Consider Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches, like a forest giving shade, and extremely tall; its top reached into the clouds.


The water made it grow; underground springs made it grow tall. Rivers flowed all around the place it was planted, while smaller channels watered all the trees of the field.


Therefore it grew taller than all the trees of the field; its boughs grew large and its branches grew long, because of the plentiful water in its shoots.


All the birds of the sky nested in its boughs; under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth, in its shade all the great nations lived.


It was beautiful in its loftiness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down deep to plentiful waters.


The cedars in the garden of God could not eclipse it, nor could the fir trees match its boughs; the plane trees were as nothing compared to its branches; no tree in the garden of God could rival its beauty.


I made it beautiful with its many branches; all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied it.


“‘Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because it was tall in stature, and its top reached into the clouds, and it was proud of its height,


I gave it over to the leader of the nations. He has judged it thoroughly, as its sinfulness deserves. I have thrown it out.


Foreigners from the most terrifying nations have cut it down and left it to lie there on the mountains. In all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs lie broken in the ravines of the land. All the peoples of the land have departed from its shade and left it.


On its ruins all the birds of the sky will live, and all the wild animals will walk on its branches.


For this reason no watered trees will grow so tall; their tops will not reach into the clouds, nor will the well-watered ones grow that high. For all of them have been appointed to die in the lower parts of the earth; they will be among mere mortals, with those who descend to the pit.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On the day it went down to Sheol I caused observers to lament. I covered it with the deep and held back its rivers; its plentiful water was restrained. I clothed Lebanon in black for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it.


I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I threw it down to Sheol, along with those who descend to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon, all that were well-watered, were comforted in the earth below.


Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, also went down with it to Sheol, to those killed by the sword.


Which of the trees of Eden was like you in majesty and loftiness? You will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword! This is what will happen to Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the sovereign Lord.’”


In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:


“Son of man, sing a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: “‘You were like a lion among the nations, but you are a monster in the seas; you thrash about in your streams, stir up the water with your feet, and muddy your streams.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘I will throw my net over you in the assembly of many peoples; and they will haul you up in my dragnet.


I will leave you on the ground, I will fling you on the open field, I will allow all the birds of the sky to settle on you, and I will permit all the wild animals to gorge themselves on you.


I will put your flesh on the mountains, and fill the valleys with your maggot-infested carcass.


I will drench the land with the flow of your blood up to the mountains, and the ravines will be full of your blood.


When I extinguish you, I will cover the sky; I will darken its stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not shine.


I will darken all the lights in the sky over you, and I will darken your land, declares the sovereign Lord.


I will disturb many peoples, when I bring about your destruction among the nations, among countries you do not know.


I will shock many peoples with you, and their kings will shiver with horror because of you. When I brandish my sword before them, every moment each one will tremble for his life, on the day of your fall.


“‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘The sword of the king of Babylon will attack you.


By the swords of the mighty warriors I will cause your hordes to fall – all of them are the most terrifying among the nations. They will devastate the pride of Egypt, and all its hordes will be destroyed.


I will destroy all its cattle beside the plentiful waters; and no human foot will disturb the waters again, nor will the hooves of cattle disturb them.


Then I will make their waters calm, and will make their streams flow like olive oil, declares the sovereign Lord.


When I turn the land of Egypt into desolation and the land is destitute of everything that fills it, when I strike all those who live in it, then they will know that I am the Lord.’


This is a lament; they will chant it. The daughters of the nations will chant it. They will chant it over Egypt and over all her hordes, declares the sovereign Lord.”


In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:


“Son of man, wail over the horde of Egypt. Bring it down; bring her and the daughters of powerful nations down to the lower parts of the earth, along with those who descend to the pit.


Say to them, ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!’


They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; they carry her and all her hordes away.


The bravest of the warriors will speak to him from the midst of Sheol along with his allies, saying: ‘The uncircumcised have come down; they lie still, killed by the sword.’


“Assyria is there with all her assembly around her grave, all of them struck down by the sword.


Their graves are located in the remote slopes of the pit. Her assembly is around her grave, all of them struck down by the sword, those who spread terror in the land of the living.


“Elam is there with all her hordes around her grave; all of them struck down by the sword. They went down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth, those who spread terror in the land of the living. Now they will bear their shame with those who descend to the pit.


Among the dead they have made a bed for her, along with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword, for their terror had spread in the land of the living. They bear their shame along with those who descend to the pit; they are placed among the dead.


“Meshech-Tubal is there, along with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword, for they spread their terror in the land of the living.


They do not lie with the fallen warriors of ancient times, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, having their swords placed under their heads and their shields on their bones, when the terror of these warriors was in the land of the living.


“But as for you, in the midst of the uncircumcised you will be broken, and you will lie with those killed by the sword.


“Edom is there with her kings and all her princes. Despite their might they are laid with those killed by the sword; they lie with the uncircumcised and those who descend to the pit.


“All the leaders of the north are there, along with all the Sidonians; despite their might they have gone down in shameful terror with the dead. They lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword, and bear their shame with those who descend to the pit.


“Pharaoh will see them and be consoled over all his hordes who were killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his army, declares the sovereign Lord.


Indeed, I terrified him in the land of the living, yet he will lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with those killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the sovereign Lord.”


The word of the Lord came to me:


“Son of man, speak to your people, and say to them, ‘Suppose I bring a sword against the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make him their watchman.


He sees the sword coming against the land, blows the trumpet, and warns the people,


but there is one who hears the sound of the trumpet yet does not heed the warning. Then the sword comes and sweeps him away. He will be responsible for his own death.


He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, so he is responsible for himself. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life.


But suppose the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. Then the sword comes and takes one of their lives. He is swept away for his iniquity, but I will hold the watchman accountable for that person’s death.’


“As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf.


When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you must certainly die,’ and you do not warn the wicked about his behavior, the wicked man will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death.


But if you warn the wicked man to change his behavior, and he refuses to change, he will die for his iniquity, but you have saved your own life.


“And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you have said: “Our rebellious acts and our sins have caught up with us, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?”’


Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel?’


“And you, son of man, say to your people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous will not deliver him if he rebels. As for the wicked, his wickedness will not make him stumble if he turns from it. The righteous will not be able to live by his righteousness if he sins.’


Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die.


Suppose I say to the wicked, ‘You must certainly die,’ but he turns from his sin and does what is just and right.


He returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life, committing no iniquity. He will certainly live – he will not die.


None of the sins he has committed will be counted against him. He has done what is just and right; he will certainly live.


“Yet your people say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their behavior that is not right.


When a righteous man turns from his godliness and commits iniquity, he will die for it.


When the wicked turns from his sin and does what is just and right, he will live because of it.


Yet you say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right.’ House of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his behavior.”


In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth of the month, a refugee came to me from Jerusalem saying, “The city has been defeated!”


Now the hand of the Lord had been on me the evening before the refugee reached me, but the Lord opened my mouth by the time the refugee arrived in the morning; he opened my mouth and I was no longer unable to speak.


