Ezekiel 19-21; Psalms 36

A Funeral Song for Israel’s Kings

19“Sing this funeral song for the princes of Israel.H5375H7015H5387H3478 2“What is your mother? A lioness among lions! She lay down among the young lions and reared her cubs.H559H517H3833H7257H738H7235H1482H8432H3715 3She raised one of her cubs to become a strong young lion. He learned to hunt and devour prey, and he became a man-eater.H5927H259H1482H3715H3925H2963H2964H398H120 4Then the nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him away with hooks to the land of Egypt.H1471H8085H8610H7845H935H2397H776H4714 5“When the lioness saw that her hopes for him were gone, she took another of her cubs and taught him to be a strong young lion.H7200H3176H8615H6H3947H259H1482H7760H3715 6He prowled among the other lions and stood out among them in his strength. He learned to hunt and devour prey, and he, too, became a man-eater.H1980H8432H738H3715H3925H2963H2964H398H120 7He demolished fortresses

and destroyed their towns and cities. Their farms were desolated, and their crops were destroyed. The land and its people trembled in fear when they heard him roar.H3045H490H2717H5892H776H3456H4393H6963H7581 8Then the armies of the nations attacked him, surrounding him from every direction. They threw a net over him and captured him in their pit.H1471H5414H5439H4082H6566H7568H8610H7845 9With hooks, they dragged him into a cage and brought him before the king of Babylon. They held him in captivity, so his voice could never again be heard on the mountains of Israel.H5414H5474H2397H935H4428H894H935H4685H6963H8085H2022H3478 10“Your mother was like a vine planted by the water’s edge. It had lush, green foliage because of the abundant water.H517H1612H1818H1818H8362H4325H6509H6058H7227H4325 11Its branches became strong—strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter. It grew very tall, towering above all others. It stood out because of its height and its many lush branches.H5797H4294H7626H4910H6967H1361H5688H7200H1363H7230H1808 12But the vine was uprooted in fury and thrown down to the ground. The desert wind dried up its fruit and tore off its strong branches, so that it withered and was destroyed by fire.H5428H2534H7993H776H6921H7307H3001H6529H5797H4294H6561H3001H784H398 13Now the vine is transplanted to the wilderness, where the ground is hard and dry.H8362H4057H6723H6772H776 14A fire has burst out from its branches and devoured its fruit. Its remaining limbs are not strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter. “This is a funeral song, and it will be used in a funeral.”H784H3318H4294H905H398H6529H5797H4294H7626H4910H7015H7015

The Rebellion of Israel

20On August 14

, during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, some of the leaders of Israel came to request a message from the Lord. They sat down in front of me to wait for his reply.H7637H8141H2549H6218H2320H582H2205H3478H935H1875H3068H3427H6440

2Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559

3“Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing!’H1121H120H1696H2205H3478H559H559H136H3069H935H1875H2416H5002H136H3069H1875

4“Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were.H8199H1121H120H8199H3045H8441H1

5Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the Lord, would be their God.H559H559H136H3069H3117H977H3478H5375H3027H2233H1004H3290H3045H776H4714H5375H3027H559H3068H430

6I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere.H3117H5375H3027H3318H776H4714H776H8446H2100H2461H1706H6643H776

7Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with the idols

of Egypt, for I am the Lord your God.’H559H7993H376H8251H5869H2930H1544H4714H3068H430

8“But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They did not get rid of the vile images they were obsessed with, or forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I threatened to pour out my fury on them to satisfy my anger while they were still in Egypt.H4784H14H8085H376H7993H8251H5869H5800H1544H4714H559H8210H2534H3615H639H8432H776H4714

9But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name. I would not allow shame to be brought on my name among the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.H6213H8034H2490H5869H1471H8432H5869H3045H3318H776H4714

10So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.H3318H776H4714H935H4057

11There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them.H5414H2708H3045H4941H120H6213H2425

12And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the Lord, who had set them apart to be holy.H5414H7676H226H3045H3068H6942

13“But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my decrees there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my regulations even though obedience would have given them life. They also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the wilderness.H1004H3478H4784H4057H1980H2708H3988H4941H120H6213H2425H7676H3966H2490H559H8210H2534H4057H3615

14But again I held back in order to protect the honor of my name before the nations who had seen my power in bringing Israel out of Egypt.H6213H8034H2490H5869H1471H5869H3318

15But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would not bring them into the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful place on earth.H5375H3027H4057H935H776H5414H2100H2461H1706H6643H776

