  51. Ezekiel 23:17 Lit her soul
  52. Ezekiel 23:18 Lit My soul
  53. Ezekiel 23:18 Lit My soul
  54. Ezekiel 23:21 As in two mss; MT from Egypt
  55. Ezekiel 23:22 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  56. Ezekiel 23:22 Lit your soul
  57. Ezekiel 23:23 Lit sons of Babylon
  58. Ezekiel 23:23 Lit sons of Assyria
  59. Ezekiel 23:23 Lit called ones
  60. Ezekiel 23:24 Lit wheel
  61. Ezekiel 23:24 I.e., small shield
  62. Ezekiel 23:25 Lit remainder
  63. Ezekiel 23:25 Lit remainder
  64. Ezekiel 23:28 Lit your soul
  65. Ezekiel 23:32 Or It will be for laughter and derision because of its great size
  66. Ezekiel 23:37 I.e., the idols
  67. Ezekiel 23:40 Or you (women)
  68. Ezekiel 23:42 Lit at ease
  69. Ezekiel 23:42 Lit their hands
  70. Ezekiel 23:43 Or Now they will commit adultery with her, and she with them
  71. Ezekiel 23:44 Or And
  72. Ezekiel 23:48 Lit according to your lewdness
  73. Ezekiel 23:49 Lit they will give
  74. Ezekiel 24:2 Lit leaned on
  75. Ezekiel 24:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  76. Ezekiel 24:4 Lit Gather her pieces
  77. Ezekiel 24:5 Cf. v 10; MT bones
  78. Ezekiel 24:5 Lit it
  79. Ezekiel 24:6 Lit No lot has fallen on it
  80. Ezekiel 24:10 Lit Finish
  81. Ezekiel 24:11 Lit burn
  82. Ezekiel 24:13 Lit caused to rest
  83. Ezekiel 24:14 As in several mss and ancient versions; MT they
  84. Ezekiel 24:17 Covering the beard and mustache was a mourning custom
  85. Ezekiel 24:17 I.e., food from others for mourners
  86. Ezekiel 24:22 See note 1 v 17
  87. Ezekiel 24:22 See note 2 v 17
  88. Ezekiel 24:23 Lit each to his brother
  89. Ezekiel 24:25 Lit soul’s burden
  90. Ezekiel 25:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  91. Ezekiel 25:4 Lit sons
  92. Ezekiel 25:9 Lit open
  93. Ezekiel 25:9 Lit from its end
  94. Ezekiel 25:10 Lit sons
  95. Ezekiel 26:2 Lit turned
  96. Ezekiel 26:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  97. Ezekiel 26:6 Lit in the field
  98. Ezekiel 26:7 Lit an assembly, even many people
  99. Ezekiel 26:8 Lit in the field
  100. Ezekiel 26:9 Or crowbars
  101. Ezekiel 26:10 Lit wheel
  102. Ezekiel 26:11 Or memorial stones (in Tyre’s temple)
  103. Ezekiel 26:12 Lit put
  104. Ezekiel 26:16 Lit tremblings
  105. Ezekiel 26:17 Lit their
  106. Ezekiel 26:20 Another reading is return
  107. Ezekiel 26:21 Lit give
  108. Ezekiel 27:3 Lit entrances
  109. Ezekiel 27:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  110. Ezekiel 27:5 Lit built
  111. Ezekiel 27:6 Lit made
  112. Ezekiel 27:7 Lit covering
  113. Ezekiel 27:8 Lit in you
  114. Ezekiel 27:11 Or guardians
  115. Ezekiel 27:15 Lit the market of your hand
  116. Ezekiel 27:16 Lit works
  117. Ezekiel 27:16 Uncertain, perhaps malachite
  118. Ezekiel 27:17 Heb pannag
  119. Ezekiel 27:18 Lit works
  120. Ezekiel 27:21 Lit customers of your hand
  121. Ezekiel 27:25 Lit your travelers
  122. Ezekiel 27:25 Lit honored
  123. Ezekiel 27:34 Lit The time
  124. Ezekiel 27:35 Lit are troubled in face
  125. Ezekiel 27:36 Lit terrors
  126. Ezekiel 28:2 Or ruler, prince
  127. Ezekiel 28:2 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  128. Ezekiel 28:2 Or God
  129. Ezekiel 28:12 Lit were the one sealing
  130. Ezekiel 28:12 Or a pattern
  131. Ezekiel 28:13 Or tambourines
  132. Ezekiel 28:13 Or flutes
  133. Ezekiel 28:14 Or guards
  134. Ezekiel 28:16 Lit They filled your midst
  135. Ezekiel 28:16 Or guardian
  136. Ezekiel 28:19 Lit terrors
  137. Ezekiel 28:23 Or be judged
  138. Ezekiel 29:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  139. Ezekiel 29:3 Heb tannim
  140. Ezekiel 29:3 Or Nile
  141. Ezekiel 29:4 Or Nile
  142. Ezekiel 29:4 Or Nile
  143. Ezekiel 29:4 Or Nile
  144. Ezekiel 29:5 Or Nile
  145. Ezekiel 29:5 Lit faces of the field
  146. Ezekiel 29:5 Or with several mss and Targum, buried
  147. Ezekiel 29:7 As in some ancient versions; MT shoulders
  148. Ezekiel 29:7 Cf. ancient versions; MT stand
  149. Ezekiel 29:9 As in ancient versions; MT he
  150. Ezekiel 29:10 Or Nile
  151. Ezekiel 29:10 Or Ethiopia
  152. Ezekiel 29:13 Lit where
  153. Ezekiel 29:16 Lit causing to remember
  154. Ezekiel 29:16 Lit after them
  155. Ezekiel 29:18 Lit a great labor
  156. Ezekiel 29:18 I.e., injuries from the labor
  157. Ezekiel 29:18 Lit labored
  158. Ezekiel 29:20 Lit labored
  159. Ezekiel 29:21 Lit give you an opening of the mouth
Listen to Ezekiel 21-29
Close NIV

