Ezéchiel (NAB) 29

29 1 On the twelfth day of the tenth month in the tenth year, the word of the LORD came to me: 2 Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3 Say this to him: Thus says the Lord GOD: See! I am coming at you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, Great crouching monster amidst your Niles: Who say, "The Niles are mine; it is I who made them!" 4 I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish of your Niles stick to your scales, then draw you up from the midst of your Niles along with all the fish of your Niles sticking to your scales.5 I will cast you into the desert, you and all the fish of your Niles; You shall fall upon the open field, you shall not be taken up or buried; To the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air I give you as food,6 That all who dwell in Egypt may know that I am the LORD. Because you have been a reed staff for the house of Israel:7 When they held you in hand, you splintered, throwing every shoulder out of joint; When they leaned on you, you broke, bringing each one of them down headlong;8 therefore thus says the Lord GOD: See! I will bring the sword against you, and cut off from you both man and beast.9 The land of Egypt shall become a desolate waste; thus they shall know that I am the LORD. Because you said, "The Niles are mine; it is I who made them,"10 therefore see! I am coming at you and against your Niles; I will make the land of Egypt a waste and a desolation from Migdol to Syene, and even to the frontier of Ethiopia. 11 No foot of man or beast shall pass through it; they shall not pass through it, and it will be uninhabited for forty years.12 I will make the land of Egypt the most desolate of lands, and its cities shall be the most deserted of cities for forty years; and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and strew them over foreign lands.13 Yet thus says the Lord GOD: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they are scattered,14 and I will restore Egypt's fortune, bringing them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin, where it will be the lowliest 15 of kingdoms, never more to set itself above the nations. I will make them few, that they may not dominate the nations.16 No longer shall they be for the house of Israel to trust in, but the living reminder of its guilt for having turned to follow after them. Thus they shall know that I am the LORD.


Babylonia Will Plunder Egypt

17 On the first day of the first month in the twenty-seventh year, the word of the LORD came to me: 18 Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, has led his army in an exhausting campaign against Tyre. Their heads became bald and their shoulders were galled; but neither he nor his army received any wages from Tyre for the campaign he led against it. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I am now giving the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He shall carry off its riches, plundering and pillaging it for the wages of his soldiers, who did it for me;20 as payment for his toil I have given him the land of Egypt, says the Lord GOD.21 On that day I will make a horn sprout for the house of Israel, and I will cause you to speak out in their midst; thus they shall know that I am the LORD.


Lamentation for Egypt

30 1 Thus the word of the LORD came to me:2 Son of man, speak this prophecy: Thus says the Lord GOD: Cry, Oh, the day!3 for near is the day, near is the day of the LORD; a day of clouds, doomsday for the nations shall it be.4 Then a sword shall come upon Egypt, and anguish shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain fall in Egypt, when her riches are seized and her foundations are overthrown.5 Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all Arabia, Libya, and people of the allied territory shall fall by the sword with them.6 Those who support Egypt shall fall, and down shall come her proud strength; from Migdol to Syene they shall fall there by the sword, says the Lord GOD.7 She shall be the most devastated of lands, and her cities shall be the most desolate of all.8 Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I set fire to Egypt and when all who help her are broken.9 On that day messengers shall hasten forth at my command to terrify unsuspecting Ethiopia; they shall be in anguish on the day of Egypt, which is surely coming.10 Thus says the Lord GOD: I will put an end to the throngs of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.11 He and his people with him, the most ruthless of nations, shall be brought in to devastate the land. They shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain.12 I will turn the Niles into dry land and sell the land over to the power of the wicked. The land and everything in it I will hand over to foreigners to devastate. I, the LORD, have spoken.13 Thus says the Lord GOD: I will put an end to the great ones of Memphis and the princes of the land of Egypt, that they may be no more. I will cast fear into the land of Egypt, and devastate Pathros.14 I will set fire to Zoan, and inflict punishments on Thebes.15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium, Egypt's stronghold, and cut down the crowds in Memphis.16 I will set fire to Egypt; Syene shall writhe in anguish; Thebes shall be breached and its walls shall be demolished.17 The young men of On and of Pibeseth shall fall by the sword, and the cities themselves shall go into captivity.18 In Tehaphnehes the day shall be darkened when I break the scepter of Egypt. Her haughty pride shall cease from her, clouds shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.19 Thus will I inflict punishments on Egypt, that they may know that I am the LORD.


