Ezekiel 29-35

New International Version

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:^{(A) 2} “Son of man, set your face against^(B) Pharaoh king of Egypt^(C) and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.^{(D) 3} Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁶ Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.

“‘You have been a staff of reed^(L) for the people of Israel. ⁷ When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered^(M) and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.^[a](N)

⁸ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast.^{(O) 9} Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“‘Because you said, “The Nile^(P) is mine; I made it,^(Q)” ¹⁰ therefore I am against you^(R) and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt^(S) a ruin and a desolate waste^(T) from Migdol^(U) to Aswan,^(V) as far as the border of Cush.^{[b](W) 11} The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.^{(X) 12} I will make the land of Egypt desolate^(Y) 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.^(Z)

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,^(AA) the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly^(AB) kingdom.^{(AC) 15} It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations.^(AD) 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^(AE) for the people of Israel but will be a reminder^(AF) of their sin in turning to her for help.^(AG) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.^(AH)’”

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:^{(AI) 18} “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar^(AJ) king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare^(AK) and every shoulder made raw.^(AL) 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^(AM) of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder^(AN) the land as pay for his army.^{(AO) 20} I have given him Egypt^(AP) as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AQ)

²¹ “On that day I will make a horn^[c](AR) grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth^(AS) among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(AT)”

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:

⁵ Cush and Libya,^(BA) Lydia and all Arabia,^(BB) Kub and the people^(BC) of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.^(BD)

⁶ “‘This is what the Lord says:

⁹ “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush^(BI) out of her complacency. Anguish^(BJ) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.^(BK)

¹⁰ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

I the Lord have spoken.

¹³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

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:^{(CF) 21} “Son of man, I have broken the arm^(CG) of Pharaoh^(CH) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed^(CI) 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.^(CJ) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.^{(CK) 23} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.^{(CL) 24} I will strengthen^(CM) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword^(CN) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan^(CO) 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^(CP) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.^{(CQ) 26} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(CR)”

Pharaoh as a Felled Cedar of Lebanon

31 In the eleventh year,^(CS) in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(CT) 2} “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

¹⁰ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud^(DJ) of its height, ¹¹ I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,^{(DK) 12} and the most ruthless of foreign nations^(DL) cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys;^(DM) its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.^{(DN) 13} All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches.^{(DO) 14} Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined^(DP) for death,^(DQ) for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.^(DR)

¹⁵ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away.^{(DS) 16} I made the nations tremble^(DT) at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees^(DU) of Eden,^(DV) the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled^(DW) in the earth below.^{(DX) 17} They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword,^(DY) along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.

¹⁸ “‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised,^(DZ) with those killed by the sword.

“‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

A Lament Over Pharaoh

32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(EA) 2} “Son of man, take up a lament^(EB) concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:

³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹⁶ “This is the lament^(EY) they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Egypt’s Descent Into the Realm of the Dead

¹⁷ In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(EZ) 18} “Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign^(FA) to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, along with those who go down to the pit.^{(FB) 19} Say to them, ‘Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.’^{(FC) 20} They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged^(FD) off with all her hordes.^{(FE) 21} From within the realm of the dead^(FF) the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, ‘They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised,^(FG) with those killed by the sword.’

²² “Assyria is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all her slain, all who have fallen by the sword. ²³ Their graves are in the depths of the pit^(FH) and her army lies around her grave.^(FI) All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.

²⁴ “Elam^(FJ) is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.^(FK) All who had spread terror in the land of the living^(FL) went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.^{(FM) 25} A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised,^(FN) killed by the sword. Because their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the slain.

²⁶ “Meshek and Tubal^(FO) are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living. ²⁷ But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old,^[f](FP) who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war—their swords placed under their heads and their shields^[g] resting on their bones—though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living.

²⁸ “You too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.

²⁹ “Edom^(FQ) is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.^(FR)

³⁰ “All the princes of the north^(FS) and all the Sidonians^(FT) are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised^(FU) with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.^(FV)

³¹ “Pharaoh—he and all his army—will see them and he will be consoled^(FW) for all his hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord. ³² Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh^(FX) and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord.”^(FY)

Renewal of Ezekiel’s Call as Watchman

33 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword^(FZ) against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,^{(GA) 3} and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet^(GB) to warn the people, ⁴ then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning^(GC) and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head.^{(GD) 5} Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head.^(GE) If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves.^{(GF) 6} But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’^(GG)

⁷ “Son of man, I have made you a watchman^(GH) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.^{(GI) 8} When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,^(GJ)’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for^[h] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.^{(GK) 9} But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so,^(GL) they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.^(GM)

¹⁰ “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away^(GN) because of^[i] them. How then can we live?^(GO)”’ ¹¹ Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.^(GP) Turn!^(GQ) Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’^(GR)

