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Ezekiel 25-32
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ezekiel 25-32
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
III. Prophecies Against Foreign Nations[a]
Chapter 25[b]
Against Ammon. 1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, turn toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them.(A) 3 Say to the Ammonites: Hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: Because you jeered at my sanctuary when it was desecrated, at the land of Israel when it was destroyed, and at the house of Judah when they went into exile, 4 therefore I am giving you to people from the east[c] as a possession. They shall set up their encampments among you and pitch their tents in your midst; they shall eat your produce and drink your milk.(B) 5 And I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels and all of Ammon into a grazing place for flocks. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.
6 For thus says the Lord God: Because you rejoiced over the land of Israel with scorn in your heart, clapping your hands and stamping your feet, 7 therefore, see, I am stretching out my hand against you and giving you up as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and wipe you out of the lands. I will destroy you, and you shall know that I am the Lord.(C)
Against Moab. 8 (D)Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab said, “See! the house of Judah is like all the other nations,” 9 therefore, I am exposing the whole flank of Moab[d] with its cities, the jewels of its land: Beth-jesimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim. 10 I will hand it over, along with the Ammonites, to the people from the east that it may not be remembered among the nations. 11 I will execute judgment upon Moab that they may know that I am the Lord.(E)
Against Edom. 12 (F)Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom took vengeance on the house of Judah and incurred terrible guilt by taking vengeance on them, 13 therefore thus says the Lord God: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it human being and beast alike. I will turn it into ruins from Teman to Dedan; they shall fall by the sword.(G) 14 I will put my vengeance against Edom into the hands of my people Israel; they will deal with Edom in accord with my furious anger. Thus they shall know my vengeance!—oracle of the Lord God.(H)
Against the Philistines. 15 Thus says the Lord God: Because the Philistines acted vengefully and exacted vengeance with intentional malice, destroying with undying hostility,(I) 16 therefore thus says the Lord God: See! I am stretching out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites[e] and wipe out the remnant on the seacoast. 17 Thus I will execute great acts of vengeance on them, punishing them furiously. Then they shall know that I am the Lord, when I wreak my vengeance on them.
Chapter 26
Against the City of Tyre. 1 [f]On the first day of the eleventh month of the eleventh year, the word of the Lord came to me:
2 [g]Son of man, because Tyre said of Jerusalem:
“Aha! The gateway of the peoples is smashed!
It has been turned over to me;
I will be enriched by its ruin!”(J)
3 therefore thus says the Lord God:
See! I am coming against you, Tyre;
I will churn up against you many nations,
just as the sea churns up its waves.
4 They will destroy the walls of Tyre
and tear down its towers;
I will scrape off its debris
and leave it a bare rock.[h]
5 It will become a place for drying nets
in the midst of the sea.
For I have spoken—oracle of the Lord God:
she will become plunder for the nations.
6 Her daughter cities[i] on the mainland
will be slaughtered by the sword;
then they shall know that I am the Lord.
7 Indeed thus says the Lord God:
I am bringing up against Tyre
from the north, Nebuchadnezzar,
King of Babylon, king of kings,
with horses and chariots, with cavalry,
and a mighty horde of troops.(K)
8 Your daughter cities on the mainland
he shall slay with the sword.
He shall build a siege wall around you,
throw up a ramp against you,
and raise his shields about you.
9 He shall pound your walls with battering-rams
and break down your towers with his axes.
10 From the surging of his horses
he will cover you with dust;
from the noise of warhorses,
wheels and chariots.
Your walls will shake
when he enters your gates,
even as one enters a city that is breached.
11 With the hooves of his horses
he will trample all your streets;
Your people he will slay by the sword;
your mighty pillars will collapse.(L)
12 They shall plunder your wealth
and pillage your goods;
They will tear down your walls
and demolish your splendid houses.
Your stones, timbers, and debris
they will cast into the sea.
13 I will bring an end to the noise of your songs;
the music of your lyres will be heard no more.
14 I will turn you into bare rock,
you will become a place for drying nets.
You shall never be rebuilt,
for I the Lord have spoken—
oracle of the Lord God.
15 Thus says the Lord God to Tyre:
At the sound of your downfall,
at the groaning of the wounded,
When victims are slain within you,
will the islands not quake?
16 All the princes of the sea[j]
will step down from their thrones,
Lay aside their robes,
and strip off their embroidered garments.
Clothed in mourning,
they will sit on the ground
And tremble, horror-struck
and appalled at you.(M)
17 They will raise lament[k] over you
and say to you:
How you have perished,
gone from the seas,
Renowned City!
Once she was mighty on the sea,
she and her inhabitants,
Those who spread their terror
to all who dwelt nearby.(N)
18 On this, the day of your fall,
the islands quake!
The islands in the sea
are terrified at your passing.
19 Indeed thus says the Lord God:
When I make you a ruined city
like cities no longer inhabited,
When I churn up the deep
and its mighty waters cover you,
20 Then I will thrust you down
with those who go down to the pit,[l]
to those of the bygone age;
I will make you dwell in the netherworld,
in the everlasting ruins,
with those who have gone down to the pit,
So you will never return
or have a place in the land of the living.(O)
21 I will make you a horror,
and you shall be no more;
You shall be sought for,
but never found again—
oracle of the Lord God.
Chapter 27
The Ship Tyre. 1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 You, son of man, raise a lament over Tyre, 3 and say to Tyre, who sits at the entrance to the sea, trader to peoples on many coastlands, Thus says the Lord God:
Tyre, you said, “I am a ship,
perfect in beauty”;(P)
4 In the heart of the sea was your territory;
your builders perfected your beauty.(Q)
5 With juniper wood from Senir[m]
they built all your decks;
A cedar from Lebanon they took
to make you a mast.
6 With oaks of Bashan[n]
they fashioned your oars,
Your bridge, of ivory-inlaid cypress wood
from the coasts of Kittim.
7 Fine embroidered linen from Egypt
became your sail;
Your awnings were made of purple and scarlet
from the coasts of Elishah.[o](R)
8 Inhabitants of Sidon[p] and Arvad
were your oarsmen;
Your own sages, Tyre, were on board,
serving as your sailors.(S)
9 The elders and sages of Gebal
were with you to caulk your seams.
Every ship and sailor on the sea
came to you to carry on trade.(T)
10 Persia and Lud and Put
were warriors in your army;
Shield and helmet they hung on you
to enhance your splendor.