The word of the Lord came to me:


“Son of man, the ones living in these ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land, but we are many; surely the land has been given to us for a possession.’


Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: You eat the meat with the blood still in it, pray to your idols, and shed blood. Do you really think you will possess the land?


You rely on your swords and commit abominable deeds; each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Will you possess the land?’


“This is what you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die by the sword, those in the open field I will give to the wild beasts for food, and those who are in the strongholds and caves will die of disease.


I will turn the land into a desolate ruin; her confident pride will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so desolate no one will pass through them.


Then they will know that I am the Lord when I turn the land into a desolate ruin because of all the abominable deeds they have committed.’


“But as for you, son of man, your people (who are talking about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses) say to one another, ‘Come hear the word that comes from the Lord.’


They come to you in crowds, and they sit in front of you as my people. They hear your words, but do not obey them. For they talk lustfully, and their heart is set on their own advantage.


Realize that to them you are like a sensual song, a beautiful voice and skilled musician. They hear your words, but they do not obey them.


When all this comes true – and it certainly will – then they will know that a prophet was among them.”


“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them – to the shepherds: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not shepherds feed the flock?


You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the choice animals, but you do not feed the sheep!


You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled over them.


They were scattered because they had no shepherd, and they became food for every wild beast.


My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over the entire face of the earth with no one looking or searching for them.


“‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:


As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, my sheep have become prey and have become food for all the wild beasts. There was no shepherd, and my shepherds did not search for my flock, but fed themselves and did not feed my sheep,


Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:


This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand my sheep from their hand. I will no longer let them be shepherds; the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore. I will rescue my sheep from their mouth, so that they will no longer be food for them.


“‘For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out.


As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy, dark day.


I will bring them out from among the peoples and gather them from foreign countries; I will bring them to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams and all the inhabited places of the land.


In a good pasture I will feed them; the mountain heights of Israel will be their pasture. There they will lie down in a lush pasture, and they will feed on rich grass on the mountains of Israel.


I myself will feed my sheep and I myself will make them lie down, declares the sovereign Lord.


I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them – with judgment!


“‘As for you, my sheep, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats.


Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must trample the rest of your pastures with your feet? When you drink clean water, must you muddy the rest of the water by trampling it with your feet?


As for my sheep, they must eat what you trampled with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet!


“‘Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says to them: Look, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.


Because you push with your side and your shoulder, and thrust your horns at all the weak sheep until you scatter them abroad,


I will save my sheep; they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.


I will set one shepherd over them, and he will feed them – namely, my servant David. He will feed them and will be their shepherd.


I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken!


“‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and will rid the land of wild beasts, so that they can live securely in the wilderness and even sleep in the woods.


I will turn them and the regions around my hill into a blessing. I will make showers come down in their season; they will be showers that bring blessing.


The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the earth will yield its crops. They will live securely on their land; they will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hand of those who enslaved them.


They will no longer be prey for the nations and the wild beasts will not devour them. They will live securely and no one will make them afraid.


I will prepare for them a healthy planting. They will no longer be victims of famine in the land and will no longer bear the insults of the nations.


Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they are my people, the house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.


And you, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are my people, and I am your God, declares the sovereign Lord.’”


The word of the Lord came to me:


“Son of man, turn toward Mount Seir, and prophesy against it.


Say to it, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘Look, I am against you, Mount Seir; I will stretch out my hand against you and turn you into a desolate ruin.


I will lay waste your cities; and you will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord!


“‘You have shown unrelenting hostility and poured the people of Israel onto the blades of a sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment.


Therefore, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will subject you to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.


I will turn Mount Seir into a desolate ruin; I will cut off from it the one who passes through or returns.


I will fill its mountains with its dead; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines, those killed by the sword will fall.


I will turn you into a perpetual desolation, and your cities will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


“‘You said, “These two nations, these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them,” – although the Lord was there –


therefore, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will deal with you according to your anger, and according to your envy, by which you acted spitefully against them. I will reveal myself to them when I judge you.


Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all the insults you spoke against the mountains of Israel, saying, “They are desolate, they have been given to us for food.”


You exalted yourselves against me with your speech and hurled many insults against me – I have heard them all!


This is what the sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will turn you into a desolation.


As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so will I deal with you – you will be desolate, Mount Seir, and all of Edom – all of it! Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”


“As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord!


This is what the sovereign Lord says: The enemy has spoken against you, saying “Aha!” and, “The ancient heights have become our property!”’


So prophesy and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely because they have made you desolate and crushed you from all directions, so that you have become the property of the rest of the nations, and have become the subject of gossip and slander among the people,


therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the sovereign Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, and to the desolate ruins and the abandoned cities that have become prey and an object of derision to the rest of the nations round about –


therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely I have spoken in the fire of my zeal against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who with great joy and utter contempt have made my land their property and prey, because of its pasture.’


“Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I have spoken in my zeal and in my anger, because you have endured the insults of the nations.


So this is what the sovereign Lord says: I vow that the nations around you will endure insults as well.


“‘But you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches, and bear your fruit for my people Israel; for they will arrive soon.


For indeed, I am on your side; I will turn to you, and you will be plowed and planted.


I will multiply your people – the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities will be populated and the ruins rebuilt.


I will increase the number of people and animals on you; they will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as in ancient times, and will do more good for you than at the beginning of your history. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


I will lead people, my people Israel, across you; they will possess you and you will become their inheritance. No longer will you bereave them of their children.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Because they are saying to you, “You are a devourer of men, and bereave your nation of children,”


therefore you will no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the sovereign Lord.


I will no longer subject you to the nations’ insults; no longer will you bear the shame of the peoples, and no longer will you bereave your nation, declares the sovereign Lord.’”


The word of the Lord came to me:


“Son of man, when the house of Israel was living on their own land, they defiled it by their behavior and their deeds. In my sight their behavior was like the uncleanness of a woman having her monthly period.


So I poured my anger on them because of the blood they shed on the land and because of the idols with which they defiled it.


I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed throughout foreign countries. In accordance with their behavior and their deeds I judged them.


But when they arrived in the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, yet they have departed from his land.’


I was concerned for my holy reputation which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they went.


“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake that I am about to act, O house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy reputation which you profaned among the nations where you went.


I will magnify my great name that has been profaned among the nations, that you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the sovereign Lord, when I magnify myself among you in their sight.


“‘I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries; then I will bring you to your land.


I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols.


I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh.


I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations.


Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.


I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it; I will not bring a famine on you.


I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the produce of the fields, so that you will never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.


Then you will remember your evil behavior and your deeds which were not good; you will loathe yourselves on account of your sins and your abominable deeds.


Understand that it is not for your sake I am about to act, declares the sovereign Lord. Be ashamed and embarrassed by your behavior, O house of Israel.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will populate the cities and the ruins will be rebuilt.


The desolate land will be plowed, instead of being desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by.


They will say, “This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; the ruined, desolate, and destroyed cities are now fortified and inhabited.”


Then the nations which remain around you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken – and I will do it!’