Ezekiel 21-29
New International Version

Babylon as God’s Sword of Judgment

21 [a]The word of the Lord came to me:(A) 2 “Son of man, set your face against(B) Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary.(C) Prophesy against(D) the land of Israel 3 and say to her: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you.(E) I will draw my sword(F) from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.(G) 4 Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword(H) will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.(I) 5 Then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn my sword(J) from its sheath; it will not return(K) again.’(L)

6 “Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief.(M) 7 And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?(N)’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear(O) and every hand go limp;(P) every spirit will become faint(Q) and every leg will be wet with urine.’(R) It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

8 The word of the Lord came to me: 9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘A sword, a sword,
    sharpened and polished—
10 sharpened for the slaughter,(S)
    polished to flash like lightning!

“‘Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick.(T)

11 “‘The sword is appointed to be polished,(U)
    to be grasped with the hand;
it is sharpened and polished,
    made ready for the hand of the slayer.
12 Cry out and wail, son of man,
    for it is against my people;
    it is against all the princes of Israel.
They are thrown to the sword
    along with my people.
Therefore beat your breast.(V)

13 “‘Testing will surely come. And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue? declares the Sovereign Lord.’

14 “So then, son of man, prophesy
    and strike your hands(W) together.
Let the sword strike twice,
    even three times.
It is a sword for slaughter—
    a sword for great slaughter,
    closing in on them from every side.(X)
15 So that hearts may melt with fear(Y)
    and the fallen be many,
I have stationed the sword for slaughter[b]
    at all their gates.
Look! It is forged to strike like lightning,
    it is grasped for slaughter.(Z)
16 Slash to the right, you sword,
    then to the left,
    wherever your blade is turned.
17 I too will strike my hands(AA) together,
    and my wrath(AB) will subside.
I the Lord have spoken.(AC)”

18 The word of the Lord came to me: 19 “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword(AD) of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost(AE) where the road branches off to the city. 20 Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites(AF) and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. 21 For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots(AG) with arrows, he will consult his idols,(AH) he will examine the liver.(AI) 22 Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry,(AJ) to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp(AK) and to erect siege works.(AL) 23 It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind(AM) them of their guilt(AN) and take them captive.

