THE SINKING OF TYRE

27 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Now, son of man, lament for Tyre.d 3 Say to Tyre, who is situated at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoplese to many coasts and islands, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Tyre, you declared,

“I am perfect in beauty.”

4 Your realm was in the heart of the sea;

your builders perfected your beauty.

5 They constructed all your planking

with pine trees from Senir.f

They took a cedar from Lebanon

to make a mast for you.

6 They made your oars of oaks from Bashan.

They made your deck of cypress wood

from the coasts of Cyprus,g

inlaid with ivory.

7 Your 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.

8 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvadh

were your rowers.

Your wise men were within you, Tyre;

they were your captains.

9 The elders of Gebal and its wise meni

were within you, repairing your leaks.

“ ‘All the ships of the sea and their sailors

came to you to barter for your goods.

10 Men of Persia, Lud, and Putj

were in your army, serving as your warriors.

They hung shields and helmets in you;

they gave you splendor.

11 Men of Arvad and Helech

were stationed on your walls all around,

and Gammadites were in your towers.

They hung their shieldsD all around your walls;

they perfected your beauty.

12 “ ‘Tarshishk was your trading partner because of your abundant wealth of every kind. They exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise. 13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshechl were your merchants. They exchanged slavesE and bronze utensils for your goods. 14 Those from Beth-togarmahm exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your merchandise. 15 Men of DedanF,n were also your merchants; many coasts and islands were your regular markets. They brought back ivory tuskso and ebony as your payment. 16 AramG was your trading partner because of your numerous products. They exchanged turquoise,H purple and embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral,H and rubiesH for your merchandise. 17 Judah and the land of Israel were your merchants. They exchanged wheat from Minnith,p meal,I honey, oil, and balm, for your goods. 18 Damascus 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.J 19 VedanK and Javan from UzalH,q dealt in your merchandise; wrought iron, cassia,r and aromatic cane were exchanged for your goods. 20 Dedans was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding. 21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your business partners, trading with you in lambs, rams, and goats. 22 The merchants of Shebaa 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.b 23 Haran, Canneh, Eden,c the merchants of Sheba, Asshur,d and Chilmad traded with you. 24 They were your merchants in choice garments, cloaks of blue and embroidered materials, and multicolored carpets,A which were bound and secured with cords in your marketplace. 25 Ships of Tarshishe were the carriers for your goods.

“ ‘So you became full and heavily loadedB

in the heart of the sea.

26 Your rowers have brought you

onto the high seas,f

but the east wind has wrecked you

in the heart of the sea.

27 Your 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.g

29 All the oarsmen

disembark from their ships.

The sailors and all the captains of the sea

stand on the shore.

30 Because of you, they raise their voices

and cry out bitterly.

They throw dust on their heads;h

they roll in ashes.

31 They 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,i

mourning over you:

“Who was like Tyre,

silencedA in the middle of the sea?

33 When your merchandise was unloaded from the seas,

you satisfied many peoples.

You enriched the kings of the earth

with your abundant wealth and goods.

34 Now you are wrecked by the sea

in the depths of the waters;

your goods and the people within you

have gone down.

35 All the inhabitants of the coasts and islands

are appalledj at you.

Their kings shudder with fear;

their faces are contorted.

36 Those who trade among the peoples scoffC,k at you;

you have become an object of horror

and will never exist again.” ’ ”l

THE FALL OF TYRE’S RULER

28 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Lord God says: YourD heart is proud, and you have said, “I am a god;m I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.” Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god. 3 Yes, you are wiser than Daniel;n no secret is hidden from you! 4 By your wisdom and understanding you have acquired wealth for yourself. You have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries.o 5 By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, but your heart has become proud because of your wealth.

6 “ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

Because you regard your heart as that of a god,

7 I am about to bring strangers against you,

ruthless men from the nations.

They will draw their swords

against your magnificent wisdom

and will pierce your splendor.p

8 They will bring you down to the Pit,q

and you will die a violent death

in the heart of the sea.

9 Will you still say, “I am a god,”

in the presence of those who slayE you?

Yet you will be only a man, not a god,

in the hands of those who kill you.

10 You will die the death of the uncircumciseda

at the hands of strangers.b

For I have spoken.

This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ”

A LAMENT FOR TYRE’S KING

11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, lamentc for the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

You were the sealA of perfection,B

full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.d

13 You were in Eden,e the garden of God.

Every kind of precious stone covered you:

carnelian, topaz, and diamond,B

beryl, onyx, and jasper,

lapis lazuli, turquoiseC and emerald.D

Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold;f

they were prepared on the day you were created.

14 You were an anointed guardian cherub,g

forE I had appointed you.

You were on the holy mountain of God;

you walked among the fiery stones.

15 From the day you were created

you were blameless in your ways

until wickedness was found in you.

16 Through the abundance of your trade,

you were filled with violence, and you sinned.

So I expelled you in disgrace

from the mountain of God,

and banished you, guardian cherub,F

from among the fiery stones.

17 Your heart became proud because of your beauty;h

For the sake of your splendor

you corrupted your wisdom.

So I threw you down to the ground;G

I made you a spectacle before kings.

18 You profaned your sanctuaries

by the magnitude of your iniquities

in your dishonest trade.

So I made fire come from within you,

and it consumed you.i

I reduced you to ashes on the ground

in the sight of everyone watching you.

19 All those who know you among the peoples

are appalled at you.

You have become an object of horror

and will never exist again.’ ”j

A PROPHECY AGAINST SIDON

20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, face Sidonk and prophesy against it. 22 You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Look! I am against you, Sidon,l

and I will display my glory within you.

They will know that I am the Lord

when I execute judgments against herm

and demonstrate my holiness through her.

23 I will send a plague against hern

and bloodshed in her streets;

the slain will fall within her,

while the sword is against herH on every side.

Then they will know that I am the Lord.

24 “ ‘The house of Israel will no longer be hurt byI prickly briers or painful thornso from all their neighbors who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.

25 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: When I gather the house of Israelp from the peoples where they are scattered, I will demonstrate my holiness through them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live there securely,q build houses, and plant vineyards.r They will live securely when I execute judgmentss against all their neighbors who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.’ ”

A PROPHECY OF EGYPT’S RUIN

29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, face Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all of Egypt.a 3 Speak to him and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Look, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,

the great monsterA,b lying in the middle of his Nile,

who says, “My Nile is my own;

I made it for myself.”

4 I will put hooks in your jawsc

and make the fish of your streams

cling to your scales.

I will haul you up

from the middle of your Nile,

and all the fish of your streams

will cling to your scales.

5 I will leave you in the desert,d

you and all the fish of your streams.

You will fall on the open ground

and will not be taken away

or gathered for burial.e

I have given you

to the wild creatures of the earth

and the birds of the sky as food.f

6 “ ‘Then all the inhabitants of Egypt

will know that I am the Lord,

for theyB have been a staff made of reed

to the house of Israel.

7 When Israel grasped you by the hand,

you splintered,g tearing all their shoulders;

when they leaned on you,

you shattered and made all their hips unsteady.C

8 “ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I am going to bring a swordh against you and cut off both people and animals from you. 9 The land of Egypt will be a desolate ruin.i Then they will know that I am the Lord. Because youD said, “The Nile is my own; I made it,” 10 therefore, I am against you and your Nile. I will turn the land of Egypt into ruins, a desolate waste from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Cush. 11 No human foot will pass through it, and no animal foot will pass through it.j It will be uninhabited for forty years. 12 I will make the land of Egypt a desolation amongE desolate lands, and its cities will be a desolation amongF ruined citiesk for forty years. I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.l

13 “ ‘For this is what the Lord God says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were dispersed.m 14 I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin. There they will be a lowly kingdom. 15 Egypt will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small they cannot rule over the nations. 16 It will never again be an object of trustn for the house of Israel, drawing attention to their iniquity of turning to the Egyptians. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.’ ”

BABYLON RECEIVES EGYPT AS COMPENSATION

17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army labor strenuously against Tyre.o Every head was made bald and every shoulder chafed, but he and his army received no compensation from Tyre for the labor he expended against it. 19 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I am going to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,p and he will carry off its wealth, seizing its spoil and taking its plunder. This will be his army’s compensation. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt as the pay he labored for, since they worked for me.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. 21 “In that day I will cause a horn to sproutq for the house of Israel, and I will enable you to speak outr among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

EGYPT’S DOOM

30 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Wail,s “Woe because of that day!”

3 For a day is near;

a day belonging to the Lord is near.t

It will be a day of clouds,u

a time of doomG for the nations.

4 A sword will come against Egypt,

and there will be anguish in Cush

when the slain fall in Egypt,

and its wealth is taken away,

and its foundations are demolished.

5 Cush, Put, and Lud,v

and all the various foreign troops,A

plus LibyaB and the men of the covenant land

will fall by the sword along with them.

6 This is what the Lord says:

Those who support Egypt will fall,

and its proud strength will collapse.

From Migdol to Syene

they will fall within it by the sword.

This is the declaration of the Lord God.

7 They will be desolate

amongC desolate lands,

and their cities will lie

among ruinedD cities.a

8 They will know that I am the Lord

when I set fire to Egyptb

and all its allies are shattered.

9 On that day, messengers will go out from me in shipsc to terrify confident Cush. Anguish will come over them on the day of Egypt’s doom.E For indeed it is coming.

10 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says:

I will put an end to the hordes* of Egypt

by the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

11 He along with his people,

ruthless men from the nations,

will be brought in to destroy the land.

They will draw their swords against Egypt

and fill the land with the slain.d

12 I will make the streams dry

and sell the land to evil men.e

I will bring desolation

on the land and everything in it

by the hands of foreigners.

I, the Lord, have spoken.

13 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says:

I will destroy the worthless idols

and put an end to

the false gods in Memphis.f

There will no longer be

a prince from the land of Egypt.

And I will instill fear in that land.

14 I will make Pathrosg desolate,

set fire to Zoan,

and execute judgments on Thebes.

15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,

the stronghold of Egypt,

and will wipe out the hordes of Thebes.

16 I will set fire to Egypt;

Pelusium will writhe in anguish,

Thebes will be breached,

and Memphis will face foes in broad daylight.G

17 The young men of OnH and Pi-beseth

will fall by the sword,

and those citiesI will go into captivity.

18 The day will be darkJ in Tehaphnehes,

when I break the yoke of Egypt there

and its proud strength

comes to an end in the city.

A cloudh will cover Tehaphnehes,K

and its surrounding villages will go into captivity.

19 So I will execute judgments against Egypt,

and they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”

PHARAOH’S POWER BROKEN

20 In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, I have broken the armi of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Look, it has not been bandaged—no medicine has been applied and no splint put on to bandage it so that it can grow strong enough to handle a sword. 22 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Look! I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the strong one and the one already broken, and will make the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them among the countries.j 24 I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and place my swordk in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him as a mortally wounded man. 25 I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall. They will know that I am the Lord when I place my sword in the hand of Babylon’s king and he wields it against the land of Egypt. 26 When I disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them among the countries, they will know that I am the Lord.”

DOWNFALL OF EGYPT AND ASSYRIA

31 In the eleventh year,a in the third month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes,

‘Who are you like in your greatness?

3 Think of Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon,b

with beautiful branches and shady foliage

and of lofty height.

Its top was among the clouds.*

4 The waters caused it to grow;

the underground springs made it tall,

directing their rivers all around

the place where the tree was planted

and sending their channels

to all the trees of the field.

5 Therefore the cedar became greater in height

than all the trees of the field.C

Its branches multiplied,

and its boughs grew long

as it spread them out

because of the abundant water.d

6 All the birds of the sky

nested in its branches,e

and all the animals of the field

gave birth beneath its boughs;

all the great nations lived in its shade.

7 It was beautiful in its size,

in the length of its limbs,

for its roots extended to abundant water.

8 The cedars in God’s garden could not eclipse it;f

the pine trees couldn’t compare with its branches,

nor could the plane trees match its boughs.

No tree in the garden of God

could compare with it in beauty.

9 I made it beautiful with its many limbs,

and all the trees of Eden,

which were in God’s garden, envied it.

10 “ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: Since itB towered high in stature and set its top among the clouds, and itC grew proudg on account of its height, 11 I determined to hand it over to a ruler of nations;h he would surely deal with it. I banished it because of its wickedness. 12 Foreigners, ruthless men from the nations,i cut it down and left it lying. Its limbs fell on the mountains and in every valley; its boughs lay broken in all the earth’s ravines. All the peoples of the earth left its shade and abandoned it. 13 All the birds of the sky nested on its fallen trunk, and all the animals of the field were among its boughs. 14 This happened so that no trees planted beside water would become great in height and set their tops among the clouds, and so that no other well-watered trees would reach them in height. For they have all been consigned to death, to the underworld, among the peopleD who descend to the Pit.j

15 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: I caused grieving on the day the cedar went down to Sheol.k I closed off the underground deep because of it:E I held back the rivers of the deep, and its abundant water was restrained. I made Lebanon mourn on account of it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it. 16 I made the nations quake at the sound of its downfall, when I threw it down to Sheol to be with those who descend to the Pit. Then all the trees of Eden,l the choice and best of Lebanon, all the well-watered trees, were comfortedm in the underworld. 17 They too descended with it to Sheol, to those slain by the sword. As its alliesF,G they had lived in its shade among the nations.

18 “ ‘Who then are you like in glory and greatness among Eden’s trees? You also will be brought down to the underworld to be with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the uncircumcised with those slain by the sword.n This is Pharaoh and all his hordes. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ”

A LAMENT FOR PHARAOH

32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, lamento for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him,

‘You compare yourself to a lion of the nations,

butH you are like a monsterI,p in the seas.

