Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

1 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

2 “Now, human being, are you prepared to judge? Are you prepared to judge the city drenched in blood? Then make her realize how disgusting all her practices are!

3 Say thatAdonaiElohimsays, ‘City that sheds blood within yourself, thus speeding your own doom, and that makes idols for yourself that defile you:

4 you are guilty because of the blood you have shed, you are defiled by your idols that you have made. You have shortened your days, you have completed your years; therefore I have made you an object of scorn for the nations and a laughingstock for every country.

5 Those close by and those far off will taunt you, you who have such a defiled reputation and such great disorder.

6 “‘The leaders of Isra’el in you all use their power in order to shed blood.

7 In you, they make light of fathers and mothers, they oppress foreigners, they wrong orphans and widows.

8 You treat my holy things with contempt, you profane myshabbats.

9 In you, people gossip to the point of inciting bloodshed; in you are those who go to eat on the mountains; in you, they commit lewd acts;

10 in you, they commit incest; in you, they force themselves on women during their menstrual impurity.

11 In you, one commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another commits some lewd act defiling his daughter-in-law; still another humbles his sister, his own father’s daughter.

12 In you, people take bribes to shed blood; you demand and accept interest on loans; in greed you make profits off your neighbors by extorting them; and you have forgotten me,’ saysAdonaiElohim.

13 “‘Therefore, I am clapping my hands together because of your ill-gotten gains and the blood shed in you.

14 Can your courage last, can your strength continue during the days when I deal with you? I,Adonai, have spoken it; and I will do it.

15 I will scatter you among theGoyimand disperse you throughout the countries; thus I will remove your defilement from you,

16 and you will cause yourselves to be profaned in full view of theGoyim. Then you will know that I amAdonai.’”

17 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

18 “Human being, the house of Isra’el has become an alloy of base metals for me; they are all copper, tin, iron and lead mixed together in the crucible, the dross left over from the silver.

19 ThereforeAdonaiElohimsays this: ‘Because you have all become dross, I will collect all of you inside Yerushalayim.

20 Then, just as they collect silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a crucible and blow fire on it to melt it down; so likewise I will collect you in my anger and fury, throw you in there, and melt you down.

21 Yes, I will collect you and blow on you with the fire of my rage, and you will be melted down in it.

22 As silver is melted down in a crucible, so will you be melted down in [Yerushalayim]. Then you will know that it is I,Adonai, who have poured out my fury on you.’”

23 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

24 “Human being, tell her this: ‘You are a land that is neither cleansed nor rained on in the day of fury.

25 There is a conspiracy of prophets in it like a roaring lion tearing up the prey; they have devoured people, seized wealth and valuables, and widowed many in it.

26 Hercohanimhave done violence to myTorah, profaned my holy things, made no difference between the holy and the common, not distinguished between unclean and clean, hidden their eyes from myshabbats, and profaned me among themselves.

27 Her leaders in it are like wolves tearing up the prey to shed blood and destroy people, in order to benefit unjustly.

28 Her prophets have “plastered” for them with whitewash, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, “Thus saysAdonaiElohim,” whenAdonaihas not spoken.

29 The people of the land have extorted, robbed, wronged the poor and needy and unjustly oppressed foreigners.

30 “‘I sought for a man among them who could build a barricade or stand in the break to oppose me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

31 Therefore I am pouring out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my rage, bringing their own ways on their own heads,’ saysAdonaiElohim.”

1 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

2 “Human being! There were two women, daughters of the same mother,

3 who were whores in Egypt — even as young girls they were whores. There they let their breasts be caressed, and there their virgin nipples were fondled.

4 Their names were Oholah, the older one, and Oholivah, her sister. They belonged to me, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their names, Shomron is Oholah, and Yerushalayim is Oholivah.

5 “Even when she belonged to me, Oholah prostituted herself; she lusted after her lovers from Ashur — warriors

6 dressed in blue, governors, rulers, all of them good-looking young men riding on horseback.

7 She gave herself as a whore to them, all of them the elite of Ashur; and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.

8 She did not give up the whoring she had begun in Egypt, where men had sex with her, fondled her virgin nipples and flooded her with their fornication.

