Category: Ezekiel

The Lord’s Will and Human Defiance

1 It was the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year of our exile. Some of the leaders of the Israelite community came to consult me about theLord’s will, and they sat down in front of me.

2 Then theLordspoke to me.

3 “Mortal man,” he said, “speak to these leaders and tell them that the SovereignLordis saying: You have come to ask my will, have you? As surely as I am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything. I, the SovereignLord, have spoken.

4 “Are you ready to pass sentence on them, mortal man? Then do so. Remind them of the disgusting things their ancestors did.

5 Tell them what I am saying. When I chose Israel, I made them a promise. I revealed myself to them in Egypt and told them: I am theLordyour God.

6 It was then that I promised to take them out of Egypt and lead them to a land I had chosen for them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all.

7 I told them to throw away the disgusting idols they loved and not to make themselves unclean with the false gods of Egypt, because I am theLordtheir God.

8 But they defied me and refused to listen. They did not throw away their disgusting idols or give up the Egyptian gods. I was ready to let them feel the full force of my anger there in Egypt.

9 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name, for in the presence of the people among whom they were living I had announced to Israel that I was going to lead them out of Egypt.

10 “And so I led them out of Egypt into the desert.

11 I gave them my commands and taught them my laws, which bring life to anyone who obeys them.

12 I made the keeping of the Sabbath a sign of the agreement between us, to remind them that I, theLord, make them holy.

13 But even in the desert they defied me. They broke my laws and rejected my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They completely profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to destroy them.

14 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt.

15 So I made a vow in the desert that I would not take them to the land I had given them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all.

16 I made the vow because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, and profaned the Sabbath—they preferred to worship their idols.

17 “But then I took pity on them. I decided not to kill them there in the desert.

18 Instead, I warned the young people among them: Do not keep the laws your ancestors made; do not follow their customs or defile yourselves with their idols.

19 I am theLordyour God. Obey my laws and my commands.

20 Make the Sabbath a holy day, so that it will be a sign of the covenant we made, and will remind you that I am theLordyour God.

21 “But that generation also defied me. They broke my laws and did not keep my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to kill them all.

22 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt.

23 So I made another vow in the desert. I vowed that I would scatter them all over the world.

24 I did this because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, profaned the Sabbath, and worshiped the same idols their ancestors had served.

25 “Then I gave them laws that are not good and commands that do not bring life.

26 I let them defile themselves with their own offerings, and I let them sacrifice their first-born sons. This was to punish them and show them that I am theLord.

27 “Now then, mortal man, tell the Israelites what I, the SovereignLord, am saying to them. This is another way their ancestors insulted me by their unfaithfulness.

28 I brought them to the land I had promised to give them. When they saw the high hills and green trees, they offered sacrifices at all of them. They made me angry by the sacrifices they burned and by the wine they brought as offerings.

29 I asked them: What are these high places where you go? So they have been called ‘High Places’ever since.

30 Now tell the Israelites what I am saying: Why must you commit the same sins your ancestors did and go running after their idols?

31 Even today you offer the same gifts and defile yourselves with the same idols by sacrificing your children to them in the fire. And then you Israelites still come to ask what my will is! As surely as I, the SovereignLord, am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything.

32 You have made up your minds that you want to be like the other nations, like the people who live in other countries and worship trees and rocks. But that will never be.

God Punishes and Forgives

33 “As surely as I, the SovereignLord, am the living God, I warn you that in my anger I will rule over you with a strong hand, with all my power.

34 I will show you my power and my anger when I gather you together and bring you back from all the countries where you have been scattered.

35 I will bring you into the ‘Desert of the Nations,’ and there I will condemn you to your face.

36 I will now condemn you just as I condemned your ancestors in the Sinai Desert,” says the SovereignLord.

37 “I will take firm control of you and make you obey my covenant.

38 I will take away from among you those who are rebellious and sinful. I will take them out of the lands where they are living now, but I will not let them return to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am theLord.”

39 The SovereignLordsays, “And now, all you Israelites, suit yourselves! Go on and serve your idols! But I warn you that after this you will have to obey me and stop dishonoring my holy name by offering gifts to your idols.

40 There in the land, on my holy mountain,the high mountain of Israel, all you people of Israel will worship me. I will be pleased with you and will expect you to bring me your sacrifices, your best offerings, and your holy gifts.

41 After I bring you out of the countries where you have been scattered and gather you together, I will accept the sacrifices that you burn, and the nations will see that I am holy.

42 When I bring you back to Israel, the land that I promised I would give to your ancestors, then you will know that I am theLord.

