Ezekiel 32-34 - Prayer Tents

A Warning for Pharaoh

32On March 3, during the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord:H8147H6240H8141H2320H259H2320H1697H3068H559 2“Son of man, mourn for Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and give him this message. “You think of yourself as a strong young lion among the nations, but you are really just a sea monster, heaving around in your own rivers, stirring up mud with your feet.H1121H120H5375H7015H6547H4428H4714H559H1819H3715H1471H8577H8565H3220H1518H5104H1804H4325H7272H7515H5104 3Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says. I will send many people to catch you in my net and haul you out of the water.H559H136H3069H6566H7568H6951H7227H5971H5927H2764 4I will leave you stranded on the land to die. All the birds of the heavens will land on you, and the wild animals of the whole earth will gorge themselves on you.H5203H776H2904H6440H7704H5775H8064H7931H7646H2416H776 5I will scatter your flesh on the hills and fill the valleys with your bones.H5414H1320H2022H4390H1516H7419 6I will drench the earth with your gushing blood all the way to the mountains, filling the ravines to the brim.H8248H1818H776H6824H2022H650H4390 7When I blot you out, I will veil the heavens and darken the stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give you its light.H3518H3680H8064H6937H3556H6937H3680H8121H6051H3394H215H216 8I will darken the bright stars overhead and cover your land in darkness. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!H3974H216H8064H6937H5414H2822H776H5002H136H3069 9“I will disturb many hearts when I bring news of your downfall to distant nations you have never seen.H3707H3820H7227H5971H935H7667H1471H776H3045 10Yes, I will shock many lands, and their kings will be terrified at your fate. They will shudder in fear for their lives as I brandish my sword before them on the day of your fall.H7227H5971H8074H4428H8178H8175H5774H2719H6440H2729H7281H376H5315H3117H4658 11For this is what the Sovereign Lord says. “The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you.H559H136H3069H2719H4428H894H935 12I will destroy your hordes with the swords of mighty warriors—the terror of the nations. They will shatter the pride of Egypt, and all its hordes will be destroyed.H2719H1368H1995H5307H6184H1471H7703H1347H4714H1995H8045 13I will destroy all your flocks and herds that graze beside the streams. Never again will people or animals muddy those waters with their feet.H6H929H5921H7227H4325H7272H120H1804H6541H929H1804 14Then I will let the waters of Egypt become calm again, and they will flow as smoothly as olive oil, says the Sovereign Lord.H4325H8257H5104H3212H8081H5002H136H3069 15And when I destroy Egypt and strip you of everything you own and strike down all your people, then you will know that I am the Lord.H5414H776H4714H8077H776H8074H4393H5221H3427H3045H3068 16Yes, this is the funeral song they will sing for Egypt. Let all the nations mourn. Let them mourn for Egypt and its hordes. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”H7015H6969H1323H1471H6969H6969H4714H1995H5002H136H3069

Egypt Falls into the Pit

17On March 17, during the twelfth year, another message came to me from the Lord:H8147H6240H8141H2568H6240H2320H1697H3068H559 18“Son of man, weep for the hordes of Egypt and for the other mighty nations. For I will send them down to the world below in company with those who descend to the pit.H1121H120H5091H1995H4714H3381H1323H117H1471H8482H776H3381H953 19Say to them, ‘O Egypt, are you lovelier than the other nations? No! So go down to the pit and lie there among the outcasts.’H5276H3381H7901H6189 20The Egyptians will fall with the many who have died by the sword, for the sword is drawn against them. Egypt and its hordes will be dragged away to their judgment.H5307H8432H2491H2719H5414H2719H4900H1995 21Down in the grave mighty leaders will mockingly welcome Egypt and its allies, saying, ‘They have come down; they lie among the outcasts, hordes slaughtered by the sword.’H410H1368H1696H8432H7585H5826H3381H7901H6189H2491H2719 22“Assyria lies there surrounded by the graves of its army, those who were slaughtered by the sword.H804H6951H6913H5439H2491H5307H2719 23Their graves are in the depths of the pit, and they are surrounded by their allies. They struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere, but now they have been slaughtered by the sword.H6913H5414H3411H953H6951H5439H6900H2491H5307H2719H5414H2851H776H2416 24“Elam lies there surrounded by the graves of all its hordes, those who were slaughtered by the sword. They struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere, but now they have descended as outcasts to the world below. Now they lie in the pit and share the shame of those who have gone before them.H5867H1995H5439H6900H2491H5307H2719H3381H6189H8482H776H5414H2851H776H2416H5375H3639H3381H953 25They have a resting place among the slaughtered, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes. Yes, they terrorized the nations while they lived, but now they lie in shame with others in the pit, all of them outcasts, slaughtered by the sword.H5414H4904H8432H2491H1995H6913H5439H6189H2491H2719H2851H5414H776H2416H5375H3639H3381H953H5414H8432H2491 26“Meshech and Tubal are there, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes. They once struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere. But now they are outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword.H4902H8422H1995H6913H5439H6189H2490H2719H5414H2851H776H2416 27They are not buried in honor like their fallen heroes, who went down to the grave with their weapons—their shields covering their bodies and their swords beneath their heads. Their guilt rests upon them because they brought terror to everyone while they were still alive.H7901H1368H5307H6189H3381H7585H3627H4421H5414H2719H7218H5771H6106H2851H1368H776H2416 28“You too, Egypt, will lie crushed and broken among the outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword.H7665H8432H6189H7901H2491H2719 29“Edom is there with its kings and princes. Mighty as they were, they also lie among those slaughtered by the sword, with the outcasts who have gone down to the pit.H123H4428H5387H1369H5414H2491H2719H7901H6189H3381H953 30“All the princes of the north and the Sidonians are there with others who have died. Once a terror, they have been put to shame. They lie there as outcasts with others who were slaughtered by the sword. They share the shame of all who have descended to the pit.H5257H6828H6722H3381H2491H2851H954H1369H7901H6189H2491H2719H5375H3639H3381H953 31“When Pharaoh and his entire army arrive, he will take comfort that he is not alone in having his hordes killed, says the Sovereign Lord.H6547H7200H5162H1995H6547H2428H2491H2719H5002H136H3069 32Although I have caused his terror to fall upon all the living, Pharaoh and his hordes will lie there among the outcasts who were slaughtered by the sword. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”H5414H2851H776H2416H7901H8432H6189H2491H2719H6547H1995H5002H136H3069