11 The men of Arvad and Helech[q]
were on your walls all around
And Gamadites on your towers;
they hung their shields around your walls,
they made your beauty perfect.
12 Tarshish traded with you,
so great was your wealth,
Exchanging for your wares
silver, iron, tin, and lead.
13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech
also traded with you,
Exchanging slaves and bronze vessels
for your merchandise.(U)
14 Horses, steeds, and mules from Beth-togarmah
were exchanged for your wares.
15 Men of Rhodes trafficked with you;
many coastlands were your agents;
Ivory tusks and ebony wood
they brought back as your payment.
16 Edom traded with you for your many wares:
garnets, purple dye, embroidered cloth,
Fine linen, coral, and rubies
they gave you as merchandise.
17 Judah and the land of Israel
trafficked with you:
Minnith wheat, grain,[r] honey, oil, and balm(V)
they gave you as merchandise.
18 Damascus traded with you for your many wares,
so great was your wealth,
exchanging Helbon wine and Zahar wool.
19 Javan exchanged wrought iron, cassia, and aromatic cane
from Uzal for your wares.
20 Dedan traded with you for riding gear.(W)
21 Arabia and the sheikhs of Kedar were your agents,
dealing in lambs, rams, and goats.(X)
22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah also traded with you,
exchanging for your wares the very best spices,
all kinds of precious stones, and gold.
23 Haran, Canneh, and Eden,
the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad,
24 Traded with you, marketing rich garments,
purple cloth, embroidered fabric,
varicolored carpets, and braided cords.
25 The ships of Tarshish sailed for you with your goods;
You were full and heavily laden
in the heart of the sea.
26 Out into deep waters
your oarsmen brought you;
The east wind shattered you
in the heart of the sea.(Y)
27 Your wealth, your goods, your wares,
your sailors, your crew,
The caulkers of your seams,
those who traded for your goods,
All the warriors with you,
the whole crowd with you
Sank into the heart of the sea
on the day of your downfall.(Z)
28 At the sound of your sailors’ shouts
the waves shudder,(AA)
29 Down from their ships
come all who ply the oars;
Sailors, all the seafaring crew,
stand on the shore.
30 They raise their voices over you
and shout their bitter cries;
They pour dust on their heads
and cover themselves with ashes.
31 For you they shave their heads bald
and put on sackcloth;
For you they weep bitterly,
in anguished lament.(AB)
32 They raise a lament for you;
they wail over you:
“Who was ever destroyed like Tyre
in the midst of the sea?”(AC)
33 By exporting your goods by sea
you satisfied many peoples,
With your great wealth and merchandise
you enriched the kings of the earth.(AD)
34 Now you are wrecked in the sea,
in the watery depths;
Your wares and all your crew
have fallen down with you.
35 All who dwell on the coastlands
are aghast over you;
Their kings are terrified,
their faces distorted.
36 The traders among the peoples
now hiss at you;
You have become a horror,
you shall be no more.
Chapter 28
The Prince of Tyre. 1 [s]The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus says the Lord God:
Because you are haughty of heart,
you say, “I am a god!
I sit on a god’s throne
in the heart of the sea!”
But you are a man, not a god;
yet you pretend
you are a god at heart!
3 Oh yes, you are wiser than Daniel,[t]
nothing secret is too obscure for you!(AE)
4 By your wisdom and intelligence
you made yourself rich,
filling your treasuries with gold and silver.
5 Through your great wisdom in trading
you heaped up riches for yourself—
your heart is haughty because of your riches.
6 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Because you pretend you are a god at heart,
7 Therefore, I will bring against you
strangers, the most bloodthirsty of nations.
They shall draw their swords
against your splendid wisdom,
and violate your radiance.(AF)
8 They shall thrust you down into the pit:
you shall die a violent death
in the heart of the sea.
9 Then, face to face with your killers,
will you still say, “I am a god”?
No, you are a man, not a god,
handed over to those who slay you.
10 You shall die the death of the uncircumcised
handed over to strangers,
for I have spoken—oracle of the Lord God.(AG)
11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 Son of man, raise a lament over the king of Tyre, and say to him: Thus says the Lord God:
[u] You were a seal of perfection,
full of wisdom, perfect in beauty.(AH)
13 In Eden, the garden of God, you lived;
precious stones of every kind were your covering:
Carnelian, topaz, and beryl,
chrysolite, onyx, and jasper,
sapphire, garnet, and emerald.
Their mounts and settings
were wrought in gold,
fashioned for you the day you were created.(AI)
14 With a cherub I placed you;
I put you on the holy mountain of God,[v]
where you walked among fiery stones.
15 Blameless were you in your ways
from the day you were created,
Until evil was found in you.
16 Your commerce was full of lawlessness, and you sinned.
Therefore I banished you from the mountain of God;
the cherub drove you out
from among the fiery stones.(AJ)
17 Your heart had grown haughty
because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
I cast you to the ground,
I made you a spectacle
in the sight of kings.(AK)
18 Because of the enormity of your guilt,
and the perversity of your trade,
you defiled your sanctuary.
I brought fire out of you;
it devoured you;
I made you ashes on the ground
in the eyes of all who see you.(AL)
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled on account of you;
You have become a horror,
never to be again.(AM)
Against Sidon. 20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 Son of man, turn your face toward Sidon and prophesy against it. 22 Thus says the Lord God:
Watch out! I am against you, Sidon;
I will win glory for myself in your midst.
They shall know that I am the Lord,
when I deliver judgment upon it
and manifest my holiness in it.
23 I will send disease into it;
blood will fill its streets,
Within it shall fall
those slain by the sword
raised against it on every side.
Then they shall know that I am the Lord.
24 No longer will there be a thorn that tears
or a brier that scratches for the house of Israel
From the surrounding neighbors
who despise them;
thus they shall know that I am the Lord.(AN)
25 Thus says the Lord God: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and I manifest my holiness through them in the sight of the nations, then they shall live on the land I gave my servant Jacob.(AO) 26 They shall dwell on it securely, building houses and planting vineyards. They shall dwell securely while I execute judgment on all their neighbors who treated them with contempt; then they shall know that I, the Lord, am their God.(AP)
Chapter 29
Egypt the Crocodile. 1 In the tenth year, on the twelfth day of the tenth month,[w] the word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, turn your face toward Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.[x](AQ) 3 Say to him: Thus says the Lord God:
Pay attention! I am against you,
Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
Great dragon[y] crouching
in the midst of the Nile,
Who says, “The Nile belongs to me;
I made it myself!”(AR)
4 [z]I will put hooks in your jaws
and make all the fish of your Nile
Cling to your scales;
I will drag you up from your Nile,
With all the fish of your Nile
clinging to your scales.(AS)
5 I will hurl you into the wilderness,
you and all the fish of your Nile.