You thrash about in your rivers,

churn up the waters with your feet,

and muddy theA rivers.

3 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says:

I will spread my net over youa

with an assembly of many peoples,

and theyB will haul you up in my net.

4 I will abandon you on the land

and throw you onto the open field.

I will cause all the birds of the sky

to settle on you

and let the wild creatures of the entire earth

eat their fill of you.b

5 I will put your flesh on the mountainsc

and fill the valleys with your carcass.

6 I will drench the land

with the flow of your blood,

even to the mountains;

the ravines will be filled with your gore.

7 “ ‘When I snuff you out,

I will cover the heavens

and darken their stars.

I will cover the sun with a cloud,d

and the moon will not give its light.

8 I will darken all the shining lights

in the heavens over you,

and will bring darkness on your land.

This is the declaration of the Lord God.

9 “ ‘I will trouble the hearts of many peoples,

when I bring about your destruction

among the nations,

in countries you have not known.

10 I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,

and their kings will shudder with fear because of youe

when I brandish my sword in front of them.

On the day of your downfall

each of them will tremble

every momentf for his life.

11 “ ‘For this is what the Lord God says:

The sword of Babylon’s king

will come against you!

12 I will make your hordes fall

by the swords of warriors,

all of them ruthless men from the nations.g

They will ravage Egypt’s pride,

and all its hordes will be destroyed.

13 I will slaughter all its cattle

that are beside many waters.

No human foot will churn them again,

and no cattle hooves will disturb them.h

14 Then I will let their waters settle

and will make their rivers flow like oil.

This is the declaration of the Lord God.

15 When I make the land of Egypt a desolation,

so that it is emptied of everything in it,

when I strike down all who live there,

then they will know that I am the Lord.i

16 “ ‘The daughters of the nations will chant that lament.j They will chant it over Egypt and all its hordes. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ”

EGYPT IN SHEOL

17 In the twelfth year,C on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, wail over the hordes of Egypt and bring Egypt and the daughters of mighty nations down to the underworld,* to be with those who descend to the Pit:k

19 Who do you surpass in loveliness?

Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!

20 They will fall among those slain by the sword.

A sword is appointed!l

They drag her and all her hordes away.

21 Warrior leaders will speak

from the middle of Sheol

about himE and his allies:

‘They have come down;

the uncircumcised lie

slain by the sword.’m

22 “Assyria is there with her whole assembly;

her graves are all around her.

All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.

23 Her graves are set in the deepest regions of the Pit,

and her assembly is all around her burial place.

All of them are slain, fallen by the sword—

those who once spread terror

in the land of the living.

24 “Elama is there

with all her hordes around her grave.

All of them are slain, fallen by the sword—

those who went down to the underworld uncircumcised,

who once spread their terror

in the land of the living.

They bear their disgrace

with those who descend to the Pit.

25 Among the slain

they prepare a bed for Elam

with all her hordes.

Her graves are all around her.

All of them are uncircumcised,

slain by the sword,

although their terror was once spread

in the land of the living.

They bear their disgrace

with those who descend to the Pit.

They are placed among the slain.

26 “Meshech and TubalA,b are there,

with all their hordes.

Their graves are all around them.

All of them are uncircumcised, slain by the sword,

although their terror was once spread

in the land of the living.

27 They do not lie down

with the fallen warriors of the uncircumcised,B

who went down to Sheol

with their weapons of war,

whose swords were placed under their headsC

and their shieldsD

rested on their bones,

although the terror of these warriors

was once in the land of the living.

28 But you will be shattered

and will lie down among the uncircumcised,

with those slain by the sword.c

29 “Edomd is there, her kings and all her princes,

who, despite their strength, have been placed

among those slain by the sword.

They lie down with the uncircumcised,

with those who descend to the Pit.

30 All the leaders of the northe

and all the Sidoniansf are there.

They went down in shame with the slain,

despite the terror their strength inspired.

They lie down uncircumcised

with those slain by the sword.

They bear their disgrace

with those who descend to the Pit.

31 “Pharaoh will see them

and be comfortedg over all his hordes—

Pharaoh and his whole army,

slain by the sword.”

This is the declaration of the Lord God.

32 “For I will spread myE terror

in the land of the living,

so Pharaoh and all his hordes

will be laid to rest among the uncircumcised,

with those slain by the sword.”

This is the declaration of the Lord God.

EZEKIEL AS ISRAEL’S WATCHMAN

33 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and tell them, ‘Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land select a man from among them, appointing him as their watchman. 3 And suppose he sees the sword coming against the land and blows his trumpeth to warn the people. 4 Then, if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet but ignores the warning,i and the sword comes and takes him away, his death will be his own fault.F 5 Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but ignored the warning, his death is his own fault.G If he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. 6 However, suppose the watchman sees the sword coming but doesn’t blow the trumpet, so that the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes and takes away their lives. Then they have been taken away because of their iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’

7 “As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel.a When you hear a word from my mouth, give them a warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, ‘Wicked one, you will surely die,’b but you do not speak out to warn him about his way, that wicked person will die for his iniquity, yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. 9 But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his way and he doesn’t turn from it, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have rescued yourself.

10 “Now as for you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘You have said this: “Our transgressions and our sins are heavy on us, and we are wasting away because of them!c How then can we survive?” ’d 11 Tell them, ‘As I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live.e Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?’

12 “Now, son of man, say to your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous person will not save him on the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked person cause him to stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness. The righteous person won’t be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he sins. 13 When I tell the righteous person that he will surely live, but he trusts in his righteousness and acts unjustly, then none of his righteousness will be remembered, and he will die because of the injustice he has committed.f

14 “ ‘So when I tell the wicked person, “You will surely die,” but he repents of his sin and does what is just and right—15 he returns collateral, makes restitution for what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of lifeg without committing injustice—he will certainly live; he will not die. 16 None of the sins he committed will be heldA against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.h

17 “ ‘But your people say, “The Lord’s way isn’t fair,”i even though it is their own way that isn’t fair. 18 When a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, he will die for it. 19 But if a wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live because of it. 20 Yet you say, “The Lord’s way isn’t fair.” I will judge each of you according to his ways, house of Israel.’ ”

THE NEWS OF JERUSALEM’S FALL

21 In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, a fugitive from Jerusalem came to me and reported, “The city has been taken!” 22 Now the hand of the Lord had been on me the evening before the fugitive arrived, and he opened my mouth before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer mute.j

ISRAEL’S CONTINUED REBELLION

23 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, those who live in theB ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one person,k yet he received possession of the land.l But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.’m 25 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: You eat meat with blood in it,n you look to your idols, and you shed blood. Should you then receive possession of the land? 26 You have relied on your swords, you have committed detestable acts, and each of you has defiled his neighbor’s wife. Should you then receive possession of the land?’o

27 “Tell them this: ‘This is what the Lord God says: As surely as I live, those who are in the ruins will fall by the sword, those in the open field I have given to wild animals to be devoured, and those in the strongholds and caves will die by plague.p 28 I will make the land a desolate waste,q and its proud strength will come to an end.r The mountains of Israels will become desolate, with no one passing through. 29 They will know that I am the Lord when I make the land a desolate waste because of all the detestable acts they have committed.’

30 “As for you, son of man, your people are talking about you near the city walls and in the doorways of their houses. One person speaks to another, each saying to his brother, ‘Come and hear what the message is that comes from the Lord!’ 31 So my people come to you in crowds,C sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don’t obey them. Their mouths go on passionately, but their hearts pursue dishonest profit. 32 Yes, to them you are like a singer of passionate songs who has a beautiful voice and plays skillfully on an instrument. They hear your words, but they don’t obey them. 33 Yet when all this comes truea—and it definitely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

THE SHEPHERDS AND GOD’S FLOCK

34 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who have been feeding themselves!b Shouldn’t the shepherds feed their flock? 3 You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened animals, but you do not tend the flock.c 4 You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost.d Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty. 5 They were scattered for lack of a shepherd;e they became food for all the wild animalsf when they were scattered. 6 My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill.g My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and there was no one searching or seeking for them.

7 “ ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. 8 As I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—because my flock, lacking a shepherd, has become prey and food for every wild animal, and because my shepherds do not search for my flock, and because the shepherds feed themselves rather than my flock, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord!

10 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against the shepherds.h I will demand my flock from themA and prevent them from shepherding the flock. The shepherds will no longer feed themselves, for I will rescue my flock from their mouths so that they will not be food for them.

11 “ ‘For this is what the Lord God says: See, I myself will search for my flock and look for them. 12 As a shepherd looks for his sheep on the day he is among his scattered flock, so I will look for my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scatteredi on a day of clouds and total darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them to their own soil. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the land. 14 I will tend them in good pasture, and their grazing place will be on Israel’s lofty mountains. There they will lie down in a good grazing place; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will tend my flock and let them lie down.j This is the declaration of the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost,k bring back the strays, bandage the injured,l and strengthen the weak, but I will destroyB the fat and the strong. I will shepherd them with justice.

17 “ ‘As for you, my flock, the Lord God says this: Look, I am going to judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and goats.m 18 Isn’t it enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Or isn’t it enough that you drink the clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Yet my flock has to feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied.

20 “ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Since you have pushed with flank and shoulder and butted all the weak ones with your horns until you scattered them all over, 22 I will save my flock. They will no longer be prey, and I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will establish over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will shepherd them. He will tend them himself and will be their shepherd.n 24 I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant Davido will be a prince among them. I, the Lord, have spoken.

25 “ ‘I will make a covenant of peacep with them and eliminate dangerous creaturesq from the land, so that they may live securelyr in the wilderness and sleep in the forest. 26 I will make them and the area around my hills a blessing: I will send down showers in their season;t they will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees of the field will yield their fruit, and the land will yield its produce; my flock will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the power of those who enslave them.u 28 They will no longer be prey for the nations, and the wild creatures of the earth will not consume them. They will live securely, and no one will frighten them. 29 I will establish for them a place renowned for its agriculture,A and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land. They will no longer endure the insults of the nations.a 30 Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people.b This is the declaration of the Lord God. 31 You are my flock, the human flock of my pasture, and I am your God. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ”c

A PROPHECY AGAINST EDOM

35 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, face Mount Seird and prophesy against it. 3 Say to it, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Look! I am against you, Mount Seir.

I will stretch out my hand against you

and make you a desolate waste.e

4 I will turn your cities into ruins,

and you will become a desolation.

Then you will know that I am the Lord.

5 “ ‘Because you maintained a perpetual hatredf and gave the Israelites over to the power of the sword in the time of their disaster, the time of final punishment,g 6 therefore, as I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I will destine you for bloodshed, and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, it will pursue you.h 7 I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and will cut off from it those who come and go.i 8 I will fill its mountains with the slain;j those slain by the sword will fall on your hills, in your valleys, and in all your ravines. 9 I will make you a perpetual desolation; your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

10 “ ‘Because you said, “These two nations and two lands will be mine, and we will possess them”—though the Lord was therek—11 therefore, as I live—this is the declaration of the Lord God—I will treat you according to the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them. I will make myself known among themB when I judge you. 12 Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all the blasphemies you uttered against the mountains of Israel, saying, “They are desolate. They have been given to us to devour!” 13 You boasted against mel with your mouth, and spoke many words against me. I heard it myself!

14 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: While the whole world rejoices, I will make you a desolation. 15 Just as you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it became a desolation, I will deal the same way with you: you will become a desolation, Mount Seir, and so will all Edom in its entirety. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

RESTORATION OF ISRAEL’S MOUNTAINS

36 “Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord.m 2 This is what the Lord God says: Because the enemy has said about you, “Aha!n The ancient heightso have become our possession,” ’ 3 therefore, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Because they have made you desolate and have trampled you from every side, so that you became a possession for the rest of the nations and an object of people’s gossip and slander,p 4 therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. This is what the Lord God says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, to the desolate ruins and abandoned cities, which have become plunderq and a mockery to the rest of the nations all around.

5 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: Certainly in my burning zeal I speak against the rest of the nations and all of Edom,r who tookC my land as their own possession with wholehearted rejoicing and utter contempts so that its pastureland becameD plunder. 6 Therefore, prophesy concerning Israel’s land, and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: This is what the Lord God says: Look, I speak in my burning zealt because you have endured the insults of the nations. 7 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I swearE that the nations all around you will endure their own insults.u

8 “ ‘You, mountains of Israel, will produce your branchesv and bear your fruit for my people Israel, since their arrival is near. 9 Look! I am on your side; I will turn toward you,w and you will be tilled and sown. 10 I will fill you with people, with the whole house of Israel in its entirety.a The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. 11 I will fill you with people and animals,b and they will increase and be fruitful. I will make you inhabited as you once were and make you better off than you were before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.c 12 I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk on you; they will possess you,d and you will be their inheritance. You will no longer deprive them of their children.

13 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: Because some are saying to you, “You devour people and deprive your nation of children,”e 14 therefore, you will no longer devour people and deprive your nation of children.A This is the declaration of the Lord God. 15 I will no longer allow the insults of the nations to be heard against you, and you will not have to endure the reproach of the peoples anymore;f you will no longer cause your nation to stumble.B This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ”

RESTORATION OF ISRAEL’S PEOPLE

16 The word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, while the house of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it with their conduct and actions.g Their behavior before me was like menstrual impurity.h 18 So I poured out my wrathi on them because of the blood they had shed on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols. 19 I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered among the countries.j I judged them according to their conduct and actions.k 20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name,l because it was said about them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they had to leave his land in exile.’ 21 Then I had concern for my holy name,m which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.