Ezekiel as Israel’s Watchman

33Once again a message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 2“Son of man, give your people this message: ‘When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman.H1121H120H1696H1121H5971H559H935H2719H776H5971H776H3947H259H376H7097H5414H6822 3When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people.H7200H2719H935H776H8628H7782H2094H5971 4Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die.H8085H8085H6963H7782H2094H2719H935H3947H1818H7218 5They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.H8085H6963H7782H2094H1818H2094H4422H5315 6But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.’H6822H7200H2719H935H8628H7782H5971H2094H2719H935H3947H5315H3947H5771H1818H1875H6822H3027 7“Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me.H1121H120H5414H6822H1004H3478H8085H1697H6310H2094 8If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths.H559H7563H7563H4191H4191H1696H2094H7563H1870H7563H4191H5771H1818H1245H3027 9But if you warn them to repent and they don’t repent, they will die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself.H2094H7563H1870H7725H7725H1870H4191H5771H5337H5315

The Watchman’s Message

10“Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: You are saying, ‘Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?’H1121H120H559H1004H3478H559H559H6588H2403H4743H2421 11As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?H559H2416H5002H136H3069H2654H4194H7563H7563H7725H1870H2421H7725H7725H7451H1870H4191H1004H3478 12“Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins.H1121H120H559H1121H5971H6666H6662H5337H3117H6588H7564H7563H3782H3117H7725H7562H6662H3201H2421H3117H2398 13When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them, then none of their righteous acts will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins.H559H6662H2421H2421H982H6666H6213H5766H6666H2142H5766H6213H4191 14And suppose I tell some wicked people that they will surely die, but then they turn from their sins and do what is just and right.H559H7563H4191H4191H7725H2403H6213H4941H6666 15For instance, they might give back a debtor’s security, return what they have stolen, and obey my life-giving laws, no longer doing what is evil. If they do this, then they will surely live and not die.H7563H7725H2258H7999H1500H1980H2708H2416H6213H5766H2421H2421H4191 16None of their past sins will be brought up again, for they have done what is just and right, and they will surely live.H2403H2398H2142H6213H4941H6666H2421H2421 17“Your people are saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right,’ but it is they who are not doing what’s right.H1121H5971H559H1870H136H8505H1870H8505 18For again I say, when righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and turn to evil, they will die.H6662H7725H6666H6213H5766H4191 19But if wicked people turn from their wickedness and do what is just and right, they will live.H7563H7725H7564H6213H4941H6666H2421 20O people of Israel, you are saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right.’ But I judge each of you according to your deeds.”H559H1870H136H8505H1004H3478H8199H376H1870