¹² “Therefore, son of man, say to your people,^(GS) ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’^{(GT) 13} If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done.^{(GU) 14} And if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just^(GV) and right— ¹⁵ if they give back what they took in pledge^(GW) for a loan, return what they have stolen,^(GX) follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil—that person will surely live; they will not die.^{(GY) 16} None of the sins^(GZ) that person has committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live.^(HA)

¹⁷ “Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. ¹⁸ If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil,^(HB) they will die for it.^{(HC) 19} And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so.^{(HD) 20} Yet you Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to your own ways.”^(HE)

Jerusalem’s Fall Explained

²¹ In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month on the fifth day, a man who had escaped^(HF) from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!^(HG)” ²² Now the evening before the man arrived, the hand of the Lord was on me,^(HH) and he opened my mouth^(HI) before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer silent.^(HJ)

²³ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ²⁴ “Son of man, the people living in those ruins^(HK) in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many;^(HL) surely the land has been given to us as our possession.’^{(HM) 25} Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you eat^(HN) meat with the blood^(HO) still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land?^{(HP) 26} You rely on your sword, you do detestable things,^(HQ) and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife.^(HR) Should you then possess the land?’

²⁷ “Say this to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those who are left in the ruins will fall by the sword, those out in the country I will give to the wild animals to be devoured, and those in strongholds and caves will die of a plague.^{(HS) 28} I will make the land a desolate waste, and her proud strength will come to an end, and the mountains^(HT) of Israel will become desolate so that no one will cross them.^{(HU) 29} Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a desolate^(HV) waste because of all the detestable things they have done.’^(HW)

³⁰ “As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ ³¹ My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before^(HX) you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy^(HY) for unjust gain.^{(HZ) 32} Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs^(IA) with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.^(IB)

³³ “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.^(IC)”

The Lord Will Be Israel’s Shepherd

34 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?^{(ID) 3} You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.^{(IE) 4} You have not strengthened the weak or healed^(IF) the sick or bound up^(IG) the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.^{(IH) 5} So they were scattered because there was no shepherd,^(II) and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.^{(IJ) 6} My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill.^(IK) They were scattered^(IL) over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.^(IM)

⁷ “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ⁸ As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered^(IN) and has become food for all the wild animals,^(IO) and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,^{(IP) 9} therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ¹⁰ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against^(IQ) the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue^(IR) my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.^(IS)

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep^(IT) and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd^(IU) looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.^{(IV) 13} I will bring them out from the nations and gather^(IW) them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.^(IX) I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.^{(IY) 14} I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel^(IZ) will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture^(JA) on the mountains of Israel.^{(JB) 15} I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down,^(JC) declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(JD) 16} I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up^(JE) the injured and strengthen the weak,^(JF) but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.^(JG) I will shepherd the flock with justice.^(JH)

¹⁷ “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.^{(JI) 18} Is it not enough^(JJ) for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet?^(JK) Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? ¹⁹ Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

²⁰ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.^{(JL) 21} Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns^(JM) until you have driven them away, ²² I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.^{(JN) 23} I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend^(JO) them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.^{(JP) 24} I the Lord will be their God,^(JQ) and my servant David^(JR) will be prince among them.^(JS) I the Lord have spoken.^(JT)

²⁵ “‘I will make a covenant^(JU) of peace^(JV) with them and rid the land of savage beasts^(JW) so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety.^{(JX) 26} I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing.^[j](JY) I will send down showers in season;^(JZ) there will be showers of blessing.^{(KA) 27} The trees will yield their fruit^(KB) and the ground will yield its crops;^(KC) the people will be secure^(KD) in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke^(KE) and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.^{(KF) 28} They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety,^(KG) and no one will make them afraid.^{(KH) 29} I will provide for them a land renowned^(KI) for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine^(KJ) in the land or bear the scorn^(KK) of the nations.^{(KL) 30} Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(KM) 31} You are my sheep,^(KN) the sheep of my pasture,^(KO) and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

A Prophecy Against Edom

35 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir;^(KP) prophesy against it ³ and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand^(KQ) against you and make you a desolate waste.^{(KR) 4} I will turn your towns into ruins^(KS) and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(KT)

⁵ “‘Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword^(KU) at the time of their calamity,^(KV) the time their punishment reached its climax,^{(KW) 6} therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will give you over to bloodshed^(KX) and it will pursue you.^(KY) Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. ⁷ I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste^(KZ) and cut off from it all who come and go.^{(LA) 8} I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines.^{(LB) 9} I will make you desolate forever;^(LC) your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(LD)

¹⁰ “‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession^(LE) of them,” even though I the Lord was there, ¹¹ therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will treat you in accordance with the anger^(LF) and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.^{(LG) 12} Then you will know that I the Lord have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.^(LH)” ¹³ You boasted^(LI) against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it.^{(LJ) 14} This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.^{(LK) 15} Because you rejoiced^(LL) when the inheritance of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir,^(LM) you and all of Edom.^(LN) Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”