Chronological
Jerusalem Is Like a Cooking Pot
24 It was the ninth year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the tenth day of the tenth month, a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, write down today’s date. The king of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem and attacked it today. 3 Your people refuse to obey me. So tell them a story. Say to them, ‘The Lord and King told me,
“ ‘ “Put a cooking pot on the fire.
Pour water into it.
4 Put pieces of meat in it.
Use all the best pieces.
Use the leg and shoulder.
Fill it with the best bones.
5 Pick the finest animal in the flock.
Pile wood under the pot to cook the bones.
Bring the water to a boil.
Cook the bones in it.” ’ ”
6 The Lord and King says,
“How terrible it will be for this city!
It has so many murderers in it.
How terrible for the pot that is coated with scum!
The scum on it will not go away.
Take the meat out of the pot piece by piece.
Take it out in whatever order it comes.
7 “The blood Jerusalem’s people spilled is inside its walls.
They poured it out on a bare rock.
They did not pour it on the ground.
If they had, dust would have covered it up.
8 So I put their blood on the bare rock.
I did not want it to be covered up.
I poured out my great anger on them.
I paid them back.”
9 So the Lord and King said to me,
“How terrible it will be for this city!
It has so many murderers in it.
I too will pile the wood high.
10 So pile on the wood.
Light the fire.
Cook the meat well.
Mix in the spices.
Let the bones be blackened.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals.
Let it get hot. Let its copper glow.
Then what is not pure in it will melt.
Its scum will be burned away.
12 But it can’t be cleaned up.
Its thick scum has not been removed.
Even fire can’t burn it off.
13 “Jerusalem, you are really impure. I tried to clean you up. But you would not let me make you pure. So you will not be clean again until I am no longer so angry with you.
14 “I have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back. I will not feel sorry for you. I will do what I said I would do. You will be judged for your conduct and actions. I am the Lord,” announces the Lord and King.
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
15 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 16 “Son of man, I will take away from you the wife you delight in. It will happen very soon. But do not sing songs of sadness. Do not let any tears flow from your eyes. 17 Groan quietly. Do not mourn for your wife when she dies. Keep your turban on your head. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your mustache and beard. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies.”
18 So I spoke to my people in the morning. And in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did what I had been commanded to do.
19 Then the people said to me, “Tell us what these things have to do with us. Why are you acting like this?”
20 So I told them. I said, “A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 21 ‘Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, “The Lord and King says, ‘I am about to make my temple “unclean.” I will let the Babylonians burn it down. It is the beautiful building you are so proud of. You take delight in it. You love it. The sons and daughters you left behind will be killed by swords. 22 So do what Ezekiel did. Do not cover your mustache and beard. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies. 23 Keep your turbans on your heads. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not mourn or weep. You will waste away because you have sinned so much. You will groan among yourselves. 24 What Ezekiel has done will show you what is going to happen to you. You will do just as he has done. Then you will know that I am the Lord and King.’ ” ’
25 “Son of man, I will take away their beautiful temple. It is their joy and glory. They take delight in it. Their hearts long for it. I will also take away their sons and daughters. 26 On the day I destroy everything, a man will escape. He will come and tell you the news. 27 At that time I will open your mouth. Then you will no longer be silent. You will speak with the man. That will show them what will happen to them. And they will know that I am the Lord.”
A Prophecy Against Ammon
25 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, turn your attention to the Ammonites. Prophesy against them. 3 Tell them, ‘Listen to the message of the Lord and King. He says, “You laughed when my temple was made ‘unclean.’ You also laughed when the land of Israel was completely destroyed. You mocked the people of Judah when they were taken away as prisoners. 4 So I am going to hand you over to the people of the east. They will set up their tents in your land. They will camp among you. They will eat your fruit. They will drink your milk. 5 I will turn the city of Rabbah into grasslands for camels. Ammon will become a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ’ ” 6 The Lord and King says, “You clapped your hands. You stamped your feet. Deep down inside, you hated the land of Israel. You were glad because of what happened to it. 7 So I will reach out my powerful hand against you. I will give you and everything you have to the nations. I will bring you to an end among the nations. I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
A Prophecy Against Moab
8 The Lord and King says, “Moab and Edom said, ‘Look! Judah has become like all the other nations.’ 9 So I will let Moab’s enemies attack its lower hills. They will begin at the border towns. Those towns include Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon and Kiriathaim. They are the glory of that land. 10 I will hand Moab over to the people of the east. I will also give the Ammonites to them. And the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations. 11 I will punish Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
A Prophecy Against Edom
12 The Lord and King says, “Edom got even with Judah. That made Edom very guilty.” 13 The Lord continues, “I will reach out my hand against Edom. I will kill its people and their animals. I will completely destroy it. They will be killed by swords from Teman all the way to Dedan. 14 I will use my people Israel to pay Edom back. They will punish Edom because my anger against it is great. They will know how I pay back my enemies,” announces the Lord and King.
