"Tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: "Look! I'm about to profane my sanctuary, the source of your proud strength, the desire of your eyes, and the object of your affection. Your sons and daughters, whom you've left behind, will die by the sword.

That's why you will soon be doing what I've just done. You are not to cover your mouth or eat what your comforters bring to you.

Your turbans will be on your heads and your sandals will be on your feet. You won't mourn or weep. Instead, you'll waste away in your sins. Every one of you will groan to his relative.

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."'

at that time, a fugitive will come to you and will bring you the news.

Your mouth will freely speak to the fugitive. You won't be silent any longer. You'll be a sign to them. Then they'll know that I am the LORD."

therefore you'd better look out! I'm going to turn you over to men from the East, who will dominate you. You will become their property. They will set up military encampments and permanent places in which to live among you, and then they'll eat your fruit and drink your milk.

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."'"

"This is what the Lord GOD says: "Because you've applauded, stamped your feet, and rejoiced with all sorts of malice in your heart against the land of Israel,

I'm going to turn these cities over to men from the East, who will dominate you. You will become their property. As a result, Ammon will be forgotten as a nation.

therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: "I'm going to raise my clenched fist in Edom's direction and eliminate every single human being and animal from Edom! I'm going to turn everything into a wasteland, starting with Teman, and Dedan will fall by violence!

I'm going to inundate Edom with my retribution, using my people Israel to carry it out! They'll deliver my anger, acting as an agent of my fury. Edom will come to know my vengeance,' declares the Lord GOD.'"

"Son of Man, because Tyre has been saying about Jerusalem, "The international gateway is broken down! It's wide open to me! I will be replenished, now that it lies in ruins!'

and will destroy the city walls of Tyre. After they break down her fortified towers, I'll scrape away the city's debris, right down to the bare bedrock,

and it will become a place where nets will be spread out right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Because I have declared this to happen,' declares the Lord GOD, "Tyre will be treated as the spoils of war by the invading nations.

Furthermore, her citizens who live on the mainland will be executed with swords. That's how they'll learn that I am the LORD.'"

""He'll direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and will breach your fortified towers with axes.

There will be so many horses that the dust raised by them will cover you completely. The walls of your city will tremble from the noise of Nebuchadnezzar's cavalry, wagons, and chariots when they enter through the gates of your city, as men enter a city that has been breached.

""Their horses will trample all the public places as he executes your inhabitants with swords. The most fortified of your pillars will be torn to the ground.

They will plunder your riches and loot your businesses. They'll tear down your walls and demolish your luxurious homes. They'll grab the stones, wood, and rubble from the destruction and dump it all into the Mediterranean Sea.

I'll turn you into bare rock, and your city will become a place to spread nets. You will never be built again, because I the LORD have decreed this,' declares the Lord GOD."

"This is what the Lord GOD says to Tyre: "When your wounded citizens groan while the slaughter takes place among you, the people who live in the coastlands will tremble in terror as they hear about your fall, will they not?

That's when all the kings of the seafaring nations will abandon their thrones, strip off their fancy clothes, and collapse trembling on the ground. They'll be so frightened as they observe what has happened to you that they'll be unable to stop trembling. They will be utterly appalled at you!

"Now the coastland inhabitants will tremble on the day that you fall. The coastland inhabitants, who make their living from the sea, will be terrified when you pass away!'

I'll make sure that you go straight to the Pit, into the lowest part of the earth, where you'll be with people who lived in ancient times. You'll keep company there with the dead, who have gone into the Pit. As a result, your city won't be inhabited. Meanwhile, I will display my glory in the land of the living.

The wise men and elders from Gebal accompanied you, serving as ship's carpenters. All the maritime navies and their seaman also accompanied you to assist you in doing business internationally."

Mercenaries from Arvad and Helech stood guard duty on your walls, while brave men manned your towers. They hung their shields all around your walls just the right touch to perfect your interior decorating!"

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.

"Because you have so much to sell and are so rich, Damascus has been your trading partner, exchanging wine from Helbon, unbleached wool,

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.

Your wealth, your products, your merchandise your sailors, your pilots, your tailors, your salesmen, all your mercenaries with you your entire company with you will fall into the midst of the sea on the day when you're overthrown!

When your ships' captains cry out, the pasturelands along the coast will cry out!

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

and they will cry so loud you won't be able to make yourself heard! How bitterly they'll cry! They'll throw dust on their heads and wallow in ashes.

Traders circulate among the people, hissing at you. What a horror you've become! Now you will cease to exist forever and ever!"

Therefore, look! I'm bringing foreigners in your direction, the most terrifying of nations! They will direct their violence against the grandeur that you've created by your wisdom.

Is that when you'll say, "I'm God' to the face of those who will be killing you? After all, you're a man, and have never been a god, especially when you're under the control of those who will defile you!

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."

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!

Everyone who knows you throughout all the nations will be appalled at your calamity and you will no longer exist forever."'"

I'm going to send disease into that city and blood into her streets. People will drop dead in her midst from the violence done to her from every side. Then they'll learn that I am the Lord GOD."

"The house of Israel will never again suffer from painful briers and sharp thorn bushes that surround them on every side, and they will learn that I am the LORD.

"When I gather the house of Israel from the nations to which I've scattered them, I will show them my holiness before the watching world, and they will live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob. They will live in safety in the land, building houses and planting vineyards. They'll live in safety while I judge everyone who maligns them among those who surround them. At that time they'll learn that I am the LORD their God.'"

