Ezekiel 28; Ezekiel 29; Ezekiel 30

Ezekiel 28

1 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

2 "Human, say to the ruler of Tyre: 'This is what the Lord God says: Because you are proud, you say, "I am a god. I sit on the throne of a god in the middle of the seas." You think you are as wise as a god, but you are a human, not a god.

3 You think you are wiser than Daniel. You think you can find out all secrets.

4 Through your wisdom and understanding you have made yourself rich. You have gained gold and silver and have saved it in your storerooms.

5 Through your great skill in trading, you have made your riches grow. You are too proud because of your riches.

6 "'So this is what the Lord God says: You think you are wise like a god,

7 but I will bring foreign people against you, the cruelest nation. They will pull out their swords and destroy all that your wisdom has built, and they will dishonor your greatness.

8 They will kill you; you will die a terrible death like those who are killed at sea.

9 While they are killing you, you will not be able to say anymore, "I am a god." You will be only a human, not a god, when your murderers kill you.

10 You will die like an unclean person; foreigners will kill you. I have spoken, says the Lord God.'"

11 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

12 "Human, sing a funeral song for the king of Tyre. Say to him: 'This is what the Lord God says: You were an example of what was perfect, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

13 You had a wonderful life, as if you were in Eden, the garden of God. Every valuable gem was on you: ruby, topaz, and emerald, yellow quartz, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and chrysolite. Your jewelry was made of gold. It was prepared on the day you were created.

14 I appointed a living creature to guard you. I put you on the holy mountain of God. You walked among the gems that shined like fire.

15 Your life was right and good from the day you were created, until evil was found in you.

16 Because you traded with countries far away, you learned to be cruel, and you sinned. So I threw you down in disgrace from the mountain of God. And the living creature who guarded you forced you out from among the gems that shined like fire.

17 You became too proud because of your beauty. You ruined your wisdom because of your greatness. I threw you down to the ground. Your example taught a lesson to other kings.

18 You dishonored your places of worship through your many sins and dishonest trade. So I set on fire the place where you lived, and the fire burned you up. I turned you into ashes on the ground for all those watching to see.

19 All the nations who knew you are shocked about you. Your punishment was so terrible, and you are gone forever.'"

20 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

21 "Human, look toward the city of Sidon and prophesy against her.

22 Say: 'This is what the Lord God says: I am against you, Sidon, and I will show my glory among you. when I have punished Sidon; I will show my holiness by defeating her.

23 I will send diseases to Sidon, and blood will flow in her streets. Those who are wounded in Sidon will fall dead, attacked from all sides. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

24 "'No more will neighboring nations be like thorny branches or sharp stickers to hurt Israel. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.

25 "'This is what the Lord God says: I will gather the people of Israel from the nations where they are scattered. I will show my holiness when the nations see what I do for my people. Then they will live in their own land -- the land I gave to my servant Jacob.

26 They will live safely in the land and will build houses and plant vineyards. They will live in safety after I have punished all the nations around who hate them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.'"

Ezekiel 29

1 It was the tenth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month. The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

2 "Human, look toward the king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and all Egypt.

3 Say: 'This is what the Lord God says: I am against you, king of Egypt. You are like a great crocodile that lies in the Nile River. You say, "The Nile is mine; I made it for myself."

4 But I will put hooks in your jaws, and I will make the fish of the Nile stick to your sides. I will pull you up out of your rivers, with all the fish sticking to your sides.

5 I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish from your rivers. You will fall onto the ground; you will not be picked up or buried. I have given you to the wild animals and to the birds of the sky for food.

6 Then all the people who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord. "'Israel tried to lean on you for help, but you were like a crutch made out of a weak stalk of grass.

7 When their hands grabbed you, you splintered and tore open their shoulders. When they leaned on you, you broke and made all their backs twist.

8 "'So this is what the Lord God says: I will cause an enemy to attack you and kill your people and animals.

9 Egypt will become an empty desert. Then they will know that I am the Lord. "'Because you said, "The Nile River is mine, and I have made it,"

10 I am against you and your rivers. I will destroy the land of Egypt and make it an empty desert from Migdol in the north to Aswan in the south, all the way to the border of Cush.

