Bible in 90 Days
40 “Furthermore, they sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent. And lo, they came. And you washed yourself and painted your eyes and adorned yourself with ornaments for them,
41 “and sat upon a costly bed (with a table prepared before it), upon which you have set My incense and My oil.
42 “And a voice of a carefree multitude was with her. And men of Saba (from the wilderness) were brought with the men, to make the company great, who put bracelets upon their hands and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
43 “Then I said to her who was old in adulteries, ‘Now she and her fornications shall come to an end.’
44 “And they went in to her. As they go to a common harlot, so went they to Oholah and Oholibah, the wicked women.
45 “And the righteous men shall judge them the same as harlots and the same as murderers. For they are harlots, and blood is on their hands.”
46 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: “I will bring a multitude upon them and will give them to the tumult and to the spoil.
47 “And the multitude shall stone them with stones and cut them with their swords. They shall slay their sons and their daughters and burn up their houses with fire.
48 “Thus I will cause wickedness to cease from the land, so that all women may be taught not to practice your wickedness.
49 “And they shall lay your wickedness upon you. And you shall bear the sins of your idols. And you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.”
24 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, came the Word of the LORD to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, write the name of the day, of this same day. The king of Babel set himself against Jerusalem this same day.
3 “Therefore, speak a parable to the rebellious House, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Prepare a pot. Prepare it, and also pour water into it.
4 “Gather pieces into it, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder. Fill it with the choice bones.
5 “Take one of the best sheep, also, and burn the bones under it. Make it boil well and simmer its bones inside.”
6 ‘Because the Lord GOD says thus, “Woe to the bloody city, to the pot, whose scum is inside, and whose scum has not gone out of it. Bring it out, piece by piece. Let no lot fall upon it.
7 “For her blood is in the midst of her. She set it upon a high rock and did not pour it upon the ground to cover it with dust,
8 “so that it might cause wrath to arise and take vengeance. I have set her blood upon a high rock so that it would not be covered.”
9 ‘Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the bloody city! For I will make the burning great.
10 “Heap on much wood! Kindle the fire! Consume the flesh and cast in spice! And let the bones be burnt!
11 “Then set it upon its coals empty, so that the bronze of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.
12 “She has wearied herself with lies, and her great scum did not go out of her. Therefore, her scum shall be consumed with fire!
13 “Wickedness is in your filthiness. Because I would have purged you, and you were not purged, you shall not be purged from your filthiness until I have caused My wrath to light upon you.
14 “I, the LORD, have spoken it. It shall come to pass, and I will do it. I will not go back, nor will I spare, nor will I relent. According to your ways and according to your works shall they judge you,” says the LORD God.’”
15 Also the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
16 “Son of man, behold, I take away the pleasure of your eyes from you with a plague. Still, you shall neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down.
17 “Cease from sighing. Make no mourning for the dead. Bind the turban upon your head and put your shoes on your feet. Do not cover your lips and do not eat the bread of men.”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning. And in the evening, my wife died. And in the morning, I did as I was Commanded.
19 And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things that you are doing mean for us?”
20 Then I answered them. The Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
21 “Speak to the House of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will pollute My Sanctuary, the pride of your power, the pleasure of your eyes, and your heart’s desire. And your sons and your daughters whom you have left shall fall by the sword.
22 “And you shall do as I have done. You shall neither cover your lips nor shall you eat the bread of men.
23 “And your turban shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet. You shall neither mourn nor weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and mourn one toward another.
24 “Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you. According to all that he has done, you shall do. And when this comes, you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.”’
25 “As for you, son of man, shall it not be—on the day when I take their power from them, the joy of their honor, the pleasure of their eyes, and the desire of their heart, their sons and their daughters—
26 “that he who escapes on that day shall come to you with that which he has heard with his ears?
27 “On that day your mouth shall be opened to him who has escaped; and you shall speak and no longer be dumb. And you shall be a sign to them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
25 The Word of the LORD came again to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them,
3 “and say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the Word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you said, ‘Ha, ha!’ against My Sanctuary when it was defiled, and against the land of Israel when it was desolate, and against the House of Judah when they went into captivity,
4 “behold, therefore, I will deliver you to the men of the East for a possession. And they shall set their palaces in you and make their dwellings in you. They shall eat your fruit and they shall drink your milk.
