Bible in 90 Days
40 “They even sent messengers to bring men from far away. When the men arrived, Oholibah took a bath. She put makeup on her eyes. She put her jewelry on. 41 She sat down on a beautiful couch. A table was in front of it. There she put the incense and olive oil that belonged to me.
42 “The noise of a carefree crowd was all around her. Men who drink too much were brought from the desert. Other men were brought along with them. They put bracelets on the wrists of the two sisters. They put beautiful crowns on their heads. 43 Then I spoke about Oholibah. She was worn out by adultery. I said, ‘Let them use her as a prostitute. After all, that is what she is.’ 44 So they slept with her. In fact, they slept with both of these impure women, Oholah and Oholibah. They slept with them just as men sleep with prostitutes. 45 But judges who are right with God will sentence the sisters to be punished. They will be punished in the same way as women who commit adultery and murder. After all, they have committed adultery. And their hands are covered with the blood of the people they have murdered.”
46 The Lord and King says, “Bring an angry crowd against the sisters. Hand them over to those who will terrify them and steal everything they have. 47 The crowd will kill them by throwing stones at them. They will use swords to cut them down. They will kill their sons and daughters. And they will burn down their houses.
48 “So I will put an end to impurity in the land. Then all its women will be warned. They will not want to be like the sisters. 49 Those sisters will be punished because of the impure things they have done. They will be judged because they have worshiped other gods. Then they will know that I am the Lord and King.”
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.” ’ ”
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, speak to Ethbaal. He is the ruler of Tyre. Tell him, ‘The Lord and King says,
“ ‘ “In your proud heart
you say, ‘I am a god.
I sit on the throne of a god
in the Mediterranean Sea.’
But you are only a human being. You are not a god.
In spite of that, you think you are as wise as a god.
3 Are you wiser than Daniel?
Isn’t even one secret hidden from you?
4 You are wise and understanding.
So you have become very wealthy.
You have piled up gold and silver
among your treasures.
5 You have used your great skill in trading
to increase your wealth.
You are very rich.
So your heart has become proud.” ’ ”
6 The Lord and King says,
“You think you are wise.
In fact, you claim to be as wise as a god.
7 So I am going to bring outsiders against you.
They will not show you any pity at all.
They will use their swords against your beauty and wisdom.
They will strike down your shining glory.
8 They will bring you down to the grave.
You will die a horrible death
in the middle of the sea.
9 Then will you say, ‘I am a god’?
Will you say that to those who kill you?
You will be only a human being to those who kill you.
You will not be a god to them.
10 You will die just like those who have not been circumcised.
Outsiders will kill you.
I have spoken,” announces the Lord and King.
11 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 12 “Son of man, sing a song of sadness about the king of Tyre. Tell him, ‘The Lord and King says,
“ ‘ “You were the model of perfection.
You were full of wisdom.
You were perfect and beautiful.
13 You were in Eden.
It was my garden.
All kinds of jewels decorated you.
Here is a list of them:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made out of gold.
On the day you were created,
they were prepared.
14 I appointed you to be like a guardian angel.
I anointed you for that purpose.
You were on my holy mountain.
You walked among the gleaming jewels.
15 Your conduct was without blame
from the day you were created.
But soon you began to sin.
16 You traded with many nations.
You harmed people everywhere.
And you sinned.
So I sent you away from my mountain in shame.
Guardian angel, I drove you away
from among the gleaming jewels.
17 You thought you were so handsome
that it made your heart proud.
You thought you were so glorious
that it spoiled your wisdom.
So I threw you down to the earth.
I made an example out of you in front of kings.
18 Your many sins and dishonest trade
made your holy places impure.
So I made you go up in flames.
I turned you into nothing but ashes on the ground.
I let everyone see it.
19 All the nations that knew you
are shocked because of what happened to you.
You have come to a horrible end.
And you will be gone forever.” ’ ”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 21 “Son of man, turn your attention to the city of Sidon. Prophesy against it. 22 Say, ‘The Lord and King says,
“ ‘ “Sidon, I am against your people.
Among you I will display my glory.
I will punish your people.
Among you I will prove that I am holy.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.
23 I will send a plague on you.
I will make blood flow in your streets.