“This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them: I will multiply their people like sheep.


Like the sheep for offerings, like the sheep of Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”


The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and placed me in the midst of the valley, and it was full of bones.


He made me walk all around among them. I realized there were a great many bones in the valley and they were very dry.


He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.”


Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them: ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.


This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath into you and you will live.


I will put tendons on you and muscles over you and will cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”


So I prophesied as I was commanded. There was a sound when I prophesied – I heard a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone.


As I watched, I saw tendons on them, then muscles appeared, and skin covered over them from above, but there was no breath in them.


He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, – prophesy, son of man – and say to the breath: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these corpses so that they may live.’”


So I prophesied as I was commanded, and the breath came into them; they lived and stood on their feet, an extremely great army.


Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Look, they are saying, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope has perished; we are cut off.’


Therefore prophesy, and tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to open your graves and will raise you from your graves, my people. I will bring you to the land of Israel.


Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people.


I will place my breath in you and you will live; I will give you rest in your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord – I have spoken and I will act, declares the Lord.’”


The word of the Lord came to me:


“As for you, son of man, take one branch, and write on it, ‘For Judah, and for the Israelites associated with him.’ Then take another branch and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the branch of Ephraim and all the house of Israel associated with him.’


Join them as one stick; they will be as one in your hand.


When your people say to you, ‘Will you not tell us what these things mean?’


tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to take the branch of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and I will place them on the stick of Judah, and make them into one stick – they will be one in my hand.’


The sticks you write on will be in your hand in front of them.


Then tell them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to take the Israelites from among the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from round about and bring them to their land.


I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over them all. They will never again be two nations and never again be divided into two kingdoms.


They will not defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, and all their rebellious deeds. I will save them from all their unfaithfulness by which they sinned. I will purify them; they will become my people and I will become their God.


“‘My servant David will be king over them; there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my regulations and carefully observe my statutes.


They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; they will live in it – they and their children and their grandchildren forever. David my servant will be prince over them forever.


I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be a perpetual covenant with them. I will establish them, increase their numbers, and place my sanctuary among them forever.


My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.


Then, when my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.’”


“Son of man, turn toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him


and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.


I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them fully armed, a great company with shields of different types, all of them armed with swords.


Persia, Ethiopia, and Put are with them, all of them with shields and helmets.


They are joined by Gomer with all its troops, and by Beth Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops – many peoples are with you.


“‘Be ready and stay ready, you and all your companies assembled around you, and be a guard for them.


After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come to a land restored from the ravages of war, with many peoples gathered on the mountains of Israel that had long been in ruins. Its people were brought out from the peoples, and all of them will be living securely.


You will advance; you will come like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the earth, you, all your troops, and the many other peoples with you.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil plan.


You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled towns; I will advance against those living quietly in security – all of them living without walls and barred gates –


to loot and plunder, to attack the inhabited ruins and the people gathered from the nations, who are acquiring cattle and goods, who live at the center of the earth.”


Sheba and Dedan and the traders of Tarshish with all its young warriors will say to you, “Have you come to loot? Have you assembled your armies to plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to haul away a great amount of spoils?”’


“Therefore, prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: On that day when my people Israel are living securely, you will take notice


and come from your place, from the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a vast army.


You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud covering the earth. In the latter days I will bring you against my land so that the nations may acknowledge me, when before their eyes I magnify myself through you, O Gog.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you the one of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days that I would bring you against them?


On that day, when Gog invades the land of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord, my rage will mount up in my anger.


In my zeal, in the fire of my fury, I declare that on that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.


The fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the wild beasts, all the things that creep on the ground, and all people who live on the face of the earth will shake at my presence. The mountains will topple, the cliffs will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground.


I will call for a sword to attack Gog on all my mountains, declares the sovereign Lord; every man’s sword will be against his brother.


I will judge him with plague and bloodshed. I will rain down on him, his troops and the many peoples who are with him a torrential downpour, hailstones, fire, and brimstone.


I will exalt and magnify myself; I will reveal myself before many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’


“As for you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal!


I will turn you around and drag you along; I will lead you up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel.


I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand.


You will fall dead on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the people who are with you. I give you as food to every kind of bird and every wild beast.


You will fall dead in the open field; for I have spoken, declares the sovereign Lord.


I will send fire on Magog and those who live securely in the coastlands; then they will know that I am the Lord.


“‘I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.


Realize that it is coming and it will be done, declares the sovereign Lord. It is the day I have spoken about.


“‘Then those who live in the cities of Israel will go out and use the weapons for kindling – the shields, bows and arrows, war clubs and spears – they will burn them for seven years.


They will not need to take wood from the field or cut down trees from the forests, because they will make fires with the weapons. They will take the loot from those who looted them and seize the plunder of those who plundered them, declares the sovereign Lord.


“‘On that day I will assign Gog a grave in Israel. It will be the valley of those who travel east of the sea; it will block the way of the travelers. There they will bury Gog and all his horde; they will call it the valley of Hamon-Gog.


For seven months Israel will bury them, in order to cleanse the land.


All the people of the land will bury them, and it will be a memorial for them on the day I magnify myself, declares the sovereign Lord.


They will designate men to scout continually through the land, burying those who remain on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. They will search for seven full months.


When the scouts survey the land and see a human bone, they will place a sign by it, until those assigned to burial duty have buried it in the valley of Hamon-Gog.


(A city by the name of Hamonah will also be there.) They will cleanse the land.’


“As for you, son of man, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Tell every kind of bird and every wild beast: ‘Assemble and come! Gather from all around to my slaughter which I am going to make for you, a great slaughter on the mountains of Israel! You will eat flesh and drink blood.


You will eat the flesh of warriors and drink the blood of the princes of the earth – the rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, all of them fattened animals of Bashan.


You will eat fat until you are full, and drink blood until you are drunk, at my slaughter which I have made for you.


You will fill up at my table with horses and charioteers, with warriors and all the soldiers,’ declares the sovereign Lord.


“I will display my majesty among the nations. All the nations will witness the judgment I have executed, and the power I have exhibited among them.


Then the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God, from that day forward.


The nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile due to their iniquity, for they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies; all of them died by the sword.


According to their uncleanness and rebellion I have dealt with them, and I hid my face from them.


“Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name.


They will bear their shame for all their unfaithful acts against me, when they live securely on their land with no one to make them afraid.


When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will magnify myself among them in the sight of many nations.


Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations, and then gathered them into their own land. I will not leave any of them in exile any longer.


I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.”


In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on this very day, the hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me there.


By means of divine visions he brought me to the land of Israel and placed me on a very high mountain, and on it was a structure like a city, to the south.


When he brought me there, I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring stick in his hand. He was standing in the gateway.


The man said to me, “Son of man, watch closely, listen carefully, and pay attention to everything I show you, for you have been brought here so that I can show it to you. Tell the house of Israel everything you see.”


I saw a wall all around the outside of the temple. In the man’s hand was a measuring stick 10½ feet long. He measured the thickness of the wall as 10½ feet, and its height as 10½ feet.