9 “So I handed her over to her lovers, the men of Ashur she lusted after.

10 They exposed her private parts, took her sons and daughters, and put her to death with the sword; so that she became notorious among women for the judgments executed against her.

11 “Her sister Oholivah saw this; nevertheless she was worse than her sister in lusting and likewise in whoring.

12 She lusted after the men from Ashur, governors and rulers, warriors dressed to perfection, skilled horsemen, all of them good-looking young men.

13 I saw that she had defiled herself; both sisters had gone down the same path.

14 She prostituted herself more than ever; because she saw wall-carvings of men, depicting the Kasdim in vermilion,

15 with sashes wrapped around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like military men, the very image of men of Bavel born in the land of the Kasdim.

16 The moment she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in the land of the Kasdim;

17 and the men of Bavel climbed into her “love bed” and defiled her with their lust. She was defiled by them, and then filled with revulsion at them.

18 Thus did she reveal her fornication and expose her private parts. When this happened, I was filled with revulsion at her, just as I had been filled with revulsion at her sister.

19 Still she kept increasing her whoring, remembering the days when she was young, fornicating in the land of Egypt.

20 Yes, she lusted after their male prostitutes, whose members are like those of donkeys and who ejaculate like stallions.

21 You yearned for the lewdness of your girlhood, when the Egyptians used to fondle your nipples and caress your young breasts.

22 “Therefore, Oholivah, here is whatAdonaiElohimsays: ‘I will raise up your lovers against you, the ones who fill you with revulsion, and bring them against you from every side —

23 the men of Bavel and all the Kasdim, P’kod, Shoa and Koa, and with them all the men of Ashur, good-looking young men, all of them governors and rulers, commanders and officers, all on horseback.

24 They will advance on you armed with chariots, wagons and with an army drawn from many peoples; they will array themselves against you from every side with breastplates, shields and helmets. I will give them the authority to judge, and they will judge you as they see fit.

25 I will direct my jealousy against you, so that they will deal with you in fury — they will cut off your nose and ears, and what is left of you will die by the sword; they will seize your sons and daughters, and those who remain of you will be consumed by the fire.

26 They will strip you of your clothes and seize your fine jewels.

27 Thus I will put an end to your lewdness and your fornication brought from the land of Egypt, so that you will no longer raise your eyes toward them or remember Egypt any more.’

28 For this is whatAdonaiElohimsays: ‘I am about to hand you over to those you hate, to those who fill you with revulsion;

29 and they will deal with you in hatred, seize everything you have worked for, and leave you naked and exposed — the full shame of your whoring will be exposed, your lewdness and your fornicating.

30 These things will be done to you because you have gone fornicating with theGoyim, and because you are defiled with their idols.

31 You walked down your sister’s path, so I will put her cup in your hand.’

32 AdonaiElohimsays:

‘You will drink from your sister’s cup,

a cup both deep and wide,

full right up to the brim

with scorn and derision,

33 filling you with drunkenness and sorrow,

a cup of horror and devastation —

the cup of your sister Shomron.

34 You will drink it, you will drain it,

and then you will gnaw it to shreds

and tear out your own breasts!

For I have spoken it’

saysAdonaiElohim.

35 “Therefore this is whatAdonaiElohimsays: ‘Because you forgot me and flung me behind your back, you will bear the guilt of your lewdness and whoring.’”

36 ThenAdonaisaid to me, “Human being, are you ready to judge Oholah and Oholivah? Then confront them with their disgusting practices.

37 For they committed adultery, and their hands are dripping with blood. They committed adultery with their idols; and they offered their sons, whom they bore to me, for these idols to eat.

38 Moreover, they have done this to me as well: they defiled my sanctuary on the same day, and they profaned myshabbats.

39 For after killing their children for their idols, they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; this they did in my house.

40 “Worse still, you sent a messenger summoning men to come from a distance; and they came. For them you washed yourself, painted your eyes, decked yourself with your finery,

41 and sat on a sumptuous bed, with a table arranged before it, on which you put my incense and my olive oil.

42 The noise of a carefree crowd could be heard there; many of the men were brought in drunk from the desert. They put bracelets on their hands and magnificent crowns on their heads.

