Pharaoh Warned of Assyria’s Fate

31 In the (A)eleventh year, in the third month, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his (B)hordes,

‘Whom are you like in your greatness?
Behold, Assyria was a (C)cedar in Lebanon
With beautiful branches and forest shade,
And [a](D)very high,
And its top was among the [b]clouds.
The (E)waters made it grow, the [c]deep made it high.
With its rivers it continually [d]extended all around its planting place,
And sent out its channels to all the trees of the field.
Therefore (F)its height was loftier than all the trees of the field
And its boughs became many and its branches long
Because of (G)many waters [e]as it spread them out.
All the (H)birds of the sky nested in its twigs,
And under its branches all the animals of the field gave birth,
And all great nations lived under its shade.
So it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches;
For its [f]roots extended to many waters.
The (I)cedars in (J)God’s garden [g]could not match it;
The junipers [h]could not compare with its branches,
And the plane trees [i]could not match its branches.
No tree in (K)God’s garden [j]could compare with it in its beauty.
I made it beautiful with the multitude of its branches,
And all the trees of (L)Eden, which were in the (M)garden of God, were jealous of it.

10 ‘Therefore this is what the Lord [k]God says: “Because [l]it is tall in stature and has put its top among the [m]clouds, and its (N)heart is haughty in its loftiness, 11 I will hand it over to a [n](O)ruler of the nations; he will thoroughly deal with it. In accordance with its wickedness I have (P)driven it out. 12 (Q)Foreign (R)tyrants of the nations have cut it down and left it; on the (S)mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its branches have been broken in all the ravines of the land. And all the peoples of the earth have (T)gone down from its shade and left it. 13 All the (U)birds of the sky will nest on its fallen trunk, and all the animals of the field will [o]rest on its fallen branches, 14 so that all the trees by the waters will not be exalted in their stature, nor put their tops among the [p]clouds, nor will any of their [q]well-watered mighty ones stand straight in their height. For they have all been turned over to death, to the (V)earth beneath, among [r]mankind, [s]with those who go down to the pit.”

15 ‘This is what the Lord God says: “On the day when it went down to Sheol I (W)caused mourning; I closed the [t]deep over it and held back its rivers. And its many waters were stopped up, and I made Lebanon mourn for it, and all the trees of the field wilted away on account of it. 16 I made the nations (X)quake from the sound of its fall when I made it (Y)go down to Sheol with those who go down to the pit; and all the [u]well-watered trees of Eden, the choicest and best of (Z)Lebanon, were (AA)comforted in the earth beneath. 17 They also (AB)went down with it to Sheol to those who were (AC)slain by the sword; and those who were its [v]strength lived (AD)in its shade among the nations.

18 “To which among the trees of Eden are you so alike in glory and greatness? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth beneath; you will lie in the midst of the (AE)uncircumcised with those who were killed by the sword. (AF)This is Pharaoh and all his hordes!”’ declares the Lord God.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 31:3 Lit high of stature
  2. Ezekiel 31:3 As in LXX; MT thick boughs
  3. Ezekiel 31:4 I.e., subterranean waters
  4. Ezekiel 31:4 Lit was going
  5. Ezekiel 31:5 Lit in its sending forth
  6. Ezekiel 31:7 Lit root was
  7. Ezekiel 31:8 Lit did
  8. Ezekiel 31:8 Lit did
  9. Ezekiel 31:8 Lit were not like
  10. Ezekiel 31:8 Lit did
  11. Ezekiel 31:10 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  12. Ezekiel 31:10 As in Syriac; MT you are
  13. Ezekiel 31:10 As in LXX; MT thick branches
  14. Ezekiel 31:11 Or mighty one
  15. Ezekiel 31:13 Lit be on
  16. Ezekiel 31:14 As in LXX; MT thick branches
  17. Ezekiel 31:14 Lit drinkers of water
  18. Ezekiel 31:14 Lit sons of mankind
  19. Ezekiel 31:14 Lit to
  20. Ezekiel 31:15 I.e., subterranean waters
  21. Ezekiel 31:16 Lit drinkers of water
  22. Ezekiel 31:17 Lit arm