You will fall into an open field,
you will not be picked up or gathered together.
To the beasts of the earth
and the birds of the sky
I give you as food.(AT)
6 (AU)Then all the inhabitants of Egypt
will know that I am the Lord.
Because you were a staff of reeds[aa]
for the house of Israel:
7 When they took hold of you, you would splinter,
throwing shoulders out of joint.
When they leaned on you, you would break,
pitching them down headlong.
8 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Look! I am bringing the sword against you
to cut off from you people and animals.
9 The land of Egypt shall become a desolate waste;
then they shall know that I am the Lord.
Because you said, “The Nile belongs to me;
I made it!”
10 Beware! I am against you
and against your Nile.
I will turn the land of Egypt into ruins,
into a dry, desolate waste,
From Migdol to Syene,[ab]
up to the border of Ethiopia.(AV)
11 No foot shall pass through it,
no human being or beast cross it;
it will remain uninhabited for forty years.
12 I will make the land of Egypt the most desolate
among desolate lands;
Its cities, the most deserted
among deserted cities for forty years;
I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations
and disperse them throughout other lands.(AW)
13 But thus says the Lord God:
At the end of forty years
I will gather the Egyptians
from among the peoples
where they are scattered;
14 I will restore Egypt’s fortunes,
bringing them back to the land of Pathros,[ac]
the land of their origin.
But there it will be a lowly kingdom,
15 lower than any other kingdom,
no longer able to set itself above the nations.
I will make them few in number,
so they cannot rule other nations.
16 No longer shall they be security
for the house of Israel,
But a reminder of its iniquity
in turning away to follow them.
Then they shall know that I am the Lord God.(AX)
Wages for Nebuchadnezzar. 17 In the twenty-seventh year on the first day of the first month,[ad] the word of the Lord came to me: 18 Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, has made his army wage a hard campaign against Tyre;[ae] their heads grew bald, their shoulders rubbed raw, yet neither he nor his army received compensation from Tyre for all the effort they expended against it.(AY) 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God:(AZ) See! I am giving to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the land of Egypt! He will carry off its wealth, plundering and pillaging whatever he can find to provide pay for his army. 20 As payment for his toil I give him the land of Egypt—oracle of the Lord God.
21 On that day I will make a horn[af] sprout for the house of Israel, and I will let you again open your mouth in their midst; then they shall know that I am the Lord.(BA)
Chapter 30
The Day of the Lord Against Egypt. 1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord God:
Wail: “Alas the day!”
3 Yes, a day approaches,
a day of the Lord approaches:
A day of dark cloud,
a time appointed for the nations.(BB)
4 A sword will come against Egypt,
there will be anguish in Ethiopia,
When the slain fall in Egypt
when its hordes are seized,
its foundations razed.(BC)
5 Ethiopia, Put, and Lud,
all the mixed rabble[ag] and Kub,
and the people of allied lands
shall fall by the sword with them.
6 Thus says the Lord:
The pillars of Egypt shall fall,
and its proud strength sink;
From Migdol to Syene,
its people will fall by the sword—
oracle of the Lord God.(BD)
7 It shall be the most desolate
among desolate lands,
Its cities the most ruined
among ruined cities.
8 They shall know that I am the Lord,
when I set fire to Egypt,
and all its allies are shattered.(BE)
9 On that day, messengers from me
will go forth in ships
to terrorize confident Ethiopia.
Anguish will be among them
on Egypt’s day—it is certainly coming![ah]
10 Thus says the Lord God:
I will put an end to Egypt’s hordes
by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon:
11 He and his army with him,
the most ruthless of nations,
will be brought in to devastate the land.
They will draw their swords against Egypt
and fill the land with the slain.
12 Then I will dry up the streams of the Nile,
and sell the land into evil hands;
By the hand of foreigners I will devastate
the land and everything in it.
I, the Lord, have spoken.(BF)
13 [ai]Thus says the Lord God:
I will destroy idols,
and put an end to images in Memphis.
There will never again be a prince
over the land of Egypt.
Instead, I will spread fear
throughout the land of Egypt.(BG)
14 I will devastate Pathros,
set fire to Zoan,
and execute judgment against Thebes.(BH)
15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
the fortress of Egypt,
and cut off the troops of Thebes.
16 I will set fire to Egypt;
Pelusium will writhe in anguish,
Thebes will be breached,
and Memphis besieged in daylight.
17 The warriors of On and Pi-beseth
will fall by the sword,
the cities taken captive.
18 In Tahpanhes, the day will turn dark
when I break the scepter of Egypt there
and put an end to its proud strength.
Dark clouds will cover it,
and its women will go into captivity.(BI)
19 I will execute judgment against Egypt
that they may know that I am the Lord.
Pharaoh’s Broken Arm. 20 On the seventh day of the first month in the eleventh year,[aj] the word of the Lord came to me: 21 [ak]Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. See! It has not been immobilized for healing, nor set with a splint to make it strong enough to grasp a sword.(BJ) 22 Therefore thus says the Lord God: See! I am coming against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the strong one and the broken one, making the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout other lands. 24 I will, however, strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand so he can bring it against Egypt for plunder and pillage.(BK) 25 When I strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh collapse, they shall know that I am the Lord, because I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon to wield against the land of Egypt. 26 When I scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout other lands, they shall know that I am the Lord.
Chapter 31
Allegory of the Cedar. 1 On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year,[al] the word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, say to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and to his hordes: In your greatness, whom do you resemble?
3 Assyria! It is Assyria![am]
A cedar of Lebanon—
Beautiful branches,
thick shade,
Towering heights,
its crown in the clouds!(BL)
4 The waters made it grow,
the deep made it tall,
Letting its currents flow
around the place it was planted,
Then sending its channels
to all the other trees of the field.(BM)
5 Thereupon it towered in height
above all the trees in the field;
Its branches were numerous
and its boughs long,
Because of the many waters
sent to its shoots.
