The Babylonian Exile

All the foules of the heauen made their nestes in his boughes, and vnder his branches did all the beastes of the fielde bring foorth their yong, and vnder his shadowe dwelt all mightie nations.

Thus was he faire in his greatnesse, and in the length of his branches: for his roote was neere great waters.

The cedars in the garden of God coulde not hide him: no firre tree was like his branches, and the chessenut trees were not like his boughes: all the trees in the garden of God were not like vnto him in his beautie.

I made him faire by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, enuied him.

Therefore thus sayeth the Lord God, Because he is lift vp on high, and hath shot vp his toppe among the thicke boughes, and his heart is lift vp in his height,

I haue therefore deliuered him into the handes of the mightiest among the heathen: he shall handle him, for I haue cast him away for his wickednesse.

And the strangers haue destroyed him, euen the terrible nations, and they haue left him vpon the mountaines, and in all the valleis his branches are fallen, and his boughes are broken by all the riuers of the land: and all the people of the earth are departed from his shadowe, and haue forsaken him.

Vpon his ruine shall all the foules of the heauen remaine, and all the beastes of the fielde shall be vpon his branches,

So that none of all the trees by the waters shalbe exalted by their height, neither shall shoote vp their toppe among the thicke boughes, neither shall their leaues stand vp in their height, which drinke so much water: for they are all deliuered vnto death in the nether partes of the earth in the middes of the children of men among them that goe downe to the pit.

Thus saith the Lord God, In the day when he went downe to hell, I caused them to mourne, and I couered the deepe for him, and I did restreine the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: I caused Lebanon to mourne for him, and all the trees of the fielde fainted.

I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him downe to hell with them that descend into the pit, and all the excellent trees of Eden, and the best of Lebanon: euen all that are nourished with waters, shall be comforted in the nether partes of the earth.

They also went downe to hell with him vnto them that be slaine with the sworde, and his arme, and they that dwelt vnder his shadowe in the middes of the heathen.

To whom art thou thus like in glorie and in greatnesse among the trees of Eden? yet thou shalt be cast downe with the trees of Eden vnto the nether partes of the earth: thou shalt sleepe in the middes of the vncircumcised, with them that be slaine by the sworde: this is Pharaoh and all his multitude, sayth the Lord God.

And in the twelfth yeere in the twelfth moneth, and in the first day of the moneth, the worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

Sonne of man, take vp a lamentation for Pharaoh King of Egypt, and say vnto him, Thou art like a lyon of the nations and art as a dragon in the sea: thou castedst out thy riuers and troubledst the waters with thy feete, and stampedst in their riuers.

Thus sayth the Lord God, I will therefore spread my net ouer thee with a great multitude of people, and they shall make thee come vp into my net.

Then will I leaue thee vpon the land, and I will cast thee vpon the open field, and I wil cause all the foules of the heauen to remaine vpon thee, and I will fill all the beastes of the field with thee.

And I will lay thy flesh vpon the mountaines, and fill the valleys with thine height.

I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, euen to ye mountaines, and the riuers shall be full of thee.

And when I shall put thee out, I will couer the heauen, and make the starres thereof darke: I will couer the sunne with a cloude, and the moone shall not giue her light.

All the lightes of heauen will I make darke for thee, and bring darkenesse vpon thy lande, sayeth the Lord God.

I will also trouble the heartes of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations and vpon the countries which thou hast not knowen.

Yea, I will make many people amased at thee, and their Kings shalbe astonished with feare for thee, when I shall make my sworde to glitter against their faces, and they shall be afraide at euery moment: euery man for his owne life in the day of thy fall.

For thus sayth the Lord God, The sworde of the King of Babel shall come vpon thee.

By the swordes of the mightie will I cause thy multitude to fall: they all shall be terrible nations, and they shall destroy the pompe of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shalbe consumed.