Proclamation against Pharaoh

20 On the seventh day of the first month in the eleventh year, the word of the LORD came to me: 21 Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and see, it has not been bound up with bandages and healing remedies that it may be strong enough to hold the sword. 22 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: See! I am coming at Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. I will break his strong arm, so that the sword drops from his hand.23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and strew them over foreign lands.24 But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand, which he will bring against Egypt so as to plunder and pillage it.25 (I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong, but the arms of Pharaoh shall drop.) Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon for him to wield against the land of Egypt.26 (I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and strew them over foreign lands.) Thus they shall know that I am the LORD.


The Lofty Cedar

31 1 On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year, the word of the LORD came to me: 2 Son of man, say to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and to his hordes: What are you like in your greatness?3 Behold, a cypress (cedar) in Lebanon, beautiful of branch, lofty of stature, amid the very clouds lifted its crest.4 Waters made it grow, the abyss made it flourish, sending its rivers round where it was planted, turning its streams to all the trees of the field.5 Thus it grew taller than every other tree of the field, and longer of branch because of the abundant water.6 In its boughs nested all the birds of the air, under its branches all beasts of the field gave birth, in its shade dwelt numerous peoples of every race.7 It became beautiful and stately in its spread of foliage, for its roots were turned toward abundant water.8 The cedars in the garden of God were not its equal, nor could the fir trees match its boughs, Neither were the plane trees like it for branches; no tree in the garden of God matched its beauty.9 I made it beautiful, with much foliage, the envy of all Eden's trees in the garden of God.10 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because it became lofty in stature, raising its crest among the clouds, and because it became proud in heart at its height,11 I have handed it over to the mightiest of the nations, which has dealt with it in keeping with its wickedness. I humiliated it.12 Foreigners, the most ruthless of the nations, cut it down and left it on the mountains. Its foliage was brought low in all the valleys, its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land, and all the peoples of the land withdrew from its shade, abandoning it.13 On its fallen trunk rested all the birds of the air, and by its branches were all the beasts of the field.14 Thus no tree may grow lofty in stature or raise its crest among the clouds; no tree fed by water may stand by itself in its loftiness. For all of them are destined for death, for the land below, For the company of mortals, those who go down into the pit.15 Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day he went down to the nether world I made the abyss close up over him; I stopped its streams so that the deep waters were held back. I cast gloom over Lebanon because of him, so that all the trees in the land drooped on his account.16 At the crash of his fall I made the nations rock, when I cast him down to the nether world with those who go down into the pit. In the land below, all Eden's trees were consoled, Lebanon's choice and best, all that were fed by water.17 They too have come down with him to the nether world, to those slain by the sword; those who dwelt in his shade are dispersed among the nations.18 Which was your equal in glory or size among the trees of Eden? Yet you have been brought down with the trees of Eden to the land below. You shall lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. Such are Pharaoh and all his hordes, says the Lord GOD.


Lamentation over Pharaoh and Egypt

32 1 On the first day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year, the word of the LORD came to me: 2 Son of man, utter a lament over Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, saying to him: Lion of the nations, you are destroyed. You were like a monster in the sea, spouting in your streams, Stirring the water with your feet and churning its streams.3 Thus says the Lord GOD: I will spread my net over you (with a host of many nations), and draw you up in my seine.4 I will leave you on the land; on the open field I will cast you. I will have all the birds of the air alight on you, and all the beasts of the earth eat their fill of you.5 I will leave your flesh on the mountains, and fill the valleys with your carcass.6 I will water the land with what flows from you, and the river beds shall be filled with your blood.7 When I snuff you out I will cover the heavens, and all their stars I will darken; The sun I will cover with clouds, and the moon shall not give its light.8 All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken on your account, And I will spread darkness over your land, says the Lord GOD.9 I will grieve the hearts of many peoples when I lead you captive among the nations, to lands which you do not know.10 Many peoples shall be appalled at you, and their kings shall shudder over you in horror when they see me brandish my sword, and on the day of your downfall every one of them shall continuously tremble for his own life.11 For thus says the Lord GOD: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you.12 I will cut down your horde with the blades of warriors, all of them the most ruthless of the nations; They shall lay waste the glory of Egypt, and all her hordes shall be destroyed.13 I will have all of her animals perish beside her abundant waters; The foot of man shall stir them no longer, nor shall the hoof of beast disturb them.14 Then will I make their waters clear, and their streams flow like oil, says the Lord GOD.15 When I turn Egypt into a waste, the land shall be devastated of all that is in it; when I strike all who live there, they shall know that I am the LORD.16 This is a dirge, and it shall be sung: the daughters of the nations shall chant it; over Egypt and all its hordes shall they chant it, says the Lord GOD.


