Chapter 26

(Verses 1 through 6) And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste: therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up. And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD: and it shall become a spoil to the nations. And her daughters that are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel tells us that this coming of the word of the LORD unto him was in the eleventh year, and on the first day of the month; but he does not tell us in what month this was. We, I suppose, are to consider this to be the eleventh year of the captivity of king Jehoiachin, since that is his reference in Chapter 1, verse 2. This word, or prophecy, is against Tyrus, a city on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, which had at one time been a renowned port, but was envious of Jerusalem , because Jerusalem was considered “the gates of the people,” and had more glory than did she at that time. Tyrus had greatly rejoiced in the downfall of Jerusalem , thinking that with Jerusalem destroyed she would have an opportunity to regain her former glory. But the LORD was displeased with this attitude, and declared that He would cause many nations to come against Tyrus, and destroy her, even as the sea sends its waves against an object and carries it away. Even the dust He will scrape away, and leave her as a bare rock , and only a place for the spreading of nets, not for catching fish, but for the drying of the nets. And her daughters (or indeed her children, or inhabitants) that are absent from the city at that time (“in the field”) shall be killed with the sword, and thus brought to know that He is the LORD.

(Verses 7 through 14) For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a kings of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people. He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast up a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee. And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers. By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach. With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground. And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses, and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water. And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard. And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

In the preceding text, the LORD declared that He would bring many nations against Tyrus. Now He tells us who these nations are. He says, “Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon , a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people.” Nebuchadrezzar is not “The King of kings,” which title belongs only to the LORD, but God had enabled him to conquer many nations, and bring them under subjection to the point that he could use them as soldiers, so as he reigned over the kings of these peoples, he was a king of kings. And these were the many people Nebuchadrezzar brought against Tyrus. Without re-quoting all that the LORD said, we can sum it up by quoting only verse 14. “And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. That is, the city will be completely destroyed, leaving nothing but the bare ground whereupon it stood: and it shall never again be built.

(Verses 15 through 21) Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee? Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee. And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it! Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure. For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee; When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living; I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD.

Thus shall a lamentation be made for Tyrus. At her fall all those who inhabit the islands of the sea shall be astonished that such a great city could be made so desolate: and her fall shall cause them to be extremely afraid that the same might come upon them. Even their kings shall come down from their thrones and cast aside their royal attire, while they tremble at the horror of such a thought. All the islands of the sea, that is, all their inhabitants, shall be troubled at the fall of such a great city. Her desolation will be complete, and she shall be built no more. In verses 20 and 21, the LORD gives the description of what she shall be brought to by the curse He is going to bring upon her. “When I shall bring thee down with them  that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living; I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD.” This is clear enough without further comment. Such is the lamentation that the nations that were left should take up for Tyrus.

(Verses 1 through 9) The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; and say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD, O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty. They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars of Lebanon to make masts for thee. Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; the company of Ashurites have made thy benches of ivory, brought out of the isles of Chittim. Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee. The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy mariners: thy wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots. The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise.

Ezekiel is commanded of the LORD to take up a lamentation for Tyrus. The beginning of it speaks of the great glory that was hers before the LORD brought desolation upon her. Her location was “at the entry of the sea,” that is, it was in a very convenient place for a port for ships, and the city was made beautiful. In fact she was so beautiful that she became lifted up with the pride of her beauty so much that she declared her own beauty perfect. She was not bordered on all sides by man made walls, as were most cities, but because she was on the coast of the sea, the sea was her borders on three sides, and her builders had done everything they could to enhance the beauty of her setting. Her harbor was, of course filled with ships, going to and fro. And all of them were decorated wonderfully, as well as being made of the choicest materials. She had her own wise men for the pilots of the ships, and the inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad as her mariners, while the old men of Gebal were the ones who kept her ships properly caulked, and fitted for the sea. And ships from all ports of the sea were in her harbors to carry her merchandise.

(Verses 10 and 11) They of Persia , and of Lud, and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness. The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect.

Here we are told from whence Tyrus obtained her protection. She, having little, if any territory outside the city itself, had to depend upon others to furnish her soldiers, mercenaries, for her protection. And these came from many places. They were her army and her guards.