Explanation of Jerusalem’s Fall

21On January 8, during the twelfth year of our captivity, a survivor from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!”H8147H6240H8141H1546H6224H2568H2320H6412H3389H935H559H5892H5221 22The previous evening the Lord had taken hold of me and given me back my voice. So I was able to speak when this man arrived the next morning.H3027H3068H6153H6440H6412H935H6605H6310H935H1242H6310H6605H481 23Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 24“Son of man, the scattered remnants of Judah living among the ruined cities keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he gained possession of the entire land. We are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.’H1121H120H3427H2723H127H3478H559H559H85H259H3423H776H7227H776H5414H4181 25So tell these people, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You eat meat with blood in it, you worship idols, and you murder the innocent. Do you really think the land should be yours?H559H559H136H3069H398H1818H5375H5869H1544H8210H1818H3423H776 26Murderers! Idolaters! Adulterers! Should the land belong to you?’H5975H2719H6213H8441H2930H376H7453H802H3423H776 27“Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die by the sword. And I will send wild animals to eat those living in the open fields. Those hiding in the forts and caves will die of disease.H559H559H136H3069H2416H2723H5307H2719H6440H7704H5414H2416H398H4679H4631H4191H1698 28I will completely destroy the land and demolish her pride. Her arrogant power will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so desolate that no one will even travel through them.H5414H776H4923H8077H1347H5797H7673H2022H3478H8074H5674 29When I have completely destroyed the land because of their detestable sins, then they will know that I am the Lord.’H3045H3068H5414H776H4923H8077H8441H6213 30“Son of man, your people talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors. They say to each other, ‘Come on, let’s go hear the prophet tell us what the Lord is saying!’H1121H120H1121H5971H1696H681H7023H6607H1004H1696H2297H259H376H251H559H935H8085H1697H3318H3068 31So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.H935H5971H3996H3427H6440H5971H8085H1697H6213H6310H6213H5690H3820H1980H310H1215 32You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it!H5690H7892H3303H6963H2895H5059H8085H1697H6213 33But when all these terrible things happen to them—as they certainly will—then they will know a prophet has been among them.”H935H935H3045H5030H8432

The Shepherds of Israel

34Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep?H1121H120H5012H7462H3478H5012H559H559H136H3069H7462H1945H7462H3478H7462H7462H7462H6629 3You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve.H398H2459H3847H6785H2076H1277H7462H6629 4You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty.H2470H2388H7495H2470H2280H7665H7725H5080H1245H6H2394H6531H7287 5So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal.H6327H7462H402H2416H7704H6327 6They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.H6629H7686H2022H7311H1389H6629H6327H6440H776H1875H1245 7“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:H7462H8085H1697H3068 8As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve.H2416H5002H136H3069H6629H957H6629H402H2416H7704H7462H7462H1875H6629H7462H7462H7462H6629 9Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord.H7462H8085H1697H3068 10This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.H559H136H3069H7462H1875H6629H3027H7673H7462H6629H7462H7462H5337H6629H6310H402

The Good Shepherd

11“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep.H559H136H3069H1875H6629H1239 12I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.H7462H1243H5739H3117H8432H6629H6567H1239H6629H5337H4725H6327H6051H6205H3117 13I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live.H3318H5971H6908H776H935H127H7462H2022H3478H650H4186H776 14Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills.H7462H2896H4829H4791H2022H3478H5116H7257H2896H5116H8082H4829H7462H2022H3478 15I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord.H7462H6629H7257H5002H136H3069 16I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!H1245H6H7725H5080H2280H7665H2388H2470H8045H8082H2389H7462H4941 17“And as for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to his people: I will judge between one animal of the flock and another, separating the sheep from the goats.H859H6629H559H136H3069H8199H7716H7716H352H6260 18Isn’t it enough for you to keep the best of the pastures for yourselves? Must you also trample down the rest? Isn’t it enough for you to drink clear water for yourselves? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?H4592H7462H2896H4829H7429H7272H3499H4829H8354H4950H4325H7515H3498H7272 19Why must my flock eat what you have trampled down and drink water you have fouled?H6629H7462H4823H7272H8354H4833H7272 20“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep.H559H136H3069H8199H1274H7716H7330H7716 21For you fat sheep pushed and butted and crowded my sick and hungry flock until you scattered them to distant lands.H1920H6654H3802H5055H2470H7161H6327H2351 22So I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be abused. I will judge between one animal of the flock and another.H3467H6629H957H8199H7716H7716 23And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them.H6965H259H7462H7462H5650H1732H7462H7462 24And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!H3068H430H5650H1732H5387H8432H3068H1696

The Lord’s Covenant of Peace

25“I will make a covenant of peace with my people and drive away the dangerous animals from the land. Then they will be able to camp safely in the wildest places and sleep in the woods without fear.H3772H1285H7965H7451H2416H7673H776H3427H983H4057H3462H3293H3264 26I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing.H5414H5439H1389H1293H1653H3381H6256H1653H1293 27The orchards and fields of my people will yield bumper crops, and everyone will live in safety. When I have broken their chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, then they will know that I am the Lord.H6086H7704H5414H6529H776H5414H2981H983H127H3045H3068H7665H4133H5923H5337H3027H5647 28They will no longer be prey for other nations, and wild animals will no longer devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will frighten them.H957H1471H2416H776H398H3427H983H2729 29“And I will make their land famous for its crops, so my people will never again suffer from famines or the insults of foreign nations.H6965H4302H8034H622H7458H776H5375H3639H1471 30In this way, they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the Sovereign Lord.H3045H3068H430H1004H3478H5971H5002H136H3069 31You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”H859H6629H6629H4830H120H430H5002H136H3069