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Ezekiel 28-30
New Living Translation
Ezekiel 28-30
New Living Translation
A Message for Tyre’s King
28 Then this message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, give the prince of Tyre this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“In your great pride you claim, ‘I am a god!
I sit on a divine throne in the heart of the sea.’
But you are only a man and not a god,
though you boast that you are a god.
3 You regard yourself as wiser than Daniel
and think no secret is hidden from you.
4 With your wisdom and understanding you have amassed great wealth—
gold and silver for your treasuries.
5 Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich,
and your riches have made you very proud.
6 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
Because you think you are as wise as a god,
7 I will now bring against you a foreign army,
the terror of the nations.
They will draw their swords against your marvelous wisdom
and defile your splendor!
8 They will bring you down to the pit,
and you will die in the heart of the sea,
pierced with many wounds.
9 Will you then boast, ‘I am a god!’
to those who kill you?
To them you will be no god
but merely a man!
10 You will die like an outcast[a]
at the hands of foreigners.
I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
11 Then this further message came to me from the Lord: 12 “Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“You were the model of perfection,
full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty.
13 You were in Eden,
the garden of God.
Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone[b]—
red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone,
blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper,
blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—
all beautifully crafted for you
and set in the finest gold.
They were given to you
on the day you were created.
14 I ordained and anointed you
as the mighty angelic guardian.[c]
You had access to the holy mountain of God
and walked among the stones of fire.
15 “You were blameless in all you did
from the day you were created
until the day evil was found in you.
16 Your rich commerce led you to violence,
and you sinned.
So I banished you in disgrace
from the mountain of God.
I expelled you, O mighty guardian,
from your place among the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was filled with pride
because of all your beauty.
Your wisdom was corrupted
by your love of splendor.
So I threw you to the ground
and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.
18 You defiled your sanctuaries
with your many sins and your dishonest trade.
So I brought fire out from within you,
and it consumed you.
I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.
19 All who knew you are appalled at your fate.
You have come to a terrible end,
and you will exist no more.”
A Message for Sidon
20 Then another message came to me from the Lord: 21 “Son of man, turn and face the city of Sidon and prophesy against it. 22 Give the people of Sidon this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“I am your enemy, O Sidon,
and I will reveal my glory by what I do to you.
When I bring judgment against you
and reveal my holiness among you,
everyone watching will know
that I am the Lord.
23 I will send a plague against you,
and blood will be spilled in your streets.
The attack will come from every direction,
and your people will lie slaughtered within your walls.
Then everyone will know
that I am the Lord.
24 No longer will Israel’s scornful neighbors
prick and tear at her like briers and thorns.
For then they will know
that I am the Sovereign Lord.
Restoration for Israel
25 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel will again live in their own land, the land I gave my servant Jacob. For I will gather them from the distant lands where I have scattered them. I will reveal to the nations of the world my holiness among my people. 26 They will live safely in Israel and build homes and plant vineyards. And when I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt, they will know that I am the Lord their God.”
A Message for Egypt
29 On January 7,[d] during the tenth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, turn and face Egypt and prophesy against Pharaoh the king and all the people of Egypt. 3 Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“I am your enemy, O Pharaoh, king of Egypt—
you great monster, lurking in the streams of the Nile.
For you have said, ‘The Nile River is mine;
I made it for myself.’
4 I will put hooks in your jaws
and drag you out on the land
with fish sticking to your scales.
5 I will leave you and all your fish
stranded in the wilderness to die.
You will lie unburied on the open ground,
for I have given you as food to the wild animals and birds.
6 All the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord,
for to Israel you were just a staff made of reeds.
7 When Israel leaned on you,
you splintered and broke
and stabbed her in the armpit.
When she put her weight on you,
you collapsed, and her legs gave way.
8 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring an army against you, O Egypt, and destroy both people and animals. 9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.
“Because you said, ‘The Nile River is mine; I made it,’ 10 I am now the enemy of both you and your river. I will make the land of Egypt a totally desolate wasteland, from Migdol to Aswan, as far south as the border of Ethiopia.[e] 11 For forty years not a soul will pass that way, neither people nor animals. It will be completely uninhabited. 12 I will make Egypt desolate, and it will be surrounded by other desolate nations. Its cities will be empty and desolate for forty years, surrounded by other ruined cities. I will scatter the Egyptians to distant lands.
