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Ezekiel 27-29
New English Translation
Ezekiel 27-29
New English Translation
A Lament for Tyre
27 The Lord’s message came to me: 2 “You, son of man, sing a lament for Tyre.[a] 3 Say to Tyre, who sits at the entrance[b] of the sea,[c] merchant to the peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘O Tyre, you have said, “I am perfectly beautiful.”
4 [d] Your borders are in the heart of the seas;
your builders have perfected your beauty.
5 They crafted[e] all your planks out of fir trees from Senir;[f]
they took a cedar from Lebanon to make your mast.
6 They made your oars from oaks of Bashan;
they made your deck[g] with cypress wood[h] from the coasts of Cyprus.[i]
7 Fine linen from Egypt, woven with patterns, was used for your sail
to serve as your banner;
blue and purple from the coastlands of Elishah[j] were used for your deck’s awning.
8 The leaders[k] of Sidon and Arvad[l] were your rowers;
your skilled men,[m] O Tyre, were your captains.
9 The elders of Gebal[n] and her skilled men were within you, mending cracks;[o]
all the ships of the sea and their mariners were within you to trade for your merchandise.[p]
10 Men of Persia, Lud,[q] and Put were in your army, men of war.
They hung shield and helmet on you; they gave you your splendor.
11 The Arvadites[r] joined your army on your walls all around,
and the Gammadites[s] were in your towers.
They hung their quivers[t] on your walls all around;
they perfected your beauty.
12 “‘Tarshish[u] was your trade partner because of your abundant wealth; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your products. 13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your clients; they exchanged slaves and bronze items for your merchandise. 14 Beth Togarmah exchanged horses, chargers,[v] and mules for your products. 15 The Dedanites[w] were your clients. Many coastlands were your customers; they paid[x] you with ivory tusks and ebony. 16 Edom[y] was your trade partner because of the abundance of your goods; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your products. 17 Judah and the land of Israel were your clients; they traded wheat from Minnith,[z] millet, honey, olive oil, and balm for your merchandise. 18 Damascus was your trade partner because of the abundance of your goods and of all your wealth: wine from Helbon, white wool from Zahar, 19 and casks of wine[aa] from Izal[ab] they exchanged for your products. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were among your merchandise. 20 Dedan was your client in saddlecloths for riding. 21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your trade partners; for lambs, rams, and goats they traded with you. 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah engaged in trade with you; they traded the best kinds of spices along with precious stones and gold for your products. 23 Haran, Kanneh, Eden, merchants from Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad were your clients. 24 They traded with you choice garments, purple clothes and embroidered work, and multicolored carpets bound and reinforced with cords; these were among your merchandise. 25 The ships of Tarshish[ac] were the transports for your merchandise.
“‘So you were filled and weighed down in the heart of the seas.
26 Your rowers have brought you into surging waters.
The east wind has wrecked you in the heart of the seas.
27 Your wealth, products, and merchandise, your sailors and captains,
your ship’s carpenters,[ad] your merchants,
and all your fighting men within you,
along with all your crew who are in you,
will fall into the heart of the seas on the day of your downfall.
28 At the sound of your captains’ cries the waves will surge;[ae]
29 They will descend from their ships—all who handle the oar,
the sailors and all the sea captains—they will stand on the land.
30 They will lament loudly[af] over you and cry bitterly.
They will throw dust on their heads and roll in the ashes;[ag]
31 they will tear out their hair because of you and put on sackcloth,
and they will weep bitterly over you with intense mourning.[ah]
32 As they wail they will lament over you, chanting:
“Who was like Tyre, like a tower[ai] in the midst of the sea?”
33 When your products went out from the seas,
you satisfied many peoples;
with the abundance of your wealth and merchandise
you enriched the kings of the earth.
34 Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters;
your merchandise and all your company have sunk[aj] along with you.[ak]
35 All the inhabitants of the coastlands are shocked at you,
and their kings are horribly afraid—their faces are troubled.