43 I thought, ‘That woman! She’s worn out from all her adulteries, but they still go to fornicate with her!’

44 For every one went in to her; just as men go in to a prostitute, so they went in to Oholah and Oholivah, those debauched women.

45 Nevertheless, there are righteous men who will judge them as adulterers and murderers are supposed to be judged; because they are adulterers, and blood is dripping from their hands.

46 For here is whatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘Summon an assembly to punish them;

give them over to terror and plunder.

47 Let the assembly stone them to death,

dispatch them with their swords,

kill their sons and daughters

and burn their houses to the ground.

48 “‘Thus I will put an end to lewdness in the land, so that all women may be taught not to imitate your lewdness.

49 You will receive the punishment your lewdness deserves, and you will pay the penalty for your idolatries. Then you will know that I amAdonaiElohim.’”

1 The word ofAdonaicame to me on the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year:

2 “Human being, write down today’s date; because on this very day the king of Bavel has begun his attack on Yerushalayim.

3 And tell this allegory to these rebels; say thatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘Put a pot on the fire;

put it there, pour water in it;

4 Put in it pieces of meat,

all the best parts — the thigh, the shoulder;

fill it with the choicest cuts,

5 taken from the pick of the flock,

and pile the bones underneath.

Bring it to a rolling boil,

till it’s all cooked, even the bones.’

6 “ThereforeAdonaiElohimsays:

‘Woe to the city drenched with blood,

to the pot whose scum is in it,

and whose scum has not been removed.

Empty it piece by piece,

without troubling to draw lots.

7 For her blood is still in her;

she poured it on bare rock;

she did not pour it on the ground,

to cover it with dust.

8 So in order to rouse my fury

and excite my vengeance,

I have fixed her blood there on the bare rock,

where it will not be covered.’

9 “ThereforeAdonaiElohimsays this:

‘Woe to the city drenched with blood!

I myself will make a huge bonfire,

10 heap on the wood, light it,

cook the meat and add the spices —

the bones can just be burned.

11 Put the empty pot on the coals,

heat it till its copper bottom glows,

till its impurity melts inside it,

and its scum is burned away.

12 But the effort is in vain:

its layers of scum will not leave it;

so into the fire with its scum!

13 Because of your filthy lewdness,

because you refused to be purified

when I wanted to purify you;

now you will not be purified from your filth

until I have satisfied my fury on you.

14 “‘I,Adonai, have spoken it, and it will happen. I will do it, I will not turn back, I will not refrain or spare or relent. They will judge you as your ways and deeds deserve,’ saysAdonaiElohim.”

15 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

16 “Human being, with a single blow I am about to deprive you of the delight of your eyes. But you are not to lament, weep or let your tears run down.

17 Sigh silently, don’t observe mourning for the dead, bind your turban on your head, put your sandals on your feet, don’t cover your upper lip, and don’t eat the food people prepare for mourners.”

18 I spoke to the people in the morning, and that evening my wife died. So I did the following morning as I had been ordered.

19 The people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these actions of yours mean for us?”

20 I answered them, “The word ofAdonaicame to me, telling me

21 to speak to the house of Isra’el and say that this is whatAdonaiElohimsays: ‘I am about to profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes and your heart’s desire. Your sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword.

22 But you are to do as I have done — not cover your upper lips, not eat the food people prepare for mourners,

23 put your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet, and neither observe mourning nor cry. Rather, because of your crimes you will pine away and groan to one another.

24 Thus Yechezk’el will be a sign for you; you will do just what he has done; and when this happens, you will know that I amAdonaiElohim.’

25 “As for you, human being, on the day when I take away from them their stronghold, their crowning joy, the delight of their eyes, their heart’s desire, their sons and daughters —

26 on that day a fugitive will come and bring you the news;

27 and on that day your mouth will be opened for you to speak to the survivor and no longer be silent. In this way you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I amAdonai.”

1 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

2 “Human being, turn your face toward the people of ‘Amon and prophesy against them;

3 say to the people of ‘Amon, ‘Hear the word ofAdonaiElohim.AdonaiElohimsays, “Because you gloated when my sanctuary was profaned, when the land of Isra’el was laid waste, and when the house of Y’hudah went into exile;

4 I will let the people from the east take possession of you. They will set up camps and build their homes among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.