16For they had rejected my regulations, refused to follow my decrees, and violated my Sabbath days. Their hearts were given to their idols.H3988H4941H1980H2708H2490H7676H3820H1980H310H1544

17Nevertheless, I took pity on them and held back from destroying them in the wilderness.H5869H2347H7843H6213H3617H4057

18“Then I warned their children not to follow in their parents’ footsteps, defiling themselves with their idols.H559H1121H4057H3212H2706H1H8104H4941H2930H1544

19‘I am the Lord your God,’ I told them. ‘Follow my decrees, pay attention to my regulations,H3068H430H3212H2708H8104H4941H6213

20and keep my Sabbath days holy, for they are a sign to remind you that I am the Lord your God.’H6942H7676H226H3045H3068H430

21“But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So again I threatened to pour out my fury on them in the wilderness.H1121H4784H1980H2708H8104H4941H6213H120H6213H2425H2490H7676H559H8210H2534H3615H639H4057

22Nevertheless, I withdrew my judgment against them to protect the honor of my name before the nations that had seen my power in bringing them out of Egypt.H7725H3027H6213H8034H2490H5869H1471H5869H3318

23But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would scatter them among all the nationsH5375H3027H4057H6327H1471H2219H776

24because they did not obey my regulations. They scorned my decrees by violating my Sabbath days and longing for the idols of their ancestors.H6213H4941H3988H2708H2490H7676H5869H310H1H1544

25I gave them over to worthless decrees and regulations that would not lead to life.H5414H2706H2896H4941H2421

26I let them pollute themselves

with the very gifts I had given them, and I allowed them to give their firstborn children as offerings to their gods—so I might devastate them and remind them that I alone am the Lord.H2930H4979H5674H6363H7356H8074H3045H3068

Judgment and Restoration

27“Therefore, son of man, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: Your ancestors continued to blaspheme and betray me,H1121H120H1696H1004H3478H559H559H136H3069H1H1442H4603H4604

28for when I brought them into the land I had promised them, they offered sacrifices on every high hill and under every green tree they saw! They roused my fury as they offered up sacrifices to their gods. They brought their perfumes and incense and poured out their liquid offerings to them.H935H776H5375H3027H5414H7200H7311H1389H5687H6086H2076H2077H5414H3708H7133H7760H5207H7381H5258H5262

29I said to them, ‘What is this high place where you are going?’ (This kind of pagan shrine has been called Bamah—‘high place’—ever since.)H559H1116H935H8034H7121H1117H3117

30“Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: Do you plan to pollute yourselves just as your ancestors did? Do you intend to keep prostituting yourselves by worshiping vile images?H559H1004H3478H559H136H3069H2930H1870H1H2181H310H8251

31For when you offer gifts to them and give your little children to be burned as sacrifices

, you continue to pollute yourselves with idols to this day. Should I allow you to ask for a message from me, O people of Israel? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing.H5375H4979H1121H5674H784H2930H1544H3117H1875H1004H3478H2416H5002H136H3069H1875

32“You say, ‘We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.’ But what you have in mind will never happen.H5927H7307H559H1961H1471H4940H776H8334H6086H68

33As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will rule over you with an iron fist in great anger and with awesome power.H2416H5002H136H3069H2389H3027H5186H2220H2534H8210H4427

34And in anger I will reach out with my strong hand and powerful arm, and I will bring you back

from the lands where you are scattered.H3318H5971H6908H776H6327H2389H3027H5186H2220H2534H8210

35I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will judge you face to face.H935H4057H5971H8199H6440H6440

36I will judge you there just as I did your ancestors in the wilderness after bringing them out of Egypt, says the Sovereign Lord.H8199H1H4057H776H4714H8199H5002H136H3069

37I will examine you carefully and hold you to the terms of the covenant.H5674H7626H935H4562H1285

38I will purge you of all those who rebel and revolt against me. I will bring them out of the countries where they are in exile, but they will never enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.H1305H4775H6586H3318H776H4033H935H127H3478H3045H3068

39“As for you, O people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go right ahead and worship your idols, but sooner or later you will obey me and will stop bringing shame on my holy name by worshiping idols.H1004H3478H559H136H3069H3212H5647H376H1544H310H8085H2490H6944H8034H4979H1544

40For on my holy mountain, the great mountain of Israel, says the Sovereign Lord, the people of Israel will someday worship me, and I will accept them. There I will require that you bring me all your offerings and choice gifts and sacrifices.H6944H2022H2022H4791H3478H5002H136H3069H1004H3478H776H5647H7521H1875H8641H7225H4864H6944

41When I bring you home from exile, you will be like a pleasing sacrifice to me. And I will display my holiness through you as all the nations watch.H7521H5207H7381H3318H5971H6908H776H6327H6942H5869H1471

42Then when I have brought you home to the land I promised with a solemn oath to give to your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord.H3045H3068H935H127H3478H776H5375H3027H5414H1

43You will look back on all the ways you defiled yourselves and will hate yourselves because of the evil you have done.H2142H1870H5949H2930H6962H6440H7451H6213

44You will know that I am the Lord, O people of Israel, when I have honored my name by treating you mercifully in spite of your wickedness. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”H3045H3068H6213H8034H7451H1870H7843H5949H1004H3478H5002H136H3069

Judgment against the Negev

Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559

46“Son of man, turn and face the south

and speak out against it; prophesy against the brushlands of the Negev.H1121H120H7760H6440H1870H8486H5197H1864H5012H3293H5045H7704

47Tell the southern wilderness, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Hear the word of the Lord! I will set you on fire, and every tree, both green and dry, will be burned. The terrible flames will not be quenched and will scorch everything from south to north.H559H3293H5045H8085H1697H3068H559H136H3069H3341H784H398H3892H6086H3002H6086H3852H7957H3518H6440H5045H6828H6866

48And everyone in the world will see that I, the Lord, have set this fire. It will not be put out.’”H1320H7200H3068H1197H3518

49Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me, ‘He only talks in riddles!’”H559H162H136H3069H559H4911H4912

The Lord’s Sword of Judgment

Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 2“Son of man, turn and face Jerusalem and prophesy against Israel and her sanctuaries.H1121H120H7760H6440H3389H5197H4720H5012H127H3478 3Tell her, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am your enemy, O Israel, and I am about to unsheath my sword to destroy your people—the righteous and the wicked alike.H559H127H3478H559H3068H3318H2719H8593H3772H6662H7563 4Yes, I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked! I will draw my sword against everyone in the land from south to north.H3282H3772H6662H7563H2719H3318H8593H1320H5045H6828 5Everyone in the world will know that I am the Lord. My sword is in my hand, and it will not return to its sheath until its work is finished.’H1320H3045H3068H3318H2719H8593H7725 6“Son of man, groan before the people! Groan before them with bitter anguish and a broken heart.H584H1121H120H7670H4975H4814H584H5869 7When they ask why you are groaning, tell them, ‘I groan because of the terrifying news I have heard. When it comes true, the boldest heart will melt with fear; all strength will disappear. Every spirit will faint; strong knees will become as weak as water. And the Sovereign Lord says: It is coming! It’s on its way!’”H559H584H559H8052H935H3820H4549H3027H7503H7307H3543H1290H3212H4325H935H1961H5002H136H3069 8Then the Lord said to me,H1697H3068H559 9“Son of man, give the people this message from the Lord. “A sword, a sword is being sharpened and polished.H1121H120H5012H559H559H3068H559H2719H2719H2300H4803 10It is sharpened for terrible slaughter and polished to flash like lightning! Now will you laugh? Those far stronger than you have fallen beneath its power!

H2300H2874H2873H4178H1300H176H7797H3988H7626H1121H6086 11Yes, the sword is now being sharpened and polished; it is being prepared for the executioner.H5414H4803H3709H8610H2719H2300H4178H5414H3027H2026 12“Son of man, cry out and wail; pound your thighs in anguish, for that sword will slaughter my people and their leaders—everyone will die!H2199H3213H1121H120H5971H5387H3478H4048H413H2719H5971H5606H3409 13It will put them all to the test. What chance do they have?

says the Sovereign Lord.H974H3988H7626H5002H136H3069 14“Son of man, prophesy to them and clap your hands. Then take the sword and brandish it twice, even three times, to symbolize the great massacre, the great massacre facing them on every side.H1121H120H5012H5221H3709H3709H5221H2719H3717H7992H2719H2491H2719H1419H2491H2314 15Let their hearts melt with terror, for the sword glitters at every gate. It flashes like lightning and is polished for slaughter!H5414H19H2719H8179H3820H4127H4383H7235H253H6213H1300H4593H2874 16O sword, slash to the right, then slash to the left, wherever you will, wherever you want.H258H7760H3231H8041H575H6440H3259 17I, too, will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury. I, the Lord, have spoken!”H5221H3709H3709H2534H5117H3068H1696

Omens for Babylon’s King

18Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 19“Son of man, make a map and trace two routes on it for the sword of Babylon’s king to follow. Put a signpost on the road that comes out of Babylon where the road forks into two—H1121H120H7760H8147H1870H2719H4428H894H935H8147H3318H259H776H1254H3027H1254H7218H1870H5892 20one road going to Ammon and its capital, Rabbah, and the other to Judah and fortified Jerusalem.H7760H1870H2719H935H7237H1121H5983H3063H3389H1219 21The king of Babylon now stands at the fork, uncertain whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbah. He calls his magicians to look for omens. They cast lots by shaking arrows from the quiver. They inspect the livers of animal sacrifices.H4428H894H5975H517H1870H7218H8147H1870H7080H7081H2671H7043H7592H8655H7200H3516 22The omen in his right hand says, ‘Jerusalem!’ With battering rams his soldiers will go against the gates, shouting for the kill. They will put up siege towers and build ramps against the walls.H3225H7081H3389H7760H3733H6605H6310H7524H7311H6963H8643H7760H3733H8179H8210H5550H1129H1785 23The people of Jerusalem will think it is a false omen, because of their treaty with the Babylonians. But the king of Babylon will remind the people of their rebellion. Then he will attack and capture them.H7723H7080H5869H7650H7621H2142H5771H8610 24“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Again and again you remind me of your sin and your guilt. You don’t even try to hide it! In everything you do, your sins are obvious for all to see. So now the time of your punishment has come!H559H136H3069H5771H2142H6588H1540H5949H2403H7200H2142H8610H3709 25“O you corrupt and wicked prince of Israel, your final day of reckoning is here!H2491H7563H5387H3478H3117H935H6256H5771H7093 26This is what the Sovereign Lord says. “Take off your jeweled crown, for the old order changes. Now the lowly will be exalted, and the mighty will be brought down.H559H136H3069H5493H4701H7311H5850H2063H1361H8217H8213H1364 27Destruction! Destruction! I will surely destroy the kingdom. And it will not be restored until the one appears who has the right to judge it. Then I will hand it over to him.H5754H5754H5754H7760H935H4941H5414

A Message for the Ammonites

28“And now, son of man, prophesy concerning the Ammonites and their mockery. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord. “A sword, a sword is drawn for your slaughter. It is polished to destroy, flashing like lightning!H1121H120H5012H559H559H136H3069H1121H5983H2781H559H2719H2719H6605H2874H4803H398H1300 29Your prophets have given false visions, and your fortune-tellers have told lies. The sword will fall on the necks of the wicked for whom the day of final reckoning has come.H2372H7723H7080H3577H5414H6677H2491H7563H3117H935H6256H5771H7093 30“Now return the sword to its sheath, for in your own country, the land of your birth, I will pass judgment upon you.H7725H8593H8199H4725H1254H776H4351 31I will pour out my fury on you and blow on you with the fire of my anger. I will hand you over to cruel men who are skilled in destruction.H8210H2195H6315H784H5678H5414H3027H1197H582H2796H4889 32You will be fuel for the fire, and your blood will be spilled in your own land. You will be utterly wiped out, your memory lost to history, for I, the Lord, have spoken!”H402H784H1818H8432H776H2142H3068H1696

36[For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the LORD.] Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all.H5329H1732H5650H3068H6588H7563H5002H7130H3820H6343H430H5869 2In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are.H2505H5869H5771H4672H8130 3Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or do good.H1697H6310H205H4820H2308H7919H3190 4They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots. Their actions are never good. They make no attempt to turn from evil.H2803H205H4904H3320H1870H2896H3988H7451 5Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.H2617H3068H8064H530H7834 6Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD.H6666H410H2042H4941H7227H8415H3068H3467H120H929 7How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.H3368H2617H430H1121H120H2620H6738H3671 8You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights.H7301H1880H1004H8248H5158H5730 9For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.H4726H2416H216H7200H216 10Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you; give justice to those with honest hearts.H4900H2617H3045H6666H3477H3820 11Don't let the proud trample me or the wicked push me around.H7272H1346H935H3027H7563H5110 12Look! Those who do evil have fallen! They are thrown down, never to rise again.H6466H205H5307H1760H3201H6965