36 The traders among the peoples hiss at you;
you have become a horror, and will be no more.’”
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 The Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to the prince[al] of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Your heart is proud[am] and you said, “I am a god;[an]
I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas”—
yet you are a man and not a god,
though you think you are godlike.[ao]
3 Look, you are wiser than Daniel;[ap]
no secret is hidden from you.[aq]
4 By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself;
you have amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.
5 By your great skill[ar] in trade you have increased your wealth,
and your heart is proud because of your wealth.
6 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
Because you think you are godlike,[as]
7 I am about to bring foreigners[at] against you, the most terrifying of nations.
They will draw their swords against the grandeur made by your wisdom,[au]
and they will defile your splendor.
8 They will bring you down to the Pit, and you will die violently[av] in the heart of the seas.
9 Will you still say, “I am a god,” before the one who kills you—
though you are a man and not a god—
when you are in the power of those who wound you?
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised[aw] by the hand of foreigners;
for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
11 The Lord’s message came to me: 12 “Son of man, sing[ax] a lament for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You were the sealer[ay] of perfection,
full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God.[az]
Every precious stone was your covering,
the ruby, topaz, and emerald,
the chrysolite, onyx, and jasper,
the sapphire, turquoise, and beryl;[ba]
your settings and mounts were made of gold.
On the day you were created they were prepared.
14 I placed you there with an anointed[bb] guardian[bc] cherub;[bd]
you were on the holy mountain of God;
you walked about amidst fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your behavior[be] from the day you were created,
until sin was discovered in you.
16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence,[bf] and you sinned;
so I defiled you and banished you[bg] from the mountain of God—
the guardian cherub expelled you[bh] from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty;
you corrupted your wisdom on account of your splendor.
I threw you down to the ground;
I placed you before kings, that they might see you.
18 By the multitude of your iniquities, through the sinfulness of your trade,
you desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I drew fire out from within you;
it consumed you,
and I turned you to ashes on the earth
before the eyes of all who saw you.
19 All who know you among the peoples are shocked at you;
you have become terrified and will be no more.’”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 The Lord’s message came to me: 21 “Son of man, turn toward[bi] Sidon[bj] and prophesy against it. 22 Say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Look, I am against you,[bk] Sidon,
and I will magnify myself in your midst.
Then they will know that I am the Lord
when I execute judgments on her
and reveal my sovereign power[bl] in her.
23 I will send a plague into the city[bm] and bloodshed into its streets;
the slain will fall within it, by the sword that attacks it[bn] from every side.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.
24 “‘No longer will Israel suffer from the sharp briers[bo] or painful thorns of all who surround and scorn them.[bp] Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I regather the house of Israel from the peoples where they are dispersed, I will reveal my sovereign power[bq] over them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their land that I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live securely in it; they will build houses and plant vineyards. They will live securely[br] when I execute my judgments on all those who scorn them and surround them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.’”
A Prophecy Against Egypt
29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month,[bs] the Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, turn toward[bt] Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3 Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Look, I am against[bu] you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,
the great monster[bv] lying in the midst of its waterways,
who has said, “My Nile is my own, I made it for myself.”[bw]
4 I will put hooks in your jaws
and stick the fish of your waterways to your scales.
I will haul you up from the midst of your waterways,
and all the fish of your waterways will stick to your scales.
5 I will leave you in the wilderness,
you and all the fish of your waterways;
you will fall in the open field and will not be gathered up or collected.[bx]
I have given you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the skies.