Then he went to the gate facing east. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate as 10½ feet deep.


The alcoves were 10½ feet long and 10½ feet wide; between the alcoves were 8¾ feet. The threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate facing inward was 10½ feet.


Then he measured the porch of the gate facing inward as 10½ feet.


He measured the porch of the gate as 14 feet, and its jambs as 3½ feet; the porch of the gate faced inward.


There were three alcoves on each side of the east gate; the three had the same measurement, and the jambs on either side had the same measurement.


He measured the width of the entrance of the gateway as 17½ feet, and the length of the gateway as 22¾ feet.


There was a barrier in front of the alcoves, 1¾ feet on either side; the alcoves were 10½ feet on either side.


He measured the gateway from the roof of one alcove to the roof of the other, a width of 43¾ feet from one entrance to the opposite one.


He measured the porch at 105 feet high; the gateway went all around to the jamb of the courtyard.


From the front of the entrance gate to the porch of the inner gate was 87½ feet.


There were closed windows toward the alcoves and toward their jambs within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. There were windows all around the inside, and on each jamb were decorative palm trees.


Then he brought me to the outer court. I saw chambers there, and a pavement made for the court all around; thirty chambers faced the pavement.


The pavement was beside the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement.


Then he measured the width from before the lower gate to the front of the exterior of the inner court as 175 feet on the east and on the north.


He measured the length and width of the gate of the outer court which faces north.


Its alcoves, three on each side, and its jambs and porches had the same measurement as the first gate; 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide.


Its windows, its porches, and its decorative palm trees had the same measurement as the gate which faced east. Seven steps led up to it, and its porch was in front of them.


Opposite the gate on the north and the east was a gate of the inner court; he measured the distance from gate to gate at 175 feet.


Then he led me toward the south. I saw a gate on the south. He measured its jambs and its porches; they had the same dimensions as the others.


There were windows all around it and its porches, like the windows of the others; 87½ feet long and 43¾ feet wide.


There were seven steps going up to it; its porches were in front of them. It had decorative palm trees on its jambs, one on either side.


The inner court had a gate toward the south; he measured it from gate to gate toward the south as 175 feet.


Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate. He measured the south gate; it had the same dimensions as the others.


Its alcoves, its jambs, and its porches had the same dimensions as the others, and there were windows all around it and its porches; its length was 87½ feet and its width 43¾ feet.


There were porches all around, 43¾ feet long and 8¾ feet wide.


Its porches faced the outer court, and decorative palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.


Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side. He measured the gate; it had the same dimensions as the others.


Its porches faced the outer court, it had decorative palm trees on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.


Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it; it had the same dimensions as the others –


its alcoves, its jambs, and its porches. It had windows all around it; its length was 87½ feet and its width 43¾ feet.


Its jambs faced the outer court, and it had decorative palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.


There was a chamber with its door by the porch of the gate; there they washed the burnt offering.


In the porch of the gate were two tables on either side on which to slaughter the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering.


On the outside of the porch as one goes up at the entrance of the north gate were two tables, and on the other side of the porch of the gate were two tables.


Four tables were on each side of the gate, eight tables on which the sacrifices were to be slaughtered.


The four tables for the burnt offering were of carved stone, 32 inches long, 32 inches wide, and 21 inches high. They would put the instruments which they used to slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice on them.


There were hooks three inches long, fastened in the house all around, and on the tables was the flesh of the offering.


On the outside of the inner gate were chambers for the singers of the inner court, one at the side of the north gate facing south, and the other at the side of the south gate facing north.


He said to me, “This chamber which faces south is for the priests who keep charge of the temple,


and the chamber which faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the descendants of Zadok, from the descendants of Levi, who may approach the Lord to minister to him.”


He measured the court as a square 175 feet long and 175 feet wide; the altar was in front of the temple.


Then he brought me to the porch of the temple and measured the jambs of the porch as 8¾ feet on either side, and the width of the gate was 24½ feet and the sides were 5¼ feet on each side.


The length of the porch was 35 feet and the width 19¼ feet; steps led up to it, and there were pillars beside the jambs on either side.


Then he brought me to the outer sanctuary, and measured the jambs; the jambs were 10½ feet wide on each side.


The width of the entrance was 17½ feet, and the sides of the entrance were 8¾ feet on each side. He measured the length of the outer sanctuary as 70 feet, and its width as 35 feet.


Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance as 3½ feet, the entrance as 10½ feet, and the width of the entrance as 12¼ feet


Then he measured its length as 35 feet, and its width as 35 feet, before the outer sanctuary. He said to me, “This is the most holy place.”


Then he measured the wall of the temple as 10½ feet, and the width of the side chambers as 7 feet, all around the temple.


The side chambers were in three stories, one above the other, thirty in each story. There were offsets in the wall all around to serve as supports for the side chambers, so that the supports were not in the wall of the temple.


The side chambers surrounding the temple were wider at each successive story; for the structure surrounding the temple went up story by story all around the temple. For this reason the width of the temple increased as it went up, and one went up from the lowest story to the highest by the way of the middle story.


I saw that the temple had a raised platform all around; the foundations of the side chambers were a full measuring stick of 10½ feet high.


The width of the outer wall of the side chambers was 8¾ feet, and the open area between the side chambers of the temple


and the chambers of the court was 35 feet in width all around the temple on every side.


There were entrances from the side chambers toward the open area, one entrance toward the north, and another entrance toward the south; the width of the open area was 8¾ feet all around.


The building that was facing the temple courtyard at the west side was 122½ feet wide; the wall of the building was 8¾ feet all around, and its length 157½ feet.


Then he measured the temple as 175 feet long, the courtyard of the temple and the building and its walls as 175 feet long,


and also the width of the front of the temple and the courtyard on the east as 175 feet.


Then he measured the length of the building facing the courtyard at the rear of the temple, with its galleries on either side as 175 feet. The interior of the outer sanctuary and the porch of the court,


as well as the thresholds, narrow windows and galleries all around on three sides facing the threshold were paneled with wood all around, from the ground up to the windows (now the windows were covered),


to the space above the entrance, to the inner room, and on the outside, and on all the walls in the inner room and outside, by measurement.


It was made with cherubim and decorative palm trees, with a palm tree between each cherub. Each cherub had two faces:


a human face toward the palm tree on one side and a lion’s face toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved on the whole temple all around;


from the ground to the area above the entrance, cherubim and decorative palm trees were carved on the wall of the outer sanctuary.


The doorposts of the outer sanctuary were square. In front of the sanctuary one doorpost looked just like the other.


The altar was of wood, 5¼ feet high, with its length 3½ feet; its corners, its length, and its walls were of wood. He said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.”


The outer sanctuary and the inner sanctuary each had a double door.


Each of the doors had two leaves, two swinging leaves; two leaves for one door and two leaves for the other.


On the doors of the outer sanctuary were carved cherubim and palm trees, like those carved on the walls, and there was a canopy of wood on the front of the outside porch.