43 Then you will remember all the disgraceful things you did and how you defiled yourselves. You will be disgusted with yourselves because of all the evil things you did.

44 When I act to protect my honor, you Israelites will know that I am theLord, because I do not deal with you as your wicked, evil actions deserve.” The SovereignLordhas spoken.

Fire in the South

45 TheLordspoke to me.

46 “Mortal man,” he said, “look toward the south. Speak against the south and prophesy against the forest of the south.

47 Tell the southern forest to hear what the SovereignLordis saying: Look! I am starting a fire, and it will burn up every tree in you, whether green or dry. Nothing will be able to put it out. It will spread from south to north, and everyone will feel the heat of the flames.

48 They will all see that I, theLord, set it on fire and that no one can put it out.”

49 But I protested, “SovereignLord, don’t make me do it! Everyone is already complaining that I always speak in riddles.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/20-f59f528a5497bd2a04e462d79ad05955.mp3?version_id=68—

The Lord’s Sword

1 TheLordspoke to me.

2 “Mortal man,” he said, “denounce Jerusalem. Denounce the places where people worship. Warn the land of Israel

3 that I, theLord, am saying: I am your enemy. I will draw my sword and kill all of you, good and evil alike.

4 I will use my sword against everyone from south to north.

5 Everyone will know that I, theLord, have drawn my sword and that I will not put it away.

6 “Mortal man, groan as if your heart is breaking with despair. Groan in sorrow where everyone can watch you.

7 When they ask you why you are groaning, tell them it is because of the news that is coming. When it comes, their hearts will be filled with fear, their hands will hang limp, their courage will fail, and their knees will tremble. The time has come; it is here.” The SovereignLordhas spoken.

8 TheLordsaid to me,

9 “Mortal man, prophesy. Tell the people what I, the Lord, am saying:

A sword, a sword is sharpened and polished.

10 It is sharpened to kill,

polished to flash like lightning.

There can be no rejoicing,

for my people have disregarded every warning and punishment.

11 The sword is being polished,

to make it ready for use.

It is sharpened and polished,

to be put in the hands of a killer.

12 Howl in grief, mortal man;

this sword is meant for my people

and for all the leaders of Israel.

They are going to be killed

with all the rest of my people.

Beat your breast in despair!

13 I am testing my people,

and if they refuse to repent,

all these things will happen to them.

14 “Now, mortal man, prophesy. Clap your hands, and the sword will strike again and again. It is a sword that kills, a sword that terrifiesand slaughters.

15 It makes my people lose courage and stumble. I am threatening their city with a swordthat flashes like lightning and is ready to kill.

16 Cut to the right and the left, you sharp sword! Cut wherever you turn.

17 I also will clap my hands, and my anger will be over. I, theLord, have spoken.”

The Sword of the King of Babylonia

18 TheLordspoke to me.

19 “Mortal man,” he said, “mark out two roads by which the king of Babylonia can come with his sword. Both of them are to start in the same country. Put up a signpost where the roads fork.

20 One will show the king the way to the Ammonite city of Rabbah, and the other the way to Judah, to the fortified city, Jerusalem.

21 The king of Babylonia stands by the signpost at the fork of the road. To discover which way to go, he shakes the arrows;he consults his idols; he examines the liver of a sacrificed animal.

22 Now! His right hand holds the arrow marked ‘Jerusalem’! It tells him to go and set up battering rams, to shout the battle cry, to place battering rams against the gates, to throw up earthworks, and to dig trenches.

23 The people of Jerusalem won’t believe this because of the treaties they have made. But this prediction is to remind them of their sins and to warn them that they will be captured.

24 This then is what I, the SovereignLord, am saying: Your sins are exposed. Everyone knows how guilty you are. You show your sins in your every action. You stand condemned, and I will hand you over to your enemies.

25 “You wicked, unholy ruler of Israel, your day, the day of your final punishment, is coming.

26 I, the SovereignLord, have spoken. Take off your crown and your turban. Nothing will be the same again. Raise the poor to power! Bring down those who are ruling!

27 Ruin, ruin! Yes, I will make the city a ruin. But this will not happen until the one comes whom I have chosen to punish the city. To him I will give it.

A Sword and the Ammonites

28 “Mortal man, prophesy. Announce what I, the SovereignLord, am saying to the Ammonites, who are insulting Israel. Say to them:

‘A sword is ready to destroy;

It is polished to kill, to flash like lightning.

29 The visions that you see are false, and the predictions you make are lies. You are wicked and evil, and your day is coming, the day of your final punishment. The sword is going to fall on your necks.

