HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1112
EZEKIEL 1 9
live because they thought it over and decided to
turn from their sins. Such people will not die.
29 And yet the people of Israel keep saying, ‘The
Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ O people of Israel,
it is you who are not doing what’s right, not I.
30 “Therefore, I will judge each of you,
O people of Israel, according to your actions,
says the Sovereign Lord. Repent, and turn from
your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! 31 Put all
your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves
a new heart and a new spirit. For why should
you die, O people of Israel? 32 I don’t want you
to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back
and live!
A Funeral Song for Israel’s Kings
“Sing this funeral song for the princes
of Israel:
19
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
“What is your mother?
A lioness among lions!
She lay down among the young lions
and reared her cubs.
She raised one of her cubs
to become a strong young lion.
He learned to hunt and devour prey,
and he became a man-eater.
Then the nations heard about him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him away with hooks
to the land of Egypt.
page 742
11
12
13
14
because of the abundant water.
Its 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.
But 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.
Now the vine is transplanted to the
wilderness,
where the ground is hard and dry.
A 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.”
“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.
He 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.
He 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.
Then the armies of the nations
attacked him,
surrounding him from every direction.
They threw a net over him
and captured him in their pit.
With 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.
The Rebellion of Israel
On 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. 2 Then this message came to
me from the Lord: 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!’
4 “Son of man, bring charges against them
and condemn them. Make them realize how
detestable the sins of their ancestors really
were. 5 Give 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. 6 I 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. 7 Then
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.’
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. 9 But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name. I would not allow
“Your mother was like a vine
planted by the water’s edge.
It had lush, green foliage
19:7 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads He knew widows.
20:1 Hebrew In the fifth month, on the tenth day, of the ancient
Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was August 14, 591 b.c.; also
see note on 1:1. 20:7 The Hebrew term (literally round things)
probably alludes to dung; also in 20:8, 16, 18, 24, 31, 39.
20