There were narrow windows and decorative palm trees on either side of the side walls of the porch; this is what the side chambers of the temple and the canopies were like.


Then he led me out to the outer court, toward the north, and brought me to the chamber which was opposite the courtyard and opposite the building on the north.


Its length was 175 feet on the north side, and its width 87½ feet.


Opposite the 35 feet that belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement which belonged to the outer court, gallery faced gallery in the three stories.


In front of the chambers was a walkway on the inner side, 17½ feet wide at a distance of 1¾ feet, and their entrances were on the north.


Now the upper chambers were narrower, because the galleries took more space from them than from the lower and middle chambers of the building.


For they were in three stories and had no pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and upper ones.


As for the outer wall by the side of the chambers, toward the outer court facing the chambers, it was 87½ feet long.


For the chambers on the outer court were 87½ feet long, while those facing the temple were 175 feet long.


Below these chambers was a passage on the east side as one enters from the outer court.


At the beginning of the wall of the court toward the south, facing the courtyard and the building, were chambers


with a passage in front of them. They looked like the chambers on the north. Of the same length and width, and all their exits according to their arrangements and entrances


were the chambers which were toward the south. There was an opening at the head of the passage, the passage in front of the corresponding wall toward the east when one enters.


Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers which face the courtyard are holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will place the most holy offerings – the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, because the place is holy.


When the priests enter, then they will not go out from the sanctuary to the outer court without taking off their garments in which they minister, for these are holy; they will put on other garments, then they will go near the places where the people are.”


Now when he had finished measuring the interior of the temple, he led me out by the gate which faces east and measured all around.


He measured the east side with the measuring stick as 875 feet by the measuring stick.


He measured the north side as 875 feet by the measuring stick.


He measured the south side as 875 feet by the measuring stick.


He turned to the west side and measured 875 feet by the measuring stick.


He measured it on all four sides. It had a wall around it, 875 feet long and 875 feet wide, to separate the holy and common places.


Then he brought me to the gate that faced toward the east.


I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east; the sound was like that of rushing water; and the earth radiated his glory.


It was like the vision I saw when he came to destroy the city, and the vision I saw by the Kebar River. I threw myself face down.


The glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate that faces east.


Then a wind lifted me up and brought me to the inner court; I watched the glory of the Lord filling the temple.


I heard someone speaking to me from the temple, while the man was standing beside me.


He said to me: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will live among the people of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no longer profane my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their spiritual prostitution or by the pillars of their kings set up when they die.


When they placed their threshold by my threshold and their doorpost by my doorpost, with only the wall between me and them, they profaned my holy name by the abominable deeds they committed. So I consumed them in my anger.


Now they must put away their spiritual prostitution and the pillars of their kings far from me, and then I will live among them forever.


“As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, so that they will be ashamed of their sins and measure the pattern.


When they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its pattern, its exits and entrances, and its whole design – all its statutes, its entire design, and all its laws; write it all down in their sight, so that they may observe its entire design and all its statutes and do them.


“This is the law of the temple: The entire area on top of the mountain all around will be most holy. Indeed, this is the law of the temple.


“And these are the measurements of the altar: Its base is 1¾ feet high, and 1¾ feet wide, and its border nine inches on its edge. This is to be the height of the altar.


From the base of the ground to the lower edge is 3½ feet, and the width 1¾ feet; and from the smaller ledge to the larger edge, 7 feet, and the width 1¾ feet;


and the altar hearth, 7 feet, and from the altar hearth four horns projecting upward.


Now the altar hearth is a perfect square, 21 feet long and 21 feet wide.


The ledge is 24½ feet long and 24½ feet wide on four sides; the border around it is 10½ inches, and its surrounding base 1¾ feet. Its steps face east.”


Then he said to me: “Son of man, this is what the sovereign Lord says: These are the statutes of the altar: On the day it is built to offer up burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it,


you will give a young bull for a sin offering to the Levitical priests who are descended from Zadok, who approach me to minister to me, declares the sovereign Lord.


You will take some of its blood, and place it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border all around; you will cleanse it and make atonement for it.


You will also take the bull for the sin offering, and it will be burned in the appointed place in the temple, outside the sanctuary.


“On the second day, you will offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering. They will purify the altar just as they purified it with the bull.


When you have finished purifying it, you will offer an unblemished young bull and an unblemished ram from the flock.


You will present them before the Lord, and the priests will scatter salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord.


“For seven days you will provide every day a goat for a sin offering; a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without blemish, will be provided.


For seven days they will make atonement for the altar and cleanse it, so they will consecrate it.


When the prescribed period is over, on the eighth day and thereafter the priests will offer up on the altar your burnt offerings and your peace offerings; I will accept you, declares the sovereign Lord.”


Then he brought me back by way of the outer gate of the sanctuary which faces east, but it was shut.


The Lord said to me: “This gate will be shut; it will not be opened, and no one will enter by it. For the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it will remain shut.


Only the prince may sit in it to eat a sacrificial meal before the Lord; he will enter by way of the porch of the gate and will go out by the same way.”


Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. As I watched, I noticed the glory of the Lord filling the Lord’s temple, and I threw myself face down.


The Lord said to me: “Son of man, pay attention, watch closely and listen carefully to everything I tell you concerning all the statutes of the Lord’s house and all its laws. Pay attention to the entrances to the temple with all the exits of the sanctuary.


Say to the rebellious, to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Enough of all your abominable practices, O house of Israel!


When you bring foreigners, those uncircumcised in heart and in flesh, into my sanctuary, you desecrate it – even my house – when you offer my food, the fat and the blood. You have broken my covenant by all your abominable practices.


You have not kept charge of my holy things, but you have assigned foreigners to keep charge of my sanctuary for you.


This is what the sovereign Lord says: No foreigner, who is uncircumcised in heart and flesh among all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel, will enter into my sanctuary.


“‘But the Levites who went far from me, straying off from me after their idols when Israel went astray, will be responsible for their sin.


Yet they will be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple, and serving the temple. They will slaughter the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people, and they will stand before them to minister to them.


Because they used to minister to them before their idols, and became a sinful obstacle to the house of Israel, consequently I have made a vow concerning them, declares the sovereign Lord, that they will be responsible for their sin.


They will not come near me to serve me as priest, nor will they come near any of my holy things, the things which are most sacred. They will bear the shame of the abominable deeds they have committed.


Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, all of its service and all that will be done in it.


“‘But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, will approach me to minister to me; they will stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the sovereign Lord.


They will enter my sanctuary, and approach my table to minister to me; they will keep my charge.


“‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they must wear linen garments; they must not have any wool on them when they minister in the inner gates of the court and in the temple.


Linen turbans will be on their heads and linen undergarments will be around their waists; they must not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat.


When they go out to the outer court to the people, they must remove the garments they were ministering in, and place them in the holy chambers; they must put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.


“‘They must not shave their heads nor let their hair grow long; they must only trim their heads.