30 “‘Put up the sword! I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land where you were born.

31 You will feel my anger when I turn it loose on you like a blazing fire. And I will hand you over to brutal men, experts at destruction.

32 You will be destroyed by fire. Your blood will be shed in your own country, and no one will remember you any more.’” TheLordhas spoken.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/21-81e1f47d087ea28c938d7b8c51904540.mp3?version_id=68—

The Crimes of Jerusalem

1 TheLordspoke to me.

2 “Mortal man,” he said, “are you ready to judge the city that is full of murderers? Make clear to her all the disgusting things she has done.

3 Tell the city what I, the SovereignLord, am saying: Because you have murdered so many of your own people and have defiled yourself by worshiping idols, your time is coming.

4 You are guilty of those murders and are defiled by the idols you made, and so your day is coming, your time is up! That is why I have let the nations make fun of you and all the countries sneer at you.

5 Countries nearby and countries far away sneer at you because of your lawlessness.

6 All Israel’s leaders trust in their own strength and commit murder.

7 None of you in the city honor your parents. You cheat foreigners and take advantage of widows and orphans.

8 You have no respect for the holy places, and you don’t keep the Sabbath.

9 Some of your people tell lies about others in order to have them put to death. Some of them eat sacrifices offered to idols. Some are always satisfying their lusts.

10 Some of them sleep with their father’s wife. Some force women to have intercourse with them during their period.

11 Some commit adultery, and others seduce their daughters-in-law or their half sisters.

12 Some of your people murder for pay. Some charge interest on the loans they make to other Israelites and get rich by taking advantage of them. They have forgotten me.” The SovereignLordhas spoken.

13 “I will bring my fist down on your robberies and murders.

14 Do you think you will have any courage left or have strength enough to lift your hand when I am finished with you? I, theLord, have spoken, and I keep my word.

15 I will scatter your people to every country and nation and will put an end to your evil actions.

16 And so the other nations will dishonor you, but you will know that I am theLord.”

God’s Refining Furnace

17 TheLordsaid to me,

18 “Mortal man, the Israelites are of no use to me. They are like waste metal—copper, tin, iron, and lead—left over after silver has been refined in a furnace.

19 So now I, the SovereignLord, am telling them that they are just as useless as that. I will bring them all together in Jerusalem

20 in the same way that the ore of silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin is put in a refining furnace. My anger and rage will melt them the way fire melts ore.

21 Yes, I will gather them in Jerusalem, build a fire under them, and melt them with my anger.

22 They will be melted in Jerusalem the way silver is melted in a furnace, and then they will know that they are feeling the anger of theLord.”

The Sins of Israel’s Leaders

23 TheLordspoke to me again.

24 “Mortal man,” he said, “tell the Israelites that their land is unholy, and so I am punishing it in my anger.

25 The leadersare like lions roaring over the animals they have killed. They kill the people, take all the money and property they can get, and by their murders leave many widows.

26 The priests break my law and have no respect for what is holy. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. They do not teach the difference between clean and unclean things, and they ignore the Sabbath. As a result the people of Israel do not respect me.

27 The government officials are like wolves tearing apart the animals they have killed. They commit murder in order to get rich.

28 The prophets have hidden these sins like workers covering a wall with whitewash. They see false visions and make false predictions. They claim to speak the word of the SovereignLord, but I, theLord, have not spoken to them.

29 The wealthy cheat and rob. They mistreat the poor and take advantage of foreigners.

30 I looked for someone who could build a wall, who could stand in the places where the walls have crumbled and defend the land when my anger is about to destroy it, but I could find no one.

31 So I will turn my anger loose on them, and like a fire I will destroy them for what they have done.” The SovereignLordhas spoken.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/22-14cc95dc73706c6ac5d47f57c390350d.mp3?version_id=68—

The Sinful Sisters

1 TheLordspoke to me.

2 “Mortal man,” he said, “there were once two sisters.

3 When they were young, living in Egypt, they lost their virginity and became prostitutes.

4 The older one was named Oholah(she represents Samaria), and the younger one was named Oholibah(she represents Jerusalem). I married both of them, and they bore me children.

5 Although she was mine, Oholah continued to be a prostitute and was full of lust for her lovers from Assyria.

6 They were soldiers in uniforms of purple, noblemen and high-ranking officers; all of them were handsome young cavalry officers.

7 She was the whore for all the Assyrian officers, and her lust led her to defile herself by worshiping Assyrian idols.

8 She continued what she had begun as a prostitute in Egypt, where she lost her virginity. From the time she was a young woman, men slept with her and treated her like a prostitute.