6 Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord
because they were a reed staff[by] for the house of Israel;
7 when they grasped you with their hand,[bz] you broke and tore[ca] their shoulders,
and when they leaned on you, you splintered and caused their legs to be unsteady.[cb]
8 “‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will kill[cc] every person and every animal. 9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate ruin. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“‘Because he said, “The Nile is mine and I made it,” 10 I am against[cd] you and your waterways. I will turn the land of Egypt into an utter desolate ruin from Migdol[ce] to Syene,[cf] as far as the border with Ethiopia. 11 No human foot will pass through it, and no animal’s foot will pass through it; it will be uninhabited for forty years. 12 I will turn the land of Egypt into a desolation in the midst of desolate lands; for forty years her cities will lie desolate in the midst of ruined cities. I will scatter Egypt among the nations and disperse them among foreign countries.
13 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years[cg] I will gather Egypt from the peoples where they were scattered. 14 I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and will bring them back[ch] to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin; there they will be an insignificant kingdom. 15 It will be the most insignificant of the kingdoms; it will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small that they will not rule over the nations. 16 It will never again be Israel’s source of confidence, but a reminder of how they sinned by turning to Egypt for help.[ci] Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’”
17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month,[cj] the Lord’s message came to me: 18 “Son of man, King Nebuchadrezzar[ck] of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre.[cl] Every head was rubbed bald and every shoulder rubbed bare; yet he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the work he carried out against it. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon. He will carry off her wealth, capture her loot, and seize her plunder; it will be his army’s wages. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his compensation for attacking Tyre,[cm] because they did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord. 21 On that day I will make Israel powerful,[cn] and I will give you the right to be heard[co] among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 27:2 tn Heb “lift up over Tyre a lament.”
- Ezekiel 27:3 tn Heb “entrances.” The plural noun may reflect the fact that Tyre had two main harbors.
- Ezekiel 27:3 sn Rome, another economic power, is described in a similar way in Rev 17:1.
- Ezekiel 27:4 tn The city of Tyre is described in the following account as a merchant ship.
- Ezekiel 27:5 tn Heb “built.”
- Ezekiel 27:5 tn Perhaps the hull or deck. The term is dual, so perhaps it refers to a double-decked ship.
- Ezekiel 27:6 tn Or “hull.”
- Ezekiel 27:6 tc The Hebrew reads, “Your deck they made ivory, daughter of Assyria.” The syntactically difficult “ivory” is understood here as dittography and omitted, though some construe this to refer to ivory inlays. “Daughter of Assyria” is understood here as improper word division, and the vowels are repointed as “cypresses” and translated as “cypress wood.”
- Ezekiel 27:6 tn Heb “from the coastlands (or islands) of Kittim,” generally understood to be a reference to the island of Cyprus, where the Phoenicians had a trading colony on the southeast coast.
- Ezekiel 27:7 sn This is probably a reference to Cyprus.
- Ezekiel 27:8 tc The MT reads, “the residents of”; the LXX reads, “your rulers who dwell in.” With no apparent reason for the LXX to add “the rulers,” many suppose something has dropped out of the Hebrew text. While more than one may be possible, Allen’s proposal, positing a word meaning “elders,” is the most likely to explain the omission in the MT from a graphic standpoint and also provides a parallel to the beginning of v. 9. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:81.
- Ezekiel 27:8 sn Sidon and Arvad, like Tyre, were Phoenician coastal cities.
- Ezekiel 27:8 tn Or “wise.”
- Ezekiel 27:9 sn Another Phoenician coastal city located between Sidon and Arvad.
- Ezekiel 27:9 tn Heb “strengthening damages.” Here “to strengthen” means to repair. The word for “damages” occurs several times in 1 Kgs 12 about some type of damage to the temple, which may have referred to or included cracks. Since the context describes Tyre in its glory, we do not expect this reference to damages to be of significant scale, even if there are repairmen. This may refer to using pitch to seal the seams of the ship, which had to be done periodically and could be considered routine maintenance rather than repair of damage.
- Ezekiel 27:9 sn The reference to “all the ships of the sea…within you” suggests that the metaphor is changing; previously Tyre had been described as a magnificent ship, but now the description shifts back to an actual city. The “ships of the sea” were within Tyre’s harbor. Verse 11 refers to “walls” and “towers” of the city.