5 “And I will make Rabbah a dwelling place for camels, and the Ammonites a sheepcote. And you shall know that I am the LORD.”
6 ‘For thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have clapped the hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all your spite against the land of Israel,
7 “behold, therefore, I will stretch out My Hand upon you, and will deliver you to be plundered by the heathen. And I will root you out from the people; and I will cause you to perish from the countries. I will destroy you. And you shall know that I am the LORD.”
8 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Behold, the House of Judah is like all the heathen,’
9 “therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab, of the cities, of its cities on its frontiers with the pleasant country: Beth-Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kirjathaim.
10 “And I will give it and the Ammonites to the men of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites shall no longer be remembered among the nations.
11 “And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
12 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because of what Edom has done by taking vengeance upon the House of Judah, and committing great offense, and avenging himself upon them,”
13 ‘therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: “I will also stretch out My Hand upon Edom and destroy man and beast from it. And I will make it desolate from Teman. And those of Dedan shall fall by the sword.
14 “And I will execute My vengeance upon Edom by the hand of My people Israel. And they shall do in Edom according to My anger, and according to My indignation. And they shall know My vengeance,” says the Lord GOD.
15 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because the Philistines have executed vengeance, and avenged themselves with a spiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred,”
16 ‘therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “behold, I will stretch out My Hand upon the Philistines. And I will cut off the Cherethims and destroy the remnant of the seacoast.
17 “And I will execute great vengeance upon them with rebukes of My indignation. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay My vengeance upon them.”’”
26 And in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gate of the people is broken. It has turned to me. Seeing she is desolate, I shall be replenished,’
3 “therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, I come against you, O Tyre, and I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea mounts up with its waves.
4 ‘And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers. I will also scrape her dust from her and make her like the top of a rock.
5 ‘You shall be for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea. For I have spoken it,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘And it shall be plunder for the nations.
6 ‘And her daughters who are in the field shall be killed by the sword. And they shall know that I am the LORD.’”
7 For thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel upon Tyre, a king of kings from the North, with horses and with chariots and with horsemen and with a multitude of many people.
8 “He shall kill your daughters in the field with the sword. And he shall make a fort against you, and cast a siege mound against you, and lift up the shield against you.
9 “He shall set his engines of war against your walls and break down your towers with his weapons.
10 “The dust of his horses shall cover you, because of their multitude. Your walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into your gates, as into the entry of a city that is broken down.
11 “With the hooves of his horses he shall tread down all your streets. He shall kill the people by the sword; and the pillars of your strength shall fall down to the ground.
12 “And they shall rob your riches and spoil your merchandise. And they shall break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. And they shall cast your stones and your timber and your dust into the midst of the water.
13 “Thus I will cause the sound of your songs to cease; and the sound of your harps shall no longer be heard.
14 “I will lay you like the top of a rock. You shall be for a spreading of nets. You shall no longer be built. For I, the LORD, have spoken it,” says the Lord GOD.
15 Thus says the Lord GOD to Tyre: “Shall not the isles tremble at the sound of your fall, and at the cry of the wounded, when they shall be killed and murdered in the midst of you?
16 “Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones. They shall put away their robes, and take off their embroidered garments, and shall clothe themselves with astonishment. They shall sit upon the ground and be astonished at every moment and be amazed at you.
17 “And they shall take up a lamentation for you, and say to you, ‘O, you who was inhabited in the sea — the renowned city which was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, who caused their fear to be on all who haunt them—how you are destroyed!
18 ‘Now the isles shall be astonished on the day of your fall! Yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at your departure!’”
19 For thus says the Lord GOD: “When I shall make you a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited, and when I shall bring the deep upon you, and great waters shall cover you.
20 “then I shall cast you down with those who descend into the pit with the people of old time and shall set you in the low parts of the Earth like the old ruins — indeed with those who go down to the pit—so that you shall not be inhabited. And I shall show My Glory in the land of the living.
21 “I will bring you to nothing, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you shall never be found again,” says the Lord GOD.
27 The Word of the LORD came again to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre,
3 “and say to Tyre which is situated at the entry of the sea and merchant of the people for many isles, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am of perfect beauty.’
4 “Your borders are in the midst of the sea; your builders have made you of perfect beauty.
