1Chapter
Introduction
1-3I am the priest, Ezekiel son of Buzi. I was in exile by the Kebar Canal in Babylonia when the skies opened up, and I saw visions of God. This was on the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year. (This was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile. The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel. The power of the Lord came over him at that place.)
The Chariot of the Lord—God’s Throne
4I was watching a big storm come in from the north. It was a big cloud with a strong wind, and there was fire flashing from it. Light was shining out all around it. It looked like hot metal glowing in a fire. 5Inside the cloud, there were four living beings that looked like people. 6But each one of them had four faces and four wings. 7Their legs were straight. Their feet looked like calves’ feet, and they sparkled like polished brass. 8Under their wings were human arms. There were four living beings. Each living being had four faces and four wings. 9The wings touched each other. The living beings did not turn when they moved. They went in the direction they were looking.
10Each living being had four faces. In the front they each had a man’s face. There was a lion’s face on the right side and a bull’s face on the left side. There was an eagle’s face on the back. 11Their wings were spread out over them. With two of the wings each living being reached out to touch the one near it, and with the other two wings it covered its body. 12Each living being went in the direction it was looking. They went wherever the spirit caused them to go, but they did not turn when they moved. 13That is what the living beings looked like. Inside the area between the living beings, there was something that looked like burning coals of fire. This fire was like small torches that kept moving around among the living beings. The fire glowed brightly and lightning flashed from it. 14The living beings ran back and forth—as fast as lightning.
15-16I was looking at the living beings when I noticed four wheels that touched the ground. There was one wheel by each living being. All the wheels looked the same. The wheels looked as if they were made from a clear, yellow jewel. They looked like there was a wheel inside a wheel. 17They could turn to move in any direction. But the living beings did not turn when they moved.
18The rims of the wheels were tall and frightening. There were eyes all over the rims of all four wheels.
19The wheels always moved with the living beings. If the living beings went up into the air, the wheels went with them. 20They went wherever the spirit wanted them to go, and the wheels went with them, because the power that moved the living being was in the wheels. 21So if the living beings moved, the wheels moved. If the living beings stopped, the wheels stopped. If the wheels went into the air, the living beings went with them, because the spirit was in the wheels.
22There was an amazing thing over the heads of the living beings. It was like a bowl turned upside down, and the bowl was clear like crystal. 23Under this bowl, each living being had wings reaching out to the one next to it. Two wings spread out one way and two wings spread out the other way, covering its body.
24Then I heard the wings. Every time the living beings moved, their wings made a very loud noise like a lot of water rushing by. They were loud like the Lord All-Powerful. They were as loud as an army or a crowd of people. When the living beings stopped moving, they put their wings down by their side.
25The living beings stopped moving and lowered their wings. Then there was another loud sound that came from above the bowl over their heads. 26There was something that looked like a throne on top of the bowl. It was blue like sapphire. There was also something that looked like a man sitting on the throne. 27I looked at him from his waist up. He looked like hot metal with fire all around him. I looked at him from his waist down. It looked like fire with a glow that was shining all around him. 28The light shining around him was like a rainbow in a cloud. It was the Glory of the Lord. As soon as I saw that, I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face to the ground, and then I heard a voice speaking to me.
10Each living being had four faces. In the front they each had a man’s face. There was a lion’s face on the right side and a bull’s face on the left side. There was an eagle’s face on the back. 11Their wings were spread out over them. With two of the wings each living being reached out to touch the one near it, and with the other two wings it covered its body. 12Each living being went in the direction it was looking. They went wherever the spirit caused them to go, but they did not turn when they moved. 13That is what the living beings looked like. Inside the area between the living beings, there was something that looked like burning coals of fire. This fire was like small torches that kept moving around among the living beings. The fire glowed brightly and lightning flashed from it. 14The living beings ran back and forth—as fast as lightning.
15-16I was looking at the living beings when I noticed four wheels that touched the ground. There was one wheel by each living being. All the wheels looked the same. The wheels looked as if they were made from a clear, yellow jewel. They looked like there was a wheel inside a wheel. 17They could turn to move in any direction. But the living beings did not turn when they moved.
18The rims of the wheels were tall and frightening. There were eyes all over the rims of all four wheels.
19The wheels always moved with the living beings. If the living beings went up into the air, the wheels went with them. 20They went wherever the spirit wanted them to go, and the wheels went with them, because the power that moved the living being was in the wheels. 21So if the living beings moved, the wheels moved. If the living beings stopped, the wheels stopped. If the wheels went into the air, the living beings went with them, because the spirit was in the wheels.
22There was an amazing thing over the heads of the living beings. It was like a bowl turned upside down, and the bowl was clear like crystal. 23Under this bowl, each living being had wings reaching out to the one next to it. Two wings spread out one way and two wings spread out the other way, covering its body.
24Then I heard the wings. Every time the living beings moved, their wings made a very loud noise like a lot of water rushing by. They were loud like the Lord All-Powerful. They were as loud as an army or a crowd of people. When the living beings stopped moving, they put their wings down by their side.
25The living beings stopped moving and lowered their wings. Then there was another loud sound that came from above the bowl over their heads. 26There was something that looked like a throne on top of the bowl. It was blue like sapphire. There was also something that looked like a man sitting on the throne. 27I looked at him from his waist up. He looked like hot metal with fire all around him. I looked at him from his waist down. It looked like fire with a glow that was shining all around him. 28The light shining around him was like a rainbow in a cloud. It was the Glory of the Lord. As soon as I saw that, I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face to the ground, and then I heard a voice speaking to me.
2Chapter
The Lord Speaks to Ezekiel
1The voice said, “Son of man, stand up and I will speak with you.”
2Then the Spirit came into me and lifted me up on my feet, and I listened to the one who spoke to me. 3He said, “Son of man, I am sending you to speak to the family of Israel. Those people and their ancestors turned against me many times. They have sinned against me many times—and they are still sinning against me today. 4I am sending you to speak to them, but they are very stubborn. They are very hardheaded, but you must speak to them. You must say, ‘This is what the Lord God says.’ 5They are people who refuse to obey, so they may not listen to you. But even if they don’t stop sinning, at least they will know that there is a prophet living among them.
6“Son of man, don’t be afraid of the people or what they say. It is true: they will turn against you and try to hurt you. Their words will be sharp like thorns and will sting like scorpions. But don’t be afraid of what they say. They are people who refuse to obey, but don’t be afraid of them. 7You must tell them what I say, whether they listen or not. They are people who usually refuse to listen!
8“Son of man, listen to what I am telling you. Don’t turn against me like those people who refuse to obey. Now open your mouth to receive the words I will give you to speak.”
9Then I saw an arm reach out toward me. It was holding a scroll with words written on it. 10It rolled the scroll open in front of me. Words were on the front and on the back of the scroll. There were all kinds of sad songs, sad stories, and warnings.
2Then the Spirit came into me and lifted me up on my feet, and I listened to the one who spoke to me. 3He said, “Son of man, I am sending you to speak to the family of Israel. Those people and their ancestors turned against me many times. They have sinned against me many times—and they are still sinning against me today. 4I am sending you to speak to them, but they are very stubborn. They are very hardheaded, but you must speak to them. You must say, ‘This is what the Lord God says.’ 5They are people who refuse to obey, so they may not listen to you. But even if they don’t stop sinning, at least they will know that there is a prophet living among them.
6“Son of man, don’t be afraid of the people or what they say. It is true: they will turn against you and try to hurt you. Their words will be sharp like thorns and will sting like scorpions. But don’t be afraid of what they say. They are people who refuse to obey, but don’t be afraid of them. 7You must tell them what I say, whether they listen or not. They are people who usually refuse to listen!
8“Son of man, listen to what I am telling you. Don’t turn against me like those people who refuse to obey. Now open your mouth to receive the words I will give you to speak.”
9Then I saw an arm reach out toward me. It was holding a scroll with words written on it. 10It rolled the scroll open in front of me. Words were on the front and on the back of the scroll. There were all kinds of sad songs, sad stories, and warnings.
3Chapter
1God said to me, “Son of man, eat what you see. Eat this scroll, and then go tell these things to the family of Israel.”
2So I opened my mouth and he put the scroll into my mouth. 3Then God said, “Son of man, I am giving you this scroll. Swallow it! Let that scroll fill your body.” So I ate the scroll. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
4Then God said to me, “Son of man, go to the family of Israel. Speak my words to them. 5I am not sending you to some foreigners you cannot understand. You don’t have to learn another language. I am sending you to the family of Israel. 6I am not sending you to many different countries where people speak languages you cannot understand. If you went to those people and spoke to them, they would listen to you. But you will not have to learn those hard languages. 7No, I am sending you to the family of Israel. Only, these people have hard heads—they are very stubborn! And the people of Israel will refuse to listen to you. They don’t want to listen to me. 8But I will make you just as stubborn as they are, and your head just as hard. 9A diamond is harder than flint rock. In the same way you will be more stubborn than they are, and your head will be harder. Then you will not be afraid of them or those who always turn against me.”
10Then God said to me, “Son of man, listen to every word I say to you and remember them. 11Then go to all of your people in exile and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says ….’ They will not listen, and they will not stop sinning, but you must still tell them my message.”
12Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a voice behind me. It was very loud, like thunder. It said, “Blessed is the Glory of the Lord!” 13Then the wings of the living beings began moving. The wings made a very loud noise as they touched each other, and the wheels in front of them began making a noise as loud as thunder. 14The Spirit lifted me and took me away. I was very sad and upset in my spirit, but I felt the Lord’s power in me. 15I went to the people of Israel who were forced to live in Tel Aviv by the Kebar Canal. I sat there among them for seven days, shocked and silent.
2So I opened my mouth and he put the scroll into my mouth. 3Then God said, “Son of man, I am giving you this scroll. Swallow it! Let that scroll fill your body.” So I ate the scroll. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
4Then God said to me, “Son of man, go to the family of Israel. Speak my words to them. 5I am not sending you to some foreigners you cannot understand. You don’t have to learn another language. I am sending you to the family of Israel. 6I am not sending you to many different countries where people speak languages you cannot understand. If you went to those people and spoke to them, they would listen to you. But you will not have to learn those hard languages. 7No, I am sending you to the family of Israel. Only, these people have hard heads—they are very stubborn! And the people of Israel will refuse to listen to you. They don’t want to listen to me. 8But I will make you just as stubborn as they are, and your head just as hard. 9A diamond is harder than flint rock. In the same way you will be more stubborn than they are, and your head will be harder. Then you will not be afraid of them or those who always turn against me.”
10Then God said to me, “Son of man, listen to every word I say to you and remember them. 11Then go to all of your people in exile and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says ….’ They will not listen, and they will not stop sinning, but you must still tell them my message.”
12Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a voice behind me. It was very loud, like thunder. It said, “Blessed is the Glory of the Lord!” 13Then the wings of the living beings began moving. The wings made a very loud noise as they touched each other, and the wheels in front of them began making a noise as loud as thunder. 14The Spirit lifted me and took me away. I was very sad and upset in my spirit, but I felt the Lord’s power in me. 15I went to the people of Israel who were forced to live in Tel Aviv by the Kebar Canal. I sat there among them for seven days, shocked and silent.
The Watchman of Israel
16After seven days, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 17“Son of man, I am making you a watchman for Israel. I will tell you about bad things that will happen to them, and you must warn Israel. 18If I say, ‘These evil people will die!’ Then you must warn them. You must tell them to change their lives and stop doing evil. If you don’t warn them, they will die because they sinned. But I will also make you responsible for their death, because you did not go to them and save their lives.
19“If you warn them and tell them to change their lives and stop doing evil, but they refuse to listen, they will die because they sinned. But since you warned them, you will have saved your own life.
20“If good people stop being good and begin to do evil, and I send something that makes them stumble and sin, they will die because they sinned. But since you did not warn them and remind them of the good things they had done, I will make you responsible for their death.
21“But if you warn good people and tell them to stop sinning, and they listen to your warning and stop sinning, they will not die. In that way you will have saved your own life.”
22The Lord’s power came to me. He said to me, “Get up and go to the valley. I will speak to you in that place.”
23So I got up and went out to the valley. The Glory of the Lord was there—as I had seen it by the Kebar Canal. So I bowed with my face to the ground. 24But the Spirit came into me and lifted me up on my feet. He said to me, “Go home and lock yourself in your house. 25Son of man, people will come with ropes and tie you up. They will not let you go out among the people. 26I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth—you will not be able to talk. So they will not have anyone to teach them that they are doing wrong, because they are always turning against me. 27But I will talk to you, and then I will allow you to speak. But you must say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says.’ If a person wants to listen, fine. If a person refuses to listen, fine. But those people always turn against me.
19“If you warn them and tell them to change their lives and stop doing evil, but they refuse to listen, they will die because they sinned. But since you warned them, you will have saved your own life.
20“If good people stop being good and begin to do evil, and I send something that makes them stumble and sin, they will die because they sinned. But since you did not warn them and remind them of the good things they had done, I will make you responsible for their death.
21“But if you warn good people and tell them to stop sinning, and they listen to your warning and stop sinning, they will not die. In that way you will have saved your own life.”
22The Lord’s power came to me. He said to me, “Get up and go to the valley. I will speak to you in that place.”
23So I got up and went out to the valley. The Glory of the Lord was there—as I had seen it by the Kebar Canal. So I bowed with my face to the ground. 24But the Spirit came into me and lifted me up on my feet. He said to me, “Go home and lock yourself in your house. 25Son of man, people will come with ropes and tie you up. They will not let you go out among the people. 26I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth—you will not be able to talk. So they will not have anyone to teach them that they are doing wrong, because they are always turning against me. 27But I will talk to you, and then I will allow you to speak. But you must say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says.’ If a person wants to listen, fine. If a person refuses to listen, fine. But those people always turn against me.
4Chapter
Warnings About the Attack of Jerusalem
1“Son of man, take a brick and scratch a picture on it. Draw a picture of a city—the city of Jerusalem. 2And then pretend you are an army surrounding the city. Build a dirt wall around the city to help you attack it. Build a dirt road leading up to the city wall. Bring battering rams and set up army camps around the city. 3And then take an iron pan and put it between you and the city. It will be like an iron wall separating you and the city. In this way you will show that you are against it. You will surround the city and attack it. This is an example for the family of Israel to show that I will destroy Jerusalem.
4“Then you must lie down on your left side. You must do this thing that shows that you are taking the sins of the people of Israel on yourself. You will carry the guilt for as many days as you lie on your left side. 5You must bear the guilt of Israel for 390 days. In this way I am telling you how long Israel will be punished; one day equals one year.
6“After that time, you will lie on your right side for 40 days. This time you will bear the guilt of Judah for 40 days. One day equals one year. I am telling you how long Judah must be punished.
7“Now, roll up your sleeve and raise your arm over the brick. Act like you are attacking the city of Jerusalem. Do this to show that you are speaking as my messenger to the people. 8Now look, I am tying ropes on you. You will not be able to roll over from one side to the other until your attack against the city is finished.
9“You must get some grain to make bread. Get some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt. Mix all these things together in one bowl and grind them to make flour. You will use this flour to make bread. You will eat only this bread during the 390 days that you lie on your side. 10You will be allowed to use only 1 cup of that flour each day to make bread. You will eat that bread from time to time throughout the day. 11You can drink only 3 cups of water each day. You can drink it from time to time throughout the day. 12You must make your bread each day. You must get dry human dung and burn it. Then you must cook the bread over this burning dung. You must eat this bread in front of the people.” 13Then the Lord said, “This will show that the family of Israel will eat unclean bread in foreign countries and that I am the one who forced them to leave Israel and go to those countries!”
14Then I said, “Oh, but Lord God, I have never eaten any unclean food. I have never eaten meat from an animal that died from a disease or from an animal that was killed by a wild animal. I have never eaten unclean meat—not from the time that I was a little baby until now. None of that bad meat ever entered my mouth.”
15Then God said to me, “Very well, I will let you use dry cow dung to cook your bread. You don’t have to use dry human dung.”
16Then God said to me, “Son of man, I am destroying Jerusalem’s supply of bread. People will have only a little bread to eat. They will be very worried about their food supply, and they will have only a little water to drink. Every time they take a drink, they will feel more afraid. 17That is because there will not be enough food and water for everyone. They will be terrified as they watch each other wasting away because of their sins.
4“Then you must lie down on your left side. You must do this thing that shows that you are taking the sins of the people of Israel on yourself. You will carry the guilt for as many days as you lie on your left side. 5You must bear the guilt of Israel for 390 days. In this way I am telling you how long Israel will be punished; one day equals one year.
6“After that time, you will lie on your right side for 40 days. This time you will bear the guilt of Judah for 40 days. One day equals one year. I am telling you how long Judah must be punished.
7“Now, roll up your sleeve and raise your arm over the brick. Act like you are attacking the city of Jerusalem. Do this to show that you are speaking as my messenger to the people. 8Now look, I am tying ropes on you. You will not be able to roll over from one side to the other until your attack against the city is finished.
9“You must get some grain to make bread. Get some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt. Mix all these things together in one bowl and grind them to make flour. You will use this flour to make bread. You will eat only this bread during the 390 days that you lie on your side. 10You will be allowed to use only 1 cup of that flour each day to make bread. You will eat that bread from time to time throughout the day. 11You can drink only 3 cups of water each day. You can drink it from time to time throughout the day. 12You must make your bread each day. You must get dry human dung and burn it. Then you must cook the bread over this burning dung. You must eat this bread in front of the people.” 13Then the Lord said, “This will show that the family of Israel will eat unclean bread in foreign countries and that I am the one who forced them to leave Israel and go to those countries!”
14Then I said, “Oh, but Lord God, I have never eaten any unclean food. I have never eaten meat from an animal that died from a disease or from an animal that was killed by a wild animal. I have never eaten unclean meat—not from the time that I was a little baby until now. None of that bad meat ever entered my mouth.”
15Then God said to me, “Very well, I will let you use dry cow dung to cook your bread. You don’t have to use dry human dung.”
16Then God said to me, “Son of man, I am destroying Jerusalem’s supply of bread. People will have only a little bread to eat. They will be very worried about their food supply, and they will have only a little water to drink. Every time they take a drink, they will feel more afraid. 17That is because there will not be enough food and water for everyone. They will be terrified as they watch each other wasting away because of their sins.
5Chapter
People of Jerusalem Scattered
1-2“Son of man, after your famine you must do this: Take a sharp sword and use it like a barber’s razor. Shave off your hair and beard. Put the hair on a scale and weigh it. Separate it into three equal parts. Put a third of your hair on the brick that has the picture of the city on it. Burn that hair in that ‘city.’ Then use the sword and cut a third of your hair into small pieces all around the outside of the ‘city.’ Next, throw a third of your hair into the air and let the wind blow it away. This will show that I will pull out my sword and chase some of the people into faraway countries. 3But then you must get a few of those hairs and wrap them up in your robe. 4Take some of those hairs and throw them into the fire. This will show that a fire will start there and burn throughout the whole house of Israel. ”
5Then the Lord God said to me, “The brick is a picture of Jerusalem. I put Jerusalem in the middle of other nations with countries all around her. 6The people rebelled against my commands. They were worse than any of the other nations! They broke more of my laws than any of the people in the countries around them. They refused to listen to my commands. They did not obey my laws.”
7So the Lord God says, “I will do this because you did not obey my laws and commands. You broke more of my laws than the people who lived around you, and you did what even they know is wrong!” 8So the Lord God says, “So now, even I am against you! I will punish you while those other people watch. 9I will do things to you that I have never done before. And I will never do those terrible things again, because you did so many terrible things. 10People in Jerusalem will be so hungry that parents will eat their own children, and children will eat their own parents. I will punish you in many ways, and those who are left alive, I will scatter to the winds.”
11The Lord God says, “Jerusalem, I promise by my life that I will punish you! I promise that I will punish you, because you did terrible things to my Holy Place. You did horrible things that made it dirty. I will punish you. I will not show any mercy or feel sorry for you. 12A third of your people will die inside the city from diseases and hunger. Another third will die in battle outside the city. And then I will pull out my sword and chase the last third of your people into faraway countries. 13Only then will I stop being angry with your people. I will know that they have been punished for the bad things they did to me. They will know that I am the Lord and that I spoke to them because of my strong love for them!”
14God said, “Jerusalem, I will destroy you—you will be nothing but a pile of rocks. The people around you will make fun of you. Everyone who walks by will make fun of you. 15People around you will make fun of you, but you will also be a lesson for them. They will see that I was angry and punished you. I was very angry and I warned you. I, the Lord, told you what I would do. 16I told you I would send you terrible times of hunger. I told you I would send you things that would destroy you. I told you that I would take away your supply of food and that those times of hunger would come again and again. 17I told you I would send hunger and wild animals against you that would kill your children. I told you there would be disease and death everywhere in the city. I told you I would bring enemy soldiers to fight against you. I, the Lord, told you all these things would happen!”
5Then the Lord God said to me, “The brick is a picture of Jerusalem. I put Jerusalem in the middle of other nations with countries all around her. 6The people rebelled against my commands. They were worse than any of the other nations! They broke more of my laws than any of the people in the countries around them. They refused to listen to my commands. They did not obey my laws.”
7So the Lord God says, “I will do this because you did not obey my laws and commands. You broke more of my laws than the people who lived around you, and you did what even they know is wrong!” 8So the Lord God says, “So now, even I am against you! I will punish you while those other people watch. 9I will do things to you that I have never done before. And I will never do those terrible things again, because you did so many terrible things. 10People in Jerusalem will be so hungry that parents will eat their own children, and children will eat their own parents. I will punish you in many ways, and those who are left alive, I will scatter to the winds.”
11The Lord God says, “Jerusalem, I promise by my life that I will punish you! I promise that I will punish you, because you did terrible things to my Holy Place. You did horrible things that made it dirty. I will punish you. I will not show any mercy or feel sorry for you. 12A third of your people will die inside the city from diseases and hunger. Another third will die in battle outside the city. And then I will pull out my sword and chase the last third of your people into faraway countries. 13Only then will I stop being angry with your people. I will know that they have been punished for the bad things they did to me. They will know that I am the Lord and that I spoke to them because of my strong love for them!”
14God said, “Jerusalem, I will destroy you—you will be nothing but a pile of rocks. The people around you will make fun of you. Everyone who walks by will make fun of you. 15People around you will make fun of you, but you will also be a lesson for them. They will see that I was angry and punished you. I was very angry and I warned you. I, the Lord, told you what I would do. 16I told you I would send you terrible times of hunger. I told you I would send you things that would destroy you. I told you that I would take away your supply of food and that those times of hunger would come again and again. 17I told you I would send hunger and wild animals against you that would kill your children. I told you there would be disease and death everywhere in the city. I told you I would bring enemy soldiers to fight against you. I, the Lord, told you all these things would happen!”
6Chapter
Prophecies Against Israel
1Then the word of the Lord came to me again. 2He said, “Son of man, turn toward the mountains of Israel and speak against them for me. 3Tell them this: ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to this message from the Lord God! This is what the Lord God says to the hills and mountains and to the ravines and valleys: Look! I am bringing the enemy to fight against you. I will destroy your high places. 4Your altars will be broken into pieces. Your incense altars will be smashed, and I will throw down your dead bodies in front of your filthy idols. 5I will put the dead bodies of the people of Israel in front of their filthy idols. I will scatter your bones around your altars. 6Bad things will happen wherever your people live. Their cities will become piles of rock. Their high places will be destroyed so that those places of worship will never be used again. The altars will all be destroyed. People will never worship those filthy idols again. The incense altars will be smashed. Everything you made will be destroyed completely. 7Your people will be killed, and then you will know that I am the Lord!’”
8God said, “But I will let a few of your people escape. They will live in other countries for a short time. I will scatter them and force them to live in other countries. 9Then the survivors will be taken as prisoners. They will be forced to live in other countries, but they will remember me. I broke their spirit. They will hate themselves for the evil things they did. In the past, they turned away from me and left me. They chased after their filthy idols. They were like a woman leaving her husband and running off with another man. They did many terrible things, 10but they will learn that I am the Lord. Then they will know that if I say that I will do something, I will do it! They will know that I caused all the troubles that happened to them.”
11Then the Lord God said to me, “Clap your hands and stamp your feet. Speak against all the terrible things that the people of Israel have done. Warn them that they will be killed by disease and hunger. Tell them they will be killed in war. 12People far away will die from disease. People near this place will be killed with swords, and those who are left in the city will starve to death. Only then will I stop being angry. 13Only then will you know that I am the Lord. You will know this when you see your dead bodies in front of your filthy idols and around their altars. Those bodies will be near every one of your places for worship, on every high hill and mountain, under every green tree and every oak tree with leaves. You offered your sacrifices everywhere. They were a sweet smell for your filthy idols. 14But I will raise my arm over you and punish you and your people, wherever they live! I will destroy your country! It will be completely empty from the desert in the south to Riblah in the north. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
8God said, “But I will let a few of your people escape. They will live in other countries for a short time. I will scatter them and force them to live in other countries. 9Then the survivors will be taken as prisoners. They will be forced to live in other countries, but they will remember me. I broke their spirit. They will hate themselves for the evil things they did. In the past, they turned away from me and left me. They chased after their filthy idols. They were like a woman leaving her husband and running off with another man. They did many terrible things, 10but they will learn that I am the Lord. Then they will know that if I say that I will do something, I will do it! They will know that I caused all the troubles that happened to them.”
11Then the Lord God said to me, “Clap your hands and stamp your feet. Speak against all the terrible things that the people of Israel have done. Warn them that they will be killed by disease and hunger. Tell them they will be killed in war. 12People far away will die from disease. People near this place will be killed with swords, and those who are left in the city will starve to death. Only then will I stop being angry. 13Only then will you know that I am the Lord. You will know this when you see your dead bodies in front of your filthy idols and around their altars. Those bodies will be near every one of your places for worship, on every high hill and mountain, under every green tree and every oak tree with leaves. You offered your sacrifices everywhere. They were a sweet smell for your filthy idols. 14But I will raise my arm over you and punish you and your people, wherever they live! I will destroy your country! It will be completely empty from the desert in the south to Riblah in the north. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
7Chapter
Disaster Is Coming to Jerusalem
1Then the word of the Lord came to me. 2“The end!
The end is coming.
The whole country will be destroyed.
3Your end is coming now! I will show how angry I am with you. I will punish you for the evil things you did. I will make you pay for all the terrible things you did.
4I will not show you any mercy or feel sorry for you. I am punishing you for the evil things you did. You have done such terrible things. Now, you will know that I am the Lord.”
5This is what the Lord God said: “There will be one disaster after another! 6The end is coming, and it will come quickly! 7You people living in Israel, disaster is coming. It is time for punishment. Those are not shouts of joy in the mountains. Those are cries of panic. 8Very soon now, I will show you how angry I am. I will show all of my anger against you. I will punish you for the evil things you did. I will make you pay for all the terrible things you did. 9I will not show you any mercy or feel sorry for you. I am punishing you for the evil things you did. You have done such terrible things. Now, you will know that I am the Lord.
10“That time of punishment has come like a plant sprouting, budding, and flowering. God has given the signal, the enemy is prepared, and their proud king is ready. 11This violent man is ready to punish the evil people. There are many people in Israel—but he is not one of them. He is not a person in that crowd. He is not some important leader from them.
12“The time of punishment has come. The day is here. Those who buy things will not be happy, and those who sell things will not feel bad about selling them because that terrible punishment will happen to everyone. 13The people who sold their property will never go back to it. Even if some people escape alive, they will never go back to their property, because this vision is for the whole crowd. So even if some people escape alive, it will not make everyone feel better.
14“They will blow the trumpet to warn the people. The people will get ready for battle, but they will not go out to fight because I will show the whole crowd how angry I am. 15The enemy with his sword is outside the city. Disease and hunger is inside the city. If some people go out into the fields, enemy soldiers will kill them. If they stay in the city, hunger and disease will destroy them.
16“But some people will escape. The survivors will run to the mountains, but they will not be happy. They will be sad for all their sins. They will cry and make sad noises like doves. 17They will be too tired and sad to raise their arms. Their legs will be like water. 18They will wear sackcloth and be covered with fear. You will see the shame on every face. They will shave their heads to show their sadness. 19They will throw their silver idols into the streets. They will treat their gold statues like dirty rags, because those things will not be able to save them when the Lord shows his anger. Those things were nothing but a trap that caused the people to fall. They will not give food to the people or put food in their bellies.
20“They used their beautiful jewelry and made an idol. They were proud of that statue. They made their terrible statues. They made those filthy things, so I will throw them away like a dirty rag. 21I will let strangers take them. Those strangers will make fun of them. They will kill some of the people and take others away as prisoners. 22I will turn my head away from them—I will not look at them. The strangers will ruin my Temple—they will go into the secret parts of that holy building and make it unfit for worship.
23“Make chains for the prisoners, because many people will be punished for killing other people. There will be violence every place in the city. 24I will bring evil people from other nations, and they will get all the houses of the people of Israel. I will stop all you powerful people from being so proud. Those people from other nations will get all your places of worship.
25“You will shake with fear. You will look for peace, but there will be none. 26You will hear one sad story after another. You will hear nothing but bad news. You will look for a prophet and ask him for a vision. The priests will have nothing to teach you, and the elders will not have any good advice to give you. 27Your king will be crying for the people who died. The leaders will wear sackcloth. The common people will be very afraid, because I will pay them back for what they did. I will decide their punishment, and I will punish them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
3Your end is coming now! I will show how angry I am with you. I will punish you for the evil things you did. I will make you pay for all the terrible things you did.
4I will not show you any mercy or feel sorry for you. I am punishing you for the evil things you did. You have done such terrible things. Now, you will know that I am the Lord.”
5This is what the Lord God said: “There will be one disaster after another! 6The end is coming, and it will come quickly! 7You people living in Israel, disaster is coming. It is time for punishment. Those are not shouts of joy in the mountains. Those are cries of panic. 8Very soon now, I will show you how angry I am. I will show all of my anger against you. I will punish you for the evil things you did. I will make you pay for all the terrible things you did. 9I will not show you any mercy or feel sorry for you. I am punishing you for the evil things you did. You have done such terrible things. Now, you will know that I am the Lord.
10“That time of punishment has come like a plant sprouting, budding, and flowering. God has given the signal, the enemy is prepared, and their proud king is ready. 11This violent man is ready to punish the evil people. There are many people in Israel—but he is not one of them. He is not a person in that crowd. He is not some important leader from them.
12“The time of punishment has come. The day is here. Those who buy things will not be happy, and those who sell things will not feel bad about selling them because that terrible punishment will happen to everyone. 13The people who sold their property will never go back to it. Even if some people escape alive, they will never go back to their property, because this vision is for the whole crowd. So even if some people escape alive, it will not make everyone feel better.
14“They will blow the trumpet to warn the people. The people will get ready for battle, but they will not go out to fight because I will show the whole crowd how angry I am. 15The enemy with his sword is outside the city. Disease and hunger is inside the city. If some people go out into the fields, enemy soldiers will kill them. If they stay in the city, hunger and disease will destroy them.
16“But some people will escape. The survivors will run to the mountains, but they will not be happy. They will be sad for all their sins. They will cry and make sad noises like doves. 17They will be too tired and sad to raise their arms. Their legs will be like water. 18They will wear sackcloth and be covered with fear. You will see the shame on every face. They will shave their heads to show their sadness. 19They will throw their silver idols into the streets. They will treat their gold statues like dirty rags, because those things will not be able to save them when the Lord shows his anger. Those things were nothing but a trap that caused the people to fall. They will not give food to the people or put food in their bellies.
20“They used their beautiful jewelry and made an idol. They were proud of that statue. They made their terrible statues. They made those filthy things, so I will throw them away like a dirty rag. 21I will let strangers take them. Those strangers will make fun of them. They will kill some of the people and take others away as prisoners. 22I will turn my head away from them—I will not look at them. The strangers will ruin my Temple—they will go into the secret parts of that holy building and make it unfit for worship.
23“Make chains for the prisoners, because many people will be punished for killing other people. There will be violence every place in the city. 24I will bring evil people from other nations, and they will get all the houses of the people of Israel. I will stop all you powerful people from being so proud. Those people from other nations will get all your places of worship.
25“You will shake with fear. You will look for peace, but there will be none. 26You will hear one sad story after another. You will hear nothing but bad news. You will look for a prophet and ask him for a vision. The priests will have nothing to teach you, and the elders will not have any good advice to give you. 27Your king will be crying for the people who died. The leaders will wear sackcloth. The common people will be very afraid, because I will pay them back for what they did. I will decide their punishment, and I will punish them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
8Chapter
Sinful Things Done at the Temple
1One day I, Ezekiel, was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting there in front of me. This was on the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of exile. Suddenly, the power of the Lord God came on me. 2I saw something that looked like fire, like a man’s body. From the waist down, he was like fire. From the waist up, he was bright and shining like hot metal in a fire. 3Then I saw something that looked like an arm. The arm reached out and grabbed me by the hair on my head. Then the Spirit lifted me into the air, and in a vision from God he took me to Jerusalem. He took me to the inner gate—the gate that is on the north side. The statue that makes God jealous is by that gate. 4But the Glory of the God of Israel was there. The Glory looked just like the vision I saw in the valley by the Kebar Canal.