No priest may drink wine when he enters the inner court.


They must not marry a widow or a divorcee, but they may marry a virgin from the house of Israel or a widow who is a priest’s widow.


Moreover, they will teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the ceremonially unclean and the clean.


“‘In a controversy they will act as judges; they will judge according to my ordinances. They will keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals and will observe my Sabbaths.


“‘They must not come near a dead person or they will be defiled; however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister, they may defile themselves.


After a priest has become ceremonially clean, they must count off a period of seven days for him.


On the day he enters the sanctuary, into the inner court to serve in the sanctuary, he must offer his sin offering, declares the sovereign Lord.


“‘This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you must give them no property in Israel; I am their property.


They may eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel will be theirs.


The first of all the first fruits and all contributions of any kind will be for the priests; you will also give to the priest the first portion of your dough, so that a blessing may rest on your house.


The priests will not eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or was torn to pieces by a wild animal.


“‘When you allot the land as an inheritance, you will offer an allotment to the Lord, a holy portion from the land; the length will be eight and a quarter miles and the width three and one-third miles. This entire area will be holy.


Of this area a square 875 feet by 875 feet will be designated for the sanctuary, with 87½ feet set aside for its open space round about.


From this measured area you will measure a length of eight and a quarter miles and a width of three and one-third miles; in it will be the sanctuary, the most holy place.


It will be a holy portion of the land; it will be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary who approach the Lord to minister to him. It will be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary.


An area eight and a quarter miles in length and three and one-third miles in width will be for the Levites, who minister at the temple, as the place for the cities in which they will live.


“‘Alongside the portion set apart as the holy allotment, you will allot for the city an area one and two-thirds miles wide and eight and a quarter miles long; it will be for the whole house of Israel.


“‘For the prince there will be land on both sides of the holy allotment and the allotted city, alongside the holy allotment and the allotted city, on the west side and on the east side; it will be comparable in length to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border


of the land. This will be his property in Israel. My princes will no longer oppress my people, but the land will be allotted to the house of Israel according to their tribes.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Put away violence and destruction, and do what is just and right. Put an end to your evictions of my people, declares the sovereign Lord.


You must use just balances, a just dry measure (an ephah), and a just liquid measure (a bath).


The dry and liquid measures will be the same, the bath will contain a tenth of a homer, and the ephah a tenth of a homer; the homer will be the standard measure.


The shekel will be twenty gerahs. Sixty shekels will be a mina for you.


“‘This is the offering you must offer: a sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat; a sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley,


and as the prescribed portion of olive oil, one tenth of a bath from each kor (which is ten baths or a homer, for ten baths make a homer);


and one sheep from each flock of two hundred, from the watered places of Israel, for a grain offering, burnt offering, and peace offering, to make atonement for them, declares the sovereign Lord.


All the people of the land will contribute to this offering for the prince of Israel.


It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, the grain offering, and the drink offering at festivals, on the new moons and Sabbaths, at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel; he will provide the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you must take an unblemished young bull and purify the sanctuary.


The priest will take some of the blood of the sin offering and place it on the doorpost of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the doorpost of the gate of the inner court.


This is what you must do on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sins inadvertently or through ignorance; so you will make atonement for the temple.


“‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you will celebrate the Passover, and for seven days bread made without yeast will be eaten.


On that day the prince will provide for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering.


And during the seven days of the feast he will provide as a burnt offering to the Lord seven bulls and seven rams, all without blemish, on each of the seven days, and a male goat daily for a sin offering.


He will provide as a grain offering an ephah for each bull, an ephah for each ram, and a gallon of olive oil for each ephah of grain.


In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast, he will make the same provisions for the sin offering, burnt offering, and grain offering, and for the olive oil, for the seven days.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: The gate of the inner court that faces east will be closed six working days, but on the Sabbath day it will be opened and on the day of the new moon it will be opened.


The prince will enter by way of the porch of the gate from the outside, and will stand by the doorpost of the gate. The priests will provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he will bow down at the threshold of the gate and then go out. But the gate will not be closed until evening.


The people of the land will bow down at the entrance of that gate before the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the new moons.


The burnt offering which the prince will offer to the Lord on the Sabbath day will be six unblemished lambs and one unblemished ram.


The grain offering will be an ephah with the ram, and the grain offering with the lambs will be as much as he is able to give, and a gallon of olive oil with an ephah.


On the day of the new moon he will offer an unblemished young bull, and six lambs and a ram, all without blemish.


He will provide a grain offering: an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he wishes, and a gallon of olive oil with each ephah of grain.


When the prince enters, he will come by way of the porch of the gate and will go out the same way.


“‘When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship will go out by way of the south gate; whoever enters by way of the south gate will go out by way of the north gate. No one will return by way of the gate they entered but will go out straight ahead.


When they come in, the prince will come in with them, and when they go out, he will go out.


“‘At the festivals and at the appointed feasts the grain offering will be an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as one is able, and a gallon of olive oil with each ephah of grain.


When the prince provides a freewill offering, a burnt offering, or peace offerings as a voluntary offering to the Lord, the gate facing east will be opened for him, and he will provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings just as he did on the Sabbath. Then he will go out, and the gate will be closed after he goes out.


“‘You will provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering daily to the Lord; morning by morning he will provide it.


And you will provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, a sixth of an ephah, and a third of a gallon of olive oil to moisten the choice flour, as a grain offering to the Lord; this is a perpetual statute.


Thus they will provide the lamb, the grain offering, and the olive oil morning by morning, as a perpetual burnt offering.


“‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: If the prince should give a gift to one of his sons as his inheritance, it will belong to his sons, it is their property by inheritance.


But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will be his until the year of liberty; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance will only remain with his sons.


The prince will not take away any of the people’s inheritance by oppressively removing them from their property. He will give his sons an inheritance from his own possessions so that my people will not be scattered, each from his own property.’”


Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers for the priests which faced north. There I saw a place at the extreme western end.


He said to me, “This is the place where the priests will boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they will bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them out to the outer court to transmit holiness to the people.”


Then he brought me out to the outer court and led me past the four corners of the court, and I noticed that in every corner of the court there was a court.


In the four corners of the court were small courts, 70 feet in length and 52½ feet in width; the four were all the same size.


There was a row of masonry around each of the four courts, and places for boiling offerings were made under the rows all around.


Then he said to me, “These are the houses for boiling, where the ministers of the temple boil the sacrifices of the people.”


Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple. I noticed that water was flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from under the right side of the temple, from south of the altar.


He led me out by way of the north gate and brought me around the outside of the outer gate that faces toward the east; I noticed that the water was trickling out from the south side.


When the man went out toward the east with a measuring line in his hand, he measured 1,750 feet, and then he led me through water, which was ankle deep.


Again he measured 1,750 feet and led me through the water, which was now knee deep. Once more he measured 1,750 feet and led me through the water, which was waist deep.


Again he measured 1,750 feet and it was a river I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed.


He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river.


When I had returned, I noticed a vast number of trees on the banks of the river, on both sides.


