Ezekiel 32:2–16

“Son of man, sing a funeral lament over Pharaoh king of Egypt. Tell him:

“ ‘You think you’re a young lion

prowling through the nations.

You’re more like a dragon in the ocean,

snorting and thrashing about.

^3–10“ ‘God, the Master, says:

“ ‘I’m going to throw my net over you

—many nations will get in on this operation—

and haul you out with my dragnet.

I’ll dump you on the ground

out in an open field

And bring in all the crows and vultures

for a sumptuous carrion lunch.

I’ll invite wild animals from all over the world

to gorge on your guts.

I’ll scatter hunks of your meat in the mountains

and strew your bones in the valleys.

The country, right up to the mountains,

will be drenched with your blood,

your blood filling every ditch and channel.

When I blot you out,

I’ll pull the curtain on the skies

and shut out the stars.

I’ll throw a cloud across the sun

and turn off the moonlight.

I’ll turn out every light in the sky above you

and put your land in the dark.

Decree of God, the Master.

I’ll shake up everyone worldwide

when I take you off captive to strange and far-off countries.

I’ll shock people with you.

Kings will take one look and shudder.

I’ll shake my sword

and they’ll shake in their boots.

On the day you crash, they’ll tremble,

thinking, “That could be me!”

To Lay Your Pride Low

^11–15“ ‘God, the Master, says:

“ ‘The sword of the king of Babylon

is coming against you.

I’ll use the swords of champions

to lay your pride low,

Use the most brutal of nations

to knock Egypt off her high horse,

to puncture that hot-air pomposity.

I’ll destroy all their livestock

that graze along the river.

Neither human foot nor animal hoof

will muddy those waters anymore.

I’ll clear their springs and streams,

make their rivers flow clean and smooth.

Decree of God, the Master.

When I turn Egypt back to the wild

and strip her clean of all her abundant produce,

When I strike dead all who live there,

then they’ll realize that I am God.’

¹⁶“This is a funeral song. Chant it.

Daughters of the nations, chant it.

Chant it over Egypt for the death of its pomp.”

Decree of God, the Master.