6 In its branches nested
all the birds of the sky;
Under its boughs all the wild animals
gave birth,
And in its shade[an] dwelt
all the mighty nations.(BN)
7 It was magnificent in size
and in the length of its branches,
For its roots reached down
to the many waters.
8 In the garden of God,
no cedars could rival it,
No juniper could equal its branches,
no plane tree match its boughs.
No tree in the garden of God
could match its beauty.(BO)
9 I made it beautiful
with abundant foliage,
So that all the trees in Eden
were envious of it.[ao]
10 Therefore, thus says the Lord God:
Because it was arrogant about its height,
lifting its crown among the clouds
and exalting itself because of its size,(BP)
11 I handed it over to a ruler of nations
to deal with it according to its evil.
I have cast it off,
12 and foreigners have cut it down,
The most ruthless nations,
have hurled it on the mountains.
Its boughs fell into every valley
and its branches lay broken
in every ravine in the land.
All the peoples of the earth
departed from its shade
when it was hurled down.(BQ)
13 On its fallen trunk
sit all the birds of the sky;
Beside its fallen branches,
are found all the beasts of the field.
14 This has happened so no well-watered tree
will gain such lofty height,
or lift its crown to the clouds.
Not one of those fed by water
will tower in height over the rest.
For all of them are destined for death,
for the underworld, among mere mortals,
with those who go down to the pit.
15 Thus says the Lord God:
On the day it went down to Sheol,
I made the deep close up
in mourning for it.
I restrained the currents of the deep,
and held back the many waters.
I darkened Lebanon because of it,
and all the trees of the field
languished because of it.
16 At the sound of its fall,
I made nations shudder,
When I cast it down to Sheol
with those who go down to the pit.
In the underworld
all the trees of Eden took comfort:
Lebanon’s choicest and best,
all that were fed by the waters.(BR)
17 They too will go down to Sheol,
to those slain by the sword,
Its allies[ap] who dwelt
in its shade among the nations.
18 To whom among the trees of Eden
do you compare in glory and greatness?
You will be brought down
with the trees of Eden to the underworld,
And lie among the uncircumcised,
with those slain by the sword.
Such is Pharaoh and all his hordes—
oracle of the Lord God.
Chapter 32
Lament over Pharaoh. 1 On the first day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year,[aq] the word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, utter a lament over Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and say to him:
You liken yourself to a lion among nations,
but you are like the monster in the sea!
Thrashing about in your streams,
churning the water with your feet,
polluting the streams.(BS)
3 Thus says the Lord God:
I will cast my net over you
by assembling many armies,
and I will hoist you up in my mesh.
4 I will hurl you onto the land,
cast you into an open field.
I will make all the birds of the sky
roost upon you,
The beasts of the whole earth
gorge themselves on you.
5 I will strew your flesh on the mountains,
and fill the valleys with your corpse.(BT)
6 I will drench the land,
pouring out your blood on the mountain;
filling up the ravines with you.
7 When I extinguish you,
I will cover the heavens
and darken all its stars.
The sun I will cover with clouds;
the moon will not give light.(BU)
8 All the shining lights in the heavens
I will darken over you;
I will spread darkness over your land—
oracle of the Lord God.
9 I will trouble the hearts
of many peoples,
When I bring you captive
among the nations,
to lands you do not know.
10 I will fill many nations with horror;
their kings will shudder at you,
when I brandish my sword in their faces.
They will tremble violently
fearing for their lives on the day of your fall.(BV)
11 For thus says the Lord God:
The sword of the king of Babylon
will come against you.
12 I will cut down your hordes
with the swords of warriors,
all of them, ruthless nations;
They will lay waste the glory of Egypt,
and all its hordes will be destroyed.(BW)
13 I will wipe out all the livestock
from the banks of its many waters;
No human foot will disturb them again,
no animal hoof stir them up.
14 Then I will make their waters clear
and their streams flow like oil—
oracle of the Lord God.
15 When I make Egypt a wasteland
and the land destitute of everything,
When I strike down all its inhabitants
they shall know that I am the Lord.
16 This is the lamentation
women of all nations will chant;
They will raise it over Egypt;
over all its hordes they will chant it—
oracle of the Lord God.
Another Lament over Egypt. 17 [ar]On the fifteenth day of that month in the twelfth year, the word of the Lord came to me:
18 Son of man, wail over the hordes of Egypt—
you and the women of mighty nations—
Send them down to the underworld,
with those who go down into the pit.
19 Whom do you excel in beauty? Go down!
Be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!
20 Among those slain by the sword they will fall,
for the sword has been appointed!
Seize Egypt and all its hordes.(BX)
21 Out of Sheol the mighty warriors
will speak to him and his allies:
Let them descend and lie down among the uncircumcised,
those slain by the sword!(BY)
22 There is Assyria and all its company,
around it are its graves,
all of them slain, fallen by the sword.
23 The graves are set
in the recesses of the pit;
Its company is assembled
around its grave,
All of them slain, fallen by the sword,
those who spread terror in the land of the living.(BZ)
24 There is Elam and all its horde
around its grave,
All of them slain, fallen by the sword;
they descended uncircumcised
into the underworld,
Those who spread their terror
in the land of the living.
They bear their disgrace
with those who go down into the pit.
25 Among the slain is set its bed,
with all its horde around its grave;
All of them uncircumcised,
slain by the sword
Because of the terror they spread
in the land of the living.
They bear their disgrace
with those who go down into the pit.
Among the slain it is set!
26 There is Meshech and Tubal[as] and all the hordes
surrounding it with their graves.
All of them uncircumcised,
slain by the sword
Because they spread their terror
in the land of the living.(CA)
27 They do not rest with the warriors
who fell in ancient times,
who went down to Sheol fully armed.
Their swords were placed under their heads
and their shields laid over their bones;
For there was terror of these warriors
in the land of the living.
28 But as for you, among the uncircumcised
you will be broken and laid to rest
with those slain by the sword.
29 There is Edom, all its kings and princes,
who, despite their might,
are put with those slain by the sword.
They lie among the uncircumcised,
with those who go down into the pit.(CB)
30 There are the generals of the north
and all the Sidonians
Who have gone down with the slain,
because of the terror their might inspired.