- Ezekiel 27:10 sn See Gen 10:22.
- Ezekiel 27:11 tn Heb “sons of Arvad.”
- Ezekiel 27:11 sn The identity of the Gammadites is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 27:11 tn See note on “quivers” in Jer 51:11 on the meaning of Hebrew שֶׁלֶט (shelet) and also M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:553.
- Ezekiel 27:12 sn Tarshish refers to a distant seaport sometimes believed to be located in southern Spain (others identified it as Carthage in North Africa). In any event it represents here a distant, rich, and exotic port that was a trading partner of Tyre.
- Ezekiel 27:14 tn The way in which these horses may have been distinguished from other horses is unknown. Cf. ASV “war-horses” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, CEV are all similar); NLT “chariot horses.”
- Ezekiel 27:15 tn Heb “sons of Dedan.”
- Ezekiel 27:15 tn Heb “they returned as your gift.”
- Ezekiel 27:16 tc Many Hebrew mss, Aquila’s Greek translation, and the Syriac version read “Edom.” The LXX reads “man,” a translation that assumes the same consonants as Edom. This reading is supported from the context as the text deals with Damascus, the capital of Syria (Aram), later (in v. 18).
- Ezekiel 27:17 sn The location is mentioned in Judg 11:33.
- Ezekiel 27:19 tc The MT leaves v. 18 as an incomplete sentence and begins v. 19 with “and Dan and Javan [Ionia] from Uzal.” The LXX mentions “wine.” The translation follows an emendation assuming some confusions of vav and yod. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:82.
- Ezekiel 27:19 sn According to L. C. Allen (Ezekiel [WBC], 2:82), Izal was located between Haran and the Tigris and was famous for its wine.
- Ezekiel 27:25 tn Or perhaps “Large merchant ships.” The expression “ships of Tarshish” may describe a class of vessel, that is, large oceangoing merchant ships.
- Ezekiel 27:27 tn Heb “your repairers of damage.” See v. 9.
- Ezekiel 27:28 tn Compare this phrase to Isa 57:20 and Amos 8:8. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:561.
- Ezekiel 27:30 tn Heb “make heard over you with their voice.”
- Ezekiel 27:30 tn Note a similar expression to “roll in the ashes” in Mic 1:10.
- Ezekiel 27:31 tn Heb “and they will weep concerning you with bitterness of soul, (with) bitter mourning.”
- Ezekiel 27:32 tn As it stands, the meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. The translation follows the suggestion of M. Dahood, “Accadian-Ugaritic dmt in Ezekiel 27:32, ” Bib 45 (1964): 83-84. Several other explanations and emendations have been offered. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:83, and D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:85-86, for a list of options.
- Ezekiel 27:34 tn Heb “fallen.”
- Ezekiel 27:34 tn Heb “in the midst of you.”
- Ezekiel 28:2 tn Or “ruler” (NIV, NCV).
- Ezekiel 28:2 tn Heb “lifted up.” sn See Prov 16:5.
- Ezekiel 28:2 tn Or “I am divine.”
- Ezekiel 28:2 tn Heb “and you made your heart/mind (לֵב, lev) like the heart/mind of gods.”
- Ezekiel 28:3 sn Or perhaps “Danel” (so TEV), referring to a ruler known from Canaanite legend. See the note on “Daniel” in 14:14. A reference to Danel (preserved in legend at Ugarit, near the northern end of the Phoenician coast) makes more sense here when addressing Tyre than in 14:14.
- Ezekiel 28:3 sn The tone here is sarcastic, reflecting the ruler’s view of himself.
- Ezekiel 28:5 tn Or “wisdom.”
- Ezekiel 28:6 tn Heb “because of your making your heart like the heart of gods.”
- Ezekiel 28:7 sn This is probably a reference to the Babylonians.
- Ezekiel 28:7 tn Heb “they will draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom.”
