Study Desk

"This is the dirge (funeral poem to be sung) and they shall sing it [for her]. The daughters of the nations shall sing it; for Egypt and for all her hordes they shall sing it," says the Lord GOD.

"Pharaoh will see them, and he will be comforted for all his hordes slain by the sword—Pharaoh and all his army," says the Lord GOD.

"Though I instilled a terror of him in the land of the living, yet he will be made to lie down among the uncircumcised along with those slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his hordes," says the Lord GOD.

"Say to them, 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back (change your way of thinking), turn back [in repentance] from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'

"Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "You eat meat with the blood in it and raise your eyes to your idols and shed blood. Should you take possession of the land?

"You shall say this to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "As I live, those who are in the ruins certainly will fall by the sword, and I will give whoever is in the open field to the [predatory] animals to be devoured, and those who are in strongholds and in caves will die of virulent diseases.

"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, the [spiritual] shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe (judgment is coming) to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?

"As I live," says the Lord GOD, "certainly because My flock has become prey, My flock has even become food for every predator of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock;

'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My flock from them and make them stop tending the flock, so that the shepherds cannot feed themselves anymore. I will rescue My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them."'"

For thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out.

"I will feed My flock and I will let them lie down [to rest]," says the Lord GOD.

"And as for you, My flock, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats [between the righteous and the unrighteous].

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD to them, "Behold, I Myself will judge between the [well-fed] fat sheep and the lean sheep.

"And I the LORD will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken.

"Then they will know [with assurance] that I the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are My people," says the Lord GOD.

"As for you, My flock, the flock of My pasture, you are men, and I am your God," says the Lord GOD.

and say to it, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, Mount Seir, I am against you, And I will stretch out My hand against you And make you completely desolate.

therefore, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will hand you over to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you since you have not hated bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.

therefore, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will deal with you in accordance with the anger and envy you showed because of your hatred for them; and I will make Myself known among them [as Judge] when I judge and punish you.

'Thus says the Lord GOD, "While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you a wasteland.