They lie uncircumcised
with those slain by the sword,
And bear their shame with those
who have gone down into the pit.(CC)
31 When Pharaoh sees them,
he will be consoled on behalf of all his hordes,
slain by the sword—
Pharaoh and all his army—
oracle of the Lord God.
32 I spread terror of him
in the land of the living;
Now he is laid among the uncircumcised,
with those slain by the sword—
Pharaoh and all his horde—
oracle of the Lord God.
Footnotes
- 25:1–32:32 These chapters form a body of oracles directed against foreign nations. They follow the prophet’s condemnation of Judah and oracles announcing its destruction. The unit precedes the announcement of Judah’s salvation in chaps. 33–48.
- 25:1–17 Ezekiel condemns four nations for their reactions to Judah’s destruction and exile: Ammon to the east (vv. 2–7); Moab to the southeast (vv. 8–11); Edom to the south (vv. 12–14); Philistia to the west (vv. 15–17). Their hostility was not unprovoked; at one time or another, each one either lost territory to Israel or had been under Israelite control.
- 25:4 People from the east: nomadic tribes from the desert east of Ammon and Moab (cf. Is 11:14; Jer 49:28), often a threat to outlying towns and villages.
- 25:9 The whole flank of Moab: the eastern edge of the Moabite plateau, perhaps lightly fortified because the vast desert to the east provided a natural barrier to invasion.
- 25:16 Cherethites: people from the island of Crete in the Aegean, the Philistines’ point of origin. In Zep 2:5, the terms “Philistines,” “Cherethites,” and “seacoast people” describe the same group of people.
- 26:1 The Hebrew text does not give a number with the month. This translation assumes a scribal error, the omission of the second occurrence of the number eleven.
- 26:2 Tyre is pictured rejoicing over Jerusalem’s fall to Babylon because now the wealth from caravans and other trade will go to Tyrian merchants.
- 26:4–5 A bare rock: the Tyre of Ezekiel’s time was situated on a rocky island just off the Phoenician coast. During the time of Alexander the Great a causeway was built to connect it to the mainland.
- 26:6 Daughter cities: tributary towns and villages on the mainland.
- 26:16 The princes of the sea: the rulers of the islands and coastal cities leagued commercially with Tyre.
- 26:17 Lament: the princes sing a funeral dirge at the burial of the personified Tyre; cf. the similar lamentation over Egypt in 32:3–8.
- 26:20 Those who go down to the pit: the dead, pictured as dwelling in Sheol, a place or cave of darkness. Cf. 32:17–32; Is 14:4–21 for other examples.
- 27:5 Senir: another name for Mount Hermon; cf. Dt 3:9.
- 27:6 Bashan: an area in northern Transjordan, noted for its lush growth and great forests (cf. Is 2:13). Kittim: here, probably Cyprus.
- 27:7 Elishah: perhaps another term for Cyprus.
- 27:8–9 Sidon…Gebal: Phoenician cities in Tyre’s orbit of influence; Gebal is classical Byblos.
- 27:11 Helech: perhaps in Asia Minor; otherwise unknown.
- 27:17 Grain: most commentators have read “figs,” but Hebrew panag more properly describes milled grains or prepared meal.
- 28:1–10 Ezekiel mocks the arrogance of Tyre’s leader, who mistakes the city’s commercial success for evidence of his divinity. At the hands of a foreign army, commissioned by the only God worthy of the name, this leader dies a humiliating, unceremonious death.
- 28:3 Wiser than Daniel: see note on 14:14.
- 28:12–19 Ezekiel describes the leader of Tyre in language that recalls the imagery of Gn 2–3.
- 28:14 The holy mountain of God: the residence of gods in Israelite and non-Israelite myth; cf. Is 14:13. Fiery stones: associated with the divine presence; cf. Ez 1:13; Ps 18:13.
- 29:1 The date is calculated to be January 7, 587 B.C. The siege of Jerusalem had begun a year earlier; cf. 24:1.
- 29:2 Egypt was allied with Judah against the Babylonians.
- 29:3 Dragon: Hebrew reads tannim, usually translated “jackals,” here a byform of tannin, the mythical dragon, or sea monster, representing chaos (cf. Is 27:1; 51:9; Jer 51:34; Ps 91:13; Jb 7:12), and the crocodile native to the Nile. Nile: the many rivulets of the Nile that branch out into the Delta.
- 29:4–5 Ezekiel’s repetition of detail creates a vivid picture of Egypt’s destruction: God hauls the crocodile (Pharaoh) and the fish clinging to it for protection (the Egyptian populace) out of the Nile and lands them in an open field, where their corpses are torn apart by wildlife rather than being properly buried (cf. Dt 28:26; 2 Kgs 9:36–37; Jer 34:20; Ez 39:17–20).
- 29:6 Staff of reeds: Pharaoh is like a reed that looks sturdy but breaks under pressure. For a similar image, cf. 2 Kgs 18:21 (Is 36:6).
- 29:10 From Migdol to Syene: from the northeastern to the southern limits of Egypt. Syene is the modern Aswan, at the first cataract of the Nile; Ethiopia (Heb. kush) is the territory south of Aswan.
- 29:14 Pathros: an Egyptian word for upper, i.e., southern, Egypt, above Memphis/Thebes. As silt filled the Delta region and richer land became available there, the population spread north, creating the tradition of a migration from the south (Is 11:11; Jer 44:1, 15).
- 29:17 In the twenty-seventh year on the first day of the first month: April 26, 571 B.C. This is the latest date attached to any of Ezekiel’s prophecies.
- 29:18–19 Nebuchadnezzar’s thirteen-year siege (587–574 B.C.) ended with Tyre’s surrender on the condition that the Babylonian army would not loot and pillage (pace 26:3–14). According to Ezekiel, Nebuchadnezzar and his army should collect their wages for serving as God’s instrument in Tyre’s punishment, by plundering and controlling Egypt.
- 29:21 A horn: God will give Israel renewed strength. For horn as a symbol of strength, cf. Dt 33:17; Ps 92:11; 132:17. Ezekiel suggests that the Babylonian conquest of Egypt precedes Israel’s restoration, an event he expects to witness and acknowledge when God removes his muteness.
- 30:5 Mixed rabble: mercenaries.