5 I will turn Rabbah into a camel pasture and ‘Amon into a sheep-yard. Then you will know that I amAdonai.”

6 For here is whatAdonaiElohimsays: “Because you clapped your hands and stamped your feet, full of malicious joy over the land of Isra’el;

7 I am going to stretch out my hand over you and deliver you as plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from being a people and cause you to cease from being a nation; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I amAdonai.’”

8 “AdonaiElohimsays: ‘Because Mo’av and Se‘ir say, “The house of Y’hudah is like all the other nations,”

9 I will expose the flank of Mo’av, with all its cities — that is, all the cities on its frontier, the glory of the land, Beit-Yeshimot, Ba‘al-M‘on and Kiryatayim —

10 together with the people of ‘Amon, to the people from the east, whom I will let take possession of them. Thus the people of ‘Amon will not be remembered as being one of the nations;

11 and I will execute judgments on Mo’av. Then they will know that I amAdonai.’

12 “AdonaiElohimsays: ‘Because Edom has taken severe vengeance against the house of Y’hudah, incurring much guilt by its acts of vengeance against them,

13 therefore,’AdonaiElohimsays, ‘I will stretch my hand out over Edom and eliminate both its humans and its animals. I will make it a ruin; from Teman to D’dan they will die by the sword.

14 Moreover, I will lay my vengeance on Edom through my people Isra’el; they will treat Edom in accordance with my anger and my fury; and they will know my vengeance’ saysAdonaiElohim.

15 “AdonaiElohimsays, ‘Because the P’lishtim have acted out of vengeance, taking revenge and destroying with malice of heart, due to their long-standing hatred;

16 therefore,’AdonaiElohimsays, ‘I will stretch out my hand over the P’lishtim, eliminate the K’reti and destroy the rest of the seacoast peoples.

17 I will execute great vengeance on them with furious punishments; and they will know that I amAdonaiwhen I lay my vengeance on them.’”

1 On the first day of the month in the eleventh year, the word ofAdonaicame to me:

2 “Human being, since Tzor has said against Yerushalayim,

‘Ha! She is shattered,

the gateway of the peoples.

Now that she is ruined,

her riches will be mine’;

3 therefore,AdonaiElohimsays,

‘Look, Tzor! I am against you.

Just as the sea churns up its waves,

I will churn up many nations against you.

4 They will destroy the walls of Tzor,

they will demolish her towers.

I will scrape its soil from her

and reduce her to bare rock.

5 With the sea all around her, she will be

a place for drying fish nets

and a plunder for the nations.

I have spoken,’ saysAdonaiElohim.

6 ‘Her daughters on the mainland

will be put to death with the sword;

then they will know

that I amAdonai.’

7 “For here is whatAdonaiElohimsays: ‘I will bring upon Tzor, from the north, N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel, king of kings, with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a great and powerful army.

8 “ ‘Your daughters on the mainland

he will put to death with the sword.

He will build siege-towers against you,

he will build a ramp against you

and raise a screen of shields against you.

9 He will pound your walls with his battering-rams

and break down your towers with his axes.

10 His horses are so many that their dust will cover you.

The thunder of cavalry, wagons and chariots

will shake your walls, as he enters your gates,

like men storming a city through a breach.

11 With the hoofs of his horses he will trample your streets.

He will put your people to the sword

and pull to the ground your massive standing-stones.

12 They will seize your wealth, loot your wares,

break down your walls, destroy your fine houses;

then they will throw your stones and timber

and even your dust into the sea.

13 I will put an end to your singing,

the sound of your lyres will be heard no more.

14 I will reduce you to bare rock,

you will be a place for drying fish nets,

you will never be built again,

for I,Adonai, have spoken,’

saysAdonaiElohim.”

15 To TzorAdonaiElohimsays:

“How the coastlands will shake

at the sound of your fall,

when the wounded groan,

when the slaughter takes place in you!

16 Then all the princes of the sea

will step down from their thrones;

they will put aside their robes

and strip off their embroidered garments.

They will clothe themselves with trembling;

they will sit on the ground,

trembling all the time,

appalled at your condition.