5God spoke to me. He said, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and there, north of the Altar Gate by the entrance, was that statue that made God jealous.
6Then God said to me, “Son of man, do you see what terrible things the people of Israel are doing? They built that thing here, right next to my Temple! And if you come with me, you will see even more terrible things!”
7So I went to the entrance to the courtyard, and I saw a hole in the wall. 8God said to me, “Son of man, make a hole in the wall.” So I made a hole in the wall, and there I saw a door.
9Then God said to me, “Go in and look at the terrible, evil things that the people are doing here.” 10So I went in and looked. I saw statues of all kinds of reptiles and animals that you hate to think about. The statues were the filthy idols that the people of Israel worshiped. There were pictures of those animals carved all around on every wall!
11Then I noticed that Jaazaniah son of Shaphan and the 70 elders of Israel were there with the people worshiping in that place. There they were, right at the front of the people, and each leader had his own incense dish in his hand. The smoke from the burning incense was rising into the air. 12Then God said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of Israel do in the dark? Each man has a special room for his own false god. They say to themselves, ‘The Lord cannot see us. The Lord left this country.’” 13Then he said to me, “If you come with me, you will see these men doing even more terrible things!”
14Then God led me to the entrance to the Lord’s Temple. This gate was on the north side. I saw women sitting there and crying. They were sad about the false god Tammuz !
15God said to me, “Son of man, do you see these terrible things? Come with me and you will see things that are even worse than this!” 16Then he led me to the inner courtyard of the Lord’s Temple area. There I saw 25 men bowing down and worshiping. They were at the entrance to the Lord’s Temple between the porch and the altar—but they were facing the wrong way. Their backs were to the Holy Place. They were bowing down to worship the sun!
17Then God said, “Son of man, do you see this? The people of Judah think my Temple is so unimportant that they will do these terrible things here in my Temple! This country is filled with violence, and they constantly do things to make me angry. Look, they are wearing rings in their noses to honor the moon as a false god! 18I will show them my anger! I will not show them any mercy or feel sorry for them! They will shout to me—but I refuse to listen to them!”
5God spoke to me. He said, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and there, north of the Altar Gate by the entrance, was that statue that made God jealous.
6Then God said to me, “Son of man, do you see what terrible things the people of Israel are doing? They built that thing here, right next to my Temple! And if you come with me, you will see even more terrible things!”
7So I went to the entrance to the courtyard, and I saw a hole in the wall. 8God said to me, “Son of man, make a hole in the wall.” So I made a hole in the wall, and there I saw a door.
9Then God said to me, “Go in and look at the terrible, evil things that the people are doing here.” 10So I went in and looked. I saw statues of all kinds of reptiles and animals that you hate to think about. The statues were the filthy idols that the people of Israel worshiped. There were pictures of those animals carved all around on every wall!
11Then I noticed that Jaazaniah son of Shaphan and the 70 elders of Israel were there with the people worshiping in that place. There they were, right at the front of the people, and each leader had his own incense dish in his hand. The smoke from the burning incense was rising into the air. 12Then God said to me, “Son of man, do you see what the elders of Israel do in the dark? Each man has a special room for his own false god. They say to themselves, ‘The Lord cannot see us. The Lord left this country.’” 13Then he said to me, “If you come with me, you will see these men doing even more terrible things!”
14Then God led me to the entrance to the Lord’s Temple. This gate was on the north side. I saw women sitting there and crying. They were sad about the false god Tammuz !
15God said to me, “Son of man, do you see these terrible things? Come with me and you will see things that are even worse than this!” 16Then he led me to the inner courtyard of the Lord’s Temple area. There I saw 25 men bowing down and worshiping. They were at the entrance to the Lord’s Temple between the porch and the altar—but they were facing the wrong way. Their backs were to the Holy Place. They were bowing down to worship the sun!
17Then God said, “Son of man, do you see this? The people of Judah think my Temple is so unimportant that they will do these terrible things here in my Temple! This country is filled with violence, and they constantly do things to make me angry. Look, they are wearing rings in their noses to honor the moon as a false god! 18I will show them my anger! I will not show them any mercy or feel sorry for them! They will shout to me—but I refuse to listen to them!”
9Chapter
God’s Messengers Punish Jerusalem
1Then God shouted to the leaders in charge of punishing the city. Each leader had his own destructive weapon in his hand. 2Then I saw six men walking on the road from the upper gate. This gate is on the north side. Each man had his own deadly weapon in his hand. One of the men wore linen clothes. He wore a scribe’s pen and ink set at his waist. Those men went to the bronze altar in the Temple and stood there. 3Then the Glory of the God of Israel rose from above the Cherub angels where he had been. Then the Glory went to the door of the Temple and stopped when he was over the threshold. Then he called to the man wearing the linen clothes and the scribe’s pen and ink set.
4Then the Lord said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem. Put a mark on the forehead of everyone who feels sad and upset about all the terrible things people are doing in this city.”
5-6Then I heard God say to the other men, “I want you to follow the first man. You must kill all those who do not have the mark on their foreheads. It doesn’t matter if they are elders, young men or young women, children or mothers—you must use your weapon and kill everyone who does not have the mark on their forehead. Don’t show any mercy. Don’t feel sorry for anyone. Start here at my Temple.” So they started with the elders in front of the Temple.
7He said to them, “Make this Temple unclean—fill this courtyard with dead bodies! Now go!” So they went and killed the people in the city.
8I stayed there while the men went to kill the people. I bowed with my face to the ground and said, “Oh, Lord God, in showing your anger against Jerusalem, are you killing all the survivors in Israel?”
9He said, “The family of Israel and Judah has committed many terrible sins! People are being murdered everywhere in this country, and the city is filled with crime. That is because the people say to themselves, ‘The Lord has left this country. The Lord cannot see what we are doing.’ 10So I will not show any mercy or feel sorry for them. They brought it on themselves. I am only giving them the punishment they deserve!”
11Then the man wearing linen clothes and a scribe’s pen and ink set spoke up. He said, “I have done what you commanded.”
4Then the Lord said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem. Put a mark on the forehead of everyone who feels sad and upset about all the terrible things people are doing in this city.”
5-6Then I heard God say to the other men, “I want you to follow the first man. You must kill all those who do not have the mark on their foreheads. It doesn’t matter if they are elders, young men or young women, children or mothers—you must use your weapon and kill everyone who does not have the mark on their forehead. Don’t show any mercy. Don’t feel sorry for anyone. Start here at my Temple.” So they started with the elders in front of the Temple.
7He said to them, “Make this Temple unclean—fill this courtyard with dead bodies! Now go!” So they went and killed the people in the city.
8I stayed there while the men went to kill the people. I bowed with my face to the ground and said, “Oh, Lord God, in showing your anger against Jerusalem, are you killing all the survivors in Israel?”
9He said, “The family of Israel and Judah has committed many terrible sins! People are being murdered everywhere in this country, and the city is filled with crime. That is because the people say to themselves, ‘The Lord has left this country. The Lord cannot see what we are doing.’ 10So I will not show any mercy or feel sorry for them. They brought it on themselves. I am only giving them the punishment they deserve!”
11Then the man wearing linen clothes and a scribe’s pen and ink set spoke up. He said, “I have done what you commanded.”
10Chapter
The Glory of the Lord Leaves the Temple
1Then I looked up at the bowl over the heads of the Cherub angels. The bowl looked clear blue like sapphire, and there was something that looked like a throne over it. 2Then the one sitting on the throne said to the man dressed in linen clothes, “Step into the area between the wheels under the Cherub angels. Take a handful of the burning coals from between the Cherub angels and go throw them over the city of Jerusalem.”
The man walked past me. 3The Cherub angels were standing in the area south of the Temple as the man walked to them. The cloud filled the inner courtyard. 4Then the Glory of the Lord rose up off the Cherub angels near the threshold of the door of the Temple. Then the cloud filled the Temple, and the bright light from the Glory of the Lord filled the whole courtyard. 5The noise from the wings of the Cherub angels could be heard all the way out into the outer courtyard. The sound was very loud—like the thundering voice when God All-Powerful speaks.
6God had given the man dressed in linen clothes a command. He had told him to go into the area between the wheels among the Cherub angels and get some hot coals. So the man went there and stood by the wheel. 7One of the Cherub angels reached out his hand and took some of the hot coals from the area between the Cherub angels. He poured the coals into the man’s hands, and the man left. 8(The Cherub angels had what looked like human arms under their wings.)
9Then I noticed that there were four wheels. There was one wheel by each Cherub angel, and the wheels looked like a clear yellow jewel. 10There were four wheels, and they all looked the same. They looked like there was a wheel in a wheel. 11They could go in any direction when they moved, but the Cherub angels did not turn around when they moved. They went in the direction that the head was looking. They did not turn around when they moved. 12There were eyes all over their bodies. There were eyes on their backs, on their arms, on their wings, and on their wheels—on all four wheels! 13These wheels were what I heard called, “the area between the wheels.”
14-15Each Cherub angel had four faces. The first was the face of a Cherub, the second was the face of a man, the third was a lion’s face, and the fourth was an eagle’s face. (These Cherub angels were the living beings I saw in the vision by the Kebar Canal. ) Then the Cherub angels rose into the air, 16and the wheels rose with them. When the Cherub angels raised their wings and flew into the air, not even the wheels turned around. 17If they flew into the air, the wheels went with them. If they stood still, so did the wheels, because the spirit of the living being was in them.
18Then the Glory of the Lord rose from the threshold of the Temple, moved to the place over the Cherub angels, and stopped there. 19Then the Cherub angels raised their wings and flew into the air. I saw them leave. The wheels went with them. Then they stopped at the East Gate of the Lord’s Temple. The Glory of the God of Israel was in the air above them.
20These were the living beings under the Glory of the God of Israel in the vision at the Kebar Canal, and now I realized that they were Cherub angels. 21Each living being had four faces, four wings, and something that looked like human arms under their wings. 22The faces of the Cherub angels were the same as the four faces on the living beings in the vision by the Kebar Canal. They all looked straight ahead in the direction they were going.
6God had given the man dressed in linen clothes a command. He had told him to go into the area between the wheels among the Cherub angels and get some hot coals. So the man went there and stood by the wheel. 7One of the Cherub angels reached out his hand and took some of the hot coals from the area between the Cherub angels. He poured the coals into the man’s hands, and the man left. 8(The Cherub angels had what looked like human arms under their wings.)
9Then I noticed that there were four wheels. There was one wheel by each Cherub angel, and the wheels looked like a clear yellow jewel. 10There were four wheels, and they all looked the same. They looked like there was a wheel in a wheel. 11They could go in any direction when they moved, but the Cherub angels did not turn around when they moved. They went in the direction that the head was looking. They did not turn around when they moved. 12There were eyes all over their bodies. There were eyes on their backs, on their arms, on their wings, and on their wheels—on all four wheels! 13These wheels were what I heard called, “the area between the wheels.”
14-15Each Cherub angel had four faces. The first was the face of a Cherub, the second was the face of a man, the third was a lion’s face, and the fourth was an eagle’s face. (These Cherub angels were the living beings I saw in the vision by the Kebar Canal. ) Then the Cherub angels rose into the air, 16and the wheels rose with them. When the Cherub angels raised their wings and flew into the air, not even the wheels turned around. 17If they flew into the air, the wheels went with them. If they stood still, so did the wheels, because the spirit of the living being was in them.
18Then the Glory of the Lord rose from the threshold of the Temple, moved to the place over the Cherub angels, and stopped there. 19Then the Cherub angels raised their wings and flew into the air. I saw them leave. The wheels went with them. Then they stopped at the East Gate of the Lord’s Temple. The Glory of the God of Israel was in the air above them.
20These were the living beings under the Glory of the God of Israel in the vision at the Kebar Canal, and now I realized that they were Cherub angels. 21Each living being had four faces, four wings, and something that looked like human arms under their wings. 22The faces of the Cherub angels were the same as the four faces on the living beings in the vision by the Kebar Canal. They all looked straight ahead in the direction they were going.
11Chapter
Prophecies Against the Leaders
1Then the Spirit carried me to the East Gate of the Lord’s Temple. This gate faces the east, where the sun comes up. I saw 25 men there at the entrance of this gate. Some of the leaders were among them, including Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah.
2Then God spoke to me and said, “Son of man, these are the men who make evil plans for this city. They always tell the people to do evil things. 3These men say, ‘We will be building our houses again very soon. We are as safe in this city as meat in a pot!’ 4So you must speak to the people for me. Son of man, prophesy against the people.”
5Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me. He said to me, “Tell them that this is what the Lord said: House of Israel, you are planning big things. But I know what you are thinking. 6You have killed many people in this city. You have filled the streets with dead bodies. 7Now, the Lord God says this: ‘The dead bodies are the meat, and the city is the pot. But someone will come and take you out of this safe pot. 8You are afraid of the sword, but I am bringing the sword against you!’” This is what the Lord God said.
9He also said, “I will take you out of this city and give you to strangers. I will punish you. 10You will die by the sword. I will punish you here in Israel, so you will know that I am the Lord. 11Yes, this place will be the cooking pot, and you will be the meat cooking in it. I will punish you here in Israel. 12Then you will know that I am the Lord. It was my law that you broke. You did not obey my commands. You decided to live like the nations around you.”
13As soon as I finished speaking for God, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died! I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face touching the ground and said, “Oh, Lord God, you are going to completely destroy all the survivors of Israel!”
2Then God spoke to me and said, “Son of man, these are the men who make evil plans for this city. They always tell the people to do evil things. 3These men say, ‘We will be building our houses again very soon. We are as safe in this city as meat in a pot!’ 4So you must speak to the people for me. Son of man, prophesy against the people.”
5Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me. He said to me, “Tell them that this is what the Lord said: House of Israel, you are planning big things. But I know what you are thinking. 6You have killed many people in this city. You have filled the streets with dead bodies. 7Now, the Lord God says this: ‘The dead bodies are the meat, and the city is the pot. But someone will come and take you out of this safe pot. 8You are afraid of the sword, but I am bringing the sword against you!’” This is what the Lord God said.
9He also said, “I will take you out of this city and give you to strangers. I will punish you. 10You will die by the sword. I will punish you here in Israel, so you will know that I am the Lord. 11Yes, this place will be the cooking pot, and you will be the meat cooking in it. I will punish you here in Israel. 12Then you will know that I am the Lord. It was my law that you broke. You did not obey my commands. You decided to live like the nations around you.”
13As soon as I finished speaking for God, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died! I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face touching the ground and said, “Oh, Lord God, you are going to completely destroy all the survivors of Israel!”
Prophecies Against Survivors in Jerusalem
14But then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 15“Son of man, remember your brothers, the family of Israel. They were forced to leave their country, but I will bring them back. But now, the people living in Jerusalem are saying, ‘Stay far away from the Lord. This land was given to us—it is ours!’
16“So tell them this: The Lord God says, ‘It is true, I forced my people to go far away to other nations. I did scatter them among many countries. But I will be their temple for a short time while they are in those other countries. 17But you must tell those people that the Lord God will bring them back. I have scattered you among many nations, but I will gather you together and bring you back from those nations. I will give the land of Israel back to you. 18When my people come back, they will destroy all the terrible, filthy idols that are here now. 19I will bring them together and make them like one person. I will put a new spirit in them. I will take away that heart of stone, and I will put a real heart in its place. 20Then they will obey my laws and my commands. They will do the things I tell them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.’”
16“So tell them this: The Lord God says, ‘It is true, I forced my people to go far away to other nations. I did scatter them among many countries. But I will be their temple for a short time while they are in those other countries. 17But you must tell those people that the Lord God will bring them back. I have scattered you among many nations, but I will gather you together and bring you back from those nations. I will give the land of Israel back to you. 18When my people come back, they will destroy all the terrible, filthy idols that are here now. 19I will bring them together and make them like one person. I will put a new spirit in them. I will take away that heart of stone, and I will put a real heart in its place. 20Then they will obey my laws and my commands. They will do the things I tell them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.’”
The Glory of the Lord Leaves Jerusalem
21Then God said, “But now, their hearts belong to those terrible, filthy idols, and I must punish those people for the bad things they have done.” This is what the Lord God said. 22Then the Cherub angels raised their wings and flew into the air. The wheels went with them. The Glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23The Glory of the Lord rose into the air and left the city and stopped on the hill east of Jerusalem. 24Then the Spirit lifted me into the air and brought me back to Babylonia. It brought me back to the people who were forced to leave Israel. I saw all this in the vision from God. Then the one I saw in the vision rose into the air and left me. 25Then I spoke to the people in exile. I told them about everything the Lord showed me.
12Chapter
Ezekiel Leaves Like a Captive
1Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, you live among people who refuse to obey me. They have eyes to see what I have done for them, but they don’t see those things. They have ears to hear what I told them to do, but they don’t hear my commands, because they are a rebellious people. 3So, son of man, pack some things as if you are leaving on a trip. Pretend that you are a prisoner being taken far away. Do this during the day so that everyone can see you. Even though these people refuse to listen to me, maybe when they see you going away, they will understand what I have been trying to tell them.
4“During the day, take your bags outside so that the people can see you. Then in the evening, pretend you are going away. Act as if you are a prisoner going to a faraway country. 5While the people are watching, make a hole in the wall and go out through that hole in the wall. 6At night, put your bag on your shoulder and leave. Cover your face so that you cannot see where you are going. You must do these things so that the people can see you, because I am using you as an example to the family of Israel.”
7So I did as I was commanded. During the day, I took my bags and acted as if I were going to a faraway country. That evening, I used my hands and made a hole in the wall. During the night, I put my bag on my shoulder and left. I did this so that all the people could see me.
8The next morning, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 9“Son of man, did the people of Israel—those people who always refuse to obey—ask you what you were doing? 10Tell them that this is what the Lord God said. This sad message is about the leader of Jerusalem and all the people of Israel who live there. 11Tell them, ‘I am an example for all of you. What I have done will happen to you.’ You will be forced to go to a faraway country as prisoners. 12And your leader will make a hole in the wall and sneak out at night. He will cover his face so that people will not recognize him. His eyes will not be able to see where he is going. 13He will try to escape, but I will catch him! He will be caught in my trap. Then I will bring him to Babylonia—the land of the Chaldeans. But he will not be able to see where he is going. 14I will force the king’s people to live in the foreign countries around Israel, and I will scatter his army to the winds. The enemy soldiers will chase after them. 15Then they will know that I am the Lord. They will know that I scattered them among the nations. They will know that I forced them to go to other countries.
16“But I will let a few of the people live. They will not die from the disease, hunger, and war. I will let them live so that they can tell other people about the terrible things they did against me. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
4“During the day, take your bags outside so that the people can see you. Then in the evening, pretend you are going away. Act as if you are a prisoner going to a faraway country. 5While the people are watching, make a hole in the wall and go out through that hole in the wall. 6At night, put your bag on your shoulder and leave. Cover your face so that you cannot see where you are going. You must do these things so that the people can see you, because I am using you as an example to the family of Israel.”
7So I did as I was commanded. During the day, I took my bags and acted as if I were going to a faraway country. That evening, I used my hands and made a hole in the wall. During the night, I put my bag on my shoulder and left. I did this so that all the people could see me.
8The next morning, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 9“Son of man, did the people of Israel—those people who always refuse to obey—ask you what you were doing? 10Tell them that this is what the Lord God said. This sad message is about the leader of Jerusalem and all the people of Israel who live there. 11Tell them, ‘I am an example for all of you. What I have done will happen to you.’ You will be forced to go to a faraway country as prisoners. 12And your leader will make a hole in the wall and sneak out at night. He will cover his face so that people will not recognize him. His eyes will not be able to see where he is going. 13He will try to escape, but I will catch him! He will be caught in my trap. Then I will bring him to Babylonia—the land of the Chaldeans. But he will not be able to see where he is going. 14I will force the king’s people to live in the foreign countries around Israel, and I will scatter his army to the winds. The enemy soldiers will chase after them. 15Then they will know that I am the Lord. They will know that I scattered them among the nations. They will know that I forced them to go to other countries.
16“But I will let a few of the people live. They will not die from the disease, hunger, and war. I will let them live so that they can tell other people about the terrible things they did against me. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Shake With Fear
17Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 18“Son of man, you must act as if you are very frightened. You must shake when you eat your food. You must act worried and afraid when you drink your water. 19You must say this to the common people: ‘This is what the Lord God says to the people living in Jerusalem and in the other parts of Israel. You will be very worried while you eat your food. You will be terrified while you drink your water, because everything in your country will be destroyed! This will happen because the people living there are so violent. 20Many people live in your cities now, but those cities will be ruined. Your whole country will be destroyed! Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Disaster Will Come
21Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 22‘Trouble will not come soon;
what is seen in visions will not come’?
23‘Trouble will come soon; what is seen in visions will happen.’
24“There will not be any more false visions in Israel. There will not be any more magicians telling things that don’t come true. 25That’s because I am the Lord, and if I say something will happen, it will happen! I will not wait any longer. Those troubles are coming soon—in your own lifetime. Hear me, you people who always refuse to obey! When I say something, I make it happen.” This is what the Lord God said.
26Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 27“Son of man, the people of Israel think that the visions I give you are for a time far in the future. They think you are talking about things that will happen many years from now. 28So you must tell them this: ‘The Lord God says, I will not delay any longer. If I say something will happen, it will happen!’” This is what the Lord God said.
23‘Trouble will come soon; what is seen in visions will happen.’
24“There will not be any more false visions in Israel. There will not be any more magicians telling things that don’t come true. 25That’s because I am the Lord, and if I say something will happen, it will happen! I will not wait any longer. Those troubles are coming soon—in your own lifetime. Hear me, you people who always refuse to obey! When I say something, I make it happen.” This is what the Lord God said.
26Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 27“Son of man, the people of Israel think that the visions I give you are for a time far in the future. They think you are talking about things that will happen many years from now. 28So you must tell them this: ‘The Lord God says, I will not delay any longer. If I say something will happen, it will happen!’” This is what the Lord God said.
13Chapter
Warnings Against False Prophets
1Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, you must speak to the prophets of Israel for me. They are only saying what they want to say. You must speak to them. Tell them this: ‘Listen to this message from the Lord! 3This is what the Lord God says. Bad things will happen to you foolish prophets. You are following your own spirits. You are not telling people what you really see in visions.
4“‘Israel, your prophets are false prophets. They are like jackals hunting for food among the ruins of a city. 5You have not put soldiers near the broken walls of the city. You have not built walls to protect the family of Israel. So when the day comes for the Lord to punish you, you will lose the war!
6“‘Your prophets say they have seen visions. They did their magic to see what will happen next. But everything they said would happen is a lie. They claim to speak for the Lord, but the Lord did not send them. And they still think that what they said is what will happen.
7“‘If you prophets saw visions, they were not true. And all you got from your magic was lies! So how can you say that the Lord told you those things? I did not speak to you!’”
8So now, the Lord God really will speak. He says, “You told lies. You saw visions that were not true. So now I am against you!” This is what the Lord God said. 9“I will punish those prophets whose visions are false and who lie about the future. I will remove them from my people. Their names will not be in the list of the family of Israel. They will never again come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God!
10“Again and again those false prophets lied to my people. They said there would be peace, but there is no peace. The people need to fix the walls and prepare for war. But they only slap a thin coat of plaster over the broken walls. 11Tell them that I will send hail and a strong rain. The wind will blow hard, and a tornado will come. Then the wall will fall down. 12When the wall falls down, the people will ask the prophets, ‘What happened to the plaster you put on the wall?’” 13The Lord God says, “I am angry and I will send a storm against you. I am angry and I will send a strong rain. I am angry and I will make hail fall from the sky and completely destroy you! 14You put plaster on the wall, but I will destroy the whole wall. I will pull it to the ground. The wall will fall on you, and then you will know that I am the Lord. 15I will finish showing my anger against the wall and those who put plaster on it. Then I will say, ‘There is no wall, and there are no workers to put plaster on it.’
16“All these things will happen to the false prophets of Israel. They speak to the people of Jerusalem and say there will be peace, but there is no peace.” This is what the Lord God said.
17God said, “Son of man, look at the women prophets in Israel. They say the things they want to say, so you must speak against them for me. You must say this to them: 18‘This is what the Lord God says: Bad things will happen to you women. You sew cloth bracelets for people to wear on their arms. You make special scarves for people to wear on their heads. You say those things have magic powers to control people’s lives. You trap the people only to keep yourselves alive! 19You make them think I am not important. You turn them against me for a few handfuls of barley and a few scraps of bread. You tell lies to my people. They love to listen to lies. You kill those who should live, and you let people live who should die. 20So this is what the Lord God says to you: You make those cloth bracelets to trap people, but I will set them free. I will tear those bracelets off your arms, and the people will be free from you. They will be like birds flying from a trap. 21And I will tear up those scarves and save my people from your power. They will escape from your trap, and you will know that I am the Lord.
22“‘You prophets tell lies. Your lies hurt good people—I did not want to hurt them! You support the wicked and encourage them. You don’t tell them to change their lives. You don’t try to save their lives! 23So you will not see any more useless visions or do any more magic. I will save my people from your power, and you will know that I am the Lord.’”
4“‘Israel, your prophets are false prophets. They are like jackals hunting for food among the ruins of a city. 5You have not put soldiers near the broken walls of the city. You have not built walls to protect the family of Israel. So when the day comes for the Lord to punish you, you will lose the war!
6“‘Your prophets say they have seen visions. They did their magic to see what will happen next. But everything they said would happen is a lie. They claim to speak for the Lord, but the Lord did not send them. And they still think that what they said is what will happen.
7“‘If you prophets saw visions, they were not true. And all you got from your magic was lies! So how can you say that the Lord told you those things? I did not speak to you!’”
8So now, the Lord God really will speak. He says, “You told lies. You saw visions that were not true. So now I am against you!” This is what the Lord God said. 9“I will punish those prophets whose visions are false and who lie about the future. I will remove them from my people. Their names will not be in the list of the family of Israel. They will never again come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God!
10“Again and again those false prophets lied to my people. They said there would be peace, but there is no peace. The people need to fix the walls and prepare for war. But they only slap a thin coat of plaster over the broken walls. 11Tell them that I will send hail and a strong rain. The wind will blow hard, and a tornado will come. Then the wall will fall down. 12When the wall falls down, the people will ask the prophets, ‘What happened to the plaster you put on the wall?’” 13The Lord God says, “I am angry and I will send a storm against you. I am angry and I will send a strong rain. I am angry and I will make hail fall from the sky and completely destroy you! 14You put plaster on the wall, but I will destroy the whole wall. I will pull it to the ground. The wall will fall on you, and then you will know that I am the Lord. 15I will finish showing my anger against the wall and those who put plaster on it. Then I will say, ‘There is no wall, and there are no workers to put plaster on it.’
16“All these things will happen to the false prophets of Israel. They speak to the people of Jerusalem and say there will be peace, but there is no peace.” This is what the Lord God said.
17God said, “Son of man, look at the women prophets in Israel. They say the things they want to say, so you must speak against them for me. You must say this to them: 18‘This is what the Lord God says: Bad things will happen to you women. You sew cloth bracelets for people to wear on their arms. You make special scarves for people to wear on their heads. You say those things have magic powers to control people’s lives. You trap the people only to keep yourselves alive! 19You make them think I am not important. You turn them against me for a few handfuls of barley and a few scraps of bread. You tell lies to my people. They love to listen to lies. You kill those who should live, and you let people live who should die. 20So this is what the Lord God says to you: You make those cloth bracelets to trap people, but I will set them free. I will tear those bracelets off your arms, and the people will be free from you. They will be like birds flying from a trap. 21And I will tear up those scarves and save my people from your power. They will escape from your trap, and you will know that I am the Lord.
22“‘You prophets tell lies. Your lies hurt good people—I did not want to hurt them! You support the wicked and encourage them. You don’t tell them to change their lives. You don’t try to save their lives! 23So you will not see any more useless visions or do any more magic. I will save my people from your power, and you will know that I am the Lord.’”
14Chapter
Warnings Against Idol Worship
1Some of the elders of Israel came to me. They sat down to talk with me. 2The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 3“Son of man, these men came to talk to you. But they still have their filthy idols. They kept the things that made them sin. They still worship those statues, so why do they come to me for advice? Should I answer their questions? 4But I will give them an answer. You must tell them this: ‘This is what the Lord God says: If any Israelites come to a prophet and ask me for advice, I myself will answer their questions. I, the Lord, will answer them even if they still have their filthy idols, even if they kept the things that made them sin, and even if they still worship those statues. I will speak to them in spite of all their filthy idols. 5This is because I want to touch their hearts. I want to show them that I love them, even though they left me for their filthy idols.’
6“So tell the family of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Come back to me and leave your filthy idols. Turn away from those terrible, false gods. 7If any Israelites or foreigners who live in Israel come to me for advice, I will give them an answer. I, the Lord, will answer them even if they still have their filthy idols, even if they kept the things that made them sin, and even if they worship those statues. This is the answer I will give them: 8I will turn against them and destroy them. They will be an example to others. People will laugh at them. I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord! 9And if a prophet is foolish enough to give his own answer, I, the Lord, will show him how foolish he is! I will use my power against him. I will destroy him and remove him from among my people, Israel. 10So both the one who came for advice and the prophet who gave an answer will get the same punishment. 11Why? So that those prophets will stop leading my people away from me, and my people will stop being filthy with sin. Then they will be my special people, and I will be their God.’” This is what the Lord God said.
6“So tell the family of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Come back to me and leave your filthy idols. Turn away from those terrible, false gods. 7If any Israelites or foreigners who live in Israel come to me for advice, I will give them an answer. I, the Lord, will answer them even if they still have their filthy idols, even if they kept the things that made them sin, and even if they worship those statues. This is the answer I will give them: 8I will turn against them and destroy them. They will be an example to others. People will laugh at them. I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord! 9And if a prophet is foolish enough to give his own answer, I, the Lord, will show him how foolish he is! I will use my power against him. I will destroy him and remove him from among my people, Israel. 10So both the one who came for advice and the prophet who gave an answer will get the same punishment. 11Why? So that those prophets will stop leading my people away from me, and my people will stop being filthy with sin. Then they will be my special people, and I will be their God.’” This is what the Lord God said.
Jerusalem Will Be Punished
12Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 13“Son of man, I will punish any nation that leaves me and sins against me. I will stop their food supply. I might cause a famine and remove the people and animals from that country. 14I would punish that country even if Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there. They could save their own lives by their goodness, but they could not save the whole country.” This is what the Lord God said.
15“Or I might send wild animals through that country to kill all the people. Then no one would travel through that country because of the wild animals. 16If Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, those three men could save their own lives. But I promise by my own life that they could not save the lives of other people—not even their own sons and daughters! That evil country would be destroyed.” This is what the Lord God said.
17“Or I might send an enemy army to fight against that country. The soldiers would destroy that country—I would remove all the people and animals from that country. 18If Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, those three men could save their own lives. But I promise by my own life that they could not save the lives of other people—not even their own sons and daughters! That evil country would be destroyed.” This is what the Lord God said.
19“Or I might send a disease against that country. I will pour my anger down on the people. I will remove all the people and animals from that country. 20If Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, those three men could save their own lives because they are good men. But I promise by my own life that they could not save the lives of other people—not even their own sons and daughters!” This is what the Lord God said.
21Then the Lord God said, “So think how bad it will be for Jerusalem. I will send all four of those punishments against that city! I will send enemy soldiers, hunger, disease, and wild animals against that city. I will remove all the people and animals from that country. 22Some of the people will escape from that country. They will bring their sons and daughters and come to you for help. Then you will see how bad those people really are, and you will feel better about all the troubles that I am bringing to Jerusalem. 23You will see how they live and all the bad things they do. Then you will know that I had a good reason for punishing them.” This is what the Lord God said.
15“Or I might send wild animals through that country to kill all the people. Then no one would travel through that country because of the wild animals. 16If Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, those three men could save their own lives. But I promise by my own life that they could not save the lives of other people—not even their own sons and daughters! That evil country would be destroyed.” This is what the Lord God said.
17“Or I might send an enemy army to fight against that country. The soldiers would destroy that country—I would remove all the people and animals from that country. 18If Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, those three men could save their own lives. But I promise by my own life that they could not save the lives of other people—not even their own sons and daughters! That evil country would be destroyed.” This is what the Lord God said.
19“Or I might send a disease against that country. I will pour my anger down on the people. I will remove all the people and animals from that country. 20If Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, those three men could save their own lives because they are good men. But I promise by my own life that they could not save the lives of other people—not even their own sons and daughters!” This is what the Lord God said.
