It's being sharpened for slaughter, and being polished to gleam like lightning.' "We shouldn't be rejoicing, should we, while my Son's scepter, the sword, is despising every tree?

It's intended to be polished so it can be grasped in the hand. The sword is sharpened. It's polished for placement into the hand of the executioner."

"Make a sign, carving it out and installing it at the junction on the way to the city. Set it to point one way for bringing the sword against Rabbah, the descendants of Ammon, and the other way against Judah and fortified Jerusalem.

On his right hand he is divining against Jerusalem, preparing to set up battering rams, preparing for the slaughter, getting ready to sound the alarm for battle, setting the battering rams in place at the gates, building siege mounds, and erecting a siege wall.

And now Son of Man, prophesy to the Ammonites that this is what the Lord GOD says to the Ammonites about their approaching humiliation: "A sword! A sword is being drawn for slaughter. It's polished to flash like lightning.

When they see empty visions about you while they're divining lies for you, to lay you on the necks of the wicked, who are fatally wounded, whose days have come, their time for punishment.

You'll be fuel for the conflagration. Your blood will be spilled throughout the land. You won't be remembered anymore, now that I, the LORD, have spoken."

Those who are both near and far away from you will scoff at you, because your reputation will be infamous and full of turmoil.

just like a smelter gathers all the silver, bronze, lead, and tin to the center of a furnace and injects fire in order to melt it, I'm going to gather you in my anger and rage, make you settle down and then I'm going to melt you down.

Indeed, I'm going to gather you together and exhale the fire of my fury, and then you'll be melted from the inside out

I sought for a man among them to build the wall and stand in the breach in my presence on behalf of the land so that it won't be destroyed, but I found no one,

"Oholah committed sexual immorality while she belonged to me. She lusted for Assyria's warriors,

She bestowed her sexual favors on them all of them, the best of the Assyrians and with whomever she lusted for.

Therefore, I turned her over to the control of her lovers, that is, into the control of the Assyrians for whom she lusted.

but you'll drink from it and drain it completely. As for the vessel, you'll break it to pieces and you'll tear at your breasts, for I've spoken,' declares the Lord GOD.

because they've committed adultery, and blood covers their hands. They've also committed adultery with their idols, making their sons born to me to pass through the fire as an offering to them.

"In addition, they sent messengers for men to come from afar. When they arrived, you bathed yourself for them, painted your eyes, adorned yourself with jewelry,

Righteous men will judge them with punishments fit for adulterers and for those who shed blood, because they're adulterers with blood on their hands."

You'll receive the consequences for your obscene conduct and bear the punishment for your sins of idolatry. Then you'll know that I am the Lord GOD."

So compose a parable for the rebellious house. Tell them, "This is what the Lord God says: "Prepare your pot for boiling! Set it in place. Fill it up with water, too.

Take the best bones from the flock, pile wood under the pot for the bones, bring it to a boil, and then cook the bones in it."'"

"This is what the Lord GOD says: "How terrible it is for that blood-filled city, to the pot whose rust remains in it, whose rust won't come off. Empty it one piece at a time. Don't let a lot fall on it.

"Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: "How terrible it is for that blood-filled city I'm also going to add to my pile of kindling.

Pile up the wood! Make the fire burn hot. Boil the meat! Mix the seasonings. Burn those bones to a crisp!

The pot wearies me, but its thick rust won't come off, even with fire.

That's how Ezekiel will be an example for you. You'll be doing exactly what he has done. When it happens, then you'll know that I am the Lord GOD."'

I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels, and Ammon will become a resting place for flocks of sheep. That's how they'll learn that I am the LORD."'"

They'll sing this mourning song for you: "How lost you are, you inhabited city, that was built in the middle of the sea! How famous you were! How strong on the sea! She and her inhabitants inflicted terror to everyone who lived within her."

"Son of Man, compose a mourning song for Tyre.

"Soldiers from Persia, Lud, and Libya, served in your army. They were your mighty soldiers. Their helmets and shields adorned your barracks walls, and they won battle decorations for you.

"Tarshish was your business partner because of your phenomenal wealth. They traded silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise.

Greece, Tubal, and Meshech bartered with you, exchanging slaves and bronze vessels for your wares.

Beth-togarmah traded horses, war horses, and mules in exchange for what you had to sell.

Men from the low country south of Edom and many of the coastlands were your markets for ivory tusks and ebony that they brought to trade with you.

The territories of Judah and Israel were your clients, too. They traded wheat from their distribution centers, baked goods, honey, oil, and ointments for your merchandise.

and casks of wine from Izal for your wrought iron, cassia wood, and aromatic reeds.

Arabia, including all the princes of Kedar, came to you, shopping for lambs, rams, and goats.