17 Then they will raise this lament for you:

“‘How you have been destroyed,

you who were peopled from the seas,

city so renowned, once so strong at sea,

you and your inhabitants, who used to spread terror

over all [the mainland’s] inhabitants!

18 Now the coastlands tremble

on the day of your downfall,

and the islands in the sea

are in shock at your end.’

19 “For here is whatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘When I make you a ruined city,

like other uninhabited cities;

when I bring the deep sea over you,

and its mighty waters cover you;

20 then I will bring you down

with those who descend to the pit,

to the people of long ago,

and make you live in underworld places

like those who were ruined long ago,

with those who descend to the pit,

so that you will be uninhabited

when I give glory to the land of the living.

21 I will make you horrible;

you will cease to exist.

People will seek you but never more find you,’

saysAdonaiElohim.”

1 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

2 “You, human being, raise this lament for Tzor;

3 say to Tzor, located at the gateways to the sea, merchant for peoples to many coastlands, thatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘Tzor, you have said,

“My beauty is perfect.”

4 Your borders are in the heart of the sea,

your builders perfected your beauty.

5 They used cypress logs from S’nir

to fashion all your planking.

They took cedars from the L’vanon

to make masts for you.

6 Out of oaks from Bashan

they made your oars.

Your deck they made of ivory

inlaid in larch from the coasts of Kittim.

7 Richly woven linen from Egypt

was used for your sail, which was also your banner.

Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah

was used to cover your deck-tent.

8 The people of Tzidon and Arvad

served as your oarsmen.

Your own skilled men, Tzor,

were there as your pilots.

9 The leaders and craftsmen of G’val

sealed the cracks between your boards.

“‘Every seagoing ship and its crew

came to you to trade in your wares.

10 Men from Paras, Lud and Put

were [mercenaries] in your army;

hanging shield and helmet on you,

they showed off your splendor.

11 Men from Arvad and your own army

were posted around on your walls.

The Gamadim were in your towers;

they hung their shields all around your walls,

making your beauty perfect.

12 “‘Tarshish did business with you because of the quantity and variety of your resources; they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your goods.

13 Greece, Tuval and Meshekh traded with you, exchanging slaves and articles of bronze for your wares.

14 The people of Togarmah traded for your merchandise with horses, horsemen and mules.

15 The men of D’dan traded with you. Many coastlands were your customers, giving you ivory tusks and ebony in payment.

16 Aram traded with you, because you were so wealthy; for your goods they exchanged green feldspar, purple stuff, embroidery, fine linen, coral and rubies.

17 Y’hudah and the land of Isra’el also traded with you, exchanging for your goods wheat from Minnit, millet, honey, olive oil and resin for healing.

18 Because you were so wealthy, with such a variety of valuable merchandise, Dammesek traded wine from Helbon and white wool with you.

19 V’dan and Yavan from Uzal traded ironwork, cassia and aromatic cane for your goods.

20 D’dan traded with you for riding gear.

21 Arabia and all the princes of K’dar were your customers; for your goods they traded lambs, rams and goats.

22 The traders of Sh’va and Ra‘mah exchanged the best quality spices, all kinds of precious stones and gold for your goods.

23 The merchants of Haran, Kaneh and ‘Eden, who traded also with Sh’va, Ashur and Kilmad,

24 brought you in exchange for your goods rich clothes, cloaks made of blue material and embroidery, and cedar-lined chests filled with multicolored clothing and bound with cords.

25 “Tarshish” ships transported your imports and exports.

“‘So you were full, loaded down,

surrounded by the sea.

26 Your oarsmen brought you

through heavy seas.

But the east wind will break you

surrounded by the sea.

27 Your riches, your goods, your merchandise,

your crew, your pilots, your ship-sealers,

your traders, all your warriors aboard,

and all the others in the ship with you

will sink surrounded by the sea

on the day of your shipwreck.

28 When they hear the cries of your pilots,

the mainland coasts will tremble.

29 The oarsmen, crew and pilots

will disembark and stand on shore,

30 mourning aloud at your fate,

crying bitterly,

throwing dust on their heads,

rolling in the ashes,

31 shaving their heads bald for you,

wrapping themselves in sackcloth,

with heartfelt bitterness weeping for you

in bitter lamentation.