Egypt Cut Down Like a Great Tree(A)

31 Now it came to pass in the (B)eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude:

(C)‘Whom are you like in your greatness?
(D)Indeed Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon,
With fine branches that shaded the forest,
And of high stature;
And its top was among the thick boughs.
(E)The waters made it grow;
Underground waters gave it height,
With their rivers running around the place where it was planted,
And sent out [a]rivulets to all the trees of the field.

‘Therefore (F)its height was exalted above all the trees of the field;
Its boughs were multiplied,
And its branches became long because of the abundance of water,
As it sent them out.
All the (G)birds of the heavens made their nests in its boughs;
Under its branches all the beasts of the field brought forth their young;
And in its shadow all great nations [b]made their home.

‘Thus it was beautiful in greatness and in the length of its branches,
Because its roots reached to abundant waters.
The cedars in the (H)garden of God could not hide it;
The fir trees were not like its boughs,
And the [c]chestnut trees were not like its branches;
No tree in the garden of God was like it in beauty.
I made it beautiful with a multitude of branches,
So that all the trees of Eden envied it,
That were in the garden of God.’

10 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have increased in height, and it set its top among the thick boughs, and (I)its heart was [d]lifted up in its height, 11 therefore I will deliver it into the hand of the (J)mighty one of the nations, and he shall surely deal with it; I have driven it out for its wickedness. 12 And aliens, (K)the most terrible of the nations, have cut it down and left it; its branches have fallen (L)on the mountains and in all the valleys; its boughs lie (M)broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the peoples of the earth have gone from under its shadow and left it.

13 ‘On (N)its ruin will remain all the birds of the heavens,
And all the beasts of the field will come to its branches—

14 So that no trees by the waters may ever again exalt themselves for their height, nor set their tops among the thick boughs, that no tree which drinks water may ever be high enough to reach up to them.

‘For (O)they have all been delivered to death,
(P)To the depths of the earth,
Among the children of men who go down to the Pit.’

15 “Thus says the Lord God: ‘In the day when it (Q)went down to [e]hell, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it. I restrained its rivers, and the great waters were held back. I caused Lebanon to [f]mourn for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it. 16 I made the nations (R)shake at the sound of its fall, when I (S)cast it down to [g]hell together with those who descend into the Pit; and (T)all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, (U)were comforted in the depths of the earth. 17 They also went down to hell with it, with those slain by the sword; and those who were its strong arm (V)dwelt in its shadows among the nations.

18 (W)‘To which of the trees in Eden will you then be likened in glory and greatness? Yet you shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the depths of the earth; (X)you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,’ says the Lord God.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 31:4 Or channels
  2. Ezekiel 31:6 Lit. dwelled
  3. Ezekiel 31:8 Or plane, Heb. armon
  4. Ezekiel 31:10 Proud
  5. Ezekiel 31:15 Or Sheol
  6. Ezekiel 31:15 Lit. be darkened
  7. Ezekiel 31:16 Or Sheol

Grief over Pharaoh and Egypt

32 In the (A)twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, take up a (B)song of mourning over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him,

‘You [a]compared yourself to a young (C)lion of the nations,
Yet you are like the (D)monster in the seas;
And you (E)burst forth in your rivers
And muddied the waters with your feet
And [b]fouled their rivers.’”

This is what the Lord [c]God says:

“Now I will (F)spread My net over you
With a contingent of many peoples,
And they will lift you up in My net.
I will leave you on the land;
I will hurl you on the [d]open field.
And I will cause all the (G)birds of the sky to [e]nest on you,
And I will satisfy the animals of the whole earth [f]with you.
I will lay your flesh (H)on the mountains
And fill the valleys with your refuse.
I will also make the land drink the discharge of your (I)blood
As far as the mountains,
And the ravines will be full of you.
And when I (J)extinguish you,
I will (K)cover the heavens and darken their (L)stars;
I will cover the (M)sun with a cloud
And the moon will not give its light.
All the shining (N)lights in the heavens
I will darken over you
And will set darkness on your land,”
Declares the Lord God.