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
15 The Lord and King says, “Deep down inside them, the Philistines hated Judah. So the Philistines tried to get even with them. They had been Judah’s enemies for many years. So they tried to destroy them.” 16 The Lord continues, “I am about to reach out my hand against the Philistines. I will wipe out the Kerethites. I will destroy those who remain along the coast. 17 You can be sure that I will pay them back. I will punish them because my anger against them is great. When I pay them back, they will know that I am the Lord.”
A Prophecy Against Tyre
26 It was the first day of the 11th month. It was the 12th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, Tyre laughed because of what happened to Jerusalem. The people of Tyre said, ‘Jerusalem is the gateway to the nations. But the gate is broken. Its doors have swung open to us. Jerusalem has been destroyed. So now we will succeed.’ ” 3 The Lord and King says, “But I am against you, Tyre. I will bring many nations against you. They will come in like the waves of the sea. 4 They will destroy your walls. They will pull down your towers. I will clear away the stones of your broken-down buildings. I will turn you into nothing but a bare rock. 5 Out in the Mediterranean Sea your island city will become a place to spread fishnets. I have spoken,” announces the Lord and King. “The nations will take you and everything you have. 6 Your settlements on the coast will be destroyed by war. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
7 The Lord and King says, “From the north I am going to bring Nebuchadnezzar against Tyre. He is the king of Babylon. He is the greatest king of all. He will come with horses and chariots. Horsemen and a great army will be brought along with him. 8 He will go to war against you. He will destroy your settlements on the coast. He will bring in war machines to attack you. A ramp will be built up to your walls. He will raise his shields against you. 9 He will use huge logs to knock down your walls. He will destroy your towers with his weapons. 10 He will have so many horses that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will shake because of the noise of his war horses, wagons and chariots. He will enter your gates, just as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. 11 The hooves of his horses will pound in your streets. His swords will kill your people. Your strong pillars will fall to the ground. 12 His men will take away from you your wealth and anything else you have. They will pull down your walls. They will completely destroy your fine houses. They will throw the stones and lumber of your broken-down buildings into the sea. 13 I will put an end to your noisy songs. No one will hear the music of your harps anymore. 14 I will turn you into nothing but a bare rock. You will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt. I have spoken. I am the Lord,” announces the Lord and King.
15 The Lord and King speaks to Tyre. He says, “The lands along the coast will shake because of the sound of your fall. Wounded people will groan because so many are dying there. 16 Then all the princes along the coast will step down from their thrones. They will put their robes away. They will take off their beautiful clothes. They will sit on the ground. They will put on terror as if it were their clothes. They will tremble with fear all the time. They will be shocked because of what has happened to you. 17 Then they will sing a song of sadness about you. They will say to you,
“ ‘Famous city, you have been completely destroyed!
You were filled with sea traders.
You and your citizens
were a mighty power on the seas.
You terrified everyone
who lived in you.
18 The lands along the coast trembled with fear
when you fell.
The islands in the sea
were terrified when you were destroyed.’ ”
19 The Lord and King says to Tyre, “I will turn you into an empty city. You will be like cities where no one lives anymore. I will cause the ocean to sweep over you. Its mighty waters will cover you. 20 So I will bring you down together with those who go down into the grave. The people there lived long ago. You will have to live in the earth below. It will be like living in buildings that were destroyed many years ago. You will go down into the grave along with others. And you will never come back. You will not take your place in this world again. 21 I will bring you to a horrible end. You will be gone forever. People will look for you. But they will never find you,” announces the Lord and King.