Dirge over Egypt

17 On the fifteenth day of the first month in the twelfth year, the word of the LORD came to me:18 Son of man, lament over the throngs of Egypt, for the mighty nations have thrust them down to the bottom of the earth, with those who go down into the pit.19 "Whom do you excel in beauty?20 In the midst of those slain by the sword shall they fall, and place shall be made with them for all their hordes. Then from the midst of the nether world, the mighty warriors shall speak to Egypt:21 Come down, you and your allies, lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword."22 There is Assyria with all her company, all of them slain,23 whose graves have been made in the recesses of the pit; her company is around Egypt's grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who spread terror in the land of the living.24 There is Elam with all her throng about Egypt's grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword: they have gone down uncircumcised to the bottom of the earth, who spread their terror in the land of the living, and they bear their disgrace with those who go down into the pit;25 in the midst of the slain they are placed.26 There are Meshech and Tubal and all their throng about her grave, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, for they spread their terror in the land of the living.27 They do not lie with the mighty men fallen of old, who went down to the nether world with their weapons of war, whose swords were placed under their heads and whose shields were laid over their bones, though the mighty men caused terror in the land of the living. 28 But in the midst of the uncircumcised shall you lie, with those slain by the sword.29 There are Edom, her kings, and all her princes, who despite their might have been placed with those slain by the sword; with the uncircumcised they lie, and with those who go down into the pit.30 There are all the princes of the north and all the Sidonians, who have gone down with the slain, because of the terror their might inspired; they lie uncircumcised with those slain by the sword and bear their disgrace with those who go down to the pit.31 When Pharaoh sees these, he shall be comforted for all his hordes slain by the sword-- Pharaoh and all his army, says the Lord GOD.32 Since he spread his terror in the land of the living, therefore is he laid to rest among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword-- Pharaoh and all his hordes, says the Lord GOD.


Ezekiel Israel's Sentry

33 1 Thus the word of the LORD came to me:2 Son of man, speak thus to your countrymen: When I bring the sword against a country, and the people of this country select one of their number to be their watchman,3 and the watchman, seeing the sword coming against the country, blows the trumpet to warn the people,4 anyone hearing but not heeding the warning of the trumpet and therefore slain by the sword that comes against him, shall be responsible for his own death.5 He heard the trumpet blast yet refused to take warning; he is responsible for his own death, for had he taken warning he would have escaped with his life.6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and fails to blow the warning trumpet, so that the sword comes and takes anyone, I will hold the watchman responsible for that person's death, even though that person is taken because of his own sin.7 You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.8 If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, he (the wicked man) shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.9 But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.


God's Justice and Mercy

10 As for you, son of man, speak to the house of Israel: You people say, "Our crimes and our sins weigh us down; we are rotting away because of them. How can we survive?"11 Answer them: As I live, says the Lord GOD, I swear I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, but rather in the wicked man's conversion, that he may live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! Why should you die, O house of Israel?12 As for you, son of man, tell your countrymen: The virtue which a man has practiced will not save him on the day that he sins; neither will the wickedness that a man has done bring about his downfall on the day that he turns from his wickedness (nor can the virtuous man, when he sins, remain alive).13 Though I say to the virtuous man that he shall surely live, if he then presumes on his virtue and does wrong, none of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered; because of the wrong he has done, he shall die.14 And though I say to the wicked man that he shall surely die, if he turns away from his sin and does what is right and just,15 giving back pledges, restoring stolen goods, living by the statutes that bring life, and doing no wrong, he shall surely live, he shall not die.16 None of the sins he committed shall be held against him; he has done what is right and just, he shall surely live.17 Yet your countrymen say, "The way of the LORD is not fair!"; but it is their way that is not fair.18 When a virtuous man turns away from what is right and does wrong, he shall die for it.19 But when a wicked man turns away from wickedness and does what is right and just, because of this he shall live.20 And still you say, "The way of the LORD is not fair!"? I will judge every one of you according to his ways, O house of Israel.


The Fall of Jerusalem

21 On the fifth day of the tenth month, in the twelfth year of our exile, the fugitive came to me from Jerusalem and said, "The city is taken!" 22 The hand of the LORD had come upon me the evening before the fugitive arrived, and he opened my mouth when the fugitive reached me in the morning. My mouth was opened, and I was dumb no longer.