9 So I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers whom she wanted so much.

10 They stripped her naked, seized her sons and daughters, and then killed her with a sword. Women everywhere gossiped about her fate.

11 “Even though her sister Oholibah saw this, she was wilder and more of a prostitute than Oholah had ever been.

12 She too was full of lust for the Assyrian noblemen and officers—soldiers in bright uniforms—and for the cavalry officers, all of those handsome young men.

13 I saw that she was completely immoral, that the second sister was as bad as the first.

14-15 “She sank deeper and deeper in her immorality. She was attracted by the images of high Babylonian officials carved into the wall and painted bright red, with sashes around their waists and fancy turbans on their heads.

16 As soon as she saw them, she was filled with lust and sent messengers to them in Babylonia.

17 The Babylonians came to have sex with her. They used her and defiled her so much that finally she became disgusted with them.

18 She exposed herself publicly and let everyone know she was a whore. I was as disgusted with her as I had been with her sister.

19 She became more of a prostitute than ever, acting the way she did as a young woman, when she was a prostitute in Egypt.

20 She was filled with lust for oversexed men who had all the lustfulness of donkeys or stallions.” (

21 Oholibah, you wanted to repeat the immorality you were guilty of as a young woman in Egypt, where men played with your breasts and you lost your virginity.)

God’s Judgment on the Younger Sister

22 “Now then, Oholibah, this is what I, the SovereignLord, am saying to you. You are tired of those lovers, but I will make them angry with you and bring them to surround you.

23 I will bring all the Babylonians and Chaldeans, men from Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians. I will gather all those handsome young noblemen and officers, all those important officials and high-ranking cavalry officers.

24 They will attack you from the north,bringing a large army with chariots and supply wagons. Protected by shields and helmets, they will surround you. I will hand you over to them, and they will judge you by their own laws.

25 Because I am angry with you, I will let them deal with you in their anger. They will cut off your nose and your ears and kill your children. Yes, they will take your sons and daughters from you and burn them alive.

26 They will tear off your clothes and take your jewels.

27 I will put a stop to your lust and to the obscenities you have committed ever since you were in Egypt. You won’t look at any more idols or think about Egypt any more.”

28 This is what the SovereignLordsays: “I will hand you over to people you hate and are disgusted with.

29 And because they hate you, they will take away everything you have worked for and leave you stripped naked, exposed like a prostitute. Your lust and your prostitution

30 have brought this on you. You were a prostitute for the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.

31 You followed in your sister’s footsteps, and so I will give you the same cup of punishment to drink.”

32 The SovereignLordsays,

“You will drink from your sister’s cup;

it is large and deep.

Everyone will scorn and mock you;

the cup is full.

33 It will make you miserable and drunk,

that cup of fear and ruin,

your sister Samaria’s cup.

34 You will drink and drain it dry,

and with its broken pieces

tear your breast.

I, the SovereignLord, have spoken.”

35 Now this is what the SovereignLordis saying: “Because you forgot me and turned your back on me, you will suffer for your lust and your prostitution.”

God’s Judgment on Both Sisters

36 TheLordsaid to me, “Mortal man, are you ready to judge Oholah and Oholibah? Accuse them of the disgusting things they have done.

37 They have committed adultery and murder—adultery with idols and murder of the children they bore me. They sacrificed my children to their idols.

38 And that is not all they did. They profaned my Temple and broke the Sabbath, which I had established.

39 The very day that they killed my children as sacrifices to idols, they came to my Temple and profaned it!

40 “Again and again they sent messengers to invite men to come from a great distance, and the men came. The two sisters would bathe and put on eye shadow and jewelry.

41 They would sit on a beautiful couch, and in front of them they would have a table covered with good things, including the incense and the olive oil that I had given them.

42 The sound of a carefree crowd could be heard, a group of men brought in from the desert. They put bracelets on the women’s arms and beautiful crowns on their heads.

43 And I said to myself that they were using as a prostitute a woman worn out by adultery.

44 They went back to these prostitutes again and again. They went back to Oholah and Oholibah, those immoral women.

45 Righteous men will condemn them on the charge of adultery and murder, because they practice adultery and their hands are stained with blood.”

46 This is what the SovereignLordsays: “Bring a mob to terrorize them and rob them.

47 Let the mob stone them and attack them with swords, kill their children, and burn down their houses.

48 Throughout the land I will put a stop to immorality, as a warning to every woman not to commit adultery as they did.

49 And you two sisters—I will punish you for your immorality and your sin of worshiping idols. Then you will know that I am the SovereignLord.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/23-ecabbd4346fb48f265b91162b60c18fb.mp3?version_id=68—

The Corroded Cooking Pot

1 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of our exile, theLordspoke to me.