- 30:9 God spreads panic throughout Ethiopia, ancient Cush, by sending messengers with news of Egypt’s fall. Rivers at its borders insulated Ethiopia and made it inaccessible except by boat.
- 30:13–19 The prophet enumerates a list of major Egyptian cities that shall each bear the judgment proclaimed in the previous oracle, vv. 1–12.
- 30:20 The seventh day of the first month in the eleventh year: April 29, 587 B.C.
- 30:21–26 This oracle was delivered more than a year into the siege of Jerusalem (24:1). When Pharaoh Hophra came to help Jerusalem, the Babylonians temporarily lifted the siege; cf. Jer 34:21; 37:6–7. In Ezekiel’s eyes, Hophra was interfering with the punishment God intended the Babylonians to inflict on Judah. The Babylonians routed the Egyptians, who could not offer Jerusalem any more help; cf. chap. 31.
- 31:1 The first day of the third month in the eleventh year: June 21, 587 B.C.
- 31:3 Assyria: this translates te’ashshur, which some interpret as “cypress tree.” The oracle, however, compares the fate of Pharaoh to the terrible demise of Assyria because of its arrogant pride (cf. Na 1–3). Ezekiel may have drawn on an ancient myth of a cosmic tree of life to emphasize the greatness of Egypt’s fall.
- 31:6 Shade: a metaphor for protection (cf. Lam 4:20).
- 31:9 Here Israel’s God is responsible for Assyria’s splendor, whereas in Is 10:13 Assyria claims to have created its own might.
- 31:17 Allies: lit., “arm.”
- 32:1 The first day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year: March 3, 585 B.C.
- 32:17–32 The description of Pharaoh in Sheol shifts rapidly between the single individual and the collective body, between corpses speaking and corpses lying inert, between singular (his, hers, its) and plural (them, theirs) pronouns to emphasize that all the enemies of Israel come to the same end.
- 32:26 Meshech and Tubal: see note on 38:2.
Ezekiel 25-32
New International Version
Ezekiel 25-32
New International Version
A Prophecy Against Ammon
25 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against(A) the Ammonites(B) and prophesy against them.(C) 3 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!(D)” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated(E) and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,(F) 4 therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East(G) as a possession. They will set up their camps(H) and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.(I) 5 I will turn Rabbah(J) into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep.(K) Then you will know that I am the Lord. 6 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands(L) and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,(M) 7 therefore I will stretch out my hand(N) against you and give you as plunder(O) to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy(P) you, and you will know that I am the Lord.(Q)’”
A Prophecy Against Moab
8 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab(R) and Seir(S) 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(T), Baal Meon(U) and Kiriathaim(V)—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(W) among the nations; 11 and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”(X)
A Prophecy Against Edom
12 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom(Y) 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(Z) against Edom and kill both man and beast.(AA) I will lay it waste, and from Teman(AB) to Dedan(AC) they will fall by the sword.(AD) 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(AE) and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”(AF)
A Prophecy Against Philistia
15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines(AG) acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice(AH) 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,(AI) and I will wipe out the Kerethites(AJ) and destroy those remaining along the coast.(AK) 17 I will carry out great vengeance(AL) on them and punish(AM) them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord,(AN) when I take vengeance on them.(AO)’”
A Prophecy Against Tyre
26 In the eleventh month of the twelfth[a] year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(AP) 2 “Son of man, because Tyre(AQ) has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha!(AR) 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(AS) casting up its waves. 4 They will destroy(AT) the walls of Tyre(AU) and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. 5 Out in the sea(AV) she will become a place to spread fishnets,(AW) for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder(AX) for the nations,(AY) 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[b](AZ) king of Babylon, king of kings,(BA) with horses and chariots,(BB) with horsemen and a great army. 8 He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works(BC) against you, build a ramp(BD) 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.(BE) 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(BF) when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. 11 The hooves(BG) of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars(BH) will fall to the ground.(BI) 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.(BJ) 13 I will put an end(BK) to your noisy songs,(BL) and the music of your harps(BM) will be heard no more.(BN) 14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt,(BO) for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlands(BP) tremble(BQ) at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan(BR) 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(BS) garments. Clothed(BT) with terror, they will sit on the ground,(BU) trembling(BV) every moment, appalled(BW) at you. 17 Then they will take up a lament(BX) 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.(BY)
18 Now the coastlands tremble(BZ)
on the day of your fall;
the islands in the sea
are terrified at your collapse.’(CA)
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(CB) over you and its vast waters cover you,(CC) 20 then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit,(CD) 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[c] in the land of the living.(CE) 21 I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more.(CF) You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”(CG)
A Lament Over Tyre
27 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, take up a lament(CH) concerning Tyre. 3 Say to Tyre,(CI) situated at the gateway to the sea,(CJ) merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You say, Tyre,
“I am perfect in beauty.(CK)”
4 Your domain was on the high seas;
your builders brought your beauty to perfection.(CL)
5 They made all your timbers
of juniper from Senir[d];(CM)
they took a cedar from Lebanon(CN)
to make a mast for you.
6 Of oaks(CO) from Bashan
they made your oars;
of cypress wood[e] from the coasts of Cyprus(CP)
they made your deck, adorned with ivory.
7 Fine embroidered linen(CQ) from Egypt was your sail
and served as your banner;
your awnings were of blue and purple(CR)
from the coasts of Elishah.(CS)
8 Men of Sidon and Arvad(CT) were your oarsmen;
your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.(CU)
9 Veteran craftsmen of Byblos(CV) were on board
as shipwrights to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea(CW) and their sailors
came alongside to trade for your wares.
10 “‘Men of Persia,(CX) Lydia(CY) and Put(CZ)
served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields(DA) 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.(DB)
12 “‘Tarshish(DC) did business with you because of your great wealth of goods;(DD) they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.
13 “‘Greece,(DE) Tubal and Meshek(DF) did business with you; they traded human beings(DG) and articles of bronze for your wares.
14 “‘Men of Beth Togarmah(DH) exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.
15 “‘The men of Rhodes[f](DI) traded with you, and many coastlands(DJ) were your customers; they paid you with ivory(DK) tusks and ebony.
16 “‘Aram[g](DL) did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise,(DM) purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,(DN) coral(DO) and rubies for your merchandise.