"So I'm going to plant a hook in your jaw and make the fish in your waterways grab hold of your scales. I'll bring you up out of the middle of your waterways, along with all of the fish from your waterways that cling to your scales,

Then I'll fling you out into the desert, you and all those fish in your waterways. You'll fall out in the open fields; you'll never be reunited. I'm giving you to the wild beasts of the earth and to the birds of the sky, and they will dine on you!

"Then everyone living in Egypt will know that I am the LORD, because they have been an unreliable ally to the house of Israel.

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.'

and the land of Egypt will be turned into a desolate ruin. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Because Egypt said, "The Nile is mine. I made it!"

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.'"

I'll restore the economy of Egypt and return them to the land of Pathros, from which they originated, and there they will remain an insignificant kingdom,

the least significant of kingdoms. It will never again dominate other nations. I will make them so small that they will never again rule any nation.

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!

"When that day comes about, I'll strengthen Israel's military might, and I will give you an audience in their midst. Then they will know that I am the LORD.'"

"Son of Man, here's what you are to prophesy and announce, "This is what the Lord GOD says: "Wail out loud! Oh no! The day!

War will come to Egypt, and Ethiopia will be in anguish when the slain fall in Egypt, when her wealth is carried off, and her foundations are demolished.

"Ethiopia, Libya, descendants of Lud, all those who have mixed themselves, and Libya along with everyone in the land of Israel who is in league with them will die violently."'"

"This is what the LORD says: "Those who are supporting Egypt will fall; her majestic strength that she brought from the Aswan fortress will collapse by the sword that invades her,' declares the Lord GOD.

They'll remain desolate among desolate lands, their cities will be named among those that are ruined.

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

"When that happens, couriers will go out in ships to terrify Ethiopia in its complacency. Anguish will visit them as it will visit Egypt. Watch out! It's coming!'"

He and his ruthless army with him will be brought to destroy the land. They'll draw their swords and attack Egypt, filling the land with the dead!

I'll dry up their waterways, and evil men will sell off the land. I'm going to make that land desolate, along with everything that's in it, and I'm going to use foreigners to do it. I, the LORD have spoken!'"

"This is what the Lord GOD says: "I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images that come from Memphis. There will no longer be a prince from the land of Egypt, and I will terrify the land of Egypt.

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

The young men of On and Pi-beseth will die violently, and their cities will be taken captive.

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.

I will judge Egypt, and they will learn that I am the LORD.'"

"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.

When I scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the world, they will learn that I am the LORD.'"

Abundant water made it great, Subterranean rivers made it grow. Rivers surrounded the area where it had been planted, and water channels nourished all the trees in the fields.

That's why it grew taller than any of the trees in the fields. Its boughs flourished. Its branches grew luxurious because all the water made it spread out well.

The birds in the sky made nests in its boughs; all the beasts of the field gave birth under its branches. All the great nations rested in its shade.

I made it beautiful, including all of its branches; all the trees in God's garden of Eden envied it!'"

Foreign dictators have trimmed it down to size and abandoned it. Its branches have fallen off on mountains and in all the valleys. Its boughs have broken off in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth have moved out of its shade and abandoned it.

All the birds in the sky will live among its ruins, and the wild animals will forage among its branches.

As a result, none of its watered trees will grow tall, their tops will never reach to the clouds, and they'll never grow so high again, because all of them have been appointed to death in the world beneath where human beings go, that is, down to the Pit.'"

"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.

I made the nations tremble when they heard that Assyria was falling, descending into Sheol to join those who go down into the Pit. Then all of the trees of Eden in the world below were comforted, including the choicest and best of Lebanon, all of whom were well-watered.

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."

I'll fling you up onto the land; I'll haul you into the field, I'll make every carrion-eating bird come to dine on you, and I'll make all the scavenging animals gorge themselves on you.

I'll drench the land with your blood, right up to the mountains, and the ravines will overflow with blood that comes from you!

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!'

"This is what the Lord GOD says: "The army of the king of Babylon will attack you.

I'm going to make your gangs die using the weapons of valiant warriors, all of whom are ruthless people. "They will devastate the majesty of Egypt, destroying all of its hordes.

I'm going to destroy all of its livestock along its many riverbanks. Human feet won't muddy the rivers anymore, nor will the hooves of livestock stir up the water.

That's when I'll make their waterways flow smoothly, and their rivers flow like olive oil,' declares the Lord GOD."

"When I turn the land of Egypt into a desolation, and the land is emptied of everything that used to fill it, when I strike everyone who lives there, they will learn that I am the LORD.'

"This has been a lamentation. They will chant it, and the citizens of the nations will chant it, too. They'll chant it about Egypt and about all of its hordes."

"They'll die along with others who are killed violently. Egypt has been given over to violence, which will carry off both it and its hordes."

"Mighty leaders will address them and those who assist them right out of the middle of Sheol: "They've come down and will lie still, these uncircumcised people who have died violently.'

Assyria will be there, along with all of those who keep company with her, all of them killed violently.

Her grave will be set in the remotest part of the Pit, surrounded by those who accompanied her. All of them will have been killed, executed violently, who spread terror throughout the land of the living.

"Elam will be there. Its hordes will surround Elam's grave. All of them have been killed. They died violently, and they have descended uncircumcised into the world below after having spread terror throughout the land of the living. They will bear the shame of those who descend to the Pit.

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.