“‘I will destroy
All its livestock
From beside abundant waters.
No human foot
Shall trouble them anymore.
The hoofs of the cattle
Shall not trouble them.
Then I will make
Their waters clear.
I will cause
Their streams
To run
Like oil.’
Says Yahweh God.”
Yahweh was going to destroy the Egyptian livestock. No humans or animals would be around anymore. The waters would be clear of fish. Their streams would be like polluted with oil flowing in them. Yahweh had spoken via Ezekiel.
“Moreover
I swore to them
In the wilderness
That I would not
Bring them
Into the land
That I had given them.
That is a land flowing
With milk and honey,
The most glorious of all lands.
Because they rejected
My ordinances.
They did observe
My statutes.
They profaned
My Sabbath.
Their heart went
After their idols.”
Yahweh swore to them in the wilderness that he was not going to bring them into the land that he had given them, that land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands. They had rejected his ordinances. They did not observe his statutes. They profaned the Sabbath. Their hearts went after their former idols. Things did not look good for these wilderness wanderers.
“On that day
I swore to them
That I would bring them
Out of the land
Of Egypt
Into a land
That I had searched out
For them.
This is a land flowing
With milk,
As well as honey.
This is the most glorious
Of all lands.
I said to them.
‘Cast away
The detestable things
Your eyes feast on!
Everyone of you!
Do not defile yourselves
With the idols of Egypt!
I am Yahweh
Your God!’”
Yahweh reminded Ezekiel that he had sworn to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that he had searched out for them. This new most glorious of all lands would be flowing with milk and honey. Yahweh, however, told them to cast away the detestable things that their eyes had feasted upon. They were not to defile themselves with the various Egyptian idols. After all, he was Yahweh, their God.
“From the time
When the Lord
Brought our ancestors
Out of the land of Egypt
Until today,
We have been disobedient
To the Lord,
Our God.
We have been negligent,
In not heeding
His voice.
So to this day,
There have clung to us
The calamities,
The curse,
That the Lord declared
Through his servant
Moses
At the time
When he brought
Our ancestors
Out of the land of Egypt
To give us
A land flowing
With milk and honey.”
The Lord brought their ancestors out of Egypt. However, even from the beginning of this relationship, their ancestors were negligent, not listening to the voice of God. They would rather be cursed and live in calamity than follow their God. Moses his servant was clear. God was going to lead them into a land flowing with milk and honey. How many times have you heard that? Their ancestors had set the stage for the later disobedience and negligence towards God.
Ayin
“My eyes will flow
Without ceasing.
They will flow
Without respite,
Until Yahweh
From heaven
Looks down,
Until Yahweh
Sees them.
My eyes
Cause me grief
At the fate
Of all the young women
In my city.”
The personal lament of this author continues. He was full of flowing, unceasing, and unstoppable tears. He wanted Yahweh to look down from heaven to see him crying. His eyes were causing him grief at what was happening to the young girls of his city. These three verses start with the Hebrew consonant letter Ayin in this acrostic poem.
“You gave them
This land!
You swore
To their ancestors
To give them
This land!
This was a land
Flowing with milk
And honey!
They entered it.
They took possession of it.
But they did not obey
Your voice.
They did not follow
Your law.
Of all that you commanded
Them to do,
They did nothing at all.
Therefore you have made
All these disasters
Come upon them.”
Jeremiah’s prayer continues with Yahweh overseeing the Promised Land. Yahweh had promised their ancestors this wonderful land that was flowing with milk and honey, rich and easy to till. Once they entered and took possession of this land, they did not obey the voice or law of Yahweh. Instead of following the commandments of Yahweh, they did nothing. Thus Yahweh sent disasters to this Promised Land.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 