22 “Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I will act,n house of Israel, but for my holy name,o which you profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will honor the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations—the name you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord—this is the declaration of the Lord God—when I demonstrate my holiness through you in their sight.p

24 “ ‘For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.q 25 I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean.r I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.s 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;t I will remove your heart of stoneC and give you a heart of flesh.u 27 I will place my Spirit within youv and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.w 28 You will live in the land that I gave your ancestors;x you will be my people, and I will be your God.y 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will summon the grain and make it plentiful, and I will not bring famine on you.z 30 I will also make the fruit of the trees and the produce of the field plentiful, so that you will no longer experience reproach among the nations on account of famine.

31 “ ‘You will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good,aa and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and detestable practices.ab 32 It is not for your sake that I will actac—this is the declaration of the Lord God—let this be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel!

33 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: On the day I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.ad 34 The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by. 35 They will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden.ae The cities that were once ruined, desolate, and demolished are now fortified and inhabited.” 36 Then the nations that remain around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt what was demolished and have replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken and I will do it.af

37 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will respond to the house of Israel and do this for them:ag I will multiply them in number like a flock.D 38 So the ruined cities will be filled with a flock of people, just as Jerusalemah is filled with a flock of sheep for sacrificeE during its appointed festivals. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’ ”

THE VALLEY OF DRY BONES

37 The hand of the Lord was on me,a and he brought me out by his Spiritb and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them. There were a great many of them on the surface of the valley, and they were very dry. 3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I replied, “Lord God, only you know.”c

4 He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Lord God says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live.d 6 I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”e

7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 As I looked, tendons appeared on them, flesh grew, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath,* prophesy, son of man. Say to it: This is what the Lord God says: Breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these slain so that they may live!”f 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me; the breath entered them,g and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.h Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up,i and our hope has perished;j we are cut off.’k 12 Therefore, prophesy and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them,l my people, and lead you into the land of Israel. 13 You will know that I am the Lord, my people, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.m 14 I will put my Spirit in you,n and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do it.o This is the declaration of the Lord.’ ”

THE REUNIFICATION OF ISRAEL

15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, take a single stick and write on it:p Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him. Then take another stick and write on it: Belonging to Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and all the house of Israel associated with him.q 17 Then join them together into a single stick so that they become one in your hand.r 18 When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you explain to us what you mean by these things?’s—19 tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and put them together with the stick of Judah. I will make them into a single stick so that they become one in my hand.’

20 “When the sticks you have written on are in your hand and in full view of the people,t 21 tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am going to take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone.u I will gather them from all around and bring them into their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land,v on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them.w They will no longer be two nations and will no longer be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will not defile themselves anymore with their idols,x their abhorrent things, and all their transgressions.y I will save them from all their apostasies by whichB they sinned,z and I will cleanse them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.aa 24 My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them.ab They will follow my ordinances, and keep my statutes and obey them.ac

25 “ ‘They will live in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob,ad where your ancestors lived. They will live in it forever with their children and grandchildren, and my servant David will be their prince forever.ae 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them;af it will be a permanent covenantag with them. I will establish and multiply them and will set my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them;ah I will be their God, and they will be my people.ai 28 When my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.’ ”aj

THE DEFEAT OF GOG

38 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, face Gog, of the land of Magog,ak the chief prince ofC Meshech and Tubal.al Prophesy against him 3 and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws,a and bring you out with all your army, including horses and riders,b who are all splendidly dressed, a huge assembly armed with large and small shields, all of them brandishing swords. 5 Persia,c Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shields and helmets; 6 Gomerd with all its troops; and Beth-togarmahe from the remotest parts of the north along with all its troops—many peoples are with you.

7 “ ‘Be prepared and get yourself ready, you and your whole assembly that has been mobilized around you; you will be their guard. 8 After a long time you will be summoned. In the last years you will enter a land that has been restored from warA and regathered from many peoples to the mountains of Israel, which had long been a ruin.f They were brought out from the peoples, and all of them now live securely. 9 You, all of your troops, and many peoples with you will advance, coming like a thunderstorm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.

10 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: On that day, thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. 11 You will say, “I will advance against a land of open villages; I will come against a tranquil people who are living securely,g all of them living without walls and without bars or gates”h—12 in order to seize spoil and carry off plunder,i to turn your hand against ruins now inhabited and against a people gathered from the nations, who have been acquiring cattle and possessions and who live at the center of the world. 13 Shebaj and Dedank and the merchants of Tarshishl with all its rulersB will ask you, “Have you come to seize spoil? Have you mobilized your assembly to carry off plunder, to make off with silver and gold, to take cattle and possessions, to seize plenty of spoil?” ’

14 “Therefore prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, ‘This is what the Lord God says: On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely,m will you not know this 15 and come from your place in the remotest parts of the northn—you and many peoples with you, who are all riding horses—a huge assembly, a powerful army? 16 You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud covering the land. It will happen in the last days, Gog, that I will bring you against my land so that the nations may know me, when I demonstrate my holiness through you in their sight.o

17 “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: Are you the one I spoke about in former times through my servants, the prophets of Israel, who for years prophesied in those times that I would bring you against them? 18 Now on that day, the day when Gog comes against the land of Israel—this is the declaration of the Lord God—my wrath will flare up.C 19 I swear in my zeal and fiery wrath:p On that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 20 The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, every creature that crawls on the ground, and every human being on the face of the earth will tremble before me. The mountains will be demolished, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground. 21 I will call for a sword against him on all my mountains—this is the declaration of the Lord God—and every man’s sword will be against his brother.q 22 I will execute judgment on him with plague and bloodshed. I will pour out torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur on him, as well as his troops and the many peoples who are with him.r 23 I will display my greatness and holiness, and will reveal myself in the sight of many nations.s Then they will know that I am the Lord.’

THE DISPOSAL OF GOG

39 “As for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince ofD Meshech and Tubal.t 2 I will turn you around, drive you on,u and lead you up from the remotest parts of the north. I will bring you against the mountains of Israel. 3 Then I will knock your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. 4 You, all your troops, and the peoples who are with you will fall on the mountains of Israel. I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and to the wild animals. 5 You will fall on the open field,v for I have spoken. This is the declaration of the Lord God.

6 “ ‘I will send fire against Magogw and those who live securely on the coasts and islands. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 7 So I will make my holy name known among my people Israel and will no longer allow it to be profaned. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.a 8 Yes, it is coming, and it will happen. This is the declaration of the Lord God. This is the day I have spoken about.

9 “ ‘Then the inhabitants of Israel’s cities will go out, kindle fires, and burn the weapons—the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them to make fires. 10 They will not gather wood from the countryside or cut it down from the forests, for they will use the weapons to make fires. They will take the loot from those who looted them and plunder those who plundered them.b This is the declaration of the Lord God.

11 “ ‘Now on that day I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel—the Travelers’ ValleyA east of the Sea. It will block those who travel through, for Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called Hordes of Gog* Valley. 12 The house of Israel will spend seven months burying them in order to cleanse the land.c 13 All the people of the land will bury them and their fame will spreadd on the day I display my glory.e This is the declaration of the Lord God.

14 “ ‘They will appoint men on a full-time basis to pass through the land and bury the invadersC who remain on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. They will make their search at the end of the seven months. 15 When they pass through the land and one of them sees a human bone, he will set up a marker next to it until the buriers have buried it in Hordes of Gog Valley. 16 There will even be a city named HamonahD there. So they will cleanse the land.’

17 “Son of man, this is what the Lord God says: Tell every kind of bird and all the wild animals, ‘Assemble and come! Gather from all around to my sacrificial feast that I am slaughtering for you, a great feast on the mountains of Israel;f you will eat flesh and drink blood. 18 You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the earth’s princes: rams, lambs, male goats, and all the fattened bulls of Bashan. 19 You will eat fat until you are satisfiedg and drink blood until you are drunk, at my sacrificial feast that I have prepared for you. 20 At my table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, of mighty men and all the warriors. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’

ISRAEL’S RESTORATION TO GOD

21 “I will display my glory among the nations,h and all the nations will see the judgment I have executed and the hand I have laid on them. 22 From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. 23 And the nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile on account of their iniquity, because they dealt unfaithfully with me.i Therefore, I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, so that they all fell by the sword. 24 I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and transgressions, and I hid my face from them.

25 “So this is what the Lord God says: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacobj and have compassion on the whole house of Israel,k and I will be jealous for my holy name. 26 They will feel remorse forE,F their disgracel and all the unfaithfulness they committed against me, when they live securely in their land with no one to frighten them. 27 When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the countries of their enemies, I will demonstrate my holiness through them in the sight of many nations.m 28 They will know that I am the Lord their God when I regather them to their own land after having exiled them among the nations. I will leave none of them behind.G 29 I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel.”n This is the declaration of the Lord God.

THE NEW TEMPLE

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem had been captured,o on that very day the Lord’s hand was on me,p and he brought me there. 2 In visions of Godq he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain.r On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city. 3 He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze,s with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.t He was standing by the city gate. 4 He spoke to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears,u and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel.”a

THE WALL AND OUTER GATES

5 Now there was a wall surrounding the outside of the temple.b The measuring rod in the man’s hand was six units of twenty-one inches;A each unit was the standard length plus three inches.B He measured the thickness of the wall structure; it was 10½ feet,* and its height was the same. 6 Then he came to the gate that faced east and climbed its steps.c He measured the threshold of the gate; it was 10½ feet deep—one threshold was 10½ feet deep. 7 Each recess was 10½ feet long and 10½ feet deep, and there was a space of 8¾ feet* between the recesses. The inner threshold of the gate on the temple side next to the gate’s portico was 10½ feet. 8 Next he measured the gate’s portico; 9 it* was 14 feet,F and its jambs were 3½ feet.G The gate’s portico was on the temple side.

10 There were three recesses on each side of the east gate, each with the same measurements, and the jambs on either side also had the same measurements. 11 Then he measured the width of the gate’s entrance; it was 17½ feet,H while the widthI of the gate was 22¾ feet.J 12 There was a barrier of 21 inches* in front of the recesses on both sides, and the recesses on each side were 10½ feetL square. 13 Then he measured the gate from the roof of one recess to the roof of the opposite one; the distance was 43¾ feet.* The openings of the recesses faced each other. 14 Next, he measured the porch—105 feet.N,O 15 The distance from the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the gate’s portico on the inside was 87½ feet.* 16 The recesses and their jambs had beveled windows all around the inside of the gate.d The porticoes also had windows all around on the inside. Each jamb was decorated with palm trees.e

17 Then he brought me into the outer court,f and there were chambers and a paved surface laid out all around the court.g Thirty chambers faced the pavement, 18 which flanked the courtyard’s gates and corresponded to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the distance from the front of the lower gate to the exterior front of the inner court; it was 175 feet.* This was the east; next the north is described.

20 He measured the gate of the outer court facing north, both its length and width. 21 Its three recesses on each side, its jambs, and its portico had the same measurements as the first gate: 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 22 Its windows, portico, and palm trees had the same measurements as those of the gate that faced east. Seven steps led up to the gate, and its portico was ahead of them. 23 The inner court had a gate facing the north gate, like the one on the east. He measured the distance from gate to gate; it was 175 feet.

24 He brought me to the south side, and there was also a gate on the south. He measured its jambs and portico; they had the same measurements as the others. 25 Both the gate and its portico had windows all around, like the other windows. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 26 Its stairway had seven steps, and its portico was ahead of them. It had palm trees on its jambs, one on each side. 27 The inner court had a gate on the south. He measured from gate to gate on the south; it was 175 feet.

THE INNER GATES

28 Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate. When he measured the south gate, it had the same measurements as the others. 29 Its recesses, jambs, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 30 (There were porticoes all around, 43¾ feet long and 8¾ feet wide.* ) 31 Its portico faced the outer court, and its jambs were decorated with palm trees. Its stairway had eight steps.

32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side. When he measured the gate, it had the same measurements as the others. 33 Its recesses, jambs, and portico had the same measurements as the others. Both it and its portico had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 34 Its portico faced the outer court, and its jambs were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps.

35 Then he brought me to the north gate.a When he measured it, it had the same measurements as the others, 36 as did its recesses, jambs, and portico. It also had windows all around. It was 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide. 37 Its porticoA faced the outer court, and its jambs were decorated with palm trees on each side. Its stairway had eight steps.

ROOMS FOR PREPARING SACRIFICES

38 There was a chamber whose door opened into the gate’s portico.B The burnt offering was to be washed there.b 39 Inside the gate’s portico there were two tables on each side, on which to slaughter the burnt offering, sin offering,c and guilt offering.d 40 Outside, as one approaches the entrance of the north gate, there were two tables on one side and two more tables on the other side of the gate’s portico. 41 So there were four tables inside the gate and four outside, eight tables in all on which the slaughtering was to be done. 42 There were also four tables of cut stone for the burnt offering,e each 31½ inchesC long, 31½ inches wide, and 21 inches high. The utensils used to slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices were placed on them. 43 There were three-inchD hooksE fastened all around the inside of the room, and the flesh of the offering was to be laid on the tables.

