The Book of EZEKIEL - Chapter Twenty Nine

1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 ‘Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3 Speak to him and say: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

‘“I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,
    you great monster lying among your streams.
You say, ‘The Nile belongs to me;
    I made it for myself.’

4 

But I will put hooks in your jaws
    and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales.
I will pull you out from among your streams,
    with all the fish sticking to your scales.

5 

I will leave you in the desert,
    you and all the fish of your streams.
You will fall on the open field
    and not be gathered or picked up.
I will give you as food
    to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.

6 Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.

‘“You have been a staff of reed for the people of Israel. 7 When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.

8 ‘“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast. 9 Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

‘“Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it,’ 10 therefore I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt a ruin and a desolate waste from Migdol to Aswan, as far as the border of Cush. 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years. 12 I will make the land of Egypt desolate among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate for forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.

13 ‘“Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: at the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. 14 I will bring them back from captivity and return them to Upper Egypt, the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly kingdom. 15 It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations. I will make it so weak that it will never again rule over the nations. 16 Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence for the people of Israel but will be a reminder of their sin in turning to her for help. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”’

17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me: 18 ‘Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare and every shoulder made raw. Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder the land as pay for his army. 20 I have given him Egypt as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.

21 ‘On that day I will make a horn grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

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READINGS

The Book of EZEKIEL

Chapter Twenty Nine

Read by Sir David Suchet

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OVERVIEW 

The Book of EZEKIEL

 - Overview -

The Bible Project 

Part 1

Part 2  

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STUDY - LINKS

The Book of EZEKIEL

David Pawson

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The Book of EZEKIEL - Chapter Twenty Eight

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 ‘Son of man, say  to the ruler of Tyre, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

‘“In the pride of your heart
    you say, ‘I am a god;
I sit on the throne of a god
    in the heart of the seas.’
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
    though you think you are as wise as a god.

3 

Are you wiser than Daniel?
    Is no secret hidden from you?

4 

By your wisdom and understanding
    you have gained wealth for yourself
and amassed gold and silver
    in your treasuries.

5 

By your great skill in trading
    you have increased your wealth,
and because of your wealth
    your heart has grown proud.

6 ‘“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

‘“Because you think you are wise,
    as wise as a god,

7 

I am going to bring foreigners against you,
    the most ruthless of nations;
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom
    and pierce your shining splendour.

8 

They will bring you down to the pit,
    and you will die a violent death
    in the heart of the seas.

9 

Will you then say, ‘I am a god,’
    in the presence of those who kill you?
You will be but a mortal, not a god,
    in the hands of those who slay you.

10 

You will die the death of the uncircumcised
    at the hands of foreigners.

I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.”’

11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 ‘Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

‘“You were the seal of perfection,
    full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

13 

You were in Eden,
    the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
    carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
    topaz, onyx and jasper,
    lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.
Your settings and mountings were made of gold;
    on the day you were created they were prepared.

14 

You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
    for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
    you walked among the fiery stones.

15 

You were blameless in your ways
    from the day you were created
    till wickedness was found in you.

16 

Through your widespread trade
    you were filled with violence,
    and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
    and I expelled you, guardian cherub,
    from among the fiery stones.

17 

Your heart became proud
    on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
    because of your splendour.
So I threw you to the earth;
    I made a spectacle of you before kings.

18 

By your many sins and dishonest trade
    you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out from you,
    and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
    in the sight of all who were watching.

19 

All the nations who knew you
    are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
    and will be no more.”’

20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 ‘Son of man, set your face against Sidon; prophesy against her 22 and say: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

‘“I am against you, Sidon,
    and among you I will display my glory.
You will know that I am the Lord,
    when I inflict punishment on you
    and within you am proved to be holy.

23 

I will send a plague upon you
    and make blood flow in your streets.
The slain will fall within you,
    with the sword against you on every side.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.

24 ‘“No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbours who are painful briers and sharp thorns. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.

25 ‘“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: when I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbours who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.”’

=-=-=-=-=-=

READINGS

The Book of EZEKIEL

Chapter Twenty Eight 

Read by Sir David Suchet

=-=-=-=-=

OVERVIEW 

The Book of EZEKIEL

 - Overview -

The Bible Project 

Part 1

Part 2  

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

STUDY - LINKS

The Book of EZEKIEL

David Pawson

Part 1

Part 2 

Part 3

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