Ezekiel 31

• 1. On June 21, during the eleventh year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me from the LORD:
• 2. "Son of man, give this message to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and all his people: To whom would you compare your greatness?
• 3. You are as Assyria was--a great and mighty nation. Assyria, too, was once like a cedar of Lebanon, full of thick branches that cast deep forest shade with its top high among the clouds.
• 4. Deep springs watered it and helped it to grow tall and luxuriant. The water was so abundant that there was enough for all the trees nearby.
• 5. This great tree towered above all the other trees around it. It prospered and grew long thick branches because of all the water at its roots.
• 6. The birds nested in its branches, and in its shade all the wild animals gave birth to their young. All the great nations of the world lived in its shadow.
• 7. It was strong and beautiful, for its roots went deep into abundant water.
• 8. This tree became taller than any of the other cedars in the garden of God. No cypress had branches equal to it; no plane tree had boughs to compare. No tree in the garden of God came close to it in beauty.
• 9. Because of the magnificence I gave this tree, it was the envy of all the other trees of Eden, the garden of God.
• 10. "Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because it became proud and arrogant, and because it set itself so high above the others, reaching to the clouds,
• 11. I handed it over to a mighty nation that destroyed it as its wickedness deserved. I myself discarded it.
• 12. A foreign army--the terror of the nations--cut it down and left it fallen on the ground. Its branches were scattered across the mountains and valleys and ravines of the land. All those who lived beneath its shadow went away and left it lying there.
• 13. The birds roosted on its fallen trunk, and the wild animals lay among its branches.
• 14. Let no other nation proudly exult in its own prosperity, though it be higher than the clouds, for all are doomed. They will land in the pit along with all the proud people of the world.
• 15. "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When Assyria went down into the grave, I made the deep places mourn, and I restrained the mighty waters. I clothed Lebanon in black and caused the trees of the field to wilt.
• 16. I made the nations shake with fear at the sound of its fall, for I sent it down to the grave with all the others like it. And all the other proud trees of Eden, the most beautiful and the best of Lebanon, the ones whose roots went deep into the water, were relieved to find it there with them in the pit.
• 17. Its allies, too, were all destroyed and had passed away. They had gone down to the grave--all those nations that had lived in its shade.
• 18. "O Egypt, to which of the trees of Eden will you compare your strength and glory? You, too, will be brought down to the pit with all these other nations. You will lie there among the outcasts who have died by the sword. This will be the fate of Pharaoh and all his teeming hordes. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!"

Ezekiel 32

• 1. On March 3, during the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me from the LORD:
• 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.
• 3. "Therefore, 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.
• 4. I 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.
• 5. I will cover the hills with your flesh and fill the valleys with your bones.
• 6. I will drench the earth with your gushing blood all the way to the mountains, filling the ravines to the brim.
• 7. When 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.
• 8. Yes, I will bring darkness everywhere across your land. Even the brightest stars will become dark above you. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!
• 9. "And when I bring your shattered remains to distant nations that you have never seen, I will disturb many hearts.
• 10. Yes, I will bring terror to many lands, and their kings will be terrified because of all I do to you. They will shudder in fear for their lives as I brandish my sword before them on the day of your fall.
• 11. "For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you.
• 12. I will destroy you 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.
• 13. I will destroy all your flocks and herds that graze beside the streams. Never again will people or animals disturb those waters with their feet.
• 14. Then I will let the waters of Egypt become calm again, and they will flow as smoothly as olive oil, says the Sovereign LORD.
• 15. And when I destroy Egypt and wipe out everything you have and strike down all your people, then you will know that I am the LORD.
• 16. Yes, this is the funeral song they will sing for Egypt. Let all the nations mourn for Egypt and its hordes. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!"
• 17. On March 17, during the twelfth year, another message came to me from the LORD:
• 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.
• 19. Say to them, `O Egypt, are you lovelier than the other nations? No! So go down to the pit and lie there among the outcasts.'
• 20. The Egyptians will fall with the many who have died by the sword, for the sword is drawn against them. Egypt will be dragged away to its judgment.
• 21. Down in the grave mighty leaders will mockingly welcome Egypt and its allies, saying, `They have come down; they lie among the outcasts, all victims of the sword.'
• 22. "Assyria lies there surrounded by the graves of all its people, those who were slaughtered by the sword.
• 23. Their graves are in the depths of the pit, and they are surrounded by their allies. These mighty men who once struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere are now dead at the hands of their enemies.
• 24. "Elam lies there buried with its hordes who descended as outcasts to the world below. They terrorized the nations while they lived, but now they lie in the pit and share the humiliation of those who have gone to the world of the dead.
• 25. They have a resting place among the slaughtered, surrounded by the graves of all their people. Yes, they terrorized the nations while they lived, but now they lie in shame in the pit, all of them outcasts, slaughtered by the sword.
• 26. "Meshech and Tubal are there, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes. They once struck terror into the hearts of all people. But now they are outcasts, all victims of the sword.
• 27. They are not buried in honor like the fallen heroes of the outcasts, who went down to the grave with their weapons--their shields covering their bodies, and their swords beneath their heads. They brought terror to everyone while they were still alive.
• 28. "You too, Egypt, will lie crushed and broken among the outcasts, all victims of the sword.
• 29. "Edom is there with its kings and princes. Mighty as they were, they also lie among those killed by the sword, with the outcasts who have gone down to the pit.
• 30. All the princes of the north and the Sidonians are there, all victims of the sword. Once a terror, they now lie there in shame. They lie there as outcasts with all the other dead who have descended to the pit.
• 31. "When Pharaoh arrives, he will be relieved to find that he is not alone in having his entire army killed, says the Sovereign LORD.
• 32. For I have caused my terror to fall upon all the living. And Pharaoh and his hordes will lie there among the outcasts who have died by the sword. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!"