In verses 12 through 25, we are given a list of many cities and lands from which came the merchants, those who bought and sold merchandise in her markets. Without copying the entire list, we shall call attention to a few of them. The first one mentioned is Tarshish, which is what is now called Spain . And it is at the opposite end of the Mediterranean from Tyrus. Then we are told, “Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market.” Tubal is the city that is now called Tobolsk, and Meshech is Moscow . So people from the area of what we now call Russia traded there. So we can readily see that Tyrus was world renowned, that is in all of the then known world. And since Tarshish was at that time one of the great powers of the sea, her ships were very busy in replenishing the market of Tyrus with all the wares that were there traded. And by their help Tyrus was made very glorious.

(Verses 26 through 31) Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east winds have broken thee in the midst of the seas. Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of  thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin. The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots. And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land; and shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in ashes: and they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.

In spite of the splendor she once had, Tyrus has come to a sad end. The ones upon whom she had depended for her glory have brought her into extremely troubled waters. Her glory is forever gone. They shall forsake their ships, and began to wail for her. All her oarsmen, mariners, and pilots can only stand by and bewail her terrible devastation. But there is nothing they can do for her.

(Verses 32 through 36) And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea? When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters  thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall. All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their countenance. The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more.

This is the conclusion of the lamentation for the great city Tyrus, She was indeed great, and made many rich with her markets, and the wares sold there. Everything that could be considered merchandise had been traded therein; but now that will all be forever stopped. She is destroyed, never again to be re-built. She will be as if the waves of the sea had completely swept her away. It will be a great astonishment to the people of the islands of the sea, and will bring great fear upon their kings, as well as a terror to all the merchants. Nothing will be left.

This is a very controversial chapter, in that some commentators see nothing in the first 19 verses but an address to the king of Tyrus, while others see it as reaching beyond the king of Tyrus, and addressing Satan himself, who caused that king to be so lifted up with pride that he brought such destruction to Tyrus.

The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: with thy wisdom and with thine understanding, thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: by thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. Thou shalt die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

The word of the LORD came again to Ezekiel. This time it was a message to the prince of Tyrus. And this portion of it could, possibly, have no further reach than to that prince. First, the LORD charges him with having been so lifted up with pride that he considered himself as God, and his throne as the seat of God. But, in reality, he is only a man, and not God at all, although in his pride, he has set his heart upon being God. Verses 3 through 5 the LORD tells him what he thinks of himself, not what he actually is. He thinks himself wiser than Daniel, and able to find out all secrets. He believes that it is by his wisdom and understanding that he has become so rich. And because of this his heart has been so lifted up with pride that he thinks he is God. But the LORD sees the matter quite differently, and because of this prince’s pride, He will bring him down. He will bring upon him “strangers--- the terrible of the nations.” This is, of course, a reference to Nebuchadrezzar and his army, as He said in Chapter 26, verse 7. They will all come with drawn swords against all of this in which he takes such pride. Without further comment, verses 8 through 10, give us the picture of what will be the outcome of this. “They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou say before him that slayeth thee, ‘I am God?’ but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.”

(Verses 11 through 19) Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, the topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God ; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore will I cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God : and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

In addition to giving Ezekiel a message to the prince of Tyrus, the word of the LORD also came to him, commanding him to take up a lamentation against the king of Tyrus. Although sometimes “prince” and “king” are used interchangeably, they do, of course, have slightly different meanings. And the separation of these two messages seems to indicate a difference here. And when we consider all that is contained in this lament against the king of Tyrus, it seems to indicate a farther reach than does that of the former verses. And since Satan is, unquestionably, the one who causes any man to be lifted up with pride, he surely was the cause of the prince of Tyrus being so lifted. The description given of this king of Tyrus seems to be far too great to describe any mortal man. Unless the LORD is using sarcasm all the way, which does not seem likely, verses 12 through 15, are a description of a being who was created far wiser, and more beautiful than any mortal man. This king is said to seal up the sum. He was “full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” He had “been in Eden the garden of God .” And surely that was the first place on earth in which the serpent, the representation of Satan, appeared. At one time he was “the anointed cherub that covereth.” This seems to be a reference to his having been the cherub that covered the true mercy seat, of which the one Moses was commanded to make, was only a shadow, or type. He was clothed with all manner of precious gems, and walked up and down in the stones of fire. The capstone of this description is verse15, “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” Then the message changes. It no more concerns the beauty and wisdom this king had when he was created, but tells of the terrible fall of this one. The LORD declares that He will cast him out of the mount of God, and will destroy him. Although our Lord Jesus said, “I saw Satan as lightning fall from heaven,” the time has not yet come in which Satan shall be completely destroyed. But the Lord God has declared that He will destroy him because he corrupted that wonderful wisdom that was given to him when he was created. His heart has been lifted up by his beauty, and his wisdom corrupted because of his brightness, so that the LORD will cast him to the ground, and lay him before kings, that they may behold him. He will destroy him so that all who know him will be astonished at him. And the finality of the matter is expressed thus, “And never shalt thou be any more.”