24 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.

25 “‘You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come,(AO) whose time of punishment has reached its climax,(AP) 26 this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown.(AQ) It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.(AR) 27 A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come;(AS) to him I will give it.’(AT)

28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites(AU) and their insults:

“‘A sword,(AV) a sword,
    drawn for the slaughter,
polished to consume
    and to flash like lightning!
29 Despite false visions concerning you
    and lying divinations(AW) about you,
it will be laid on the necks
    of the wicked who are to be slain,
whose day has come,
    whose time of punishment has reached its climax.(AX)

30 “‘Let the sword return to its sheath.(AY)
    In the place where you were created,
in the land of your ancestry,(AZ)
    I will judge you.
31 I will pour out my wrath on you
    and breathe(BA) out my fiery anger(BB) against you;
I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men,
    men skilled in destruction.(BC)
32 You will be fuel for the fire,(BD)
    your blood will be shed in your land,
you will be remembered(BE) no more;
    for I the Lord have spoken.’”

Judgment on Jerusalem’s Sins

22 The word of the Lord came to me:

2 “Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed?(BF) Then confront her with all her detestable practices(BG) 3 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood(BH) in her midst and defiles herself by making idols, 4 you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed(BI) and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come.(BJ) Therefore I will make you an object of scorn(BK) to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries.(BL) 5 Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, you infamous city, full of turmoil.(BM)

6 “‘See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.(BN) 7 In you they have treated father and mother with contempt;(BO) in you they have oppressed the foreigner(BP) and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.(BQ) 8 You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.(BR) 9 In you are slanderers(BS) who are bent on shedding blood;(BT) in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines(BU) and commit lewd acts.(BV) 10 In you are those who dishonor their father’s bed;(BW) in you are those who violate women during their period,(BX) when they are ceremonially unclean.(BY) 11 In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife,(BZ) another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law,(CA) and another violates his sister,(CB) his own father’s daughter.(CC) 12 In you are people who accept bribes(CD) to shed blood; you take interest(CE) and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors.(CF) And you have forgotten(CG) me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CH)

13 “‘I will surely strike my hands(CI) together at the unjust gain(CJ) you have made and at the blood(CK) you have shed in your midst.(CL) 14 Will your courage endure(CM) or your hands(CN) be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken,(CO) and I will do it.(CP) 15 I will disperse you among the nations and scatter(CQ) you through the countries; and I will put an end to(CR) your uncleanness.(CS) 16 When you have been defiled[c] in the eyes of the nations, you will know that I am the Lord.’”

17 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross(CT) to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace.(CU) They are but the dross of silver.(CV) 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross,(CW) I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20 As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.(CX) 21 I will gather you and I will blow(CY) on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her.(CZ) 22 As silver is melted(DA) in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath(DB) on you.’”(DC)

23 Again the word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has not been cleansed or rained on in the day of wrath.’(DD) 25 There is a conspiracy(DE) of her princes[d] within her like a roaring lion(DF) tearing its prey; they devour people,(DG) take treasures and precious things and make many widows(DH) within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law(DI) and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common;(DJ) they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean;(DK) and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned(DL) among them.(DM) 27 Her officials(DN) within her are like wolves(DO) tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people(DP) to make unjust gain.(DQ) 28 Her prophets whitewash(DR) these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations.(DS) They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.(DT) 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery;(DU) they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner,(DV) denying them justice.(DW)

30 “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall(DX) and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.(DY) 31 So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger,(DZ) bringing down(EA) on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.(EB)”

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.(EC) 3 They became prostitutes in Egypt,(ED) engaging in prostitution(EE) from their youth.(EF) In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed.(EG) 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.(EH)

