Ezekiel 27-28:26 (Contemporary English Version)
Ezekiel 27
A Funeral Song for Tyre
1The LORD said:
2Ezekiel, son of man, sing a funeral song for Tyre, a] 3the city that is built along the sea and that trades with nations along the coast. Tell the people of Tyre that the following message is from me: Tyre, you brag about
your perfect beauty,
4and your control of the sea. b] You are a ship
built to perfection.
5Builders used cypress trees
from Mount Hermon
to make your planks
and a cedar tree from Lebanon
for your tall mast.
6Oak trees from Bashan
were shaped into oars;
pine trees from Cyprus c] were cut for your deck,
which was then decorated
with strips of ivory.
7The builders used fancy linen
from Egypt for your sails,
so everyone could see you.
Blue and purple cloth
from Cyprus
was used
to shade your deck.
8Men from Sidon and Arvad
did the rowing,
and your own skilled workers
were the captains.
9Experienced men from Byblos
repaired any damages.
Sailors from all over
shopped
at the stores
in your port.
10Brave soldiers from Persia,
Lydia, and Libya
served in your navy,
protecting you with shields
and helmets,
and making you famous.
11Your guards came from
Arvad and Cilicia,
and men from Gamad
stood watch in your towers.
With their weapons
hung on your walls,
your beauty was complete.
12Merchants from southern Spain d] traded silver, iron, tin, and lead for your products. 13The people of Greece, Tubal, and Meshech traded slaves and things made of bronze, 14and those from Beth-Togarmah traded work horses, war horses, and mules. 15You also did business with people from Rhodes, e] and people from nations along the coast gave you ivory and ebony f] in exchange for your goods. 16Edom g] traded emeralds, purple cloth, embroidery, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17Judah and Israel gave you their finest wheat, fancy figs, h]honey, olive oil, and spices in exchange for your merchandise. 18The people of Damascus saw what you had to offer and brought you wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar. 19Vedan and Javan near Uzal i] traded you iron and spices. 20The people of Dedan supplied you with saddle blankets, 21while people from Arabia and the rulers of Kedar traded lambs, sheep, and goats. 22Merchants from Sheba and Raamah gave you excellent spices, precious stones, and gold in exchange for your products. 23You also did business with merchants from the cities of Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, 24and they gave you expensive clothing, purple and embroidered cloth, brightly colored rugs, and strong rope. 25Large, seagoing ships j] carried your goods wherever they needed to go. You were like a ship
loaded with heavy cargo
26and sailing across the sea,
but you were wrecked
by strong eastern winds.
27Everything on board was lost--
your valuable cargo,
your sailors and carpenters,
merchants and soldiers.
28The shouts of your drowning crew
were heard on the shore.
29Every ship is deserted;
rowers and sailors and captains
all stand on shore,
30mourning for you.
They show their sorrow
by putting dust on their heads
and rolling in ashes;
31they shave their heads
and dress in sackcloth k] as they cry in despair.
32In their grief they sing
a funeral song for you:
"Tyre, you were greater
than all other cities.
But now you lie in silence
at the bottom of the sea. l] 33"Nations that received
your merchandise
were always pleased;
kings everywhere got rich
from your costly goods.
34But now you are wrecked
in the deep sea,
with your cargo and crew
scattered everywhere.
35People living along the coast
are shocked at the news.
Their rulers are horrified,
and terror is written
across their faces.
36The merchants of the world
can't believe what happened.
Your death was gruesome,
and you are gone forever."
Ezekiel 28
Judgment on the King of Tyre
1The LORD God said:
2Ezekiel, son of man, tell the king of Tyre m] that I am saying: You are so arrogant that you think you're a god and that the city of Tyre is your throne. You may claim to be a god, though you're nothing but a mere human. 3You think you're wiser than Daniel n] and know everything. o] 4Your wisdom has certainly made you rich, because you have storehouses filled with gold and silver. 5You're a clever businessman and are extremely wealthy, but your wealth has led to arrogance!
6You compared yourself to a god, so now I, the LORD God, 7will make you the victim of cruel enemies. They will destroy all the possessions you've worked so hard to get. 8Your enemies will brutally kill you, and the sea will be your only grave.
9When you face your enemies, will you still claim to be a god? They will attack, and you will suffer like any other human. 10Foreigners will kill you, and you will die the death of those who don't worship me. I, the LORD, have spoken.