Traders from Sheba and Raamah paid for the best of what you had to offer with all types of spices, precious stones, and gold.

Everyone who handles an oar will abandon ship, they'll head straight for dry land,

They'll shave their heads bald because of you. They'll dress themselves in sackcloth and weep for you with deep bitterness of heart, with the most pitiful of mourning.

In the depth of their despair they'll compose a lament for you. This is what they'll say: "Who is like Tyre? Who is so silent in the midst of the sea?'

Look! You're wiser than Daniel, aren't you? No secret is too mysterious for you!

By your great wisdom, by your skills in trading you have amassed wealth for yourself and your heart has become arrogant because of your wealth."

You will die a death fit for the uncircumcised at the hand of foreigners." "for I have said it will be so,' declares the LORD."

"Son of Man, start singing this lamentation for the king of Tyre. Tell him, "This is what the Lord GOD says: "You served as my model, my example of complete wisdom and perfect beauty.

You used to be in Eden God's paradise! You wore precious stones for clothing: ruby, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and carbuncle. Your settings were crafted in gold, along with your engravings. On the day of your creation they had been prepared!

By all of your iniquity and unrighteous businesses you defiled your sanctuaries, so I'm going to bring out fire from within you and burn you to ashes on the earth before the whole watching world!

"Son of Man, turn your attention to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and the entire nation of Egypt.

Tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: "Watch out! I'm coming to get you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt! You big monster! You lay in wait in the middle of your waterways and say, "My waterways belong to me! I made them for myself!"

When they reached out to you for support, you tore their hands and dislocated all of their shoulders. When they tried to lean on you, they couldn't control their own bowels.'

Neither man nor beast will walk through that area. It won't even be inhabited for 40 years.

I'll see to it that Egypt becomes a devastated land in the midst of devastated lands. Her cities deep inside her territories will be laid waste and desolate for 40 years. I will scatter Egypt among the nations and disperse them throughout the land.'"

Egypt will never again be a source of confidence to the nation of Israel. Instead, Egypt will serve as a reminder of when they sinned by turning to Egypt for help. Then they'll know that I am the Lord GOD.'"

"Son of Man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army work very hard to attack Tyre. They tore their hair out and rubbed their shoulders raw! Despite all of that work trying to capture Tyre, neither he nor his army got paid from Tyre for all that!

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: "I'm going to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He's going to carry off her wealth, confiscate her war implements, and use it all to pay wages for his army!

I've given him the land of Egypt as a reward for attacking Tyre for me,' declares the Lord GOD.

For comes now the day comes now the Day of the LORD, the day of clouds! The time of the gentiles is fulfilled!

They will know that I am the LORD when I kindle my fire in Egypt and all who help her are crushed.

I'm going to turn Pathros into a desolation, set fire to Zoan, and judge Thebes.

I'll set fire to Egypt, and Aswan will writhe in agony. Thebes will be demolished, and Memphis will face daily distress.

It will be a dark day for Tahpanhes when I break the yokes of Egypt. That's when her arrogant power will come to an end. She'll be covered by a cloud, and her citizens will go into captivity.

"Son of Man, I've broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Look! It hasn't been set in a splint for healing or wrapped with a bandage so it could be strong enough to hold a sword!

"I'm coming to attack Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and I'm going to break both of his arms, the strong one and the wounded one. That will make him drop his sword. I'm going to scatter Egypt throughout the surrounding nations and disperse them throughout the world.

I'm going to strengthen the military might of the king of Babylon, put my own sword in his hand, and break Pharaoh's strength. Then Pharaoh will groan like a dying man right in front of the king of Babylon.

When I strengthen the military might of Babylon, the military might of Pharaoh will fail, and then they will learn that I am the LORD when I place my own sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. He will attack the land of Egypt.

"Son of Man, tell this to Pharaoh, king of Egypt and his gangs: "Who do you think you are? What makes you so great?

The cedars in God's garden could not compare to it; Fir trees could not match its boughs. The plane tree never grew branches like it, and no tree in God's garden compares to its beauty.

"This is what the Lord GOD says: "On the day that it descended into Sheol, I shut down its water supplies, covered over its deep water, and shut down its rivers. As a result its abundant water sources dried up, and I caused Lebanon to mourn for it. All the trees of the field wilted because of it.

So tell me now, which of the trees of Eden compares to you in glory or greatness? Nevertheless, you'll be brought down, along with those trees of Eden, to the earth below. You'll lie in the middle of the uncircumcised, with those who have been killed in war. Pharaoh and all his gang will be just like this!' declares the Lord GOD."

"Son of Man, start singing this lamentation about Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Tell him, "You may have called yourself a lion among nations, but you're a monster at sea. You thrash about in your rivers, muddy the water with your feet, and relieve yourself in the rivers.'