32 Wailing, they will raise a lament for you;

this will be their lament for you:

“‘“Who anywhere in the sea

has ever been silenced like Tzor?

33 When your wares came forth from the seas,

you satisfied many peoples;

with your vast wealth and variety of goods

you enriched the kings of the earth.

34 But now you have been wrecked by the waves,

sunk in the watery depths;

your merchandise and all your people

have gone down with you.

35 All who live along the coasts

are aghast at you;

their kings are horribly afraid,

their faces are convulsed;

36 the merchants among the peoples

are gasping at your fate;

you are an object of terror,

and you will cease to exist.”’”

1 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

2 “Human being, tell the prince of Tzor thatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘Because you are so proud

and have said, “I am a god;

I sit on the throne of God,

surrounded by the sea”;

yet you are a man, not God,

even though you think that you think like God.

3 Sure, you are wiser than Dani’el!

No secret can be hidden from you!

4 By your wisdom and discernment

you have acquired wealth,

you have gathered gold and silver

into your treasuries.

5 By your great skill in trading

you have increased your wealth,

and it is because of your wealth

that you have become so proud.

6 “ThereforeAdonaiElohimsays,

‘Because you think that you think like God,

7 I will bring foreigners against you,

the most barbarous of the nations,

to draw their swords against your fine wisdom

and defile your splendor.

8 They will lower you into the pit to die

a violent death surrounded by the sea.

9 Will you still say, “I am God,”

to them who are about to kill you?

You are a man, you are not God,

in the hands of those who defile you.

10 You will die the deaths of the uncircumcised

at the hands of foreigners.

For I have spoken,’

saysAdonaiElohim.”

11 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

12 “Human being, raise a lament for the king of Tzor, and tell him thatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘You put the seal on perfection;

you were full of wisdom and perfect in beauty;

13 you were in ‘Eden, the garden of God;

covered with all kinds of precious stones —

carnelians, topaz, diamonds,

beryl, onyx, jasper,

sapphires, green feldspar, emeralds;

your pendants and jewels were made of gold,

prepared the day you were created.

14 You were akeruv, protecting a large region;

I placed you on God’s holy mountain.

You walked back and forth

among stones of fire.

15 You were perfect in your ways

from the day you were created,

until unrighteousness

was found in you.

16 “‘When your commerce grew,

you became filled with violence;

and in this way you sinned.

Therefore I have thrown you out, defiled,

from the mountain of God;

I have destroyed you, protectingkeruv,

from among the stones of fire.

17 Your heart grew proud because of your beauty,

you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.

But I have thrown you on the ground;

before kings I have made you a spectacle.

18 By your many crimes in dishonest trading,

you have profaned your sanctuaries;

therefore I brought forth fire from within you,

and it has devoured you;

I reduced you into ashes on the ground

in the sight of all who can see you.

19 All who know you among the peoples

will be aghast at you.

You are an object of terror,

and you will cease to exist.’”

20 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

21 “Human being, turn your face toward Tzidon, and prophesy against it.

22 Say thatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘I am against you, Tzidon;

but I will be glorified in you.

They will know that I amAdonai,

once I execute judgments in her

and show my holiness in her.

23 For I will send plagues into her,

and blood will flow in her streets;

attacked from all sides by the sword,

the wounded will fall within her.

Then they will know that I amAdonai.

24 “‘The house of Isra’el will no longer have a briar pricking away at them, no longer will any of its contemptuous neighbors be a thorn to stab them. Then they will know that I amAdonaiElohim.’

25 “AdonaiElohimsays, ‘Once I have gathered the house of Isra’el from the peoples among whom they are scattered, once I have shown my holiness in them as theGoyimwatch, then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Ya‘akov.

26 They will have security when they live there, building houses and planting vineyards; yes, they will live in safety, once I have executed judgments against all their contemptuous neighbors. Then they will know that I amAdonaitheir God.’”

1 On the twelfth day of the tenth month of the tenth year, the word ofAdonaicame to me:

2 “Human being, turn your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt; prophesy against him and against all Egypt;

3 speak out; and say thatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘I am against you,

Pharaoh king of Egypt,

you big crocodile

lying in the streams of the Nile!