21Then the Lord God said, “So think how bad it will be for Jerusalem. I will send all four of those punishments against that city! I will send enemy soldiers, hunger, disease, and wild animals against that city. I will remove all the people and animals from that country. 22Some of the people will escape from that country. They will bring their sons and daughters and come to you for help. Then you will see how bad those people really are, and you will feel better about all the troubles that I am bringing to Jerusalem. 23You will see how they live and all the bad things they do. Then you will know that I had a good reason for punishing them.” This is what the Lord God said.
15Chapter
Jerusalem, the Vine, Will Be Burned
1Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, are the pieces of wood from a grapevine any better than the little branches cut from trees in the forest? 3Can you use that wood from a grapevine to make anything? Can you use that wood to make pegs to hang dishes on? 4People throw that wood into the fire. The ends burn, and the middle is scorched. 5If you cannot make anything from that wood before it is burned, you surely cannot make anything from that wood after it is burned! 6So people throw the pieces of wood from a grapevine into the fire. It is just like wood from any other tree in the forest. In the same way I will throw the people living in Jerusalem into the fire!” This is what the Lord God said. 7“I will punish those people. But some of them will be like the sticks that don’t burn completely. They will be punished, but they will not be destroyed completely. You will see that I punished them, and you will know that I am the Lord! 8I will destroy that country because the people left me to worship false gods.” This is what the Lord God said.
16Chapter
God’s Love for Jerusalem
1Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, tell the people of Jerusalem about the terrible things they have done. 3You must say, ‘This is what the Lord God says to Jerusalem: Look at your history. You were born in Canaan. Your father was an Amorite. Your mother was a Hittite. 4Jerusalem, on the day you were born, there was no one to cut your navel cord. No one put salt on you and washed you to make you clean. No one wrapped you in cloth. 5No one felt sorry for you or took care of you. On the day you were born, your parents threw you out into the field, because no one wanted you.
6“‘Then I passed by. I saw you lying there, kicking in the blood. You were covered with blood, but I said, “Please live!” Yes, you were covered with blood, but I said, “Please live!” 7I helped you grow like a plant in the field. You grew and grew. You became a young woman: your periods began, your breasts grew, and your hair began to grow. But you were still bare and naked. 8I looked you over. I saw you were ready for love, so I spread my clothes over you and covered your nakedness. I promised to marry you. I made the agreement with you, and you became mine.’” This is what the Lord God said.
9“‘I washed you in water. I poured water over you to wash away the blood that was on you, and then I put oil on your skin. 10I gave you a nice dress and soft leather sandals, a linen headband, and a silk scarf. 11I also gave you some jewelry. I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck. 12I gave you a nose ring, earrings, and a beautiful crown to wear. 13You were beautiful in your gold and silver jewelry, and your linen, silk, and embroidered material. You ate the best foods. You were very, very beautiful, and you became the queen! 14You became famous for your beauty, all because I made you so lovely!’” This is what the Lord God said.
6“‘Then I passed by. I saw you lying there, kicking in the blood. You were covered with blood, but I said, “Please live!” Yes, you were covered with blood, but I said, “Please live!” 7I helped you grow like a plant in the field. You grew and grew. You became a young woman: your periods began, your breasts grew, and your hair began to grow. But you were still bare and naked. 8I looked you over. I saw you were ready for love, so I spread my clothes over you and covered your nakedness. I promised to marry you. I made the agreement with you, and you became mine.’” This is what the Lord God said.
9“‘I washed you in water. I poured water over you to wash away the blood that was on you, and then I put oil on your skin. 10I gave you a nice dress and soft leather sandals, a linen headband, and a silk scarf. 11I also gave you some jewelry. I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck. 12I gave you a nose ring, earrings, and a beautiful crown to wear. 13You were beautiful in your gold and silver jewelry, and your linen, silk, and embroidered material. You ate the best foods. You were very, very beautiful, and you became the queen! 14You became famous for your beauty, all because I made you so lovely!’” This is what the Lord God said.
Jerusalem, the Unfaithful Bride
15“But you began to trust in your beauty. You used the good name you had and became unfaithful to me. You acted like a prostitute with every man who passed by. You gave yourself to them all! 16You took your beautiful clothes and used them to decorate your places for worship. And you acted like a prostitute there. You gave yourself to every man who came by! 17Then you took your beautiful jewelry that I gave you, and you used the gold and silver to make statues of men, and you had sex with them too! 18Then you took the beautiful cloth and made clothes for those statues. You took the perfume and incense I gave you and put it in front of those idols. 19I gave you bread, honey, and oil, but you gave that food to your idols. You offered them as a sweet smell to please your false gods. You acted like a prostitute with those false gods!” This is what the Lord God said.
20“You and I had children together, but you took our children. You killed them and gave them to those false gods! But that is only some of the evil things you did when you were unfaithful to me and went to those false gods. 21You slaughtered my sons and then passed them through the fire to those false gods. 22You left me and did all those terrible things. You never remembered what happened when you were young. You did not remember that you were naked and kicking in blood when I found you.
23“After all these evil things, … it will be very bad for you!” The Lord God said all these things. 24“After all those things, you made a mound for worshiping that false god. You built those places for worshiping false gods on every street corner. 25You built your mounds at the head of every road. Then you degraded your beauty. You used it to catch every man who walked by. You raised your skirt so that they could see your legs, and you acted like a prostitute with those men. 26Then you went to Egypt, your neighbor that is always ready for sex. With more and more sexual sin, you made me angry. 27So I punished you! I took away part of your land. I let your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, do what they wanted to you. Even they were shocked at the evil things you did. 28Then you went to have sex with Assyria. You could not get enough. You were never satisfied. 29So you turned to Canaan, and then to Babylonia, and still you were not satisfied. 30You are so weak. You let all those men cause you to sin. You acted just like a prostitute who wants to be the one in control.” This is what the Lord God said.
31God said, “But you were not exactly like a prostitute. You built your mounds at the head of every road, and you built your places for worship at every street corner. You had sex with all those men, but you did not ask them to pay you the way a prostitute does. 32You are a woman guilty of adultery. You would rather have sex with strangers than with your own husband. 33Most prostitutes force men to pay them for sex, but you gave money to your many lovers. You paid all the men around to come in to have sex with you. 34You are just the opposite of most prostitutes who force men to pay them, because you pay the men to have sex with you.”
35Prostitute, listen to the message from the Lord. 36This is what the Lord God says: “You have spent your money and let your lovers and filthy gods see your naked body and have sex with you. You have killed your children and poured out their blood. This was your gift to those false gods. 37So I am bringing all of your lovers together. I will bring all the men you loved and all the men you hated. I will bring them all together and let them see you naked. They will see you completely naked. 38Then I will punish you. I will punish you as a murderer and a woman who committed the sin of adultery. You will be punished as if by an angry and jealous husband. 39I will let those lovers have you. They will destroy your mounds. They will burn your places for worship. They will tear off your clothes and take your beautiful jewelry. They will leave you bare and naked as you were when I found you. 40They will bring a crowd of people and throw rocks at you to kill you. Then they will cut you into pieces with their swords. 41They will burn your house. They will punish you so that all the other women can see. I will stop you from living like a prostitute. I will stop you from paying money to your lovers. 42Then I will stop being angry and jealous. I will calm down. I will not be angry anymore. 43Why will all these things happen? Because you did not remember what happened when you were young. You did all those bad things and made me angry. So I had to punish you for doing them, but you planned even more terrible things.” This is what the Lord God said.
44“All the people who talk about you will now have one more thing to say. They will say, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45You are your mother’s daughter. You don’t care about your husband or your children. You are like your sister. Both of you hated your husband and your children. You are like your parents. Your mother was a Hittite and your father was an Amorite. 46Your older sister was Samaria. She lived to the north of you with her daughters. Your younger sister was Sodom. She lived to the south of you with her daughters. 47You did all the terrible things they did, but you also did much worse! 48I am the Lord God. As I live, I swear that your sister Sodom and her daughters never did as many bad things as you and your daughters.
49“Your sister Sodom and her daughters were proud. They had too much to eat and too much time on their hands, and they did not help poor, helpless people. 50Sodom and her daughters became too proud and began to do terrible things in front of me. So I punished them!
51“And Samaria did only half as many bad things as you did. You did many more terrible things than Samaria! You have done so many more terrible things than your sisters have done. Sodom and Samaria seem good compared to you. 52So you must bear your shame. You have made your sisters look good compared to you. You have done terrible things, so you should be ashamed.
53“I destroyed Sodom and the towns around it, and I destroyed Samaria and the towns around it. And I will destroy you too, Jerusalem. But I will build those cities again, and I will rebuild you too. 54I will comfort you. Then you will remember the terrible things you did, and you will be ashamed. 55So you and your sisters will be rebuilt. Sodom and the towns around her, Samaria and the towns around her, and you and the towns around you will all be rebuilt.
56“In the past, you were proud and made fun of your sister Sodom. But you will not do that again. 57You did that before you were punished, before your neighbors started making fun of you. The daughters of Edom and Philistia are making fun of you now. 58Now you must suffer for the terrible things you did.” This is what the Lord said.
20“You and I had children together, but you took our children. You killed them and gave them to those false gods! But that is only some of the evil things you did when you were unfaithful to me and went to those false gods. 21You slaughtered my sons and then passed them through the fire to those false gods. 22You left me and did all those terrible things. You never remembered what happened when you were young. You did not remember that you were naked and kicking in blood when I found you.
23“After all these evil things, … it will be very bad for you!” The Lord God said all these things. 24“After all those things, you made a mound for worshiping that false god. You built those places for worshiping false gods on every street corner. 25You built your mounds at the head of every road. Then you degraded your beauty. You used it to catch every man who walked by. You raised your skirt so that they could see your legs, and you acted like a prostitute with those men. 26Then you went to Egypt, your neighbor that is always ready for sex. With more and more sexual sin, you made me angry. 27So I punished you! I took away part of your land. I let your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, do what they wanted to you. Even they were shocked at the evil things you did. 28Then you went to have sex with Assyria. You could not get enough. You were never satisfied. 29So you turned to Canaan, and then to Babylonia, and still you were not satisfied. 30You are so weak. You let all those men cause you to sin. You acted just like a prostitute who wants to be the one in control.” This is what the Lord God said.
31God said, “But you were not exactly like a prostitute. You built your mounds at the head of every road, and you built your places for worship at every street corner. You had sex with all those men, but you did not ask them to pay you the way a prostitute does. 32You are a woman guilty of adultery. You would rather have sex with strangers than with your own husband. 33Most prostitutes force men to pay them for sex, but you gave money to your many lovers. You paid all the men around to come in to have sex with you. 34You are just the opposite of most prostitutes who force men to pay them, because you pay the men to have sex with you.”
35Prostitute, listen to the message from the Lord. 36This is what the Lord God says: “You have spent your money and let your lovers and filthy gods see your naked body and have sex with you. You have killed your children and poured out their blood. This was your gift to those false gods. 37So I am bringing all of your lovers together. I will bring all the men you loved and all the men you hated. I will bring them all together and let them see you naked. They will see you completely naked. 38Then I will punish you. I will punish you as a murderer and a woman who committed the sin of adultery. You will be punished as if by an angry and jealous husband. 39I will let those lovers have you. They will destroy your mounds. They will burn your places for worship. They will tear off your clothes and take your beautiful jewelry. They will leave you bare and naked as you were when I found you. 40They will bring a crowd of people and throw rocks at you to kill you. Then they will cut you into pieces with their swords. 41They will burn your house. They will punish you so that all the other women can see. I will stop you from living like a prostitute. I will stop you from paying money to your lovers. 42Then I will stop being angry and jealous. I will calm down. I will not be angry anymore. 43Why will all these things happen? Because you did not remember what happened when you were young. You did all those bad things and made me angry. So I had to punish you for doing them, but you planned even more terrible things.” This is what the Lord God said.
44“All the people who talk about you will now have one more thing to say. They will say, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45You are your mother’s daughter. You don’t care about your husband or your children. You are like your sister. Both of you hated your husband and your children. You are like your parents. Your mother was a Hittite and your father was an Amorite. 46Your older sister was Samaria. She lived to the north of you with her daughters. Your younger sister was Sodom. She lived to the south of you with her daughters. 47You did all the terrible things they did, but you also did much worse! 48I am the Lord God. As I live, I swear that your sister Sodom and her daughters never did as many bad things as you and your daughters.
49“Your sister Sodom and her daughters were proud. They had too much to eat and too much time on their hands, and they did not help poor, helpless people. 50Sodom and her daughters became too proud and began to do terrible things in front of me. So I punished them!
51“And Samaria did only half as many bad things as you did. You did many more terrible things than Samaria! You have done so many more terrible things than your sisters have done. Sodom and Samaria seem good compared to you. 52So you must bear your shame. You have made your sisters look good compared to you. You have done terrible things, so you should be ashamed.
53“I destroyed Sodom and the towns around it, and I destroyed Samaria and the towns around it. And I will destroy you too, Jerusalem. But I will build those cities again, and I will rebuild you too. 54I will comfort you. Then you will remember the terrible things you did, and you will be ashamed. 55So you and your sisters will be rebuilt. Sodom and the towns around her, Samaria and the towns around her, and you and the towns around you will all be rebuilt.
56“In the past, you were proud and made fun of your sister Sodom. But you will not do that again. 57You did that before you were punished, before your neighbors started making fun of you. The daughters of Edom and Philistia are making fun of you now. 58Now you must suffer for the terrible things you did.” This is what the Lord said.
God Remains Faithful
59This is what the Lord God said: “I will treat you like you treated me! You broke your marriage promise. You did not respect our agreement. 60But I will remember the agreement we made when you were young. I made an agreement with you that will continue forever! 61I will bring your sisters to you, and I will make them your daughters. That was not in our agreement, but I will do that for you. Then you will remember the terrible things you did, and you will be ashamed. 62So I will make my agreement with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. 63You will remember me, and you will be so ashamed of the evil things you did that you will not be able to say anything. But I will make you pure, and you will never be ashamed again!” This is what the Lord God said.
17Chapter
The Eagle and the Vine
1Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, I have a story with a hidden meaning for you to tell the family of Israel. 3“‘A large eagle with big wings came to Lebanon.
He had feathers covered with spots.
4He broke the top out of that big cedar tree and brought it to Canaan. He set the branch down in a city of merchants.
5Then the eagle took some of the seeds from Canaan. He planted them in good soil by a good river.
6The seeds grew and became a grapevine. It was a good vine. The vine was not tall, but it spread to cover a large area. The vine grew stems, and smaller vines grew very long.
7Then another eagle with big wings saw the grapevine. The eagle had many feathers. The grapevine wanted this new eagle to care for it. So it stretched its roots and branches toward the eagle. Its branches stretched toward this eagle. The branches grew away from the field where it was planted. The grapevine wanted the new eagle to water it.
8The grapevine was planted in a good field near plenty of water. It could have grown branches and fruit. It could have become a very good grapevine.’”
9This is what the Lord God says: “Do you think that plant will succeed? No, the new eagle will pull the plant from the ground, and the bird will break the plant’s roots. It will eat up all the grapes. Then the new leaves will wilt. That plant will be very weak. It will not take strong arms or a powerful nation to pull that plant up by the roots.
10Will the plant grow where it is planted? No, the hot east wind will blow, and the plant will become dry and die. It will die there where it was planted.”
4He broke the top out of that big cedar tree and brought it to Canaan. He set the branch down in a city of merchants.
5Then the eagle took some of the seeds from Canaan. He planted them in good soil by a good river.
6The seeds grew and became a grapevine. It was a good vine. The vine was not tall, but it spread to cover a large area. The vine grew stems, and smaller vines grew very long.
7Then another eagle with big wings saw the grapevine. The eagle had many feathers. The grapevine wanted this new eagle to care for it. So it stretched its roots and branches toward the eagle. Its branches stretched toward this eagle. The branches grew away from the field where it was planted. The grapevine wanted the new eagle to water it.
8The grapevine was planted in a good field near plenty of water. It could have grown branches and fruit. It could have become a very good grapevine.’”
9This is what the Lord God says: “Do you think that plant will succeed? No, the new eagle will pull the plant from the ground, and the bird will break the plant’s roots. It will eat up all the grapes. Then the new leaves will wilt. That plant will be very weak. It will not take strong arms or a powerful nation to pull that plant up by the roots.
10Will the plant grow where it is planted? No, the hot east wind will blow, and the plant will become dry and die. It will die there where it was planted.”
King Zedekiah Punished
11The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 12“Explain this story to the people of Israel who always turn against me. Tell them this: The first eagle is the king of Babylonia. He came to Jerusalem and took away the king and other leaders. He brought them to Babylonia. 13Then Nebuchadnezzar made an agreement with a man from the king’s family. Nebuchadnezzar forced that man to make a promise. So this man promised to be loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made this man the new king of Judah. Then he took all the powerful men away from Judah. 14So Judah became a weak kingdom that could not turn against King Nebuchadnezzar. The people were forced to keep the agreement Nebuchadnezzar made with the new king of Judah. 15But this new king tried to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar anyway! He sent messengers to Egypt to ask for help. The new king asked for many horses and soldiers. Now, do you think the new king of Judah will succeed? Do you think the new king will have enough power to break the agreement and escape punishment?”
16The Lord God says, “By my life, I swear that this new king will die in Babylonia! Nebuchadnezzar made this man the new king of Judah, but he broke his promise with Nebuchadnezzar. This new king ignored that agreement. 17The king of Egypt will not be able to save the king of Judah. He might send many soldiers, but Egypt’s great power will not save Judah. Nebuchadnezzar’s army will build dirt roads and dirt walls to capture the city. Many people will die. 18But the king of Judah will not escape, because he ignored his agreement. He broke his promise to Nebuchadnezzar.” 19The Lord God makes this promise: “By my life, I swear that I will punish the king of Judah, because he ignored my warnings and broke our agreement. 20I will set my trap, and he will be caught in it. Then I will bring him to Babylon, and I will punish him there. I will punish him because he turned against me, 21and I will destroy his army. I will destroy his best soldiers and scatter them to the wind. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that I told you these things.”
22“I will take a branch from a tall cedar tree. I will take a small branch from the top of the tree, and I myself will plant it on a very high mountain.
23I myself will plant it on a high mountain in Israel. That branch will grow into a tree. It will grow branches and make fruit and become a beautiful cedar tree. Many birds will sit on its branches and live in the shadows under its branches.
24“Then the other trees will know that I, the Lord, make tall trees fall to the ground, and I make small trees grow tall. I make green trees become dry, and I make dry trees become green. I am the Lord. If I say that I will do something, then I will do it!”
16The Lord God says, “By my life, I swear that this new king will die in Babylonia! Nebuchadnezzar made this man the new king of Judah, but he broke his promise with Nebuchadnezzar. This new king ignored that agreement. 17The king of Egypt will not be able to save the king of Judah. He might send many soldiers, but Egypt’s great power will not save Judah. Nebuchadnezzar’s army will build dirt roads and dirt walls to capture the city. Many people will die. 18But the king of Judah will not escape, because he ignored his agreement. He broke his promise to Nebuchadnezzar.” 19The Lord God makes this promise: “By my life, I swear that I will punish the king of Judah, because he ignored my warnings and broke our agreement. 20I will set my trap, and he will be caught in it. Then I will bring him to Babylon, and I will punish him there. I will punish him because he turned against me, 21and I will destroy his army. I will destroy his best soldiers and scatter them to the wind. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that I told you these things.”
22“I will take a branch from a tall cedar tree. I will take a small branch from the top of the tree, and I myself will plant it on a very high mountain.
23I myself will plant it on a high mountain in Israel. That branch will grow into a tree. It will grow branches and make fruit and become a beautiful cedar tree. Many birds will sit on its branches and live in the shadows under its branches.
24“Then the other trees will know that I, the Lord, make tall trees fall to the ground, and I make small trees grow tall. I make green trees become dry, and I make dry trees become green. I am the Lord. If I say that I will do something, then I will do it!”
18Chapter
True Justice
1The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2‘The parents ate the sour grapes,
but the children got the sour taste’ ?”
3But the Lord God says, “By my life, I swear that people in Israel will not think this proverb is true anymore! 4I will treat everyone, child and parent, just the same. The one who sins is the one who will die!
5“A person who is good will live! He is fair and does what is right. 6He doesn’t go to the mountains to share food offered to idols. He doesn’t pray to those filthy idols in Israel. He doesn’t commit adultery with his neighbor’s wife or with a woman during her period. 7He doesn’t take advantage of others. If someone borrows money from him, he might take something of value before he gives the money. But when that person pays him back, he returns what he took. He gives food to the hungry and clothes to people who need them. 8If someone wants to borrow money from him, he lends the money and doesn’t charge interest on the loan. He refuses to be crooked. He is always fair with everyone. People can trust him. 9He obeys my laws and studies my rules so that he can learn to be fair and dependable. He is good, so he will live.” This is what the Lord God said.
10“But someone like that might have a son who does not do any of these good things. The son steals things and kills people. 11He does things his father never did. He goes to the mountains and eats foods offered to false gods. He commits the sin of adultery with his neighbor’s wife. 12He mistreats poor, helpless people. He takes advantage of them. When a debt is paid, he does not give back what he took from them. He prays to filthy idols and does other terrible things. 13He lends money to people who need it, but he forces them to pay interest on the loan. The evil son will not be allowed to live. He will be put to death because he did such terrible things, and he will be responsible for his own death.
14“Now, that evil son might also have a son. But this son sees the bad things his father did, and he refuses to live as his father did. He treats people fairly. 15He does not go to the mountains and eat foods offered to false gods. He does not pray to filthy idols in Israel. He does not commit the sin of adultery with his neighbor’s wife. 16He does not take advantage of people. If someone borrows money from him, the good son takes something of value and then gives the other person the money. When that person pays him back, the good son gives back what he took. The good son gives food to hungry people, and he gives clothes to those who need them. 17He helps the poor. If people want to borrow money, the good son lends them the money, and he does not charge interest on the loan. He obeys my laws and follows them. He will not be put to death for his father’s sins. The good son will live. 18The father hurts people and steals things. He never does anything good for my people! He will die because of his own sins.
19“You might ask, ‘Why will the son not be punished for his father’s sins?’ The reason is that the son was fair and did good things. He very carefully obeyed my laws, so he will live. 20The one who sins is the one who will be put to death. A son will not be punished for his father’s sins, and a father will not be punished for his son’s sins. A good man’s goodness belongs to him alone, and a bad man’s evil belongs to him alone.
21“Now, if evil people change their lives, they will live and not die. They might stop doing all the bad things they did and begin to carefully obey all my laws. They might become fair and good. 22God will not remember all the bad things they did. He will remember only their goodness, so they will live!”
23The Lord God says, “I don’t want evil people to die. I want them to change their lives so that they can live!
24“Now, maybe good people might stop being good. They might change their lives and begin to do all the terrible things that evil people have done in the past. (The evil people changed, so they can live.) So if those good people change and become bad, God will not remember all the good things they did. He will remember that they turned against him and began to sin. So they will die because of their sin.
25“You people might say, ‘The Lord isn’t fair!’ But listen, family of Israel. I am fair. You are the ones who are not fair! 26If good people change and become evil, they must die for the bad things they do. 27And if evil people change and become good and fair, they will save their lives. They will live! 28They saw how wicked they were and came back to me. They stopped doing the evil things they did in the past. So they will live! They will not die!”
29The people of Israel said, “That’s not fair! The Lord isn’t fair!” “I am fair! You are the ones who are not fair! 30Why? Because, family of Israel, I will judge each of you only for what you do!” This is what the Lord God said. “So come back to me! Stop committing those crimes and do away with those things that cause you to sin! 31Throw away all the terrible idols with which you committed your crimes! Change your heart and spirit. People of Israel, why should you do things that will cost you your life? 32I don’t want to kill you! Please come back and live!” This is what the Lord God said.
3But the Lord God says, “By my life, I swear that people in Israel will not think this proverb is true anymore! 4I will treat everyone, child and parent, just the same. The one who sins is the one who will die!
5“A person who is good will live! He is fair and does what is right. 6He doesn’t go to the mountains to share food offered to idols. He doesn’t pray to those filthy idols in Israel. He doesn’t commit adultery with his neighbor’s wife or with a woman during her period. 7He doesn’t take advantage of others. If someone borrows money from him, he might take something of value before he gives the money. But when that person pays him back, he returns what he took. He gives food to the hungry and clothes to people who need them. 8If someone wants to borrow money from him, he lends the money and doesn’t charge interest on the loan. He refuses to be crooked. He is always fair with everyone. People can trust him. 9He obeys my laws and studies my rules so that he can learn to be fair and dependable. He is good, so he will live.” This is what the Lord God said.
10“But someone like that might have a son who does not do any of these good things. The son steals things and kills people. 11He does things his father never did. He goes to the mountains and eats foods offered to false gods. He commits the sin of adultery with his neighbor’s wife. 12He mistreats poor, helpless people. He takes advantage of them. When a debt is paid, he does not give back what he took from them. He prays to filthy idols and does other terrible things. 13He lends money to people who need it, but he forces them to pay interest on the loan. The evil son will not be allowed to live. He will be put to death because he did such terrible things, and he will be responsible for his own death.
14“Now, that evil son might also have a son. But this son sees the bad things his father did, and he refuses to live as his father did. He treats people fairly. 15He does not go to the mountains and eat foods offered to false gods. He does not pray to filthy idols in Israel. He does not commit the sin of adultery with his neighbor’s wife. 16He does not take advantage of people. If someone borrows money from him, the good son takes something of value and then gives the other person the money. When that person pays him back, the good son gives back what he took. The good son gives food to hungry people, and he gives clothes to those who need them. 17He helps the poor. If people want to borrow money, the good son lends them the money, and he does not charge interest on the loan. He obeys my laws and follows them. He will not be put to death for his father’s sins. The good son will live. 18The father hurts people and steals things. He never does anything good for my people! He will die because of his own sins.
19“You might ask, ‘Why will the son not be punished for his father’s sins?’ The reason is that the son was fair and did good things. He very carefully obeyed my laws, so he will live. 20The one who sins is the one who will be put to death. A son will not be punished for his father’s sins, and a father will not be punished for his son’s sins. A good man’s goodness belongs to him alone, and a bad man’s evil belongs to him alone.
21“Now, if evil people change their lives, they will live and not die. They might stop doing all the bad things they did and begin to carefully obey all my laws. They might become fair and good. 22God will not remember all the bad things they did. He will remember only their goodness, so they will live!”
23The Lord God says, “I don’t want evil people to die. I want them to change their lives so that they can live!
24“Now, maybe good people might stop being good. They might change their lives and begin to do all the terrible things that evil people have done in the past. (The evil people changed, so they can live.) So if those good people change and become bad, God will not remember all the good things they did. He will remember that they turned against him and began to sin. So they will die because of their sin.
25“You people might say, ‘The Lord isn’t fair!’ But listen, family of Israel. I am fair. You are the ones who are not fair! 26If good people change and become evil, they must die for the bad things they do. 27And if evil people change and become good and fair, they will save their lives. They will live! 28They saw how wicked they were and came back to me. They stopped doing the evil things they did in the past. So they will live! They will not die!”
29The people of Israel said, “That’s not fair! The Lord isn’t fair!” “I am fair! You are the ones who are not fair! 30Why? Because, family of Israel, I will judge each of you only for what you do!” This is what the Lord God said. “So come back to me! Stop committing those crimes and do away with those things that cause you to sin! 31Throw away all the terrible idols with which you committed your crimes! Change your heart and spirit. People of Israel, why should you do things that will cost you your life? 32I don’t want to kill you! Please come back and live!” This is what the Lord God said.
19Chapter
A Sad Song About Israel
1The Lord said to me, “You must sing this sad song about the leaders of Israel: 2“‘Your mother is like a female lion,
lying there with the male lions.
She went to lie down with
the young male lions and had many babies.
3One of her cubs gets up. He has grown to be a strong young lion. He has learned to catch his food. He killed and ate a man.
4“‘The people heard him roar, and they caught him in their trap. They put hooks in his mouth and carried the young lion to Egypt.
5“‘The mother lion had hoped that cub would become the leader, but now she has lost all hope. So she took another of her cubs and trained him to be a lion.
6He hunted with the adult lions and became a strong young lion. He learned to catch his food. He killed and ate a man.
7He attacked the palaces and destroyed the cities. Everyone in that country was too afraid to speak when hearing his growl.
8Then the people who lived around him set a trap for him, and they caught him in their trap.
9They put hooks on him and locked him up. They had him in their trap, so they took him to the king of Babylon. And now, you cannot hear his roar on the mountains of Israel.
10“‘Your mother is like a grapevine planted near the water. She had plenty of water, so she grew many strong vines.
11Then she grew large branches. They were like a strong walking stick. They were like a king’s scepter. The vine grew taller and taller. It had many branches and reached to the clouds.
12But the vine was pulled up by the roots, and thrown down to the ground. The hot east wind blew and dried its fruit. The strong branches broke, and they were thrown into the fire.
13“‘Now that grapevine is planted in the desert. It is a very dry and thirsty land.
14A fire started in the large branch and spread to destroy all of its vines and fruit. So there was no strong walking stick. There was no king’s scepter.’ This was a sad song about death, and it was sung as a sad song about death.”
3One of her cubs gets up. He has grown to be a strong young lion. He has learned to catch his food. He killed and ate a man.
4“‘The people heard him roar, and they caught him in their trap. They put hooks in his mouth and carried the young lion to Egypt.
5“‘The mother lion had hoped that cub would become the leader, but now she has lost all hope. So she took another of her cubs and trained him to be a lion.
6He hunted with the adult lions and became a strong young lion. He learned to catch his food. He killed and ate a man.
7He attacked the palaces and destroyed the cities. Everyone in that country was too afraid to speak when hearing his growl.
8Then the people who lived around him set a trap for him, and they caught him in their trap.
9They put hooks on him and locked him up. They had him in their trap, so they took him to the king of Babylon. And now, you cannot hear his roar on the mountains of Israel.
10“‘Your mother is like a grapevine planted near the water. She had plenty of water, so she grew many strong vines.
11Then she grew large branches. They were like a strong walking stick. They were like a king’s scepter. The vine grew taller and taller. It had many branches and reached to the clouds.
12But the vine was pulled up by the roots, and thrown down to the ground. The hot east wind blew and dried its fruit. The strong branches broke, and they were thrown into the fire.
13“‘Now that grapevine is planted in the desert. It is a very dry and thirsty land.
14A fire started in the large branch and spread to destroy all of its vines and fruit. So there was no strong walking stick. There was no king’s scepter.’ This was a sad song about death, and it was sung as a sad song about death.”
20Chapter
Israel Turned Away From God
1One day some of the elders of Israel came to me to ask the Lord for advice. This was on the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year of exile. The elders sat down in front of me.
2Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 3“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel. Tell them ‘This is what the Lord God says: Have you come to ask me what you should do? I, the Lord God, tell you that, as surely as I live, I will not listen to you.’ 4Should you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? You must tell them about the terrible things their fathers have done. 5You must tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: On the day I chose Israel, I raised my hand to Jacob’s family and made a promise to them in Egypt. When I let them know who I was, I raised my hand and said, “I am the Lord your God.” 6On that day I promised to take you out of Egypt and lead you to the land I was giving to you. That was a good land filled with many good things. It was the most beautiful of all countries!
7“‘I told the family of Israel to throw away their horrible idols. I told them not to become filthy with those filthy statues from Egypt. I said, “I am the Lord your God.” 8But they turned against me and refused to listen to me. They did not throw away their horrible idols. They did not leave their filthy statues in Egypt. So I decided to destroy them in Egypt—to let them feel the full force of my anger. 9But I did not destroy them. I had already told the Egyptians that I would bring my people out of Egypt. I did not want to ruin my good name, so I did not destroy Israel in front of those other people. 10I brought the family of Israel out of Egypt. I led them into the desert. 11Then I gave them my laws and told them all my rules. All those who obey them will live. 12I also told them about all the special days of rest, which were a special sign between us. They showed that I am the Lord and that I was making them special to me.
13“‘But the family of Israel turned against me in the desert. They did not follow my laws. They refused to obey my rules—even though people who obey my laws live because of them. They treated my special days of rest as if they were not important. They worked on those days many times. I decided to destroy them in the desert—to let them feel the full force of my anger. 14But I did not destroy them. The other nations saw me bring Israel out of Egypt. I did not want to ruin my good name, so I did not destroy Israel in front of those other people. 15I made another promise to those people in the desert. I promised that I would not bring them into the land I was giving them. That was a good land filled with many good things. It was the most beautiful of all countries!
16“‘The people of Israel refused to obey my rules or to follow my laws. They treated my days of rest as if they were not important. They did all these things because their hearts belonged to their filthy idols. 17But I felt sorry for them, so I did not destroy them. I did not completely destroy them in the desert. 18I spoke to their children and told them, “Don’t be like your parents. Don’t make yourselves filthy with their filthy idols. Don’t follow their laws or obey their commands. 19I am the Lord. I am your God. Obey my laws and keep my commands. Do the things I tell you. 20Show that my days of rest are important to you. Remember, they are a special sign between us. I am the Lord, and these days show you that I am your God.”