5 “They have made all your boards of fir trees from Senir. They have brought cedars from Lebanon, to make masts for you.
6 “From the oaks of Bashan they have made your oars. The company of the Assyrians has made your planks of ivory from the isles of Kittim.
7 “Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was spread over you to be your sail. Blue silk and purple, from the isles of Elishah, were your coverings.
8 “The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers, O Tyre. Your wise men who were in you, they were your pilots.
9 “The ancients of Gebal, and its wise men, were your caulkers within you. All the ships of the sea, with their sailors, were in you to pledge your merchandise.
10 “They of Persia and of Lud and of Put were in your army. Your men of war, they hung the shield and helmet in you. They set forth your beauty.
11 “The men of Arvad, with your army, were upon your walls, all around; and the Gammadims were in your towers. They hung their shields upon your walls, all around. They have made your beauty perfect.
12 “They of Tarshish were your merchants for the multitude of all riches—for silver, iron, tin, and lead—which they brought to your fairs.
13 “They of Javan, Tubal and Meshech were your merchants. And they gave human lives and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.
14 “They of the House of Togarmah brought horses and horsemen and mules to your fairs.
15 “The men of Dedan were your merchants. And the merchandise of many isles was in your hands. They brought you horns, teeth, and peacocks as presents.
16 “They of Aram were your merchants for the multitude of your wares. They traded in your fairs, with emeralds, purple, and embroidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and pearl.
17 “They of Judah and of the land of Israel were your merchants. They brought wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm in exchange for your merchandise.
18 “They of Damascus were your merchants in the multitude of your wares, for the multitude of all riches, in the wine of Helbon and white wool.
19 “Also they of Dan and of Javan, going to and fro, traded in your fairs. Iron work, cassia and calamus were among your merchandise.
20 “They of Dedan were your merchants in precious clothes for the chariots.
21 “They of Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, traded with you, in lambs, and rams and goats. These were your merchants.
22 “The merchants of Sheba and Raamah were your merchants. They traded in your fairs with the chief of all spices, and with all precious stones and gold.
23 “They of Haram and Canneh and Eden—the merchants of Sheba, Assyria and Chilmad—were your merchants.
24 “These were your merchants in all sorts of things, in clothing of blue silk, and of embroidered work, and in coffers for the rich’s apparel, which were bound with cords. Chains were also among your merchandise.
25 “The ships of Tarshish were chief in your merchandise; and you were replenished and made very glorious in the midst of the sea.
26 “Your robbers have brought you into great waters. The East wind has broken you in the midst of the sea.
27 “Your riches and your fairs, your merchandise, your sailors and pilots, your caulkers, and the traders of your merchandise, and all your men of war who are in you, and all your multitude which is in the midst of you, shall fall in the midst of the sea, on the day of your ruin.
28 “The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of your pilots.
29 “And all who handle the oar, the sailors, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships and shall stand upon the land,
30 “and shall cause their voice to be heard against you, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast dust upon their heads, and wallow in the ashes.
31 “They shall pluck out their hair for you and gird themselves with sackcloth. And they shall weep for you with sorrow of heart and bitter mourning.
32 “And in their mourning, they shall take up a lamentation for you, saying, ‘What city is like Tyre, so destroyed in the midst of the sea!
33 ‘When your wares went forth from the seas, you filled many people. You enriched the kings of the Earth with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise.
34 ‘When you shall be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters, your merchandise and all your multitude which was in the midst of you, shall fall.
35 ‘All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at you; and all their kings shall be very afraid, troubled in their countenance.
36 ‘The merchants among the people shall hiss at you. You shall be a terror and never shall be anymore.’”’”
28 The Word of the LORD came again to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your heart is haughty, and you have said, ‘I am a god. I sit on the Seat of God, in the midst of the sea.’ Yet you are but a man and not God. And though you thought in your heart that you were equal with God—
3 “Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from you.
4 “With your wisdom and your understanding, you have gotten riches for yourself, and have gotten gold and silver into your treasuries.
5 “By your great wisdom, by your trading, you have increased your riches; and your heart is haughty because of your riches—
6 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you thought, in your heart, that you were equal with God,
7 “behold, therefore, I will bring strangers upon you, the ruthless nations. And they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom. And they shall defile your brightness.