17 “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat(DP) from Minnith(DQ) and confections,[h] honey, olive oil and balm(DR) for your wares.(DS)
18 “‘Damascus(DT) did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods.(DU) They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar 19 and casks of wine from Izal(DV) in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia(DW) and calamus.
20 “‘Dedan(DX) traded in saddle blankets with you.
21 “‘Arabia(DY) and all the princes of Kedar(DZ) were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.
22 “‘The merchants of Sheba(EA) and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices(EB) and precious stones, and gold.(EC)
23 “‘Harran,(ED) Kanneh and Eden(EE) and merchants of Sheba, Ashur(EF) 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(EG) serve
as carriers for your wares.
You are filled with heavy cargo
as you sail the sea.(EH)
26 Your oarsmen take you
out to the high seas.
But the east wind(EI) will break you to pieces
far out at sea.
27 Your wealth,(EJ) 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(EK)
on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The shorelands will quake(EL)
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(EM) on their heads
and roll(EN) in ashes.(EO)
31 They will shave their heads(EP) because of you
and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep(EQ) over you with anguish of soul
and with bitter mourning.(ER)
32 As they wail and mourn over you,
they will take up a lament(ES) concerning you:
“Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
surrounded by the sea?(ET)”
33 When your merchandise went out on the seas,(EU)
you satisfied many nations;
with your great wealth(EV) 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.(EW)
35 All who live in the coastlands(EX)
are appalled(EY) at you;
their kings shudder with horror
and their faces are distorted with fear.(EZ)
36 The merchants among the nations scoff at you;(FA)
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(FB)’”
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man(FC), 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(FD) of a god
in the heart of the seas.”(FE)
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
though you think you are as wise as a god.(FF)
3 Are you wiser than Daniel[i]?(FG)
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.(FH)
5 By your great skill in trading(FI)
you have increased your wealth,(FJ)
and because of your wealth
your heart has grown proud.(FK)
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;(FL)
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom(FM)
and pierce your shining splendor.(FN)
8 They will bring you down to the pit,(FO)
and you will die a violent death(FP)
in the heart of the seas.(FQ)
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,(FR)
in the hands of those who slay you.(FS)
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised(FT)
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(FU) 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.(FV)
13 You were in Eden,(FW)
the garden of God;(FX)
every precious stone(FY) adorned you:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise(FZ) and beryl.[j]
Your settings and mountings[k] were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.(GA)
14 You were anointed(GB) as a guardian cherub,(GC)
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,(GD)
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, guardian cherub,(GE)
from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud(GF)
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.(GG)
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire(GH) come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes(GI) on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.(GJ)
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled(GK) at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(GL)’”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face against(GM) Sidon;(GN) 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.(GO)
You will know that I am the Lord,
when I inflict punishment(GP) on you
and within you am proved to be holy.(GQ)
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.(GR)
24 “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.(GS) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather(GT) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,(GU) I will be proved holy(GV) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.(GW) 26 They will live there in safety(GX) and will build houses and plant(GY) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment(GZ) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.(HA)’”
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:(HB) 2 “Son of man, set your face against(HC) Pharaoh king of Egypt(HD) and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.(HE) 3 Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I am against you, Pharaoh(HF) king of Egypt,
you great monster(HG) lying among your streams.
You say, “The Nile(HH) belongs to me;
I made it for myself.”
4 But I will put hooks(HI) 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.(HJ)
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(HK) or picked up.
I will give you as food
to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.(HL)
6 Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.
“‘You have been a staff of reed(HM) for the people of Israel. 7 When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered(HN) and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.[l](HO)
8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast.(HP) 9 Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“‘Because you said, “The Nile(HQ) is mine; I made it,(HR)” 10 therefore I am against you(HS) and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt(HT) a ruin and a desolate waste(HU) from Migdol(HV) to Aswan,(HW) as far as the border of Cush.[m](HX) 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.(HY) 12 I will make the land of Egypt desolate(HZ) among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(IA)
13 “‘Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. 14 I will bring them back from captivity and return them to Upper Egypt,(IB) the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly(IC) kingdom.(ID) 15 It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations.(IE) I will make it so weak that it will never again rule over the nations. 16 Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence(IF) for the people of Israel but will be a reminder(IG) of their sin in turning to her for help.(IH) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(II)’”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Reward
17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(IJ) 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar(IK) king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare(IL) and every shoulder made raw.(IM) Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king(IN) of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder(IO) the land as pay for his army.(IP) 20 I have given him Egypt(IQ) as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(IR)
21 “On that day I will make a horn[n](IS) grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth(IT) among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(IU)”
A Lament Over Egypt
30 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Wail(IV) and say,
“Alas for that day!”
3 For the day is near,(IW)
the day of the Lord(IX) is near—
a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt,(IY)
and anguish will come upon Cush.[o](IZ)
When the slain fall in Egypt,
her wealth will be carried away
and her foundations torn down.(JA)
5 Cush and Libya,(JB) Lydia and all Arabia,(JC) Kub and the people(JD) of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.(JE)
6 “‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘The allies of Egypt will fall
and her proud strength will fail.
From Migdol to Aswan(JF)
they will fall by the sword within her,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
7 “‘They will be desolate
among desolate lands,
and their cities will lie
among ruined cities.(JG)
8 Then they will know that I am the Lord,
when I set fire(JH) to Egypt
and all her helpers are crushed.(JI)
9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush(JJ) out of her complacency. Anguish(JK) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.(JL)
10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt
by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar(JM) king of Babylon.(JN)
11 He and his army—the most ruthless of nations(JO)—
will be brought in to destroy the land.
They will draw their swords against Egypt
and fill the land with the slain.(JP)
12 I will dry up(JQ) the waters of the Nile(JR)
and sell the land to an evil nation;
by the hand of foreigners
I will lay waste(JS) the land and everything in it.
I the Lord have spoken.
13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I will destroy the idols(JT)
and put an end to the images in Memphis.(JU)
No longer will there be a prince in Egypt,(JV)
and I will spread fear throughout the land.
14 I will lay(JW) waste Upper Egypt,
set fire to Zoan(JX)
and inflict punishment on Thebes.(JY)
15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
the stronghold of Egypt,
and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.
16 I will set fire(JZ) to Egypt;
Pelusium will writhe in agony.
Thebes will be taken by storm;
Memphis(KA) will be in constant distress.