“I will also (O)trouble the hearts of many peoples when I (P)bring your destruction among the nations, into lands which you have not known. 10 And I will make many peoples (Q)appalled at you, and their kings will be horribly afraid of you when I brandish My sword before them; and (R)they will tremble again and again, every person for his own life, on the day of your fall.”

11 For (S)the Lord God says (T)this: “The sword of the king of Babylon will [g]attack you. 12 By the swords of the warriors I will make your multitude fall; all of them are (U)tyrants of the nations,

And they will (V)devastate the pride of Egypt,
And all its multitude will be destroyed.
13 I will also eliminate all its cattle from beside many waters;
And (W)a human foot will not muddy them anymore,
And the hoofs of animals will not muddy them.
14 Then I will make their waters settle,
And make their rivers run like oil,”
Declares the Lord God.
15 “When I make the land of Egypt a (X)desolation,
And the land is destitute of that which filled it,
When I strike all those who live in it,
Then they shall (Y)know that I am the Lord.

16 This is a (Z)song of mourning, and they shall sing it. The daughters of the nations shall sing it. Over Egypt and over all her hordes they shall sing it,” declares the Lord God.

17 In the (AA)twelfth year, on the (AB)fifteenth of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, (AC)lament for the hordes of Egypt and (AD)bring it down, her and the daughters of the mighty nations, to the (AE)netherworld, with those who go down to the pit;

19 ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty?
Go down and make your bed with the (AF)uncircumcised.’

20 They shall fall in the midst of those who are killed by the sword. [h]She is turned over to the sword; they have (AG)dragged her and all her hordes away. 21 The (AH)strong among the mighty ones shall speak of him and his helpers from the midst of Sheol: ‘They have gone down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, killed by the sword.’

22 (AI)Assyria is there and all her company; [i]her graves are all around [j]her. All of them killed, fallen by the sword, 23 whose (AJ)graves are set in the remotest parts of the pit, and her company is all around her grave. All of them killed, fallen by the sword, who [k]spread terror in the land of the living.

24 (AK)Elam is there and all her hordes around her grave; all of them killed, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised to the (AL)lower parts of the earth, who inflicted their terror on the (AM)land of the living, and (AN)bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit. 25 They have made a (AO)bed for her among the slain with all her hordes. Her graves are around it, they are all uncircumcised, killed by the sword (although their terror was [l]inflicted on the land of the living), and they bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit; [m]they were put in the midst of the slain.

26 (AP)Meshech, (AQ)Tubal, and all their hordes are there; their graves [n]surround them. All of them were killed by the sword (AR)uncircumcised, though they inflicted their terror on the land of the living. 27 (AS)Nor do they lie beside the fallen [o](AT)heroes of the uncircumcised, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war and whose swords were placed under their heads; but the punishment for their (AU)wrongdoing rested on their bones, though the terror of these [p]heroes was once in the land of the living. 28 But in the midst of the uncircumcised you will be broken and lie with those killed by the sword.

29 “There also is (AV)Edom, its kings and all its [q]princes, who [r]despite all their might are laid with those killed by the sword; they will lie with the uncircumcised and with those who go down to the pit.

30 “There also are the [s]chiefs of the (AW)north, all of them, and all the (AX)Sidonians, who in spite of the terror resulting from their might, in shame went down with the slain. So they lay down uncircumcised with those killed by the sword and bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit.