21“‘But the children turned against me and did not obey my laws. They did not keep my commands—even though people who obey my laws live because of them. They treated my special days of rest as though they were not important. So I decided to destroy them completely in the desert—to let them feel the full force of my anger. 22But I stopped myself. The other nations saw me bring Israel out of Egypt. I did not want to ruin my good name, so I did not destroy Israel in front of those other people. 23So I made another promise to those people in the desert. I promised to scatter them among the nations, to send them to many different countries.
24“‘The people of Israel did not obey my commands. They refused to obey my laws. They treated my special days of rest as though they were not important, and they worshiped the filthy idols of their fathers. 25So I gave them laws that were not good. I gave them commands that would not bring life. 26I let them make themselves filthy with their gifts. They even began to sacrifice their own firstborn children. In this way I would destroy them. Then they would know that I am the Lord.’ 27So now, son of man, speak to the family of Israel. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: The people of Israel said bad things about me and made evil plans against me. 28But I still brought them to the land I promised to give them. They saw all the hills and green trees, so they went to all those places to worship. They took their sacrifices and anger offerings to all those places. They offered their sacrifices that made a sweet smell, and they offered their drink offerings at those places. 29I asked the people of Israel why they were going to the high places. But that high place is still there today. ’
30“Since Israel did those things, speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: You people have made yourselves filthy by doing the things your ancestors did. You have acted like a prostitute. You have left me to be with the horrible gods your ancestors worshiped. 31You are giving the same kind of gifts. You are putting your children in the fire as a gift to your false gods. You are still making yourself filthy with these filthy idols today! Do you really think that I should let you come to me and ask me for advice? I am the Lord God. By my life, I swear that I will not answer your questions or give you advice! 32You keep saying you want to be like the other nations. You live like the people in other nations. You serve pieces of wood and stone idols!’”
33The Lord God says, “By my life, I swear that I will rule over you as king. But I will raise my powerful arm and punish you. I will show my anger against you! 34I will bring you out of these other nations. I scattered you among these nations, but I will gather you together and bring you back from these countries. But I will raise my powerful arm and punish you. I will show my anger against you! 35I will lead you into a desert as I did before, but this will be a place where other nations live. We will stand face to face, and I will judge you. 36I will judge you as I judged your ancestors in the desert near Egypt.” This is what the Lord God said.
37“I will judge you guilty and punish you according to the agreement. 38I will remove all those who turned against me and sinned against me. I will remove them from your homeland. They will never again come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
39Now, family of Israel, this is what the Lord God says: “Whoever wants to worship their filthy idols, let them go and worship them. But later, don’t think you will get any advice from me. You will not ruin my name anymore—not when you continue to give your gifts to your filthy idols!”
40The Lord God says, “People must come to my holy mountain—the high mountain in Israel—to serve me! The whole family of Israel will be on their land; they will be there in their country. There you can come to ask me for advice, and you must come there to bring me your offerings. You must bring the first part of your crops to me there. You must bring all your holy gifts to me in that place. 41Then I will be pleased with the sweet smell of your sacrifices. That will happen when I bring you back. I scattered you among many nations, but I will gather you together and make you my special people again. And all the nations will see it. 42Then you will know that I am the Lord. You will know this when I bring you back to the land of Israel, the land I promised to give to your ancestors. 43In that country you will remember all the evil things you did that made you filthy, and you will be ashamed. 44Family of Israel, you did many evil things, and you should be destroyed because of them. But to protect my good name, I will not give you the punishment you really deserve. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” This is what the Lord God said.
45Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 46“Son of man, look toward the Negev, the southern part of Judah. Speak against the Negev Forest. 47Say to the Negev Forest, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord God said: Look, I am ready to start a fire in your forest. The fire will destroy every green tree and every dry tree. The flame that burns will not be put out. All the land from south to north will be burned by the fire. 48Then all people will see that I, the Lord, have started the fire. The fire will not be put out!’”
49Then I said, “Oh, Lord God! If I say this, the people will say that I am only telling them stories.”
2Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 3“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel. Tell them ‘This is what the Lord God says: Have you come to ask me what you should do? I, the Lord God, tell you that, as surely as I live, I will not listen to you.’ 4Should you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? You must tell them about the terrible things their fathers have done. 5You must tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: On the day I chose Israel, I raised my hand to Jacob’s family and made a promise to them in Egypt. When I let them know who I was, I raised my hand and said, “I am the Lord your God.” 6On that day I promised to take you out of Egypt and lead you to the land I was giving to you. That was a good land filled with many good things. It was the most beautiful of all countries!
7“‘I told the family of Israel to throw away their horrible idols. I told them not to become filthy with those filthy statues from Egypt. I said, “I am the Lord your God.” 8But they turned against me and refused to listen to me. They did not throw away their horrible idols. They did not leave their filthy statues in Egypt. So I decided to destroy them in Egypt—to let them feel the full force of my anger. 9But I did not destroy them. I had already told the Egyptians that I would bring my people out of Egypt. I did not want to ruin my good name, so I did not destroy Israel in front of those other people. 10I brought the family of Israel out of Egypt. I led them into the desert. 11Then I gave them my laws and told them all my rules. All those who obey them will live. 12I also told them about all the special days of rest, which were a special sign between us. They showed that I am the Lord and that I was making them special to me.
13“‘But the family of Israel turned against me in the desert. They did not follow my laws. They refused to obey my rules—even though people who obey my laws live because of them. They treated my special days of rest as if they were not important. They worked on those days many times. I decided to destroy them in the desert—to let them feel the full force of my anger. 14But I did not destroy them. The other nations saw me bring Israel out of Egypt. I did not want to ruin my good name, so I did not destroy Israel in front of those other people. 15I made another promise to those people in the desert. I promised that I would not bring them into the land I was giving them. That was a good land filled with many good things. It was the most beautiful of all countries!
16“‘The people of Israel refused to obey my rules or to follow my laws. They treated my days of rest as if they were not important. They did all these things because their hearts belonged to their filthy idols. 17But I felt sorry for them, so I did not destroy them. I did not completely destroy them in the desert. 18I spoke to their children and told them, “Don’t be like your parents. Don’t make yourselves filthy with their filthy idols. Don’t follow their laws or obey their commands. 19I am the Lord. I am your God. Obey my laws and keep my commands. Do the things I tell you. 20Show that my days of rest are important to you. Remember, they are a special sign between us. I am the Lord, and these days show you that I am your God.”
21“‘But the children turned against me and did not obey my laws. They did not keep my commands—even though people who obey my laws live because of them. They treated my special days of rest as though they were not important. So I decided to destroy them completely in the desert—to let them feel the full force of my anger. 22But I stopped myself. The other nations saw me bring Israel out of Egypt. I did not want to ruin my good name, so I did not destroy Israel in front of those other people. 23So I made another promise to those people in the desert. I promised to scatter them among the nations, to send them to many different countries.
24“‘The people of Israel did not obey my commands. They refused to obey my laws. They treated my special days of rest as though they were not important, and they worshiped the filthy idols of their fathers. 25So I gave them laws that were not good. I gave them commands that would not bring life. 26I let them make themselves filthy with their gifts. They even began to sacrifice their own firstborn children. In this way I would destroy them. Then they would know that I am the Lord.’ 27So now, son of man, speak to the family of Israel. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: The people of Israel said bad things about me and made evil plans against me. 28But I still brought them to the land I promised to give them. They saw all the hills and green trees, so they went to all those places to worship. They took their sacrifices and anger offerings to all those places. They offered their sacrifices that made a sweet smell, and they offered their drink offerings at those places. 29I asked the people of Israel why they were going to the high places. But that high place is still there today. ’
30“Since Israel did those things, speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: You people have made yourselves filthy by doing the things your ancestors did. You have acted like a prostitute. You have left me to be with the horrible gods your ancestors worshiped. 31You are giving the same kind of gifts. You are putting your children in the fire as a gift to your false gods. You are still making yourself filthy with these filthy idols today! Do you really think that I should let you come to me and ask me for advice? I am the Lord God. By my life, I swear that I will not answer your questions or give you advice! 32You keep saying you want to be like the other nations. You live like the people in other nations. You serve pieces of wood and stone idols!’”
33The Lord God says, “By my life, I swear that I will rule over you as king. But I will raise my powerful arm and punish you. I will show my anger against you! 34I will bring you out of these other nations. I scattered you among these nations, but I will gather you together and bring you back from these countries. But I will raise my powerful arm and punish you. I will show my anger against you! 35I will lead you into a desert as I did before, but this will be a place where other nations live. We will stand face to face, and I will judge you. 36I will judge you as I judged your ancestors in the desert near Egypt.” This is what the Lord God said.
37“I will judge you guilty and punish you according to the agreement. 38I will remove all those who turned against me and sinned against me. I will remove them from your homeland. They will never again come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
39Now, family of Israel, this is what the Lord God says: “Whoever wants to worship their filthy idols, let them go and worship them. But later, don’t think you will get any advice from me. You will not ruin my name anymore—not when you continue to give your gifts to your filthy idols!”
40The Lord God says, “People must come to my holy mountain—the high mountain in Israel—to serve me! The whole family of Israel will be on their land; they will be there in their country. There you can come to ask me for advice, and you must come there to bring me your offerings. You must bring the first part of your crops to me there. You must bring all your holy gifts to me in that place. 41Then I will be pleased with the sweet smell of your sacrifices. That will happen when I bring you back. I scattered you among many nations, but I will gather you together and make you my special people again. And all the nations will see it. 42Then you will know that I am the Lord. You will know this when I bring you back to the land of Israel, the land I promised to give to your ancestors. 43In that country you will remember all the evil things you did that made you filthy, and you will be ashamed. 44Family of Israel, you did many evil things, and you should be destroyed because of them. But to protect my good name, I will not give you the punishment you really deserve. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” This is what the Lord God said.
45Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 46“Son of man, look toward the Negev, the southern part of Judah. Speak against the Negev Forest. 47Say to the Negev Forest, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord God said: Look, I am ready to start a fire in your forest. The fire will destroy every green tree and every dry tree. The flame that burns will not be put out. All the land from south to north will be burned by the fire. 48Then all people will see that I, the Lord, have started the fire. The fire will not be put out!’”
49Then I said, “Oh, Lord God! If I say this, the people will say that I am only telling them stories.”
21Chapter
Babylon, the Sword
1So the word of the Lord came to me again. He said, 2“Son of man, look toward Jerusalem and speak against their holy places. Speak against the land of Israel for me. 3Say to the land of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord said: I am against you! I will pull my sword from its sheath. I will remove all people from you—the good and the evil. 4I will cut off both good people and evil people from you. I will pull my sword from its sheath and use it against all people from south to north. 5Then everyone will know that I am the Lord. They will know that I have pulled my sword from its sheath. My sword will not go back into its sheath again until it is finished.’
6“Son of man, make sad sounds like a sad person with a broken heart. Make these sad sounds in front of the people. 7Then they will ask you, ‘Why are you making these sad sounds?’ Then you must say, ‘Because of the sad news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear. All hands will become weak. Every spirit will become weak. All knees will be like water.’ Look, that bad news is coming. These things will happen!” This is what the Lord God said.
6“Son of man, make sad sounds like a sad person with a broken heart. Make these sad sounds in front of the people. 7Then they will ask you, ‘Why are you making these sad sounds?’ Then you must say, ‘Because of the sad news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear. All hands will become weak. Every spirit will become weak. All knees will be like water.’ Look, that bad news is coming. These things will happen!” This is what the Lord God said.
The Sword Is Ready
8The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 9“‘Look, a sword, a sharp sword,
and it has been polished.
10The sword was made sharp for killing. It was polished to flash like lightning. My son, you ran away from the stick I used to punish you. You refused to be punished with that wooden stick.
11So the sword has been polished. Now it can be used. The sword was sharpened and polished. Now it can be put in the hand of the killer.
12“‘Son of man, shout out and scream because the sword will be used against my people and all the rulers of Israel. They wanted war—so they will be with my people when the sword comes. So slap your thigh to show your sadness, 13because it is not just a test. You refused to be punished with the wooden stick, so what else should I use to punish you? A sword?’” This is what the Lord God said.
14“Son of man, clap your hands to show your sadness, and speak to the people for me. Let the sword come down twice, no, three times! This sword is for killing the people. This is the sword for the great killing. This sword will cut into them.
15Their hearts will melt with fear, and many people will fall. The sword will kill many people by the city gates. Yes, the sword will flash like lightning. It was polished to kill the people!
16Sword, be sharp! Cut on the right side. Cut straight ahead. Cut on the left side. Go wherever your edge was chosen to go.
17“Then I, too, will clap my hands and stop showing my anger. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
10The sword was made sharp for killing. It was polished to flash like lightning. My son, you ran away from the stick I used to punish you. You refused to be punished with that wooden stick.
11So the sword has been polished. Now it can be used. The sword was sharpened and polished. Now it can be put in the hand of the killer.
12“‘Son of man, shout out and scream because the sword will be used against my people and all the rulers of Israel. They wanted war—so they will be with my people when the sword comes. So slap your thigh to show your sadness, 13because it is not just a test. You refused to be punished with the wooden stick, so what else should I use to punish you? A sword?’” This is what the Lord God said.
14“Son of man, clap your hands to show your sadness, and speak to the people for me. Let the sword come down twice, no, three times! This sword is for killing the people. This is the sword for the great killing. This sword will cut into them.
15Their hearts will melt with fear, and many people will fall. The sword will kill many people by the city gates. Yes, the sword will flash like lightning. It was polished to kill the people!
16Sword, be sharp! Cut on the right side. Cut straight ahead. Cut on the left side. Go wherever your edge was chosen to go.
17“Then I, too, will clap my hands and stop showing my anger. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Jerusalem Punished
18The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 19“Son of man, draw two roads that the sword of the king of Babylon can use to come to Israel. Both roads will come from the same country. Then draw a sign at the head of the road to the city. 20Use the sign to show which road the sword will use. One road leads to the Ammonite city of Rabbah. The other road leads to Judah, to the protected city, Jerusalem. 21The king of Babylon has come to where the two roads separate. He uses magic to learn which way to go: He shakes his arrows, he asks his family idols, and he looks at the liver from an animal he has killed.
22“The signs tell him to take the road on his right, the road leading to Jerusalem, where he will use battering rams. The signs tell him to give the command for his soldiers to begin the killing. They will shout the battle cry and set the battering rams against the gates. They will build a wall of dirt around the city and a dirt road leading up to the walls. They will build wooden towers to attack the city. 23But the people in Jerusalem will think this is all a big mistake. They will not believe that this could happen, because they had made a peace agreement with Babylon’s king. But the king will remind them that they are guilty of breaking that agreement, and he will take them captive.”
24This is what the Lord God says: “You have done many evil things. Your sins are very clear. You forced me to remember that you are guilty, so the enemy will catch you in his hand. 25And you, evil leader of Israel, you will be killed. Your time of punishment has come! The end is here!”
26This is what the Lord God says: “Take off the turban! Take off the crown! The time has come to change. The important leaders will be brought low, and those who are not important now will become important leaders. 27I will completely destroy that city! But this will not happen until the right man becomes the new king. Then I will let him have this city.”
22“The signs tell him to take the road on his right, the road leading to Jerusalem, where he will use battering rams. The signs tell him to give the command for his soldiers to begin the killing. They will shout the battle cry and set the battering rams against the gates. They will build a wall of dirt around the city and a dirt road leading up to the walls. They will build wooden towers to attack the city. 23But the people in Jerusalem will think this is all a big mistake. They will not believe that this could happen, because they had made a peace agreement with Babylon’s king. But the king will remind them that they are guilty of breaking that agreement, and he will take them captive.”
24This is what the Lord God says: “You have done many evil things. Your sins are very clear. You forced me to remember that you are guilty, so the enemy will catch you in his hand. 25And you, evil leader of Israel, you will be killed. Your time of punishment has come! The end is here!”
26This is what the Lord God says: “Take off the turban! Take off the crown! The time has come to change. The important leaders will be brought low, and those who are not important now will become important leaders. 27I will completely destroy that city! But this will not happen until the right man becomes the new king. Then I will let him have this city.”
The Ammonites Punished
28“‘Look, a sword!
The sword is out of its sheath.
It has been polished.
The sword is ready to kill.
It was polished to flash like lightning!
29“‘Your visions are useless. Your magic will not help you. It is only a bunch of lies. The sword is now at the throats of evil men. They will soon be only dead bodies. Their time has come. The time has come for their evil to end.
29“‘Your visions are useless. Your magic will not help you. It is only a bunch of lies. The sword is now at the throats of evil men. They will soon be only dead bodies. Their time has come. The time has come for their evil to end.
Prophecy Against Babylon
30“‘Put the sword back in its sheath. Babylon, I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land where you were born. 31I will pour out my anger against you. My anger will burn you like a hot wind. I will hand you over to cruel men. Those men are skilled at killing people. 32You will be like fuel for the fire. Your blood will flow deep into the earth—people will never remember you again. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”
22Chapter
Ezekiel Speaks Against Jerusalem
1The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, will you judge the city of murderers? Will you tell her about all the terrible things she has done? 3You must say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: The city is full of murderers, so her time of punishment will come. She made filthy idols for herself, and those idols made her filthy!
4“‘People of Jerusalem, you killed many people. You made filthy idols. You are guilty, and the time has come to punish you. Your end has come. Other nations will make fun of you and laugh at you. 5People far and near will make fun of you. You have ruined your name. You are filled with confusion.
6“‘Look, all the leaders in Israel are using their strength just to kill other people. 7And the people in Jerusalem don’t respect their parents. There in the city, they abuse the foreigners. They cheat orphans and widows in that place. 8You hate all that I consider holy. You treat my special days of rest as if they are not important. 9In Jerusalem, people tell lies in order to kill innocent people. They go to the mountains to worship false gods and then come back to Jerusalem to eat their fellowship meals. “‘In Jerusalem, people commit many sexual sins. 10There men commit sexual sins with their father’s wife. There the men rape women—even during their monthly time of bleeding. 11One man commits a terrible sin against his own neighbor’s wife. Another man has sex with his daughter-in-law and makes her unclean. Another man rapes his father’s daughter—his very own sister. 12There men accept bribes to kill people. You lend money and charge interest on the loans. You cheat your neighbors just to make a little money. You have even forgotten me.’ This is what the Lord God said.
13“‘Now look! I will slam my hand down and stop you! I will punish you for cheating and killing people. 14Will you be brave then? Will you be strong at the time I come to punish you? I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do what I said! 15I will scatter you among the nations. I will force you to go to many countries. I will completely destroy the filthy things in this city. 16But Jerusalem, you will become unclean. And the other nations will see all these things happen. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
4“‘People of Jerusalem, you killed many people. You made filthy idols. You are guilty, and the time has come to punish you. Your end has come. Other nations will make fun of you and laugh at you. 5People far and near will make fun of you. You have ruined your name. You are filled with confusion.
6“‘Look, all the leaders in Israel are using their strength just to kill other people. 7And the people in Jerusalem don’t respect their parents. There in the city, they abuse the foreigners. They cheat orphans and widows in that place. 8You hate all that I consider holy. You treat my special days of rest as if they are not important. 9In Jerusalem, people tell lies in order to kill innocent people. They go to the mountains to worship false gods and then come back to Jerusalem to eat their fellowship meals. “‘In Jerusalem, people commit many sexual sins. 10There men commit sexual sins with their father’s wife. There the men rape women—even during their monthly time of bleeding. 11One man commits a terrible sin against his own neighbor’s wife. Another man has sex with his daughter-in-law and makes her unclean. Another man rapes his father’s daughter—his very own sister. 12There men accept bribes to kill people. You lend money and charge interest on the loans. You cheat your neighbors just to make a little money. You have even forgotten me.’ This is what the Lord God said.
13“‘Now look! I will slam my hand down and stop you! I will punish you for cheating and killing people. 14Will you be brave then? Will you be strong at the time I come to punish you? I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do what I said! 15I will scatter you among the nations. I will force you to go to many countries. I will completely destroy the filthy things in this city. 16But Jerusalem, you will become unclean. And the other nations will see all these things happen. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Israel Is Like Worthless Waste
17The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 18“Son of man, bronze, iron, lead, and tin are important metals, but when a worker melts silver to make it pure, those metals are poured off as waste. Israel has become like that waste to me. 19So this is what the Lord God says: ‘All of you have become like worthless waste. So I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20Workers put silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into a fire. They blow on the fire to make it hotter. Then the metals begin to melt. In the same way I will put you in my fire and melt you. That fire is my hot anger. 21I will put you in my fire of anger and blow on it, and you will begin to melt. 22In that city, you will be like silver melting in a fire. Then you will know that I am the Lord, and that I poured out my anger on you.’”
Ezekiel Speaks Against Jerusalem
23The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 24“Son of man, speak to Israel. Tell her that she is not pure. I am angry at that country, so that country has not received its rain. 25The prophets in Jerusalem are making evil plans. They are like a lion—it roars when it begins to eat the animal it caught. They have destroyed many lives. They have taken many valuable things and made widows of many of the women in Jerusalem.
26“The priests have really hurt my teachings. They don’t treat my holy things right—they don’t show they are important. They treat holy things the same as things that are not holy. They treat clean things like things that are unclean. They don’t teach the people about these things. They refuse to respect my special days of rest. They treat me as though I am not important.
27“The leaders in Jerusalem are like a wolf eating the animal it has caught. They attack people and kill them just to get rich.
28“The prophets don’t warn the people—they cover up the truth. They are like workers who don’t really repair a wall—they only put plaster over the holes. They only see lies. They do their magic to learn the future, but they only tell lies. They say, ‘This is what the Lord God said.’ But they are only lying—the Lord did not speak to them!
29“The common people take advantage of each other. They cheat and steal from each other. They get rich by taking advantage of poor, helpless beggars, and they really cheat the foreigners. They are not fair to them at all!
30“I asked the people to change their lives and protect their country. I asked people to fix the walls. I wanted them to stand by those holes in the wall and fight to protect their city. But no one came to help! 31So I will show them my anger—I will completely destroy them. I will punish them for the evil things they have done. It is all their fault.” This is what the Lord God said.
26“The priests have really hurt my teachings. They don’t treat my holy things right—they don’t show they are important. They treat holy things the same as things that are not holy. They treat clean things like things that are unclean. They don’t teach the people about these things. They refuse to respect my special days of rest. They treat me as though I am not important.
27“The leaders in Jerusalem are like a wolf eating the animal it has caught. They attack people and kill them just to get rich.
28“The prophets don’t warn the people—they cover up the truth. They are like workers who don’t really repair a wall—they only put plaster over the holes. They only see lies. They do their magic to learn the future, but they only tell lies. They say, ‘This is what the Lord God said.’ But they are only lying—the Lord did not speak to them!
29“The common people take advantage of each other. They cheat and steal from each other. They get rich by taking advantage of poor, helpless beggars, and they really cheat the foreigners. They are not fair to them at all!
30“I asked the people to change their lives and protect their country. I asked people to fix the walls. I wanted them to stand by those holes in the wall and fight to protect their city. But no one came to help! 31So I will show them my anger—I will completely destroy them. I will punish them for the evil things they have done. It is all their fault.” This is what the Lord God said.
23Chapter
1The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, listen to this story about Samaria and Jerusalem. There were two sisters, daughters of the same mother. 3They became prostitutes in Egypt while they were still young girls. That’s where they first let men touch and handle their young breasts. 4The older daughter was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became my wives, and we had children. I am using the name Oholah to mean Samaria and the name Oholibah to mean Jerusalem.
5“Then Oholah became unfaithful to me—she began to live like a prostitute. She began to want her lovers. She saw the Assyrian soldiers 6in their blue uniforms. They were all handsome young men riding horses. They were leaders and officers, 7and Oholah gave herself to all those men. All of them were handpicked soldiers in the Assyrian army, and she wanted them all! She became filthy with their filthy idols. 8Besides that, she never stopped her love affair with Egypt. Egypt made love to her when she was a young girl. Egypt was the first lover to touch her young breasts. Egypt poured his untrue love on her. 9So I let her lovers have her. She wanted Assyria, so I gave her to them! 10They raped her. They took her children and killed her. They punished her, and women still talk about her.
11“Her younger sister Oholibah saw all these things happen. But Oholibah sinned more than her sister did! She was more unfaithful than Oholah. 12She wanted the Assyrian leaders and officers. She wanted those soldiers in blue uniforms riding their horses. They were all handsome young men. 13I saw that both women were going to ruin their lives with the same mistakes.
14“Oholibah continued to be unfaithful to me. In Babylon, she saw pictures of men carved on the walls. These were pictures of Chaldean men wearing their red uniforms. 15They wore belts around their waists and long turbans on their heads. All those men looked like chariot officers. They all looked like native-born Babylonian men, 16and Oholibah wanted them. 17So the Babylonian men came to her bed to have sex with her. They used her and made her so filthy that she became disgusted with them.
18“Oholibah let everyone see that she was unfaithful. She let so many men enjoy her naked body that I became disgusted with her—just as I had become disgusted with her sister. 19But Oholibah thought about her time as a prostitute in Egypt when she was young, and she turned to even more prostitution. 20She remembered the lovers who excited her there, who were like animals in their sexual desires and abilities.
21“Oholibah, you dreamed of those times when you were young, when your lovers touched and handled your young breasts. 22So Oholibah, this is what the Lord God says: ‘You became disgusted with your lovers, but I will bring them here, and they will surround you. 23I will bring all the men from Babylon, especially the Chaldeans. I will bring the men from Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the men from Assyria. I will bring all the leaders and officers, all those desirable young men, chariot officers, and handpicked soldiers riding their horses. 24That crowd of men will come to you in large groups, riding on their horses and in their chariots. They will have their spears, shields, and helmets. They will gather around you, and I will tell them what you have done to me. Then they will punish you their own way. 25I will show you how jealous I am. They will become angry and hurt you. They will cut off your nose and ears. They will kill you with a sword. Then they will take your children and burn whatever is left of you. 26They will take your nice clothes and jewelry. 27So I will stop your dreams about your love affair with Egypt. You will never again look for them. You will never remember Egypt again!’”
28This is what the Lord God says: “I am giving you to the men you hate. I am giving you to the men you became disgusted with. 29And they will show how much they hate you! They will take everything you worked for, and they will leave you bare and naked! People will clearly see your sins. They will see that you acted like a prostitute and dreamed wicked dreams. 30You did those bad things when you left me to chase after the other nations. You did those bad things when you began to worship their filthy idols. 31You followed your sister and lived as she did. You, yourself, took her cup of poison and held it in your hands. ” 32“You will drink your sister’s cup of poison. It is a tall, wide cup of poison. It holds much poison. People will laugh at you and make fun of you.
33You will stagger like a drunk. You will become very dizzy. That is the cup of destruction and devastation. It is like the cup of punishment that your sister drank.
34You will drink the poison in that cup. You will drink it to the last drop. You will throw down the glass and break it to pieces. You will tear at your breasts from the pain. This will happen because I am the Lord God, and this is what I said.
35“So this is what the Lord God said: ‘Jerusalem, you forgot me. You threw me away and left me behind. So now you must suffer for leaving me and living like a prostitute. You must suffer for your wicked dreams.’”
5“Then Oholah became unfaithful to me—she began to live like a prostitute. She began to want her lovers. She saw the Assyrian soldiers 6in their blue uniforms. They were all handsome young men riding horses. They were leaders and officers, 7and Oholah gave herself to all those men. All of them were handpicked soldiers in the Assyrian army, and she wanted them all! She became filthy with their filthy idols. 8Besides that, she never stopped her love affair with Egypt. Egypt made love to her when she was a young girl. Egypt was the first lover to touch her young breasts. Egypt poured his untrue love on her. 9So I let her lovers have her. She wanted Assyria, so I gave her to them! 10They raped her. They took her children and killed her. They punished her, and women still talk about her.
11“Her younger sister Oholibah saw all these things happen. But Oholibah sinned more than her sister did! She was more unfaithful than Oholah. 12She wanted the Assyrian leaders and officers. She wanted those soldiers in blue uniforms riding their horses. They were all handsome young men. 13I saw that both women were going to ruin their lives with the same mistakes.
14“Oholibah continued to be unfaithful to me. In Babylon, she saw pictures of men carved on the walls. These were pictures of Chaldean men wearing their red uniforms. 15They wore belts around their waists and long turbans on their heads. All those men looked like chariot officers. They all looked like native-born Babylonian men, 16and Oholibah wanted them. 17So the Babylonian men came to her bed to have sex with her. They used her and made her so filthy that she became disgusted with them.
18“Oholibah let everyone see that she was unfaithful. She let so many men enjoy her naked body that I became disgusted with her—just as I had become disgusted with her sister. 19But Oholibah thought about her time as a prostitute in Egypt when she was young, and she turned to even more prostitution. 20She remembered the lovers who excited her there, who were like animals in their sexual desires and abilities.
21“Oholibah, you dreamed of those times when you were young, when your lovers touched and handled your young breasts. 22So Oholibah, this is what the Lord God says: ‘You became disgusted with your lovers, but I will bring them here, and they will surround you. 23I will bring all the men from Babylon, especially the Chaldeans. I will bring the men from Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the men from Assyria. I will bring all the leaders and officers, all those desirable young men, chariot officers, and handpicked soldiers riding their horses. 24That crowd of men will come to you in large groups, riding on their horses and in their chariots. They will have their spears, shields, and helmets. They will gather around you, and I will tell them what you have done to me. Then they will punish you their own way. 25I will show you how jealous I am. They will become angry and hurt you. They will cut off your nose and ears. They will kill you with a sword. Then they will take your children and burn whatever is left of you. 26They will take your nice clothes and jewelry. 27So I will stop your dreams about your love affair with Egypt. You will never again look for them. You will never remember Egypt again!’”
28This is what the Lord God says: “I am giving you to the men you hate. I am giving you to the men you became disgusted with. 29And they will show how much they hate you! They will take everything you worked for, and they will leave you bare and naked! People will clearly see your sins. They will see that you acted like a prostitute and dreamed wicked dreams. 30You did those bad things when you left me to chase after the other nations. You did those bad things when you began to worship their filthy idols. 31You followed your sister and lived as she did. You, yourself, took her cup of poison and held it in your hands. ” 32“You will drink your sister’s cup of poison. It is a tall, wide cup of poison. It holds much poison. People will laugh at you and make fun of you.
33You will stagger like a drunk. You will become very dizzy. That is the cup of destruction and devastation. It is like the cup of punishment that your sister drank.
34You will drink the poison in that cup. You will drink it to the last drop. You will throw down the glass and break it to pieces. You will tear at your breasts from the pain. This will happen because I am the Lord God, and this is what I said.
35“So this is what the Lord God said: ‘Jerusalem, you forgot me. You threw me away and left me behind. So now you must suffer for leaving me and living like a prostitute. You must suffer for your wicked dreams.’”
Judgment Against Oholah and Oholibah
36The Lord said to me, “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then tell them about the terrible things they have done. 37They committed the sin of adultery. They are guilty of murder. They acted like prostitutes—they left me to be with their filthy idols. They had my children, but they forced them to pass through fire. They did this to give food to their filthy idols. 38They also treated my special days of rest and my holy place as though they were not important. 39They killed their children for their idols, and then they went into my holy place and made it filthy too! They did this inside my Temple!
40“They have sent for men from faraway places. You sent a messenger to these men, and they came to see you. You bathed for them, painted your eyes, and put on your jewelry. 41You sat on a fine bed with a table set before it. You put my incense and my oil on this table.
42“The noise in Jerusalem sounded like a crowd of people having a party. Many people came to the party. People were already drinking as they came in from the desert. They gave bracelets and beautiful crowns to the women. 43Then I spoke to one of the women who was worn out from her sexual sins. I asked her, ‘Will they continue to do sexual sins with her, and she with them?’ 44But they kept going to her as they would go to a prostitute. Yes, they went again and again to Oholah and Oholibah, those wicked women.
45“But good men will judge them guilty of adultery and murder, because Oholah and Oholibah committed adultery and their hands are covered with blood!”
46This is what the Lord God said: “Gather the people together to punish and terrorize Oholah and Oholibah. 47They will throw stones at these women and kill them. They will cut the women to pieces with their swords. They will kill their children and burn their houses. 48In this way I will remove that shame from this country, and all the other women will be warned not to do the shameful things you have done. 49They will punish you for the wicked things you did. You will be punished for worshiping your filthy idols. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.”
40“They have sent for men from faraway places. You sent a messenger to these men, and they came to see you. You bathed for them, painted your eyes, and put on your jewelry. 41You sat on a fine bed with a table set before it. You put my incense and my oil on this table.
42“The noise in Jerusalem sounded like a crowd of people having a party. Many people came to the party. People were already drinking as they came in from the desert. They gave bracelets and beautiful crowns to the women. 43Then I spoke to one of the women who was worn out from her sexual sins. I asked her, ‘Will they continue to do sexual sins with her, and she with them?’ 44But they kept going to her as they would go to a prostitute. Yes, they went again and again to Oholah and Oholibah, those wicked women.