13 “But this is what the Sovereign Lord also says: At the end of the forty years I will bring the Egyptians home again from the nations to which they have been scattered. 14 I will restore the prosperity of Egypt and bring its people back to the land of Pathros in southern Egypt from which they came. But Egypt will remain an unimportant, minor kingdom. 15 It will be the lowliest of all the nations, never again great enough to rise above its neighbors.
16 “Then Israel will no longer be tempted to trust in Egypt for help. Egypt’s shattered condition will remind Israel of how sinful she was to trust Egypt in earlier days. Then Israel will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”
Nebuchadnezzar to Conquer Egypt
17 On April 26, the first day of the new year,[f] during the twenty-seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: 18 “Son of man, the army of King Nebuchadnezzar[g] of Babylon fought so hard against Tyre that the warriors’ heads were rubbed bare and their shoulders were raw and blistered. Yet Nebuchadnezzar and his army won no plunder to compensate them for all their work. 19 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He will carry off its wealth, plundering everything it has so he can pay his army. 20 Yes, I have given him the land of Egypt as a reward for his work, says the Sovereign Lord, because he was working for me when he destroyed Tyre.
21 “And the day will come when I will cause the ancient glory of Israel to revive,[h] and then, Ezekiel, your words will be respected. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
A Sad Day for Egypt
30 This is another message that came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and give this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“Weep and wail
for that day,
3 for the terrible day is almost here—
the day of the Lord!
It is a day of clouds and gloom,
a day of despair for the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt,
and those who are slaughtered will cover the ground.
Its wealth will be carried away
and its foundations destroyed.
The land of Ethiopia[i] will be ravished.
5 Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all Arabia,[j]
and all their other allies
will be destroyed in that war.
6 “For this is what the Lord says:
All of Egypt’s allies will fall,
and the pride of her power will end.
From Migdol to Aswan[k]
they will be slaughtered by the sword,
says the Sovereign Lord.
7 Egypt will be desolate,
surrounded by desolate nations,
and its cities will be in ruins,
surrounded by other ruined cities.
8 And the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord
when I have set Egypt on fire
and destroyed all their allies.
9 At that time I will send swift messengers in ships
to terrify the complacent Ethiopians.
Great panic will come upon them
on that day of Egypt’s certain destruction.
Watch for it!
It is sure to come!
10 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
By the power of King Nebuchadnezzar[l] of Babylon,
I will destroy the hordes of Egypt.
11 He and his armies—the most ruthless of all—
will be sent to demolish the land.
They will make war against Egypt
until slaughtered Egyptians cover the ground.
12 I will dry up the Nile River
and sell the land to wicked men.
I will destroy the land of Egypt and everything in it
by the hands of foreigners.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
13 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
I will smash the idols[m] of Egypt
and the images at Memphis.[n]
There will be no rulers left in Egypt;
terror will sweep the land.
14 I will destroy southern Egypt,[o]
set fire to Zoan,
and bring judgment against Thebes.[p]
15 I will pour out my fury on Pelusium,[q]
the strongest fortress of Egypt,
and I will stamp out
the hordes of Thebes.
16 Yes, I will set fire to all Egypt!
Pelusium will be racked with pain;
Thebes will be torn apart;
Memphis will live in constant terror.
17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis[r] will die in battle,
and the women[s] will be taken away as slaves.
18 When I come to break the proud strength of Egypt,
it will be a dark day for Tahpanhes, too.
A dark cloud will cover Tahpanhes,
and its daughters will be led away as captives.
19 And so I will greatly punish Egypt,
and they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Broken Arms of Pharaoh
20 On April 29,[t] during the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord: 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. His arm has not been put in a cast so that it may heal. Neither has it been bound up with a splint to make it strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am the enemy of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt! I will break both of his arms—the good arm along with the broken one—and I will make his sword clatter to the ground. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians to many lands throughout the world. 24 I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and put my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he will lie there mortally wounded, groaning in pain. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, while the arms of Pharaoh fall useless to his sides. And when I put my sword in the hand of Babylon’s king and he brings it against the land of Egypt, Egypt will know that I am the Lord. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, dispersing them throughout the earth. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Footnotes
- 28:10 Hebrew will die the death of the uncircumcised.