31 “These Pharaoh will see, and he will (AY)find consolation regarding all his hordes killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his army,” declares the Lord God. 32 “Though I inflicted the terror of him on the land of the living, yet he will be laid to rest among the uncircumcised along with those killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his hordes,” declares the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 32:2 Or were like
  2. Ezekiel 32:2 Lit fouled by stamping
  3. Ezekiel 32:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  4. Ezekiel 32:4 Lit faces of the field
  5. Ezekiel 32:4 Lit dwell
  6. Ezekiel 32:4 Lit from
  7. Ezekiel 32:11 Lit come upon you
  8. Ezekiel 32:20 Or The sword is given
  9. Ezekiel 32:22 Lit his
  10. Ezekiel 32:22 Lit him
  11. Ezekiel 32:23 Lit gave, and so throughout the ch
  12. Ezekiel 32:25 Lit given
  13. Ezekiel 32:25 As in ancient versions; MT he was
  14. Ezekiel 32:26 Lit are around him
  15. Ezekiel 32:27 Or mighty ones
  16. Ezekiel 32:27 Or mighty ones
  17. Ezekiel 32:29 Or leaders
  18. Ezekiel 32:29 Lit in
  19. Ezekiel 32:30 Or leaders

Lamentation for Pharaoh and Egypt

32 And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the (A)twelfth month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, (B)take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him:

(C)‘You are like a young lion among the nations,
And (D)you are like a monster in the seas,
(E)Bursting forth in your rivers,
Troubling the waters with your feet,
And (F)fouling their rivers.

‘Thus says the Lord God:

“I will therefore (G)spread My net over you with a company of many people,
And they will draw you up in My net.
Then (H)I will leave you on the land;
I will cast you out on the open fields,
(I)And cause to [a]settle on you all the birds of the heavens.
And with you I will fill the beasts of the whole earth.
I will lay your flesh (J)on the mountains,
And fill the valleys with your carcass.

“I will also water the land with the flow of your blood,
Even to the mountains;
And the riverbeds will be full of you.
When I put out your light,
(K)I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
And the moon shall not give her light.
All the [b]bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you,
And bring darkness upon your land,”
Says the Lord God.

‘I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries which you have not known. 10 Yes, I will make many peoples astonished at you, and their kings shall be horribly afraid of you when I brandish My sword before them; and (L)they shall tremble every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.

11 (M)‘For thus says the Lord God: “The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you. 12 By the swords of the mighty warriors, all of them (N)the most terrible of the nations, I will cause your multitude to fall.

(O)“They shall plunder the pomp of Egypt,
And all its multitude shall be destroyed.
13 Also I will destroy all its animals
From beside its great waters;
(P)The foot of man shall muddy them no more,
Nor shall the hooves of animals muddy them.
14 Then I will make their waters [c]clear,
And make their rivers run like oil,”
Says the Lord God.

15 “When I make the land of Egypt desolate,
And the country is destitute of all that once filled it,
When I strike all who dwell in it,
(Q)Then they shall know that I am the Lord.

16 “This is the (R)lamentation
With which they shall lament her;
The daughters of the nations shall lament her;
They shall lament for her, for Egypt,
And for all her multitude,”
Says the Lord God.’ ”

Egypt and Others Consigned to the Pit

17 It came to pass also in the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, (S)that the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

18 “Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt,
And (T)cast them down to the depths of the earth,
Her and the daughters of the famous nations,
With those who go down to the Pit:
19 ‘Whom (U)do you surpass in beauty?
(V)Go down, be placed with the uncircumcised.’

20 “They shall fall in the midst of those slain by the sword;
She is delivered to the sword,
(W)Drawing her and all her multitudes.
21 (X)The strong among the mighty
Shall speak to him out of the midst of hell
With those who help him:
‘They have (Y)gone down,
They lie with the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.’

22 “Assyria(Z) is there, and all her company,
With their graves all around her,
All of them slain, fallen by the sword.
23 (AA)Her graves are set in the recesses of the Pit,
And her company is all around her grave,
All of them slain, fallen by the sword,
Who (AB)caused terror in the land of the living.