ROOMS FOR SINGERS AND PRIESTS

44 Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, there were chambers for the singers:F,f oneG beside the north gate, facing south, and another beside the southH gate, facing north. 45 Then the man said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple.g 46 The chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok,h the ones from the sons of Levi who may approach the Lord to serve him.”i 47 Next he measured the court. It was square, 175 feet long and 175 feet wide. The altarj was in front of the temple.

48 Then he brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the jambs of the portico; they were 8¾ feet thick on each side. The width of the gate was 24½ feet,I and the side walls of the gate wereJ 5¼ feetK wide on each side. 49 The portico was 35 feetL across and 21M feetN deep, and 10 steps ledO up to it.k There were pillars by the jambs, one on each side.l

INSIDE THE TEMPLE

41 Next he brought me into the great hall and measured the jambs;m on each side the width of the jamb was 10½ feet.P,* 2 The width of the entrance was 17½ feet,R and the side walls of the entrance were 8¾ feet* wide on each side. He also measured the length of the great hall, 70 feet,T and the width, 35 feet.* n 3 He went inside the next room and measured the jambs at the entrance;o they were 3½ feet* wide. The entrance was 10½ feet wide, and the width of the entrance’s side walls on each sideW was 12¼ feet.X 4 He then measured the length of the room adjacent to the great hall, 35 feet, and the width, 35 feet.p And he said to me, “This is the most holy place.”q

OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE

5 Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was 10½ feet thick. The width of the side rooms all around the temple was 7 feet.Y,r 6 The side rooms were arranged one above another in three stories of thirty rooms each.Z There were ledges on the wall of the temple all around to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports would not be in the temple wall itself.s 7 The side rooms surrounding the temple widened at each successive story, for the structure surrounding the temple went up by stages. This was the reason for the temple’s broadness as it rose. And so, one would go up from the lowest story to the highest by means of the middle one.AA,t

8 I saw that the temple had a raised platform surrounding it; this foundation for the side rooms was 10½ feet high.AB,u 9 The thickness of the outer wall of the side rooms was 8¾ feet. The free space between the side rooms of the temple 10 and the outer chambers was 35 feet wide all around the temple.a 11 The side rooms opened into the free space, one entrance toward the north and another to the south. The area of free space was 8¾ feet wide all around.

12 Now the building that faced the temple yard toward the west was 122½ feetA wide. The wall of the building was 8¾ feet thick on all sides, and the building’s length was 157½ feet.B

13 Then the man measured the temple; it was 175 feetC long.b In addition, the temple yard and the building, including its walls, were 175 feet long. 14 The width of the front of the temple along with the temple yard to the east was 175 feet. 15 Next he measured the length of the building facing the temple yard to the west, with its galleriesD on each side;c it was 175 feet.

INTERIOR WOODEN STRUCTURES

The interior of the great hall and the porticoes of the court—16 the thresholds, the beveled windows,d and the balconies all around with their three levels opposite the threshold—were overlaid with wood on all sides.e They were paneled from the ground to the windows (but the windows were covered), 17 reaching to the top of the entrance, and as far as the inner temple and on the outside. On every wall all around, on the inside and outside, was a pattern 18 carved with cherubim and palm trees.f There was a palm tree between each pair of cherubim.g Each cherub had two faces: 19 a human face turned toward the palm tree on one side,h and a lion’s face turned toward it on the other. They were carved throughout the temple on all sides. 20 Cherubim and palm trees were carved from the ground to the top of the entrance and on the wall of the great hall.

21 The doorposts of the great hall were square,i and the front of the sanctuary had the same appearance. 22 The altar was* made of wood, 5¼ feetF high and 3½ feet long.G It had corners, and its lengthH and sides were of wood.j The man told me, “This is the table that stands before the Lord.”k

23 The great hall and the sanctuary each had a double door,l 24 and each of the doors had two swinging panels.m There were two panels for one door and two for the other. 25 Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the doors of the great hall like those carved on the walls. There was a wooden canopyI,n outside, in front of the portico. 26 There were beveled windows and palm trees on both sides,o on the side walls of the portico, the side rooms of the temple, and the canopies.I

THE PRIESTS’ CHAMBERS

42 Then the man led me out by way of the north gate into the outer court.p He brought me to the group of chambers opposite the temple yard and opposite the buildingq to the north. 2 Along the length of the chambers, which was 175 feet,* r there was an entrance on the north; the width was 87½ feet.* 3 Opposite the 35 foot spaceL belonging to the inner court and opposite the paved surfaces belonging to the outer court, the structure rose gallery by galleryt in three tiers. 4 In front of the chambers was a walkway toward the inside,u 17½ feetM wide and 175 feet long,N and their entrances were on the north. 5 The upper chambers were narrower because the galleries took away more space from them than from the lower and middle stories of the building. 6 For they were arranged in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts;v therefore the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and middle stories. 7 A wall on the outside ran in front of the chambers, parallel to them, toward the outer court; it was 87½ feet long. 8 For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet long, while those facing the great hall were 175 feet long.w 9 At the base of these chambers there was an entryway on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.x

10 In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the south,O there were chambers facing the temple yardy and the western building, 11 with a passageway in front of them, just like the chambers that faced north.z Their length and width, as well as all their exits, measurements, and entrances, were identical. 12 The entrance at the beginning of the passageway, the way in front of the correspondingP wall as one enters on the east side, was similar to the entrances of the chambers that were on the south side.

13 Then the man said to me, “The northern and southern chambers that face the courtyard are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord will eata the most holy offerings.b There they will deposit the most holy offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings—for the place is holy.c 14 Once the priests have entered, they are not to go out from the holy area to the outer court until they have removed the clothes they minister in, for these are holy.d They are to put on other clothes before they approach the public area.”e

OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS OF THE TEMPLE COMPLEX

15 When he finished measuring inside the temple complex, he led me out by way of the gate that faced east and measured all around the complex.f

16 He measured the east side with a measuring rod;

it was 875 feet* by the measuring rod.*

17 HeC measured the north side;

it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.

18 HeD measured the south side;

it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.

19 Then he turned to the west side

and measured 875 feet by the measuring rod.

20 He measured the temple complex on all four sides. It had a wall all around it,g 875 feet long and 875 feeth wide, to separate the holy from the common.i

RETURN OF THE LORD’S GLORY

43 He led me to the gate,j the one that faces east, 2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israelk coming from the east.l His voice sounded like the roar of a huge torrent,m and the earth shone with his glory.n 3 The vision I sawo was like the one I had seen when heE came to destroy the city,p and like the ones I had seen by the Chebar Canal.q I fell facedown.r 4 The glory of the Lord entered the temple by way of the gate that faced east.s 5 Then the Spirit lifted me upt and brought me to the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.u

6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from the temple.v 7 He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet,w where I will dwell among the Israelites forever.x The house of Israel and their kings will no longer defile my holy name by their religious prostitution and by the corpses* y of their kings at their high places.G,z 8 Whenever they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they were defiling my holy name by the detestable acts they committed.aa So I destroyed them in my anger. 9 Now let them remove their prostitution and the corpsesab of their kings far from me, and I will dwell among them forever.ac

10 “As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel,ad so that they may be ashamed of their iniquities.ae Let them measure its pattern,af 11 and they will be ashamed of all that they have done. Reveal* the design of the temple to them—its layout with its exits and entrancesag—its complete design along with all its statutes, design specifications, and laws. Write it down in their sightah so that they may observe its complete design and all its statutes and may carry them out.ai 12 This is the law of the temple: All its surrounding territory on top of the mountainaj will be especially holy. Yes, this is the law of the temple.

THE ALTAR

13 “These are the measurements of the altarak in units of length (each unit being the standard length plus three inches):I,al The gutter is 21 inches* deep and 21 inches wide, with a rim of nine inchesK around its edge. This is the baseL of the altar. 14 The distance from the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge is 3½ feet,M and the width of the ledge is 21 inches. There are 7 feet* from the small ledge to the large ledge, whose width is also 21 inches. 15 The altar hearthO is 7 feet high, and four hornsam project upward from the hearth. 16 The hearth is square, 21 feetP long by 21 feet wide.an 17 The ledge is 24½ feetQ long by 24½ feet wide, with four equal sides.ao The rim all around it is 10½ inches,R and its gutter is 21 inches all around it. The altar’s steps face east.”ap

18 Then he said to me, “Son of man,a this is what the Lord God says: These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is constructed, so that burnt offeringsb may be sacrificed on it and blood may be splattered on it:c 19 You are to give a bull from the herdd as a sin offeringe to the Levitical priests who are from the offspring of Zadok,f who approach me in order to serve me.”g This is the declaration of the Lord God. 20 “You are to take some of its blood and apply it to the four hornsh of the altar, the four corners of the ledge, and all around the rim. In this way you will purify the altar and make atonement for it.i 21 Then you are to take away the bull for the sin offering, and it must be burned outside the sanctuary in the place appointed for the temple.j

22 “On the second day you are to present an unblemished male goat as a sin offering. They will purify the altar just as they did with the bull. 23 When you have finished the purification, you are to present a young, unblemished bullk and an unblemished ram from the flock.l 24 You are to present them before the Lord; the priests will throw salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.m 25 You will offer a goat for a sin offering each day for seven days.n A young bull and a ram from the flock, both unblemished, are also to be offered. 26 For seven days the priests are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it. In this way they will consecrate itA 27 and complete the days of purification. Then on the eighth dayo and afterward, the priests will offer your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar, and I will accept you.”p This is the declaration of the Lord God.

THE PRINCE’S PRIVILEGE

44 The man then brought me back toward the sanctuary’s outer gate that faced east, and it was closed. 2 The Lord said to me, “This gate will remain closed. It will not be opened, and no one will enter through it, because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it.q Therefore it will remain closed. 3 The prince himself will sit in the gate to eat a meal before the Lord.r He is to enter by way of the porticos of the gate and go out the same way.”

4 Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked, and the glory of the Lord filled his temple.t And I fell facedown.u 5 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, pay attention;v look with your eyes and listen with your ears to everything I tell you about all the statutes and laws of the Lord’s temple.w Take careful note of the entrance of the temple along with all the exits of the sanctuary.

THE LEVITES’ DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES

6 “Say to the rebellious people,x the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I have had enoughy of all your detestable practices, house of Israel. 7 When you brought in foreigners,z uncircumcised in both heart and flesh,aa to occupy my sanctuary, you defiled my temple while you offered my food—the fat and the blood. YouB broke my covenant by all your detestable practices. 8 You have not kept charge of my holy thingsab but have appointed others to keep charge of my sanctuary for you.’

9 “This is what the Lord God says: No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, may enter my sanctuary, not even a foreigner who is among the Israelites. 10 Surely the Levites who wandered away from me when Israel went astray, and who strayed from me after their idols,ac will bear the consequences of their iniquity.ad 11 Yet they will occupy my sanctuary, serving as guards at the temple gatesae and ministering at the temple. They will slaughter the burnt offeringsaf and other sacrifices for the people and will stand before them to serve them.ag 12 Because they ministered to the house of Israel before their idols and became a sinful stumbling block to them, therefore I swore an oathC against them”ah—this is the declaration of the Lord God—“that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity. 13 They must not approach me to serve me as priestsai or come near any of my holy things or the most holy things. They will bear their disgrace and the consequences of the detestable acts they committed. 14 Yet I will make them responsible for the duties of the templeaj—for all its work and everything done in it.

THE PRIESTS’ DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES

15 “But the Levitical priests descended from Zadok,ak who kept charge of my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, will approach me to serve me. They will stand before me to offer me fat and blood.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. 16 “They are the ones who may enter my sanctuarya and approach my table to serve me.b They will keep my mandate. 17 When they enter the gates of the inner court they are to wear linen garments;c they must not have on them anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court and within it. 18 They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists.d They are not to put on anything that makes them sweat. 19 Before they go out to the outer court,A to the people, they must take off the clothes they have been ministering in, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothese so that they do not transmit holiness to the people through their clothes.f

20 “They may not shave their headsg or let their hair grow long,h but are to carefully trim their hair. 21 No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court.i 22 He is not to marry a widow or a divorced woman, but may marry only a virgin from the offspring of the house of Israel,j or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23 They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and explain to them the difference between the clean and the unclean.k

24 “In a dispute, they will officiate as judges and decide the case according to my ordinances.l They are to observe my laws and statutes regarding all my appointed festivals, and keep my Sabbaths holy.m 25 A priest may not come near a dead person so that he becomes defiled.n However, he may defile himself for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister. 26 After he is cleansed, he is to count off seven days for himself.o 27 On the day he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner courtp to minister in the sanctuary, he is to present his sin offering.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

28 “This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance.q You are to give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession. 29 They will eat the grain offering, the sin offering,r and the guilt offering. Everything in Israel that is permanently dedicated to the Lord will belong to them.s 30 The best of all the firstfruits of every kind and contribution of every kind from all your gifts will belong to the priests.t You are to give your first batch of dough to the priestu so that a blessing may rest on your homes.v 31 The priests may not eat any bird or animal that died naturally or was mauled by wild beasts.w

THE SACRED PORTION OF THE LAND

45 “When you divide the land by lot as an inheritance,x set aside a donation to the Lord, a holy portion of the land,y 8⅓ miles* long and 6⅔ milesC wide. This entire region will be holy. 2 In this area there will be a square sectionD for the sanctuary, 875 by 875 feet,E,z with 87½ feetF of open space all around it. 3 From this holy portion,G you will measure off an area 8⅓ miles long and 3⅓ miles* wide, in which the sanctuary, the most holy place,aa will stand.I 4 It will be a holy area of the land to be used by the priests who minister in the sanctuary, who approach to serve the Lord.ab It will be a place for their houses, as well as a holy area for the sanctuary. 5 There will be another area 8⅓ miles long and 3⅓ miles wide for the Levites who minister in the temple;ac it will be their possession for towns to live in.J

6 “As the property of the city, set aside an area 1⅔ milesK wide and 8⅓ miles long, adjacent to the holy donation of land.ad It will be for the whole house of Israel. 7 And the prince will have the area on each side of the holy donation of land and the city’s property, adjacent to the holy donation and the city’s property, stretching to the west on the west side and to the east on the east side.ae Its length will correspond to one of the tribal portions from the western boundary to the eastern boundary. 8 This will be his land as a possession in Israel. My princes will no longer oppress my peopleaf but give the rest of the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

9 “This is what the Lord God says: You have gone too far,L,ag princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression and do what is just and right.ah Put an end to your evictions of my people.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. 10 “You are to have honest scales, an honest dry measure,M and an honest liquid measure.N,ai 11 The dry measureA and the liquid measureB will be uniform, with the liquid measure containing 5½ gallonsC and the dry measure holding half a bushel.C Their measurement will be a tenth of the standard larger capacity measure.D 12 The shekelE will weigh twenty gerahs.a Your mina will equal sixty shekels.