He said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and flow down into the Arabah; when they enter the Dead Sea, where the sea is stagnant, the waters become fresh.


Every living creature which swarms where the river flows will live; there will be many fish, for these waters flow there. It will become fresh and everything will live where the river flows.


Fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to En-eglaim they will spread nets. They will catch many kinds of fish, like the fish of the Great Sea.


But its swamps and its marshes will not become fresh; they will remain salty.


On both sides of the river’s banks, every kind of tree will grow for food. Their leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail, but they will bear fruit every month, because their water source flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”


This is what the sovereign Lord says: “Here are the borders you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.)


You must divide it equally just as I vowed to give it to your forefathers; this land will be assigned as your inheritance.


“This will be the border of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to the entrance of Zedad;


Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath, as far as Hazer-hattikon, which is on the border of Hauran.


The border will run from the sea to Hazar-enan, at the border of Damascus, and on the north is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.


On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, will be the Jordan. You will measure from the border to the eastern sea. This is the east side.


On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, the river, to the Great Sea. This is the south side.


On the west side the Great Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.


“This is how you will divide this land for yourselves among the tribes of Israel.


You must allot it as an inheritance among yourselves and for the foreigners who reside among you, who have fathered sons among you. You must treat them as native-born among the people of Israel; they will be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.


In whatever tribe the foreigner resides, there you will give him his inheritance,” declares the sovereign Lord.


“These are the names of the tribes: From the northern end beside the road of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan (which is on the border of Damascus, toward the north beside Hamath), extending from the east side to the west, Dan will have one portion.


Next to the border of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher will have one portion.


Next to the border of Asher from the east side to the west, Naphtali will have one portion.


Next to the border of Naphtali from the east side to the west, Manasseh will have one portion.


Next to the border of Manasseh from the east side to the west, Ephraim will have one portion.


Next to the border of Ephraim from the east side to the west, Reuben will have one portion.


Next to the border of Reuben from the east side to the west, Judah will have one portion.


“Next to the border of Judah from the east side to the west will be the allotment you must set apart. It is to be eight and a quarter miles wide, and the same length as one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west; the sanctuary will be in the middle of it.


The allotment you set apart to the Lord will be eight and a quarter miles in length and three and one-third miles in width.


These will be the allotments for the holy portion: for the priests, toward the north eight and a quarter miles in length, toward the west three and one-third miles in width, toward the east three and one-third miles in width, and toward the south eight and a quarter miles in length; the sanctuary of the Lord will be in the middle.


This will be for the priests who are set apart from the descendants of Zadok who kept my charge and did not go astray when the people of Israel strayed off, like the Levites did.


It will be their portion from the allotment of the land, a most holy place, next to the border of the Levites.


“Alongside the border of the priests, the Levites will have an allotment eight and a quarter miles in length and three and one-third miles in width. The whole length will be eight and a quarter miles and the width three and one-third miles.


They must not sell or exchange any of it; they must not transfer this choice portion of land, for it is set apart to the Lord.


“The remainder, one and two-thirds miles in width and eight and a quarter miles in length, will be for common use by the city, for houses and for open space. The city will be in the middle of it;


these will be its measurements: The north side will be one and one-half miles, the south side one and one-half miles, the east side one and one-half miles, and the west side one and one-half miles.


The city will have open spaces: On the north there will be 437½ feet, on the south 437½ feet, on the east 437½ feet, and on the west 437½ feet.


The remainder of the length alongside the holy allotment will be three and one-third miles to the east and three and one-third miles toward the west, and it will be beside the holy allotment. Its produce will be for food for the workers of the city.


The workers of the city from all the tribes of Israel will cultivate it.


The whole allotment will be eight and a quarter miles square, you must set apart the holy allotment with the possession of the city.


“The rest, on both sides of the holy allotment and the property of the city, will belong to the prince. Extending from the eight and a quarter miles of the holy allotment to the east border, and westward from the eight and a quarter miles to the west border, alongside the portions, it will belong to the prince. The holy allotment and the sanctuary of the temple will be in the middle of it.


The property of the Levites and of the city will be in the middle of that which belongs to the prince. The portion between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin will be for the prince.


“As for the rest of the tribes: From the east side to the west side, Benjamin will have one portion.


Next to the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west side, Simeon will have one portion.


Next to the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west side, Issachar will have one portion.


Next to the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west side, Zebulun will have one portion.


Next to the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west side, Gad will have one portion.


Next to the border of Gad, at the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, to the Stream of Egypt and on to the Great Sea.


This is the land which you will allot to the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the sovereign Lord.


“These are the exits of the city: On the north side, one and one-half miles by measure,


the gates of the city will be named for the tribes of Israel; there will be three gates to the north: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi.


On the east side, one and one-half miles in length, there will be three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan.


On the south side, one and one-half miles by measure, there will be three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun.


On the west side, one and one-half miles in length, there will be three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali.


The circumference of the city will be six miles. The name of the city from that day forward will be: ‘The Lord Is There.’”


In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem and laid it under siege.


Now the Lord delivered King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, along with some of the vessels of the temple of God. He brought them to the land of Babylonia to the temple of his god and put the vessels in the treasury of his god.


The king commanded Ashpenaz, who was in charge of his court officials, to choose some of the Israelites who were of royal and noble descent –


young men in whom there was no physical defect and who were handsome, well versed in all kinds of wisdom, well educated and having keen insight, and who were capable of entering the king’s royal service – and to teach them the literature and language of the Babylonians.


So the king assigned them a daily ration from his royal delicacies and from the wine he himself drank. They were to be trained for the next three years. At the end of that time they were to enter the king’s service.


As it turned out, among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.


But the overseer of the court officials renamed them. He gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Hananiah he named Shadrach, Mishael he named Meshach, and Azariah he named Abednego.


But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself.


Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel.


But he responded to Daniel, “I fear my master the king. He is the one who has decided your food and drink. What would happen if he saw that you looked malnourished in comparison to the other young men your age? If that happened, you would endanger my life with the king!”


Daniel then spoke to the warden whom the overseer of the court officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:


“Please test your servants for ten days by providing us with some vegetables to eat and water to drink.


Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who are eating the royal delicacies; deal with us in light of what you see.”


So the warden agreed to their proposal and tested them for ten days.


At the end of the ten days their appearance was better and their bodies were healthier than all the young men who had been eating the royal delicacies.


So the warden removed the delicacies and the wine from their diet and gave them a diet of vegetables instead.


Now as for these four young men, God endowed them with knowledge and skill in all sorts of literature and wisdom – and Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.


When the time appointed by the king arrived, the overseer of the court officials brought them into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence.


When the king spoke with them, he did not find among the entire group anyone like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.


In every matter of wisdom and insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire.


Now Daniel lived on until the first year of Cyrus the king.


In the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams. His mind was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia.


The king issued an order to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men in order to explain his dreams to him. So they came and awaited the king’s instructions.


The king told them, “I have had a dream, and I am anxious to understand the dream.”