45“But good men will judge them guilty of adultery and murder, because Oholah and Oholibah committed adultery and their hands are covered with blood!”
46This is what the Lord God said: “Gather the people together to punish and terrorize Oholah and Oholibah. 47They will throw stones at these women and kill them. They will cut the women to pieces with their swords. They will kill their children and burn their houses. 48In this way I will remove that shame from this country, and all the other women will be warned not to do the shameful things you have done. 49They will punish you for the wicked things you did. You will be punished for worshiping your filthy idols. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.”
24Chapter
The Pot and the Meat
1The word of the Lord came to me. This was on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of exile. He said, 2“Son of man, write today’s date and this note: ‘On this date the army of the king of Babylon surrounded Jerusalem.’ 3“‘Put the pot on the fire.
Put on the pot and pour in the water.
4Put in the pieces of meat. Put in every good piece, the thighs and the shoulders. Fill the pot with the best bones.
5Use the best animals in the flock. Pile the wood under the pot, and boil the pieces of meat. Boil the soup until even the bones are cooked.
6“‘So this is what the Lord God says: It will be bad for Jerusalem. It will be bad for that city of murderers. Jerusalem is like a pot with rust on it, and those spots of rust cannot be removed! That pot is not clean, and the rust cannot be removed, so the meat must be thrown out and not divided among the priests.
7Jerusalem is like a pot with rust on it. This is because the blood from the murders is still there! She put the blood on the bare rock. She did not pour the blood on the ground and cover it with dirt.
8I put her blood on the bare rock so that it would not be covered. I did this so that people would become angry and punish her for killing innocent people.
9“‘So this is what the Lord God says: It will be bad for that city of murderers! I will pile up plenty of wood for the fire.
10Put plenty of wood under the pot. Light the fire. Cook the meat until it is well done. Mix in the spices, and let the bones be burned up.
11Then let the pot stand empty on the coals. Let it become so hot that its stains begin to glow. Those stains will be melted away. The rust will be destroyed.
12“‘Jerusalem might work hard to scrub away her stains. But that ‘rust’ will not go away! Only the fire of punishment will remove it.
13“‘You sinned against me and became stained with sin. I wanted to wash you and make you clean, but the stains would not come out. I will not try washing you again until my hot anger is finished with you!
14“‘I am the Lord. I said your punishment would come, and I will make it happen. I will not hold back the punishment or feel sorry for you. I will punish you for the evil things you did. This is what the Lord God said.’”
4Put in the pieces of meat. Put in every good piece, the thighs and the shoulders. Fill the pot with the best bones.
5Use the best animals in the flock. Pile the wood under the pot, and boil the pieces of meat. Boil the soup until even the bones are cooked.
6“‘So this is what the Lord God says: It will be bad for Jerusalem. It will be bad for that city of murderers. Jerusalem is like a pot with rust on it, and those spots of rust cannot be removed! That pot is not clean, and the rust cannot be removed, so the meat must be thrown out and not divided among the priests.
7Jerusalem is like a pot with rust on it. This is because the blood from the murders is still there! She put the blood on the bare rock. She did not pour the blood on the ground and cover it with dirt.
8I put her blood on the bare rock so that it would not be covered. I did this so that people would become angry and punish her for killing innocent people.
9“‘So this is what the Lord God says: It will be bad for that city of murderers! I will pile up plenty of wood for the fire.
10Put plenty of wood under the pot. Light the fire. Cook the meat until it is well done. Mix in the spices, and let the bones be burned up.
11Then let the pot stand empty on the coals. Let it become so hot that its stains begin to glow. Those stains will be melted away. The rust will be destroyed.
12“‘Jerusalem might work hard to scrub away her stains. But that ‘rust’ will not go away! Only the fire of punishment will remove it.
13“‘You sinned against me and became stained with sin. I wanted to wash you and make you clean, but the stains would not come out. I will not try washing you again until my hot anger is finished with you!
14“‘I am the Lord. I said your punishment would come, and I will make it happen. I will not hold back the punishment or feel sorry for you. I will punish you for the evil things you did. This is what the Lord God said.’”
The Death of Ezekiel’s Wife
15Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 16“Son of man, you love your wife very much, but I am going to take her away from you. Your wife will die suddenly, but you must not show your sadness. You must not cry loudly. You will cry and your tears will fall, 17but you must mourn quietly. Dress as you normally do; wear your turban and sandals; don’t cover your mustache, and don’t eat the food people normally eat when someone dies.”
18The next morning I told the people what God had said. That evening, my wife died. The next morning I did what God commanded. 19Then the people said to me, “Why are you doing this? What does it mean?”
20Then I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me. He told me 21to speak to the family of Israel. The Lord God said, ‘Look, I will destroy my holy place. You are proud of that place and sing songs of praise about it. You love to see it. You really love that place. But I will destroy it, and your children that you left behind will be killed in battle. 22But you will do the same things that I have done about my dead wife. You will not cover your mustache or eat the food people normally eat when someone dies. 23You will wear your turbans and your sandals. You will not show your sadness publicly or cry publicly, but you will waste away with guilt and talk to each other quietly about your grief. 24So Ezekiel is an example for you. You will do all the same things he did. That time of punishment will come, and then you will know that I am the Lord God.’”
25-26The Lord said, “Son of man, I will take away the place that makes the people feel safe—Jerusalem, that beautiful city that makes them so happy. They really love that place. They love to look at it. But I will take it away from them, and I will also take their children. On that day one of the survivors will come to you with the bad news about Jerusalem. 27That same day you will be able to talk to the messenger. You will not be silent anymore. This will be a sign to the people, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
18The next morning I told the people what God had said. That evening, my wife died. The next morning I did what God commanded. 19Then the people said to me, “Why are you doing this? What does it mean?”
20Then I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me. He told me 21to speak to the family of Israel. The Lord God said, ‘Look, I will destroy my holy place. You are proud of that place and sing songs of praise about it. You love to see it. You really love that place. But I will destroy it, and your children that you left behind will be killed in battle. 22But you will do the same things that I have done about my dead wife. You will not cover your mustache or eat the food people normally eat when someone dies. 23You will wear your turbans and your sandals. You will not show your sadness publicly or cry publicly, but you will waste away with guilt and talk to each other quietly about your grief. 24So Ezekiel is an example for you. You will do all the same things he did. That time of punishment will come, and then you will know that I am the Lord God.’”
25-26The Lord said, “Son of man, I will take away the place that makes the people feel safe—Jerusalem, that beautiful city that makes them so happy. They really love that place. They love to look at it. But I will take it away from them, and I will also take their children. On that day one of the survivors will come to you with the bad news about Jerusalem. 27That same day you will be able to talk to the messenger. You will not be silent anymore. This will be a sign to the people, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
25Chapter
Prophecy Against Ammon
1The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, look toward the people of Ammon and speak against them for me. 3Say to them: ‘Listen to the word of the Lord God! This is what the Lord God says: You were happy when my holy place was destroyed. You were against the land of Israel when it was polluted. You were against the family of Judah when the people were carried away as prisoners. 4So I will give you to the people from the east. They will get your land. Their armies will set up their camps in your country and will live among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk.
5“‘I will make the city Rabbah a pasture for camels and the country of Ammon a sheep pen. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 6This is what the Lord God says: You were happy that Jerusalem was destroyed. You clapped your hands and stamped your feet. You had fun insulting the land of Israel, 7so I will punish you. You will be like the valuable things soldiers take in war. You will lose your inheritance and die in faraway lands. I will destroy your country! Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
5“‘I will make the city Rabbah a pasture for camels and the country of Ammon a sheep pen. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 6This is what the Lord God says: You were happy that Jerusalem was destroyed. You clapped your hands and stamped your feet. You had fun insulting the land of Israel, 7so I will punish you. You will be like the valuable things soldiers take in war. You will lose your inheritance and die in faraway lands. I will destroy your country! Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
Prophecy Against Moab and Seir
8This is what the Lord God says: “Moab and Seir say, ‘The family of Judah is just like any other nation.’ 9I will cut into Moab’s shoulder—I will take away the cities that are on its borders—the glory of the land, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim. 10Then I will give these cities to the people of the east. They will get your land. I will also let those people from the east destroy the Ammonites, and people will forget they were ever a nation. 11So I will punish Moab, and then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Prophecy Against Edom
12This is what the Lord God says: “The people of Edom turned against the family of Judah and tried to get even. The people of Edom are guilty.” 13So the Lord God says: “I will punish Edom. I will destroy the people and the animals in Edom. I will destroy the whole country of Edom, all the way from Teman to Dedan. The Edomites will be killed in battle. 14I will use my people Israel and get even against Edom. In this way the people of Israel will show my anger against Edom. Then the people of Edom will know that I punished them.” This is what the Lord God said.
Prophecy Against the Philistines
15This is what the Lord God says: “The Philistines tried to get even. They were very cruel. They let their anger burn inside them too long.” 16So the Lord God said, “I will punish the Philistines. Yes, I will destroy those people from Crete. I will completely destroy those people who live on the seacoast. 17I will punish them—I will get even. I will let my anger teach them a lesson. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
26Chapter
The Sad Message About Tyre
1In the eleventh year of exile, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, Tyre said bad things about Jerusalem: ‘Hurray! The city gate protecting the people is destroyed! The city gate is open for me. The city of Jerusalem is ruined, so I can get plenty of valuable things out of it!’”
3So the Lord God says: “I am against you, Tyre! I will bring many nations to fight against you. They will come again and again, like waves on the beach.
4“The enemy soldiers will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers. I will also scrape the topsoil from her land. I will make Tyre a bare rock. 5Tyre will become a place by the sea for spreading fishing nets. I have spoken!” The Lord God says, “Tyre will be like the valuable things soldiers take in war. 6Her daughters on the mainland will be killed in battle. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
3So the Lord God says: “I am against you, Tyre! I will bring many nations to fight against you. They will come again and again, like waves on the beach.
4“The enemy soldiers will destroy the walls of Tyre and pull down her towers. I will also scrape the topsoil from her land. I will make Tyre a bare rock. 5Tyre will become a place by the sea for spreading fishing nets. I have spoken!” The Lord God says, “Tyre will be like the valuable things soldiers take in war. 6Her daughters on the mainland will be killed in battle. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Nebuchadnezzar Will Attack Tyre
7This is what the Lord God says: “I will bring an enemy from the north against Tyre. That enemy is Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon! He will bring a very large army. There will be horses, chariots, horse soldiers and many other soldiers. They will be from many different nations. 8Nebuchadnezzar will kill your daughters on the mainland. He will build towers to attack your city. He will build a dirt road around your city and a dirt road leading up to the walls. 9He will bring the logs to break down your walls. He will use picks and break down your towers. 10There will be so many of his horses that the dust from them will cover you. Your walls will shake at the noise of horse soldiers, wagons, and chariots when the king of Babylon enters the city through your city gates. Yes, they will come into your city because its walls will be pulled down. 11The king of Babylon will come riding through your city. His horses’ hoofs will come pounding over your streets. He will kill your people with swords. The strong columns in your city will fall to the ground. 12Nebuchadnezzar’s men will take away your riches. They will take the things you wanted to sell. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. They will throw the wood and stones into the sea like garbage. 13So I will stop the sound of your happy songs. People will not hear your harps anymore. 14I will make you a bare rock. You will be a place by the sea for spreading fishing nets! You will not be rebuilt, because I, the Lord, have spoken!” This is what the Lord God said.
Other Nations Will Cry for Tyre
15This is what the Lord God says to Tyre: “The countries along the Mediterranean coast will shake at the sound of your fall. That will happen when your people are hurt and killed. 16Then all the leaders of the countries by the sea will step down from their thrones and show their sadness. They will take off their special robes and their beautiful clothes. Then they will put on their ‘clothes of shaking.’ They will sit on the ground and shake with fear. They will be shocked at how quickly you were destroyed. 17“‘Tyre, you were a famous city.
People came from across the sea to live in you.
You were famous,
but now you are gone!
You were strong on the sea,
and so were the people who lived in you.
You made all who live on the mainland
afraid of you.
18Now, on the day you fall, the countries along the coast will shake with fear. You started many colonies along the coast. Now those people will be afraid when you are gone!’”
19This is what the Lord God says: “Tyre, you will become an old, empty city. No one will live there. I will cause the sea to flow over you. The great sea will cover you. 20I will send you down into that deep hole—to the place of death. You will join those who died long ago. I will send you to the world below, like all the other old, empty cities. You will be with all the others who go down to the grave. No one will live in you then. You will never again be in the land of the living! 21Other people will be afraid about what happened to you. You will be finished. People will look for you, but they will never find you again.” That is what the Lord God says.
18Now, on the day you fall, the countries along the coast will shake with fear. You started many colonies along the coast. Now those people will be afraid when you are gone!’”
19This is what the Lord God says: “Tyre, you will become an old, empty city. No one will live there. I will cause the sea to flow over you. The great sea will cover you. 20I will send you down into that deep hole—to the place of death. You will join those who died long ago. I will send you to the world below, like all the other old, empty cities. You will be with all the others who go down to the grave. No one will live in you then. You will never again be in the land of the living! 21Other people will be afraid about what happened to you. You will be finished. People will look for you, but they will never find you again.” That is what the Lord God says.
27Chapter
Tyre, the Door to the Seas
1The word of the Lord came to me again. He said, 2“Son of man, sing this sad song about Tyre. 3“Tyre, you think that you are so beautiful.
You think you are perfectly beautiful!
4The Mediterranean Sea is the border around your city. Your builders made you perfectly beautiful, like the ships that sail from you.
5Your builders used cypress trees from the mountains of Senir to make your planks. They used cedar trees from Lebanon to make your mast.
6They used oak trees from Bashan to make your oars. They used pine trees from Cyprus to make the cabin on your deck. They decorated that shelter with ivory.
7For your sail, they used colorful linen made in Egypt. That sail was your flag. The coverings over your cabin were blue and purple. They came from the coast of Cyprus.
8Men from Sidon and Arvad rowed your boats for you. Tyre, your wise men were the pilots on your ships.
9The elders and wise men from Byblos were on board to help put caulking between the boards on your ship. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came to trade and do business with you.
10“‘Men from Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army. They were your men of war who hung their shields and helmets on your walls. They brought honor and glory to your city. 11Men from Arvad and Cilicia were guards standing on the wall around your city. Men from Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields on the walls around your city and made your beauty complete.
12“‘Tarshish was one of your best customers. They traded silver, iron, tin, and lead for all the wonderful things you sold. 13People in Greece, Turkey, and the area around the Black Sea traded with you. They traded slaves and bronze for the things you sold. 14People from the nation of Togarmah traded horses, war horses, and mules for the things you sold. 15The people of Rhodes traded with you. You sold your things in many places. People brought ivory tusks and ebony wood to pay you. 16Aram traded with you because you had so many good things. They traded emeralds, purple cloth, fine needlework, fine linen, coral, and rubies for the things you sold.
17“‘The people in Judah and Israel traded with you. They paid for the things you sold with the wheat, olives, early figs, honey, oil, and balm. 18Damascus was a good customer. They traded with you for the many wonderful things you had. They traded wine from Helbon and white wool for those things. 19Damascus traded wine from Uzal for the things you sold. They paid with wrought iron, cassia, and sugar cane. 20Dedan provided good business and traded with you for saddle blankets and riding horses. 21Arabia and all the leaders of Kedar traded lambs, rams, and goats for your goods. 22The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you. They traded all the best spices and every kind of precious stone and gold for your goods. 23Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad traded with you. 24They paid with the finest clothing, blue cloth, cloth with fine needlework, rugs of many colors, and the strongest ropes. These were the things they traded with you. 25“‘Tyre, you are like one of those cargo ships. You are on the sea, loaded with many riches.
26Your oarsmen rowed you far out to sea. But a powerful east wind will destroy your ship at sea.
27All your wealth will spill into the sea. Your wealth—the things you buy and sell—will spill into the sea. Your whole crew—sailors, pilots, and the men who put caulking between the boards on your ship— will spill into the sea. The merchants and soldiers in your city will all sink into the sea. That will happen on the day that you are destroyed!
28“‘You send your merchants to faraway places. Those places will shake with fear when they hear your pilots’ cry!
29Your whole crew will jump ship. The sailors and pilots will jump ship and swim to the shore.
30They will be very sad about you. They will cry, throw dust on their heads, and roll in ashes.
31They will shave their heads for you. They will put on sackcloth. They will cry for you like someone crying for someone who died.
32“‘No one is like Tyre! Tyre is destroyed, in the middle of the sea!
33Your merchants sailed across the seas. You satisfied many people with your great wealth and the things you sold. You made the kings of the earth rich!
34But now you are broken by the seas and by the deep waters. All the things you sell and all your people have fallen.
35All the people living on the coast are shocked about you. Their kings are terrified. Their faces show their shock.
36The merchants in other nations whistle about you. What happened to you will frighten people, because you were destroyed. You are gone forever.’”
4The Mediterranean Sea is the border around your city. Your builders made you perfectly beautiful, like the ships that sail from you.
5Your builders used cypress trees from the mountains of Senir to make your planks. They used cedar trees from Lebanon to make your mast.
6They used oak trees from Bashan to make your oars. They used pine trees from Cyprus to make the cabin on your deck. They decorated that shelter with ivory.
7For your sail, they used colorful linen made in Egypt. That sail was your flag. The coverings over your cabin were blue and purple. They came from the coast of Cyprus.
8Men from Sidon and Arvad rowed your boats for you. Tyre, your wise men were the pilots on your ships.
9The elders and wise men from Byblos were on board to help put caulking between the boards on your ship. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came to trade and do business with you.
10“‘Men from Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army. They were your men of war who hung their shields and helmets on your walls. They brought honor and glory to your city. 11Men from Arvad and Cilicia were guards standing on the wall around your city. Men from Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields on the walls around your city and made your beauty complete.
12“‘Tarshish was one of your best customers. They traded silver, iron, tin, and lead for all the wonderful things you sold. 13People in Greece, Turkey, and the area around the Black Sea traded with you. They traded slaves and bronze for the things you sold. 14People from the nation of Togarmah traded horses, war horses, and mules for the things you sold. 15The people of Rhodes traded with you. You sold your things in many places. People brought ivory tusks and ebony wood to pay you. 16Aram traded with you because you had so many good things. They traded emeralds, purple cloth, fine needlework, fine linen, coral, and rubies for the things you sold.
17“‘The people in Judah and Israel traded with you. They paid for the things you sold with the wheat, olives, early figs, honey, oil, and balm. 18Damascus was a good customer. They traded with you for the many wonderful things you had. They traded wine from Helbon and white wool for those things. 19Damascus traded wine from Uzal for the things you sold. They paid with wrought iron, cassia, and sugar cane. 20Dedan provided good business and traded with you for saddle blankets and riding horses. 21Arabia and all the leaders of Kedar traded lambs, rams, and goats for your goods. 22The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you. They traded all the best spices and every kind of precious stone and gold for your goods. 23Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad traded with you. 24They paid with the finest clothing, blue cloth, cloth with fine needlework, rugs of many colors, and the strongest ropes. These were the things they traded with you. 25“‘Tyre, you are like one of those cargo ships. You are on the sea, loaded with many riches.
26Your oarsmen rowed you far out to sea. But a powerful east wind will destroy your ship at sea.
27All your wealth will spill into the sea. Your wealth—the things you buy and sell—will spill into the sea. Your whole crew—sailors, pilots, and the men who put caulking between the boards on your ship— will spill into the sea. The merchants and soldiers in your city will all sink into the sea. That will happen on the day that you are destroyed!
28“‘You send your merchants to faraway places. Those places will shake with fear when they hear your pilots’ cry!
29Your whole crew will jump ship. The sailors and pilots will jump ship and swim to the shore.
30They will be very sad about you. They will cry, throw dust on their heads, and roll in ashes.
31They will shave their heads for you. They will put on sackcloth. They will cry for you like someone crying for someone who died.
32“‘No one is like Tyre! Tyre is destroyed, in the middle of the sea!
33Your merchants sailed across the seas. You satisfied many people with your great wealth and the things you sold. You made the kings of the earth rich!
34But now you are broken by the seas and by the deep waters. All the things you sell and all your people have fallen.
35All the people living on the coast are shocked about you. Their kings are terrified. Their faces show their shock.
36The merchants in other nations whistle about you. What happened to you will frighten people, because you were destroyed. You are gone forever.’”
28Chapter
Tyre Thinks It Is Like a God
1The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“‘But you are a man and not God!
You only think you are a god.
3You think you are wiser than Daniel and no secret is hidden from you.
4Through your wisdom and understanding you have gotten riches for yourself. And you put gold and silver in your treasuries.
5Through your great wisdom and trade, you have made your riches grow. And now you are proud because of those riches.
6“‘So this is what the Lord God says: Tyre, you thought you were like a god.
7I will bring strangers to fight against you. They are most terrible among the nations! They will pull out their swords and use them against the beautiful things your wisdom brought you. They will ruin your glory.
8They will bring you down to the grave. You will be like a sailor who died at sea.
9That person will kill you. Will you still say, “I am a god”? No, he will have you in his power! You will see that you are a man, not God!
10Strangers will treat you like a foreigner and kill you, because I gave the command!’” This is what the Lord God said.
11The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 12“‘You were the perfect man— so full of wisdom and perfectly handsome.
13You were in Eden, the garden of God. You had every precious stone— rubies, topaz, and diamonds, beryls, onyx, and jasper, sapphires, turquoise, and emeralds. And each of these stones was set in gold. You were given this beauty on the day you were created. God made you strong.
14You were one of the chosen Cherubs who spread your wings over my throne. I put you on the holy mountain of God. You walked among the jewels that sparkled like fire.
15You were good and honest when I created you, but then you became evil.
16Your business brought you many riches. But they also put cruelty inside you, and you sinned. So I treated you like something unclean and threw you off the mountain of God. You were one of the chosen Cherubs who spread your wings over my throne. But I forced you to leave the jewels that sparkled like fire.
17Your beauty made you proud. Your glory ruined your wisdom. So I threw you down to the ground, and now other kings stare at you.
18You did many wrong things. You were a very crooked merchant. In this way you made the holy places unclean. So I brought fire from inside you. It burned you! You burned to ashes on the ground. Now everyone can see your shame.
19“‘All the people in other nations were shocked about what happened to you. What happened to you will make people very afraid. You are finished!’”
3You think you are wiser than Daniel and no secret is hidden from you.
4Through your wisdom and understanding you have gotten riches for yourself. And you put gold and silver in your treasuries.
5Through your great wisdom and trade, you have made your riches grow. And now you are proud because of those riches.
6“‘So this is what the Lord God says: Tyre, you thought you were like a god.
7I will bring strangers to fight against you. They are most terrible among the nations! They will pull out their swords and use them against the beautiful things your wisdom brought you. They will ruin your glory.
8They will bring you down to the grave. You will be like a sailor who died at sea.
9That person will kill you. Will you still say, “I am a god”? No, he will have you in his power! You will see that you are a man, not God!
10Strangers will treat you like a foreigner and kill you, because I gave the command!’” This is what the Lord God said.
11The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 12“‘You were the perfect man— so full of wisdom and perfectly handsome.
13You were in Eden, the garden of God. You had every precious stone— rubies, topaz, and diamonds, beryls, onyx, and jasper, sapphires, turquoise, and emeralds. And each of these stones was set in gold. You were given this beauty on the day you were created. God made you strong.
14You were one of the chosen Cherubs who spread your wings over my throne. I put you on the holy mountain of God. You walked among the jewels that sparkled like fire.
15You were good and honest when I created you, but then you became evil.
16Your business brought you many riches. But they also put cruelty inside you, and you sinned. So I treated you like something unclean and threw you off the mountain of God. You were one of the chosen Cherubs who spread your wings over my throne. But I forced you to leave the jewels that sparkled like fire.
17Your beauty made you proud. Your glory ruined your wisdom. So I threw you down to the ground, and now other kings stare at you.
18You did many wrong things. You were a very crooked merchant. In this way you made the holy places unclean. So I brought fire from inside you. It burned you! You burned to ashes on the ground. Now everyone can see your shame.
19“‘All the people in other nations were shocked about what happened to you. What happened to you will make people very afraid. You are finished!’”
The Message Against Sidon
20The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 21“Son of man, look toward Sidon and speak for me against that place. 22“‘I am against you, Sidon!
Your people will learn to respect me.
I will punish Sidon.
Then people will know that I am the Lord.
Then they will learn that I am holy,
and they will treat me that way.
23I will send disease and death to Sidon, and many people inside the city will die. Soldiers outside the city will kill many people. Then people will know that I am the Lord!
23I will send disease and death to Sidon, and many people inside the city will die. Soldiers outside the city will kill many people. Then people will know that I am the Lord!
The Nations Will Stop Laughing at Israel
24“‘Then the surrounding nations that hate Israel will no longer be like stinging nettles and painful thorns. And they will know that I am the Lord God.’”
25This is what the Lord God said: “I scattered the people of Israel among other nations, but I will gather the family of Israel together again. Then the nations will know that I am holy, and they will treat me that way. At that time the people of Israel will live in their land—I gave that land to my servant Jacob. 26They will live safely in the land. They will build houses and plant vineyards. I will punish the nations around them that hated them. Then the people of Israel will live in safety, and they will know that I am the Lord their God.”
25This is what the Lord God said: “I scattered the people of Israel among other nations, but I will gather the family of Israel together again. Then the nations will know that I am holy, and they will treat me that way. At that time the people of Israel will live in their land—I gave that land to my servant Jacob. 26They will live safely in the land. They will build houses and plant vineyards. I will punish the nations around them that hated them. Then the people of Israel will live in safety, and they will know that I am the Lord their God.”
29Chapter
The Message Against Egypt
1On the twelfth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, look toward Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Speak for me against him and Egypt. 3“‘I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
You are the great monster lying beside the Nile River.
You say, “This is my river!
I made this river!”
4-5“‘But I will put hooks in your jaws. The fish in the Nile River will stick to your scales. I will pull you and your fish up out of your rivers and onto the dry land. You will fall on the ground, and no one will pick you up or bury you. I will give you to the wild animals and birds. You will be their food.
6“‘Why will I do these things? Because the people of Israel leaned on Egypt for support, but Egypt was only a weak blade of grass.
7The people of Israel leaned on Egypt for support, but Egypt only pierced their hands and shoulder. They leaned on you for support, but you broke and twisted their back.’”
8So this is what the Lord God says: “I will bring a sword against you. I will destroy all your people and animals.
9Egypt will be empty and destroyed. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” God said, “Why will I do these things? Because you said, ‘This is my river. I made this river.’ 10So I am against you. I am against the many branches of your Nile River. I will destroy Egypt completely. The cities will be empty from Migdol to Aswan and as far as the border of Ethiopia. 11No person or animal will pass through Egypt. Nothing will pass through or settle there for 40 years. 12I will destroy Egypt. The cities will be in ruins for 40 years! I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. I will make them strangers in foreign lands.”
13This is what the Lord God says: “I will scatter the people of Egypt among many nations. But at the end of 40 years, I will gather those people together again. 14I will bring back the Egyptian captives. I will bring back the Egyptians to the land of Pathros, to the land where they were born. But their kingdom will not be important. 15It will be the least important kingdom. It will never again lift itself above the other nations. I will make them so small that they will not rule over the nations. 16And the family of Israel will never again depend on Egypt. The Israelites will remember their sin—they will remember that they turned to Egypt for help and not to God, and they will know that I am the Lord God.”
4-5“‘But I will put hooks in your jaws. The fish in the Nile River will stick to your scales. I will pull you and your fish up out of your rivers and onto the dry land. You will fall on the ground, and no one will pick you up or bury you. I will give you to the wild animals and birds. You will be their food.
6“‘Why will I do these things? Because the people of Israel leaned on Egypt for support, but Egypt was only a weak blade of grass.
7The people of Israel leaned on Egypt for support, but Egypt only pierced their hands and shoulder. They leaned on you for support, but you broke and twisted their back.’”
8So this is what the Lord God says: “I will bring a sword against you. I will destroy all your people and animals.
9Egypt will be empty and destroyed. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” God said, “Why will I do these things? Because you said, ‘This is my river. I made this river.’ 10So I am against you. I am against the many branches of your Nile River. I will destroy Egypt completely. The cities will be empty from Migdol to Aswan and as far as the border of Ethiopia. 11No person or animal will pass through Egypt. Nothing will pass through or settle there for 40 years. 12I will destroy Egypt. The cities will be in ruins for 40 years! I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. I will make them strangers in foreign lands.”
13This is what the Lord God says: “I will scatter the people of Egypt among many nations. But at the end of 40 years, I will gather those people together again. 14I will bring back the Egyptian captives. I will bring back the Egyptians to the land of Pathros, to the land where they were born. But their kingdom will not be important. 15It will be the least important kingdom. It will never again lift itself above the other nations. I will make them so small that they will not rule over the nations. 16And the family of Israel will never again depend on Egypt. The Israelites will remember their sin—they will remember that they turned to Egypt for help and not to God, and they will know that I am the Lord God.”
Babylon Will Get Egypt
17On the first day of the first month in the twenty-seventh year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 18“Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army fight hard against Tyre. They shaved every soldier’s head. Every shoulder was rubbed bare from carrying heavy loads. Nebuchadnezzar and his army worked hard to defeat Tyre, but they got nothing from all that hard work.” 19So this is what the Lord God says: “I will give Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and he will carry away the people. He will take the many valuable things in Egypt to pay his army. 20I will give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar as a reward for the hard work he did for me.” This is what the Lord God said!
21“On that day I will make the family of Israel strong. So Ezekiel, I will let you speak to them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
21“On that day I will make the family of Israel strong. So Ezekiel, I will let you speak to them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
30Chapter
The Army of Babylon Will Attack Egypt
1The word of the Lord came to me again. He said, 2“‘Cry and say,
“A terrible day is coming.”
3That day is near! Yes, the Lord’s day for judging is near. It will be a cloudy day, the time for judging the nations.
4A sword will come against Egypt! People in Ethiopia will shake with fear, when Egypt falls. The army of Babylon will take the Egyptians as prisoners. Egypt’s foundations will be torn down.
5“‘Many people made peace agreements with Egypt. But all those people from Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all Arabia, Libya, and the people of Israel will be destroyed!
6“‘This is what the Lord says: Those who support Egypt will fall! The pride in her power will end. The people in Egypt will be killed in battle, all the way from Migdol to Aswan. This is what the Lord God said!
7Egypt will join the other countries that were destroyed. Its cities will be among those that are in ruins.
8I will start a fire in Egypt, and all her helpers will be destroyed. Then they will know that I am the Lord!
9“‘At that time I will send out messengers. They will go in ships to carry the bad news to Ethiopia. Ethiopia now feels safe, but the people of Ethiopia will shake with fear when Egypt is punished. That time is coming!’”
10This is what the Lord God says: “I will use the king of Babylon. I will use Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the people of Egypt.
11Nebuchadnezzar and his people are the most terrible of the nations, and I will bring them to destroy Egypt. They will pull out their swords against Egypt. They will fill the land with dead bodies.
12I will make the Nile River become dry land. Then I will sell the dry land to evil people. I will use strangers to make that land empty. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
3That day is near! Yes, the Lord’s day for judging is near. It will be a cloudy day, the time for judging the nations.
4A sword will come against Egypt! People in Ethiopia will shake with fear, when Egypt falls. The army of Babylon will take the Egyptians as prisoners. Egypt’s foundations will be torn down.
5“‘Many people made peace agreements with Egypt. But all those people from Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all Arabia, Libya, and the people of Israel will be destroyed!
6“‘This is what the Lord says: Those who support Egypt will fall! The pride in her power will end. The people in Egypt will be killed in battle, all the way from Migdol to Aswan. This is what the Lord God said!
7Egypt will join the other countries that were destroyed. Its cities will be among those that are in ruins.
8I will start a fire in Egypt, and all her helpers will be destroyed. Then they will know that I am the Lord!
9“‘At that time I will send out messengers. They will go in ships to carry the bad news to Ethiopia. Ethiopia now feels safe, but the people of Ethiopia will shake with fear when Egypt is punished. That time is coming!’”
10This is what the Lord God says: “I will use the king of Babylon. I will use Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the people of Egypt.
11Nebuchadnezzar and his people are the most terrible of the nations, and I will bring them to destroy Egypt. They will pull out their swords against Egypt. They will fill the land with dead bodies.
12I will make the Nile River become dry land. Then I will sell the dry land to evil people. I will use strangers to make that land empty. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
The Idols of Egypt Will Be Destroyed
13This is what the Lord God says:
“I will also destroy the idols in Egypt.
I will take the statues away from Memphis.
There will no longer be a leader in the land of Egypt.
I will put fear there instead.
14I will make Pathros empty. I will start a fire in Zoan. I will punish Thebes.
15I will pour out my anger against Pelusium, the fortress of Egypt! I will destroy the people of Thebes.
