Study Desk

They put a wooden yoke on him with hooksand led him away to the king of Babylon.They brought him into the fortressesso his roar could no longer be heardon the mountains of Israel.

The answer marked Jerusalem appears in his right hand, indicating that he should set up battering rams, give the order to slaughter, raise a battle cry, set battering rams against the gates, build a ramp, and construct a siege wall.

“‘Look, every prince of Israel within you has used his strength to shed blood.

One man within you commits a detestable act with his neighbor’s wife; another defiles his daughter-in-law with depravity; and yet another violates his sister, his father’s daughter.

He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his iron tools.

His horses will be so numerous that their dust will cover you. When he enters your gates as an army entering a breached city, your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots.

He will trample all your streets with the hooves of his horses. He will slaughter your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground.

“Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army labor strenuously against Tyre. 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.

Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I am going to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth, seizing its spoil and taking its plunder. This will be his army’s compensation.

He along with his people,ruthless men from the nations,will be brought in to destroy the land.They will draw their swords against Egyptand fill the land with the slain.

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.

I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and place my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him as a mortally wounded man.

“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes,

“‘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. This is Pharaoh and all his hordes. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”

I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,and their kings will shudder with fear because of youwhen I brandish my sword in front of them.On the day of your downfalleach of them will trembleevery moment for his life.

Warrior leaders will speakfrom the middle of Sheolabout him and his allies:‘They have come down;the uncircumcised lieslain by the sword.’

“Pharaoh will see themand be comforted over all his hordes—Pharaoh and his whole army,slain by the sword.”

“For I will spread my terrorin the land of the living,so Pharaoh and all his hordeswill be laid to rest among the uncircumcised,with those slain by the sword.”

And suppose he sees the sword coming against the land and blows his trumpet to warn the people.

Then, if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet but ignores the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his death will be his own fault.