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Judgment on Ammon

25 (A) The Lord God said:

Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the people of Ammon and tell them:

You celebrated when my temple was destroyed, when Israel was defeated, and when my people were taken away as prisoners. Now I am going to let you be conquered by tribes from the eastern desert. They will set up their camps in your land and eat your fruit and drink your milk. Your capital city of Rabbah will be nothing but pastureland for camels, and the rest of the country will be pastures for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.

You hated Israel so much that you clapped and shouted and celebrated. And so I will hand you over to enemies who will rob you. I will completely destroy you. There won't be enough of your people left to be a nation ever again, and you will know that I, the Lord, have done these things.

Judgment on Moab

(B) The Lord God said, “The people of Moab[a] thought Judah was no different from any other nation. So I will let Moab's fortress towns along its border be attacked, including Beth-Jeshimoth, Baal-Meon, and Kiriathaim. 10 The same eastern desert tribes that invade Ammon will invade Moab, and just as Ammon will be forgotten forever, 11 Moab will be punished. Then the people there will know that I am the Lord.”

Judgment on Edom

12 (C) The Lord God then said, “The people of Edom are guilty of taking revenge on Judah. 13 So I will punish Edom by killing all its people and livestock. It will be an empty wasteland all the way from Teman to Dedan. 14 I will send my own people to take revenge on the Edomites by making them feel my fierce anger. And when I punish them, they will know that I am the Lord God.”

Judgment on Philistia

15 (D) The Lord God said, “The cruel Philistines have taken revenge on their enemies over and over and have tried to destroy them. 16 Now it's my turn to treat the Philistines as my enemies and to kill everyone[b] living in their towns along the seacoast. 17 In my fierce anger, I will take revenge on them. And when I punish them, they will know that I am the Lord.”

Judgment on the City of Tyre

26 (E) Eleven years[c] after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the Lord spoke to me on the first day of the month. He said:

Ezekiel, son of man, the people of the city of Tyre[d] have celebrated Jerusalem's defeat by singing,

“Jerusalem has fallen!
It used to be powerful,
    a center of trade.
Now the city is shattered,
    and we will take its place.”

Because the people of Tyre have sung that song, I have the following warning for them: I am the Lord God, and I am now your enemy! I will send nations to attack you, like waves crashing against the shore. They will tear down your city walls and defense towers. I will sweep away the ruins until all that's left of you is a bare rock, where fishermen can dry their nets along the coast. I promise that you will be robbed and that the people who live in your towns along the coast will be killed. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia is the world's most powerful king, and I will send him to attack you. He will march from the north with a powerful army, including horses and chariots and cavalry troops. First, he will attack your towns along the coast and kill the people who live there. Then he will build dirt ramps up to the top of your city walls and set up rows of shields around you. He will command some of his troops to use large wooden poles to beat down your walls, while others use iron rods to knock down your watchtowers. 10 He will have so many horses that the dust they stir up will seem like a thick fog. And as his chariots and cavalry approach, even the walls will shake, especially when he proudly enters your ruined city. 11 His troops will ride through your streets, killing people left and right, and your strong columns will crumble to the ground. 12 The troops will steal your valuable possessions; they will break down your walls, and crush your expensive houses. Then the stones and wood and all the remains will be dumped into the sea. 13 (F) You will have no reason to sing or play music on harps, 14 because I will turn you into a bare rock where fishermen can dry their nets. And you will never rebuild your city. I, the Lord God, make this promise.

15 The people of the nations up and down the coast will shudder when they hear your screams and moans of death. 16 (G) The kings will step down from their thrones, then take off their royal robes and fancy clothes, and sit on the ground, trembling. They will be so shocked at the news of your defeat that they will shake in fear 17 and sing this funeral song:

“The great city beside the sea
    is destroyed![e]
Its people once ruled the coast
    and terrified everyone there.
18 But now Tyre is in ruins,
and the people on the coast
    stare at it in horror
    and tremble in fear.”

19 I, the Lord God, will turn you into a ghost-town. The ocean depths will rise over you 20 and carry you down to the world of the dead, where you will join people of ancient times and towns ruined long ago. You will stay there and never again be a city filled with people.[f] 21 (H) You will die a horrible death! People will come looking for your city, but it will never be found. I, the Lord, have spoken.