2 “Mortal man,” he said, “write down today’s date, because this is the day that the king of Babylonia is beginning the siege of Jerusalem.

3 Tell my rebellious people this parable that I, the SovereignLord, have for them:

Set the pot on the fire

and fill it up with water.

4 Put in the best pieces of meat—

the shoulders and the legs—

fill it with choice bony pieces too.

5 Use the meat of the finest sheep;

pile the woodunder the pot.

Let the water boil;

boil the bones and the meat.”

6 This is what the SovereignLordis saying: “The city of murderers is doomed! It is like a corroded pot that is never cleaned. Piece after piece of meat is taken out, and not one is left.

7 There was murder in the city, but the blood was not spilled on the ground where the dust could hide it; it was spilled on a bare rock.

8 I have left the blood there, where it cannot be hidden, where it demands angry revenge.”

9 This is what the SovereignLordis saying: “The city of murderers is doomed! I myself will pile up the firewood.

10 Bring more wood! Fan the flames! Cook the meat! Boil away the broth!Burn up the bones!

11 Now set the empty bronze pot on the coals and let it get red-hot. Then the pot will be ritually pure again after the corrosion is burned off,

12 although all that corrosion will not disappear in the flames.

13 Jerusalem, your immoral actions have defiled you. Although I tried to purify you, you remained defiled. You will not be pure again until you have felt the full force of my anger.

14 I, theLord, have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not ignore your sins or show pity or be merciful. You will be punished for what you have done.” The SovereignLordhas spoken.

The Death of the Prophet’s Wife

15 TheLordspoke to me.

16 “Mortal man,” he said, “with one blow I am going to take away the person you love most. You are not to complain or cry or shed any tears.

17 Don’t let your sobbing be heard. Do not go bareheaded or barefoot as a sign of mourning. Don’t cover your face or eat the food that mourners eat.”

18 Early in the day I was talking with the people. That evening my wife died, and the next day I did as I had been told.

19 The people asked me, “Why are you acting like this?”

20 So I said to them, “TheLordspoke to me and told me

21 to give you Israelites this message: You are proud of the strength of the Temple. You like to look at it and to visit it, but theLordis going to profane it. And the younger members of your families who are left in Jerusalem will be killed in war.

22 Then you will do what I have done. You will not cover your faces or eat the food that mourners eat.

23 You will not go bareheaded or barefoot or mourn or cry. You will waste away because of your sins, and you will groan to one another.

24 Then I will be a sign to you; you will do everything I have done. TheLordsays that when this happens, you will know that he is the SovereignLord.”

25 TheLordsaid, “Now, mortal man, I will take away from them the strong Temple that was their pride and joy, which they liked to look at and to visit. And I will take away their sons and daughters.

26 On the day that I do this, some who escape the destruction will come and tell you about it.

27 That same day you will get back the power of speech which you had lost, and you will talk with them. In this way you will be a sign to the people, and they will know that I am theLord.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/24-cf15efe1e8b884208d0f71814d10581c.mp3?version_id=68—

Prophecy against Ammon

1 TheLordspoke to me.

2 “Mortal man,” he said, “denounce the country of Ammon.

3 Tell them to listen to what I, the SovereignLord, am saying: You were delighted to see my Temple profaned, to see the land of Israel devastated, to see the people of Judah go into exile.

4 Because you were glad, I will let the tribes from the eastern desert conquer you. They will set up their camps in your country and settle there. They will eat the fruit and drink the milk that should have been yours.

5 I will turn the city of Rabbah into a place to keep camels, and the whole country of Ammon will become a place to keep sheep, so that you will know I am theLord.

6 “This is what the SovereignLordis saying: You clapped your hands and jumped for joy. You despised the land of Israel.

7 Because you did, I will hand you over to other nations who will rob you and plunder you. I will destroy you so completely that you will not be a nation any more or have a country of your own. Then you will know that I am theLord.”

Prophecy against Moab

8 The SovereignLordsaid, “Because Moabhas said that Judah is like all the other nations,

9 I will let the cities that defend the border of Moab be attacked, including even the finest cities—Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim.

10 I will let the tribes of the eastern desert conquer Moab, together with Ammon, so that Moabwill no longer be a nation.

11 I will punish Moab, and they will know that I am theLord.”

Prophecy against Edom

12 The SovereignLordsaid, “The people of Edom took cruel revenge on Judah, and that revenge has brought lasting guilt on Edom.

