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Ezekiel 31

1

In the eleventh year, in the third month on the first day, the word of the LORD came to me:

2

"Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes: "`Who can be compared with you in majesty?

3

Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick foliage.

4

The waters nourished it, deep springs made it grow tall; their streams flowed all around its base and sent their channels to all the trees of the field.

5

So it towered higher than all the trees of the field; its boughs increased and its branches grew long, spreading because of abundant waters.

6

All the birds of the air nested in its boughs, all the beasts of the field gave birth under its branches; all the great nations lived in its shade.

7

It was majestic in beauty, with its spreading boughs, for its roots went down to abundant waters.

8

The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it, nor could the pine trees equal its boughs, nor could the plane trees compare with its branches-- no tree in the garden of God could match its beauty.

9

I made it beautiful with abundant branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God.

10

"`Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because it towered on high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height,

11

I handed it over to the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,

12

and the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys; 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.

13

All the birds of the air settled on the fallen tree, and all the beasts of the field were among its branches.

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 for death, for the earth below, among mortal men, with those who go down to the pit.

15

"`This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day it was brought down to the grave 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.

16

I made the nations tremble at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the grave with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the trees that were well-watered, were consoled in the earth below.

17

Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, had also gone down to the grave with it, joining those killed by the sword.

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, with those killed by the sword. "`This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"

Ezekiel 32

1

In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the LORD came to me:

2

"Son of man, take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: "`You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas thrashing about in your streams, churning the water with your feet and muddying the streams.

3

"`This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "`With a great throng of people I will cast my net over you, and they will haul you up in my net.

4

I will throw you on the land and hurl you on the open field. I will let all the birds of the air settle on you and all the beasts of the earth gorge themselves on you.

5

I will spread your flesh on the mountains and fill the valleys with your remains.

6

I will drench the land with your flowing blood all the way to the mountains, and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.

7

When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.

8

All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you; I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Sovereign LORD.

9

I will trouble the hearts of many peoples when I bring about your destruction among the nations, among lands you have not known.

10

I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you, and their kings will shudder with horror because of you when I brandish my sword before them. On the day of your downfall each of them will tremble every moment for his life.

11

"`For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "`The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you.

12

I will cause your hordes to fall by the swords of mighty men-- the most ruthless of all nations. They will shatter the pride of Egypt, and all her hordes will be overthrown.

13

I will destroy all her cattle from beside abundant waters no longer to be stirred by the foot of man or muddied by the hoofs of cattle.

14

Then I will let her waters settle and make her streams flow like oil, declares the Sovereign LORD.

15

When I make Egypt desolate and strip the land of everything in it, when I strike down all who live there, then they will know that I am the LORD.'

16

"This is the lament 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."

17

In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:

18

"Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, with those who go down to the pit.

19

Say to them, `Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.'

20

They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged off with all her hordes.

21

From within the grave the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, `They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised, 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 and her army lies around her grave. All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.

24

"Elam is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword. All who had spread terror in the land of the living went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.

25

A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised, 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

"Meshech and Tubal 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

Do they not lie with the other uncircumcised warriors who have fallen, who went down to the grave with their weapons of war, whose swords were placed under their heads? The punishment for their sins rested on their bones, though the terror of these warriors had stalked through the land of the living.

28

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

29

"Edom 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.

30

"All the princes of the north and all the Sidonians are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.

31

"Pharaoh--he and all his army--will see them and he will be consoled 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 and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign LORD."

Ezekiel 33

1

The word of the LORD came to me:

2

"Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: `When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,

3

and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people,

4

then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head.

5

Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself.

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 the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.'

7

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.

8

When I say to the wicked, `O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.

9

But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.

10

"Son of man, say to the house of Israel, `This is what you are saying: "Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?"'

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. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'

12

"Therefore, son of man, say to your countrymen, `The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it. The righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former righteousness.'

13

If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done.

14

And if I say to the wicked man, `You will surely die,' but he then turns away from his sin and does what is just and right--

15

if he gives back what he took in pledge for a loan, returns what he has stolen, follows the decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will surely live; he will not die.

16

None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live.

17

"Yet your countrymen say, `The way of the Lord is not just.' But it is their way that is not just.

18

If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it.

19

And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by doing so.

20

Yet, O house of Israel, you say, `The way of the Lord is not just.' But I will judge each of you according to his own ways."

21

In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month on the fifth day, a man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, "The city has fallen!"

22

Now the evening before the man arrived, the hand of the LORD was upon me, and he opened my mouth before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer silent.

23

Then the word of the LORD came to me:

24

"Son of man, the people living in those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, `Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as our possession.'

25

Therefore say to them, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Since you eat meat with the blood still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land?

26

You rely on your sword, you do detestable things, and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife. 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.

28

I will make the land a desolate waste, and her proud strength will come to an end, and the mountains of Israel will become desolate so that no one will cross them.

29

Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land a desolate waste because of all the detestable things they have done.'

30

"As for you, son of man, your countrymen 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 you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.

32

Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.

33

"When all this comes true--and it surely will--then they will know that a prophet has been among them."

Ezekiel 34

1

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 the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?

3

You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.

4

You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

5

So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.

6

My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

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 and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,

9

therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:

10

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against 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 my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

11

"`For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.

12

As a shepherd 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.

13

I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.

14

I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.

15

I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.

16

I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

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.

18

Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? 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.

21

Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns 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.

23

I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.

24

I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.

25

"`I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety.

26

I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.

27

The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.

28

They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid.

29

I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations.

30

Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Sovereign LORD.

31

You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"

Ezekiel 35

1

The word of the LORD came to me:

2

"Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir; 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 against you and make you a desolate waste.

4

I will turn your towns into ruins and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

5

"`Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity, the time their punishment reached its climax,

6

therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.

7

I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and cut off from it all who come and go.

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.

9

I will make you desolate forever; your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

10

"`Because you have said, "These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession 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 and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.

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."

13

You boasted against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it.

14

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.

15

Because you rejoiced when the inheritance of the house of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, O Mount Seir, you and all of Edom. Then they will know that I am the LORD.'"

Ezekiel 36

1

"Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, `O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD.

2

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The enemy said of you, "Aha! The ancient heights have become our possession."'

3

Therefore prophesy and say, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because they ravaged and hounded you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people's malicious talk and slander,

4

therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign LORD: This is what the Sovereign LORD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you--

5

this is what the Sovereign LORD says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.'

6

Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations.

7

Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.

8

"`But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home.

9

I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown,

10

and I will multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.

11

I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past and will make you prosper more than before. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

12

I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk upon you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; you will never again deprive them of their children.

13

"`This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because people say to you, "You devour men and deprive your nation of its children,"

14

therefore you will no longer devour men or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign LORD.

15

No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"

16

Again the word of the LORD came to me:

17

"Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman's monthly uncleanness in my sight.

18

So I poured out my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols.

19

I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.

20

And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, `These are the LORD's people, and yet they had to leave his land.'

21

I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.

22

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.

23

I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.

24

"`For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.

25

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.

26

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

27

And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

28

You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

29

I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you.

30

I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.

31

Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.

32

I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel!

33

"`This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt.

34

The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it.

35

They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited."

36

Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.'

37

"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,

38

as numerous as the flocks for offerings at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

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