8 “They shall cast you down into the pit; and you shall die the death of those who are killed in the midst of the sea.
9 “Will you then say before him who kills you, ‘I am a god?’ But you shall be a man, and not God, in the hands of him who kills you.
10 “You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hands of strangers. For I have spoken it,” says the Lord GOD.’”
11 Moreover, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “You seal up the sum, are full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 “You have been in Eden, the Garden of God. Every precious stone in your garment—the ruby, the topaz, the diamond, the chrysolite, the onyx, the jasper, the sapphire, emerald, the carbuncle and gold, the workmanship of your timbrels and of your pipes—was prepared in you on the day that you were created.
14 “You are the anointed Cherub that covers; and I have set you. You were upon the Holy Mountain of God. You have walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 “You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you.
16 “By the multitude of your merchandise, they have filled the midst of you with cruelty; and you have sinned. Therefore, I will cast you out of the Mountain of God as profane. And I will destroy you, O covering Cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 “Your heart was haughty because of your beauty. You have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I will cast you to the ground. I will lay you before kings so that they may behold you.
18 “You have defiled your sanctification by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your merchandise. Therefore, I will bring forth a fire from the midst of you, which shall devour you. And I will bring you to ashes upon the Earth, in the sight of all those who behold you.
19 “All those who know you among the people shall be astonished at you. You shall be a terror; and you shall never be anymore.”’”
20 Again the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
21 “Son of man, set your face against Sidon, and prophesy against it,
22 “and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I come against you, O Sidon, and I will be glorified in the midst of you. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.
23 “For I will send pestilence into her, and blood into her streets; and the slain shall fall by the sword in the midst of her, on every side. And they shall know that I am the LORD.
24 “And they shall no longer be a pricking thorn to the House of Israel, or a grievous thorn to those who are all around them and despise them. And they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.”
25 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “When I shall have gathered the House of Israel from the people where they are scattered and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in the land that I have given to my servant Jacob.
26 “And they shall dwell safely in it and shall build houses and plant vineyards. Yea, they shall dwell safely when I have executed judgments upon all those around them who despise them. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God.”’”
29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt.
3 “Speak, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I come against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great dragon who lies in the midst of his rivers, who has said, ‘The river is mine and I have made it for myself.’
4 “But I will put hooks in your jaws; and I will cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales; and I will draw you out of the midst of your rivers; and all the fish of your rivers shall stick to your scales.
5 “And I will leave you in the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers. You shall fall upon the open field. You shall neither be brought together nor gathered. I have given you as food to the beasts of the field and to the birds of the sky.
6 “And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been but a staff of reed to the House of Israel.
7 “When they took hold of you with their hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders. And when they leaned upon you, you broke and made all their loins stand upright.”
8 ‘Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and destroy man and beast out of you.
9 “And the land of Egypt shall be desolate, and waste, and they shall know that I am the LORD, because he has said, ‘The river is mine,’ and ‘I have made it.’
10 “Behold, therefore, I come upon you, and upon your rivers. And I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene to the borders of the black Moors.
11 “Neither foot of man nor foot of beast shall pass by it, nor shall it be inhabited for forty years.
12 “And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate. And her cities shall be desolate among the cities that are desolate for forty years. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.”
13 ‘Yet thus says the Lord GOD: “At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the people, where they were scattered.
14 “And I will bring back the captives of Egypt and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation. And they shall be a small kingdom there.
15 “It shall be the smallest of kingdoms, no longer exalting itself above the nations. For I will diminish them, so that they shall no longer rule the nations.
16 “And it shall no longer be the confidence of the House of Israel, but the iniquity of following after them shall be remembered. So shall they know that I am the Lord GOD.”’”
17 In the twenty-seventh year, also in the first month, on the first day of the month, came the Word of the LORD to me, saying:
18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder was made bare. Yet, neither he nor his army received wages for Tyre, for the service that he served against it.”
19 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babel. And he shall take her abundance and plunder her spoil and rob her. And it shall be the wages for his army.
20 “I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor that he served, because they worked for Me,” says the Lord GOD.
21 “On that day, I will cause the horn of the House of Israel to grow. And I will give you an open mouth in the midst of them. And they shall know that I am the LORD.”