A Funeral Song for Tyre

27 The Lord said:

Ezekiel, son of man, sing a funeral song for Tyre,[g] the city that is built along the sea and that trades with nations along the coast. Tell the people of Tyre that the following message is from me:

Tyre, you brag about
your perfect beauty,
    and your control of the sea.[h]

You are a ship
    built to perfection.
Builders used cypress trees
from Mount Hermon
    to make your planks
and a cedar tree from Lebanon
    for your tall mast.
Oak trees from Bashan
    were shaped into oars;
pine trees from Cyprus[i]
    were cut for your deck,
which was then decorated
    with strips of ivory.
The builders used fancy linen
from Egypt for your sails,
    so everyone could see you.
Blue and purple cloth
from Cyprus was used
    to shade your deck.
Men from Sidon and Arvad
    did the rowing,
and your own skilled workers
    were the captains.
Experienced men from Byblos
    repaired any damages.
Sailors from all over
shopped at the stores
    in your port.

10 Brave soldiers from Persia,
Lydia, and Libya
    served in your navy,
protecting you with shields
and helmets,
    and making you famous.
11 Your guards came from
    Arvad and Cilicia,
and men from Gamad
    stood watch in your towers.
With their weapons
hung on your walls,
    your beauty was complete.

12 Merchants from southern Spain[j] traded silver, iron, tin, and lead for your products. 13 The people of Greece, Tubal, and Meshech traded slaves and things made of bronze, 14 and those from Beth-Togarmah traded work horses, war horses, and mules. 15 You also did business with people from Rhodes,[k] and people from nations along the coast gave you ivory and ebony[l] in exchange for your goods. 16 Edom[m] traded emeralds, purple cloth, embroidery, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17 Judah and Israel gave you their finest wheat, fancy figs,[n] honey, olive oil, and spices in exchange for your merchandise. 18 The people of Damascus saw what you had to offer and brought you wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar. 19 Vedan and Javan near Uzal[o] traded you iron and spices. 20 The people of Dedan supplied you with saddle blankets, 21 while people from Arabia and the rulers of Kedar traded lambs, sheep, and goats. 22 Merchants from Sheba and Raamah gave you excellent spices, precious stones, and gold in exchange for your products. 23 You also did business with merchants from the cities of Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, 24 and they gave you expensive clothing, purple and embroidered cloth, brightly colored rugs, and strong rope. 25 (I) Large, seagoing ships[p] carried your goods wherever they needed to go.

You were like a ship
loaded with heavy cargo
26     and sailing across the sea,
but you were wrecked
    by strong eastern winds.
27 Everything on board was lost—
    your valuable cargo,
    your sailors and carpenters,
    merchants and soldiers.
28 The shouts of your drowning crew
    were heard on the shore.

29 Every ship is deserted;
rowers and sailors and captains
    all stand on shore,
30     mourning for you.
They show their sorrow
by putting dust on their heads
    and rolling in ashes;
31 they shave their heads
and dress in sackcloth[q]
    as they cry in despair.
32 In their grief they sing
    a funeral song for you:
“Tyre, you were greater
    than all other cities.
But now you lie in silence
    at the bottom of the sea.[r]

33 “Nations that received
your merchandise
    were always pleased;
kings everywhere got rich
    from your costly goods.
34 But now you are wrecked
    in the deep sea,
with your cargo and crew
    scattered everywhere.
35 People living along the coast
    are shocked at the news.
Their rulers are horrified,
and terror is written
    across their faces.
36 The merchants of the world
    can't believe what happened.
Your death was gruesome,
    and you are gone forever.”

Footnotes

  1. 25.8 Moab: One ancient translation; Hebrew “Moab and Edom.”
  2. 25.16 kill everyone: The Hebrew text also has the name “Cherethites,” which was a group of people that lived just southeast of Philistia, and was often identified with the Philistines.
  3. 26.1 Eleven years: Probably late in 587 b.c.
  4. 26.2 Tyre: One of the two major cities of Phoenicia; Sidon was the other.
  5. 26.17 The great city … is destroyed: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  6. 26.20 You will stay there … with people: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  7. 27.2 Tyre: See the note at 26.2.
  8. 27.4 and your control of the sea: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  9. 27.6 pine trees from Cyprus: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  10. 27.12 southern Spain: The Hebrew text has “Tarshish,” which may have been a Phoenician city in southern Spain.
  11. 27.15 Rhodes: One ancient translation; Hebrew “Dedan.”
  12. 27.15 ebony: A valuable black wood.
  13. 27.16 Edom: Some Hebrew manuscripts and one ancient translation; most Hebrew manuscripts “Syria.”
  14. 27.17 their finest wheat, fancy figs: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  15. 27.19 Vedan and Javan near Uzal: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  16. 27.25 Large, seagoing ships: The Hebrew text has “Ships of Tarshish,” which may have been a Phoenician city in Spain. “Ships of Tarshish” probably means large, seagoing ships.
  17. 27.31 sackcloth: See the note at 7.18.
  18. 27.32 Tyre, you were greater … the bottom of the sea: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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