THE PEOPLE’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE SACRIFICES

13 “This is the contribution you are to offer: Three quartsF from six bushelsG of wheat andH three quarts from five bushels of barley. 14 The quota of oil in liquid measuresI will be one percent of everyJ cor. The cor equals ten liquid measures or one standard larger capacity measure,K since ten liquid measures equal one standard larger capacity measure. 15 And the quota from the flock is one animal out of every two hundred from the well-watered pastures of Israel. These are for the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings, to make atonement for the people.”b This is the declaration of the Lord God. 16 “All the people of the land must take part in this contribution for the prince in Israel. 17 Then the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings for the festivals, New Moons, and Sabbaths—for all the appointed times of the house of Israel—will be the prince’s responsibility. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings to make atonement on behalf of the house of Israel.

18 “This is what the Lord God says: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you are to take a young, unblemished bull and purify the sanctuary. 19 The priest is to take some of the blood from the sin offering and apply it to the temple doorposts, the four corners of the altar’s ledge, and the doorposts of the gate of the inner court.c 20 You are to do the same thing on the seventh day of the month for everyone who sins unintentionally or through ignorance.d In this way you will make atonement for the temple.

21 “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you are to celebrate the Passover, a festival of seven days during which unleavened bread will be eaten.e 22 On that day the prince will provide a bull as a sin offering on behalf of himself and all the people of the land. 23 During the seven days of the festival, he will provide seven bulls and seven rams without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord on each of the seven days, along with a male goat each day for a sin offering. 24 He will also provide a grain offering of half a bushelL per bull and half a bushel per ram, along with a gallonM of oil for every half bushel. 25 At the festival that begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month,N,f he will provide the same things for seven days—the same sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, and oil.

SACRIFICES AT APPOINTED TIMES

46 “This is what the Lord God says: The gate of the inner court that faces east is to be closed during the six days of work, but it will be opened on the Sabbath dayg and opened on the day of the New Moon. 2 The prince should enter from the outside by way of the gate’s portico and stand at the gate’s doorpost while the priests sacrifice his burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He will bow in worship at the gate’s threshold and then depart, but the gate is not to be closed until evening. 3 The people of the land will also bow in worship before the Lord at the entrance of that gate on the Sabbaths and New Moons.

4 “The burnt offering that the prince presents to the Lordh on the Sabbath day is to be six unblemished lambsi and an unblemished ram. 5 The grain offering will be half a bushel* with the ram,j and the grain offering with the lambs will be whatever he wants to give, as well as a gallon* of oil for every half bushel. 6 On the day of the New Moon, the burnt offering is to be a young, unblemished bull, as well as six lambs and a ram without blemish. 7 He will provide a grain offering of half a bushel with the bull, half a bushel with the ram, and whatever he can afford with the lambs, together with a gallon of oil for every half bushel. 8 When the prince enters,k he is to go in by way of the gate’s portico and go out the same way.

9 “When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed times,Q,l whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship is to go out by way of the south gate, and whoever enters by way of the south gate is to go out by way of the north gate. No one may return through the gate by which he entered, but is to go out by the opposite gate. 10 When the people enter, the prince will enter with them, and when they leave, he will leave. 11 At the festivals and appointed times, the grain offering will be half a bushel with the bull, half a bushel with the ram, and whatever he wants to give with the lambs, along with a gallon of oil for every half bushel.

12 “When the prince makes a freewill offering, whether a burnt offering or a fellowship offering as a freewill offering to the Lord,a the gate that faces east is to be opened for him. He is to offer his burnt offering or fellowship offering just as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he will go out, and the gate is to be closed after he leaves.

13 “You are to offer an unblemished year-old male lamb as a daily burnt offering to the Lord; you will offer it every morning.b 14 You are also to prepare a grain offering every morning along with it: three quarts,A with one-third of a gallonB of oil to moisten the fine flour—a grain offering to the Lord. This is a permanent statute to be observed regularly. 15 They will offer the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil every morning as a regular burnt offering.

TRANSFER OF ROYAL LANDS

16 “This is what the Lord God says: If the prince gives a gift to each of his sons as their inheritance, it will belong to his sons. It will become their property by inheritance. 17 But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to that servant until the year of freedom,c when it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs only to his sons; it is theirs. 18 The prince must not take any of the people’s inheritance, evicting them from their property.d He is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of my people will be displaced from his own property.”

THE TEMPLE KITCHENS

19 Then he brought me through the entrancee that was at the side of the gate, into the priests’ holy chambers, which faced north. I saw a place there at the far western end. 20 He said to me, “This is the place where the priests will boil the guilt offering and the sin offering,f and where they will bake the grain offering,g so that they do not bring them into the outer court and transmit holiness to the people.” 21 Next he brought me into the outer court and led me past its four corners. There was a separate court in each of its corners. 22 In the four corners of the outer court there were enclosedC courts, 70 feetD long by 52½ feetE wide. All four corner areas had the same dimensions. 23 There was a stone wallF around the inside of them, around the four of them, with ovens built at the base of the walls on all sides. 24 He said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple will cook the people’s sacrifices.”

THE LIFE-GIVING RIVER

47 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple and there was water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the temple faced east. The water was coming down from under the south side of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.h 2 Next he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate that faced east; there the water was trickling from the south side. 3 As the man went out east with a measuring line in his hand,i he measured off a third of a mile* and led me through the water. It came up to my ankles. 4 Then he measured off a third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my knees. He measured off another third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured off a third of a mile, and it was a river that I could not cross on foot. For the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed on foot.

6 He asked me, “Do you see this, son of man?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I had returned, I saw a very large number of trees along both sides of the riverbank.j 8 He said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down to the Arabah. When it enters the sea, the sea of foul water,H,I the water of the sea becomes fresh.k 9 Every kind of living creature that swarms will live wherever the river flows,A and there will be a huge number of fish because this water goes there. Since the water will become fresh, there will be life everywhere the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside it from En-gedi to En-eglaim.B These will become places where nets are spread out to dry. Their fish will consist of many different kinds, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.a 11 Yet its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be left for salt. 12 All kinds of trees providing food will grow along both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail.b Each month they will bear fresh fruit because the water comes from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be used for eating and their leaves for healing.”c

THE BORDERS OF THE LAND

13 This is what the Lord God says: “This isC the border you will use to divide the landd as an inheritance for the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will receive two shares.e 14 You will inherit it in equal portions, since I sworeD to give it to your ancestors.f So this land will fall to you as an inheritance.

15 This is to be the border of the land:

On the north sideg it will extend from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon and Lebo-hamath to Zedad,* 16 Berothah, and Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the border will run from the sea to Hazar-enon at the borderh of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern side.

18 On the east side it will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; you will measure from the northern border to the eastern sea.F This will be the eastern side.

19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the Waters of Meribath-kadesh,G and on to the Brook of Egypti as far as the Mediterranean Sea.j This will be the southern side.

20 On the west side the Mediterranean Sea will be the border, from the southern border up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western side.

21 “You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.k 22 You will allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens residing among you,l who have fathered children among you. You will treat themH like native-born Israelites; along with you, they will be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the alien resides, you will assign his inheritance there.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

THE TRIBAL ALLOTMENTS

48 “Now these are the names of the tribes:

From the northern end, along the road of Hethlon, to Lebo-hamath as far as Hazar-enon, at the northern border of Damascus, alongside Hamath and extending from the eastern side to the sea, will be Dan—one portion.

2 Next to the territory of Dan, from the east side to the west, will be Asher—one portion.

3 Next to the territory of Asher, from the east side to the west, will be Naphtali—one portion.

4 Next to the territory of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, will be Manasseh—one portion.

5 Next to the territory of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, will be Ephraim—one portion.

6 Next to the territory of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, will be Reuben—one portion.

7 Next to the territory of Reuben, from the east side to the west, will be Judah—one portion.

8 “Next to the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, will be the portion you donate to the Lord, 8⅓ miles* wide, and as long as one of the tribal portions from the east side to the west.m The sanctuary will be in the middle of it.

9 “The special portion you donate to the Lord will be 8⅓ miles long and 3⅓ miles* wide. 10 This holy donation will be set apart for the priests alone. It will be 8⅓ miles long on the northern side, 3⅓ miles wide on the western side, 3⅓ miles wide on the eastern side, and 8⅓ miles long on the southern side. The Lord’s sanctuary will be in the middle of it. 11 It is for the consecrated priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept my chargea and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray. 12 It will be a special donation for them out of the holy donation of the land, a most holy place adjacent to the territory of the Levites.

13 “Next to the territory of the priests, the Levites will have an area 8⅓ miles long and 3⅓ miles wide. The total length will be 8⅓ miles and the width 3⅓ miles.b 14 They must not sell or exchange any of it, and they must not transfer this choice part of the land, for it is holy to the Lord.c

15 “The remaining area, 1⅔ milesA wide and 8⅓ miles long, will be for common use by the city,d for both residential and open space. The city will be in the middle of it. 16 These are the city’s measurements:

1½ miles* on the north side;

1½ miles on the south side;

1½ miles on the east side;

and 1½ miles on the west side.

17 The city’s open space will extend:

425 feetC to the north,

425 feet to the south,

425 feet to the east,

and 425 feet to the west.

18 “The remainder of the length alongside the holy donation will be 3⅓ miles to the east and 3⅓ miles to the west. It will run alongside the holy donation. Its produce will be food for the workers of the city. 19 The city’s workers from all the tribes of Israel will cultivate it.e 20 The entire donation will be 8⅓ miles by 8⅓ miles; you are to set apart the holy donation along with the city property as a square area.

21 “The remaining area on both sides of the holy donation and the city property will belong to the prince.f He will own the land adjacent to the tribal portions, next to the 8⅓ miles of the donation as far as the eastern border andD next to the 8⅓ miles of the donation as far as the western border. The holy donation and the sanctuary of the temple will be in the middle of it. 22 Except for the Levitical property and the city property in the middle of the area belonging to the prince, the area between the territory of Judah and that of Benjamin will belong to the prince.g

23 “As for the rest of the tribes:

From the east side to the west, will be Benjamin—one portion.

24 Next to the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, will be Simeon—one portion.

25 Next to the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, will be Issachar—one portion.

26 Next to the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, will be Zebulun—one portion.

27 Next to the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, will be Gad—one portion.

28 Next to the territory of Gad toward the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the Watersh of Meribath-kadesh, to the Brook of Egypt, and out to the Mediterranean Sea. 29 This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to Israel’s tribes,i and these will be their portions.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

THE NEW CITY

30 “These are the exits of the city:

On the north side, which measures 1½ miles, 31 there will be three gates facing north, the gates of the city being named for the tribes of Israel: one, the gate of Reuben; one, the gate of Judah; and one, the gate of Levi.

32 On the east side, which is 1½ miles, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Joseph; one, the gate of Benjamin; and one, the gate of Dan.

33 On the south side, which measures 1½ miles, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Simeon; one, the gate of Issachar; and one, the gate of Zebulun.

34 On the west side, which is 1½ miles, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Gad; one, the gate of Asher; and one, the gate of Naphtali.

35 The perimeter of the city will be six miles,E and the name of the city from that day on will be The Lord Is There.”j

DANIEL

DANIEL’S CAPTIVITY IN BABYLON

1 In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakima of Judah, King NebuchadnezzarA,b of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. 2 The Lord handed King Jehoiakim of Judah over to him, along with some of the vessels from the house of God.c Nebuchadnezzar carried them to the land of Babylon,B,d to the house of his god,C and put the vessels in the treasury of his god.

3 The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch,D to bring some of the Israelites from the royal familye and from the nobility—4 young men without any physical defect, good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom,f knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the king’s palace.g He was to teach them the Chaldean languageh and literature. 5 The king assigned them daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank.i They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to attend the king.E,j 6 Among them, from the Judahites, were Daniel,k Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief eunuch gave them names; he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah.l

FAITHFULNESS IN BABYLON

8 Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s foodm or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief eunuch not to defile himself.n 9 God had granted Daniel kindness and compassion from the chief eunuch,o 10 yet he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and drink. What if he sees your faces looking thinner than the other young men your age? You would endanger my lifeF with the king.”