30 The Word of the LORD came again to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Howl, ‘Woe to this day!’
3 “For the day is near; and the Day of the LORD is at hand. A cloudy day, it shall be the time of the heathen.
4 “And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and fear shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, when they shall take away her abundance, and her foundations shall be broken down.
5 “Ethiopia and Put and Lud and all the common people and Chub and the men of the land who are allied shall fall with them, by the sword.”
6 ‘Thus says the LORD: “Those who maintain Egypt shall also fall; and the pride of her power shall come down. From the tower of Syene they shall fall by the sword,” says the Lord GOD.
7 “And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate. And her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.
8 “And they shall know that I am the LORD when I have set a fire in Egypt. All her helpers shall be destroyed.
9 “On that day, messengers shall go forth from Me in ships, to make the careless Moors afraid. And fear shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt. For lo, it comes.”
10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will also make the abundance of Egypt cease by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel.
11 “For he and his people with him, the ruthless nations, shall be brought to destroy the land. And they shall draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.
12 “And I will make the rivers dry and sell the land into the hands of the wicked. And I will make the land and all that is in it waste, by the hands of strangers. I, the LORD, have spoken it.”
13 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will also destroy the idols; and I will cause their idols to cease out of Noph. And there shall no longer be a prince of the land of Egypt. And I will send a fear into the land of Egypt.
14 “And I will make Pathros desolate and will set fire in Zoan. And I will execute judgment in No.
15 “And I will pour My wrath upon Sin, the strength of Egypt. And I will destroy the abundance of No.
16 “And I will set fire in Egypt. Sin shall have great sorrow and No shall be destroyed and Noph shall have sorrows daily.
17 “The young men of Aven and of Pi Beseth shall fall by the sword. And these shall go into captivity.
18 “At Tehaphnehes, the day shall be darkened when I shall break the bars of Egypt there. And when the pomp of her power shall cease in her, the cloud shall cover her. And her daughters shall go into captivity.
19 “Thus I will execute judgments in Egypt. And they shall know that I am the LORD.”’”
20 And in the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, nor shall they put a roll to bind it and make it strong to hold the sword.”
22 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I come against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and will break his arm that was strong, but is broken. And I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.
23 “And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and will disperse them through the countries.
24 “And I will strengthen the arm of the king of Babel and put My sword in his hand. But I will break Pharaoh’s arms, and he shall groan, as the groanings of him who is wounded before him.
25 “But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babel; and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down. And they shall know that I am the LORD when I shall put My sword into the hand of the king of Babel and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.
26 “And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them among the countries. And they shall know that I am the LORD.”
31 And in the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, speak to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to his multitude, ‘Whom are you like in your greatness?
3 ‘Behold, Assyria —a cedar in Lebanon, with fair branches and with thick shadowing boughs, and shot up very high, and his top among the thick boughs —
4 ‘the waters nourished him, and the deep exalted him on high, with her rivers running all through his plants. And she sent out her little rivers to all the trees of the field.
5 ‘Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied. And his branches were long, because of the multitude of the waters which were sent out.
6 ‘All the birds of the heavens made their nests in his boughs. And all the beasts of the field brought forth their young under his branches. And under his shadow dwelt all mighty nations.
7 ‘Thus he was fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches. For his root was near great waters.
8 ‘The cedars in the Garden of God could not hide him. No fir tree was like his branches. And the chestnut trees were not like his boughs. No tree in the Garden of God was like him in his beauty.
9 ‘I made him fair by the multitude of his branches, so that all the trees of Eden that were in the Garden of God envied him.
10 ‘Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: “Because he is lifted up on high, and has shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height,
11 “I have therefore delivered him into the hands of the mightiest among the heathen. He shall handle him. I have cast him away for his wickedness.
12 “And the strangers have destroyed him, the ruthless nations; and they have left him upon the mountains; and in all the valleys his branches have fallen; and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land. And all the people of the Earth have departed from his shadow and have forsaken him.
13 “Upon his ruin shall all the birds of the heaven remain; and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches,
14 “so that none of the trees by the waters shall be exalted by their height or shall shoot up their top among the thick boughs. Nor shall those whose leaves drink water stand up in their height, for they are all delivered to death in the nether parts of the Earth, in the midst of the children of men, among those who go down to the pit.”