5 “Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians(EI)—warriors(EJ) 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.(EK) 8 She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt,(EL) when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.(EM)

9 “Therefore I delivered her into the hands(EN) of her lovers,(EO) the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.(EP) 10 They stripped(EQ) her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women,(ER) and punishment was inflicted(ES) on her.(ET)

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

14 “But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall,(EY) figures of Chaldeans[e] portrayed in red,(EZ) 15 with belts(FA) around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea.[f] 16 As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers(FB) to them in Chaldea.(FC) 17 Then the Babylonians(FD) 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.(FE) 18 When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body,(FF) I turned away(FG) from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.(FH) 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.[g](FI)

22 “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers(FJ) against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side(FK)— 23 the Babylonians(FL) and all the Chaldeans,(FM) the men of Pekod(FN) 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.(FO) 24 They will come against you with weapons,[h] chariots and wagons(FP) 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,(FQ) and they will punish you according to their standards. 25 I will direct my jealous anger(FR) 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,(FS) and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire.(FT) 26 They will also strip(FU) you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry.(FV) 27 So I will put a stop(FW) 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(FX) 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,(FY) and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed.(FZ) Your lewdness(GA) and promiscuity(GB) 30 have brought this on you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.(GC) 31 You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup(GD) into your hand.(GE)

32 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“You will drink your sister’s cup,
    a cup large and deep;
it will bring scorn and derision,(GF)
    for it holds so much.(GG)
33 You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
    the cup of ruin and desolation,
    the cup of your sister Samaria.(GH)
34 You will drink it(GI) and drain it dry
    and chew on its pieces—
    and you will tear your breasts.

I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.(GJ)

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

36 The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront(GN) them with their detestable practices,(GO) 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.(GP) 38 They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary(GQ) and desecrated my Sabbaths.(GR) 39 On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated(GS) it. That is what they did in my house.(GT)

40 “They even sent messengers for men who came from far away,(GU) and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup(GV) and put on your jewelry.(GW) 41 You sat on an elegant couch,(GX) with a table(GY) spread before it on which you had placed the incense(GZ) and olive oil that belonged to me.(HA)

42 “The noise of a carefree(HB) crowd was around her; drunkards(HC) were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets(HD) on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads.(HE) 43 Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute,(HF) 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,(HG) because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.(HH)

46 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob(HI) against them and give them over to terror and plunder.(HJ) 47 The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters(HK) and burn(HL) down their houses.(HM)

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

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:(HR) 2 “Son of man, record(HS) this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.(HT) 3 Tell this rebellious people(HU) a parable(HV) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Put on the cooking pot;(HW) put it on
    and pour water into it.
4 Put into it the pieces of meat,
    all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;(HX)
5     take the pick of the flock.(HY)
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
    bring it to a boil
    and cook the bones in it.(HZ)

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

“‘Woe(IA) to the city of bloodshed,(IB)
    to the pot now encrusted,
    whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
    in whatever order(IC) it comes.(ID)

7 “‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
    She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
    where the dust would cover it.(IE)
8 To stir up wrath and take revenge
    I put her blood on the bare rock,
    so that it would not be covered.

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

“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
    I, too, will pile the wood high.
10 So heap on the wood
    and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
    mixing in the spices;
    and let the bones be charred.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals
    till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
    and its deposit burned away.(IF)
12 It has frustrated all efforts;
    its heavy deposit has not been removed,
    not even by fire.