11 So Daniel said to the guard whom the chief eunuch had assigned to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are eating the king’s food, and deal with your servants based on what you see.” 14 He agreed with them about this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days they looked better and healthierG than all the young men who were eating the king’s food.p 16 So the guard continued to remove their food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables.

FAITHFULNESS REWARDED

17 God gave these four young men knowledge and understandingq in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreamsr of every kind. 18 At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.s So they began to attend the king. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten timesH,t better than all the magicians and mediumsu in his entire kingdom. 21 Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.v

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM

2 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreamsw that troubled him, and sleep deserted him.x 2 So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, mediums, sorcerers, and ChaldeansI,y to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream and am anxious to understand it.”

4 The Chaldeans spoke to the king (Aramaic* z begins here): “May the king live forever.aa Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, “My word is final: If you don’t tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb,K and your houses will be made a garbage dump.ab 6 But if you make the dream and its interpretation known to me, you’ll receive gifts, a reward, and great honor from me.a So make the dream and its interpretation known to me.”

7 They answered a second time, “May the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will make known the interpretation.”

8 The king replied, “I know for certain you are trying to gain some time, because you see that my word is final. 9 If you don’t tell me the dream, there is one decree for you.b You have conspired to tell me something false or fraudulent until the situation changes. So tell me the dream and I will know you can give me its interpretation.”

10 The Chaldeans answered the king, “No one on earth can make known what the king requests.c Consequently, no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked anything like this of any magician, medium, or Chaldean. 11 What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”d 12 Because of this, the king became violently angrye and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 The decree was issued that the wise men were to be executed, and they searched for Daniel and his friends, to execute them.

14 Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard,A,f who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. 15 He asked Arioch, the king’s officer, “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?”B,g Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. 16 So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation.

17 Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter, 18 urging them to ask the God of the heavensh for mercyi concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men.j 19 The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a visionk at night, and Daniel praised the God of the heavens 20 and declared:

May the name of God

be praised forever and ever,l

for wisdomm and power belong to him.

21 He changes the times and seasons;

he removes kings and establishes kings.n

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those

who have understanding.o

22 He reveals the deep and hidden things;

he knows what is in the darkness,p

and light dwells with him.q

23 I offer thanks and praise to you,

God of my ancestors,r

because you have given me

wisdom and power.

And now you have let me know

what we asked of you,

for you have let us knows

the king’s mystery.C

24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch,t whom the king had assigned to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He came and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will give him the interpretation.”u

25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him, “I have found a man among the Judean exilesv who can let the king know the interpretation.”

26 The king said in reply to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,w “Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?”x

27 Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, medium, magician, or divinery is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days.z Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay in bedaa were these: 29 Your Majesty, while you were in your bed, thoughts came to your mind about what will happen in the future.* ab The revealer of mysteriesac has let you know what will happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me,ad not because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.ae

THE DREAM’S INTERPRETATION

31 “Your Majesty, as you were watching, suddenly a colossal statue appeared. That statue, tall and dazzling, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was terrifying. 32 The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its stomach and thighs were bronze, 33 its legs were iron, and its feet were partly iron and partly fired clay. 34 As you were watching, a stone broke off without a hand touching it,A,a struck the statueb on its feet of iron and fired clay, and crushed them.c 35 Then the iron, the fired clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were shattered and became like chaffd from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and fillede the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 Your Majesty, you are king of kings.f The God of the heavens has given you sovereignty, power,g strength, and glory. 38 Wherever people live—or wild animals, or birds of the sky—he has handed them over to you and made you ruler over them all.h You are the head of gold.

39 “After you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours, and then another, a third kingdom, of bronze, which will rule the whole earth.i 40 A fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron; for iron crushes and shatters everything, and like iron that smashes, it will crush and smash all the others.B,j 41 You saw the feet and toes, partly of a potter’s fired clay and partly of iron—it will be a divided kingdom, though some of the strength of iron will be in it. You saw the iron mixed with clay, 42 and that the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly fired clay—part of the kingdom will be strong, and part will be brittle. 43 You saw the iron mixed with clay—the peoples will mix with one anotherC but will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with fired clay.

44 “In the days of those kings, the God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed,k and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdomsl and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever. 45 You saw a stonem break off from the mountain without a hand touching it,D,n and it crushed the iron, bronze, fired clay, silver, and gold. The great God has told the king what will happen in the future.o The dream is certain, and its interpretation reliable.”

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S RESPONSE

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell facedown, worshiped Daniel, and gave orders to present an offering and incense to him.p 47 The king said to Daniel, “Your God is indeed God of gods, Lord of kings,q and a revealer of mysteries,r since you were able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.s 49 At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednegot to manage the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.u

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S GOLD STATUE

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue,v ninety feet high and nine feet wide.E He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.w 2 King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulersx of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue the king had set up. Then they stood before the statue Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 A herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation and language, you are commanded: 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither,F lyre,G harp, drum,H and every kind of music,y you are to fall facedown and worshipz the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 But whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.”aa

7 Therefore, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and every kind of music, people of every nation and language fell down and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

THE FURNACE OF BLAZING FIRE

8 Some Chaldeansab took this occasion to come forward and maliciously accuseI,ac the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever. 10 You as king have issued a decreead that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music must fall down and worship the gold statue. 11 Whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. 12 There are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.a These men have ignored you,b the king; they do not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

13 Then in a furious ragec Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statued I have set up? 15 Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”e

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17 If the God we serve exists,f then he can rescueg us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he canA rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if he does not rescue us,B we want you as king to know that we will not serveh your godsi or worship the gold statue you set up.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage,j and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than was customary, 20 and he commanded some of the best soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 So these men, in their trousers, robes, head coverings,C and other clothes, were tied up and thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. 22 Since the king’s command was so urgentD,k and the furnace extremely hot, the raging flamesE killed those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.

DELIVERED FROM THE FIRE

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm.l He said to his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?”

“Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” they replied to the king.

25 He exclaimed, “Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed;m and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”F,n

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and called, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God—come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.o 27 When the satraps, prefects, governors, and the king’s advisers gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effectp onG the bodies of these men: not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.q 28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angelH,r and rescued his servants who trusted in him.s They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.t 29 Therefore I issue a decreeu that anyone of any people, nation, or languagev who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump.w For there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.” 30 Then the king rewarded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.x

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S PROCLAMATION

4 King Nebuchadnezzar,

To those of every people, nation, and language, who live on the whole earth:y

May your prosperity increase.z 2 I am pleased to tell you about the miracles and wondersaa the Most High God has done for me.

3 How great are his miracles,

and how mighty his wonders!ab

His kingdom is an eternal kingdom,ac

and his dominion is from generation to generation.a

THE DREAM

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.b 5 I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.c 6 So I issued a decreed to bring all the wise men of Babylon to me in order that they might make the dream’s interpretation known to me.e 7 When the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners came in, I told them the dream, but they could not make its interpretation known to me.f

8 Finally Daniel, named Belteshazzarg after the name of my god—and a spirit of the holy gods is in himh—came before me. I told him the dream: 9 “Belteshazzar, head of the magicians, because I know that you have the spirit of the holy godsi and that no mystery puzzles you,j explain to me the visions of my dream that I saw, and its interpretation. 10 In the visions of my mind as I was lying in bed, I saw this:

There was a tree in the middle of the earth,

and it was very tall.

11 The tree grew large and strong;

its top reached to the sky,k

and it was visible to the ends of theA earth.

12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit was abundant,

and on it was food for all.l

Wild animals found shelter under it,

the birds of the skym lived in its branches,

and every creature was fed from it.n

13 “As I was lying in my bed, I also saw in the visions of my mind a watcher, a holy one,B,o coming down from heaven.p 14 He called out loudly:

Cut down the tree and chop off its branches;

strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.

Let the animals flee from under it,

and the birds from its branches.q

15 But leave the stump with its roots in the groundr

and with a band of iron and bronze around it

in the tender grass of the field.

Let him be drenched with dew from the sky

and share the plants of the earths

with the animals.

16 Let his mind be changed from that of a human,

and let him be given the mind of an animal

for seven periods of time.C,D,t

17 This word is by decree of the watchers,

and the decision is by command from the holy ones.

This is so that the living will know

that the Most High is ruler

over human kingdoms.

He gives them to anyone he wants

and sets the lowliest of people over them.u

18 This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can make the interpretation known to me.v But you can, because you have a spirit of the holy gods.”

THE DREAM INTERPRETED

19 Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was stunned for a moment, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.”

Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!w 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky and was visible to the whole earth, 21 and whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant—and on it was food for all, under it the wild animals lived, and in its branches the birds of the sky lived—22 that tree is you, Your Majesty. For you have become great and strong: your greatness has grown and even reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.x

23 “The king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share food with the wild animals for seven periods of time.’ 24 This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree of the Most High that has been issued against my lord the king:a 25 You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals. You will feed on grass like cattleb and be drenched with dew from the sky for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.c 26 As for the command to leave the tree’s stump with its roots, your kingdom will be restoredA to you as soon as you acknowledge that HeavenB rules.d 27 Therefore, may my advice seem good to you my king. Separate yourself from your sins by doing what is right,e and from your injustices by showing mercy to the needy.f Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”g

THE SENTENCE EXECUTED

28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.h 29 At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, 30 the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great that I have built to be a royal residence by my vast power and for my majestic glory?”i

31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared that the kingdom has departed from you.j 32 You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals, and you will feed on grass like cattle for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms, and he gives them to anyone he wants.”

33 At that moment the message against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people. He ate grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.k

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S PRAISE

34 But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity returned to me. Then I praised the Most High and honored and glorified him who lives forever:l

For his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

and his kingdom is from generation to generation.m

35 All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing,n

and he does what he wantso with the army of heaven

and the inhabitants of the earth.

There is no one who can block his hand

or say to him, “What have you done?”p

36 At that time my sanity returned to me, and my majesty and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and my nobles sought me out, I was reestablished over my kingdom, and even more greatness came to me.q 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens, because all his works are true and his ways are just.r He is able to humbles those who walk in pride.t

BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST

5 King Belshazzaru held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine in their presence. 2 Under the influence ofC the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vesselsv that his predecessorD Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them. 3 So they brought in the goldE vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem,w and the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them. 4 They drank the wine and praised their gods made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.x

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL

5 At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the handF that was writing, 6 his face turned pale,G and his thoughts so terrified him that he soiled himselfH and his knees knocked together. 7 The king shouted to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck,y and have the third highest position in the kingdom.” 8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him. 9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale,A and his nobles were bewildered.a

10 Because of the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queenB came to the banquet hall. “May the king live forever,” she said. “Don’t let your thoughts terrify you or your face be pale.C,b 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has a spirit of the holy gods in him.c In the days of your predecessor he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. Your own predecessor, the king, 12 did this because Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and intelligence, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems.d Therefore, summon Daniel, and he will give the interpretation.”

DANIEL BEFORE THE KING

13 Then Daniel was brought before the king. The king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the Judean exiles that my predecessor the king brought from Judah?e 14 I’ve heard that you have a spirit of the gods in you, and that insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men and mediums were brought before me to read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not give its interpretation. 16 However, I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.”f

17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts and give your rewards to someone else;g however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him. 18 Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty,h greatness, glory, and majesty to your predecessor Nebuchadnezzar.i 19 Because of the greatness he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languagesj were terrified and fearful of him. He killed anyone he wanted and kept alive anyone he wanted; he exalted anyone he wanted and humbled anyone he wanted. 20 But when his heart was exalted and his spirit became arrogant,k he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken from him.l 21 He was driven away from people,m his mind was like an animal’s, he lived with the wild donkeys,n he was fed grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky until he acknowledged that the Most High God is ruler over human kingdoms and sets anyone he wants over them.o

22 “But you his successor, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart,p even though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of the heavens. The vessels from his house were brought to you, and as you and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them,q you praised the gods made of silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or understand.r But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in his hand and who controls the whole course of your life.D,s 24 Therefore, he sent the hand, and this writing was inscribed.

THE INSCRIPTION’S INTERPRETATION

25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the message:

‘Mene’E means that God has numberedF the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.t

27 ‘Tekel’G means that you have been weighedH on the balance and found deficient.

28 ‘Peres’I,* means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”K

29 Then Belshazzar gave an order, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck,u and issued a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed, 31 and Darius the Medev received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

THE PLOT AGAINST DANIEL

6 Darius decidedL to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the realm, 2 and over them three administrators, including Daniel.w These satraps would be accountable to them so that the king would not be defrauded.a 3 DanielA distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit,b so the king planned to set him over the whole realm.c 4 The administrators and satraps, therefore, kept trying to find a charge against Danield regarding the kingdom. But they could find no charge or corruption,e for he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”f

6 So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said to him, “May King Darius live forever.g 7 All the administrators of the kingdomh—the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors—have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an edict that, for thirty days, anyone who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den.i 8 Therefore, Your Majesty, establish the edictj and sign the document so that, as a law of the Medes and Persians, it is irrevocable and cannot be changed.”k 9 So King Darius signed the written edict.l

DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN

10 When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upstairs room opened toward Jerusalem,m and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God,n just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and foundo Daniel petitioning and imploring his God. 12 So they approached the kingp and asked about his edict: “Didn’t you sign an edict that for thirty days any person who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “As a law of the Medes and Persians, the order standsB and is irrevocable.”q

13 Then they replied to the king, “Daniel, one of the Judean exiles, has ignored you,r the king, and the edict you signed, for he prays three times a day.” 14 As soon as the king heard this, he was very displeased; he set his mind on rescuing Daniels and made every effort until sundown to deliver him.