16I will start a fire in Egypt; the city of Pelusium will ache with fear. The soldiers will break into the city of Thebes, and Memphis will have new troubles every day.
17The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will die in battle, and the women will be taken away as prisoners.
18It will be a dark day in Tahpanhes when I break Egypt’s control. Her proud power will be finished! A cloud will cover Egypt, and her daughters will be taken away as prisoners.
19So I will punish Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
14I will make Pathros empty. I will start a fire in Zoan. I will punish Thebes.
15I will pour out my anger against Pelusium, the fortress of Egypt! I will destroy the people of Thebes.
16I will start a fire in Egypt; the city of Pelusium will ache with fear. The soldiers will break into the city of Thebes, and Memphis will have new troubles every day.
17The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will die in battle, and the women will be taken away as prisoners.
18It will be a dark day in Tahpanhes when I break Egypt’s control. Her proud power will be finished! A cloud will cover Egypt, and her daughters will be taken away as prisoners.
19So I will punish Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
Egypt Will Become Weak Forever
20On the seventh day of the first month of the eleventh year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 21“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. No one will wrap his arm with a bandage. It will not heal, so his arm will not be strong enough to hold a sword.”
22This is what the Lord God says: “I am against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the strong arm and the arm that is already broken. I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. 24I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh will cry out in pain, the kind of cry that a dying man makes. 25So I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord. “I will put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. Then he will stretch the sword out against the land of Egypt. 26I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
22This is what the Lord God says: “I am against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the strong arm and the arm that is already broken. I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. 24I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh will cry out in pain, the kind of cry that a dying man makes. 25So I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord. “I will put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. Then he will stretch the sword out against the land of Egypt. 26I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
31Chapter
Assyria Is Like a Cedar Tree
1On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“‘You are so great!
Who can I compare you to?
3Assyria was a cedar tree in Lebanon with beautiful branches, with forest shade, and very tall. Its top was among the clouds!
4The water made the tree grow. The deep river made the tree tall. Rivers flowed around the place where the tree was planted. Only small streams flowed from that tree to all the other trees of the field.
5So that tree was taller than all the other trees of the field, and it grew many branches. There was plenty of water, so the tree branches spread out.
6All the birds of the sky made their nests in the branches of that tree, and all the animals of the field gave birth under the branches of that tree. All the great nations lived under the shade of that tree.
7The tree was very beautiful. It was so large! It had such long branches. Its roots had plenty of water.
8Even the cedar trees in God’s garden were not as big as this tree. Cypress trees did not have as many branches. Plane trees did not have such branches. No tree in God’s garden was as beautiful as this tree.
9I gave it many branches and made it beautiful. And all the trees in Eden, God’s garden, were jealous!’”
10So this is what the Lord God says: “That tree grew tall. Its top reached up to the clouds. It grew so big that it became proud! 11So I let a powerful king have that tree. That ruler punished the tree for the bad things it did. I took that tree out of my garden. 12Strangers—the most terrible people in the world—cut it down and scattered its branches on the mountains and in the valleys. Its broken limbs drifted down the rivers flowing through that land. There was no more shadow under that tree, so all the people left. 13Now birds live in that fallen tree. Wild animals walk over its fallen branches.
14“Now, none of the trees by that water will be proud. They will not try to reach the clouds. None of the strong trees that drink that water will brag about being tall, because all of them must die. They will all go down into the world below, to Sheol, the place of death. They will join the other people who died and went down into that deep hole.”
15This is what the Lord God says: “I made the people cry on the day that tree went down to Sheol. I covered him with the deep ocean. I stopped its rivers and all the water stopped flowing. I made Lebanon mourn for it. All the trees of the field became sick with sadness for that big tree. 16I made the tree fall—and the nations shook with fear at the sound of the falling tree. I sent the tree down to the place of death to join the other people who had gone down into that deep hole. In the past, all the trees of Eden, the best of Lebanon, drank that water. The trees were comforted in the world below. 17Yes, those trees also went down with the big tree to the place of death. They joined the people who were killed in battle. That big tree made the other trees strong. Those trees had lived under the big tree’s shadow among the nations.
18“Egypt, there were many big and powerful trees in Eden. Which of those trees should I compare you to? They all went down into the world below! And you, too, will join those foreigners in that place of death. You will lie there among the people killed in battle. “Yes, that will happen to Pharaoh and to the crowds of people with him!” This is what the Lord God said.
3Assyria was a cedar tree in Lebanon with beautiful branches, with forest shade, and very tall. Its top was among the clouds!
4The water made the tree grow. The deep river made the tree tall. Rivers flowed around the place where the tree was planted. Only small streams flowed from that tree to all the other trees of the field.
5So that tree was taller than all the other trees of the field, and it grew many branches. There was plenty of water, so the tree branches spread out.
6All the birds of the sky made their nests in the branches of that tree, and all the animals of the field gave birth under the branches of that tree. All the great nations lived under the shade of that tree.
7The tree was very beautiful. It was so large! It had such long branches. Its roots had plenty of water.
8Even the cedar trees in God’s garden were not as big as this tree. Cypress trees did not have as many branches. Plane trees did not have such branches. No tree in God’s garden was as beautiful as this tree.
9I gave it many branches and made it beautiful. And all the trees in Eden, God’s garden, were jealous!’”
10So this is what the Lord God says: “That tree grew tall. Its top reached up to the clouds. It grew so big that it became proud! 11So I let a powerful king have that tree. That ruler punished the tree for the bad things it did. I took that tree out of my garden. 12Strangers—the most terrible people in the world—cut it down and scattered its branches on the mountains and in the valleys. Its broken limbs drifted down the rivers flowing through that land. There was no more shadow under that tree, so all the people left. 13Now birds live in that fallen tree. Wild animals walk over its fallen branches.
14“Now, none of the trees by that water will be proud. They will not try to reach the clouds. None of the strong trees that drink that water will brag about being tall, because all of them must die. They will all go down into the world below, to Sheol, the place of death. They will join the other people who died and went down into that deep hole.”
15This is what the Lord God says: “I made the people cry on the day that tree went down to Sheol. I covered him with the deep ocean. I stopped its rivers and all the water stopped flowing. I made Lebanon mourn for it. All the trees of the field became sick with sadness for that big tree. 16I made the tree fall—and the nations shook with fear at the sound of the falling tree. I sent the tree down to the place of death to join the other people who had gone down into that deep hole. In the past, all the trees of Eden, the best of Lebanon, drank that water. The trees were comforted in the world below. 17Yes, those trees also went down with the big tree to the place of death. They joined the people who were killed in battle. That big tree made the other trees strong. Those trees had lived under the big tree’s shadow among the nations.
18“Egypt, there were many big and powerful trees in Eden. Which of those trees should I compare you to? They all went down into the world below! And you, too, will join those foreigners in that place of death. You will lie there among the people killed in battle. “Yes, that will happen to Pharaoh and to the crowds of people with him!” This is what the Lord God said.
32Chapter
Pharaoh: a Lion or a Dragon?
1On the first day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“‘You thought you were like a powerful young lion walking proud among the nations.
But really, you are like a dragon in the lakes.
You push your way through the streams.
You make the water muddy with your feet
and stir up the rivers of Egypt.’”
3“I have gathered many people together. Now I will throw my net over you. Then those people will pull you in.
4Then I will drop you on the dry ground. I will throw you down in the field. I will let all the birds come and eat you. I will let wild animals from every place come and eat you until they are full.
5I will scatter your body on the mountains. I will fill the valleys with your dead body.
6I will pour your blood on the mountains, and it will soak down into the ground. The rivers will be full of you.
7I will make you disappear. I will cover the sky and make the stars dark. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not shine.
8I will darken the lights in the sky over you. I will make your whole country dark.” This is what the Lord God said.
9“I will make many people sad and upset when I bring an enemy to destroy you. Nations you don’t even know will be upset. 10I will make many people shocked about you. Their kings will be terrified of you, when I swing my sword before them. They will shake with fear on the day you fall. Each king will be afraid for his own life.”
11That will happen because of what the Lord God said: “The sword of the king of Babylon will come to fight against you. 12I will use those soldiers to kill your people in battle. They come from the most terrible of the nations. They will destroy the things Egypt is proud of. The people of Egypt will be destroyed. 13There are many animals by the rivers in Egypt. I will also destroy all those animals. People will not make the waters muddy with their feet anymore. The hoofs of cattle will not make the water muddy anymore. 14So I will make the water in Egypt calm. I will cause their rivers to run slowly—they will be slick like oil.” This is what the Lord God said. 15“I will make the land of Egypt empty. That land will lose everything. I will punish all the people living in Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord!
16“This is a sad song that people will sing for Egypt. The daughters in other nations will sing this sad song. They will sing it as a sad song about Egypt and all its people.” This is what the Lord God said.
3“I have gathered many people together. Now I will throw my net over you. Then those people will pull you in.
4Then I will drop you on the dry ground. I will throw you down in the field. I will let all the birds come and eat you. I will let wild animals from every place come and eat you until they are full.
5I will scatter your body on the mountains. I will fill the valleys with your dead body.
6I will pour your blood on the mountains, and it will soak down into the ground. The rivers will be full of you.
7I will make you disappear. I will cover the sky and make the stars dark. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not shine.
8I will darken the lights in the sky over you. I will make your whole country dark.” This is what the Lord God said.
9“I will make many people sad and upset when I bring an enemy to destroy you. Nations you don’t even know will be upset. 10I will make many people shocked about you. Their kings will be terrified of you, when I swing my sword before them. They will shake with fear on the day you fall. Each king will be afraid for his own life.”
11That will happen because of what the Lord God said: “The sword of the king of Babylon will come to fight against you. 12I will use those soldiers to kill your people in battle. They come from the most terrible of the nations. They will destroy the things Egypt is proud of. The people of Egypt will be destroyed. 13There are many animals by the rivers in Egypt. I will also destroy all those animals. People will not make the waters muddy with their feet anymore. The hoofs of cattle will not make the water muddy anymore. 14So I will make the water in Egypt calm. I will cause their rivers to run slowly—they will be slick like oil.” This is what the Lord God said. 15“I will make the land of Egypt empty. That land will lose everything. I will punish all the people living in Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord!
16“This is a sad song that people will sing for Egypt. The daughters in other nations will sing this sad song. They will sing it as a sad song about Egypt and all its people.” This is what the Lord God said.
Egypt to Be Destroyed
17On the fifteenth day of that month in the twelfth year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 18“Son of man, cry for the people of Egypt. Lead Egypt and the daughters from powerful nations to the grave. Lead them to the world below where they will be with the other people who went down into that deep hole.
19“Egypt, you are no better than anyone else! Go down to the place of death. Go lie down with those foreigners.
20“Egypt will go to be with all the other men who were killed in battle. The enemy has pulled her and all her people away.
21“Strong and powerful men were killed in battle. Those foreigners went down to the place of death. And from that place, those who were killed will speak to Egypt and his helpers.
22-23“Assyria and all its army are there in the place of death. Their graves are deep down in that deep hole. All the Assyrian soldiers were killed in battle, and their graves are all around his grave. When they were alive, they made people afraid, but they were all killed in battle.
24“Elam is there and all its army is around her grave. All of them were killed in battle. Those foreigners went deep down into the ground. When they were alive, they made people afraid. But they carried their shame with them down to that deep hole. 25They have made a bed for Elam and all its soldiers who were killed in battle. Elam’s army is all around its grave. All those foreigners were killed in battle. When they were alive, they scared people. But they carried their shame with them down into that deep hole. They were put with all the other people who were killed.
26“Meshech, Tubal, and all their armies are there. Their graves are around it. All those foreigners were killed in battle. When they were alive, they made people afraid. 27But now they are lying down by the powerful men who died long, long ago! They were buried with their weapons of war. Their swords will be laid under their heads. But their sins are on their bones, because when they were alive, they scared people.
28“Egypt, you also will be destroyed, and you will lie down by those foreigners. You will lie with the other soldiers who were killed in battle.
29“Edom is there also. His kings and other leaders are there with him. They were powerful soldiers, but now they lie with the other men who were killed in battle. They are lying there with those foreigners. They are there with the other people who went down into that deep hole.
30“The rulers from the north are there, all of them, and there are all the soldiers from Sidon. Their strength scared people, but they are embarrassed. Those foreigners lie there with the other men who were killed in battle. They carried their shame with them down into that deep hole.
31“Yes, Pharaoh and all his army will be killed in battle. Pharaoh will be comforted when he sees his many men and all the others who went down into the place of death.” This is what the Lord God said.
32“People were afraid of Pharaoh when he was alive, but he will lie down next to those foreigners. Pharaoh and his army will lie down with all the other soldiers who were killed in battle.” This is what the Lord God said.
19“Egypt, you are no better than anyone else! Go down to the place of death. Go lie down with those foreigners.
20“Egypt will go to be with all the other men who were killed in battle. The enemy has pulled her and all her people away.
21“Strong and powerful men were killed in battle. Those foreigners went down to the place of death. And from that place, those who were killed will speak to Egypt and his helpers.
22-23“Assyria and all its army are there in the place of death. Their graves are deep down in that deep hole. All the Assyrian soldiers were killed in battle, and their graves are all around his grave. When they were alive, they made people afraid, but they were all killed in battle.
24“Elam is there and all its army is around her grave. All of them were killed in battle. Those foreigners went deep down into the ground. When they were alive, they made people afraid. But they carried their shame with them down to that deep hole. 25They have made a bed for Elam and all its soldiers who were killed in battle. Elam’s army is all around its grave. All those foreigners were killed in battle. When they were alive, they scared people. But they carried their shame with them down into that deep hole. They were put with all the other people who were killed.
26“Meshech, Tubal, and all their armies are there. Their graves are around it. All those foreigners were killed in battle. When they were alive, they made people afraid. 27But now they are lying down by the powerful men who died long, long ago! They were buried with their weapons of war. Their swords will be laid under their heads. But their sins are on their bones, because when they were alive, they scared people.
28“Egypt, you also will be destroyed, and you will lie down by those foreigners. You will lie with the other soldiers who were killed in battle.
29“Edom is there also. His kings and other leaders are there with him. They were powerful soldiers, but now they lie with the other men who were killed in battle. They are lying there with those foreigners. They are there with the other people who went down into that deep hole.
30“The rulers from the north are there, all of them, and there are all the soldiers from Sidon. Their strength scared people, but they are embarrassed. Those foreigners lie there with the other men who were killed in battle. They carried their shame with them down into that deep hole.
31“Yes, Pharaoh and all his army will be killed in battle. Pharaoh will be comforted when he sees his many men and all the others who went down into the place of death.” This is what the Lord God said.
32“People were afraid of Pharaoh when he was alive, but he will lie down next to those foreigners. Pharaoh and his army will lie down with all the other soldiers who were killed in battle.” This is what the Lord God said.
33Chapter
God Chooses Ezekiel to Be a Watchman
1The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, speak to your people. Say to them, ‘Whenever I bring enemy soldiers to fight against a country, the people choose someone to be a watchman. 3If this guard sees enemy soldiers coming, he blows the trumpet and warns the people. 4If people hear the warning but ignore it, the enemy will capture them and take them away as prisoners. They will be responsible for their own death. 5They heard the trumpet, but they ignored the warning. So they are responsible for their own deaths. If they had paid attention to the warning, they could have saved their own lives.
6“‘But what if the guard sees the enemy soldiers coming, but does not blow the trumpet? Since he doesn’t warn the people, the enemy will capture them and take them away as prisoners. They will be taken away because they sinned, but the guard will also be responsible for their deaths.’
7“Now, son of man, I am choosing you to be a watchman for the family of Israel. If you hear a message from my mouth, you must warn the people for me. 8I might say to you, ‘These evil people will die.’ Then you must go warn them for me. If you don’t warn them and tell them to change their lives, those evil people will die because they sinned. But I will make you responsible for their deaths. 9But if you do warn the evil people to change their lives and stop sinning, and if they refuse to stop, they will die because they sinned. But you have saved your life.
6“‘But what if the guard sees the enemy soldiers coming, but does not blow the trumpet? Since he doesn’t warn the people, the enemy will capture them and take them away as prisoners. They will be taken away because they sinned, but the guard will also be responsible for their deaths.’
7“Now, son of man, I am choosing you to be a watchman for the family of Israel. If you hear a message from my mouth, you must warn the people for me. 8I might say to you, ‘These evil people will die.’ Then you must go warn them for me. If you don’t warn them and tell them to change their lives, those evil people will die because they sinned. But I will make you responsible for their deaths. 9But if you do warn the evil people to change their lives and stop sinning, and if they refuse to stop, they will die because they sinned. But you have saved your life.
God Does Not Want to Destroy People
10“So, son of man, speak to the family of Israel for me. They might say, ‘We have sinned and broken the law. Our sins are too heavy to bear. We rot away because of them. What can we do to live?’
11“You must say to them, ‘The Lord God says: By my life, I swear that I don’t enjoy seeing people die—not even evil people! I don’t want them to die. I want them to come back to me. I want them to change their lives so that they can really live. So come back to me! Stop doing bad things! Why must you die, family of Israel?’
12“Son of man, tell your people: ‘The good things people did in the past will not save them if they become bad and begin to sin. In the same way the bad things people did in the past will not destroy them if they turn from their evil. So remember, the good things people did in the past will not save them if they begin to sin.’
13“Maybe I will tell good people that they will live. But maybe those good people will begin to think that the good things they did in the past will save them. So they might begin to do bad things, but I will not remember the good things they did in the past! No, they will die because of the bad things they begin to do.
14“Or maybe I will tell some evil people that they will die. But they might change their lives, stop sinning, and begin to live right. They might become good and fair. 15They might give back the things they took when they loaned money. They might pay for the things they stole. They might begin to follow the laws that give life and stop doing bad things. Then they will surely live. They will not die. 16I will not remember the bad things they did in the past, because now they live right and are fair. So they will live!
17“But your people say, ‘That’s not fair! The Lord cannot be like that!’ “But they are the people who are not fair! They are the people who must change! 18If good people stop doing good and begin to sin, they will die because of their sins. 19And if evil people stop doing wrong and start living right and being fair, they will live. 20You still say that I am not fair, but I am telling you the truth. Family of Israel, everyone will be judged for what they do!”
11“You must say to them, ‘The Lord God says: By my life, I swear that I don’t enjoy seeing people die—not even evil people! I don’t want them to die. I want them to come back to me. I want them to change their lives so that they can really live. So come back to me! Stop doing bad things! Why must you die, family of Israel?’
12“Son of man, tell your people: ‘The good things people did in the past will not save them if they become bad and begin to sin. In the same way the bad things people did in the past will not destroy them if they turn from their evil. So remember, the good things people did in the past will not save them if they begin to sin.’
13“Maybe I will tell good people that they will live. But maybe those good people will begin to think that the good things they did in the past will save them. So they might begin to do bad things, but I will not remember the good things they did in the past! No, they will die because of the bad things they begin to do.
14“Or maybe I will tell some evil people that they will die. But they might change their lives, stop sinning, and begin to live right. They might become good and fair. 15They might give back the things they took when they loaned money. They might pay for the things they stole. They might begin to follow the laws that give life and stop doing bad things. Then they will surely live. They will not die. 16I will not remember the bad things they did in the past, because now they live right and are fair. So they will live!
17“But your people say, ‘That’s not fair! The Lord cannot be like that!’ “But they are the people who are not fair! They are the people who must change! 18If good people stop doing good and begin to sin, they will die because of their sins. 19And if evil people stop doing wrong and start living right and being fair, they will live. 20You still say that I am not fair, but I am telling you the truth. Family of Israel, everyone will be judged for what they do!”
Jerusalem Has Been Taken
21On the fifth day of the tenth month in the twelfth year of exile, a person who had escaped from the battle in Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has been taken!”
22The evening before that person came to me, the power of the Lord came on me. The Lord opened my mouth. So when that person came, I could speak again. 23Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 24“Son of man, there are Israelites who live in the ruined cities in Israel. They are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, and God gave him all this land. Now, we are many people, so surely this land belongs to us! It is our land!’
25“You must tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘You eat meat with the blood still in it. You look to your idols for help. You murder people, so why should I give you this land? 26You depend on your own sword. Each of you does terrible things. Each of you commits sexual sins with his neighbor’s wife, so you cannot have the land!’
27“‘You must tell them that this is what the Lord God says: “By my life, I promise that the people living in the ruined cities will be killed with a sword! If any people are out in the country, I will let animals kill and eat them. If people are hiding in the fortresses and the caves, they will die from disease. 28I will make the land empty and a waste. That country will lose all the things it was proud of. The mountains of Israel will become empty. No one will pass through that place. 29The people have done many terrible things, so I will make that place an empty wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
30“‘And now about you, son of man. Your people lean against the walls and stand in their doorways talking about you. They tell each other, “Come on, let’s go hear what the Lord says.” 31So they come to you as if they were my people. They sit in front of you as if they were my people. They hear your words, but they will not do the things you say. They only want to do what feels good. They only want to cheat people and make more money.
32“‘You are nothing to these people but a singer singing love songs. You have a good voice. You play your instrument well. They listen to your words, but they will not do what you say. 33But the things you sing about really will happen, and then the people will know that there was a prophet living among them.’”
22The evening before that person came to me, the power of the Lord came on me. The Lord opened my mouth. So when that person came, I could speak again. 23Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 24“Son of man, there are Israelites who live in the ruined cities in Israel. They are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, and God gave him all this land. Now, we are many people, so surely this land belongs to us! It is our land!’
25“You must tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘You eat meat with the blood still in it. You look to your idols for help. You murder people, so why should I give you this land? 26You depend on your own sword. Each of you does terrible things. Each of you commits sexual sins with his neighbor’s wife, so you cannot have the land!’
27“‘You must tell them that this is what the Lord God says: “By my life, I promise that the people living in the ruined cities will be killed with a sword! If any people are out in the country, I will let animals kill and eat them. If people are hiding in the fortresses and the caves, they will die from disease. 28I will make the land empty and a waste. That country will lose all the things it was proud of. The mountains of Israel will become empty. No one will pass through that place. 29The people have done many terrible things, so I will make that place an empty wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
30“‘And now about you, son of man. Your people lean against the walls and stand in their doorways talking about you. They tell each other, “Come on, let’s go hear what the Lord says.” 31So they come to you as if they were my people. They sit in front of you as if they were my people. They hear your words, but they will not do the things you say. They only want to do what feels good. They only want to cheat people and make more money.
32“‘You are nothing to these people but a singer singing love songs. You have a good voice. You play your instrument well. They listen to your words, but they will not do what you say. 33But the things you sing about really will happen, and then the people will know that there was a prophet living among them.’”
34Chapter
Israel Is Like a Flock of Sheep
1The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, speak against the shepherds of Israel for me. Speak to them for me. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘You shepherds of Israel have only been feeding yourselves. It will be very bad for you! Why don’t you shepherds feed the flock? 3You eat the fat sheep and use their wool to make clothes for yourselves. You kill the fat sheep, but you don’t feed the flock. 4You have not made the weak strong. You have not cared for the sick sheep. You have not put bandages on the sheep that were hurt. Some of the sheep wandered away, and you did not go get them and bring them back. You did not go to look for the lost sheep. No, you were cruel and severe—that’s the way you tried to lead the sheep!
5“‘And now the sheep are scattered because there was no shepherd. They became food for every wild animal, so they were scattered. 6My flock wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My flock was scattered over all the face of the earth. There was no one to search or to look for them.’”
7So, you shepherds, listen to the word of the Lord. 8The Lord God says, “I swear that wild animals will catch my sheep, and my people will become food for all those animals because they did not have any real shepherds. My shepherds did not look out for my flock. They did not feed my flock. No, they only killed the sheep and fed themselves!”
9So, you shepherds, listen to the word of the Lord! 10The Lord God says, “I am against the shepherds. I will demand my sheep from them. I will fire them. They will not be my shepherds anymore. Then the shepherds will not be able to feed themselves, and I will save my flock from their mouths. Then my sheep will not be food for them.”
11The Lord God says, “I myself will be their Shepherd. I will search for my sheep and take care of them. 12If a shepherd is with his sheep when they begin to wander away, he will go searching for them. In the same way I will search for my sheep. I will save them and bring them back from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. 13I will bring them back from those nations. I will gather them from those countries and bring them back to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the places where people live. 14I will lead them to grassy fields. They will go to the place high on the mountains of Israel and lie down on good ground and eat the grass. They will eat in rich grassland on the mountains of Israel. 15Yes, I will feed my flock, and I will lead them to a place of rest.” This is what the Lord God said.
16“I will search for the lost sheep. I will bring back the sheep that were scattered and put bandages on the sheep that were hurt. I will make the weak sheep strong, but I will destroy the fat and powerful shepherds. I will feed them the punishment they deserve.”
17This is what the Lord God says: “And you, my flock, I will judge between one sheep and another. I will judge between the male sheep and the male goats. 18You can eat the grass growing on the good land. So why do you also crush the grass that other sheep want to eat? You can drink plenty of clear water. So why do you also stir the water that other sheep want to drink? 19My flock must eat the grass you crushed with your feet, and they must drink the water you stir with your feet!”
20So the Lord God says to them: “I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep! 21You push with your side and shoulder. You knock down all the weak sheep with your horns. You push until you have forced them away, 22so I will save my flock. They will not be caught by wild animals anymore. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23Then I will put one shepherd over them, my servant David. He will feed them and be their shepherd. 24Then I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be the ruler living among them. I, the Lord, have spoken.
25“And I will make a peace agreement with my sheep. I will take harmful animals away from the land. Then the sheep can be safe in the desert and sleep in the woods. 26I will bless the sheep and the places around my hill. I will cause the rains to fall at the right time and will shower them with blessings. 27And the trees growing in the field will produce their fruit. The earth will give its harvest, so the sheep will be safe on their land. I will break the yokes on them and save them from the power of the people who made them slaves. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 28They will not be caught like an animal by the nations anymore. Those animals will not eat them anymore. No, they will live safely. No one will make them afraid. 29I will give them some land that will make a good garden. Then they will not suffer from hunger in that land or suffer the insults from the nations anymore. 30Then they will know that I am the Lord their God. The family of Israel will know that I am with them and that they are my people.” This is what the Lord God said!
31“You are my sheep, the sheep of my grassland. You are only human beings, and I am your God.” This is what the Lord God said.
5“‘And now the sheep are scattered because there was no shepherd. They became food for every wild animal, so they were scattered. 6My flock wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My flock was scattered over all the face of the earth. There was no one to search or to look for them.’”
7So, you shepherds, listen to the word of the Lord. 8The Lord God says, “I swear that wild animals will catch my sheep, and my people will become food for all those animals because they did not have any real shepherds. My shepherds did not look out for my flock. They did not feed my flock. No, they only killed the sheep and fed themselves!”
9So, you shepherds, listen to the word of the Lord! 10The Lord God says, “I am against the shepherds. I will demand my sheep from them. I will fire them. They will not be my shepherds anymore. Then the shepherds will not be able to feed themselves, and I will save my flock from their mouths. Then my sheep will not be food for them.”
11The Lord God says, “I myself will be their Shepherd. I will search for my sheep and take care of them. 12If a shepherd is with his sheep when they begin to wander away, he will go searching for them. In the same way I will search for my sheep. I will save them and bring them back from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. 13I will bring them back from those nations. I will gather them from those countries and bring them back to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the places where people live. 14I will lead them to grassy fields. They will go to the place high on the mountains of Israel and lie down on good ground and eat the grass. They will eat in rich grassland on the mountains of Israel. 15Yes, I will feed my flock, and I will lead them to a place of rest.” This is what the Lord God said.
16“I will search for the lost sheep. I will bring back the sheep that were scattered and put bandages on the sheep that were hurt. I will make the weak sheep strong, but I will destroy the fat and powerful shepherds. I will feed them the punishment they deserve.”
17This is what the Lord God says: “And you, my flock, I will judge between one sheep and another. I will judge between the male sheep and the male goats. 18You can eat the grass growing on the good land. So why do you also crush the grass that other sheep want to eat? You can drink plenty of clear water. So why do you also stir the water that other sheep want to drink? 19My flock must eat the grass you crushed with your feet, and they must drink the water you stir with your feet!”
20So the Lord God says to them: “I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep! 21You push with your side and shoulder. You knock down all the weak sheep with your horns. You push until you have forced them away, 22so I will save my flock. They will not be caught by wild animals anymore. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23Then I will put one shepherd over them, my servant David. He will feed them and be their shepherd. 24Then I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be the ruler living among them. I, the Lord, have spoken.
25“And I will make a peace agreement with my sheep. I will take harmful animals away from the land. Then the sheep can be safe in the desert and sleep in the woods. 26I will bless the sheep and the places around my hill. I will cause the rains to fall at the right time and will shower them with blessings. 27And the trees growing in the field will produce their fruit. The earth will give its harvest, so the sheep will be safe on their land. I will break the yokes on them and save them from the power of the people who made them slaves. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 28They will not be caught like an animal by the nations anymore. Those animals will not eat them anymore. No, they will live safely. No one will make them afraid. 29I will give them some land that will make a good garden. Then they will not suffer from hunger in that land or suffer the insults from the nations anymore. 30Then they will know that I am the Lord their God. The family of Israel will know that I am with them and that they are my people.” This is what the Lord God said!
31“You are my sheep, the sheep of my grassland. You are only human beings, and I am your God.” This is what the Lord God said.
35Chapter
The Message Against Edom
1The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, look toward Mount Seir and speak against it for me. 3“‘I am against you, Mount Seir!
I will punish you and make you an empty wasteland.
4I will destroy your cities, and you will become empty. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
5“‘Why? Because you have always been against my people. You used your sword against Israel at the time of their trouble, at the time of their final punishment.’” 6So the Lord God says, “But I promise by my own life that I will let death have you. Death will chase you. You did not hate killing people, so death will chase you. 7I will make Mount Seir an empty ruin. I will kill everyone who enters or leaves that city. 8I will cover its mountains with those who are killed. There will be dead bodies all over your hills, in your valleys, and in all your ravines. 9I will make you empty forever. No one will live in your cities. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
10You said, “These two nations and countries, Israel and Judah, will be mine. We will take them for our own.” But the Lord is there! 11And the Lord God says, “You were jealous of my people. You were angry and hateful to them. So by my life, I swear that I will punish you the same way you hurt them! I will punish you and let my people know that I am with them. 12And then you, too, will know that I am the Lord. “I have heard you making fun of Israel’s hill country. You said, ‘It is in ruins, just waiting for us to swallow it up.’ 13Your proud boasting is really against me. Time after time you have insulted me, and I have heard every word.”
14This is what the Lord God says: “All the earth will be happy when I destroy you. 15You were happy when the country of Israel was destroyed. I will treat you the same way. Mount Seir and the whole country of Edom will be destroyed. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
4I will destroy your cities, and you will become empty. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
5“‘Why? Because you have always been against my people. You used your sword against Israel at the time of their trouble, at the time of their final punishment.’” 6So the Lord God says, “But I promise by my own life that I will let death have you. Death will chase you. You did not hate killing people, so death will chase you. 7I will make Mount Seir an empty ruin. I will kill everyone who enters or leaves that city. 8I will cover its mountains with those who are killed. There will be dead bodies all over your hills, in your valleys, and in all your ravines. 9I will make you empty forever. No one will live in your cities. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
10You said, “These two nations and countries, Israel and Judah, will be mine. We will take them for our own.” But the Lord is there! 11And the Lord God says, “You were jealous of my people. You were angry and hateful to them. So by my life, I swear that I will punish you the same way you hurt them! I will punish you and let my people know that I am with them. 12And then you, too, will know that I am the Lord. “I have heard you making fun of Israel’s hill country. You said, ‘It is in ruins, just waiting for us to swallow it up.’ 13Your proud boasting is really against me. Time after time you have insulted me, and I have heard every word.”
14This is what the Lord God says: “All the earth will be happy when I destroy you. 15You were happy when the country of Israel was destroyed. I will treat you the same way. Mount Seir and the whole country of Edom will be destroyed. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
36Chapter
The Land of Israel Will Be Rebuilt
1“Son of man, speak to the mountains of Israel for me. Tell them to listen to the word of the Lord! 2Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘The enemy said bad things against you. They said, Hurray! Now the ancient mountains will be ours!’
3“So speak to the mountains of Israel for me. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘The enemy destroyed your cities and attacked you from every direction. They did this so that you would belong to the other nations. Then people talked and whispered about you.’”
4So, mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord God! This is what the Lord God says to the mountains, hills, streams, valleys, empty ruins, and abandoned cities that have been looted and laughed at by the other nations around them. 5The Lord God says, “I swear, I will let my strong feelings speak for me! I will let Edom and the other nations feel my anger. They took my land for themselves. They really had a good time when they showed how much they hated this land. They took the land for themselves, just so they could destroy it.”
6“So say these things about the land of Israel. Speak to the mountains and to the hills, to the streams, and to the valleys. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will let my strong feelings and anger speak for me, because you had to suffer the insults from those nations.’”