- Ezekiel 28:8 tn Heb “you will die the death of the slain.”
- Ezekiel 28:10 sn The Phoenicians practiced circumcision, so the language here must be figurative, indicating that they would be treated in a disgraceful manner. Uncircumcised peoples were viewed as inferior and unclean. See 31:18 and 32:17-32, as well as the discussion in D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:99.
- Ezekiel 28:12 tn Heb “lift up.”
- Ezekiel 28:12 tn For a discussion of possible nuances of this phrase, see M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:580-81.
- Ezekiel 28:13 sn The imagery of the lament appears to draw upon an extrabiblical Eden tradition about the expulsion of the first man (see v. 14 and the note there) from the garden due to his pride. The biblical Eden tradition speaks of cherubim placed as guardians at the garden entrance following the sin of Adam and Eve (Gen 3:24), but no guardian cherub like the one described in verse 14 is depicted or mentioned in the biblical account. Ezekiel’s imagery also appears to reflect Mesopotamian and Canaanite mythology at certain points. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:119-20.
- Ezekiel 28:13 tn The exact identification of each gemstone is uncertain. The list should be compared to that of the priest in Exod 28:17-20, which lists twelve stones in rows of three. The LXX apparently imports the Exod 28 list. See reference to the types of stones in L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:14 tn Or “winged”; see L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:14 tn The meaning of this phrase in Hebrew is uncertain. The word translated here “guards” occurs in Exod 25:20 in reference to the cherubim “covering” the ark.
- Ezekiel 28:14 tn Heb “you (were) an anointed cherub that covers, and I placed you.” In the Hebrew text the ruler of Tyre is equated with a cherub, and the verb “I placed you” is taken with what follows (“on the holy mountain of God”). However, this reading is problematic. The pronoun “you” at the beginning of verse 14 is feminine singular in the Hebrew text; elsewhere in this passage the ruler of Tyre is addressed with masculine singular forms. It is possible that the pronoun is a rare (see Deut 5:24; Num 11:15) or defectively written (see 1 Sam 24:19; Neh 9:6; Job 1:10; Ps 6:3; Eccl 7:22) masculine form, but it is more likely that the form should be repointed as the preposition “with” (see the LXX). In this case the ruler of Tyre is compared to the first man, not to a cherub. If this emendation is accepted, then the verb “I placed you” belongs with what precedes and concludes the first sentence in the verse. It is noteworthy that the verbs in the second and third lines of the verse also appear at the end of the sentence in the Hebrew text. The presence of a conjunction at the beginning of “I placed you” is problematic for the proposal, but it may reflect a later misunderstanding of the syntax of the verse. For a defense of the proposed emendation, see L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:15 tn Heb “ways.”
- Ezekiel 28:16 tn Heb “they filled your midst with violence.”
- Ezekiel 28:16 tn Heb “I defiled you.” The presence of the preposition “from” following the verb indicates that a verb of motion is implied as well. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:16 tn Heb “and I expelled you, O guardian cherub.” The Hebrew text takes the verb as first person and understands “guardian cherub” as a vocative, in apposition to the pronominal suffix on the verb. However, if the emendation in verse 14a is accepted (see the note above), then one may follow the LXX here as well and emend the verb to a third person perfect. In this case the subject of the verb is the guardian cherub. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:21 tn Heb “set your face against.”
- Ezekiel 28:21 sn Sidon was located 25 miles north of Tyre.
- Ezekiel 28:22 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘hinnenî ’êlékâ’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
- Ezekiel 28:22 tn Or “reveal my holiness.” God’s “holiness” is fundamentally his transcendence as sovereign ruler of the world. The revelation of his authority and power through judgment is in view in this context.
- Ezekiel 28:23 tn Heb “into it”; the referent of the feminine pronoun has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Ezekiel 28:23 tn Heb “by a sword against it.”
- Ezekiel 28:24 sn Similar language is used in reference to Israel’s adversaries in Num 33:55 and Josh 23:13.