(Verses 20 through 23) Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her. For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

This is a very short message, but one that declares a great judgment upon Zidon. The LORD declares that He is against her, and will therefore send against her both pestilence and the sword to such an extent that the people thereof shall know that He is the LORD.

(Verses 24 through 26) And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all them that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.

Notice should be taken that from the beginning of Chapter 25 through verse 23 of the present Chapter, the message has all been directed against the nations round about Israel . In this the LORD has declared destruction upon all these nations. Now He tells us that this is done that when He shall restore Israel , there will be no “pricking brier or grieving thorn” of any of them to annoy Israel . All these nations that have despised her will cause her no more trouble. That this is looking forward to the final re-gathering of Israel more than to the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity is proven by history. Even though the king of Babylon sent some of the Jews back to re-build both the temple and the city of Jerusalem , they were troubled on every side even while doing the building. And their history from that time until the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD is filled with accounts of wars. But the LORD declares that He will re-gather them, and will give them peace, so that “they shall dwell safely therein, and build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.”

(Verses 1 through 7) In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt: speak and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself. But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales. And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers, thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, not gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven. And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel . When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand.

This is the beginning of the prophecy against Egypt . The LORD charges Pharaoh of being arrogant, and lifted up with pride, so that he thinks he has even been the maker of his river, that is, the Nile . But the LORD declares that since he has not been a dependable friend to Israel, but has only been a “staff of reed” to them, He will draw him, together with all the people of Egypt, up out of the river, and cast them out into the desert; and there He will leave them to be food for the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven. This He will do because he and his people let Israel down when Israel depended upon them for help. This is, no doubt, a reference to the time when Israel tried unsuccessfully to get help from Egypt against the Assyrians.

(Verses 8 through 12) Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee. And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste, and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he said, The river is mine, and I have made it. Behold, I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia . No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it , neither shall it be inhabited forty years. And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.

The LORD says that He will bring upon Egypt the sword so that the land shall be left desolate, having neither man nor beast in it for forty years. This is because of the pride of Egypt , since the Pharaoh has declared that he has made the river which is the source of the life of Egypt . Except for the water that is brought to Egypt by the Nile river, the whole land is desert. And only along the river is there moisture enough for life to flourish. So by laying claim to having made the river, Pharaoh is claiming to be responsible for all the people who live there. The LORD has created all things; and He has declared that He will not share His glory with another. He is therefore against Pharaoh for such a claim. So He will bring this desolation upon Egypt for forty years.

(Verses 13 through 16) Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered: and I will bring again the captivity of Egypt., and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros , into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom. It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt  itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel , which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

The LORD said that He would make the land of Egypt desolate, having neither man nor beast for forty years. Yet, after this forty years, He will bring back the captivity of Egypt , and settle the Egyptians again in their land. However Egypt will never again be as great a kingdom as it had been, but will be a “base kingdom.” It can never again raise itself up to the point of ruling over the nations as it had formerly done. And it will no more be a kingdom upon which the house of Israel can lean with confidence. By this shall they know that God is the Lord GOD.

(Verses 17 through 20) And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet he had no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service he had served against it. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey, and it shall be wages for his army. I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for Me, saith the Lord GOD.

Here the LORD tells Ezekiel that Nebuchadrezzar and his army have been working for Him when they overthrew Tyrus; but for so doing they had not been paid. Therefore He has given Egypt to Nebuchadrezzar and his army for his wages in the operation against Tyrus, because in that they had been working for Him.

(Verse 21) In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

The expression, “the horn of the house of Israel ,” simply means the power of the house of Israel . When the LORD says, “In that day,” He is, probably referring to the day in which He shall give Egypt into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar. In that day He will also cause the power of the house of Israel to bud forth, or begin to grow. Then He will also give to Ezekiel “the opening of the mouth” in the midst of them. That is, He will cause them to pay heed to the words of Ezekiel, as he prophesies among them. And then shall they know that He is the LORD.