You say, “My Nile is mine;

I made it for myself.”

4 But I will put hooks in your jaws

and make your Nile fish stick to your scales.

Yes, I will bring you up from your Nile,

with all your Nile fish sticking to your scales,

5 and leave you in the desert,

you and all your Nile fish.

You will fall in the open field

and not be gathered or buried;

but I will give you as food

to wild animals and birds.

6 Then all who live in Egypt

will know that I amAdonai,

because they have been a support made of straw

for the house of Isra’el.

7 When they grasped you in hand, you splintered

and threw all their shoulders out of joint;

when they leaned on you, you broke

and made them all wrench their backs.’

8 “ThereforeAdonaiElohimsays, ‘I will bring the sword against you and eliminate both your people and your animals.

9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate waste, and they will know that I amAdonai; because he said, “The Nile is mine; I made it.”

10 So I am against you and your Nile; and I will make the land of Egypt a totally desolate waste from Migdol to S’venah, all the way to the border of Ethiopia.

11 No human foot will pass through it, and no animal foot will pass through it; it will be uninhabited for forty years.

12 Yes, I will make the land of Egypt desolate, even when compared with other desolate countries, likewise her cities in comparison with other ruined cities; they will be desolate forty years. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them through the countries.’

13 “For this is whatAdonaiElohimsays: ‘At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were scattered —

14 I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and cause them to return to the land of their origin, Patros. But there they will be a humble kingdom,

15 the humblest of kingdoms. It will never again dominate other nations; I will reduce them, so that they never again rule other nations.

16 Moreover, they will no longer be a source of confidence for Isra’el to turn to; rather, it will only bring to mind their guilt in having turned to them before. Then they will know that I amAdonaiElohim.’”

17 On the first day of the first month of the twenty-seventh year, the word ofAdonaicame to me:

18 “Human being, N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel had his army mount a massive expedition against Tzor; [the loads of dirt they carried] made every head bald and every shoulder raw; yet neither he nor his army derived any benefit from Tzor out of this expedition against it.

19 ThereforeAdonaiElohimsays, ‘I will give the land of Egypt to N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel. He will carry off its riches, take its spoil and its prey; and these will be the wages for his army.

20 I am giving him the land of Egypt as his wages for which he worked, because they were working for me,’ saysAdonaiElohim.

21 ‘When that day comes I will cause power to return to the house of Isra’el, and I will enable you [Yechezk’el] to open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I amAdonai.’”

1 The word ofAdonaicame to me:

2 “Human being, prophesy; say thatAdonaiElohimsays,

‘Wail, “Oh no! It’s today!”

3 For the day is near,

the Day ofAdonai, a day of clouds,

the time of theGoyim.

4 The sword will come against Egypt,

and Ethiopia will be in anguish,

when the slain fall in Egypt,

when they take away her wealth,

and her foundations are torn down.

5 Ethiopia, Put and Lud,

all the mixed population and Kuv,

and the people of allied lands

will die by the sword with them.’

6 “Adonaisays this:

‘Those supporting Egypt will fall;

its arrogant power will be brought down;

from Migdol to S’venah they will die by the sword,’

saysAdonaiElohim.

7 “They will be desolate even when compared with other desolate countries, likewise her cities in comparison with other ruined cities.

8 They will know that I amAdonaiwhen I set fire to Egypt, and those supporting it are destroyed.

9 When that day comes, I will send out messengers in ships to terrify the unsuspecting Ethiopians; and anguish will overcome them on the day of Egypt. Yes, here it comes!

10 “AdonaiElohimsays:

‘I will destroy the hordes of Egypt

through N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel.

11 He and his people, the most barbarous of the nations,

will be brought in to ravage the land.

They will unsheathe their swords against Egypt

and fill the land with corpses.

12 I will dry up the streams of the Nile

and sell the land to the wicked.

Through the power of foreigners I will make the land

and all that is in it desolate.

I,Adonai, have spoken.’

13 “Here is whatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘I will destroy the idols,

make the false gods in Nof cease to exist.