15 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On the day when he went down to Hell, I caused them to mourn. I covered the deep for him and I restrained its floods, and the great waters were held back. I caused Lebanon to mourn for him. And all the trees of the field fainted.
16 “I made the nations shake at the sound of his fall when I cast him down to Hell with those who descend into the pit and all the excellent trees of Eden and the best of Lebanon. All who are nourished with waters shall be comforted in the nether parts of the Earth.
17 “They also went down to Hell with him, to those who were killed with the sword. And they dwelt under the shadow of his arm, in the midst of the heathen.
18 “To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? And yet, you shall be cast down with the trees of Eden into the nether parts of the Earth. You shall sleep in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are killed by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,” says the Lord GOD.’”
32 And in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first day of the month, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and say to him, ‘You are like a lion of the nations, and are as a dragon in the sea. You cast out your rivers and troubled the waters with your feet and stamped in their rivers.’”
3 Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will therefore spread My net over you with a great multitude of people. And they shall make you come up into My net.
4 “Then I will leave you upon the land. I will cast you upon the open field; and I will cause all the birds of the sky to remain upon you; and I will fill all the beasts of the field with you.
5 “And I will lay your flesh upon the mountains and fill the valleys with your corpses.
6 “I will also water the land with the discharge of your blood, up to the mountains. And the rivers shall be full of you.
7 “And when I shall put you out, I will cover the sky and make its stars dark. I will cover the Sun with a cloud; and the Moon shall not give her light.
8 “I will make all the lights of heaven dark over you, and bring darkness upon your land,” says the Lord GOD.
9 “I will also trouble the hearts of many people when I shall bring your destruction among the nations, and upon the countries which you have not known.
10 “Yea, I will make many people amazed at you; and their kings shall be astonished with fear of you when I shall make My sword glitter against their faces. And they shall be afraid at every moment, every man for his own life, on the day of your fall.”
11 For thus says the Lord GOD: “The sword of the king of Babel shall come upon you.
12 “By the swords of the mighty I will cause your multitude to fall. They all shall be ruthless nations; and they shall destroy the pride of Egypt; and all its multitude shall be consumed.
13 “I will also destroy all its beasts from the great watersides. The foot of man shall not trouble them anymore; nor shall the hooves of beasts trouble them.
14 “Then will I make their waters deep and cause their rivers to run like oil,” says the Lord GOD.
15 “When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate — and the country, with all that is in it, shall be laid waste — when I shall strike all those who dwell in it, then shall they know that I am the LORD.
16 “This is the mourning with which they shall lament her: The daughters of the nations shall lament her. They shall lament for Egypt, and for all her multitude,” says the Lord GOD.
17 Also, in the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, came the Word of the LORD to me, saying:
18 “Son of man, lament for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down into the pit, with those who go down under the nether parts of the Earth, them and the daughters of the mighty nations.
19 “Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and sleep with the uncircumcised.
20 “They shall fall in the midst of those who are killed by the sword. She is delivered to the sword. Draw her down, and all her multitude.
21 “The most mighty and strong shall speak to him out of the midst of Hell, with those who help her. They have gone down, and sleep with the uncircumcised who have been killed by the sword.
22 “Assyria is there and all his company. Their graves are around him. All of them killed and fallen by the sword,
23 “whose graves are made in the side of the pit. And his multitude are all around his grave. All of them killed, and fallen by the sword, who caused fear in the land of the living.
24 “Elam is there, and all his multitude, all around his grave. All of them killed, and fallen by the sword, who have gone down with the uncircumcised into the nether parts of the Earth, who caused themselves to be feared in the land of the living. Yet they have borne their shame with those who have gone down to the pit.
25 “They have made his bed in the midst of the slain with all his multitude. Their graves are all around him. All these uncircumcised are killed by the sword. Though they have caused their fear in the land of the living, they have still borne their shame with those who go down to the pit. They are laid in the midst of those who are killed.
26 “Meshech, Tubal, and all their multitude are there. Their graves are all around them. All these uncircumcised were killed by the sword, though they caused their fear in the land of the living.
27 “And those who have fallen shall not lie with the valiant of the uncircumcised, who have gone down to the grave with their weapons of war and have laid their swords under their heads. But their iniquity shall be upon their bones because they were the fear of the mighty in the land of the living.
28 “Yea, you shall be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised and lie with those killed by the sword.