(Verses 1 through 9) The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen. And the sword shall come upon Egypt , and great pain shall be in Ethiopia , when the slain shall fall in Egypt , and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down. Ethiopia , and Libya , and Lydia , and all mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword. Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD. And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have set a fire in Egypt , and when all her helpers shall be destroyed. In that day shall messengers go forth from Me in ships to make the careless Egyptians afraid, and great pain shall be upon them, as in the day of Egypt .

This is the word of the LORD concerning Egypt and all the nations around her, when He shall deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar. An expression is used in verse3, that is several times used in the scriptures, and it always refers to a time of judgment that is coming upon someone. That expression is “the day of the LORD.” It sometimes denotes the day of final judgment against the world, the wicked, wickedness itself, and Satan. At others, it refers to temporal judgment to be sent upon some particular person, place, or nation. In the present usage it concerns Egypt , Ethiopia , Libya , Lydia , Chub, and all who will be in league with them. In that day the LORD declared He would send upon them a sword that would bring them all down, and make them desolate. This sword, according to what He has said in the latter part of Chapter 29, is, no doubt, that of Nebuchadrezzar and his army. This He confirms as we continue.

(Verses 10 through 19) Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon . He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, shall be brought to destroy the land: and they shall draw their swords against Egypt , and fill the land with the slain. And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the LORD have spoken it. Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt : and I will put fear in the land of Egypt . And I will make Pathros desolate, and I will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No. And I will pour My fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt ; and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I will set fire in Egypt : Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily. The young men of Aven and Pibeseth shall fall by the sword: and these cities shall go into captivity. At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt : and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her; as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity. Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt : and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Thus will Nebuchadrezzar and his army completely devastate all the land of Egypt . He mentions several cities of Egypt ; and since they are fairly well scattered over the whole land, it seems obvious that no part of Egypt will be spared. The LORD has said that he would give Egypt to Nebuchadrezzar and his army as wages for their service against Tyrus. When He executes these judgments against the Egyptians, they will know that He is the LORD.

(Verses 20 through 26) And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and I will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon , and put My sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh’s arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man. But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon , and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon , and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt . And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

We often hear someone say, “If the LORD should do ------ (this, or that,) He would be unfair, or unjust.” I invite anyone to examine this text, and tell me where is the fairness or justice in it, according to man’s rules. But God has already told us that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. So why should we try to judge Him according to our rules? They just do not fit. Men are all objects of His creation, and therefore they are, in this respect, on equal footing; and their rules are necessary to them to insure fairness and justice between them. But God is the Creator, and has a perfect right to do what He will with any one, or all, His creatures. So when He declares that He will reduce the strength of one group of them, and increase that of another group, that is His right: and none can accuse Him of unfairness. And that is exactly what He has declared that he will do. The analogy is that He will break both arms of one man, while at the same time increasing the strength of the arm of the other. He declares that He will cause the Egyptians to fall, and be scattered through the nations. He declares that when He does this, “they shall know that I am the LORD.”

Chapter 31

(Verses 1 and 2) And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of Man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?

Having declared upon Pharaoh and the people of Egypt such great calamities as are recorded in Chapters 29 and 30, The Lord now asks Pharaoh, “Whom art thou like in thy greatness?” Then He will make a comparison between Pharaoh and another king whom He has already brought to destruction.

(Verses 3 through 9) Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs. The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers to all the trees of the field. Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth. All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters. The cedars of the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden , that were in the garden of God , envied him.

Assyria had been a great power among the nations; and she was the one who had overrun Israel, and taken them away as captives, and scattered them through the nations so that even today they are still scattered. Throughout that area the cedars of Lebanon were renowned for their height and beauty; and the LORD says that “the Assyrian” (either the nation of Assyria , or the king thereof) was a cedar of Lebanon. Then as He further describes him, he was, unquestionably, the greatest of his time. Since in this description Assyria is likened to a cedar of Lebanon, no doubt the other trees mentioned represent the other nations of the time. He was so great that even the other trees were not so great as his boughs. There was no tree in the garden of God that was his equal. And all the other trees envied him.

(Verses 10 through17) Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot forth his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height; I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness. And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in the valleys his branches have fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him. Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches: to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit. Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were  stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him. I made the nations to shake at the sound of  his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden , the choice and best of Lebanon , all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth. They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen.

Having in the earlier text told Pharaoh how great was ”the Assyrian,” the LORD tells him the account of how He brought him down with such a great calamity that it caused all the nations to shake when He cast him down to hell. Men can argue all they wish as to whether this means that he was cast into hell, as we consider it, or just to the grave. I will not join the argument: but I will refer any who care to read it to Psalms 9:17, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Whichever it means, Assyria was completely destroyed, and today there is no nation of Assyria . What the LORD has here told Pharaoh is to show that just as He has brought down Assyria, He will also bring judgment upon Egypt .