Those who are killed will fall inside you.
Swords will strike your people on every side.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.
24 “ ‘ “The people of Israel will no longer have neighbors who hate them. Those neighbors will not be like sharp and painful thorns anymore. Then Israel will know that I am the Lord and King.” ’ ”
25 The Lord and King says, “I will gather the people of Israel together from the nations where they have been scattered. That will prove that I am holy. I will let the nations see it. Then Israel will live in their own land. I gave it to my servant Jacob. 26 My people will live there in safety. They will build houses. They will plant vineyards. They will live in safety. I will punish all their neighbors who told lies about them. Then Israel will know that I am the Lord their God.”
A Prophecy Against Egypt
29 It was the tenth year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the 12th day of the tenth month, a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, turn your attention to Pharaoh Hophra. He is king of Egypt. Prophesy against him and the whole land of Egypt. 3 Tell him, ‘The Lord and King says,
“ ‘ “Pharaoh Hophra, I am against you.
King of Egypt, you are like a huge monster
lying among your streams.
You say, ‘The Nile River belongs to me.
I made it for myself.’
4 But I will put hooks in your jaws.
I will make the fish in your streams
stick to your scales.
I will pull you out from among your streams.
All the fish will stick to your scales.
5 I will leave you out in the desert.
All the fish in your streams
will be there with you.
You will fall down in an open field.
You will not be picked up.
I will feed you to the wild animals
and to the birds in the sky.
6 Then everyone who lives in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.
“ ‘ “You have been like a walking stick made out of a papyrus stem. The people of Israel tried to lean on you. 7 They took hold of you. But you broke under their weight. You tore open their shoulders. The people of Israel leaned on you. But you snapped in two. And their backs were broken.” ’ ”
8 So the Lord and King says, “I will send Nebuchadnezzar’s sword against you. He will kill people and animals alike. 9 Egypt will become a dry and empty desert. Then your people will know that I am the Lord.
“You said, ‘The Nile River belongs to me. I made it for myself.’ 10 So I am against you and your streams. I will destroy the land of Egypt. I will turn it into a dry and empty desert from Migdol all the way to Aswan. I will destroy everything as far as the border of Cush. 11 No people or animals will travel through Egypt. No one will even live there for 40 years. 12 Egypt will be more empty than any other land. Its destroyed cities will lie empty for 40 years. I will scatter the people of Egypt among the nations. I will send them to other countries.”
13 But here is what the Lord and King says. “At the end of 40 years I will gather the Egyptians together. I will bring them back from the nations where they were scattered. 14 I will bring them back from where they were taken as prisoners. I will return them to Upper Egypt. That is where their families came from. There they will be an unimportant kingdom. 15 Egypt will be the least important kingdom of all. It will never place itself above the other nations again. I will make it very weak. Then it will never again rule over the nations. 16 The people of Israel will no longer trust in Egypt. Instead, Egypt will remind them of how they sinned when they turned to it for help. Then they will know that I am the Lord and King.”
17 It was the 27th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the first day of the first month, a message from the Lord came to me. Here is what the Lord said. 18 “Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar drove his army in a hard military campaign. The campaign was against Tyre. Their helmets rubbed their heads bare. The heavy loads they carried made their shoulders raw. But he and his army did not gain anything from the campaign he led against Tyre. 19 So I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. He will carry off its wealth. He will take away anything else they have. He will give it to his army. 20 I have given Egypt to him as a reward for his efforts. After all, he and his army attacked Egypt because I told them to,” announces the Lord and King.
21 “When Nebuchadnezzar wins the battle over Egypt, I will make the Israelites strong again. Ezekiel, I will open your mouth. And you will be able to speak to them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
30 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, prophesy. Say, ‘The Lord and King says,
“ ‘ “Cry out,
‘A terrible day is coming!’
3 The day is near.
The day of the Lord is coming.
It will be a cloudy day.
The nations have been sentenced to die.
4 I will send Nebuchadnezzar’s sword against Egypt.
Cush will suffer terribly.
Many will die in Egypt.
Then its wealth will be carried away.
Its foundations will be torn down.