13 Now I announce that I will punish Edom and kill every person and animal there. I will make it a wasteland, from the city of Teman to the city of Dedan, and the people will be killed in battle.

14 My people Israel will take revenge on Edom for me, and they will make Edom feel my furious anger. Edom will know what it means to be the object of my revenge.” The SovereignLordhas spoken.

Prophecy against Philistia

15 The SovereignLordsaid, “The Philistines have taken cruel revenge on their agelong enemies and destroyed them in their hate.

16 And so I am announcing that I will attack the Philistines and wipe them out. I will destroy everyone left living there on the Philistine Plain.

17 I will punish them severely and take full revenge on them. They will feel my anger. Then they will know that I am theLord.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/25-0a8abd847e1c484726db5edf14c66a11.mp3?version_id=68—

Prophecy against Tyre

1 On the first day of the … monthof the eleventh year of our exile, theLordspoke to me.

2 “Mortal man,” he said, “this is what the people in the city of Tyre are cheering about. They shout, ‘Jerusalem is shattered! Her commercial power is gone! She won’t be our rival any more!’

3 “Now then, this is what I, the SovereignLord, am saying: I am your enemy, city of Tyre. I will bring many nations to attack you, and they will come like the waves of the sea.

4 They will destroy your city walls and tear down your towers. Then I will sweep away all the dust and leave only a bare rock.

5 Fishermen will dry their nets on it, there where it stands in the sea. I, the SovereignLord, have spoken. The nations will plunder Tyre,

6 and with their swords they will kill those who live in her towns on the mainland. Then Tyre will know that I am theLord.”

7 The SovereignLordsays, “I am going to bring the greatest king of all—King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia—to attack Tyre. He will come from the north with a huge army, with horses and chariots and with cavalry.

8 Those who live in the towns on the mainland will be killed in the fighting. The enemy will dig trenches, build earthworks, and make a solid wall of shields against you.

9 They will pound in your walls with battering rams and tear down your towers with iron bars.

10 The clouds of dust raised by their horses will cover you. The noise of their horses pulling wagons and chariots will shake your walls as they pass through the gates of the ruined city.

11 Their cavalry will storm through your streets, killing your people with their swords. Your mighty pillars will be thrown to the ground.

12 Your enemies will help themselves to your wealth and merchandise. They will pull down your walls and shatter your luxurious houses. They will take the stones and wood and all the rubble, and dump them into the sea.

13 I will put an end to all your songs, and I will silence the music of your harps.

14 I will leave only a bare rock where fishermen can dry their nets. The city will never be rebuilt. I, the SovereignLord, have spoken.”

15 The SovereignLordhas this to say to the city of Tyre: “When you are being conquered, the people who live along the coast will be terrified at the screams of those who are slaughtered.

16 All the kings of the seafaring nations will come down from their thrones. They will take off their robes and their embroidered clothes and sit trembling on the ground. They will be so terrified at your fate that they will not be able to stop trembling.

17 They will sing this funeral song for you:

The famous city is destroyed!

Her ships have been sweptfrom the seas.

The people of this city ruled the seas

And terrified all who lived on the coast.

18 Now, on the day it has fallen,

The islands are trembling,

And their people are shocked at such destruction.”

19 The SovereignLordsays: “I will make you as desolate as ruined cities where no one lives. I will cover you with the water of the ocean depths.

20 I will send you down to the world of the dead to join the people who lived in ancient times. I will make you stay in that underground world among eternal ruins, keeping company with the dead. As a result you will never again be inhabited and take your placein the land of the living.

21 I will make you a terrifying example, and that will be the end of you. People may look for you, but you will never be found.” The SovereignLordhas spoken.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/26-7c44bdec2bd640ae8262de0fe77b4c4a.mp3?version_id=68—

A Funeral Song for Tyre

1 TheLordsaid to me,

2 “Mortal man, sing a funeral song for Tyre,

3 that city which stands at the edge of the sea and does business with the people living on every seacoast. Tell her what the SovereignLordis saying:

“Tyre, you boasted of your perfect beauty.

4 Your home is the sea.

Your builders made you like a beautiful ship;

5 They used fir trees from Mount Hermon for timber

And a cedar from Lebanon for your mast.

6 They took oak trees from Bashan to make oars;

They made your deck out of pine from Cyprus

And inlaid it with ivory.

7 Your sails were made of linen,

Embroidered linen from Egypt,

Easily recognized from afar.

Your awnings were made of finest cloth,

Of purple from the island of Cyprus.

8 Your oarsmen were from the cities of Sidon and Arvad.

Your own skillful men were the sailors.

