How we cite our quotes:
Quote #4
He prowled among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured people. And he ravaged their strongholds, and laid waste their towns; the land was appalled, and all in it, at the sound of his roaring. The nations set upon him from the provinces all around; they spread their net over him; he was caught in their pit. With hooks they put him in a cage, and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into custody, so that his voice should be heard no more on the mountains of Israel. (NRSV 19:6-9)
And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men. And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring. Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit. And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel. (KJV 19:6-9)
Who's more powerful than the King of the Jungle, right? This is another allegory to show that, regardless how fierce and powerful, kings and princes can be brought down pretty easily.
Quote #5
Mortal, prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord; Say: A sword, a sword is sharpened, it is also polished; it is sharpened for slaughter, honed to flash like lightning! How can we make merry? You have despised the rod, and all discipline. The sword is given to be polished, to be grasped in the hand; it is sharpened, the sword is polished, to be placed in the slayer's hand." (NRSV 21:9-11)
Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished: It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree. And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer. (KJV 21:9-11)
God talks a lot about his destructive sword—which isn't a literal sword, so much as it is the wrathful force he's unleashing on the world in the form of the Babylonian army. The suspense in these verses is incredible. You can almost see the swords being sharpened. To paraphrase that other master of horror, Alfred Hitchcock, the terror isn't in the slaughter, it's in the anticipation of the slaughter. God knows how to tell a story for maximum effect.
Quote #6
When your wares came from the seas, you satisfied many peoples; with your abundant wealth and merchandise you enriched the kings of the earth. Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and all your crew have sunk with you. All the inhabitants of the coastlands are appalled at you; and their kings are horribly afraid, their faces are convulsed. (NRSV 27:33-35)
When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall. All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their countenance. (KJV 27:33-35)
Ezekiel predicts that Tyre will be utterly destroyed—mainly, as punishment for taking pride in its wealth and failing to behave justly. (Though God changes his mind later and destroys Egypt instead.)