Bible Reading Plan – Day 224

₁The LORD spoke to me. ₂“Mortal man,” he said, “denounce the country of Ammon. ₃Tell them to listen to what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying: you were delighted to see my Temple profaned, to see the land of Israel devastated, to see the people of Judah go into exile. ₄Because you were glad, I will let the tribes from the eastern desert conquer you. They will set up their camps in your country and settle there. They will eat the fruit and drink the milk that should have been yours. ₅I will turn the city of Rabbah into a place to keep camels, and the whole country of Ammon into a place to keep sheep, so that you will know that I am the LORD.

₆“This is what the Sovereign LORD is saying: you clapped your hands and jumped for joy. You despised the land of Israel. ₇Because you did, I will hand you over to other nations who will rob you and plunder you. I will destroy you so completely that you will not be a nation any more or have a country of your own. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”

₈The Sovereign LORD said, “Because Moab has said that Judah is like all the other nations, ₉I will let the cities that defend the border of Moab be attacked, including even the finest cities — Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim. ₁₀I will let the tribes of the eastern desert conquer Moab, together with Ammon, so that Moab will no longer be a nation. ₁₁I will punish Moab, and they will know that I am the LORD.”

₁₂The Sovereign LORD said, “The people of Edom took cruel revenge on Judah, and that revenge has brought lasting guilt on Edom. ₁₃Now I announce that I will punish Edom and kill every person and animal there. I will make it a waste, from the city of Teman to the city of Dedan, and the people will be killed in battle. ₁₄My people Israel will take revenge on Edom for me, and they will make Edom feel my furious anger. Edom will know what it means to be the object of my revenge.” The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

₁₅The Sovereign LORD said, “The Philistines have taken cruel revenge on their age-long enemies and destroyed them in their hate. ₁₆And so I am announcing that I will attack the Philistines and wipe them out. I will destroy everyone left living there on the Philistine Plain. ₁₇I will punish them severely and take full revenge on them. They will feel my anger. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

₁On the first day of the… month of the eleventh year of our exile, the LORD spoke to me. ₂“Mortal man,” he said, “this is what the people in the city of Tyre are cheering about. They shout, ‘Jerusalem is shattered! Her commercial power is gone! She won't be our rival any more!’

₃“Now then, this is what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying: I am your enemy, city of Tyre. I will bring many nations to attack you, and they will come like the waves of the sea. ₄They will destroy your city walls and tear down your towers. Then I will sweep away all the dust and leave only a bare rock. ₅Fishermen will dry their nets on it, there where it stands in the sea. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken. The nations will plunder Tyre, ₆and with their swords they will kill those who live in her towns on the mainland. Then Tyre will know that I am the LORD.”

₇The Sovereign LORD says, “I am going to bring the greatest king of all — King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia — to attack Tyre. He will come from the north with a huge army, with horses and chariots and with cavalry. ₈Those who live in the towns on the mainland will be killed in the fighting. The enemy will dig trenches, build earthworks, and make a solid wall of shields against you. ₉They will pound in your walls with battering rams and tear down your towers with iron bars. ₁₀The clouds of dust raised by their horses will cover you. The noise of their horses pulling wagons and chariots will shake your walls as they pass through the gates of the ruined city. ₁₁Their horsemen will storm through your streets, killing your people with their swords. Your mighty pillars will be thrown to the ground. ₁₂Your enemies will help themselves to your wealth and merchandise. They will pull down your walls and shatter your luxurious houses. They will take the stones and wood and all the rubble, and dump them into the sea. ₁₃I will put an end to all your songs, and I will silence the music of your harps. ₁₄I will leave only a bare rock where fishermen can dry their nets. The city will never be rebuilt. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken.”

₁₅The Sovereign LORD has this to say to the city of Tyre: “When you are being conquered, the people who live along the coast will be terrified at the screams of those who are slaughtered. ₁₆All the kings of the seafaring nations will come down from their thrones. They will take off their robes and their embroidered clothes and sit trembling on the ground. They will be so terrified at your fate that they will not be able to stop trembling. ₁₇They will sing this funeral song for you:

₁₉The Sovereign LORD says: “I will make you as desolate as ruined cities where no one lives. I will cover you with the water of the ocean depths. ₂₀I will send you down to the world of the dead to join the people who lived in ancient times. I will make you stay in that underground world among eternal ruins, keeping company with the dead. As a result you will never again be inhabited and take your place in the land of the living. ₂₁I will make you a terrifying example, and that will be the end of you. People may look for you, but you will never be found.” The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

₁The LORD said to me, ₂“Mortal man, sing a funeral song for Tyre, ₃that city which stands at the edge of the sea and does business with the people living on every seacoast. Tell her what the Sovereign LORD is saying:

₁₀“Soldiers from Persia, Lydia, and Libya served in your army. They hung their shields and their helmets in your barracks. They are the men who won glory for you. ₁₁Soldiers from Arvad guarded your walls, and men from Gamad guarded your towers. They hung their shields on your walls. They are the men who made you beautiful.

₁₂“You did business in Spain and took silver, iron, tin, and lead in payment for your abundant goods. ₁₃You did business in Greece, Tubal, and Meshech and traded your goods for slaves and for articles of bronze. ₁₄You sold your goods for draught horses, war horses, and mules from Beth Togarmah. ₁₅The people of Rhodes traded with you; people of many coastal lands gave you ivory and ebony in exchange for your goods. ₁₆The people of Syria bought your merchandise and your many products. They gave emeralds, purple cloth, embroidery, fine linen, coral, and rubies in payment for your wares. ₁₇Judah and Israel paid for your goods with wheat, honey, olive oil, and spices. _18-19The people of Damascus bought your merchandise and your products, paying for them with wine from Helbon and wool from Sahar. They exchanged wrought iron and spices for your goods. ₂₀The people of Dedan exchanged saddlecloths for your goods. ₂₁The Arabians and the rulers of the land of Kedar paid for your merchandise with lambs, sheep, and goats. ₂₂For your goods the merchants of Sheba and Raamah exchanged jewels, gold, and the finest spices. ₂₃The cities of Haran, Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, the cities of Asshur and Chilmad — they all traded with you. ₂₄They sold you luxurious clothing, purple cloth, and embroidery, brightly coloured carpets, and well-made cords and ropes. ₂₅Your merchandise was carried in fleets of the largest cargo ships.

₃₅“Everyone who lives along the coast is shocked at your fate. Even their kings are terrified, and fear is written on their faces. ₃₆You are gone, gone for ever, and merchants all over the world are terrified, afraid that they will share your fate.”