24 “There is (AC)Elam and all her multitude,
All around her grave,
All of them slain, fallen by the sword,
Who have (AD)gone down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth,
(AE)Who caused their terror in the land of the living;
Now they bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit.
25 They have set her (AF)bed in the midst of the slain,
With all her multitude,
With her graves all around it,
All of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword;
Though their terror was caused
In the land of the living,
Yet they bear their shame
With those who go down to the Pit;
It was put in the midst of the slain.

26 “There are (AG)Meshech and Tubal and all their multitudes,
With all their graves around it,
All of them (AH)uncircumcised, slain by the sword,
Though they caused their terror in the land of the living.
27 (AI)They do not lie with the mighty
Who are fallen of the uncircumcised,
Who have gone down to hell with their weapons of war;
They have laid their swords under their heads,
But their iniquities will be on their bones,
Because of the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
28 Yes, you shall be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised,
And lie with those slain by the sword.

29 “There is (AJ)Edom,
Her kings and all her princes,
Who despite their might
Are laid beside those slain by the sword;
They shall lie with the uncircumcised,
And with those who go down to the Pit.
30 (AK)There are the princes of the north,
All of them, and all the (AL)Sidonians,
Who have gone down with the slain
In shame at the terror which they caused by their might;
They lie uncircumcised with those slain by the sword,
And bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit.

31 “Pharaoh will see them
And be (AM)comforted over all his multitude,
Pharaoh and all his army,
Slain by the sword,”
Says the Lord God.

32 “For I have caused My terror in the land of the living;
And he shall be placed in the midst of the uncircumcised
With those slain by the sword,
Pharaoh and all his multitude,”
Says the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 32:4 Lit. sit or dwell
  2. Ezekiel 32:8 Or shining
  3. Ezekiel 32:14 Lit. sink; settle, grow clear

The Watchman’s Duty

33 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the (A)sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and (B)blows the [a]horn and warns the people, then [b]someone who hears the sound of the horn but (C)does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his (D)blood will be on his own head. He heard the sound of the horn but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have (E)saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the horn and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is (F)taken away for his wrongdoing; but I will [c]require his (G)blood from the watchman’s hand.’

“Now as for you, son of man, I have [d](H)appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a [e]message from My mouth and give them a (I)warning from Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will (J)certainly die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked about his way, that wicked person shall die for his wrongdoing, but I will [f]require his blood from your hand. But if you on your part warn a wicked person to turn from his way and he (K)does not turn from his way, he will die for his wrongdoing, but you have (L)saved your life.

10 “Now as for you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you have [g]said: “Surely our offenses and our sins are upon us, and we are (M)rotting away in them; (N)how then can we [h]survive?”’ 11 Say to them, ‘(O)As I live!’ declares the Lord [i]God, ‘I take (P)no pleasure at all in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked (Q)turn from his way and live. (R)Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then should you die, house of Israel?’ 12 And you, son of man, say to [j]your fellow citizens, ‘The (S)righteousness of a righteous one will not save him on the day of his offense, and as for the wickedness of a wicked one, he will (T)not stumble because of it on the day when he turns from his wickedness; whereas a righteous one will not be able to live [k]by his righteousness on the day when he commits sin.’ 13 When I say to the righteous that he will certainly live, and he so trusts in his righteousness that he (U)commits injustice, none of his righteous deeds will be remembered; but for that same injustice of his which he has committed he will die. 14 But when I say to the wicked, ‘You will certainly die,’ and he (V)turns from his sin and practices (W)justice and righteousness, 15 if a wicked person returns a pledge, (X)pays back what he has taken by robbery, walks by the (Y)statutes [l]which ensure life without committing injustice, he shall certainly live; he shall not die. 16 (Z)None of his sins that he has committed will be remembered against him. He has practiced justice and righteousness; he shall certainly live.

17 “Yet [m]your fellow citizens say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their own way that is not right. 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and (AA)commits injustice, then he shall die in [n]it. 19 But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and practices justice and righteousness, he will live by them. 20 Yet you say, ‘(AB)The way of the Lord is not right.’ I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel.”

Word of Jerusalem’s Capture

21 Now (AC)in the (AD)twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth of the tenth month, the survivor from Jerusalem came to me, saying, “(AE)The city has been [o]taken.” 22 Now the (AF)hand of the Lord had been upon me in the evening, before the survivors came. And He (AG)opened my mouth [p]at the time they came to me in the morning; so my mouth was (AH)opened and I was no longer [q]speechless.

23 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 24 “Son of man, they who (AI)live in these ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘(AJ)Abraham was only one, yet he possessed the land; so to (AK)us who are many the land has been given as a possession.’ 25 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “You eat meat with the (AL)blood in it, raise your eyes to your idols as you shed blood. (AM)Should you then possess the land? 26 You [r](AN)rely on your sword, you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Should you then possess the land?”’ 27 You shall say this to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: “As I live, those who are in the places of ruins certainly will (AO)fall by the sword, and whoever is in the [s]open field I will give to the animals to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and in the (AP)caves will die of plague. 28 And I will (AQ)make the land a desolation and a waste, and the (AR)pride of her power will be brought to an end; and the mountains of Israel will be deserted so that no one will pass through. 29 Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I make the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations which they have committed.”’

30 “But as for you, son of man, [t]your fellow citizens who talk with one another about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, speak one with another, each with his brother, saying, ‘(AS)Come now and hear what the [u]message is that comes from the Lord.’ 31 And they come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them; for they do the lustful desires expressed by their (AT)mouth, and their heart follows their unlawful (AU)gain. 32 And behold, you are to them like a love song by one who has a (AV)beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them. 33 So when it (AW)comes—[v]as it certainly will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 33:3 Heb shofar; i.e., ram’s horn
  2. Ezekiel 33:4 Lit the one who hears the sound...hears it but
  3. Ezekiel 33:6 I.e., hold the watchman responsible
  4. Ezekiel 33:7 Or given
  5. Ezekiel 33:7 Lit word
  6. Ezekiel 33:8 I.e., hold you responsible
  7. Ezekiel 33:10 Lit said, saying
  8. Ezekiel 33:10 Lit live
  9. Ezekiel 33:11 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  10. Ezekiel 33:12 Lit the sons of your people
  11. Ezekiel 33:12 Lit by it
  12. Ezekiel 33:15 Lit of life
  13. Ezekiel 33:17 Lit the sons of your people
  14. Ezekiel 33:18 Lit them
  15. Ezekiel 33:21 Lit struck
  16. Ezekiel 33:22 Lit until he came
  17. Ezekiel 33:22 Or mute
  18. Ezekiel 33:26 Lit stand
  19. Ezekiel 33:27 Lit faces of the field
  20. Ezekiel 33:30 Lit the sons of your people
  21. Ezekiel 33:30 Lit word
  22. Ezekiel 33:33 Lit behold, it is coming

The Watchman and His Message

33 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to (A)the children of your people, and say to them: (B)‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their (C)watchman, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does (D)not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, (E)his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will [a]save his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, (F)he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’

(G)“So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have [b]delivered your soul.

10 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we (H)pine[c] away in them, (I)how can we then live?” ’ 11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, (J)‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked (K)turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For (L)why should you die, O house of Israel?’

The Fairness of God’s Judgment

12 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the children of your people: ‘The (M)righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, (N)he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’ 13 When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, (O)but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die. 14 Again, (P)when I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ if he turns from his sin and does [d]what is lawful and [e]right, 15 if the wicked (Q)restores the pledge, (R)gives back what he has stolen, and walks in (S)the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 (T)None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

17 (U)“Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not [f]fair.’ But it is their way which is not fair! 18 (V)When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. 19 But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it. 20 Yet you say, (W)‘The way of the Lord is not [g]fair.’ O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his own ways.”

The Fall of Jerusalem

21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year (X)of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, (Y)that one who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, (Z)“The city has been [h]captured!”

