The Babylonian Exile

In its boughs all the birds of the air had their nests, beneath its branches all the wild animals gave birth to their young, and all great nations lived in its shade.

It was beautiful in its greatness and the length of its branches, because its roots went down to plenty of water.

No cedar in God's garden was like it, no cypress tree could compare with its boughs, no chestnut tree could rival its branches, no tree in God's garden could match its beauty.

I made it so beautiful, with its many branches; all trees in 'Eden, God's garden, envied it.'

"Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you are so tall, because he has lifted his crown above the leafy boughs, because he has grown so arrogant about his height,

I am handing him over to the mightiest of the nations, who will certainly deal with him as his wickedness deserves; I reject him.

Foreigners, the most barbarous of the nations, will destroy him and leave him lying where he is. His branches will lie fallen on the mountains and in the valleys, his boughs will lie broken in all the rivers of the land, and all the peoples of the earth will withdraw from his shade and leave him.

All the birds will settle on his fallen trunk, and all the wild animals will be on his branches.

This is to warn all the trees growing near water not to grow so tall, not to lift their crowns above the leafy boughs, and all that take up water not to reach up in their height. For they are all given over to death, to the depths of the underworld, along with human beings, with those who descend to the pit.'

"Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'On the day he descended to Sh'ol, I caused the abyss to mourn and cover itself for him; I held back its rivers, so that its deep waters were stopped. I made the L'vanon mourn for him, and all the field trees withered because of him.

At the sound of his fall I made the nations shake, when I hurled him down to Sh'ol with those who descend to the pit. All the trees of 'Eden, the pick of the best in the L'vanon, all that take up water, were consoled in the underworld.

They descended with him to Sh'ol to those who were killed by the sword, to those who were his fighting arm, those among the nations who lived in his shade.

Which of the trees of 'Eden was your equal in glory or size? Yet you will be brought down to the underworld along with the trees of 'Eden. You will lie there among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword. This is Pharaoh and his hordes,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

On the first day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year, the word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, raise a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt; say to him, 'You compared yourself to a lion among the nations; In fact, you are more like a crocodile in the lakes. You burst out of your streams, churn the water with your feet and foul their streams.'

"So here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'With many nations assembled, I will spread my net over you, and they will haul you up in my dragnet.

Then I will throw you on the shore, hurl you into an open field, make all the birds in the air settle on you and let the animals of the whole earth eat their fill of you.

I will leave your flesh on the mountains and fill the valleys with your rotting carcass.

I will drench the land in which you swim with your blood, as far as the mountains; the waterways will be full of you.

When I extinguish you, I will cover the sky and make its stars black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.

All the shining lights in the sky I will darken above you; I will spread darkness over your land,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

"'I will anger many peoples when I bring your destroyed ones in among the nations, into countries you have not known.

I will make many peoples aghast at you; their kings will shudder in horror over you when I brandish my sword before them. On the day of your downfall they will tremble continuously, each man in fear of his life.'

"For Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'The sword of the king of Bavel will come against you.

With the swords of the warriors I will cause your hordes to fall. They are all the most barbarous of the nations, and they will shatter the glory of Egypt - all its hordes will be destroyed.