15 Then these men went together to the king and said to him, “You know, Your Majesty, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or ordinance the king establishes can be changed.”t

16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.u The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you continually serve,v rescue you!” 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den.w The king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing in regard to Daniel could be changed. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting.x No diversionsC were brought to him, and he could not sleep.y

DANIEL RELEASED

19 At the first light of dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he reached the den, he cried out in anguish to Daniel. “Daniel, servant of the living God,” the king said,D “has your God, whom you continually serve, been able to rescue youz from the lions?”

21 Then Daniel spoke with the king: “May the king live forever. 22 My God sent his angelaa and shut the lions’ mouths; and they haven’t harmed me, for I was found innocent before him. And also before you, Your Majesty, I have not done harm.”

23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to take Daniel out of the den. When Daniel was brought up from the den, he was found to be unharmed, for he trusted in his God.ab 24 The king then gave the command, and those men who had maliciously accused DanielE,ac were brought and thrown into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives.ad They had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

DARIUS HONORS GOD

25 Then King Darius wrote to those of every people, nation, and language who live on the whole earth: “May your prosperity abound.ae 26 I issue a decreeaf that in all my royal dominion, people must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel:ag

For he is the living God,

and he endures forever;

his kingdom will never be destroyed,ah

and his dominion has no end.

27 He rescues and delivers;

he performs signs and wonders

in the heavens and on the earth,a

for he has rescued Daniel

from the power of the lions.”

28 So Daniel prosperedb during the reign of Darius andA the reign of Cyrus the Persian.c

DANIEL’S VISION OF THE FOUR BEASTS

7 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream with visions in his mindd as he was lying in his bed. He wrote down the dream,e and here is the summaryB of his account. 2 Daniel said, “In my vision at night I was watching, and suddenly the four winds of heavenf stirred up the great sea. 3 Four huge beastsg came up from the sea,h each different from the other.

4 “The first was like a lioni but had eagle’s wings. I continued watching until its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, set on its feet like a man, and given a human mind.

5 “Suddenly, another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear.j It was raised up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up! Gorge yourself on flesh.’

6 “After this, while I was watching, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopardk with four wings of a bird on its back. It had four heads,l and it was given dominion.

7 “After this, while I was watching in the night visions, suddenly a fourth beastm appeared, frightening and dreadful, and incredibly strong, with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and it trampled with its feet whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.n

8 “While I was considering the horns, suddenly another horn,o a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. And suddenly in this horn there were eyes like the eyes of a human and a mouth that was speaking arrogantly.p

THE ANCIENT OF DAYS AND THE SON OF MAN

9 “As I kept watching,

thrones were set in place,q

and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

His clothing was white like snow,r

and the hair of his head like whitest wool.s

His throne was flaming fire;t

its wheels were blazing fire.u

10 A river of fire was flowing,

coming out from his presence.

Thousands upon thousandsv served him;

ten thousand times ten thousandw stood before him.

The court was convened,x

and the books were opened.y

11 “I watched, then, because of the sound of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued watching, the beast was killed and its body destroyed and given over to the burning fire.z 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but an extension of life was granted to them for a certain period of time.aa 13 I continued watching in the night visions,

and suddenly one like a son of manab

was coming with the clouds of heaven.ac

He approached the Ancient of Days

and was escorted before him.

14 He was given dominionad

and glory and a kingdom,

so that those of every people,

nation, and languageae

should serveaf him.

His dominion is an everlastingag dominion

that will not pass away,

and his kingdom is one

that will not be destroyed.

INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was deeply distressed within me,C and the visions in my mind terrified me.ah 16 I approached one of those who were standing by and asked himai to clarify all this. So he let me know the interpretation of these things:aj 17 ‘These huge beasts, four in number, are four kings who will rise from the earth. 18 But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever, yes, forever and ever.’ak

19 “Then I wanted to be clear about the fourth beast,al the one different from all the others, extremely terrifying, with iron teeth and bronze claws, devouring, crushing, and trampling with its feet whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten hornsa on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three fell—the horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly,b and that looked bigger than the others. 21 As I was watching, this horn waged warc against the holy ones and was prevailing over them 22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and a judgmentd was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, for the time had come, and the holy ones took possession of the kingdom.

23 “This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it. 24 The ten hornse are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. Another king, different from the previous ones, will rise after them and subdue three kings. 25 He will speak words against the Most Highf and oppressA the holy onesg of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivalsB and laws,h and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.C,i 26 But the court will convene,j and his dominion will be taken away, to be completely destroyed forever.k 27 The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom,l and all rulers will serve and obey him.’

28 “This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts terrified me greatly,m and my face turned pale,D but I kept the matter to myself.”n

THE VISION OF A RAM AND A GOAT

8 In the third year of King Belshazzar’so reign, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me earlier.p 2 I saw the vision, and as I watched, I was in the fortress city of Susa,q in the province of Elam.r I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 I looked up,E and there was a rams standing beside the canal. He had two horns. The two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up last. 4 I saw the ram charging to the west, the north, and the south.t No animal could stand against him, and there was no rescue from his power. He did whatever he wantedu and became great.

5 As I was observing, a male goat appeared, coming from the west across the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground. The goat had a conspicuous hornF between his eyes.v 6 He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed at him with savage fury. 7 I saw him approaching the ram and, infuriated with him, he struck the ram, breaking his two horns, and the ram was not strong enough to stand against him. The goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and there was no one to rescue the ram from his power. 8 Then the male goat acted even more arrogantly,w but when he became powerful, the large horn was broken.x Four conspicuous horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven.y

THE LITTLE HORN

9 From one of them a little hornz emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land.G,aa 10 It grew as high as the heavenly army, made some of the army and some of the starsH fall to the earth,ab and trampled them.ac 11 It acted arrogantlyad even against the Prince of the heavenly army;ae it revoked his regular sacrificeaf and overthrew the place of his sanctuary. 12 In the rebellion, the army was given up, together with the regular sacrifice. The horn threw truth to the ground and was successfulag in what it did.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking,ah and another holy one said to the speaker, “How long will the events of this vision lastai—the regular sacrifice, the rebellion that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and of the army to be trampled?”aj

14 He said to me,I “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be restored.”

INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION

15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there stood before me someone who appeared to be a man.ak 16 I heard a human voice calling from the middle of the Ulai: “Gabriel,al explain the vision to this man.”

17 So he approached where I was standing; when he came near, I was terrified and fell facedown.a “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision refers to the time of the end.”b 18 While he was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep,c with my face to the ground. Then he touched me, made me stand up,d 19 and said, “I am here to tell you what will happen at the conclusion of the time of wrath, because it refers to the appointed time of the end.e 20 The two-horned ramf that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king.A 22 The four horns that took the place of the broken horn represent four kingdoms. They will rise from that nation, but without its power.

23 Near the end of their kingdoms,

when the rebels have reached

the full measure of their sin,B

a ruthlessC king, skilled in intrigue,D

will come to the throne.

24 His power will be great,

but it will not be his own.

He will cause outrageous destructiong

and succeed in whatever he does.

He will destroy the powerful

along with the holy people.h

25 He will cause deceit to prosper

through his cunning and by his influence,

and in his own mind he will exalt himself.

He will destroy many in a time of peace;

he will even stand against the Prince of princes.

Yet he will be broken—not by human hands.i

26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings

that has been told is true.

Now you are to seal up the visionj

because it refers to many days in the future.”

27 I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for days.k Then I got up and went about the king’s business.l I was greatly disturbed by the vision and could not understand it.

DANIEL’S PRAYER

9 In the first year of Darius,m the son of Ahasuerus, a Mede by birth, who was made king over the Chaldean kingdom—2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the books according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah that the number of years for the desolation of Jerusalem would be seventy.n 3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek him by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.o

4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring Godp who keeps his gracious covenantq with those who love himr and keep his commandss—5 we have sinned,t done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled,u and turned away from your commands and ordinances.v 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets,w who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, ancestors, and all the people of the land.

7 Lord, righteousness belongs to you,x but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel—those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where you have banished them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward you. 8 Lord, public shamey belongs to us, our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you.z 9 Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against him 10 and have not obeyed the Lord our God by following his instructions that he set before us through his servantsaa the prophets.

11 All Israel has broken your law and turned away,ab refusing to obey you. The promised curseE written in the law of Moses,ac the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against him. 12 He has carried out his wordsad that he spoke against us and against our rulersF,ae by bringing on us a disaster that is so great that nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever been doneaf under all of heaven. 13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses,ag all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor ofa the Lord our God by turning from our iniquities and paying attention to your truth.b 14 So the Lord kept the disaster in mind and brought it on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all he has done. But we have not obeyed him.

15 Now, Lord our God—who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong handc and made your name renownedd as it is this day—we have sinned, we have acted wickedly. 16 Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, may your anger and wrathe turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain;f for because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of ridicule to all those around us.

17 Therefore, our God, hear the prayer and the petitions of your servant. Make your face shineg on your desolate sanctuaryh for the Lord’s sake. 18 Listen closely,A my God, and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city that bears your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before you based on our righteous acts, but based on your abundant compassion. 19 Lord, hear! Lord, forgive! Lord, listen and act! My God, for your own sake, do not delay,i because your city and your people bear your name.

THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF YEARS

20 While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel,j and presenting my petition before the Lord my God concerning the holy mountain of my God—21 while I was praying, Gabriel,k the man I had seen in the first vision,l reached me in my extreme weariness, about the time of the evening offering.m 22 He gave me this explanation: “Daniel, I’ve come now to give you understanding.n 23 At the beginning of your petitions an answer went out, and I have come to give it, for you are treasured by God.B,o So consider the message and understand the vision:p

24 Seventy weeks are decreedq

about your people and your holy city—

to bring the rebellion to an end,

to put a stop to sin,

to atone for iniquity,

to bring in everlasting righteousness,r

to seal up vision and prophecy,

and to anoint the most holy place.

25 Know and understand this:

From the issuing of the decree

to restore and rebuild Jerusalems

until an Anointed One,t the ruler,C

will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks.

It will be rebuilt with a plaza and a moat,

but in difficult times.

26 After those sixty-two weeks

the Anointed One will be cut offu

and will have nothing.

The people of the coming ruler

will destroy the cityv and the sanctuary.D

TheE end will come with a flood,w

and until the end there will beF war;

desolations are decreed.

27 He will make a firm covenantG

with many for one week,

but in the middle of the week

he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering.

And the abomination of desolationx

will be on a wingy of the templeH,I

until the decreed destructionz

is poured out on the desolator.”

VISION OF A GLORIOUS ONE

10 In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia,aa a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar.ab The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.ac

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.ad 3 I didn’t eat any rich food,ae no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month,J as I was standing on the bank of the great river,af the Tigris, 5 I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen,ag with a belt of goldah from UphazA,a around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl,B his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches,b his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.c

7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision.d The men who were with me did not see it,e but a great terror fell on them,f and they ran and hid. 8 I was left alone, looking at this great vision.g No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale,C,h and I was powerless. 9 I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep,D,i with my face to the ground.

ANGELIC CONFLICT

10 Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God.* j Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet,k for I have now been sent to you.”l After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

12 “Don’t be afraid,m Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God,n your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.o 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael,p one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.q 14 Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days,r for the vision refers to those days.”s

15 While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless.t 16 Suddenly one with human likenessu touched my lips.v I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless.w 17 How can someone like me,x your servant,F speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”

18 Then the one with a human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.y 19 He said, “Don’t be afraid,z you who areG treasured by God.aa Peace to you; be very strong!”ab

As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”ac

20 He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.ad 21 However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth. (No one has the courage to support me against those princes except Michael,ae your prince. 11 In the first year of Darius the Mede,af I stood up to strengthen and protect him.) 2 Now I will tell you the truth.ag

PROPHECIES ABOUT PERSIA AND GREECE

“Three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth will be far richer than the others. By the power he gains through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.ah 3 Then a warrior king will arise; he will rule a vast realm and do whatever he wants.ai 4 But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and divided to the four winds of heaven,aj but not to his descendants; it will not be the same kingdom that he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and will go to others besides them.ak

KINGS OF THE SOUTH AND THE NORTH

5 “The king of the Southal will grow powerful, but one of his commanders will grow more powerful and will rule a kingdom greater than his. 6 After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the Northam to seal the agreement. She will not retain power, and his strength will not endure. She will be given up, together with her entourage, her father,H and the one who supported her during those times. 7 In the place of the king of the South, one from her familyI will rise up, come against the army, and enter the fortress of the king of the North. He will take action against them and triumph. 8 He will take even their gods captive to Egypt, with their metal images and their precious articles of silver and gold.an For some years he will stay away from the king of the North, 9 who will enter the kingdom of the king of the South and then return to his own land.

10 “His sons will mobilize for war and assemble a large number of armed forces. They will advance, sweeping through like a flood,J,ao and will again wage war as far as his fortress. 11 Infuriated, the king of the South will march out to fight with the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but they will be handed over to his enemy. 12 When the army is carried off, he will become arrogant and cause tens of thousands to fall, but he will not triumph. 13 The king of the North will again raise a multitude larger than the first. After some yearsA,a he will advance with a great army and many supplies.