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

14 “‘I the Lord have spoken.(II) The time has come for me to act.(IJ) I will not hold back; I will not have pity,(IK) nor will I relent.(IL) You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,(IM) declares the Sovereign Lord.(IN)’”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, with one blow(IO) I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.(IP) Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.(IQ) 17 Groan quietly;(IR) do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban(IS) fastened and your sandals(IT) on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard(IU) or eat the customary food of mourners.(IV)”

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.(IW)

19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?(IX) 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(IY)—the stronghold in which you take pride,(IZ) the delight of your eyes,(JA) the object of your affection. The sons and daughters(JB) you left behind will fall by the sword.(JC) 22 And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard(JD) or eat the customary food of mourners.(JE) 23 You will keep your turbans(JF) on your heads and your sandals(JG) on your feet. You will not mourn(JH) or weep but will waste away(JI) because of[i] your sins and groan among yourselves.(JJ) 24 Ezekiel(JK) will be a sign(JL) 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,(JM) their heart’s desire,(JN) and their sons and daughters(JO) as well— 26 on that day a fugitive will come to tell you(JP) the news. 27 At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.(JQ) So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.(JR)”

A Prophecy Against Ammon

25 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against(JS) the Ammonites(JT) and prophesy against them.(JU) 3 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!(JV)” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated(JW) and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,(JX) 4 therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East(JY) as a possession. They will set up their camps(JZ) and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.(KA) 5 I will turn Rabbah(KB) into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep.(KC) Then you will know that I am the Lord. 6 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands(KD) and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,(KE) 7 therefore I will stretch out my hand(KF) against you and give you as plunder(KG) to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy(KH) you, and you will know that I am the Lord.(KI)’”

A Prophecy Against Moab

8 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab(KJ) and Seir(KK) 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(KL), Baal Meon(KM) and Kiriathaim(KN)—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(KO) among the nations; 11 and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”(KP)

A Prophecy Against Edom

12 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom(KQ) 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(KR) against Edom and kill both man and beast.(KS) I will lay it waste, and from Teman(KT) to Dedan(KU) they will fall by the sword.(KV) 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(KW) and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”(KX)

A Prophecy Against Philistia

15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines(KY) acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice(KZ) 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,(LA) and I will wipe out the Kerethites(LB) and destroy those remaining along the coast.(LC) 17 I will carry out great vengeance(LD) on them and punish(LE) them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord,(LF) when I take vengeance on them.(LG)’”

A Prophecy Against Tyre

26 In the eleventh month of the twelfth[j] year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(LH) 2 “Son of man, because Tyre(LI) has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha!(LJ) 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(LK) casting up its waves. 4 They will destroy(LL) the walls of Tyre(LM) and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. 5 Out in the sea(LN) she will become a place to spread fishnets,(LO) for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder(LP) for the nations,(LQ) 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[k](LR) king of Babylon, king of kings,(LS) with horses and chariots,(LT) with horsemen and a great army. 8 He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works(LU) against you, build a ramp(LV) 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.(LW) 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(LX) when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. 11 The hooves(LY) of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars(LZ) will fall to the ground.(MA) 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.(MB) 13 I will put an end(MC) to your noisy songs,(MD) and the music of your harps(ME) will be heard no more.(MF) 14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt,(MG) for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.

15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlands(MH) tremble(MI) at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan(MJ) 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(MK) garments. Clothed(ML) with terror, they will sit on the ground,(MM) trembling(MN) every moment, appalled(MO) at you. 17 Then they will take up a lament(MP) concerning you and say to you:

“‘How you are destroyed, city of renown,
    peopled by men of the sea!
You were a power on the seas,
    you and your citizens;
you put your terror
    on all who lived there.(MQ)
18 Now the coastlands tremble(MR)
    on the day of your fall;
the islands in the sea
    are terrified at your collapse.’(MS)

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(MT) over you and its vast waters cover you,(MU) 20 then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit,(MV) 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[l] in the land of the living.(MW) 21 I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more.(MX) You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”(MY)

A Lament Over Tyre

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

“‘You say, Tyre,
    “I am perfect in beauty.(NC)”
4 Your domain was on the high seas;
    your builders brought your beauty to perfection.(ND)
5 They made all your timbers
    of juniper from Senir[m];(NE)
they took a cedar from Lebanon(NF)
    to make a mast for you.
6 Of oaks(NG) from Bashan
    they made your oars;
of cypress wood[n] from the coasts of Cyprus(NH)
    they made your deck, adorned with ivory.
7 Fine embroidered linen(NI) from Egypt was your sail
    and served as your banner;
your awnings were of blue and purple(NJ)
    from the coasts of Elishah.(NK)
8 Men of Sidon and Arvad(NL) were your oarsmen;
    your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.(NM)
9 Veteran craftsmen of Byblos(NN) were on board
    as shipwrights to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea(NO) and their sailors
    came alongside to trade for your wares.