Ezekiel 33

• 1. Once again a message came to me from the LORD:
• 2. "Son of man, give your people this message: When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose a watchman.
• 3. When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he blows the alarm to warn the people.
• 4. Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action--well, it is their own fault if they die.
• 5. They heard the warning but wouldn't listen, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.
• 6. But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn't sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their deaths. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman accountable.
• 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.
• 8. If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to warn them about changing their ways, then they will die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
• 9. But if you warn them to repent and they don't repent, they will die in their sins, but you will not be held responsible.
• 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?'
• 11. As 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?
• 12. "Son of man, give your people this message: The good works of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the sins of evil people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins.
• 13. When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them, then none of their good deeds will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins.
• 14. And 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.
• 15. For instance, they might give back a borrower's pledge, 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.
• 16. None of their past sins will be brought up again, for they have done what is just and right, and they will surely live.
• 17. "Your people are saying, `The Lord is not just,' but it is they who are not just.
• 18. For again I say, when righteous people turn to evil, they will die.
• 19. But if wicked people turn from their wickedness and do what is just and right, they will live.
• 20. O people of Israel, you are saying, `The Lord is not just.' But I will judge each of you according to your deeds."
• 21. On January 8, during the twelfth year of our captivity, a man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, "The city has fallen!"
• 22. The previous evening the LORD had taken hold of me and opened my mouth, so I would be able to speak when this man arrived the next morning.
• 23. Then this message came to me from the LORD:
• 24. "Son of man, the scattered remnants of Judah living among the ruined cities keep saying, `Abraham was only one man, and yet he gained possession of the entire land! We are many; surely the land should be given to us as a possession.'
• 25. Now give these people this message from the Sovereign LORD: You eat meat with blood in it, you worship idols, and you murder the innocent. Do you really think the land should be yours?
• 26. Murderers! Idolaters! Adulterers! Should the land belong to you?
• 27. "Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die by the sword. Those living in the open fields will be eaten by wild animals. Those hiding in the forts and caves will die of disease.
• 28. I will destroy the land and demolish her pride. Her arrogant power will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so ruined that no one will even travel through them.
• 29. When I have ruined the land because of their disgusting sins, then they will know that I am the LORD.
• 30. "Son of man, your people are whispering behind your back. They talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors, saying, `Come on, let's have some fun! Let's go hear the prophet tell us what the LORD is saying!'
• 31. So they come pretending to be sincere and sit before you listening. But they have no intention of doing what I tell them. They express love with their mouths, but their hearts seek only after money.
• 32. You 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 do it!
• 33. But when all these terrible things happen to them--as they certainly will--then they will know a prophet has been among them."

New Living Translation: 289 of 324 days.