5 The people of Cush, Libya, Lydia, Kub and the whole land of Arabia will be killed by swords. So will the Jews who live in Egypt. They went there from the covenant land of Israel. And the Egyptians will die too.” ’ ”
6 The Lord says,
“Those who were going to help Egypt will die.
The strength Egypt was so proud of will fail.
Its people will be killed by swords
from Migdol all the way to Aswan,”
announces the Lord and King.
7 “Egypt will be more empty than any other land.
Its cities will be completely destroyed.
8 I will set Egypt on fire.
All those who came to help it will be crushed.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.
9 “At that time I will send messengers out in ships. They will terrify the people of Cush who are so contented. Cush will suffer greatly when Egypt falls. And you can be sure it will fall.”
10 The Lord and King says,
“I will put an end to the huge armies of Egypt.
I will use Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to do this.
11 He and his armies will attack the land and destroy it.
They will not show its people any pity at all.
They will use their swords against Egypt.
They will fill the land with dead bodies.
12 I will dry up the waters of the Nile River.
I will sell the land to an evil nation.
I will use the power of outsiders
to destroy the land and everything in it.
I have spoken. I am the Lord.”
13 The Lord and King says,
“I will destroy the statues of Egypt’s gods.
I will put an end to the gods
the people in Memphis worship.
Egypt will not have princes anymore.
I will spread fear all through the land.
14 I will completely destroy Upper Egypt.
I will set Zoan on fire.
I will punish Thebes.
15 I will pour out my burning anger on Pelusium.
It is a fort in eastern Egypt.
I will wipe out the huge army of Thebes.
16 I will set Egypt on fire.
Pelusium will groan with terrible pain.
Thebes will be ripped apart.
Memphis will suffer greatly
because of everything that happens.
17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis
will be killed by swords.
Their people will be taken away as prisoners.
18 I will break Egypt’s power over other lands.
That will be a dark day for Tahpanhes.
There the strength Egypt was so proud of
will come to an end.
Egypt will be covered with clouds.
The people in its villages
will be taken away as prisoners.
19 So I will punish Egypt.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
20 It was the 11th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the seventh day of the first month, a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 21 “Son of man, I have broken the powerful arm of Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. No bandages have been put on his arm to heal it. It has not been put in a cast. So his arm will not be strong enough to use a sword. 22 I am against Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. I will break both his arms. I will break his healthy arm and his broken one. His sword will fall from his hand. 23 I will scatter the people of Egypt among the nations. I will send them to other countries. 24 I will make the arms of the king of Babylon stronger. I will put my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh. And he will groan in front of Nebuchadnezzar. He will cry out like someone dying from his wounds. 25 I will make the arms of the king of Babylon stronger. But the arms of Pharaoh will not be able to help Egypt. I will put my sword in Nebuchadnezzar’s hand. He will get ready to use it against Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. I will send them to other countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
31 It was the 11th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the first day of the third month, a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, speak to Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. Also speak to his huge army. Tell him,
“ ‘Who can be compared with your majesty?
3 Think about what happened to Assyria.
Once it was like a cedar tree in Lebanon.
It had beautiful branches
that provided shade for the forest.
It grew very high.
Its top was above all the leaves.
4 The waters fed it.
Deep springs made it grow tall.
Their streams flowed
all around its base.
They made their way
to all the trees in the fields.
5 So it grew higher
than any other tree in the fields.
It grew more limbs.
Its branches grew long.
They spread because they had plenty of water.
6 All the birds in the sky
made their nests in its limbs.
All the wild animals
had their babies under its branches.
All the great nations
lived in its shade.
7 Its spreading branches
made it majestic and beautiful.
Its roots went down deep
to where there was plenty of water.
8 The cedar trees in my garden
were no match for it.
The juniper trees
could not equal its limbs.
The plane trees
could not compare with its branches.
No tree in my garden
could match its beauty.
9 I gave it many branches.
They made it beautiful.