29 “Edom, his kings, and all his princes are there, who, with their strength, are laid by those who were killed by the sword. They shall sleep with the uncircumcised, and with those who go down to the pit.
30 “All the princes of the North are there, with all the Sidonians, who have gone down with the slain, with their fear. They are ashamed of their strength. And the uncircumcised sleep with those killed by the sword, and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.
31 “Pharaoh shall see them; and he shall be comforted over all his multitude. Pharaoh and all his army shall be killed by the sword,” says the Lord GOD.
32 “For I have caused My fear in the land of the living. And he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude,” says the Lord GOD.
33 Again, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them, ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man from among them and make him their watchman —
3 ‘if, when he sees the sword come upon the land, he blows the trumpet and warns the people —
4 ‘then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and will not be warned, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
5 ‘For he heard the sound of the trumpet and would not be admonished. His blood shall be upon him. But he who receives warning, shall save his life.
6 ‘But if the watchman sees the sword come and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned — if the sword comes and takes any person from among them — he is taken away for his iniquity, but I will require his blood from the watchman’s hand.’
7 “So, you, O son of man. I have made you a watchman to the House of Israel. Therefore, you shall hear the Word from My Mouth, and admonish them from Me.
8 “When I shall say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall die the death,’ if you do not speak and admonish the wicked of his ways, that wicked man shall die for his iniquity, but I will require his blood from your hand.
9 “But, if you warn the wicked of his ways, to turn from them, if he does not turn from his ways, he shall die for his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul.
10 “Therefore, O you son of man, speak to the House of Israel. Speak like this and say, ‘If our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we are consumed because of them, how should we then live?’
11 “Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I do not desire the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turns from his way and lives. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why would you die, O you House of Israel?’
12 “Therefore you, son of man, say to the children of your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him on the day of his transgression. Nor shall the wickedness of the wicked cause him to fall in it on the day that he repents from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous live because of his righteousness on the day that he sins.’
13 “When I shall say to the righteous that he shall surely live, if he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteousness shall be remembered. But he shall die for his iniquity that he has committed.
14 “Again, when I shall say to the wicked, ‘You shall die the death,’ if he turns from his sin and does that which is lawful and right,
15 —if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has robbed, walks in the Statutes of life without committing iniquity—he shall surely live, not die.
16 “None of his sins that he has committed shall be mentioned to him. He has done that which is lawful and right. He shall surely live.
17 “Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the LORD is not equal!’ But their own way is unequal.
18 “When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he shall die by it.
19 “But if the wicked returns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live by it.
20 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the LORD is not equal!’ O you House of Israel, I will judge you, each one after his ways.”
21 Also, in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, and said, “The city is stricken!”
22 Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me in the evening, before he who had escaped came. And He opened my mouth. So, when he came to me in the morning, my mouth had been opened. I was no longer mute.
23 Again, the Word of the LORD came to me, and said:
24 “Son of man, those who dwell in the desolate places of the land of Israel, talk and say, ‘Abraham was but one, and he possessed the land. But we are many. Therefore, the land shall be given to us in possession.’
25 “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “You eat meat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood. Should you then possess the land?
26 “You lean upon your swords. You work abomination and every one of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Should you then possess the land?”’
27 “Say this to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “As I live, surely those who are in the desolate places shall fall by the sword. And he who is in the open field I will give to the beasts, to be devoured. And those who are in the forts and in the caves shall die of pestilence.
28 “For I will lay the land desolate and waste, and the pride of her strength shall cease. And the mountains of Israel shall be desolate and no one shall pass through.
29 “Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land desolate and waste because of all their abominations that they have committed.”’
30 “Also you, son of man, the children of your people who talk about you by the walls and in the doors of houses and speak to each another, each one to his brother, saying, ‘Please come and hear what the Word is that comes from the LORD.’
31 “For they come to you as the people come, and my people sit before you and hear your Words, but they will not do them. For with their mouths they make jests. Their hearts go after their covetousness.
32 “And lo, you are to them as a jesting song of one who has a pleasant voice and can sing well. For they hear your Words, but they do not do them.
33 “And when this comes to pass (for lo, it will come) then they shall know that a Prophet has been among them.”
34 And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
3 “You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool. You kill those that are fat, but you do not feed the sheep.