- 28:13 The identification of some of these gemstones is uncertain.
- 28:14 Hebrew guardian cherub; similarly in 28:16.
- 29:1 Hebrew On the twelfth day of the tenth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on January 7, 587 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
- 29:10 Hebrew from Migdol to Syene as far as the border of Cush.
- 29:17 Hebrew On the first day of the first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on April 26, 571 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
- 29:18 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar; also in 29:19.
- 29:21 Hebrew I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel.
- 30:4 Hebrew Cush; similarly in 30:9.
- 30:5 Hebrew Cush, Put, Lud, all Arabia, Cub. Cub is otherwise unknown and may be another spelling for Lub (Libya).
- 30:6 Hebrew to Syene.
- 30:10 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar.
- 30:13a The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung.
- 30:13b Hebrew Noph; also in 30:16.
- 30:14a Hebrew Pathros.
- 30:14b Hebrew No; also in 30:15, 16.
- 30:15 Hebrew Sin; also in 30:16.
- 30:17a Hebrew of Awen and Pi-beseth.
- 30:17b Or and her cities.
- 30:20 Hebrew On the seventh day of the first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on April 29, 587 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
Ezekiel 28-30
New International Version
Ezekiel 28-30
New International Version
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man(A), say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘In the pride of your heart
you say, “I am a god;
I sit on the throne(B) of a god
in the heart of the seas.”(C)
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
though you think you are as wise as a god.(D)
3 Are you wiser than Daniel[a]?(E)
Is no secret hidden from you?
4 By your wisdom and understanding
you have gained wealth for yourself
and amassed gold and silver
in your treasuries.(F)
5 By your great skill in trading(G)
you have increased your wealth,(H)
and because of your wealth
your heart has grown proud.(I)
6 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Because you think you are wise,
as wise as a god,
7 I am going to bring foreigners against you,
the most ruthless of nations;(J)
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom(K)
and pierce your shining splendor.(L)
8 They will bring you down to the pit,(M)
and you will die a violent death(N)
in the heart of the seas.(O)
9 Will you then say, “I am a god,”
in the presence of those who kill you?
You will be but a mortal, not a god,(P)
in the hands of those who slay you.(Q)
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised(R)
at the hands of foreigners.
I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lament(S) concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You were the seal of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.(T)
13 You were in Eden,(U)
the garden of God;(V)
every precious stone(W) adorned you:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise(X) and beryl.[b]
Your settings and mountings[c] were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.(Y)
14 You were anointed(Z) as a guardian cherub,(AA)
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,(AB)
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, guardian cherub,(AC)
from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud(AD)
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.(AE)
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire(AF) come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes(AG) on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.(AH)
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled(AI) at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(AJ)’”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face against(AK) Sidon;(AL) prophesy against her 22 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I am against you, Sidon,
and among you I will display my glory.(AM)
You will know that I am the Lord,
when I inflict punishment(AN) on you
and within you am proved to be holy.(AO)
23 I will send a plague upon you
and make blood flow in your streets.
The slain will fall within you,
with the sword against you on every side.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.(AP)
24 “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.(AQ) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather(AR) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,(AS) I will be proved holy(AT) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.(AU) 26 They will live there in safety(AV) and will build houses and plant(AW) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment(AX) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.(AY)’”
A Prophecy Against Egypt
Judgment on Pharaoh
29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the Lord came to me:(AZ) 2 “Son of man, set your face against(BA) Pharaoh king of Egypt(BB) and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.(BC) 3 Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I am against you, Pharaoh(BD) king of Egypt,
you great monster(BE) lying among your streams.
You say, “The Nile(BF) belongs to me;
I made it for myself.”
4 But I will put hooks(BG) in your jaws
and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales.
I will pull you out from among your streams,
with all the fish sticking to your scales.(BH)
5 I will leave you in the desert,
you and all the fish of your streams.