22 Now (AA)the hand of the Lord had been upon me the evening before the man came who had escaped. And He had (AB)opened my mouth; so when he came to me in the morning, my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.

The Cause of Judah’s Ruin

23 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 24 “Son of man, (AC)they who inhabit those (AD)ruins in the land of Israel are saying, (AE)‘Abraham was only one, and he inherited the land. (AF)But we are many; the land has been given to us as a (AG)possession.’

25 “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: (AH)“You eat meat with blood, you (AI)lift up your eyes toward your idols, and (AJ)shed blood. Should you then possess the (AK)land? 26 You rely on your sword, you commit abominations, and you (AL)defile one another’s wives. Should you then possess the land?” ’

27 “Say thus to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “As I live, surely (AM)those who are in the ruins shall fall by the sword, and the one who is in the open field (AN)I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and (AO)caves shall die of the pestilence. 28 (AP)For I will make the land most desolate, [i]her (AQ)arrogant strength shall cease, and (AR)the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that no one will pass through. 29 Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.” ’

Hearing and Not Doing

30 “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they (AS)speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ 31 So (AT)they come to you as people do, they (AU)sit before you as My people, and they (AV)hear your words, but they do not do them; (AW)for with their mouth they show much love, but (AX)their hearts pursue their own gain. 32 Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do (AY)not do them. 33 (AZ)And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then (BA)they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 33:5 Or deliver his soul
  2. Ezekiel 33:9 Or saved your life
  3. Ezekiel 33:10 Or waste away
  4. Ezekiel 33:14 justice
  5. Ezekiel 33:14 righteousness
  6. Ezekiel 33:17 Or equitable
  7. Ezekiel 33:20 Or equitable
  8. Ezekiel 33:21 Lit. struck down
  9. Ezekiel 33:28 Lit. pride of her strength

The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus

11 Now a certain man was sick: Lazarus of (A)Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister (B)Martha. And it was the Mary who (C)anointed (D)the Lord with [a]ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “(E)Lord, behold, (F)he whom You love is sick.” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not [b]meant for death, but is for (G)the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” (Now Jesus loved (H)Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.) So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Then after this He *said to the disciples, (I)Let’s go to Judea again.” The disciples *said to Him, “(J)Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking (K)to stone You, and yet You are going there again?” Jesus replied, (L)Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks during the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in [c]him.” 11 This He said, and after this He *said to them, “Our (M)friend Lazarus (N)has fallen asleep; but I am going so that I may awaken him from sleep.” 12 The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will [d]come out of it.” 13 Now (O)Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about [e]actual sleep. 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus died, 15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let’s go to him.” 16 (P)Therefore Thomas, who was called [f](Q)Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, so that we may die with Him!”

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb (R)four days. 18 Now (S)Bethany was near Jerusalem, about [g]fifteen stadia away; 19 and many of (T)the Jews had come to (U)Martha and Mary, (V)to console them about their brother. 20 So then (W)Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but (X)Mary [h]stayed in the house. 21 Martha then said to Jesus, “(Y)Lord, (Z)if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 Even now I know that (AA)whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise from the dead.” 24 Martha *said to Him, “(AB)I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, (AC)I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me (AD)will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have come to believe that You are (AE)the [i]Christ, the Son of God, and [j](AF)He who comes into the world.”

28 When she had said this, she (AG)left and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “(AH)The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard this, she *got up quickly and came to Him.

30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but (AI)was still at the place where Martha met Him. 31 (AJ)Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were (AK)consoling her, when they saw that Mary had gotten up quickly and left, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 So when Mary came to the place where Jesus was, she saw Him and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “(AL)Lord, (AM)if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and (AN)the Jews who came with her also weeping, He (AO)was deeply moved in spirit and [k](AP)was troubled, 34 and He said, “Where have you laid him?” They *said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus (AQ)wept. 36 So (AR)the Jews were saying, “See how He (AS)loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could this man, who (AT)opened the eyes of the man who was blind, not have also [l]kept this man from dying?”