11 No person or animal will walk through it, and no one will live in Egypt for forty years.

12 I will make the land of Egypt the most deserted country of all. Her cities will be the most deserted of all ruined cities for forty years. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, spreading them among the countries.

13 "'This is what the Lord God says: After forty years I will gather Egypt from the nations where they have been scattered.

14 I will bring back the Egyptian captives and make them return to southern Egypt, to the land they came from. They will become a weak kingdom there.

15 It will be the weakest kingdom, and it will never again rule other nations. I will make it so weak it will never again rule over the nations.

16 The Israelites will never again depend on Egypt. Instead, Egypt's punishment will remind the Israelites of their sin in turning to Egypt for help. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.'"

17 It was the twenty-seventh year of our captivity, in the first month, on the first day of the month. The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

18 "Human, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army fight hard against Tyre. Every soldier's head was rubbed bare, and every shoulder was rubbed raw. But Nebuchadnezzar and his army gained nothing from fighting Tyre.

19 So this is what the Lord God says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He will take away Egypt's people and its wealth and its treasures as pay for his army.

20 I am giving Nebuchadnezzar the land of Egypt as a reward for working hard for me, says the Lord God.

21 "At that time I will make Israel grow strong again, and I will let you, Ezekiel, speak to them. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

Ezekiel 30

1 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

2 "Human, prophesy and say, 'This is what the Lord God says: Cry and say, "The terrible day is coming."

3 The day is near; the Lord's day of judging is near. It is a cloudy day and a time when the nations will be judged.

4 An enemy will attack Egypt, and Cush will tremble with fear. When the killing begins in Egypt, her wealth will be taken away, and her foundations will be torn down.

5 Cush, Put, Lydia, Arabia, Libya, and some of my people who had made an agreement with Egypt will fall dead in war.

6 "'This is what the Lord says: Those who fight on Egypt's side will fall. The power she is proud of will be lost. from Migdol in the north to Aswan in the south, says the Lord God.

7 They will be the most deserted lands. Egypt's cities will be the worst of cities that lie in ruins.

8 Then they will know that I am the Lord when I set fire to Egypt and when all those nations on her side are crushed.

9 "'At that time I will send messengers in ships to frighten Cush, which now feels safe. The people of Cush will tremble with fear when Egypt is punished. And that time is sure to come.

10 "'This is what the Lord God says: through the power of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

11 Nebuchadnezzar and his army, the cruelest army of any nation, will be brought in to destroy the land. and will fill the land with those they kill.

12 I will make the streams of the Nile River become dry land, and then I will sell the land to evil people. I will destroy the land and everything in it through the power of foreigners. I, the Lord, have spoken.

13 "'This is what the Lord God says: I will destroy the idols and take away the statues of gods from the city of Memphis. There will no longer be a leader in Egypt, and I will spread fear through the land of Egypt.

14 I will make southern Egypt empty and start a fire in Zoan and punish Thebes.

15 And I will pour out my anger against Pelusium, the strong place of Egypt. I will destroy great numbers of people in Thebes.

16 I will set fire to Egypt. Pelusium will be in great pain. The walls of Thebes will be broken open, and Memphis will have troubles every day.

17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will fall dead in war, and the people will be taken away as captives.

18 In Tahpanhes the day will be dark when I break Egypt's power. Then she will no longer be proud of her power. A cloud will cover Egypt, and her villages will be captured and taken away.

19 So I will punish Egypt, and they will know I am the Lord.'"

20 It was in the eleventh year of our captivity, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month. The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

21 "Human, I have broken the powerful arm of the king of Egypt. It has not been tied up, so it will not get well. It has not been wrapped with a bandage, so it will not be strong enough to hold a sword in war.

22 So this is what the Lord God says: I am against the king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the strong arm and the broken arm, and I will make the sword fall from his hand.

23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, spreading them among the countries.

24 I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong and put my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of the king of Egypt. Then when he faces the king of Babylon, he will cry out in pain like a dying person.

25 So I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong, but the arms of the king of Egypt will fall. Then people will know that I am the Lord when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he uses it in war against Egypt.

26 Then I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, spreading them among the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord."