Chronological Plan

¹The word of the LORD came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month:

²“Son of man, write down today’s date, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.

³Now speak a parable to the rebellious house. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Put the pot on the fire — put it on, and then pour water into it!

⁴Place the pieces of meat in it, every good piece — thigh and shoulder. Fill it with choice bones.

⁵Take the choicest of the flock and also pile up the fuel under it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.

⁶“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the city of bloodshed, the pot that has corrosion inside it, and its corrosion has not come out of it! Empty it piece by piece; lots should not be cast for its contents.

⁷For the blood she shed is still within her. She put it out on the bare rock; she didn’t pour it on the ground to cover it with dust.

⁸In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance, I have put her blood on the bare rock, so that it would not be covered.

⁹“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the city of bloodshed! I myself will make the pile of kindling large.

¹⁰Pile on the logs and kindle the fire! Cook the meat well and mix in the spices! Let the bones be burned!

¹¹Set the empty pot on its coals so that it becomes hot and its copper glows. Then its impurity will melt inside it; its corrosion will be consumed.

¹²It has frustrated every effort; its thick corrosion will not come off. Into the fire with its corrosion!

¹³Because of the depravity of your uncleanness — since I tried to purify you, but you would not be purified from your uncleanness — you will not be pure again until I have satisfied my wrath on you.

¹⁴I, the LORD, have spoken. It is coming, and I will do it! I will not refrain, I will not show pity, and I will not relent. I will judge you according to your ways and deeds. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.’”

¹⁵Then the word of the LORD came to me:

¹⁶“Son of man, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a fatal blow. But you must not lament or weep or let your tears flow.

¹⁷Groan quietly; do not observe mourning rites for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners.”

¹⁸I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did just as I was commanded.

¹⁹Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”

²⁰So I answered them: “The word of the LORD came to me:

²¹Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your heart. Also, the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.

²²Then you will do just as I have done: You will not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners.

²³Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not lament or weep but will waste away because of your iniquities and will groan to one another.

²⁴Now Ezekiel will be a sign for you. You will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’

²⁵“As for you, son of man, know that on that day I will take from them their stronghold — their pride and joy, the delight of their eyes, and the longing of their hearts — as well as their sons and daughters.

²⁶On that day a fugitive will come to you and report the news.

²⁷On that day your mouth will be opened to talk with him; you will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am the LORD.”

¹Then the word of the LORD came to me:

²“Son of man, face the Ammonites and prophesy against them.

³Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Lord GOD: This is what the Lord GOD says: Because you said, “Aha!” about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile,

⁴therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession. They will set up their encampments and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk.

⁵I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

⁶“‘For this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced over the land of Israel with wholehearted contempt,

⁷therefore I am about to stretch out my hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and eliminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the LORD.

⁸“‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations.”

⁹Therefore I am about to expose Moab’s flank beginning with its frontier cities, the splendor of the land: Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim.

¹⁰I will give it along with Ammon to the people of the east as a possession, so that Ammon will not be remembered among the nations.

¹¹So I will execute judgments against Moab, and they will know that I am the LORD.

¹²“‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah and incurred grievous guilt by taking revenge on them,

¹³therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off both man and animal from it. I will make it a wasteland; they will fall by the sword from Teman to Dedan.

¹⁴I will take my vengeance on Edom through my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to my anger and wrath. So they will know my vengeance. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

¹⁵“‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with deep contempt, destroying because of their perpetual hatred,

¹⁶therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, cutting off the Cherethites and wiping out what remains of the coastal peoples.

¹⁷I will execute severe vengeance against them with furious rebukes. They will know that I am the LORD when I take my vengeance on them.’”

¹In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:

²“Son of man, because Tyre said about Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gateway to the peoples is shattered. She has been turned over to me. I will be filled now that she lies in ruins,’

³therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: See, I am against you, Tyre! I will raise up many nations against you, just as the sea raises its waves.

⁴They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and turn her into a bare rock.

⁵She will become a place in the sea to spread nets, for I have spoken.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. “She will become plunder for the nations,

⁶and her villages on the mainland will be slaughtered by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

⁷For this is what the Lord GOD says: “See, I am about to bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a huge assembly of troops.

⁸He will slaughter your villages on the mainland with the sword. He will set up siege works, build a ramp, and raise a wall of shields against you.

⁹He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his iron tools.

¹⁰His horses will be so numerous that their dust will cover you. When he enters your gates as an army entering a breached city, your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots.

¹¹He will trample all your streets with the hooves of his horses. He will slaughter your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground.