38 So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, *came to the tomb. Now it was a (AU)cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus *said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, *said to Him, “Lord, by this time [m]there will be a stench, for he has been dead (AV)four days.” 40 Jesus *said to her, (AW)Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they removed the (AX)stone. And Jesus (AY)raised His eyes, and said, (AZ)Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 But I knew that You always hear Me; nevertheless, (BA)because of the [n]people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that (BB)You sent Me.” 43 And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 Out came the man who had died, (BC)bound hand and foot with wrappings, and (BD)his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

45 (BE)Therefore many of the Jews (BF)who came to Mary, and (BG)saw what He had done, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the (BH)Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.

Conspiracy to Kill Jesus

47 Therefore (BI)the chief priests and the Pharisees (BJ)convened a (BK)council meeting, and they were saying, “What are we [o]doing in regard to the fact that this man is performing many [p](BL)signs? 48 If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take over both our [q](BM)place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, (BN)Caiaphas, (BO)who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor are you taking into account that (BP)it is in your best interest that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish instead.” 51 Now he did not say this [r]on his own, but (BQ)as he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation; 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also (BR)gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they (BS)planned together to kill Him.

54 Therefore Jesus (BT)no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, into a city called (BU)Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

55 Now (BV)the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country prior to the Passover, (BW)in order to [s]purify themselves. 56 So they (BX)were looking for Jesus, and saying to one another as they stood in the temple area, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now (BY)the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might arrest Him.

Footnotes

  1. John 11:2 Or perfume
  2. John 11:4 Lit toward death
  3. John 11:10 Or it; i.e., the world
  4. John 11:12 Lit be saved
  5. John 11:13 Lit the slumber of sleep
  6. John 11:16 I.e., the Twin
  7. John 11:18 Possibly 2 miles or 3 km; a Roman stadion perhaps averaged 607 ft. or 185 m
  8. John 11:20 Lit was sitting
  9. John 11:27 I.e., Messiah
  10. John 11:27 The Coming One was a Messianic title
  11. John 11:33 Lit troubled Himself
  12. John 11:37 Lit done so that this man also would not die
  13. John 11:39 Lit he stinks
  14. John 11:42 Lit crowd
  15. John 11:47 Or doing? For this
  16. John 11:47 I.e., confirming miracles
  17. John 11:48 Possibly meaning the temple
  18. John 11:51 Lit from himself
  19. John 11:55 I.e., undergo required cleansing rituals

The Death of Lazarus

11 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of (A)Mary and her sister Martha. (B)It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, (C)He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to (D)stone You, and are You going there again?”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? (E)If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the (F)light of this world. 10 But (G)if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus (H)sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”

16 Then (I)Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

I Am the Resurrection and the Life

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about [a]two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that (J)whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha said to Him, (K)“I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am (L)the resurrection and the life. (M)He who believes in Me, though he may (N)die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, (O)I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Jesus and Death, the Last Enemy

28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but [b]was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 (P)Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, [c]saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she (Q)fell down at His feet, saying to Him, (R)“Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?”

They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

35 (S)Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, (T)who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

Lazarus Raised from the Dead

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a (U)stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would (V)see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone [d]from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but (W)because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with (X)graveclothes, and (Y)his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

The Plot to Kill Jesus(Z)

45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, (AA)and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and (AB)told them the things Jesus did. 47 (AC)Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, (AD)“What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”

49 And one of them, (AE)Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 (AF)nor do you consider that it is expedient for [e]us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and (AG)not for that nation only, but (AH)also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to (AI)put Him to death. 54 (AJ)Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called (AK)Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.

55 (AL)And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to (AM)purify themselves. 56 (AN)Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might (AO)seize Him.

Footnotes

  1. John 11:18 Lit. 15 stadia
  2. John 11:30 NU was still
  3. John 11:31 NU supposing that she was going
  4. John 11:41 NU omits from the place where the dead man was lying
  5. John 11:50 NU you