- Ezekiel 28:24 tn Heb “and there will not be for the house of Israel a brier that pricks and a thorn that inflicts pain from all the ones who surround them, the ones who scorn them.”
- Ezekiel 28:25 tn Or “reveal my holiness.” See verse 22.
- Ezekiel 28:26 sn This promise was given in Lev 25:18-19.
- Ezekiel 29:1 tn January 7, 587 b.c.
- Ezekiel 29:2 tn Heb “set your face against.”
- Ezekiel 29:3 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘hinnenî ’êlékâ’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
- Ezekiel 29:3 tn Heb “jackals,” but many medieval Hebrew mss read correctly “the serpent.” The Hebrew term appears to refer to a serpent in Exod 7:9-10, 12; Deut 32:33; Ps 91:13. It also refers to large creatures that inhabit the sea (Gen 1:21; Ps 148:7). In several passages it is associated with the sea or with the multiheaded sea monster Leviathan (Job 7:12; Ps 74:13; Isa 27:1; 51:9). Because of the Egyptian setting of this prophecy and the reference to the creature’s scales (v. 4), many understand a crocodile to be the referent here (e.g., NCV “a great crocodile”; TEV “you monster crocodile”; CEV “a giant crocodile”).
- Ezekiel 29:3 sn In Egyptian theology Pharaoh owned and controlled the Nile. See J. D. Currid, Ancient Egypt and the Old Testament, 240-44.
- Ezekiel 29:5 tc Some Hebrew mss, the Targum, and the LXX read “buried.”
- Ezekiel 29:6 sn Cf. Isa 36:6.
- Ezekiel 29:7 tc The Hebrew consonantal text (Kethib) implies בְכַפְּךָ (vekappeka, “by your hand”) but the marginal reading (Qere) has simply בַכַּף (vakkaf, “by the hand”). The LXX reads: “with their hand,” implying בְכַפָּם (vekappam).
- Ezekiel 29:7 tn Or perhaps “dislocated.”
- Ezekiel 29:7 tn Heb “you caused to stand for them all their hips.” An emendation that switches two letters but is supported by the LXX yields the reading: “you caused all their hips to shake.” See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:103. In 2 Kgs 18:21 and Isa 36:6 trusting in the Pharaoh is compared to leaning on a staff. The oracle may reflect Hophra’s attempt to aid Jerusalem (Jer 37:5-8).
- Ezekiel 29:8 tn Heb “I will cut off from you.”
- Ezekiel 29:10 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘hinnenî ’êlékâ’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
- Ezekiel 29:10 sn This may refer to a site in the Egyptian Delta that served as a refuge for Jews (Jer 44:1; 46:14).
- Ezekiel 29:10 sn Syene is known today as Aswan.
- Ezekiel 29:13 sn In Ezek 4:4-8 it was said that the house of Judah would suffer forty years.
- Ezekiel 29:14 tc Thus the MT, which reads וַהֲשִׁבֹתִי (vahashivoti, “I will cause to return”), a Hiphil of the verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return”). The LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate translate as though the Hebrew had the vocalization וְהֹשַׁבְתִּי (vehoshavti, “I will cause to inhabit”), a Hiphil from יָשַׁב (yashav “to dwell”).
- Ezekiel 29:16 tn Heb “reminding of iniquity when they turned after them.”
- Ezekiel 29:17 sn April 26, 571 b.c.
- Ezekiel 29:18 tn Heb “Nebuchadrezzar” is a variant and more exact spelling of Nebuchadnezzar, as the Babylonian name Nabu-kudurri-uṣur has an “r” rather than an “n” (so also in v. 19).
- Ezekiel 29:18 sn Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre from 585 to 571 b.c.
- Ezekiel 29:20 tn Heb “for which he worked,” referring to the assault on Tyre (v. 18).
