Study Desk

The word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month:

"Son of man, write down today's date, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.^(a)

Now speak a parable^(b) to the rebellious house. Tell them: This is what the Lord God says: Put the pot^(c) on the fire— put it on, and then pour water into it!

Place the pieces of meat in it, every good piece— thigh and shoulder. Fill it with choice bones.

Take the choicest of the flock and also pile up the fuel^[a] under it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it."

Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Woe to the city of bloodshed,^(d) the pot that has rust inside it, and whose rust will not come off! Empty it piece by piece; lots should not be cast for its contents.

For the blood she shed^[b] is still within her. She put it out on the bare rock; she didn't pour it on the ground to cover it with dust.^(e)

In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance,^(f) I have put her blood on the bare rock, so that it would not be covered.

Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Woe to the city of bloodshed!^(g) I Myself will make the pile of kindling large.

Pile on the logs and kindle the fire! Cook the meat well and mix in the spices!^[c][d] Let the bones be burned!

Set the empty pot on its coals so that it becomes hot and its copper glows. Then its impurity will melt inside it; its rust will be consumed.^(h)

It has frustrated every effort;^[e] its thick rust will not come off. Into the fire with its rust!

Because of the indecency of your uncleanness— since I tried to purify you, but you would not be purified from your uncleanness— you will not be pure again until I have satisfied My wrath on you.⁽ⁱ⁾

I, Yahweh, have spoken. It is coming, and I will do it!^(j) I will not refrain, I will not show pity, and I will not relent. I^[f] will judge you according to your ways and deeds.^(k) This is the declaration of the Lord God .

Then the word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, I am about to take the delight of your eyes^(l) away from you with a fatal blow. But you must not lament or weep or let your tears flow.^(m)

Groan quietly; do not observe mourning rites for the dead.⁽ⁿ⁾ Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners."^[g](o)

I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did just as I was commanded.

Then the people asked me, "Won't you tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?"

So I answered them: "The word of the Lord came to me:

‘Say to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord God says: I am about to desecrate My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your heart. Also, the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.^(p)

Then you will do just as I have done: You will not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners.^[h]

Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not lament or weep^(q) but will waste away^(r) because of your sins and will groan to one another.

Now Ezekiel will be a sign for you.^(s) You will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.

"‘Son of man, know that on the day I take their stronghold from them, their pride and joy, the delight of their eyes and the longing of their hearts, as well as their sons and daughters,

on that day a fugitive will come to you and report the news.^(t)

On that day your mouth will be opened to talk with him; you will speak and no longer be mute.^(u) So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am Yahweh.'"

Then the word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, turn your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them.^(a)

Say to the Ammonites: Hear the word of the Lord God : This is what the Lord God says: Because you said, ‘Good!'^(b) about My sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile,

therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession. They will set up their encampments and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk.

I will make Rabbah a pasture^(c) for camels and Ammon a sheepfold. Then you will know that I am Yahweh."

For this is what the Lord God says: "Because you clapped your hands,^(d) stamped your feet, and rejoiced over the land of Israel with wholehearted contempt,

therefore I am about to stretch out My hand against you^(e) and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and eliminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am Yahweh."

This is what the Lord God says: "Because Moab and Seir said,^(f) ‘Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,'

therefore I am about to expose Moab's flank beginning with its^[a] frontier cities, the pride of the land: Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon,^(g) and Kiriathaim.

I will give it along with Ammon to the people of the east as a possession, so that Ammon will not be remembered among the nations.

So I will execute judgments against Moab, and they will know that I am Yahweh."

This is what the Lord God says: "Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah^(h) and incurred grievous guilt by taking revenge on them,

therefore this is what the Lord God says: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off both man and animal from it. I will make it a wasteland; they will fall by the sword from Teman to Dedan.

I will take My vengeance⁽ⁱ⁾ on Edom through My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. So they will know My vengeance." This is the declaration of the Lord God .

This is what the Lord God says: "Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with deep contempt,^(j) destroying because of their ancient hatred,

therefore this is what the Lord God says: I am about to stretch out My hand against the Philistines,^(k) cutting off the Cherethites and wiping out what remains of the coastal peoples.^[b](l)

I will execute great vengeance against them with furious rebukes. They will know that I am Yahweh^(m) when I take My vengeance on them."

In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, because Tyre^(a) said about Jerusalem, ‘Good!^(b) The gateway to the peoples is shattered. She has been turned over to me. I will be filled now that she lies in ruins,'

therefore this is what the Lord God says: See, I am against you, Tyre!^(c) I will raise up many nations against you, just as the sea raises its waves.

They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and turn her into a bare rock.

She will become a place in the sea to spread nets, for I have spoken." This is the declaration of the Lord God . "She will become plunder for the nations,^(d)

and her villages on the mainland will be slaughtered by the sword.^(e) Then they will know that I am Yahweh."

For this is what the Lord God says: "See, I am about to bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, king of kings,^(f) against Tyre from the north with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a vast company of troops.

He will slaughter your villages on the mainland with the sword. He will set up siege works against you,^(g) and will build a ramp^[a] and raise a wall of shields against you.

He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his iron tools.

His horses will be so numerous that their dust will cover you. When he enters your gates as an army entering a breached city, your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots.

He will trample all your streets with the hooves of his horses.^(h) He will slaughter your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground.

They will take your wealth as spoil and plunder your merchandise.⁽ⁱ⁾ They will also demolish your walls and tear down your beautiful homes. Then they will throw your stones, timber, and soil into the water.

I will put an end to the noise of your songs,^(j) and the sound of your lyres will no longer be heard.

I will turn you into a bare rock, and you will be a place to spread nets. You will never be rebuilt, for I, Yahweh, have spoken."^(k) This is the declaration of the Lord God .

This is what the Lord God says to Tyre: "Won't the coasts and islands quake at the sound of your downfall,^(l) when the wounded groan and slaughter occurs within you?

All the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones,^(m) remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble continually, and be appalled⁽ⁿ⁾ at you.

Then they will lament^(o) for you and say of you: How you have perished, city of renown, you who were populated from the seas!^[b] She who was powerful on the sea, she and all of her inhabitants inflicted their terror.^[c]

Now the coastlands tremble^(p) on the day of your downfall; the islands in the sea are alarmed by your demise."

For this is what the Lord God says: "When I make you a ruined city like other deserted cities, when I raise up the deep against you so that the mighty waters cover you,

then I will bring you down to be with those who descend to the Pit,^(q) to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the underworld^[d] like^[e] the ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or display your splendor^[f] in the land of the living.^(r)

I will make you an object of horror, and you will no longer exist.^(s) You will be sought but will never be found again." This is the declaration of the Lord God .