Study Desk

A Prophecy Against Ammon

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, set your face against^(a) the Ammonites^(b) and prophesy against them.^(c)

Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord . This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said "Aha!^(d)" over my sanctuary when it was desecrated^(e) and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,^(f)

therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East^(g) as a possession. They will set up their camps^(h) and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.⁽ⁱ⁾

I will turn Rabbah^(j) into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep.^(k) Then you will know that I am the Lord .

For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands^(l) and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,^(m)

therefore I will stretch out my hand⁽ⁿ⁾ against you and give you as plunder^(o) to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy^(p) you, and you will know that I am the Lord .^(q)'"

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab^(r) and Seir^(s) said, "Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,"

therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth^(t), Baal Meon^(u) and Kiriathaim^(v)—the glory of that land.

I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered^(w) among the nations;

and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord .'"^(x)

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom^(y) took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so,

therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand^(z) against Edom and kill both man and beast.^(aa) I will lay it waste, and from Teman^(ab) to Dedan^(ac) they will fall by the sword.^(ad)

I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger^(ae) and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord .'"^(af)

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines^(ag) acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice^(ah) in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah,

therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines,^(ai) and I will wipe out the Kerethites^(aj) and destroy those remaining along the coast.^(ak)

I will carry out great vengeance^(al) on them and punish^(am) them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord ,^(an) when I take vengeance on them.^(ao)'"

A Prophecy Against Tyre

In the eleventh month of the twelfth^[a] year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:^(a)

"Son of man, because Tyre^(b) has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha!^(c) The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,'

therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea^(d) casting up its waves.

They will destroy^(e) the walls of Tyre^(f) and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock.

Out in the sea^(g) she will become a place to spread fishnets,^(h) for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord . She will become plunder⁽ⁱ⁾ for the nations,^(j)

and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord .

"For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar^[b](k) king of Babylon, king of kings,^(l) with horses and chariots,^(m) with horsemen and a great army.

He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works⁽ⁿ⁾ against you, build a ramp^(o) up to your walls and raise his shields against you.

He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons.^(p)

His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the warhorses, wagons and chariots^(q) when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through.

The hooves^(r) of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars^(s) will fall to the ground.^(t)

They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea.^(u)

I will put an end^(v) to your noisy songs,^(w) and the music of your harps^(x) will be heard no more.^(y)

I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt,^(z) for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord .

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlands^(aa) tremble^(ab) at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan^(ac) and the slaughter takes place in you?

Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered^(ad) garments. Clothed^(ae) with terror, they will sit on the ground,^(af) trembling^(ag) every moment, appalled^(ah) at you.

Then they will take up a lament^(ai) concerning you and say to you: "‘How you are destroyed, city of renown, peopled by men of the sea! You were a power on the seas, you and your citizens; you put your terror on all who lived there.^(aj)

Now the coastlands tremble^(ak) on the day of your fall; the islands in the sea are terrified at your collapse.'^(al)

"This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths^(am) over you and its vast waters cover you,^(an)

then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit,^(ao) to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place^[c] in the land of the living.^(ap)

I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more.^(aq) You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord ."^(ar)