A Funeral Song for the King of Tyre
11The LORD said:
12Ezekiel, son of man, sing a funeral song for the king of Tyre p] and tell him I am saying: At one time, you were perfect, q] intelligent, and good-looking. 13You lived in the garden of Eden and wore jewelry made of brightly colored gems and precious stones. They were all set in gold r] and were ready for you on the day you were born. 14I appointed a winged creature to guard your home s] on my holy mountain, where you walked among gems that dazzled like fire. 15You were truly good from the time of your birth, but later you started doing wicked things. 16You traded with other nations and became more and more cruel and evil. So I forced you to leave my mountain, and the creature that had been your protector now chased you away from the gems.
17It was your good looks that made you arrogant, and you were so famous that you started acting like a fool. That's why I threw you to the ground and let other kings sneer at you. 18You have cheated so many other merchants that your places of worship are corrupt. So I set your city on fire and burned it down. Now everyone sees only ashes where your city once stood, 19and the people of other nations are shocked. Your punishment was horrible, and you are gone forever.
Judgment on Sidon and Peace for Israel
20The LORD said:
21Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the city of Sidon t] 22and tell its people: I, the LORD God, am your enemy! People will praise me when I punish you, and they will see that I am holy. 23I will send deadly diseases to wipe you out, and I will send enemies to invade and surround you. Your people will be killed, and you will know that I am the LORD.
24When that happens, the people of Israel will no longer have cruel neighbors that abuse them and make them feel as though they are in a field of thorns and briers. And the Israelites will know that I, the LORD God, have done these things.
A Blessing for Israel
25The LORD God said:
Someday I will gather the people of Israel from the nations where they are now scattered, and every nation will see that I am holy. The Israelites will once again live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob. 26They will be safe and will build houses and plant vineyards. They will no longer be in danger, because I will punish their hateful neighbors. Israel will know that I am the LORD their God.
Footnotes:
- Ezekiel 27:2 Tyre: See the note at 26.2.
- Ezekiel 27:4 and your control of the sea: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Ezekiel 27:6 pine trees from Cyprus: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Ezekiel 27:12 southern Spain: The Hebrew text has "Tarshish," which may have been a Phoenician city in southern Spain.
- Ezekiel 27:15 Rhodes: One ancient translation; Hebrew "Dedan."
- Ezekiel 27:15 ebony: A valuable black wood.
- Ezekiel 27:16 Edom: Some Hebrew manuscripts and one ancient translation; most Hebrew manuscripts "Syria."
- Ezekiel 27:17 their finest wheat, fancy figs: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Ezekiel 27:19 Vedan and Javan near Uzal: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Ezekiel 27:25 Large, seagoing ships: The Hebrew text has "Ships of Tarshish," which may have been a Phoenician city in Spain. "Ships of Tarshish" probably means large, seagoing ships.
- Ezekiel 27:31 sackcloth: See the note at 7.18.
- Ezekiel 27:32 Tyre, you were greater. . . the bottom of the sea: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Ezekiel 28:2 Tyre: See the note at 26.2.
- Ezekiel 28:3 Daniel: See the note at 14.14.
- Ezekiel 28:3 and know everything: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Ezekiel 28:12 Tyre: See the note at 26.2.
- Ezekiel 28:12 you were perfect: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Ezekiel 28:13 They were all set in gold: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Ezekiel 28:14 I appointed a winged creature to guard your home: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- Ezekiel 28:21 Sidon: See the note at 26.2.
Hebrews 11:17-31 (Contemporary English Version)
17-18Abraham had been promised that Isaac, his only son, a] would continue his family. But when Abraham was tested, he had faith and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, 19because he was sure that God could raise people to life. This was just like getting Isaac back from death. 20Isaac had faith, and he promised blessings to Jacob and Esau. 21Later, when Jacob was about to die, he leaned on his walking stick and worshiped. Then because of his faith he blessed each of Joseph's sons. 22And right before Joseph died, he had faith that God would lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. So he told them to take his bones with them.