No longer will there be a prince from the land of Egypt;

I will put fear in the land of Egypt,

14 desolate Patros, set fire to Tzo‘an,

execute judgements in No,

15 pour my fury on Seen the stronghold of Egypt,

and destroy the hordes of No.

16 Yes, I will set fire to Egypt;

Seen will writhe in anguish;

No will be torn apart;

enemies will attack Nof in broad daylight.

17 The young men of On and Pi-Veset

will die by the sword,

while the cities themselves

will go into captivity.

18 At T’chafn’ches the day will grow dark

when I break the yokes of Egypt there,

and the pride she takes in her power ceases.

A cloud will cover her,

and her daughters will go into captivity.

19 Thus will I execute judgments on Egypt.

Then they will know that I amAdonai.’”

20 On the seventh day of the first month of the eleventh year, the word ofAdonaicame to me:

21 “Human being, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; it has not been bound up with dressings and bandages, so that it can heal and become strong enough again to wield the sword.

22 ThereforeAdonaiElohimsays this: ‘I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the sound one and the broken one, and I will make the sword fall from his hand.

23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.

24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Bavel and put my sword in his hand; but I will break the arms of Pharaoh; he will groan like a man mortally wounded.

25 Yes, I will hold up the arms of the king of Bavel; but the arms of Pharaoh will droop. They will know that I amAdonaiwhen I put my sword in the hand of the king of Bavel, and he stretches it out over the land of Egypt.

26 Yes, I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries; and they will know that I amAdonai.’”

1 On the first day of the third month of the eleventh year, the word ofAdonaicame to me:

2 “Human being, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

‘Whom are you like in your greatness?

3 Like Ashur, a cedar in the L’vanon.

It had beautiful branches, dense foliage,

its tall crown surrounded by leafy boughs.

4 The water nourished it; the deep made it grow,

sending its rivers round the place where it was planted,

sending its streams to all the trees in the fields.

5 So it grew taller than any other tree,

its branches grew in number and spread far and wide,

for it had plenty of water to make them grow.

6 In its boughs all the birds of the air had their nests,

beneath its branches all the wild animals gave birth to their young,

and all great nations lived in its shade.

7 It was beautiful in its greatness and the length of its branches,

because its roots went down to plenty of water.

8 No cedar in God’s garden was like it,

no cypress tree could compare with its boughs,

no chestnut tree could rival its branches,

no tree in God’s garden could match its beauty.

9 I made it so beautiful, with its many branches;

all trees in ‘Eden, God’s garden, envied it.’

10 “Therefore here is whatAdonaiElohimsays: ‘Because you are so tall, because he has lifted his crown above the leafy boughs, because he has grown so arrogant about his height,

11 I am handing him over to the mightiest of the nations, who will certainly deal with him as his wickedness deserves; I reject him.

12 Foreigners, the most barbarous of the nations, will destroy him and leave him lying where he is. His branches will lie fallen on the mountains and in the valleys, his boughs will lie broken in all the rivers of the land, and all the peoples of the earth will withdraw from his shade and leave him.

13 All the birds will settle on his fallen trunk, and all the wild animals will be on his branches.

14 This is to warn all the trees growing near water not to grow so tall, not to lift their crowns above the leafy boughs, and all that take up water not to reach up in their height.

For they are all given over to death,

to the depths of the underworld,

along with human beings,

with those who descend to the pit.’

15 “Here is whatAdonaiElohimsays:

‘On the day he descended to Sh’ol,

I caused the abyss to mourn

and cover itself for him;

I held back its rivers,

so that its deep waters were stopped.

I made the L’vanon mourn for him,

and all the field trees withered because of him.

16 At the sound of his fall

I made the nations shake,

when I hurled him down to Sh’ol

with those who descend to the pit.

All the trees of ‘Eden,

the pick of the best in the L’vanon,

all that take up water,

were consoled in the underworld.

17 They descended with him to Sh’ol

to those who were killed by the sword,

to those who were his fighting arm,

those among the nations who lived in his shade.

18 Which of the trees of ‘Eden

was your equal in glory or size?

Yet you will be brought down to the underworld

along with the trees of ‘Eden.

You will lie there among the uncircumcised,

with those killed by the sword.

This is Pharaoh and his hordes,’

saysAdonaiElohim.”