9 The ship’s carpenters

Were well-trained men from Byblos.

Sailors from every seagoing ship

Did business in your shops.

10 “Soldiers from Persia, Lydia, and Libya served in your army. They hung their shields and their helmets in your barracks. They are the men who won glory for you.

11 Soldiers from Arvad guarded your walls, and troops from Gamad guarded your towers. They hung their shields on your walls. They are the ones who made you beautiful.

12 “You did business in Spain and took silver, iron, tin, and lead in payment for your abundant goods.

13 You did business in Greece, Tubal, and Meshech and traded your goods for slaves and for articles of bronze.

14 You sold your goods for workhorses, war-horses, and mules from Beth Togarmah.

15 The people of Rhodestraded with you; people of many coastal lands gave you ivory and ebony in exchange for your goods.

16 The people of Syria bought your merchandise and your many products. They gave emeralds, purple cloth, embroidery, fine linen, coral, and rubies in payment for your wares.

17 Judah and Israel paid for your goods with wheat,honey, olive oil, and spices.

18-19 The people of Damascus bought your merchandise and your products, paying for them with wine from Helbon and wool from Sahar.They traded wrought iron and spices for your goods.

20 The people of Dedan traded saddle blankets for your goods.

21 The Arabians and the rulers of the land of Kedar paid for your merchandise with lambs, sheep, and goats.

22 For your goods the merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded jewels, gold, and the finest spices.

23 The cities of Haran, Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, the cities of Asshur and Chilmad—they all traded with you.

24 They sold you luxurious clothing, purple cloth, and embroidery, brightly colored carpets, and well-made cords and ropes.

25 Your merchandise was carried in fleets of the largest cargo ships.

“You were like a ship at sea

Loaded with heavy cargo.

26 When your oarsmen brought you out to sea,

An east wind wrecked you far from land.

27 All your wealth of merchandise,

All the sailors in your crew,

Your ship’s carpenters and your merchants,

Every soldier on board the ship—

All, all were lost at sea

When your ship was wrecked.

28 The shouts of the drowning sailors

Echoed on the shore.

29 “Every ship is now deserted,

And every sailor has gone ashore.

30 They all mourn bitterly for you,

Throwing dust on their heads and rolling in ashes.

31 They shave their heads for you

And dress themselves in sackcloth.

Their hearts are bitter as they weep.

32 They chant a funeral song for you:

‘Who can be compared to Tyre,

To Tyre now silent in the sea?

33 When your merchandise went overseas,

You filled the needs of every nation.

Kings were made rich

By the wealth of your goods.

34 Now you are wrecked in the sea;

You have sunk to the ocean depths.

Your goods and all who worked for you

Have vanished with you in the sea.’

35 “Everyone who lives along the coast is shocked at your fate. Even their kings are terrified, and fear is written on their faces.

36 You are gone, gone forever, and merchants all over the world are terrified, afraid that they will share your fate.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/27-47e0d422a71b0f5fdff48144aa21dc71.mp3?version_id=68—

Prophecy against the King of Tyre

1 TheLordspoke to me.

2 “Mortal man,” he said, “tell the ruler of Tyre what I, the SovereignLord, am saying to him: Puffed up with pride, you claim to be a god. You say that like a god you sit on a throne, surrounded by the seas. You may pretend to be a god, but, no, you are mortal, not divine.

3 You think you are wiser than Danel,that no secret can be kept from you.

4 Your wisdom and skill made you rich with treasures of gold and silver.

5 You made clever business deals and kept on making profits. How proud you are of your wealth!

6 “Now then, this is what I, the SovereignLord, am saying: Because you think you are as wise as a god,

7 I will bring ruthless enemies to attack you. They will destroy all the beautiful things you have acquired by skill and wisdom.

8 They will kill you and send you to a watery grave.

9 When they come to kill you, will you still claim that you are a god? When you face your murderers, you will be mortal and not at all divine.

10 You will die like a dog at the hand of godless foreigners. I, the SovereignLord, have given the command.”

The Fall of the King of Tyre

11 TheLordspoke to me again.

12 “Mortal man,” he said, “grieve for the fate that is waiting for the king of Tyre. Tell him what I, the SovereignLord, am saying: You were once an example of perfection. How wise and handsome you were!

13 You lived in Eden, the garden of God, and wore gems of every kind: rubies and diamonds; topaz, beryl, carnelian, and jasper; sapphires, emeralds, and garnets. You had ornaments of gold. They were made for youon the day you were created.