All the trees in my Garden of Eden
were jealous of it.’ ”
10 So the Lord and King says, “The great cedar tree grew very high. Its top was above all the leaves. It was proud of how tall it was. 11 So I handed it over to the Babylonian ruler of the nations. I wanted him to punish it because it was so evil. I decided to get rid of it. 12 The Babylonians cut it down and left it there. They did not show it any pity at all. Some of its branches fell on the mountains. Others fell in all the valleys. The branches lay broken in all the stream beds in the land. All the nations on earth came out from under its shade. And they went on their way. 13 All the birds settled on the fallen tree. All the wild animals lived among its branches. 14 So trees that receive plenty of water must never grow so high that it makes them proud. Their tops must never be above the rest of the leaves. No other trees that receive a lot of water must ever grow that high. They are appointed to die and go down into the earth below. They will join human beings, who go down to the place of the dead.”
15 The Lord and King says, “Assyria was like a cedar tree. But I brought it down to the place of the dead. On that day I dried up the deep springs of water and covered them. I held its streams back. I shut off its rich supply of water. Because of that, Lebanon was dressed in gloom as if it were clothes. All the trees in the fields dried up. 16 I brought the cedar tree down to the place of the dead. It joined the other nations that go down there. I made the nations on earth shake because of the sound of its fall. Then all the trees of Eden were comforted in the earth below. That included the finest and best trees in Lebanon. And it included all the trees that received plenty of water. 17 Others also went down along with the cedar tree into the place of the dead. They included those who had been killed by swords. They also included the armed men among the nations who lived in its shade.
18 “Which one of the trees of Eden can be compared with you? What tree is as glorious and majestic as you are? But you too will be brought down to the earth below. There you will join the trees of Eden. You will lie down with those who have not been circumcised. You will be among those who were killed by swords.
“That is what will happen to Pharaoh and his huge armies,” announces the Lord and King.
32 It was the 12th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the first day of the 12th month, a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, sing a song of sadness about Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. Tell him,
“ ‘You are like a lion among the nations.
You are like a monster in the sea.
You move around wildly in your rivers.
You churn the water with your feet.
You make the streams muddy.’ ”
3 The Lord and King says,
“I will use a large crowd of people
to throw my net over you.
They will pull you up in it.
4 Then I will throw you on the land.
I will toss you into an open field.
I will let all the birds in the sky settle on you.
I will let all the wild animals eat you up.
5 I will scatter the parts of your body all over the mountains.
I will fill the valleys with your remains.
6 I will soak the land with your blood.
It will flow all the way to the mountains.
The valleys will be filled with the parts of your body.
7 When I wipe you out,
I will put a cover over the heavens.
I will darken the stars.
I will cover the sun with a cloud.
The moon will stop shining.
8 I will darken all the bright lights
in the sky above you.
I will bring darkness over your land,”
announces the Lord and King.
9 “The hearts of many people will be troubled.
That is because I will destroy you among the nations.
You had never known anything about those lands before.
10 Many nations will be shocked
when they see what has happened to you.
Their kings will tremble with fear
when they find out about it.
I will get ready to use Nebuchadnezzar
as my sword against them.
On the day you fall from power,
each of the kings will tremble with fear.
Each will be afraid he is the next to die.”
11 The Lord and King says,
“I will send against you
the sword of the king of Babylon.
12 I will destroy your huge army.
They will be killed by the swords
of Babylon’s mighty soldiers.
The soldiers will not show them any pity.
They will bring Egypt down in all its pride.
Its huge armies will be thrown down.
13 I will destroy all its cattle
from the places where they have plenty of water.
Human feet will never stir up the water again.
The hooves of cattle will not make it muddy anymore.
14 I will let the waters of Egypt settle.
I will make its streams flow like olive oil,”
announces the Lord and King.
15 “I will turn Egypt into an empty land.
I will strip away everything in it.
I will strike down everyone who lives there.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.
16 “That is the song of sadness people will sing about Egypt. Women from other nations will sing it. They will weep over Egypt and its huge armies,” announces the Lord and King.
17 A message from the Lord came to me. King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the 15th day of a month 12 years after that, the message came. The Lord said, 18 “Son of man, weep over the huge army of Egypt. Tell the Egyptians they will go down into the earth below. The women singers from the other mighty nations will go down into the grave along with them and others. 19 Tell them, ‘Are you any better than others? Since you are not, go down there. Lie down with those who have not been circumcised.’ 20 They will fall dead among those who were killed by swords. Nebuchadnezzar is ready to use his sword against them. Let Egypt be dragged off together with its huge armies. 21 The mighty leaders who are already in the place of the dead will talk about Egypt. They will also speak about the nations that were going to help it. They will say, ‘They have come down here. They are lying down with those who had not been circumcised. They are here with those who were killed by swords.’