(Verse 18) To whom art thou thus like in glory and greatness among the trees of Eden ? Yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden   unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain with the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitudes, saith the Lord GOD.

 This should need little, if any, comment. The LORD is telling Pharaoh that just as He has brought down Assyria, so shall He devastate Egypt .

Chapter 33

(Verses 1 through 7) Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set  him for their watchman: if when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

As He did in Chapter 3, the LORD again tells Ezekiel the seriousness of the position of the watchman that is set over His people. This is to be considered as binding also on a minister of the gospel today, just as it was upon the watchman in Ezekiel’s day. If he does not warn the people of the danger he sees coming, they will be made to suffer for their iniquities, but the responsibility is upon the watchman. If he does warn them, and they pay no heed to the warning, they will suffer; but he is free from the responsibility, because he has fulfilled his duty.

(Verses 7 through 9) So thou, O Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel ; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

This is only a repetition of instructions the LORD had given Ezekiel earlier. He has appointed Ezekiel a watchman for the house of Israel . So when He gives Ezekiel a warning against a wicked man, Ezekiel must deliver that warning whether, or not the one warned will pay any heed to the warning. If he does give heed to the warning, and turn from his wickedness, he shall not perish, and Ezekiel has delivered his soul. On the other hand, if the wicked man , having been warned to turn from his evil ways, refuses to turn away from them, he shall die in his sins, but Ezekiel will have delivered his soul from blame. And this is the manner of the LORD’S dealing with the watchmen He sets in Zion even today. They are to be faithful to the LORD, whether or not the people will ever listen.

(Verses 10 through 16) Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel ; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel ? Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Again, when I say unto the  wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

This may, at first, seem somewhat complicated. But, in reality, it is very simple. The LORD is rebuking Israel for a system of thinking they had adopted. They thought that if one had ever done any righteousness that righteousness would take care of him even if he turned away from it and continued in sin. On the other hand, they thought that if one ever committed a wicked act, that stood against him for ever. But the LORD tells them that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. That is, when He gives a warning to a wicked man, telling him that he shall surely die, it is for the purpose of turning that wicked one away from his wickedness to righteousness. And if that one heeds the warning it is much more pleasing to Him than for the man to continue on and die in his wickedness. Also, if one has been walking in righteousness, so that the Lord commends him for it, and he begins to think that his former righteousness is great enough that he can lay it aside and turn to a life of sin, his former righteousness is of no avail to him, but he is condemned for the wickedness he is now doing. Since this was all addressed to Israel , the key to the whole is found in the last portion of verse 11, “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel ?” And even though it was addressed to Israel , it is also applicable to us, even today. Let us turn from our evil ways, and turn back to His commandments and walk in them. We do not need to get sidetracked by the argument that some are sure to raise. They will argue over what kind of death this is that He calls upon us to turn away from. My answer to that is, “No matter what kind of death it is, death is never pleasant. So we should put forth every effort to avoid it. And that is to be done by turning away from our iniquities, and walking in His commandments.”

(Verses 17 through 20) Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the LORD is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel , I will judge you every one after his ways.

Even after the LORD explained to Ezekiel His way of dealing with both the righteous man who turned away from righteousness, and followed the way of wickedness, and the wicked man who gave heed to the LORD’S warning, and turned from his wickedness to work righteousness, He declares that the children of the people of Ezekiel still say that His ways are not equal. And because of this attitude He will bring judgment upon every one of them.

(Verses 21 through 24) And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given to us for inheritance.

Although nothing has been said concerning such, it seems that the LORD had temporarily caused Ezekiel to be dumb and not able to speak just before the man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to him with the message that Jerusalem had fallen. Now, however, the word of the LORD came to him and opened his mouth that he was no more dumb. Also the word of the LORD told him of the attitude of the remnant of the Jews that lived in the waste areas of Israel . They were saying that Abraham was only one man, and he inherited the land; so surely since they were many, the land was given to them for inheritance. Sometimes it seems that we are prone to think just as they did. We think back to earlier days, perhaps even to the beginning of our local church, and consider that there were very few of us in that day, but we have now increased into a much larger number. Then we may be tempted to think, “If such a small number as there were in the beginning could grow and prosper as they have, surely with the number we have now, we will continue on, and be stronger and stronger.” The fallacy of this kind of thinking is that we begin to believe in our own importance instead of trusting in the LORD Who alone can cause us to prosper.