14 I put a terrifying angel there to guard you.You lived on my holy mountain and walked among sparkling gems.

15 Your conduct was perfect from the day you were created until you began to do evil.

16 You were busy buying and selling, and this led you to violence and sin. So I forced you to leave my holy mountain, and the angel who guarded you drove you away from the sparkling gems.

17 You were proud of being handsome, and your fame made you act like a fool. Because of this I hurled you to the ground and left you as a warning to other kings.

18 You did such evil in buying and selling that your places of worship were corrupted. So I set fire to the city and burned it to the ground. All who look at you now see you reduced to ashes.

19 You are gone, gone forever, and all the nations that had come to know you are terrified, afraid that they will share your fate.”

Prophecy against Sidon

20 TheLordsaid to me,

21 “Mortal man, denounce the city of Sidon.

22 Tell the people there what I, the SovereignLord, say about them: I am your enemy, Sidon; people will praise me because of what I do to you. They will know that I am theLord, when I show how holy I am by punishing those who live in you.

23 I will send diseases on you and make blood flow in your streets. You will be attacked from every side, and your people will be killed. Then you will know that I am theLord.”

Israel Will Be Blessed

24 TheLordsaid, “None of the surrounding nations that treated Israel with scorn will ever again be like thorns and briers to hurt Israel. And they will know that I am the SovereignLord.”

25 The SovereignLordsaid, “I will bring back the people of Israel from the nations where I scattered them, and all the nations will know that I am holy. The people of Israel will live in their own land, the land that I gave to my servant Jacob.

26 They will live there in safety. They will build houses and plant vineyards. I will punish all their neighbors who treated them with scorn, and Israel will be secure. Then they will know that I am theLordtheir God.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/28-7ac6467c684ba14cbf40dc19cf7fe748.mp3?version_id=68—

Prophecy against Egypt

1 On the twelfth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of our exile, theLordspoke to me.

2 “Mortal man,” he said, “denounce the king of Egypt. Tell him how he and all the land of Egypt will be punished.

3 Say that this is what the SovereignLordis telling the king of Egypt: I am your enemy, you monster crocodile, lying in the river. You say that the Nile is yours and that you made it.

4 I am going to put a hook through your jaw and make the fish in your river stick fast to you. Then I will pull you up out of the Nile, with all the fish sticking to you.

5 I will throw you and all those fish into the desert. Your body will fall on the ground and be left unburied. I will give it to the birds and animals for food.

6 Then all the people of Egypt will know that I am theLord.”

TheLordsays, “The Israelites relied on you Egyptians for support, but you were no better than a weak stick.

7 When they leaned on you, you broke, pierced their armpits, and made them wrench their backs.

8 Now then, I, the SovereignLord, am telling you that I will have troops attack you with swords, and they will kill your people and your animals.

9 Egypt will become an empty wasteland. Then you will know that I am theLord.

“Because you said that the Nile is yours and you made it,

10 I am your enemy and the enemy of your Nile. I will make all of Egypt an empty wasteland, from the city of Migdol in the north to the city of Aswan in the south, all the way to the Ethiopianborder.

11 No human being or animal will walk through it. For forty years nothing will live there.

12 I will make Egypt the most desolate country in the world. For forty years the cities of Egypt will lie in ruins, ruins worse than those of any other city. I will make the Egyptians refugees. They will flee to every country and live among other peoples.”

13 The SovereignLordsays, “After forty years I will bring the Egyptians back from the nations where I have scattered them,

14 and I will let them live in southern Egypt, their original home. There they will be a weak kingdom,

15 the weakest kingdom of all, and they will never again rule other nations. I will make them so unimportant that they will not be able to bend any other nation to their will.

16 Israel will never again depend on them for help. Egypt’s fate will remind Israel how wrong it was to rely on them. Then Israel will know that I am the SovereignLord.”

King Nebuchadnezzar Will Conquer Egypt

17 On the first day of the first month of the twenty-seventh year of our exile, theLordspoke to me.

18 “Mortal man,” he said, “King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia launched an attack on Tyre. He made his soldiers carry such heavy loads that their heads were rubbed bald and their shoulders were worn raw, but neither the king nor his army got anything for all their trouble.

19 So now this is what I, the SovereignLord, am saying: I am giving the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar. He will loot and plunder it and carry off all the wealth of Egypt as his army’s pay.

20 I am giving him Egypt in payment for his services, because his army was working for me. I, the SovereignLord, have spoken.

21 “When that happens, I will make the people of Israel strong and let you, Ezekiel, speak out where everyone can hear you, so that they will know that I am theLord.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/EZK/29-876257dbc61afe0a1db621ed3ef2d8df.mp3?version_id=68—