7So this is what the Lord God says: “I am the one making this promise! I swear that the nations around you will have to suffer for those insults.
8“But mountains of Israel, you will grow new trees and produce fruit for my people Israel. My people will soon come back. 9I am with you, and I will help you. People will till your soil and plant seeds in you. 10There will be many people living on you. The whole family of Israel—all of them—will live there. The cities will have people living in them. The destroyed places will be rebuilt. 11I will give you many people and animals, and they will grow and have many children. I will bring people to live on you as in the past. I will make it better for you than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12Yes, I will lead many people—my people, Israel—to your land. You will be their property, and you will not take away their children again.”
13This is what the Lord God says: “Land of Israel, people say bad things to you. They say you destroyed your people. They say you took the children away from your people. 14But you will not destroy people anymore or take away their children again.” This is what the Lord God said. 15“I will not let those other nations insult you anymore. You will not be hurt by them anymore. You will not take the children away from your people again.” This is what the Lord God said.
3“So speak to the mountains of Israel for me. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘The enemy destroyed your cities and attacked you from every direction. They did this so that you would belong to the other nations. Then people talked and whispered about you.’”
4So, mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord God! This is what the Lord God says to the mountains, hills, streams, valleys, empty ruins, and abandoned cities that have been looted and laughed at by the other nations around them. 5The Lord God says, “I swear, I will let my strong feelings speak for me! I will let Edom and the other nations feel my anger. They took my land for themselves. They really had a good time when they showed how much they hated this land. They took the land for themselves, just so they could destroy it.”
6“So say these things about the land of Israel. Speak to the mountains and to the hills, to the streams, and to the valleys. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will let my strong feelings and anger speak for me, because you had to suffer the insults from those nations.’”
7So this is what the Lord God says: “I am the one making this promise! I swear that the nations around you will have to suffer for those insults.
8“But mountains of Israel, you will grow new trees and produce fruit for my people Israel. My people will soon come back. 9I am with you, and I will help you. People will till your soil and plant seeds in you. 10There will be many people living on you. The whole family of Israel—all of them—will live there. The cities will have people living in them. The destroyed places will be rebuilt. 11I will give you many people and animals, and they will grow and have many children. I will bring people to live on you as in the past. I will make it better for you than before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12Yes, I will lead many people—my people, Israel—to your land. You will be their property, and you will not take away their children again.”
13This is what the Lord God says: “Land of Israel, people say bad things to you. They say you destroyed your people. They say you took the children away from your people. 14But you will not destroy people anymore or take away their children again.” This is what the Lord God said. 15“I will not let those other nations insult you anymore. You will not be hurt by them anymore. You will not take the children away from your people again.” This is what the Lord God said.
The Lord Will Protect His Name
16Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 17“Son of man, the family of Israel lived in their own country, but they made that land filthy by the bad things they did. To me, they were like a woman who becomes unclean because of her monthly time of bleeding. 18They spilled blood on the ground when they murdered people in the land. They made the land filthy with their idols, so I showed them how angry I was. 19I scattered them among the nations and spread them through all the lands. I gave them the punishment they deserved for the bad things they did. 20But even in those other nations, they ruined my good name. How? Those nations said, ‘These are the Lord’s people, but they left his land.’
21“The people of Israel ruined my holy name wherever they went, and I felt sorry for my name. 22So tell the family of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: ‘Family of Israel, you ruined my holy name in the places where you went. I am going to do something to stop this. I will not do it for your sake, Israel. I will do it for my holy name. 23I will show the nations how holy my great name really is. You ruined my good name in those nations! But I will show you that I am holy. I will make you respect my name, and then those nations will know that I am the Lord.’” This is what the Lord God said.
24“I will take you out of those nations, gather you together, and bring you back to your own land. 25Then I will sprinkle pure water on you and make you pure. I will wash away all your filth, the filth from those nasty idols, and I will make you pure. 26I will also put a new spirit in you to change your way of thinking. I will take out the heart of stone from your body and give you a tender, human heart. 27I will put my Spirit inside you and change you so that you will obey my laws. You will carefully obey my commands. 28Then you will live in the land that I gave to your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God. 29Also, I will save you and keep you from becoming unclean. I will command the grain to grow. I will not bring a famine against you. 30I will give you large crops of fruit from your trees and the harvest from your fields so that you will never again feel the shame of being hungry in a foreign country. 31You will remember the bad things you did. You will remember that those things were not good. Then you will hate yourselves because of your sins and the terrible things you did.”
32The Lord God says, “I want you to remember this: I am not doing these things for your good! I am doing them for my good name. Family of Israel, you should be ashamed and embarrassed about the way you lived!”
33This is what the Lord God says: “On the day that I wash away your sins, I will bring people back to your cities. The ruined cities will be rebuilt. 34People will begin again to work the land so when other people pass by they will not see ruins anymore. 35They will say, ‘In the past, this land was ruined, but now it is like the Garden of Eden. The cities were destroyed. They were ruined and empty, but now they are protected, and there are people living in them.’
36“Then the nations that are still around you will know I am the Lord and that I rebuilt those places. I planted things in this land that was empty. I am the Lord. I said this, and I will make them happen!”
37This is what the Lord God says: “I will also let the family of Israel come to me and ask me to do these things for them. I will make them grow and become many people. They will be like flocks of sheep. 38During the special festivals, Jerusalem was filled with flocks of sheep and goats that had been made holy. In the same way the cities and ruined places will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
21“The people of Israel ruined my holy name wherever they went, and I felt sorry for my name. 22So tell the family of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: ‘Family of Israel, you ruined my holy name in the places where you went. I am going to do something to stop this. I will not do it for your sake, Israel. I will do it for my holy name. 23I will show the nations how holy my great name really is. You ruined my good name in those nations! But I will show you that I am holy. I will make you respect my name, and then those nations will know that I am the Lord.’” This is what the Lord God said.
24“I will take you out of those nations, gather you together, and bring you back to your own land. 25Then I will sprinkle pure water on you and make you pure. I will wash away all your filth, the filth from those nasty idols, and I will make you pure. 26I will also put a new spirit in you to change your way of thinking. I will take out the heart of stone from your body and give you a tender, human heart. 27I will put my Spirit inside you and change you so that you will obey my laws. You will carefully obey my commands. 28Then you will live in the land that I gave to your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God. 29Also, I will save you and keep you from becoming unclean. I will command the grain to grow. I will not bring a famine against you. 30I will give you large crops of fruit from your trees and the harvest from your fields so that you will never again feel the shame of being hungry in a foreign country. 31You will remember the bad things you did. You will remember that those things were not good. Then you will hate yourselves because of your sins and the terrible things you did.”
32The Lord God says, “I want you to remember this: I am not doing these things for your good! I am doing them for my good name. Family of Israel, you should be ashamed and embarrassed about the way you lived!”
33This is what the Lord God says: “On the day that I wash away your sins, I will bring people back to your cities. The ruined cities will be rebuilt. 34People will begin again to work the land so when other people pass by they will not see ruins anymore. 35They will say, ‘In the past, this land was ruined, but now it is like the Garden of Eden. The cities were destroyed. They were ruined and empty, but now they are protected, and there are people living in them.’
36“Then the nations that are still around you will know I am the Lord and that I rebuilt those places. I planted things in this land that was empty. I am the Lord. I said this, and I will make them happen!”
37This is what the Lord God says: “I will also let the family of Israel come to me and ask me to do these things for them. I will make them grow and become many people. They will be like flocks of sheep. 38During the special festivals, Jerusalem was filled with flocks of sheep and goats that had been made holy. In the same way the cities and ruined places will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
37Chapter
The Vision of the Dry Bones
1The Lord’s power came on me. The Spirit of the Lord carried me out of the city and put me down in the middle of the valley. The valley was full of dead men’s bones. 2There were many bones lying on the ground in the valley. The Lord made me walk all around among the bones. I saw the bones were very dry.
3Then the Lord said to me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” I answered, “Lord God, only you know the answer to that question.”
4Then he said to me, “Speak to these bones for me. Tell them, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5This is what the Lord God says to you: I will cause breath to come into you, and you will come to life! 6I will put sinew and muscles on you, and I will cover you with skin. Then I will put breath in you, and you will come back to life! Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
7So I spoke to the bones for the Lord, as he said. I was still speaking, when I heard the loud noise. The bones began to rattle, and bone joined together with bone! 8There before my eyes, I saw sinew and muscles begin to cover the bones. Skin began to cover them, but there was no breath in them.
9Then the Lord said to me, “Speak to the wind for me. Son of man, speak to the wind for me. Tell the wind that this is what the Lord God says: ‘Wind, come from every direction and breathe air into these dead bodies! Breathe into them and they will come to life again!’”
10So I spoke to the wind for the Lord, as he said, and the breath came into the dead bodies. They came to life and stood up. There were many men—a very large army!
11Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are like the whole family of Israel. The people of Israel say, ‘Our bones have dried up; our hope is gone. We have been completely destroyed!’ 12So speak to them for me. Tell them this is what the Lord God says: ‘My people, I will open your graves and bring you up out of them! Then I will bring you to the land of Israel. 13My people, I will open your graves and bring you up out of your graves, and then you will know that I am the Lord. 14I will put my Spirit in you, and you will come to life again. Then I will lead you back to your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord. You will know that I said this and that I made it happen.’” This is what the Lord said.
3Then the Lord said to me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” I answered, “Lord God, only you know the answer to that question.”
4Then he said to me, “Speak to these bones for me. Tell them, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5This is what the Lord God says to you: I will cause breath to come into you, and you will come to life! 6I will put sinew and muscles on you, and I will cover you with skin. Then I will put breath in you, and you will come back to life! Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
7So I spoke to the bones for the Lord, as he said. I was still speaking, when I heard the loud noise. The bones began to rattle, and bone joined together with bone! 8There before my eyes, I saw sinew and muscles begin to cover the bones. Skin began to cover them, but there was no breath in them.
9Then the Lord said to me, “Speak to the wind for me. Son of man, speak to the wind for me. Tell the wind that this is what the Lord God says: ‘Wind, come from every direction and breathe air into these dead bodies! Breathe into them and they will come to life again!’”
10So I spoke to the wind for the Lord, as he said, and the breath came into the dead bodies. They came to life and stood up. There were many men—a very large army!
11Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are like the whole family of Israel. The people of Israel say, ‘Our bones have dried up; our hope is gone. We have been completely destroyed!’ 12So speak to them for me. Tell them this is what the Lord God says: ‘My people, I will open your graves and bring you up out of them! Then I will bring you to the land of Israel. 13My people, I will open your graves and bring you up out of your graves, and then you will know that I am the Lord. 14I will put my Spirit in you, and you will come to life again. Then I will lead you back to your own land. Then you will know that I am the Lord. You will know that I said this and that I made it happen.’” This is what the Lord said.
Judah and Israel to Become One Again
15The word of the Lord came to me again. He said, 16“Son of man, get one stick and write this message on it: ‘This stick belongs to Judah and his friends, the people of Israel.’ Then take another stick and write on it, ‘This stick of Ephraim belongs to Joseph and his friends, the people of Israel.’ 17Then join the two sticks together. In your hand, they will be one stick.
18“Your people will ask you to explain what that means. 19Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim and his friends, the people of Israel. Then I will put that stick with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick. In my hand, they will become one stick!’
20“Take the sticks that you wrote on and hold them in front of you. 21Tell the people that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will gather them from all around and bring them back to their own land. 22I will make them one nation in their land among the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over them all. They will no longer be two nations. They will not be split into two kingdoms anymore. 23And they will no longer continue to make themselves filthy with their idols and horrible statues or with any of their other crimes. Instead, I will save them from all the places where they have sinned, and I will wash them and make them pure. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
24“‘And my servant David will be the king over them. There will be only one shepherd over all of them. They will live by my rules and obey my laws. They will do the things I tell them. 25They will live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob. Your ancestors lived in that place, and my people will live there. They and their children and their grandchildren will live there forever. My servant David will be their leader forever. 26And I will make a peace agreement with them. This agreement will continue forever. I agree to give them their land. I agree to make them numerous and to put my holy place among them forever. 27My Holy Tent will be with them. Yes, I will be their God and they will be my people. 28The other nations will know that I am the Lord, and they will know that I make Israel my special people by putting my holy place there among them forever.’”
18“Your people will ask you to explain what that means. 19Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim and his friends, the people of Israel. Then I will put that stick with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick. In my hand, they will become one stick!’
20“Take the sticks that you wrote on and hold them in front of you. 21Tell the people that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will gather them from all around and bring them back to their own land. 22I will make them one nation in their land among the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over them all. They will no longer be two nations. They will not be split into two kingdoms anymore. 23And they will no longer continue to make themselves filthy with their idols and horrible statues or with any of their other crimes. Instead, I will save them from all the places where they have sinned, and I will wash them and make them pure. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
24“‘And my servant David will be the king over them. There will be only one shepherd over all of them. They will live by my rules and obey my laws. They will do the things I tell them. 25They will live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob. Your ancestors lived in that place, and my people will live there. They and their children and their grandchildren will live there forever. My servant David will be their leader forever. 26And I will make a peace agreement with them. This agreement will continue forever. I agree to give them their land. I agree to make them numerous and to put my holy place among them forever. 27My Holy Tent will be with them. Yes, I will be their God and they will be my people. 28The other nations will know that I am the Lord, and they will know that I make Israel my special people by putting my holy place there among them forever.’”
38Chapter
The Message Against Gog
1The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2“Son of man, look toward Gog in the land of Magog. He is the most important leader of the nations of Meshech and Tubal. Speak for me against Gog. 3Tell him that this is what the Lord God says: ‘Gog, you are the most important leader of the nations of Meshech and Tubal, but I am against you. 4I will capture you and bring you back. I will bring back all the men in your army, all the horses, and horse soldiers. I will put hooks in your mouths, and I will bring all of you back. All the soldiers will be wearing their uniforms with all their shields and swords. 5Soldiers from Persia, Ethiopia, and Put will be with them. They will all be wearing their shields and helmets. 6There will also be Gomer with all its groups of soldiers, and there will be the nation of Togarmah from the far north with all its groups of soldiers. There will be many people in that parade of prisoners.
7“‘Be prepared. Yes, prepare yourself and the armies that have joined with you. You must watch and be ready. 8After a long time you will be called for duty. In the later years you will come into the land that has been healed from war. The people in that land were gathered from many nations and brought back to the mountains of Israel. In the past, the mountains of Israel had been destroyed again and again. But these people will have come back from those other nations. They all will have lived in safety. 9But you will come to attack them. You will come like a storm. You will come like a thundercloud covering the land. You and all your groups of soldiers from many nations will come to attack them.’”
10This is what the Lord God says: “At that time an idea will come into your mind. You will begin to make an evil plan. 11You will say, ‘I will go attack the country that has towns without walls. The people there live in peace and think they are safe. There are no walls around the cities to protect them. They don’t have any locks on their gates—they don’t even have gates! 12I will defeat them and take all their valuable things away from them. I will fight against the places that were destroyed but now have people living in them. I will fight against the people who were gathered from the nations. Now they have cattle and property. They live at the crossroads of the world. ’
13“Sheba, Dedan, and merchants of Tarshish and all the cities they trade with will ask you, ‘Did you come to capture valuable things? Did you bring your groups of soldiers together to grab the good things and to carry away silver, gold, cattle, and property? Did you come to take all those valuable things?’
14“Son of man, speak to Gog for me. Tell him that this is what the Lord God says: ‘You will come to attack my people while they are living in peace and safety. 15You will come from your place out of the far north, and you will bring many people with you. All of them will ride on horses. You will be a large and a powerful army. 16You will come to fight against my people Israel. You will be like a thundercloud covering the land. When that time comes, I will bring you to fight against my land. Then, Gog, the nations will learn how powerful I am! They will learn to respect me and know that I am holy. They will see what I will do to you!’”
17This is what the Lord God says: “At that time people will remember that I spoke about you in the past. They will remember that I used my servants, the prophets of Israel. They will remember that the prophets of Israel spoke for me in the past and said that I would bring you to fight against them.”
18The Lord God said, “At that time Gog will come to fight against the land of Israel. I will show my anger. 19In my anger and strong emotions, I make this promise: I promise that there will be a strong earthquake in the land of Israel. 20At that time all living things will shake with fear. The fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the wild animals in the fields, and all the little creatures crawling on the ground will shake with fear. The mountains will fall down and the cliffs will break apart. Every wall will fall to the ground!”
21The Lord God says, “On the mountains of Israel, I will call for every kind of terror against Gog. His soldiers will be so afraid that they will attack each other and kill each other with their swords. 22I will punish Gog with diseases and death. I will cause hailstones, fire, and sulfur to rain down on Gog and his groups of soldiers from many nations. 23Then I will show how great I am. I will prove that I am holy. Many nations will see me do these things, and they will learn who I am. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
7“‘Be prepared. Yes, prepare yourself and the armies that have joined with you. You must watch and be ready. 8After a long time you will be called for duty. In the later years you will come into the land that has been healed from war. The people in that land were gathered from many nations and brought back to the mountains of Israel. In the past, the mountains of Israel had been destroyed again and again. But these people will have come back from those other nations. They all will have lived in safety. 9But you will come to attack them. You will come like a storm. You will come like a thundercloud covering the land. You and all your groups of soldiers from many nations will come to attack them.’”
10This is what the Lord God says: “At that time an idea will come into your mind. You will begin to make an evil plan. 11You will say, ‘I will go attack the country that has towns without walls. The people there live in peace and think they are safe. There are no walls around the cities to protect them. They don’t have any locks on their gates—they don’t even have gates! 12I will defeat them and take all their valuable things away from them. I will fight against the places that were destroyed but now have people living in them. I will fight against the people who were gathered from the nations. Now they have cattle and property. They live at the crossroads of the world. ’
13“Sheba, Dedan, and merchants of Tarshish and all the cities they trade with will ask you, ‘Did you come to capture valuable things? Did you bring your groups of soldiers together to grab the good things and to carry away silver, gold, cattle, and property? Did you come to take all those valuable things?’
14“Son of man, speak to Gog for me. Tell him that this is what the Lord God says: ‘You will come to attack my people while they are living in peace and safety. 15You will come from your place out of the far north, and you will bring many people with you. All of them will ride on horses. You will be a large and a powerful army. 16You will come to fight against my people Israel. You will be like a thundercloud covering the land. When that time comes, I will bring you to fight against my land. Then, Gog, the nations will learn how powerful I am! They will learn to respect me and know that I am holy. They will see what I will do to you!’”
17This is what the Lord God says: “At that time people will remember that I spoke about you in the past. They will remember that I used my servants, the prophets of Israel. They will remember that the prophets of Israel spoke for me in the past and said that I would bring you to fight against them.”
18The Lord God said, “At that time Gog will come to fight against the land of Israel. I will show my anger. 19In my anger and strong emotions, I make this promise: I promise that there will be a strong earthquake in the land of Israel. 20At that time all living things will shake with fear. The fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the wild animals in the fields, and all the little creatures crawling on the ground will shake with fear. The mountains will fall down and the cliffs will break apart. Every wall will fall to the ground!”
21The Lord God says, “On the mountains of Israel, I will call for every kind of terror against Gog. His soldiers will be so afraid that they will attack each other and kill each other with their swords. 22I will punish Gog with diseases and death. I will cause hailstones, fire, and sulfur to rain down on Gog and his groups of soldiers from many nations. 23Then I will show how great I am. I will prove that I am holy. Many nations will see me do these things, and they will learn who I am. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
39Chapter
The Death of Gog and His Army
1“Son of man, speak against Gog for me. Tell him that this is what the Lord God says: ‘Gog, you are the most important leader of the countries Meshech and Tubal, but I am against you. 2I will capture you and bring you back. I will bring you from the far north. I will bring you to fight against the mountains of Israel. 3But I will knock your bow from your left hand and your arrows from your right hand. 4You will be killed on the mountains of Israel. You, your groups of soldiers, and all the other nations with you will be killed in the battle. I will give you as food to every kind of bird that eats meat and to all the wild animals. 5You will not enter the city. You will be killed out in the open fields. I have spoken!’” This is what the Lord God said.
6“I will send fire against Magog and those people living along the coast. They think they are safe, but they will know that I am the Lord. 7And I will make my holy name known among my people Israel. I will not let people ruin my holy name anymore. The nations will know that I am the Lord. They will know that I am the Holy One in Israel. 8That time is coming! It will happen!” This is what the Lord God said. “That is the day I am talking about.
9“At that time people living in the cities of Israel will go out to the fields. They will collect the enemy’s weapons and burn them. They will burn all the shields, bows and arrows, clubs and spears. They will use the weapons as firewood for seven years. 10They will not have to gather wood from the fields or chop firewood from the forests because they will use the weapons as firewood. They will take the valuable things from the soldiers who wanted to steal from them. They will take the good things from the soldiers who took good things from them.” This is what the Lord God said.
11“At that time I will choose a place in Israel to bury Gog. He will be buried in the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Dead Sea. It will block the road for travelers, because Gog and all his army will be buried in that place. People will call it ‘The Valley of Gog’s Army.’ 12It will take seven months for the family of Israel to bury them. They must do this to make the land pure. 13The common people will bury the enemy soldiers, and the people will become famous on the day that I bring honor to myself.” The Lord God said those things.
14“Workers will be given a full-time job burying the dead soldiers to make the land pure. The workers will work for seven months. They will go around looking for dead bodies. 15They will go around looking, and if anyone sees a bone, a marker will be put up by it. The sign will stay there until the gravediggers come and bury the bone in the Valley of Gog’s Army. 16The city of the dead will be named Hamonah. In this way they will make the country pure.”
17This is what the Lord God said: “Son of man, speak to all the birds and wild animals for me. Tell them, ‘Come here! Come here! Gather around. Come eat this sacrifice I am preparing for you. There will be a very big sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. Come, eat the meat and drink the blood. 18You will eat the meat from the bodies of powerful soldiers and drink the blood from world leaders. They will be like rams, lambs, goats, and fat bulls from Bashan. 19You can eat all the fat you want and drink blood until you are full. You will eat and drink from my sacrifice, which I will kill for you. 20You will have plenty of meat to eat at my table. There will be horses and chariot drivers, powerful soldiers, and all the other fighting men.’” This is what the Lord God said.
21“I will let the other nations see what I have done, and they will begin to respect me! They will see my power that I used against the enemy. 22Then from that day on, the family of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. 23And the nations will know why the family of Israel was carried away as prisoners to other countries. They will learn that my people turned against me, so I turned away from them. I let their enemies defeat them, so my people were killed in battle. 24They sinned and made themselves filthy, so I punished them for the things they did. I turned away from them and refused to help them.”
25So this is what the Lord God says: “Now I will bring the family of Jacob back from captivity. I will have mercy on the whole family of Israel. I will show my strong feelings for my holy name. 26The people will forget their shame and all the times they turned against me. They will live in safety on their own land. No one will make them afraid. 27I will bring my people back from other countries. I will gather them from the lands of their enemies. Then many nations will see how holy I am. 28They will know that I am the Lord their God. That is because I made them leave their homes and go as prisoners to other countries. But then I gathered them together again and brought them back to their own land. 29I will pour out my Spirit on the family of Israel, and I will never turn away from my people again.” This is what the Lord God said.
6“I will send fire against Magog and those people living along the coast. They think they are safe, but they will know that I am the Lord. 7And I will make my holy name known among my people Israel. I will not let people ruin my holy name anymore. The nations will know that I am the Lord. They will know that I am the Holy One in Israel. 8That time is coming! It will happen!” This is what the Lord God said. “That is the day I am talking about.
9“At that time people living in the cities of Israel will go out to the fields. They will collect the enemy’s weapons and burn them. They will burn all the shields, bows and arrows, clubs and spears. They will use the weapons as firewood for seven years. 10They will not have to gather wood from the fields or chop firewood from the forests because they will use the weapons as firewood. They will take the valuable things from the soldiers who wanted to steal from them. They will take the good things from the soldiers who took good things from them.” This is what the Lord God said.
11“At that time I will choose a place in Israel to bury Gog. He will be buried in the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Dead Sea. It will block the road for travelers, because Gog and all his army will be buried in that place. People will call it ‘The Valley of Gog’s Army.’ 12It will take seven months for the family of Israel to bury them. They must do this to make the land pure. 13The common people will bury the enemy soldiers, and the people will become famous on the day that I bring honor to myself.” The Lord God said those things.
14“Workers will be given a full-time job burying the dead soldiers to make the land pure. The workers will work for seven months. They will go around looking for dead bodies. 15They will go around looking, and if anyone sees a bone, a marker will be put up by it. The sign will stay there until the gravediggers come and bury the bone in the Valley of Gog’s Army. 16The city of the dead will be named Hamonah. In this way they will make the country pure.”
17This is what the Lord God said: “Son of man, speak to all the birds and wild animals for me. Tell them, ‘Come here! Come here! Gather around. Come eat this sacrifice I am preparing for you. There will be a very big sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. Come, eat the meat and drink the blood. 18You will eat the meat from the bodies of powerful soldiers and drink the blood from world leaders. They will be like rams, lambs, goats, and fat bulls from Bashan. 19You can eat all the fat you want and drink blood until you are full. You will eat and drink from my sacrifice, which I will kill for you. 20You will have plenty of meat to eat at my table. There will be horses and chariot drivers, powerful soldiers, and all the other fighting men.’” This is what the Lord God said.
21“I will let the other nations see what I have done, and they will begin to respect me! They will see my power that I used against the enemy. 22Then from that day on, the family of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. 23And the nations will know why the family of Israel was carried away as prisoners to other countries. They will learn that my people turned against me, so I turned away from them. I let their enemies defeat them, so my people were killed in battle. 24They sinned and made themselves filthy, so I punished them for the things they did. I turned away from them and refused to help them.”
25So this is what the Lord God says: “Now I will bring the family of Jacob back from captivity. I will have mercy on the whole family of Israel. I will show my strong feelings for my holy name. 26The people will forget their shame and all the times they turned against me. They will live in safety on their own land. No one will make them afraid. 27I will bring my people back from other countries. I will gather them from the lands of their enemies. Then many nations will see how holy I am. 28They will know that I am the Lord their God. That is because I made them leave their homes and go as prisoners to other countries. But then I gathered them together again and brought them back to their own land. 29I will pour out my Spirit on the family of Israel, and I will never turn away from my people again.” This is what the Lord God said.
40Chapter
The New Temple
1In the twenty-fifth year after we were taken away into captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, the Lord’s power came on me. This was fourteen years after the Babylonians took Jerusalem. On that day the Lord took me there in a vision.
2In a vision, God carried me to the land of Israel. He put me down near a very high mountain. On the mountain in front of me was a building that looked like a city. 3He took me to that place. There was a man there who looked like polished bronze. He had a cloth tape measure and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the gate. 4The man said to me, “Son of man, use your eyes and ears. Look at these things and listen to me. Pay attention to everything that I show you, because you have been brought here so that I can show you these things. You must tell the family of Israel all that you see.”
5I saw a wall that went all the way around the outside of the Temple. In the man’s hand there was a ruler for measuring things. It was 6 cubits long using the long measurement, so the man measured the thickness of the wall. It was one ruler thick. He measured the height of the wall. It was one ruler tall.
6Then the man went to the east gate. He walked up its steps and measured the opening for the gate. It was one ruler wide. 7The guardrooms were one ruler long and one ruler wide. The walls between the rooms were 5 cubits thick. The opening by the porch at the end of the gateway that faced the Temple was also one ruler wide. 8Then he measured the porch. 9It was 8 cubits long. He measured the walls on either side of the gate. Each side wall was 2 cubits wide. The porch was at the end of the gateway that faced the Temple. 10There were three little guardrooms on each side of the gateway. All these rooms and their side walls measured the same. 11The man measured the entrance to the gateway. It was 10 cubits wide and 13 cubits long. 12There was a low wall in front of each room. That wall was 1 cubit tall and 1 cubit thick. The rooms were square. Each wall was 6 cubits long.
13The man measured the gateway from the outside edge of the roof of one room to the outside edge of the roof of the opposite room. It was 25 cubits. Each door was directly opposite the other door. 14He measured the faces of all the side walls, including the side walls on either side of the porch at the courtyard. The total was 60 cubits. 15From the inside edge of the outer gate to the far end of the porch was 50 cubits. 16There were small windows above all the guardrooms, the side walls, and the porch. The wide part of the windows faced into the gateway. There were carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway.
2In a vision, God carried me to the land of Israel. He put me down near a very high mountain. On the mountain in front of me was a building that looked like a city. 3He took me to that place. There was a man there who looked like polished bronze. He had a cloth tape measure and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the gate. 4The man said to me, “Son of man, use your eyes and ears. Look at these things and listen to me. Pay attention to everything that I show you, because you have been brought here so that I can show you these things. You must tell the family of Israel all that you see.”
5I saw a wall that went all the way around the outside of the Temple. In the man’s hand there was a ruler for measuring things. It was 6 cubits long using the long measurement, so the man measured the thickness of the wall. It was one ruler thick. He measured the height of the wall. It was one ruler tall.
6Then the man went to the east gate. He walked up its steps and measured the opening for the gate. It was one ruler wide. 7The guardrooms were one ruler long and one ruler wide. The walls between the rooms were 5 cubits thick. The opening by the porch at the end of the gateway that faced the Temple was also one ruler wide. 8Then he measured the porch. 9It was 8 cubits long. He measured the walls on either side of the gate. Each side wall was 2 cubits wide. The porch was at the end of the gateway that faced the Temple. 10There were three little guardrooms on each side of the gateway. All these rooms and their side walls measured the same. 11The man measured the entrance to the gateway. It was 10 cubits wide and 13 cubits long. 12There was a low wall in front of each room. That wall was 1 cubit tall and 1 cubit thick. The rooms were square. Each wall was 6 cubits long.
13The man measured the gateway from the outside edge of the roof of one room to the outside edge of the roof of the opposite room. It was 25 cubits. Each door was directly opposite the other door. 14He measured the faces of all the side walls, including the side walls on either side of the porch at the courtyard. The total was 60 cubits. 15From the inside edge of the outer gate to the far end of the porch was 50 cubits. 16There were small windows above all the guardrooms, the side walls, and the porch. The wide part of the windows faced into the gateway. There were carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway.
The Outer Courtyard
17Then the man led me into the outer courtyard. I saw thirty rooms and a pavement that went all the way around the courtyard. The rooms were along the wall and faced in toward the pavement. 18The pavement was as wide as the gates were long. The pavement reached to the inside end of the gateway. This was the lower pavement. 19The man measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner courtyard. It was 100 cubits on the east side as well as on the north side.
20Then the man measured the length and width of the north gate that was in the wall surrounding the outer courtyard. 21This gateway, its three rooms on each side, and its porch all measured the same as the first gate. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 22Its windows, its porch, and its carvings of palm trees measured the same as the east gate. On the outside, there were seven steps leading up to the gate. Its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. 23Across the courtyard from the north gate, there was a gate to the inner courtyard. It was like the gate on the east. The man measured from the gate on the inner wall to the gate on the outer wall. It was 100 cubits from gate to gate.
24Then the man led me to the south wall. I saw a gate in the south wall. He measured its side walls and its porch. They measured the same as the other gates. 25The gateway and its porch had windows all around like the other gates. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 26There were seven steps going up to this gate. Its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. It had carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway. 27A gate was on the south side of the inner courtyard. The man measured from the gate on the inner wall to the gate on the outer wall. It was 100 cubits from gate to gate.
20Then the man measured the length and width of the north gate that was in the wall surrounding the outer courtyard. 21This gateway, its three rooms on each side, and its porch all measured the same as the first gate. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 22Its windows, its porch, and its carvings of palm trees measured the same as the east gate. On the outside, there were seven steps leading up to the gate. Its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. 23Across the courtyard from the north gate, there was a gate to the inner courtyard. It was like the gate on the east. The man measured from the gate on the inner wall to the gate on the outer wall. It was 100 cubits from gate to gate.
24Then the man led me to the south wall. I saw a gate in the south wall. He measured its side walls and its porch. They measured the same as the other gates. 25The gateway and its porch had windows all around like the other gates. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 26There were seven steps going up to this gate. Its porch was at the inside end of the gateway. It had carvings of palm trees on the walls that were on either side of the gateway. 27A gate was on the south side of the inner courtyard. The man measured from the gate on the inner wall to the gate on the outer wall. It was 100 cubits from gate to gate.
The Inner Courtyard
28Then the man led me through the south gate into the inner courtyard. He measured this gate. This gateway measured the same as the other gates to the inner courtyard. 29Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 30The porch was 25 cubits wide and 5 cubits long. 31And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.
32Then the man led me into the inner courtyard on the east side. He measured the gate. It measured the same as the other gates. 33Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 34And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.
35Then the man led me to the north gate. He measured it, and it measured the same as the other gates. 36Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 37And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.
32Then the man led me into the inner courtyard on the east side. He measured the gate. It measured the same as the other gates. 33Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 34And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.