(Verses 25 through 29) Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land? Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour’s wife: and shall ye possess the land? Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.

This is the LORD’S judgment upon those who “inhabit the wastes” of Israel . That is, they were not destroyed in the fall of Jerusalem . Nevertheless God has declared that because of their sins they shall be destroyed, and the whole land will be left completely desolate. And only then shall they know that He is the Lord GOD.

(Verses 30 through 33) Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the house, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh to pass (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.

Certainly, this needs no explanation. But it does indeed give a very apt description of the general situation in the church today. Many want to go to church, and listen to what the preacher will tell them: but few indeed will actually try to incorporate the message into their lives. They consider it entertainment, just as if they went to a concert, and listened to some performer who is considered a good singer or musician. They may even be, for the moment, so lifted up that they think they are in heaven itself. But as soon as it is over, it is gone. We are thankful that this is not the way it is with all who attend church. But it does, indeed, describe many of modern day professed Christians. They are not interested in the word of the LORD, but only in entertainment.

Chapter 34

(Verses 1 through 6) And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. and they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

Of course, a message can be taken from this that might apply to the religious leaders today; but, primarily, it applies to those to whom it is addressed, “the shepherds of Israel ,” the religious and political leaders of Israel , as they were in that day, and had been for some time previously. They were concerned only about what profit the people could be to them, and not at all about what was good for the people. For some reason or other they could not see that if the people did not prosper neither could they. They forgot about the LORD and his laws, and made up some that were more to their liking. It was even the leaders that set up the idols, and commanded the people to serve them.E even Jeroboam, the first king of Israel after the dividing of the kingdom, made the two molten calves, and commanded the people to worship them. And many times from that time to that of Ezekiel kings brought in more idolatrous practices, and had the people follow them. But GOD had commanded them to have nothing to do with idols, and had declared severe penalties upon them if they disobeyed. And these rulers ruled them with cruelty. So the LORD declared, “And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.” Notice that in speaking of the shepherds, He is speaking of both the political and the religious leaders. They would not even listen to the prophets of the LORD whom He sent among them , but even in some cases would have them killed. The LORD’S sheep were indeed scattered because of their leaders.

(Verses 7 through 10) Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and My flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not My flock; therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require My flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

The very elders of Israel who have been coming to Ezekiel to inquire of the LORD are of these shepherds the LORD is here addressing; but one can easily see that He is not cutting them any slack either. This captivity of the Jews by Babylon is simply a part of the LORD’S work in delivering His flock from their mouths. He will require His flock at their hand. That is, He will destroy their power over His flock, by, if necessary, destroying them. That is why He has brought them into captivity.

(Verses 11 through 16) For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search My sheep, and seek them out. As shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel . I will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed  them with judgment.

This text, together with the remainder of this chapter, leaps forward to the time, not of the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity, but even to the final re-gathering of Israel from all the countries in which they have been scattered. The LORD says that He will judge “between cattle and cattle.” That is He will determine which are the ones who have been misled and scattered, and those who have been responsible for their being in such a condition. And as He has already said, it is the failure of the “shepherds,” the leaders of His people, that they have been so scattered. They have been eating up the good pasture, and treading down the residue, so that there is no good food left for the flock. That is, they have been leading them away from the way of the LORD instead of leading them in it. The leaders have so fouled up their teaching to the flock, that they have led the flock into all manner of idolatries and sins. So the LORD will bring judgment upon them for this. He has already sent the whole flock into captivity. And before He brings them back home, He will judge between the flock and the leaders who have brought them into this predicament.

(Verses 20 through 26) Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I. even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; therefore will I save My flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even My servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the LORD will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.

Many will tell us that this text refers only to the coming of Christ Jesus into the world to redeem His chosen. And, perhaps, that is included in it. But its primary reference is to the time when the LORD will re-gather Israel from all the countries whither they have been scattered. At that time He will cause them to rest in peace in the land which He promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to their seed for a perpetual possession. Zechariah tells us that when He does this, and destroys the nations that have assembled against Jerusalem , Israel shall rest in peace, and all that are left of the nations that had come up against her shall come up year by year to Jerusalem to worship the King. And that King is none other than Christ Jesus our Lord. Certainly, in that day shall be showers of blessings. And the LORD’S people and His hill, Mount Zion , together with all “the places round about” His hill shall be a blessing.

(Verses 27 through 31) And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the sh