10 “‘Men of Persia,(NP) Lydia(NQ) and Put(NR)
    served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields(NS) and helmets on your walls,
    bringing you splendor.
11 Men of Arvad and Helek
    guarded your walls on every side;
men of Gammad
    were in your towers.
They hung their shields around your walls;
    they brought your beauty to perfection.(NT)

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

13 “‘Greece,(NW) Tubal and Meshek(NX) did business with you; they traded human beings(NY) and articles of bronze for your wares.

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

15 “‘The men of Rhodes[o](OA) traded with you, and many coastlands(OB) were your customers; they paid you with ivory(OC) tusks and ebony.

16 “‘Aram[p](OD) did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise,(OE) purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,(OF) coral(OG) and rubies for your merchandise.

17 “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat(OH) from Minnith(OI) and confections,[q] honey, olive oil and balm(OJ) for your wares.(OK)

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

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

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

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

23 “‘Harran,(OV) Kanneh and Eden(OW) and merchants of Sheba, Ashur(OX) 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.

25 “‘The ships of Tarshish(OY) serve
    as carriers for your wares.
You are filled with heavy cargo
    as you sail the sea.(OZ)
26 Your oarsmen take you
    out to the high seas.
But the east wind(PA) will break you to pieces
    far out at sea.
27 Your wealth,(PB) merchandise and wares,
    your mariners, sailors and shipwrights,
your merchants and all your soldiers,
    and everyone else on board
will sink into the heart of the sea(PC)
    on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The shorelands will quake(PD)
    when your sailors cry out.
29 All who handle the oars
    will abandon their ships;
the mariners and all the sailors
    will stand on the shore.
30 They will raise their voice
    and cry bitterly over you;
they will sprinkle dust(PE) on their heads
    and roll(PF) in ashes.(PG)
31 They will shave their heads(PH) because of you
    and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep(PI) over you with anguish of soul
    and with bitter mourning.(PJ)
32 As they wail and mourn over you,
    they will take up a lament(PK) concerning you:
“Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
    surrounded by the sea?(PL)”
33 When your merchandise went out on the seas,(PM)
    you satisfied many nations;
with your great wealth(PN) and your wares
    you enriched the kings of the earth.
34 Now you are shattered by the sea
    in the depths of the waters;
your wares and all your company
    have gone down with you.(PO)
35 All who live in the coastlands(PP)
    are appalled(PQ) at you;
their kings shudder with horror
    and their faces are distorted with fear.(PR)
36 The merchants among the nations scoff at you;(PS)
    you have come to a horrible end
    and will be no more.(PT)’”

A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre

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

“‘In the pride of your heart
    you say, “I am a god;
I sit on the throne(PV) of a god
    in the heart of the seas.”(PW)
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
    though you think you are as wise as a god.(PX)
3 Are you wiser than Daniel[r]?(PY)
    Is no secret hidden from you?
4 By your wisdom and understanding
    you have gained wealth for yourself
and amassed gold and silver
    in your treasuries.(PZ)
5 By your great skill in trading(QA)
    you have increased your wealth,(QB)
and because of your wealth
    your heart has grown proud.(QC)

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

“‘Because you think you are wise,
    as wise as a god,
7 I am going to bring foreigners against you,
    the most ruthless of nations;(QD)
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom(QE)
    and pierce your shining splendor.(QF)
8 They will bring you down to the pit,(QG)
    and you will die a violent death(QH)
    in the heart of the seas.(QI)
9 Will you then say, “I am a god,”
    in the presence of those who kill you?
You will be but a mortal, not a god,(QJ)
    in the hands of those who slay you.(QK)
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised(QL)
    at the hands of foreigners.

I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

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

“‘You were the seal of perfection,
    full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.(QN)
13 You were in Eden,(QO)
    the garden of God;(QP)
every precious stone(QQ) adorned you:
    carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
    topaz, onyx and jasper,
    lapis lazuli, turquoise(QR) and beryl.[s]
Your settings and mountings[t] were made of gold;
    on the day you were created they were prepared.(QS)
14 You were anointed(QT) as a guardian cherub,(QU)
    for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
    you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways
    from the day you were created
    till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade
    you were filled with violence,(QV)
    and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
    and I expelled you, guardian cherub,(QW)
    from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud(QX)
    on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
    because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
    I made a spectacle of you before kings.(QY)
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
    you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire(QZ) come out from you,
    and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes(RA) on the ground
    in the sight of all who were watching.(RB)
19 All the nations who knew you
    are appalled(RC) at you;
you have come to a horrible end
    and will be no more.(RD)’”

A Prophecy Against Sidon

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

“‘I am against you, Sidon,
    and among you I will display my glory.(RG)
You will know that I am the Lord,
    when I inflict punishment(RH) on you
    and within you am proved to be holy.(RI)
23 I will send a plague upon you
    and make blood flow in your streets.
The slain will fall within you,
    with the sword against you on every side.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.(RJ)

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

25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather(RL) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,(RM) I will be proved holy(RN) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.(RO) 26 They will live there in safety(RP) and will build houses and plant(RQ) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment(RR) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.(RS)’”

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:(RT) 2 “Son of man, set your face against(RU) Pharaoh king of Egypt(RV) and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.(RW) 3 Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I am against you, Pharaoh(RX) king of Egypt,
    you great monster(RY) lying among your streams.
You say, “The Nile(RZ) belongs to me;
    I made it for myself.”
4 But I will put hooks(SA) in your jaws
    and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales.
I will pull you out from among your streams,
    with all the fish sticking to your scales.(SB)
5 I will leave you in the desert,
    you and all the fish of your streams.
You will fall on the open field
    and not be gathered(SC) or picked up.
I will give you as food
    to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.(SD)

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

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

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

“‘Because you said, “The Nile(SI) is mine; I made it,(SJ)” 10 therefore I am against you(SK) and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt(SL) a ruin and a desolate waste(SM) from Migdol(SN) to Aswan,(SO) as far as the border of Cush.[v](SP) 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.(SQ)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-32 is numbered 21:6-37.
  2. Ezekiel 21:15 Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  3. Ezekiel 22:16 Or When I have allotted you your inheritance
  4. Ezekiel 22:25 Septuagint; Hebrew prophets
  5. Ezekiel 23:14 Or Babylonians
  6. Ezekiel 23:15 Or Babylonia; also in verse 16
  7. Ezekiel 23:21 Syriac (see also verse 3); Hebrew caressed because of your young breasts
  8. Ezekiel 23:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  9. Ezekiel 24:23 Or away in
  10. Ezekiel 26:1 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have month of the twelfth.
  11. Ezekiel 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, of which Nebuchadnezzar is a variant; here and often in Ezekiel and Jeremiah
  12. Ezekiel 26:20 Septuagint; Hebrew return, and I will give glory
  13. Ezekiel 27:5 That is, Mount Hermon
  14. Ezekiel 27:6 Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants.
  15. Ezekiel 27:15 Septuagint; Hebrew Dedan
  16. Ezekiel 27:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom
  17. Ezekiel 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  18. Ezekiel 28:3 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature
  19. Ezekiel 28:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
  20. Ezekiel 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  21. Ezekiel 29:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Vulgate); Hebrew and you caused their backs to stand
  22. Ezekiel 29:10 That is, the upper Nile region
Next
Ezekiel 20
Ezekiel 30
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