¹²They will take your wealth as spoil and plunder your merchandise. They will also demolish your walls and tear down your beautiful homes. Then they will throw your stones, timber, and soil into the water.

¹³I will put an end to the noise of your songs, and the sound of your lyres will no longer be heard.

¹⁴I will turn you into a bare rock, and you will be a place to spread nets. You will never be rebuilt, for I, the LORD, have spoken.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

¹⁵This is what the Lord GOD says to Tyre: “Won’t the coasts and islands quake at the sound of your downfall, when the wounded groan and slaughter occurs within you?

¹⁶All the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones, remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble continually, and be appalled at you.

¹⁷Then they will lament for you and say of you, ‘How you have perished, city of renown, you who were populated from the seas! She who was powerful on the sea, she and all of her inhabitants inflicted their terror.

¹⁸Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your downfall; the islands in the sea are alarmed by your demise.’”

¹⁹For this is what the Lord GOD says: “When I make you a ruined city like other deserted cities, when I raise up the deep against you so that the mighty waters cover you,

²⁰then I will bring you down to be with those who descend to the Pit, to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the underworld like the ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or display your splendor in the land of the living.

²¹I will make you an object of horror, and you will no longer exist. You will be sought but will never be found again.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

¹The word of the LORD came to me:

²“Now, son of man, lament for Tyre.

³Say to Tyre, who is located at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coasts and islands, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Tyre, you declared, “I am perfect in beauty.”

⁴Your realm was in the heart of the sea; your builders perfected your beauty.

⁵They constructed all your planking with pine trees from Senir. They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

⁶They made your oars of oaks from Bashan. They made your deck of cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory.

⁷Your sail was made of fine embroidered linen from Egypt, and served as your banner. Your awning was of blue and purple fabric from the coasts of Elishah.

⁸The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers. Your wise men were within you, Tyre; they were your captains.

⁹The elders of Gebal and its wise men were within you, repairing your leaks. “‘All the ships of the sea and their sailors came to you to barter for your goods.

¹⁰Men of Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army, serving as your warriors. They hung shields and helmets in you; they gave you splendor.

¹¹Men of Arvad and Helech were stationed on your walls all around, and Gammadites were in your towers. They hung their shields all around your walls; they perfected your beauty.

¹²“‘Tarshish was your trading partner because of your abundant wealth of every kind. They exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise.

¹³Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your goods.

¹⁴Those from Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your merchandise.

¹⁵Men of Dedan were also your merchants; many coasts and islands were your regular markets. They brought back ivory tusks and ebony as your payment.

¹⁶Aram was your trading partner because of your numerous products. They exchanged turquoise, purple and embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your merchandise.

¹⁷Judah and the land of Israel were your merchants. They exchanged wheat from Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and balm, for your goods.

¹⁸Damascus was also your trading partner because of your numerous products and your abundant wealth of every kind, trading in wine from Helbon and white wool.

¹⁹Vedan and Javan from Uzal dealt in your merchandise; wrought iron, cassia, and aromatic cane were exchanged for your goods.

²⁰Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.

²¹Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your business partners, trading with you in lambs, rams, and goats.

²²The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you. For your merchandise they exchanged the best of all spices and all kinds of precious stones as well as gold.

²³Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you.

²⁴They were your merchants in choice garments, cloaks of blue and embroidered materials, and multicolored carpets, which were bound and secured with cords in your marketplace.

²⁵Ships of Tarshish were the carriers for your goods. “‘So you became full and heavily loaded in the heart of the sea.

²⁶Your rowers have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind has wrecked you in the heart of the sea.

²⁷Your wealth, merchandise, and goods, your sailors and captains, those who repair your leaks, those who barter for your goods, and all the warriors on board, with all the other people within you, sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

²⁸“‘The countryside shakes at the sound of your sailors’ cries.

²⁹All the oarsmen disembark from their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea stand on the shore.

³⁰Because of you, they raise their voices and cry out bitterly. They throw dust on their heads; they roll in ashes.

³¹They shave their heads because of you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They weep over you with deep anguish and bitter mourning.

³²“‘In their wailing they lament for you, mourning over you: “Who was like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea?

³³When your merchandise was unloaded from the seas, you satisfied many peoples. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and goods.

³⁴Now you are wrecked by the sea in the depths of the waters; your goods and the people within you have gone down.

³⁵All the inhabitants of the coasts and islands are appalled at you. Their kings shudder with fear; their faces are contorted.

³⁶Those who trade among the peoples scoff at you; you have become an object of horror and will never exist again.”’ ”