"This is what the Lord GOD says: "I'm coming fishing for you! Right in the sight of many nations they'll haul you up in my dragnet.

I'll make many nations be appalled at you, and their kings will be terrified because of you when I brandish my sword right in their face. They will all tremble from fear for their own safety on the day that you fall!'

They have prepared a bed for her and for her hordes that surround her graves. All of them are uncircumcised, having been killed violently, because they had spread terror throughout the land of the living. They will bear the shame of those who descend to the Pit and will take their place among the dead.

"When Pharaoh sees them, he will take comfort in his hordes. Pharaoh and all his army will die violently," says the Lord GOD,

"because he spread terror throughout the land of the living. Therefore he'll be laid to rest among the uncircumcised, who have been killed violently; that is, Pharaoh and all of his hordes," declares the Lord GOD.

If that sentinel notices that violence is approaching, but does not sound an alarm, then because the nation does not take warning and the sword arrives and destroys their lives because of their guilt, I'll seek retribution for their shed blood from the one who was acting as sentinel.'"

"Now as for you, Son of Man, I've established you as a sentinel for the house of Israel. So whenever you hear a message from me, you are to warn the people from me.

If I should say to a certain wicked person, "You wicked man, you're certainly about to die,' but you don't warn him to turn from his wicked behavior, he'll die in his guilt, but I'll seek retribution for his bloodshed from you.

returning what has been placed as collateral for a loan, paying back what he has taken, following the regulations that promote life, and committing no iniquity, he will certainly live, and not die.

"Son of Man, those who are living among these ruins of the land of Israel keep saying, "Abraham was only one man, but he was able to possess the land! As for us, we're a multitude, and the land has been given to us as an inheritance.'

"Tell them this: "This is what the Lord GOD says: "As certainly as I'm alive and living, those who live in the wastelands are certain to die violently, I'll give those who die in the open fields to the wild animals for food, and whoever takes refuge in caves and fortified places will die of diseases.

"Now as for you, Son of Man, your nation's children keep gathering together to talk about you beside the walls and at the doorway to their houses. Everyone tells one another, "Please come! Let's go hear what the LORD has to say!'

As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful voice and play a musical instrument well. They'll listen to what you have to say, but they won't put it into practice!

A message came from the LORD for me, and it had this to say:

You haven't strengthened the weak, treated the sick, set broken bones, regathered the scattered, or looked for the lost. Instead, you've dominated them with brutal force and ruthlessness.

"Since they have no shepherd, they have been scattered around and have become prey for all sorts of wild animals. How scattered they are!

My sheep have gone wandering on all of the mountains, on all of the hills, and throughout every high place in the whole world, with no one to look for them or go out in search of them.

"As certainly as I'm alive and living, my sheep have truly become victims, food for all of the wild animals because there are no shepherds. My shepherds did not go searching for my flock. Instead, the shepherds fed themselves, and my flock they would not feed!'

"This is what the Lord GOD says: "Watch out, I'm coming after you shepherds! I'm going to demand my sheep back from them and fire them as shepherds. The shepherds won't be shepherds anymore when I snatch my flock right out of their mouths so they can't be eaten by them anymore."'"

"This is what the LORD says: "Watch me! I'm going to search for my flock. I'll watch over them myself.

I'll feed them in excellent pastures, and even the very heights of Israel's mountains will serve as verdant pastures for them in which they'll rest and feed yes, even on the fertile mountains of Israel!

"Now as for you, my flock, this is what the Lord GOD says: "Watch out! I'm going to judge between one sheep and another, and between the rams and the goats.

""Then I'll install one shepherd for them my servant David and he will feed them, will be there for them, and will serve as their shepherd.

I'm going to prepare for them the best of gardening spots. They will no longer live as victims in a land of starvation, nor will they have to bear the insults of the international community.

"And as for you, my sheep, the flock that I'm pasturing, you are mankind, and I am your God,' declares the Lord GOD."

That's how you'll know that I, the LORD, have heard every loathsome, reviling thing that you've had to say against the mountains of Israel, such as, "They're desolate, and we'll eat them for dinner!'

"Now as for you, Son of Man, prophesy to Israel's mountains and tell them, "Listen to this message from the LORD, you mountains of Israel:

"Therefore this is what you are to prophesy: "Here's what the Lord GOD says, "You've been turned into a desolate wasteland and crushed by everyone who surrounds you for a very, very good reason. You've become the property of all the other nations and you've become the object of gossip and whispering campaigns of the nations."'"

But you mountains of Israel are going to sprout branches and bear fruit for my people Israel, because they'll be coming soon.'"

"Therefore tell the house of Israel, "This is what the Lord GOD says: "I'm not about to act for your sake, you house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy reputation, which you have been defiling throughout all of the nations where you've gone.