4 “You have not strengthened the weak. You have neither healed the sick nor bound up the broken nor brought back that which was driven away. Nor have you sought that which was lost. But you have ruled them with cruelty and with violence.
5 “And they were scattered, without a shepherd. And when they were dispersed, they were devoured by all the beasts of the field.
6 “My sheep wandered through all the mountains and upon every high hill. Yea, My flock was scattered throughout all the Earth and no one sought or searched.”
7 ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the Word of the LORD:
8 “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “surely because My flock was plundered and My sheep were devoured by all the beasts of the field, having no shepherd— nor did My shepherds seek My sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My sheep—
9 “therefore, hear the Word of the LORD, O you shepherds.”
10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I come against the shepherds and will require My sheep at their hands and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep. Nor shall the shepherds feed themselves anymore. For I will deliver your sheep from their mouths; and they shall no longer devour them.”
11 ‘For thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will search My sheep and seek them out.
12 “As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered on the cloudy and dark day.
13 “And I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries and will bring them to their own land and feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
14 “I will feed them in a good pasture; and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be. There shall they lie in a good fold; and in fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
15 “I will feed My sheep and bring them to their rest,” says the Lord GOD.
16 “I will seek that which was lost and bring back that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen the weak. But I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will feed them with judgment.
17 “Also, you, My sheep,” thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the goats.
18 “Does it seem a small thing to you to have eaten up the good pasture, but you must tread down the rest of your pasture with your feet; and to have drunk of the deep waters, but you must foul the rest with your feet?
19 “And My sheep eat that which you have trodden with your feet and drink that which you have fouled with your feet.”
20 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD to them: “Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
21 “Because you have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad,
22 “I will therefore help My sheep; and they shall no longer be plundered. And I will judge between sheep and sheep.
23 “And I will set up a shepherd over them. And he shall feed them. My servant, David. He shall feed them; and he shall be their shepherd.
24 “And I, the LORD, will be their God. And my servant, David, shall be the prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken it.
25 “And I will make a covenant of peace with them and will cause the evil beasts to cease from the land. And they shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
26 “And I will set them as a blessing all around My mountains. And I will cause rain to come down in due season. And there shall be rain of blessing.
27 “And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit; and the earth shall give her fruit; and they shall be safe in their land and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the cords of their yoke and delivered them out of the hands of those who served themselves with them.
28 “And they shall no longer be plundered by the heathen. Nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. But they shall dwell safely; and no one shall make them afraid.
29 “And I will raise up a plant of renown for them. And they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land or bear the reproach of the heathen anymore.
30 “Thus shall they understand that I, the LORD their God, am with them. And that they, the House of Israel, are My people,” says the Lord GOD.
31 “And you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are man. And I am your God,” says the Lord GOD.’”
35 Moreover, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2 “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
3 “and say to it, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O Mount Seir, I come against you. And I will stretch out My Hand against you; and I will make you desolate and waste.
4 “I will lay your cities waste; and you shall be desolate; and you shall know that I am the LORD.
5 “Because you have had a perpetual hatred —and have put the children of Israel to flight by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, when iniquity had ended —
6 “therefore, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will prepare you for blood; and blood shall pursue you. Since you have not hated blood, blood shall pursue you.
7 “Thus will I make Mount Seir desolate and waste and cut off from it him who passes out and him who returns.
8 “And I will fill his mountains with his slain men. In your hills and in your valleys and in all your rivers shall they fall who are killed with the sword.
9 “I will make you perpetual desolations; and your cities shall not return. And you shall know that I am the LORD.
10 “Because you have said, ‘These two nations and these two countries shall be mine; and we will possess them’ (seeing the LORD was there),
11 “therefore, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will do according to your wrath, and according to your indignation, which you have used in your hatred against them. And I will make Myself known among them when I have judged you.
12 “And you shall know that I, the LORD, have heard all the blasphemies which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They lie waste! They are given us to be devoured!’
13 “Thus with your mouths you have boasted against Me. And I have multiplied your words against Me. I have heard.”
14 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “So shall all the world rejoice when I shall make you desolate.
15 “As you rejoiced at the inheritance of the House of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do to you. You shall be desolate, O Mount Seir, and all Idumea wholly! And they shall know that I am the LORD.”’
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