- Ezekiel 29:21 tn Heb “I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel.” The horn is used as a figure for military power in the OT (Ps 92:10). A similar expression is made about the Davidic dynasty in Ps 132:17.
- Ezekiel 29:21 tn Heb “I will grant you an open mouth.”
Ezekiel 27-29
New International Version
Ezekiel 27-29
New International Version
A Lament Over Tyre
27 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, take up a lament(A) concerning Tyre. 3 Say to Tyre,(B) situated at the gateway to the sea,(C) merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You say, Tyre,
“I am perfect in beauty.(D)”
4 Your domain was on the high seas;
your builders brought your beauty to perfection.(E)
5 They made all your timbers
of juniper from Senir[a];(F)
they took a cedar from Lebanon(G)
to make a mast for you.
6 Of oaks(H) from Bashan
they made your oars;
of cypress wood[b] from the coasts of Cyprus(I)
they made your deck, adorned with ivory.
7 Fine embroidered linen(J) from Egypt was your sail
and served as your banner;
your awnings were of blue and purple(K)
from the coasts of Elishah.(L)
8 Men of Sidon and Arvad(M) were your oarsmen;
your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.(N)
9 Veteran craftsmen of Byblos(O) were on board
as shipwrights to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea(P) and their sailors
came alongside to trade for your wares.
10 “‘Men of Persia,(Q) Lydia(R) and Put(S)
served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields(T) and helmets on your walls,
bringing you splendor.
11 Men of Arvad and Helek
guarded your walls on every side;
men of Gammad
were in your towers.
They hung their shields around your walls;
they brought your beauty to perfection.(U)
12 “‘Tarshish(V) did business with you because of your great wealth of goods;(W) they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.
13 “‘Greece,(X) Tubal and Meshek(Y) did business with you; they traded human beings(Z) and articles of bronze for your wares.
14 “‘Men of Beth Togarmah(AA) exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.
15 “‘The men of Rhodes[c](AB) traded with you, and many coastlands(AC) were your customers; they paid you with ivory(AD) tusks and ebony.
16 “‘Aram[d](AE) did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise,(AF) purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,(AG) coral(AH) and rubies for your merchandise.
17 “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat(AI) from Minnith(AJ) and confections,[e] honey, olive oil and balm(AK) for your wares.(AL)
18 “‘Damascus(AM) did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods.(AN) They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar 19 and casks of wine from Izal(AO) in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia(AP) and calamus.
20 “‘Dedan(AQ) traded in saddle blankets with you.
21 “‘Arabia(AR) and all the princes of Kedar(AS) were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.
22 “‘The merchants of Sheba(AT) and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices(AU) and precious stones, and gold.(AV)
23 “‘Harran,(AW) Kanneh and Eden(AX) and merchants of Sheba, Ashur(AY) and Kilmad traded with you. 24 In your marketplace they traded with you beautiful garments, blue fabric, embroidered work and multicolored rugs with cords twisted and tightly knotted.
25 “‘The ships of Tarshish(AZ) serve
as carriers for your wares.
You are filled with heavy cargo
as you sail the sea.(BA)
26 Your oarsmen take you
out to the high seas.
But the east wind(BB) will break you to pieces
far out at sea.
27 Your wealth,(BC) merchandise and wares,
your mariners, sailors and shipwrights,
your merchants and all your soldiers,
and everyone else on board
will sink into the heart of the sea(BD)
on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The shorelands will quake(BE)
when your sailors cry out.
29 All who handle the oars
will abandon their ships;
the mariners and all the sailors
will stand on the shore.
30 They will raise their voice
and cry bitterly over you;
they will sprinkle dust(BF) on their heads
and roll(BG) in ashes.(BH)
31 They will shave their heads(BI) because of you
and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep(BJ) over you with anguish of soul
and with bitter mourning.(BK)
32 As they wail and mourn over you,
they will take up a lament(BL) concerning you:
“Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
surrounded by the sea?(BM)”
33 When your merchandise went out on the seas,(BN)
you satisfied many nations;
with your great wealth(BO) and your wares
you enriched the kings of the earth.