The Survivors in Judah

23 Thus the word of the LORD came to me: 24 Son of man, they who live in the ruins on the land of Israel reason thus: "Abraham, though but a single individual, received possession of the land; we, therefore, being many, have as permanent possession the land that has been given to us."25 Give them this answer: Thus says the Lord GOD: You eat on the mountains, you raise your eyes to your idols, you shed blood-- yet you would keep possession of the land?26 You rely on your sword, you do abominable things, each one of you defiles his neighbor's wife-- yet you would keep possession of the land?27 Tell them this: Thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, those who are in the ruins I swear shall fall by the sword; those who are in the open field I have given to the wild beasts for food; and those who are in fastnesses and in caves shall die by the plague.28 I will make the land a desolate waste, so that its proud strength will come to an end, and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that no one will cross them.29 Thus they shall know that I am the LORD, when I make the land a desolate waste because of all the abominable things they have done.
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As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking about you along the walls and in the doorways of houses. They say to one another, "Come and hear the latest word that comes from the LORD." 31 My people come to you as people always do; they sit down before you and hear your words, but they will not obey them, for lies are on their lips and their desires are fixed on dishonest gain.32 For them you are only a ballad singer, with a pleasant voice and a clever touch. They listen to your words, but they will not obey them.33 But when it comes-- and it is surely coming!-they shall know that there was a prophet among them.


Israel's False Shepherds

34 1 Thus the word of the LORD came to me:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, in these words prophesy to them (to the shepherds): Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep? 3 You have fed off their milk, worn their wool, and slaughtered the fatlings, but the sheep you have not pastured.4 You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost, but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.5 So they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered6 and wandered over all the mountains and high hills; my sheep were scattered over the whole earth, with no one to look after them or to search for them.7 Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:8 As I live, says the Lord GOD, because my sheep have been given over to pillage, and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast, for lack of a shepherd; because my shepherds did not look after my sheep, but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;9 because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:10 Thus says the Lord GOD: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves. I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths.


God, the True Shepherd

11 For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep.12 As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark.13 I will lead them out from among the peoples and gather them from the foreign lands; I will bring them back to their own country and pasture them upon the mountains of Israel (in the land's ravines and all its inhabited places).14 In good pastures will I pasture them, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing ground. There they shall lie down on good grazing ground, and in rich pastures shall they be pastured on the mountains of Israel.15 I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.16 The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal (but the sleek and the strong I will destroy), shepherding them rightly.17 As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD, I will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats.18 Was it not enough for you to graze on the best pasture, that you had to trample the rest of your pastures with your feet? Was it not enough for you to drink the clearest water, that you had to foul the remainder with your feet?19 Thus my sheep had to graze on what your feet had trampled and drink what your feet had fouled.20 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Now will I judge between the fat and the lean sheep.21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and butt all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them out,22 I will save my sheep so that they may no longer be despoiled, and I will judge between one sheep and another.23 I will appoint one shepherd over them to pasture them, my servant David; he shall pasture them and be their shepherd. 24 I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken.25 I will make a covenant of peace with them, and rid the country of ravenous beasts, that they may dwell securely in the desert and sleep in the forests.26 I will place them about my hill, sending rain in due season, rains that shall be a blessing to them.27 The trees of the field shall bear their fruits, and the land its crops, and they shall dwell securely on their own soil. Thus they shall know that I am the LORD when I break the bonds of their yoke and free them from the power of those who enslaved them.28 They shall no longer be despoiled by the nations or devoured by beasts of the earth, but shall dwell secure, with no one to frighten them.29 I will prepare for them peaceful fields for planting; they shall no longer be carried off by famine in the land, or bear the reproaches of the nations.30 Thus they shall know that I, the LORD, am their God, and they are my people, the house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.31 (You, my sheep, you are the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, says the Lord GOD.)


Judgment on Mount Seir

35 1 Thus the word of the LORD came to me: 2 Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it.3 Say to it: Thus says the Lord GOD: See! I am coming at you, Mount Seir. I will stretch out my hand against you and make you a desolate waste.4 Your cities I will turn into ruins, and you shall be a waste; thus you shall know that I am the LORD.5 Because you never let die your hatred for the Israelites, whom you delivered over to the power of the sword at the time of their trouble, when their crimes came to an end,6 therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD, you have been guilty of blood, and blood, I swear, shall pursue you.7 I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste, and cut off from it any traveler.8 With the slain I will fill your hills, your valleys, and all your ravines (in them the slain shall fall by the sword):9 desolate will I make you forever, and leave your cities without inhabitants; thus you shall know that I am the LORD.10 Because you said: The two nations and the two lands have become mine; we shall possess them-- although the LORD was there-- 11 therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD, I will deal with you according to your anger and your envy which you have exercised (in your hatred) against them. I will make myself known among you when I judge you,12 and you shall know that I am the LORD. I have heard all the contemptuous things you have uttered against the mountains of Israel: "They are desolate, they have been given us to devour."13 I have heard the insolent and wild words you have spoken against me.14 Thus says the Lord GOD: Just as you rejoiced over my land because it was desolate, so will I do to you.15 In keeping with your glee over the devastation of the inheritance of the house of Israel, so will I treat you. A waste shall you be, Mount Seir, you and the whole of Edom. Thus they shall know that I am the LORD.