The wise men replied to the king: [What follows is in Aramaic ] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will disclose its interpretation.”


The king replied to the wise men, “My decision is firm. If you do not inform me of both the dream and its interpretation, you will be dismembered and your homes reduced to rubble!


But if you can disclose the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts, a reward, and considerable honor. So disclose to me the dream and its interpretation!”


They again replied, “Let the king inform us of the dream; then we will disclose its interpretation.”


The king replied, “I know for sure that you are attempting to gain time, because you see that my decision is firm.


If you don’t inform me of the dream, there is only one thing that is going to happen to you. For you have agreed among yourselves to report to me something false and deceitful until such time as things might change. So tell me the dream, and I will have confidence that you can disclose its interpretation.”


The wise men replied to the king, “There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king’s secret, for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man.


What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods – but they don’t live among mortals!”


Because of this the king got furiously angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.


So a decree went out, and the wise men were about to be executed. They also sought Daniel and his friends so that they could be executed.


Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon.


He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter.


So Daniel went in and requested the king to grant him time, that he might disclose the interpretation to the king.


Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter.


He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.


Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised the God of heaven,


saying, “Let the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him.


He changes times and seasons, deposing some kings and establishing others. He gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding;


he reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what is in the darkness, and light resides with him.


O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you, for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me. Now you have enabled me to understand what I requested from you. For you have enabled me to understand the king’s dilemma.”


Then Daniel went in to see Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came and said to him, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!”


So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king’s presence, saying to him, “I have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.”


The king then asked Daniel (whose name was also Belteshazzar), “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I saw, as well as its interpretation?”


Daniel replied to the king, “The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king.


However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed are as follows.


“As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place.


As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom than any other living person, but so that the king may understand the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind.


“You, O king, were watching as a great statue – one of impressive size and extraordinary brightness – was standing before you. Its appearance caused alarm.


As for that statue, its head was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs were of bronze.


Its legs were of iron; its feet were partly of iron and partly of clay.


You were watching as a stone was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces.


Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were broken in pieces without distinction and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors that the wind carries away. Not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain that filled the entire earth.


This was the dream. Now we will set forth before the king its interpretation.


“You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has granted you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor.


Wherever human beings, wild animals, and birds of the sky live – he has given them into your power. He has given you authority over them all. You are the head of gold.


Now after you another kingdom will arise, one inferior to yours. Then a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule in all the earth.


Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces all of these metals, so it will break in pieces and crush the others.


In that you were seeing feet and toes partly of wet clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom. Some of the strength of iron will be in it, for you saw iron mixed with wet clay.


In that the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, the latter stages of this kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile.


And in that you saw iron mixed with wet clay, so people will be mixed with one another without adhering to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.


In the days of those kings the God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will not be destroyed and a kingdom that will not be left to another people. It will break in pieces and bring about the demise of all these kingdoms. But it will stand forever.


You saw that a stone was cut from a mountain, but not by human hands; it smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold into pieces. The great God has made known to the king what will occur in the future. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is reliable.”


Then King Nebuchadnezzar bowed down with his face to the ground and paid homage to Daniel. He gave orders to offer sacrifice and incense to him.


The king replied to Daniel, “Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!”


Then the king elevated Daniel to high position and bestowed on him many marvelous gifts. He granted him authority over the entire province of Babylon and made him the main prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.


And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the administration of the province of Babylon. Daniel himself served in the king’s court.


King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue made. It was ninety feet tall and nine feet wide. He erected it on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.


Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a summons to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other authorities of the province to attend the dedication of the statue that he had erected.


So the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial authorities assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They were standing in front of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.


Then the herald made a loud proclamation: “To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given:


When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected.


Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire!”


Therefore when they all heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.


Now at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought malicious accusations against the Jews.


They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!


You have issued an edict, O king, that everyone must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music.


And whoever does not bow down and pay homage must be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.


But there are Jewish men whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – and these men have not shown proper respect to you, O king. They don’t serve your gods and they don’t pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”


Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage demanded that they bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them before the king.


Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and that you don’t pay homage to the golden statue that I erected?


Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made. If you don’t pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?”


Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar, “We do not need to give you a reply concerning this.


If our God whom we are serving exists, he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well.


But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”


Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and his disposition changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was normally heated.


He ordered strong soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire.


So those men were tied up while still wearing their cloaks, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire.


But since the king’s command was so urgent, and the furnace was so excessively hot, the men who escorted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were killed by the leaping flames.


But those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the furnace of blazing fire while still securely bound.


Then King Nebuchadnezzar was startled and quickly got up. He said to his ministers, “Wasn’t it three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied to the king, “For sure, O king.”


He answered, “But I see four men, untied and walking around in the midst of the fire! No harm has come to them! And the appearance of the fourth is like that of a god!”


Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire. He called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the most high God, come out! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the fire.


Once the satraps, prefects, governors, and ministers of the king had gathered around, they saw that those men were physically unharmed by the fire. The hair of their heads was not singed, nor were their trousers damaged. Not even the smell of fire was to be found on them!


Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than serve or pay homage to any god other than their God!


I hereby decree that any people, nation, or language group that blasphemes the god of Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego will be dismembered and his home reduced to rubble! For there exists no other god who can deliver in this way.”


Then Nebuchadnezzar promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.


“King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: Peace and prosperity!


I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.


“How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, and his authority continues from one generation to the next.”


I, Nebuchadnezzar, was relaxing in my home, living luxuriously in my palace.


I saw a dream that frightened me badly. The things I imagined while lying on my bed – these visions of my mind – were terrifying me.


So I issued an order for all the wise men of Babylon to be brought before me so that they could make known to me the interpretation of the dream.


When the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners entered, I recounted the dream for them. But they were unable to make known its interpretation to me.


Later Daniel entered (whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom there is a spirit of the holy gods). I recounted the dream for him as well,


saying, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, in whom I know there to be a spirit of the holy gods and whom no mystery baffles, consider my dream that I saw and set forth its interpretation!


Here are the visions of my mind while I was on my bed. While I was watching, there was a tree in the middle of the land. It was enormously tall.


The tree grew large and strong. Its top reached far into the sky; it could be seen from the borders of all the land.


Its foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful; on it there was food enough for all. Under it the wild animals used to seek shade, and in its branches the birds of the sky used to nest. All creatures used to feed themselves from it.


While I was watching in my mind’s visions on my bed, a holy sentinel came down from heaven.


He called out loudly as follows: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches! Strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit! Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches!


But leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the animals in the grass of the land.


Let his mind be altered from that of a human being, and let an animal’s mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time go by for him.


This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels; this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones, so that those who are alive may understand that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, and he bestows them on whomever he wishes. He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’


“This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, for none of the wise men in my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”


Then Daniel (whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time; his thoughts were alarming him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied, “Sir, if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries!


The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and which could be seen in all the land,


whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest –


it is you, O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth.


As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’ –


this is the interpretation, O king! It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king.