14 “In those times many will rise up against the king of the South. Violent ones among your own people will assert themselves to fulfill a vision, but they will fail. 15 Then the king of the North will come, build up a siege ramp,b and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their select troops will not be able to resist. 16 The king of the North who comes against him will do whatever he wants,c and no one can oppose him. He will establish himself in the beautiful landB,d with total destruction in his hand. 17 He will resolvee to come with the force of his whole kingdom and will reach an agreement with him.C He will give him a daughter in marriageD to destroy it,E but she will not stand with him or support him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coasts and islandsF,f and capture many. But a commander will put an end to his taunting; instead, he will turn his taunts against him.g 19 He will turn his attention back to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble, fall,h and be no more.i

20 “In his place one will arise who will send out a tax collectorj for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he will be broken, though not in angerG or in battle.

21 “In his place a despisedk person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come during a time of peaceH,l and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 A flood of forces will be swept away before him; they will be broken, as well as the covenant prince. 23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully. He will rise to power with a small nation.I 24 During a time of peace,J he will come into the richest parts of the provincem and do what his fathers and predecessors never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will make plans against fortified cities, but only for a time.

25 “With a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will prepare for battle with an extremely large and powerful army, but he will not succeed, because plots will be made against him. 26 Those who eat his provisionsn will destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall slain. 27 The two kings, whose hearts are bent on evil, will speak lieso at the same table but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time.p 28 The king of the North will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant;K he will take action, then return to his own land.

29 “At the appointed time he will come again to the South, but this timeL will not be like the first. 30 Ships of KittimM,q will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favor those who abandon the holy covenant. 31 His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the regular sacrificer and set up the abomination of desolation.s 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will be strong and take action.t 33 Those who have insight among the peopleu will give understanding to many, yet they will fall by the sword and flame,v and they will be captured and plundered for a time. 34 When they fall, they will be helped by some, but many others will join them insincerely.w 35 Some of those who have insight will fall so that they may be refined,x purified, and cleansedy until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

36 “Then the king will do whatever he wants.z He will exalt and magnify himself above every god,aa and he will say outrageous things against the God of gods.ab He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed,ac because what has been decreed will be accomplished. 37 He will not show regard for the godsN of his ancestors, the god desired by women, or for any other god,ad because he will magnify himself above all. 38 Instead, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his ancestors did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches. 39 He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will greatly honor those who acknowledge him,A making them rulers over many and distributing land as a reward.

40 “At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm against hima with chariots, horsemen, and many ships. He will invade countries and sweep through them like a flood.b 41 He will also invade the beautiful land,c and many will fall. But these will escape from his power: Edom, Moab, and the prominent peopleB of the Ammonites.d 42 He will extend his power against the countries, and not even the land of Egypt will escape. 43 He will get control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the riches of Egypt. The Libyans and Cushites will also be in submission.C,e 44 But reports from the eastf and the north will terrify him, and he will go out with great fury to annihilate and completely destroy many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the sea andD the beautiful holy mountain,g but he will meet his end with no one to help him.

12 At that time

Michael,h the great prince

who stands watch over your people, will rise up.

There will be a time of distressi

such as never has occurredj

since nations came into being until that time.k

But at that time all your people

who are found written in the bookl will escape.m

2 Many who sleep in the dustn

of the earth will awake,

some to eternal life,o

and some to disgrace and eternal contempt.p

3 Those who have insight will shine

like the bright expanse of the heavens,q

and those who lead many to righteousness,r

like the stars forever and ever.

4 “But you, Daniel, keep these words secrets and seal the bookt until the time of the end.u Many will roam about,v and knowledge will increase.”E

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others were standing there, one on this bank of the river and one on the other. 6 One of them said to the man dressed in linen,w who was above the water of the river,x “How long until the endy of these wondrous things?” 7 Then I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the water of the river. He raised both his handsF,z toward heaven and swore by him who lives eternallyaa that it would be for a time, times, and half a time.ab When the power of the holy people is shattered, all these things will be completed.

8 I heard but did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”ac

9 He said, “Go on your way, Daniel, for the words are secretad and sealed until the time of the end.ae 10 Many will be purified,af cleansed, and refined,ag but the wicked will act wickedly;ah none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.ai 11 From the time the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolationaj is set up,ak there will be 1,290 days. 12 Happy is the one who waitsal for and reaches 1,335 days. 13 But as for you, go on your way to the end;G you will rest, and then you will stand to receiveam your allotted inheritance at the end of the days.”

HOSEA

1 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah,a Jotham,b Ahaz,c and Hezekiah,d kings of Judah, and of Jeroboame son of Jehoash, king of Israel.

HOSEA’S MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN

2 When the Lord first spoke to Hosea, he said this to him:

Go and marry a woman of promiscuity,f

and have children of promiscuity,

for the land is committing blatant acts of promiscuity

by abandoning the Lord.

3 So he went and married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.g 4 Then the Lord said to him:

Name him Jezreel,A,h for in a little while

I will bring the bloodshed of Jezreeli

on the house of Jehuj

and put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.

5 On that day I will break the bow of Israelk

in Jezreel Valley.l

6 She conceived again and gave birth to a daughter, and the Lord said to him:

Name her Lo-ruhamah,B

for I will no longer have compassion

on the house of Israel.

I will certainly take them away.

7 But I will have compassion on the house of Judah,m

and I will deliver them by the Lord their God.n

I will not deliver them by bow, sword, or war,

or by horses and cavalry.o

8 After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and gave birth to a son. 9 Then the Lord said:

Name him Lo-ammi,C

for you are not my people,

and I will not be your God.D,p

10 Yet the number of the Israelites

will be like the sand of the sea,q

which cannot be measured or counted.

And in the place where they were told:

You are not my people,

they will be called: Sons of the living God.r

11 And the Judeans and the Israelites

will be gathered together.s

They will appoint for themselves a single rulert

and go up fromE the land.

For the day of Jezreelu will be great.

2 CallF your brothers: My People

and your sisters: Compassion.

ISRAEL’S ADULTERY REBUKED

2 Rebuke your mother; rebuke her.v

For she is not my wife and I am not her husband.w

Let her remove the promiscuous look from her facex

and her adultery from between her breasts.

3 Otherwise, I will strip her nakedy

and expose her as she was on the day of her birth.

I will make her like a desertz

and like a parched land,

and I will let her die of thirst.aa

4 I will have no compassion on her childrenab

because they are the children of promiscuity.

5 Yes, their mother is promiscuous;

she conceived them and acted shamefully.ac

For she thought, “I will follow my lovers,ad

the men who give me my food and water,

my wool and flax, my oil and drink.”ae

6 Therefore, this is what I will do:

I will block herG wayaf with thorns;ag

I will enclose her with a wall,

so that she cannot find her paths.a

7 She will pursue her lovers but not catch them;b

she will look for them but not find them.

Then she will think,

“I will go back to my former husband,c

for then it was better for me than now.”d

8 She does not recognizee

that it is I who gave her the grain,f

the new wine, and the fresh oil.

I lavished silver and gold on her,

which they used for Baal.

9 Therefore, I will take back my grain in its timeg

and my new wine in its season;

I will take away my wool and linen,

which were to cover her nakedness.

10 Now I will expose her shameh

in the sight of her lovers,

and no one will rescue her from my power.

11 I will put an end to all her celebrations:i

her feasts,j New Moons,k and Sabbaths—

all her festivals.

12 I will devastate her vines and fig trees.l

She thinks that these are her wages

that her lovers have given her.

I will turn them into a thicket,m

and the wild animals will eat them.n

13 And I will punish her for the days of the Baals,o

to which she burned incense.p

She put on her rings and her jewelryq

and followed her lovers,

but she forgot me.r

This is the Lord’s declaration.

ISRAEL’S ADULTERY FORGIVEN

14 Therefore, I am going to persuade her,

lead her to the wilderness,s

and speak tenderly to her.A

15 There I will give her vineyards back to hert

and make the Valley of AchorB,u

into a gateway of hope.

There she will respond as she did

in the days of her youth,v

as in the day she came out of the land of Egypt.

16 In that day—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

you will call me, “My husband,”w

and no longer call me, “My Baal.”C

17 For I will remove the names of the Baals

from her mouth;

they will no longer be remembered by their names.

18 On that day I will make a covenant for them

with the wild animals, the birds of the sky,

and the creatures that crawl on the ground.x

I will shatter bow, sword,

and weapons of war in the landD,y

and will enable the people to rest securely.z

19 I will take you to be my wife forever.aa

I will take you to be my wife in righteousness,

justice, love, and compassion.ab

20 I will take you to be my wife in faithfulness,

and you will know the Lord.ac

21 On that day I will respondad—

this is the Lord’s declaration.

I will respond to the sky,

and it will respond to the earth.

22 The earth will respond to the grain,ae

the new wine, and the fresh oil,

and they will respond to Jezreel.

23 I will sow herE in the land for myself,af

and I will have compassionag

on Lo-ruhamah;

I will say to Lo-ammi:ah

You are my people,ai

and he will say, “You are my God.”

WAITING FOR RESTORATION

3 Then the Lord said to me, “Go again; show love to a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress,aj just as the Lord loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”ak

2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and nine bushels of barley.F,G,al 3 I said to her, “You are to live with me many days. You must not be promiscuous or belong to any man, and I will act the same way toward you.”

4 For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince,am without sacrificea or sacred pillar,b and without ephodc or household idols.d 5 Afterward, the people of Israel will returne and seek the Lord their God and David their king.f They will come with awe to the Lordg and to his goodness in the last days.

GOD’S CASE AGAINST ISRAEL

4 Hear the word of the Lord,h people of Israel,

for the Lord has a casei

against the inhabitants of the land:

There is no truth,j no faithful love,k

and no knowledge of Godl in the land!

2 Cursing,m lying,n murder,o stealing,p

and adulteryq are rampant;

one act of bloodshed follows another.r

3 For this reason the land mourns,s

and everyone who lives in it languishes,

along with the wild animalst and the birds of the sky;

even the fish of the sea disappear.u

4 But let no one dispute;v let no one argue,

for my case is against you priests.A,B,w

5 You will stumble by day;x

the prophet will also stumble with you by night.

And I will destroy your mother.y

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.z

Because you have rejected knowledge,aa

I will reject youab from serving as my priest.

Since you have forgotten the law of your God,ac

I will also forget your sons.

7 The more they multiplied,ad

the more they sinned against me.

IC will change theirD honor into disgrace.ae

8 They feed on the sinE of my people;af

they have an appetite for their iniquity.ag

9 The same judgment will happen

to both people and priests.ah

I will punish them for their waysai

and repay them for their deeds.

10 They will eat but not be satisfied;aj

they will be promiscuousak but not multiply.

For they have abandoned their devotion to the Lord.al

11 Promiscuity,am wine, and new wine

take away one’s understanding.an

12 My people consult their wooden idols,ao

and their divining rods inform them.

For a spirit of promiscuity leads them astray;ap

they act promiscuouslyaq

in disobedience toF their God.

13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops,ar

and they burn offerings on the hills,as

and under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,at

because their shade is pleasant.

And so your daughters act promiscuously

and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters

when they act promiscuously

or your daughters-in-law

when they commit adultery,

for the men themselves go off with prostitutesau

and make sacrifices with cult prostitutes.av

People without discernment are doomed.aw

WARNINGS FOR ISRAEL AND JUDAH

15 Israel, if you act promiscuously,

don’t let Judah become guilty!

Do not go to Gilgalax

or make a pilgrimage to Beth-aven,G,ay

and do not swear an oath: As the Lord lives!az

16 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn cow.ba

Can the Lord now shepherd them

like a lamb in an open meadow?bb

17 Ephraim is attached to idols;bc

leave him alone!bd

18 When their drinking is over,

they turn to promiscuity.

Israel’s leaders* fervently love disgrace.B

19 A wind with its wings will carry them off,I,be

and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices.

5 Hear this, priests!a

Pay attention, house of Israel!

Listen, royal house!

For the judgment applies to you

because you have been a snare at Mizpahb

and a net spread out on Tabor.

2 Rebelsc are deeply involved in slaughter;d

I will be a punishment for all of them.A

3 I know Ephraim,e

and Israel is not hidden from me.

For now, Ephraim,f

you have acted promiscuously;

Israel is defiled.

4 Their actions do not allow them

to return to their God,g

for a spirit of promiscuity is among them,h

and they do not know the Lord.i

5 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them.B,j

Both Israel and Ephraim stumble

because of their iniquity;k

even Judah will stumble with them.l

6 They go with their flocks and herds

to seek the Lordm

but do not find him;n

he has withdrawn from them.o

7 They betrayed the Lord;p

indeed, they gave birth to illegitimate children.q

Now the New Moonr will devour them

along with their fields.s

8 Blow the trumpet in Gibeah,t

the trumpet in Ramah;u

raise the war cry in Beth-aven:v

Look behind you,C Benjamin!w

9 Ephraim will become a desolationx

on the day of punishment;y

I announce what is certain

among the tribes of Israel.z

10 The princes of Judah are like those

who move boundary markers;aa

I will pour out my furyab on them like water.ac

11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment,ad

for he is determined to follow what is worthless.D

12 So I am like rot to Ephraimae

and like decay to the house of Judah.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness

and Judah his wound,

Ephraim went to Assyriaaf

and sent a delegation to the great king.E,ag

But he cannot cure you or heal your wound.ah

14 For I am like a lion to Ephraimai

and like a young lion to the house of Judah.

Yes, I will tear them to pieces and depart.aj

I will carry them off,

and no one can rescue them.ak

15 I will depart and return to my place

until they recognize their guilt and seek my face;al

they will search for me in their distress.am