34 Now you are shattered by the sea
in the depths of the waters;
your wares and all your company
have gone down with you.(BP)
35 All who live in the coastlands(BQ)
are appalled(BR) at you;
their kings shudder with horror
and their faces are distorted with fear.(BS)
36 The merchants among the nations scoff at you;(BT)
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(BU)’”
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man(BV), 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(BW) of a god
in the heart of the seas.”(BX)
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
though you think you are as wise as a god.(BY)
3 Are you wiser than Daniel[f]?(BZ)
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.(CA)
5 By your great skill in trading(CB)
you have increased your wealth,(CC)
and because of your wealth
your heart has grown proud.(CD)
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;(CE)
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom(CF)
and pierce your shining splendor.(CG)
8 They will bring you down to the pit,(CH)
and you will die a violent death(CI)
in the heart of the seas.(CJ)
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,(CK)
in the hands of those who slay you.(CL)
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised(CM)
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(CN) 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.(CO)
13 You were in Eden,(CP)
the garden of God;(CQ)
every precious stone(CR) adorned you:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise(CS) and beryl.[g]
Your settings and mountings[h] were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.(CT)
14 You were anointed(CU) as a guardian cherub,(CV)
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,(CW)
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, guardian cherub,(CX)
from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud(CY)
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.(CZ)
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire(DA) come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes(DB) on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.(DC)
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled(DD) at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(DE)’”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face against(DF) Sidon;(DG) 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.(DH)
You will know that I am the Lord,
when I inflict punishment(DI) on you
and within you am proved to be holy.(DJ)
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.(DK)
24 “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.(DL) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather(DM) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,(DN) I will be proved holy(DO) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.(DP) 26 They will live there in safety(DQ) and will build houses and plant(DR) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment(DS) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.(DT)’”
A Prophecy Against Egypt
Judgment on Pharaoh
29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the Lord came to me:(DU) 2 “Son of man, set your face against(DV) Pharaoh king of Egypt(DW) and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.(DX) 3 Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I am against you, Pharaoh(DY) king of Egypt,
you great monster(DZ) lying among your streams.
You say, “The Nile(EA) belongs to me;
I made it for myself.”
4 But I will put hooks(EB) 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.(EC)
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(ED) or picked up.
I will give you as food
to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.(EE)
6 Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.
“‘You have been a staff of reed(EF) for the people of Israel. 7 When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered(EG) and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.[i](EH)
8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast.(EI) 9 Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“‘Because you said, “The Nile(EJ) is mine; I made it,(EK)” 10 therefore I am against you(EL) and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt(EM) a ruin and a desolate waste(EN) from Migdol(EO) to Aswan,(EP) as far as the border of Cush.[j](EQ) 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.(ER) 12 I will make the land of Egypt desolate(ES) among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(ET)
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,(EU) the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly(EV) kingdom.(EW) 15 It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations.(EX) 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(EY) for the people of Israel but will be a reminder(EZ) of their sin in turning to her for help.(FA) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(FB)’”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Reward
17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(FC) 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar(FD) king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare(FE) and every shoulder made raw.(FF) 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(FG) of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder(FH) the land as pay for his army.(FI) 20 I have given him Egypt(FJ) as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(FK)
21 “On that day I will make a horn[k](FL) grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth(FM) among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(FN)”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 27:5 That is, Mount Hermon
- Ezekiel 27:6 Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants.
- Ezekiel 27:15 Septuagint; Hebrew Dedan
- Ezekiel 27:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom
- Ezekiel 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 28:3 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature
- Ezekiel 28:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 29:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Vulgate); Hebrew and you caused their backs to stand
- Ezekiel 29:10 That is, the upper Nile region
- Ezekiel 29:21 Horn here symbolizes strength.
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