A Song of Sadness About Tyre
27 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, sing a song of sadness about Tyre. 3 It is located at the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea. It does business with nations on many coasts. Say to it, ‘The Lord and King says,
“ ‘ “Tyre, you say,
‘I am perfect and beautiful.’
4 You were like a ship that ruled over the high seas.
Your builders made you perfect and beautiful.
5 They cut all your lumber
from juniper trees on Mount Hermon.
They used a cedar tree from Lebanon
to make a mast for you.
6 They made your oars
out of oak trees from Bashan.
They made your deck out of cypress wood
from the coasts of Cyprus.
They decorated it with ivory.
7 Your sail was made out of beautiful Egyptian linen.
It served as your banner.
Your shades were made out of blue and purple cloth.
They were from the coasts of Elishah.
8 Men from Sidon and Arvad manned your oars.
Tyre, your sailors were skillful.
9 Very skilled workers from Byblos were on board.
They kept you waterproof.
All the ships on the sea and their sailors
came up beside you.
They brought their goods to trade for yours.
10 “ ‘ “Men from Persia, Lydia and Put
served as soldiers in your army, city of Tyre.
They hung their shields and helmets on your walls.
That brought glory to you.
11 Men from Arvad and Helek
guarded your walls on every side.
Men from Gammad
were in your towers.
They hung their shields around your walls.
They made you perfect and beautiful.
12 “ ‘ “Tarshish did business with you because you had so much wealth. They traded silver, iron, tin and lead for your goods.
13 “ ‘ “Greece, Tubal and Meshek did business with you. They traded human beings and bronze objects for your products.
14 “ ‘ “Men from Beth Togarmah traded chariot horses, war horses and mules for your goods.
15 “ ‘ “Men from Rhodes did business with you. Many lands along the coast bought goods from you. They paid you with ivory tusks and ebony wood.
16 “ ‘ “Aram did business with you because you had so many products for sale. They traded turquoise, purple cloth and needlework for your goods. They also traded fine linen, coral and rubies for them.
17 “ ‘ “Judah and Israel did business with you. They traded wheat from Minnith, sweets, honey, olive oil and lotion for your products.
18 “ ‘ “Damascus did business with you. That’s because you had so many products and so much wealth. They traded to you wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar. 19 They also traded to you casks of wine from Izal. You traded to them wrought iron, cassia and calamus.
20 “ ‘ “Dedan traded saddle blankets to you.
21 “ ‘ “Arabia and all the princes of Kedar bought goods from you. They traded you lambs, rams and goats for them.
22 “ ‘ “Traders from Sheba and Raamah did business with you. They traded the finest spices, jewels and gold for your goods.
23 “ ‘ “Harran, Kanneh and Eden did business with you. So did traders from Sheba, Ashur and Kilmad. 24 In your market they traded beautiful clothes, blue cloth, and needlework to you. They also traded colorful rugs that had twisted cords and tight knots.
25 “ ‘ “The ships of Tarshish
carry your products.
You are like a ship filled with a heavy load
as you sail the sea.
26 The sailors who man your oars take you
out to the high seas.
But the east wind will break you in pieces
far out at sea.
27 You will be wrecked on that day.
Your wealth, goods and products
will sink deep into the sea.
So will your sailors, officers, carpenters,
traders and all your soldiers.
Anyone else on board will sink too.
28 The lands along the coast will shake
when your sailors cry out.
29 All those who man the oars
will desert their ships.
The sailors and all the officers
will stand on the shore.
30 They will raise their voices.
They will cry bitterly over you.
They will sprinkle dust on their heads.
They will roll in ashes.
31 They will shave their heads because of you.
And they will put on the clothes of sadness.
They will weep over you.
Their spirits will be greatly troubled.
They will be very sad.
32 As they weep and mourn over you,
they will sing a song of sadness about you.
They will say, ‘Who was ever like Tyre?
It was destroyed in the sea.’
33 Your goods went out on the seas.
You supplied many nations with what they needed.
You had so much wealth and so many products.
You made the kings of the earth rich.
34 Now the sea has torn you apart.
You have sunk deep down into it.
Your products and all your people
have gone down with you.
35 All those who live in the lands along the coast
are shocked because of what has happened to you.
Their kings tremble with fear.
Their faces are twisted in horror.
36 The traders among the nations laugh at you.
You have come to a horrible end.
And you will be gone forever.” ’ ”
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