22 “Assyria is there with its whole army. Its king is surrounded by the graves of all its people who were killed by swords. 23 Their graves are deep down in the pit. Assyria’s army lies around the grave of its king. All those who spread terror while they were alive are now dead. They were killed by swords.
24 “Elam is also there. Its huge armies lie around the grave of its king. All those who spread terror while they were alive are now dead. They were killed by swords. They had not been circumcised. They went down into the earth below. Their shame is like the shame of others who go down into the grave. 25 A bed is made for Elam’s king among the dead. His huge armies lie around his grave. They had not been circumcised. They were killed by swords. They had spread terror while they were alive. So now their shame is like the shame of others who go down into the grave. They lie down among the dead.
26 “Meshek and Tubal are also there. Their huge armies lie around the graves of their kings. None of them had been circumcised. They had spread their terror while they were alive. So they were killed by swords. 27 But they do not lie down with the other dead soldiers of long ago. Those soldiers and their weapons had gone down into the place of the dead. Their swords had been placed under their heads. Their shields rest on their bones. The soldiers of Meshek and Tubal do not lie down with them. This is true even though they had also spread terror while they were alive.
28 “Pharaoh Hophra, you too will be broken. You will lie down among those who had not been circumcised. You will be there with those who were killed by swords.
29 “Edom is also there. So are its kings and all its princes. In spite of their power, they lie down with those who were killed by swords. They lie down with those who had not been circumcised. They are there with others who went down into the grave.
30 “All the princes of the north are there too. So are all the people of Sidon. They went down into the grave in dishonor. While they were alive, they used their power to spread terror. They had never been circumcised. But now they lie down there with those who were killed by swords. Their shame is like the shame of others who go down into the grave.
31 “Pharaoh and his whole army will see all of them. That will comfort him even though his huge armies were killed by swords.” This is what the Lord and King announces. 32 “I let Pharaoh spread terror while he was alive. But now he and his huge armies will be buried with those who had not been circumcised. They will lie down there with those who were killed by swords,” announces the Lord and King.
The Lord Again Appoints Ezekiel to Warn Israel
33 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, ‘Suppose I send enemies against a land. And its people choose one of their men to stand guard. 3 He sees the enemies coming against the land. He blows a trumpet to warn the people. 4 Someone hears the trumpet. But they do not pay any attention to the warning. The enemies come and kill them. Then what happens to them will be their own fault. 5 They heard the sound of the trumpet. But they did not pay any attention to the warning. So what happened to them was their own fault. If they had paid attention, they would have saved themselves. 6 But suppose the guard sees the enemies coming. And he does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. The enemies come and kill one of them. Then their life has been taken away from them because they sinned. But I will hold the guard responsible for their death.’
7 “Son of man, I have appointed you as a prophet to warn the people of Israel. So listen to my message. Give them a warning from me. 8 Suppose I say to a sinful person, ‘You can be sure that you will die.’ And suppose you do not try to get them to change their ways. Then they will die because they have sinned. And I will hold you responsible for their death. 9 But suppose you do warn that sinful person. You tell them to change their ways. But they do not change. Then they will die because they have sinned. But you will have saved yourself.
10 “Son of man, speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘You are saying, “Our sins and the wrong things we have done weigh us down. We are wasting away because we have sinned so much. So how can we live?” ’ 11 Tell them, ‘When sinful people die, it does not give me any joy. But when they turn away from their sins and live, that makes me very happy. And that is just as sure as I am alive,’ announces the Lord and King. ‘So turn away from your sins! Change your evil ways! Why should you die, people of Israel?’