23Because Moses' parents had faith, they kept him hidden until he was three months old. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's orders. b] 24Then after Moses grew up, his faith made him refuse to be called Pharaoh's grandson. 25He chose to be mistreated with God's people instead of having the good time that sin could bring for a little while. 26Moses knew that the treasures of Egypt were not as wonderful as what he would receive from suffering for the Messiah, c] and he looked forward to his reward. 27Because of his faith, Moses left Egypt. Moses had seen the invisible God and wasn't afraid of the king's anger. 28His faith also made him celebrate Passover. He sprinkled the blood of animals on the doorposts, so that the first-born sons of the people of Israel would not be killed by the destroying angel.
29Because of their faith, the people walked through the Red Sea d] on dry land. But when the Egyptians tried to do it, they were drowned. 30God's people had faith, and when they had walked around the city of Jericho for seven days, its walls fell down.
31Rahab had been a prostitute, but she had faith and welcomed the spies. So she wasn't killed with the people who disobeyed.
Footnotes:
- Hebrews 11:17 his only son: Although Abraham had a son by a slave woman, his son Isaac was considered his only son, because he was born as a result of God's promise to Abraham.
- Hebrews 11:23 the king's orders: The king of Egypt ordered all Israelite baby boys to be left outside of their homes, so they would die or be killed.
- Hebrews 11:26 the Messiah: Or "Christ."
- Hebrews 11:29 Red Sea: This name comes from the Bible of the early Christians, a translation made into Greek about 200 (B).(C). It refers to the body of water that the Israelites crossed and was one of the marshes or fresh water lakes near the eastern part of the Nile Delta, where they lived and where the towns of Exodus 13.17--14.9 were located.
Psalm 111:1-10 (Contemporary English Version)
Psalm 111
Praise the LORD for All He Has Done
1Shout praises to the LORD!
With all my heart
I will thank the LORD
when his people meet.
2The LORD has done
many wonderful things!
Everyone who is pleased
with God's marvelous deeds
will keep them in mind.
3Everything the LORD does
is glorious and majestic,
and his power to bring justice
will never end.
4The LORD God is famous
for his wonderful deeds,
and he is kind and merciful.
5He gives food to his worshipers
and always keeps his agreement
with them.
6He has shown his mighty power
to his people
and has given them the lands
of other nations.
7God is always honest and fair,
and his laws can be trusted.
8They are true and right
and will stand forever.
9God rescued his people,
and he will never break
his agreement with them.
He is fearsome and holy.
10Respect and obey the LORD!
This is the first step
to wisdom and good sense. a] God will always be respected.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 111:10 This. . . sense: Or " This is what wisdom and good sense are all about."
Proverbs 27:15-16 (Contemporary English Version)
15The steady dripping of rain
and the nagging of a wife
are one and the same.
16It's easier to catch the wind
or hold olive oil in your hand
than to stop a nagging wife.
Verse of the Day
“God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong.” - 1 Peter 2:15-16
Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.
Thought for the Day
Argentinian poet, Antonio Porchia wrote, “One lives in the hope of becoming a memory.”
A Joke for Today
After Quasimodo’s death, the bishop of the Cathedral of Notre Dame sent word throughout Paris that a new bell-ringer was needed. The bishop decided that he would conduct the interviews in the belfry. Several applicants demonstrated their skills, when a lone, armless man came in and said he was there to apply for the bell-ringer’s job.
The incredulous bishop said, “But you have no arms!”
“No matter,” said the man, “Observe!” He then began striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody. The astonished bishop listened and knew he had found a suitable replacement for Quasimodo.
But suddenly, the armless man tripped, and plunged out the belfry window to his death.
When the stunned bishop reached the street, a crowd had gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by the beautiful music they had heard only moments before. One of them asked, “Bishop, who was this man?” “I don’t know his name,” the bishop sadly replied, “but this face rings a bell.”
Despite the sad event, the bishop continued his interviews for the bell-ringer of Notre Dame. The next applicant said, “Your Excellency, I am the twin brother of the poor, armless wretch who fell to his death from this very belfry yesterday. I pray that you honor his life by allowing me to replace him in this duty.”
The bishop agreed to give the man an audition, but as he prepared to ring the bells the man groaned and clutched at his chest and died on the spot. Two monks, hearing the bishop’s cries of grief at this second tragedy, rushed up the stairs to his side. “What has happened?,” the first monk asked breathlessly. “Who is this man?”
“I don’t know his name,” sighed the distraught bishop, “but he’s a dead ringer for his brother.”
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