You will fall on the open field
and not be gathered(BI) or picked up.
I will give you as food
to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.(BJ)
6 Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.
“‘You have been a staff of reed(BK) for the people of Israel. 7 When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered(BL) and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.[d](BM)
8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast.(BN) 9 Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“‘Because you said, “The Nile(BO) is mine; I made it,(BP)” 10 therefore I am against you(BQ) and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt(BR) a ruin and a desolate waste(BS) from Migdol(BT) to Aswan,(BU) as far as the border of Cush.[e](BV) 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.(BW) 12 I will make the land of Egypt desolate(BX) among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(BY)
13 “‘Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. 14 I will bring them back from captivity and return them to Upper Egypt,(BZ) the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly(CA) kingdom.(CB) 15 It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations.(CC) I will make it so weak that it will never again rule over the nations. 16 Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence(CD) for the people of Israel but will be a reminder(CE) of their sin in turning to her for help.(CF) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(CG)’”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Reward
17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(CH) 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar(CI) king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare(CJ) and every shoulder made raw.(CK) Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king(CL) of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder(CM) the land as pay for his army.(CN) 20 I have given him Egypt(CO) as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CP)
21 “On that day I will make a horn[f](CQ) grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth(CR) among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(CS)”
A Lament Over Egypt
30 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Wail(CT) and say,
“Alas for that day!”
3 For the day is near,(CU)
the day of the Lord(CV) is near—
a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt,(CW)
and anguish will come upon Cush.[g](CX)
When the slain fall in Egypt,
her wealth will be carried away
and her foundations torn down.(CY)
5 Cush and Libya,(CZ) Lydia and all Arabia,(DA) Kub and the people(DB) of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.(DC)
6 “‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘The allies of Egypt will fall
and her proud strength will fail.
From Migdol to Aswan(DD)
they will fall by the sword within her,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
7 “‘They will be desolate
among desolate lands,
and their cities will lie
among ruined cities.(DE)
8 Then they will know that I am the Lord,
when I set fire(DF) to Egypt
and all her helpers are crushed.(DG)
9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush(DH) out of her complacency. Anguish(DI) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.(DJ)
10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt
by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar(DK) king of Babylon.(DL)
11 He and his army—the most ruthless of nations(DM)—
will be brought in to destroy the land.
They will draw their swords against Egypt
and fill the land with the slain.(DN)
12 I will dry up(DO) the waters of the Nile(DP)
and sell the land to an evil nation;
by the hand of foreigners
I will lay waste(DQ) the land and everything in it.
I the Lord have spoken.
13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I will destroy the idols(DR)
and put an end to the images in Memphis.(DS)
No longer will there be a prince in Egypt,(DT)
and I will spread fear throughout the land.
14 I will lay(DU) waste Upper Egypt,
set fire to Zoan(DV)
and inflict punishment on Thebes.(DW)
15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
the stronghold of Egypt,
and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.
16 I will set fire(DX) to Egypt;
Pelusium will writhe in agony.
Thebes will be taken by storm;
Memphis(DY) will be in constant distress.
17 The young men of Heliopolis(DZ) and Bubastis
will fall by the sword,
and the cities themselves will go into captivity.
18 Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes(EA)
when I break the yoke of Egypt;(EB)
there her proud strength will come to an end.
She will be covered with clouds,
and her villages will go into captivity.(EC)
19 So I will inflict punishment(ED) on Egypt,
and they will know that I am the Lord.’”
Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken
20 In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:(EE) 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm(EF) of Pharaoh(EG) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed(EH) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.(EI) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.(EJ) 23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(EK) 24 I will strengthen(EL) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword(EM) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan(EN) before him like a mortally wounded man. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword(EO) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.(EP) 26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(EQ)”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 28:3 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature
- Ezekiel 28:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 29:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Vulgate); Hebrew and you caused their backs to stand
- Ezekiel 29:10 That is, the upper Nile region
- Ezekiel 29:21 Horn here symbolizes strength.
- Ezekiel 30:4 That is, the upper Nile region; also in verses 5 and 9
New Living Translation (NLT)
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