12 “Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, ‘Suppose a godly person does not obey the Lord. Then the right things that person has done in the past count for nothing. Suppose a sinful person turns away from doing wrong things. Then the wrong things that person has done in the past won’t bring them judgment. A godly person who sins won’t be allowed to live. That’s true even though they used to do right things.’ 13 Suppose I tell a godly person that they will live. And they trust in the fact that they used to do what is right. But now they do what is evil. Then I will not remember any of the right things they have done. They will die because they have done so many evil things. 14 Suppose I say to a sinful person, ‘You can be sure you will die.’ And then they turn away from their sin. They do what is fair and right. 15 They return things they take to make sure loans are repaid. They give back what they have stolen. They obey my rules that give life. They do not do what is evil. Then you can be sure they will live. They will not die. 16 None of the sins they have committed will be held against them. They have done what is fair and right. So you can be sure they will live.
17 “In spite of that, your people say, ‘What the Lord does isn’t fair.’ But it is what you do that is not fair. 18 Suppose a godly person stops doing what is right. And they do what is evil. Then they will die because of it. 19 But suppose a sinful person turns away from the evil things they have done. And they do what is fair and right. Then they will live by doing that. 20 In spite of that, you Israelites say, ‘What the Lord does isn’t fair.’ But I will judge each of you based on how you have lived.”
The Lord Explains Why Jerusalem Fell
21 It was the 12th year since we had been brought to Babylon as prisoners. On the fifth day of the tenth month, a man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to bring me a report. He said, “The city has fallen!” 22 The evening before the man arrived, the power of the Lord came on me. He opened my mouth before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened. I was no longer silent.
23 Then a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 24 “Son of man, here is what the people living in Israel’s broken-down buildings are saying. ‘Abraham was only one man. But he owned the land. We are many people. The land must certainly belong to us.’ 25 So tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “You eat meat that still has blood in it. You worship your statues of gods. You commit murder. So should you still possess the land? 26 You depend on your swords. You do things I hate. Each one of you sleeps with your neighbor’s wife. So should you still possess the land?” ’
27 “Tell them, ‘Here is what the Lord and King says. “The people who are left in those broken-down buildings will be killed by swords. Wild animals will eat up those who are out in the country. Those who are in caves and other safe places will die of a plague. And that is just as sure as I am alive. 28 I will turn the land into a dry and empty desert. The strength Jerusalem is so proud of will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be deserted. No one will travel across them. 29 So I will turn the land into a dry and empty desert. I will punish my people because of all the evil things they have done. I hate those things. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” ’
30 “Son of man, your people are talking about you. They are getting together by the walls of their houses and at their doors. They are saying to one another, ‘Come. Listen to the Lord’s message.’ 31 My people come to you, just as they usually do. They sit in front of you. They hear what you say. But they do not put it into practice. With their mouths they say they love me. But in their hearts they want what belongs to others. They try to get rich by cheating them. 32 You are nothing more to them than someone who sings love songs. They say you have a beautiful voice. They think you play an instrument well. They hear what you say. But they do not put it into practice.
33 “Everything I have told you will come true. You can be sure of it. Then the people will know that a prophet has been among them.”
The Lord Will Be the Shepherd of His People
34 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “How terrible it will be for you shepherds of Israel! You only take care of yourselves. You should take good care of your flocks. 3 Instead, you eat the butter. You dress yourselves with the wool. You kill the finest animals. But you do not take care of your flocks. 4 You have not made the weak ones in the flock stronger. You have not healed the sick. You have not bandaged those who are hurt. You have not brought back those who have wandered away. You have not searched for the lost. When you ruled over them, you were mean to them. You treated them badly. 5 So they were scattered because they did not have a shepherd. They became food for all of the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered all over the mountains and high hills. They were scattered over the whole earth. No one searched for them. No one looked for them.”