17 The young men of Heliopolis(KB) and Bubastis
will fall by the sword,
and the cities themselves will go into captivity.
18 Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes(KC)
when I break the yoke of Egypt;(KD)
there her proud strength will come to an end.
She will be covered with clouds,
and her villages will go into captivity.(KE)
19 So I will inflict punishment(KF) on Egypt,
and they will know that I am the Lord.’”
Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken
20 In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:(KG) 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm(KH) of Pharaoh(KI) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed(KJ) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.(KK) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.(KL) 23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(KM) 24 I will strengthen(KN) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword(KO) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan(KP) before him like a mortally wounded man. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword(KQ) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.(KR) 26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(KS)”
Pharaoh as a Felled Cedar of Lebanon
31 In the eleventh year,(KT) in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(KU) 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:
“‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?
3 Consider Assyria,(KV) once a cedar in Lebanon,(KW)
with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
it towered on high,
its top above the thick foliage.(KX)
4 The waters(KY) nourished it,
deep springs made it grow tall;
their streams flowed
all around its base
and sent their channels
to all the trees of the field.(KZ)
5 So it towered higher(LA)
than all the trees of the field;
its boughs increased
and its branches grew long,
spreading because of abundant waters.(LB)
6 All the birds of the sky
nested in its boughs,
all the animals of the wild
gave birth(LC) under its branches;
all the great nations
lived in its shade.(LD)
7 It was majestic in beauty,
with its spreading boughs,
for its roots went down
to abundant waters.(LE)
8 The cedars(LF) in the garden of God
could not rival it,
nor could the junipers
equal its boughs,
nor could the plane trees(LG)
compare with its branches—
no tree in the garden of God
could match its beauty.(LH)
9 I made it beautiful
with abundant branches,
the envy of all the trees of Eden(LI)
in the garden of God.(LJ)
10 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud(LK) of its height, 11 I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,(LL) 12 and the most ruthless of foreign nations(LM) cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys;(LN) its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.(LO) 13 All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches.(LP) 14 Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined(LQ) for death,(LR) for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.(LS)
15 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away.(LT) 16 I made the nations tremble(LU) at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees(LV) of Eden,(LW) the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled(LX) in the earth below.(LY) 17 They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword,(LZ) along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.
18 “‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised,(MA) with those killed by the sword.
“‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
A Lament Over Pharaoh
32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(MB) 2 “Son of man, take up a lament(MC) concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:
“‘You are like a lion(MD) among the nations;
you are like a monster(ME) in the seas(MF)
thrashing about in your streams,
churning the water with your feet
and muddying the streams.(MG)
3 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘With a great throng of people
I will cast my net over you,
and they will haul you up in my net.(MH)
4 I will throw you on the land
and hurl you on the open field.
I will let all the birds of the sky settle on you
and all the animals of the wild gorge themselves on you.(MI)
5 I will spread your flesh on the mountains
and fill the valleys(MJ) with your remains.
6 I will drench the land with your flowing blood(MK)
all the way to the mountains,
and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.(ML)
7 When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens
and darken their stars;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
and the moon will not give its light.(MM)
8 All the shining lights in the heavens
I will darken(MN) over you;
I will bring darkness over your land,(MO)
declares the Sovereign Lord.
9 I will trouble the hearts of many peoples
when I bring about your destruction among the nations,
among[p] lands you have not known.
10 I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,
and their kings will shudder with horror because of you
when I brandish my sword(MP) before them.
On the day(MQ) of your downfall
each of them will tremble
every moment for his life.(MR)
11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘The sword(MS) of the king of Babylon(MT)
will come against you.(MU)
12 I will cause your hordes to fall
by the swords of mighty men—
the most ruthless of all nations.(MV)
They will shatter the pride of Egypt,
and all her hordes will be overthrown.(MW)
13 I will destroy all her cattle
from beside abundant waters
no longer to be stirred by the foot of man
or muddied by the hooves of cattle.(MX)
14 Then I will let her waters settle
and make her streams flow like oil,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 When I make Egypt desolate
and strip the land of everything in it,
when I strike down all who live there,
then they will know that I am the Lord.(MY)’
16 “This is the lament(MZ) they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Egypt’s Descent Into the Realm of the Dead
17 In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(NA) 18 “Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign(NB) to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, along with those who go down to the pit.(NC) 19 Say to them, ‘Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.’(ND) 20 They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged(NE) off with all her hordes.(NF) 21 From within the realm of the dead(NG) the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, ‘They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised,(NH) with those killed by the sword.’
22 “Assyria is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all her slain, all who have fallen by the sword. 23 Their graves are in the depths of the pit(NI) and her army lies around her grave.(NJ) All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.
24 “Elam(NK) is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.(NL) All who had spread terror in the land of the living(NM) went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.(NN) 25 A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised,(NO) killed by the sword. Because their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the slain.
26 “Meshek and Tubal(NP) are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living. 27 But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old,[q](NQ) who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war—their swords placed under their heads and their shields[r] resting on their bones—though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living.
28 “You too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.
29 “Edom(NR) is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.(NS)
30 “All the princes of the north(NT) and all the Sidonians(NU) are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised(NV) with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.(NW)
31 “Pharaoh—he and all his army—will see them and he will be consoled(NX) for all his hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord. 32 Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh(NY) and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord.”(NZ)
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 26:1 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have month of the twelfth.
- Ezekiel 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, of which Nebuchadnezzar is a variant; here and often in Ezekiel and Jeremiah
- Ezekiel 26:20 Septuagint; Hebrew return, and I will give glory
- Ezekiel 27:5 That is, Mount Hermon
- Ezekiel 27:6 Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants.
- Ezekiel 27:15 Septuagint; Hebrew Dedan
- Ezekiel 27:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom
- Ezekiel 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 28:3 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature
- Ezekiel 28:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 29:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Vulgate); Hebrew and you caused their backs to stand
- Ezekiel 29:10 That is, the upper Nile region
- Ezekiel 29:21 Horn here symbolizes strength.
- Ezekiel 30:4 That is, the upper Nile region; also in verses 5 and 9
- Ezekiel 32:9 Hebrew; Septuagint bring you into captivity among the nations, / to
- Ezekiel 32:27 Septuagint; Hebrew warriors who were uncircumcised
- Ezekiel 32:27 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text punishment
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