Blessing on Israel

36 1 As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel: Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD!2 Thus says the Lord GOD: Because the enemy has said of you, "Ha! the everlasting heights have become our possession"3 (therefore prophesy in these words: Thus says the Lord GOD:); because you have been ridiculed and despised on all sides for having become a possession for the rest of the nations, and have become a byword and a popular jeer;4 therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD: (Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, the desolate ruins and abandoned cities, which have been given over to the pillage and mockery of the remaining nations round about;5 therefore thus says the Lord GOD:) Truly, with burning jealousy I speak against the rest of the nations (and against all of Edom) who with wholehearted joy and utter contempt have considered my land their possession to be delivered over to plunder.6 (Therefore, prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys: Thus says the Lord GOD:) With jealous fury I speak, because you have borne the reproach of the nations.7 Therefore do I solemnly swear that your neighboring nations shall bear their own reproach.8 As for you, mountains of Israel, you shall grow branches and bear fruit for my people Israel, for they shall soon return.9 See, I come to you, it is to you that I turn; you will be tilled and sown,10 and I will settle crowds of men upon you, the whole house of Israel; cities shall be repeopled, and ruins rebuilt.11 I will settle crowds of men and beasts upon you, to multiply and be fruitful. I will repeople you as in the past, and be more generous to you than in the beginning; thus you shall know that I am the LORD.12 (My people Israel are the ones whom I will have walk upon you; they shall take possession of you, and you shall be their heritage. Never again shall you rob them of their children.)13 Thus says the Lord GOD: Because they have said of you, "You are a land that devours men, and you rob your people of their children"; 14 therefore, never again shall you devour men or rob your people of their children, says the Lord GOD.15 No more will I permit you to hear the reproach of nations, or bear insults from peoples, or rob your people of their children, says the Lord GOD.


The Renewal of Israel

16 Thus the word of the LORD came to me:17 Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their land, they defiled it by their conduct and deeds. In my sight their conduct was like the defilement of a menstruous woman.18 Therefore I poured out my fury upon them (because of the blood which they poured out on the ground, and because they defiled it with idols).19 I scattered them among the nations, dispersing them over foreign lands; according to their conduct and deeds I judged them.20 But when they came among the nations (wherever they came), they served to profane my holy name, because it was said of them: "These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave their land."21 So I have relented because of my holy name which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they came.22 Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: Not for your sakes do I act, house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name, which you profaned among the nations to which you came.23 I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations, in whose midst you have profaned it. Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you.24 For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.26 I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts.27 I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees.28 You shall live in the land I gave your fathers; you shall be my people, and I will be your God.29 I will save you from all your impurities; I will order the grain to be abundant, and I will not send famine against you.30 I will increase the fruit on your trees and the crops in your fields; thus you shall no longer bear among the nations the reproach of famine.31 Then you shall remember your evil conduct, and that your deeds were not good; you shall loathe yourselves for your sins and your abominations.32 Not for your sakes do I act, says the Lord GOD-- let this be known to you! Be ashamed and abashed because of your conduct, O house of Israel.33 Thus says the Lord GOD: When I purify you from all your crimes, I will repeople the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt;34 the desolate land shall be tilled, which was formerly a wasteland exposed to the gaze of every passer-by.35 "This desolate land has been made into a garden of Eden," they shall say. "The cities that were in ruins, laid waste, and destroyed are now repeopled and fortified."36 Thus the neighboring nations that remain shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt what was destroyed and replanted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have promised, and I will do it.37 Thus says the Lord GOD: This also I will be persuaded to do for the house of Israel: to multiply them like sheep.38 As with sacrificial sheep, the sheep of Jerusalem on its feast days, the cities which were in ruins shall be filled with flocks of men; thus they shall know that I am the LORD.



Ezéchiel (NAB) 29