7 “ ‘Shepherds, listen to the Lord’s message. He says, 8 “My flock does not have a shepherd. Many of my sheep have been stolen. They have become food for all the wild animals. My shepherds did not care for my sheep. They did not even search for them. Instead, they only took care of themselves. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King. 9 Shepherds, listen to the Lord’s message. 10 The Lord and King says, “I am against the shepherds. I will hold them responsible for my flock. I will stop them from taking care of the flock. Then they will not be able to feed themselves anymore. I will save my flock from their mouths. My sheep will no longer be food for them.” ’ ”
11 The Lord and King says, “I myself will search for my sheep. I will look after them. 12 A shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them. And I will look after my sheep. I will save them from all the places where they were scattered on a dark and cloudy day. 13 I will bring them out from among the nations. I will gather them together from other countries. I will bring them into their own land. There they will eat grass on the mountains and in the valleys. And they will eat in all the fields of Israel. 14 I will take care of them in the best grasslands. They will eat grass on the highest mountains of Israel. There they will lie down in the finest grasslands. They will eat grass in the best places on Israel’s mountains. 15 I myself will take care of my sheep. I will let them lie down in safety,” announces the Lord and King. 16 “I will search for the lost. I will bring back those who have wandered away. I will bandage the ones who are hurt. I will make the weak ones stronger. But I will destroy those who are fat and strong. I will take good care of my sheep. I will treat them fairly.”
17 The Lord and King says, “You are my flock. I will judge between one sheep and another. I will judge between rams and goats. 18 You already eat in the best grasslands. Must you also stomp all over the other fields? You already drink clear water. Must you also make the rest of the water muddy with your feet? 19 Must my flock have to eat the grass you have stomped on? Must they drink the water you have made muddy?”
20 So the Lord and King speaks to them. He says, “I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep. 21 You push the other sheep around with your hips and shoulders. You use your horns to butt all the weak sheep. Finally, you drive them away. 22 But I will save my sheep. They will not be carried off anymore. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place one shepherd over them. He will belong to the family line of my servant David. He will take good care of them. He will look after them. He will be their shepherd. 24 I am the Lord. I will be their God. And my servant from David’s family line will be the prince among them. I have spoken. I am the Lord.
25 “I will make a covenant with them. It promises to give them peace. I will get rid of the wild animals in the land. Then my sheep can live safely in the desert. They can sleep in the forests. 26 I will make them and the places surrounding my holy mountain of Zion a blessing. I will send down rain at the right time. There will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees will bear their fruit. And the ground will produce its crops. The people will be secure in their land. I will break the chains that hold them. I will save them from the power of those who made them slaves. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 28 The nations will not carry them off anymore. Wild animals will no longer eat them up. They will live in safety. And no one will make them afraid. 29 I will give them a land that is famous for its crops. They will never again be hungry there. The nations will not make fun of them anymore. 30 Then they will know that I am with them. I am the Lord their God. And the Israelites will know that they are my people,” announces the Lord and King. 31 “You are my sheep. You belong to my flock. And I am your God,” announces the Lord and King.
A Prophecy Against Edom
35 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, turn your attention to Mount Seir. Prophesy against it. 3 Tell it, ‘The Lord and King says, “Mount Seir, I am against you. I will reach out my powerful hand against you. I will turn you into a dry and empty desert. 4 I will destroy your towns. Your land will become empty. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
5 “ ‘ “People of Edom, you have been Israel’s enemies for a long time. You let many Israelites be killed by swords when they were in great trouble. At that time I used Nebuchadnezzar to punish them and destroy them completely. 6 Now I will hand you over to murderers. They will hunt you down. You murdered others. So murderers will chase you. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King. 7 “I will turn Mount Seir into a dry and empty desert. No one will be able to go anywhere or do anything there. 8 I will fill your mountains with dead bodies. Some of those who are killed by swords will fall down dead on your hills. Others will die in your valleys and in all your canyons. 9 I will make your land empty forever. No one will live in your towns. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
10 “ ‘ “You said, ‘The nations of Israel and Judah will belong to us. We will take them over.’ You said that, even though I was there. I am the Lord. 11 You were full of anger, jealousy and hatred toward my people. So I will punish you. When I judge you, they will know that I am the Lord. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King. 12 “You will know that I have heard all the terrible things you said. You said them about those who live in the mountains of Israel. You made fun of them. You said, ‘They have been destroyed. They’ve been handed over to us. Let’s wipe them out.’ 13 You bragged that you were better than I am. You spoke against me. You did not hold anything back. But I heard it.” ’ ” 14 The Lord and King says, “The whole earth will be glad. But I will make your land empty. 15 You were happy when the land of Israel became empty. So I will treat you in the same way. Mount Seir, you will be empty. So will the whole land of Edom. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
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