35Then the man led me to the north gate. He measured it, and it measured the same as the other gates. 36Its rooms, side walls, and porch also measured the same as the other gates. There were windows all around the gateway and its porch. The gateway was 50 cubits long and 25 cubits wide. 37And its porch was at the end of the gateway next to the outer courtyard. Carvings of palm trees were on the walls on either side of the gateway. There were eight steps leading up to the gate.
The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices
38There was also a doorway in the side walls of the gates. That doorway led into a room where the priests washed the sacrifices. 39There were two tables on each side of the door of this porch. The animals for the burnt offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings were killed on these tables. 40There were also two tables on each side of the door on the outside wall of this porch. 41So there were four tables on the inside wall and four tables on the outside wall—eight tables that the priests used when they killed the animals for sacrifices. 42There were also four tables made from cut stone for the burnt offerings. These tables were 1 1/2 cubits long, 1 1/2 cubits wide, and 1 cubit high. On these tables, the priests put their tools that they used to kill the animals for the burnt offerings and other sacrifices. 43There were meat hooks three inches long on all the walls in this area. The meat of the offerings was put on the tables.
The Priests’ Rooms
44There were two rooms in the inner courtyard. One was by the north gate facing south. The other room was by the south gate facing north. 45The man said to me, “The room that looks to the south is for the priests who are on duty and serving in the Temple area. 46But the room that looks to the north is for the priests who are on duty and serving at the altar. The priests are from the tribe of Levi. But the priests in this second group are the descendants of Zadok. They are the only people who can carry the sacrifices to the altar to serve the Lord. ”
47The man measured the inner courtyard. The courtyard was a perfect square. It was 100 cubits long and 100 cubits wide. The altar was in front of the Temple.
47The man measured the inner courtyard. The courtyard was a perfect square. It was 100 cubits long and 100 cubits wide. The altar was in front of the Temple.
The Porch of the Temple
48Then the man led me to the porch of the Temple and measured the walls on either side of the porch. Each side wall was 5 cubits thick and 3 cubits wide. The opening between them was 14 cubits. 49The porch was 20 cubits wide and 12 cubits long. Ten steps went up to the porch. There were two columns for the walls on either side of the porch—one at each wall.
41Chapter
The Holy Place of the Temple
1Then the man led me into the Holy Place. He measured the walls on either side of the room. The side walls were 6 cubits thick on each side. 2The door was 10 cubits wide. The sides of the doorway were 5 cubits on each side. He measured that room. It was 40 cubits long and 20 cubits wide.
The Most Holy Place in the Temple
3Then the man went into the last room. He measured the walls on either side of the doorway. Each side wall was 2 cubits thick and 7 cubits wide. The doorway was 6 cubits wide. 4Then he measured the length of the room. It was 20 cubits long and 20 cubits wide. He said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.”
Other Rooms Around the Temple
5Then the man measured the wall of the Temple. It was 6 cubits thick. There were side rooms all around the Temple. They were 4 cubits wide. 6The side rooms were on three different floors, one above the other. There were 30 rooms on each floor. The wall of the Temple was built with ledges. The side rooms rested on these ledges but were not connected to the Temple wall itself. 7Each floor of the side rooms around the Temple was wider than the floor below. The walls of the rooms around the Temple became narrower the higher they went so that the rooms on the top floors were wider. A stairway went up from the lowest floor to the highest floor through the middle floor.
8I also saw that the Temple had a raised base all the way around it. It was the foundation for the side rooms, and it was a full ruler high. 9The outer wall of the side rooms was 5 cubits thick. There was an open area between the side rooms of the Temple 10and the priests’ rooms. It was 20 cubits wide and went all the way around the Temple. 11The doors of the side rooms opened onto the raised base. There was one entrance on the north side and one entrance on the south side. The raised base was 5 cubits wide all around.
12There was a building in this restricted area west of the Temple. The building was 70 cubits wide and 90 cubits long. The wall of the building was 5 cubits thick all around. 13Then the man measured the Temple. The Temple was 100 cubits long. The restricted area, including the building and its walls, was also 100 cubits long. 14The restricted area on the east side, in front of the Temple, was 100 cubits long.
15The man measured the length of the building in the restricted area at the rear of the Temple. It was 100 cubits from one wall to the other wall. The Most Holy Place, the Holy Place, and the porch by the courtyard 16had wood paneling on all the walls. All the windows and doors had wood trim around them. By the doorway, the Temple had wood paneling from the floor up to the windows and up to the part of the wall 17over the doorway. On all the walls in the inner room and the outer room of the Temple were carvings 18of Cherub angels and palm trees. A palm tree was between each Cherub angel. Every Cherub angel had two faces. 19One face was a man’s face looking toward the palm tree on one side. The other face was a lion’s face looking toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved all around on the Temple. 20From the floor to the area above the door, Cherub angels and palm trees were carved on all walls of the Holy Place.
21The walls on either side of the Holy Place were square. In front of the Most Holy Place, there was something that looked like 22an altar made from wood. It was 3 cubits high and 2 cubits long. Its corners, its base, and its sides were wood. The man said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.”
23Both the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place had a double door. 24Each of the doors was made from two smaller doors. Each door was really two swinging doors. 25Also Cherub angels and palm trees were carved on the doors of the Holy Place. They were like those carved on the walls. There was a wood roof over the front of the porch. 26There were windows with frames around them and palm trees on the walls on both sides of the porch, on the roof over the porch, and on the rooms around the Temple.
8I also saw that the Temple had a raised base all the way around it. It was the foundation for the side rooms, and it was a full ruler high. 9The outer wall of the side rooms was 5 cubits thick. There was an open area between the side rooms of the Temple 10and the priests’ rooms. It was 20 cubits wide and went all the way around the Temple. 11The doors of the side rooms opened onto the raised base. There was one entrance on the north side and one entrance on the south side. The raised base was 5 cubits wide all around.
12There was a building in this restricted area west of the Temple. The building was 70 cubits wide and 90 cubits long. The wall of the building was 5 cubits thick all around. 13Then the man measured the Temple. The Temple was 100 cubits long. The restricted area, including the building and its walls, was also 100 cubits long. 14The restricted area on the east side, in front of the Temple, was 100 cubits long.
15The man measured the length of the building in the restricted area at the rear of the Temple. It was 100 cubits from one wall to the other wall. The Most Holy Place, the Holy Place, and the porch by the courtyard 16had wood paneling on all the walls. All the windows and doors had wood trim around them. By the doorway, the Temple had wood paneling from the floor up to the windows and up to the part of the wall 17over the doorway. On all the walls in the inner room and the outer room of the Temple were carvings 18of Cherub angels and palm trees. A palm tree was between each Cherub angel. Every Cherub angel had two faces. 19One face was a man’s face looking toward the palm tree on one side. The other face was a lion’s face looking toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved all around on the Temple. 20From the floor to the area above the door, Cherub angels and palm trees were carved on all walls of the Holy Place.
21The walls on either side of the Holy Place were square. In front of the Most Holy Place, there was something that looked like 22an altar made from wood. It was 3 cubits high and 2 cubits long. Its corners, its base, and its sides were wood. The man said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.”
23Both the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place had a double door. 24Each of the doors was made from two smaller doors. Each door was really two swinging doors. 25Also Cherub angels and palm trees were carved on the doors of the Holy Place. They were like those carved on the walls. There was a wood roof over the front of the porch. 26There were windows with frames around them and palm trees on the walls on both sides of the porch, on the roof over the porch, and on the rooms around the Temple.
42Chapter
The Priests’ Room
1Then the man led me through the north gate out into the outer courtyard. He led me to a building with many rooms that was west of the restricted area and the building on the north side. 2This building was 100 cubits long and 50 cubits wide. People entered it from the courtyard on the north side. 3The building was three stories tall and had balconies. The 20-cubit inner courtyard was between the building and the Temple. On the other side, the rooms faced the pavement of the outer courtyard. 4There was a path 10 cubits wide and 100 cubits long running along the south side of the building, even though the entrance was on the north side. 5-6Since this building was three stories tall and did not have columns like those columns of the outer courtyards, the top rooms were farther back than the rooms on the middle and bottom floors. The top floor was narrower than the middle floor, which was narrower than the bottom floor because the balconies used this space. 7There was a wall outside that was parallel to the rooms and ran along the outer courtyard. It ran in front of the rooms for 50 cubits. 8The row of rooms that ran along the outer courtyard was 50 cubits long, although the total length of the building, as on the Temple side, was 100 cubits long. 9The entrance was below these rooms at the east end of the building so that people could enter from the outer courtyard. 10The entrance was at the start of the wall beside the courtyard.
There were rooms on the south side, by the restricted area and the other building. These rooms had a 11path in front of them. They were like the rooms on the north side. They had the same length and width and the same kind of doors. 12The entrance to the lower rooms was at the east end of the building so that people could enter from the open end of the path by the wall.
13The man said to me, “The north rooms and south rooms across from the restricted area are holy. These rooms are for the priests who offer the sacrifices to the Lord. That is where the priests will put the most holy offerings and eat them. That is because that place is holy. The most holy offerings are the grain offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. 14The priests who enter the holy area must leave their serving clothes in that holy place before they go out into the outer courtyard, because these clothes are holy. If a priest wants to go to the part of the Temple where the other people are, he must go to those rooms and put on other clothes.”
13The man said to me, “The north rooms and south rooms across from the restricted area are holy. These rooms are for the priests who offer the sacrifices to the Lord. That is where the priests will put the most holy offerings and eat them. That is because that place is holy. The most holy offerings are the grain offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. 14The priests who enter the holy area must leave their serving clothes in that holy place before they go out into the outer courtyard, because these clothes are holy. If a priest wants to go to the part of the Temple where the other people are, he must go to those rooms and put on other clothes.”
The Outer Courtyard
15The man had finished measuring inside the Temple area. Then he brought me out through the east gate and measured all around that area. 16He measured the east side with the ruler. It was 500 cubits long. 17He measured the north side. It was 500 cubits long. 18He measured the south side. It was 500 cubits long. 19He went around to the west side and measured it. It was 500 cubits long. 20He measured the four walls that went all the way around the Temple. The wall was 500 cubits long and 500 cubits wide. It separated the holy area from the area that is not holy.
43Chapter
The Lord Will Live Among His People
1The man led me to the east gate. 2There the Glory of the God of Israel came from the east. God’s voice was loud like the sound of the sea. The ground was bright with the light from the Glory of God. 3The vision that I saw was like the vision I saw by the Kebar Canal. I bowed with my face to the ground. 4The Glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gate.
5Then the Spirit picked me up and brought me into the inner courtyard. The Glory of the Lord filled the Temple. 6I heard someone speaking to me from inside the Temple. The man was still standing beside me. 7The voice from the Temple said to me, “Son of man, this is the place with my throne and footstool. I will live in this place among the people of Israel forever. The family of Israel will not ruin my holy name again. The kings and their people will not bring shame to my name by committing sexual sins or by burying the dead bodies of their kings in this place. 8They will not bring shame to my name by putting their threshold next to my threshold, and their doorposts next to my doorposts. In the past, only a wall separated them from me. So they brought shame to my name every time they sinned and did those terrible things. That is why I became angry and destroyed them. 9Now let them take their sexual sins and the dead bodies of their kings far away from me. Then I will live among them forever.
10“Now, son of man, tell the family of Israel about the Temple. Then, when they learn about the plans for the Temple, they will be ashamed of their sins. 11And they will be ashamed of all the bad things they have done. Let them know the design of the Temple. Let them know how it should be built, where the entrances and exits are, and all the designs on it. Teach them about all its rules and all its laws. Write these things for everyone to see so that they can obey all the laws and rules for the Temple. 12This is the law of the Temple: The whole area surrounding it on the top of the mountain is most holy. This is the law of the Temple.
5Then the Spirit picked me up and brought me into the inner courtyard. The Glory of the Lord filled the Temple. 6I heard someone speaking to me from inside the Temple. The man was still standing beside me. 7The voice from the Temple said to me, “Son of man, this is the place with my throne and footstool. I will live in this place among the people of Israel forever. The family of Israel will not ruin my holy name again. The kings and their people will not bring shame to my name by committing sexual sins or by burying the dead bodies of their kings in this place. 8They will not bring shame to my name by putting their threshold next to my threshold, and their doorposts next to my doorposts. In the past, only a wall separated them from me. So they brought shame to my name every time they sinned and did those terrible things. That is why I became angry and destroyed them. 9Now let them take their sexual sins and the dead bodies of their kings far away from me. Then I will live among them forever.
10“Now, son of man, tell the family of Israel about the Temple. Then, when they learn about the plans for the Temple, they will be ashamed of their sins. 11And they will be ashamed of all the bad things they have done. Let them know the design of the Temple. Let them know how it should be built, where the entrances and exits are, and all the designs on it. Teach them about all its rules and all its laws. Write these things for everyone to see so that they can obey all the laws and rules for the Temple. 12This is the law of the Temple: The whole area surrounding it on the top of the mountain is most holy. This is the law of the Temple.
The Altar
13“These are the measurements of the altar in cubits using the long measurement : There was a gutter all the way around the base of the altar. It was 1 cubit deep, and each side was 1 cubit wide. There was a rim around the edge 1 span high. This is how tall the altar was: 14From the ground to the lower ledge, the base measured 2 cubits. It was 1 cubit wide. It measured 4 cubits from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge. It was 2 cubits wide. 15The place for the fire on the altar was 4 cubits high. The four corners were shaped like horns. 16The place for the fire on the altar was 12 cubits long by 12 cubits wide. It was perfectly square. 17The ledge was also square, 14 cubits long by 14 cubits wide. The border around it was 1/2 cubit wide. (The gutter around the base was 1 cubit wide.) The steps going up to the altar were on the east side.”
18Then the man said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Lord God says: ‘These are the rules for the altar: At the time you build the altar, use these rules to offer burnt offerings and to sprinkle blood on it. 19You will give a young bull as a sin offering to the men from Zadok’s family. These men are the priests from the tribe of Levi. They are the men who serve me by bringing the offerings to me.’” This is what the Lord God said. 20“You will take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the altar’s four horns, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim around it. In this way you will make the altar pure. 21Then take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the proper place in the Temple area, outside the Temple building.
22“On the second day you will offer a male goat that has nothing wrong with it. It will be for a sin offering. The priests will make the altar pure the same way they made it pure with the bull. 23When you have finished making the altar pure, you will offer a young bull that has nothing wrong with it and a ram from the flock that has nothing wrong with it. 24Then you will offer them before the Lord. The priests will sprinkle salt on them. Then they will offer the bull and ram up as a burnt offering to the Lord. 25You will prepare a goat every day for seven days for a sin offering. Also, you will prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock. These animals must have nothing wrong with them. 26For seven days, the priests will make the altar pure and ready for use in worshiping God. 27On the eighth day, and every day after that, the priests must offer your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you.” This is what the Lord God said.
18Then the man said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Lord God says: ‘These are the rules for the altar: At the time you build the altar, use these rules to offer burnt offerings and to sprinkle blood on it. 19You will give a young bull as a sin offering to the men from Zadok’s family. These men are the priests from the tribe of Levi. They are the men who serve me by bringing the offerings to me.’” This is what the Lord God said. 20“You will take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the altar’s four horns, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim around it. In this way you will make the altar pure. 21Then take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the proper place in the Temple area, outside the Temple building.
22“On the second day you will offer a male goat that has nothing wrong with it. It will be for a sin offering. The priests will make the altar pure the same way they made it pure with the bull. 23When you have finished making the altar pure, you will offer a young bull that has nothing wrong with it and a ram from the flock that has nothing wrong with it. 24Then you will offer them before the Lord. The priests will sprinkle salt on them. Then they will offer the bull and ram up as a burnt offering to the Lord. 25You will prepare a goat every day for seven days for a sin offering. Also, you will prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock. These animals must have nothing wrong with them. 26For seven days, the priests will make the altar pure and ready for use in worshiping God. 27On the eighth day, and every day after that, the priests must offer your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you.” This is what the Lord God said.
44Chapter
The Outer Gate
1Then the man brought me back to the east gate of the Temple area. We were outside the gate and the gate was shut. 2The Lord said to me, “This gate will stay shut. It will not be opened. No one will enter through it, because the Lord of Israel has entered through it. So it must stay shut. 3Only the ruler of the people may sit at this gate when he eats a meal with the Lord. He must enter through the porch of the gateway and go out the same way.”
The Holiness of the Temple
4Then the man led me through the north gate to the front of the Temple. I looked and saw the Glory of the Lord filling the Lord’s Temple. I bowed with my face touching the ground. 5The Lord said to me, “Son of man, look very carefully! Use your eyes and ears. Look at these things, and listen very carefully to everything that I tell you about all the rules and laws about the Lord’s Temple. Look carefully at the entrances to the Temple and at all the exits from the holy place. 6Then give this message to all the people of Israel who refused to obey me. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God said: Family of Israel, I have had enough of the terrible things you have done! 7You brought foreigners into my Temple who are not circumcised and have not given themselves to me. In this way you made my Temple unclean. You broke our agreement and did terrible things, and then you gave me the offerings of bread, the fat, and the blood. But this only made my Temple unclean. 8You did not take care of my holy things. No, you let foreigners have responsibility of my holy place!’”
9This is what the Lord God says: “A foreigner who is not truly circumcised must not come into my Temple—not even a foreigner living permanently among the people of Israel. He must be circumcised, and he must give himself completely to me before he can come into my Temple. 10In the past, the Levites left me when Israel turned away from me. Israel left me to follow their idols. The Levites will be punished for their sin. 11The Levites were chosen to serve in my holy place. They guarded the gates of the Temple. They served in the Temple. They killed the animals for the sacrifices and burnt offerings for the people. They were chosen to help the people and to serve them. 12But the Levites helped the people sin against me! They helped the people worship their idols! So I am making this promise against them: ‘They will be punished for their sin.’” This is what the Lord God said.
13“So the Levites will not bring offerings to me like the priests. They will not come near any of my holy things or the things that are most holy. They must carry their shame because of the terrible things that they did. 14But I will let them take care of the Temple. They will work in the Temple and do the things that must be done in it.
15“The priests are all from the tribe of Levi. But only priests from Zadok’s family took care of my holy place when the people of Israel turned away from me. So only Zadok’s descendants will bring offerings to me. They will stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood from the animals they sacrifice.” This is what the Lord God said! 16“They will enter my holy place and come near my table to serve me. They will take care of the things I gave them. 17When they enter the gates of the inner courtyard, they will wear linen clothes. They will not wear wool while they serve at the gates of the inner courtyard and in the Temple. 18They will wear linen turbans on their heads, and they will wear linen underwear. They will not wear anything that makes them sweat. 19Before they go out into the outer courtyard to the people, they will take off the clothes they wear while serving me. They will put these clothes away in the holy rooms. Then they will put on other clothes. In this way they will not let people touch those holy clothes.
20“These priests will not shave their heads or let their hair grow long. The priests may only trim the hair of their heads. 21None of the priests may drink wine when they go into the inner courtyard. 22The priests must not marry a widow or a divorced woman. No, they must only marry a virgin from the family of Israel or a woman whose dead husband was a priest.
23“Also, the priests must teach my people the difference between things that are holy and things that are not holy. They must help my people know what is clean and what is unclean. 24The priests will be the judges in court. They will follow my laws when they judge people. They will obey my laws and my rules at all my special feasts. They will respect my special days of rest and keep them holy. 25They will not go near a dead person to make themselves unclean. But they may make themselves unclean if the dead person is their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or a sister who is not married. 26After the priest has been made clean, he must wait seven days. 27Then he can go back into the holy place. But on the day he goes into the inner courtyard to serve in the holy place, he must offer a sin offering for himself.” This is what the Lord God said.
28“About the land that will belong to the Levites: I am their property. You will not give the Levites any land in Israel. I am their share in Israel. 29They will have the right to eat the grain offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. Also, anything in Israel that is a special gift to God will belong to them. 30And the first part of the harvest from every kind of crop will be for the priests. You will also give the priests the first part of your flour. This will bring blessings to your house. 31The priests must not eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or has been torn to pieces by a wild animal.
9This is what the Lord God says: “A foreigner who is not truly circumcised must not come into my Temple—not even a foreigner living permanently among the people of Israel. He must be circumcised, and he must give himself completely to me before he can come into my Temple. 10In the past, the Levites left me when Israel turned away from me. Israel left me to follow their idols. The Levites will be punished for their sin. 11The Levites were chosen to serve in my holy place. They guarded the gates of the Temple. They served in the Temple. They killed the animals for the sacrifices and burnt offerings for the people. They were chosen to help the people and to serve them. 12But the Levites helped the people sin against me! They helped the people worship their idols! So I am making this promise against them: ‘They will be punished for their sin.’” This is what the Lord God said.
13“So the Levites will not bring offerings to me like the priests. They will not come near any of my holy things or the things that are most holy. They must carry their shame because of the terrible things that they did. 14But I will let them take care of the Temple. They will work in the Temple and do the things that must be done in it.
15“The priests are all from the tribe of Levi. But only priests from Zadok’s family took care of my holy place when the people of Israel turned away from me. So only Zadok’s descendants will bring offerings to me. They will stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood from the animals they sacrifice.” This is what the Lord God said! 16“They will enter my holy place and come near my table to serve me. They will take care of the things I gave them. 17When they enter the gates of the inner courtyard, they will wear linen clothes. They will not wear wool while they serve at the gates of the inner courtyard and in the Temple. 18They will wear linen turbans on their heads, and they will wear linen underwear. They will not wear anything that makes them sweat. 19Before they go out into the outer courtyard to the people, they will take off the clothes they wear while serving me. They will put these clothes away in the holy rooms. Then they will put on other clothes. In this way they will not let people touch those holy clothes.
20“These priests will not shave their heads or let their hair grow long. The priests may only trim the hair of their heads. 21None of the priests may drink wine when they go into the inner courtyard. 22The priests must not marry a widow or a divorced woman. No, they must only marry a virgin from the family of Israel or a woman whose dead husband was a priest.
23“Also, the priests must teach my people the difference between things that are holy and things that are not holy. They must help my people know what is clean and what is unclean. 24The priests will be the judges in court. They will follow my laws when they judge people. They will obey my laws and my rules at all my special feasts. They will respect my special days of rest and keep them holy. 25They will not go near a dead person to make themselves unclean. But they may make themselves unclean if the dead person is their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or a sister who is not married. 26After the priest has been made clean, he must wait seven days. 27Then he can go back into the holy place. But on the day he goes into the inner courtyard to serve in the holy place, he must offer a sin offering for himself.” This is what the Lord God said.
28“About the land that will belong to the Levites: I am their property. You will not give the Levites any land in Israel. I am their share in Israel. 29They will have the right to eat the grain offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. Also, anything in Israel that is a special gift to God will belong to them. 30And the first part of the harvest from every kind of crop will be for the priests. You will also give the priests the first part of your flour. This will bring blessings to your house. 31The priests must not eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or has been torn to pieces by a wild animal.
45Chapter
The Division of the Land for Holy Use
1“You will divide the land for the Israelite tribes by throwing lots. At that time you will separate out a part of the land. It will be a holy part for the Lord. The land will be 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits wide. All this land will be holy. 2A square area that is 500 cubits long on each side will be for the Temple. There will be an open space around the Temple that is 50 cubits wide. 3In the holy area you will measure 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. The Temple will be in this area. The Temple area will be the Most Holy Place.
4“This holy part of the land will be for the priests, the servants of the Temple. This is where they approach the Lord to serve him. It will be a place for the priests’ houses and a place for the Temple. 5Another area, 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide, will be for the Levites who serve in the Temple. This land will also become cities for the Levites.
6“And you will give the city an area that is 5000 cubits wide and 25,000 cubits long. It will be along the side of the holy area. It will be for all the family of Israel. 7The ruler will have land on both sides of the holy area and the land belonging to the city. It will be next to the holy area and the area belonging to the city. It will be the same width as the land that belongs to a tribe. It will go all the way from the west border to the east border. 8This land will be the ruler’s property in Israel. So he will not need to make life hard for my people anymore. But they will give the land to the Israelites for their tribes.”
9This is what the Lord God said: “Enough, you rulers of Israel! Stop being cruel and stealing things from people! Be fair and do what is right! Stop forcing my people out from their homes!” This is what the Lord God said.
10“Stop cheating people. Use accurate scales and measures! 11The ephah and the bath must be the same size: A bath and an ephah must both equal 1/10 homer. Those measures will be based on the homer. 12A shekel must equal 20 gerahs. A mina must equal 60 shekels. It must be equal to 20 shekels plus 25 shekels plus 15 shekels.
13“This is a special offering that you must give: 1/6 ephah of wheat for every homer of wheat; 1/6 ephah of barley for every homer of barley;
141/10 bath of olive oil for every cor of olive oil; (Remember: Ten baths make a homer, and ten baths make a cor.)
15and one sheep for every 200 sheep from every watering hole in Israel. “Those special offerings are for the grain offerings, for the burnt offerings, and for the fellowship offerings. These offerings are to remove the sins of the people.” This is what the Lord God said.
16“Everyone in the country will give to this offering for the ruler of Israel. 17But the ruler must give the things needed for the special holy days. The ruler must provide the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the drink offerings for the feast days, for the New Moon, for the Sabbaths, and for all the other special meeting days of the family of Israel. He must give all the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings that are used to make the family of Israel pure.”
18This is what the Lord God says: “In the first month, on the first day of the month, you will take a young bull that has nothing wrong with it. You must use that bull to make the Temple pure. 19The priest will take some of the blood from the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the Temple and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar and on the posts of the gate to the inner courtyard. 20You will do the same thing on the seventh day of that month for anyone who has sinned by mistake or without knowing it. So you will make the Temple pure.
4“This holy part of the land will be for the priests, the servants of the Temple. This is where they approach the Lord to serve him. It will be a place for the priests’ houses and a place for the Temple. 5Another area, 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide, will be for the Levites who serve in the Temple. This land will also become cities for the Levites.
6“And you will give the city an area that is 5000 cubits wide and 25,000 cubits long. It will be along the side of the holy area. It will be for all the family of Israel. 7The ruler will have land on both sides of the holy area and the land belonging to the city. It will be next to the holy area and the area belonging to the city. It will be the same width as the land that belongs to a tribe. It will go all the way from the west border to the east border. 8This land will be the ruler’s property in Israel. So he will not need to make life hard for my people anymore. But they will give the land to the Israelites for their tribes.”
9This is what the Lord God said: “Enough, you rulers of Israel! Stop being cruel and stealing things from people! Be fair and do what is right! Stop forcing my people out from their homes!” This is what the Lord God said.
10“Stop cheating people. Use accurate scales and measures! 11The ephah and the bath must be the same size: A bath and an ephah must both equal 1/10 homer. Those measures will be based on the homer. 12A shekel must equal 20 gerahs. A mina must equal 60 shekels. It must be equal to 20 shekels plus 25 shekels plus 15 shekels.
13“This is a special offering that you must give: 1/6 ephah of wheat for every homer of wheat; 1/6 ephah of barley for every homer of barley;
141/10 bath of olive oil for every cor of olive oil; (Remember: Ten baths make a homer, and ten baths make a cor.)
15and one sheep for every 200 sheep from every watering hole in Israel. “Those special offerings are for the grain offerings, for the burnt offerings, and for the fellowship offerings. These offerings are to remove the sins of the people.” This is what the Lord God said.
16“Everyone in the country will give to this offering for the ruler of Israel. 17But the ruler must give the things needed for the special holy days. The ruler must provide the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the drink offerings for the feast days, for the New Moon, for the Sabbaths, and for all the other special meeting days of the family of Israel. He must give all the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings that are used to make the family of Israel pure.”
18This is what the Lord God says: “In the first month, on the first day of the month, you will take a young bull that has nothing wrong with it. You must use that bull to make the Temple pure. 19The priest will take some of the blood from the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the Temple and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar and on the posts of the gate to the inner courtyard. 20You will do the same thing on the seventh day of that month for anyone who has sinned by mistake or without knowing it. So you will make the Temple pure.
Offerings During the Passover
21“On the 14th day of the first month, you must celebrate the Passover. The Festival of Unleavened Bread begins at this time. It continues for seven days. 22At that time the ruler will offer a bull for himself and for all the people of Israel. The bull will be for a sin offering. 23During the seven days of the festival, the ruler will offer seven bulls and seven rams that have nothing wrong with them. They will be burnt offerings to the Lord. The ruler will offer one bull on every day of the seven days of the festival, and he will offer a male goat every day for a sin offering. 24The ruler will give an ephah of barley as a grain offering with each bull, and an ephah of barley with each ram. He must give a hin of oil for each ephah of grain. 25He must do the same thing for the seven days of the Festival of Shelters. This festival begins on the 15th day of the seventh month. These offerings will be the sin offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the oil offering.”
46Chapter
The Ruler and the Festivals
1This is what the Lord God says: “The east gate of the inner courtyard will be closed on the six working days. But it will be opened on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon. 2The ruler will go into the porch of that gate and stand by the gatepost. Then the priests will offer the ruler’s burnt offering and fellowship offerings. The ruler will worship at the opening of that gate and then go out. But the gate will not be shut until evening. 3On the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon, the common people will also worship the Lord at that gate.
4“The ruler will offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the Sabbath. He must provide six lambs that have nothing wrong with them and a ram that has nothing wrong with it. 5He must give an ephah of grain offering with the ram. As for the grain offering with the lambs, the ruler can give as much as he wants. But he must give 1 hin of olive oil for each ephah of grain.
6“On the day of the New Moon he must offer a young bull that has nothing wrong with it. He will also offer six lambs and a ram that have nothing wrong with them. 7The ruler must give an ephah of grain as an offering with the bull and an ephah of grain as an offering with the ram. As for the grain offering with the lambs, he can give as much as he wants. But he must give 1 hin of olive oil for each ephah of grain.
8“When the ruler goes in, he must enter at the porch of the east gate—and he must leave that same way.
9“When the common people come to meet with the Lord at the special festivals, whoever enters through the north gate to worship will go out through the south gate, and whoever enters through the south gate will go out through the north gate. People must not return the same way they entered. Each person must go out straight ahead. 10The ruler should be there among the people. When the people go in, the ruler will go in with them, and when they go out, the ruler will too.
11“At the festivals and other special meetings, an ephah of grain as an offering must be offered with each young bull, and an ephah of grain as an offering must be offered with each ram. As for the grain offering with the lambs, the ruler can give as much as he wants. But he must give 1 hin of olive oil for each ephah of grain.
12“When the ruler gives a freewill offering to the Lord—it might be a burnt offering, a fellowship offering, or a freewill offering—the east gate will be opened for him. Then he will offer his burnt offering and his fellowship offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. After he leaves, the gate will be shut.
4“The ruler will offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the Sabbath. He must provide six lambs that have nothing wrong with them and a ram that has nothing wrong with it. 5He must give an ephah of grain offering with the ram. As for the grain offering with the lambs, the ruler can give as much as he wants. But he must give 1 hin of olive oil for each ephah of grain.
6“On the day of the New Moon he must offer a young bull that has nothing wrong with it. He will also offer six lambs and a ram that have nothing wrong with them. 7The ruler must give an ephah of grain as an offering with the bull and an ephah of grain as an offering with the ram. As for the grain offering with the lambs, he can give as much as he wants. But he must give 1 hin of olive oil for each ephah of grain.
8“When the ruler goes in, he must enter at the porch of the east gate—and he must leave that same way.
9“When the common people come to meet with the Lord at the special festivals, whoever enters through the north gate to worship will go out through the south gate, and whoever enters through the south gate will go out through the north gate. People must not return the same way they entered. Each person must go out straight ahead. 10The ruler should be there among the people. When the people go in, the ruler will go in with them, and when they go out, the ruler will too.
11“At the festivals and other special meetings, an ephah of grain as an offering must be offered with each young bull, and an ephah of grain as an offering must be offered with each ram. As for the grain offering with the lambs, the ruler can give as much as he wants. But he must give 1 hin of olive oil for each ephah of grain.
12“When the ruler gives a freewill offering to the Lord—it might be a burnt offering, a fellowship offering, or a freewill offering—the east gate will be opened for him. Then he will offer his burnt offering and his fellowship offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. After he leaves, the gate will be shut.
The Daily Offering
13“Every day you will provide a year-old lamb that has nothing wrong with it. It will be for a burnt offering to the Lord. You will provide it every morning. 14Also, you will offer a grain offering with the lamb every morning. You will give 1/6 ephah of flour and 1/3 hin of oil to make the fine flour moist. It will be the daily grain offering to the Lord. 15So they will give the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil every morning for a burnt offering forever.”
Laws of Inheritance for the Ruler
16This is what the Lord God says: “If the ruler gives a gift from part of his land to any of his sons, it will belong to his sons. It is their property. 17But if the ruler gives a gift from part of his land to one of his slaves, the gift will belong to the slave only until the year of freedom. Then the gift will go back to the ruler. Only the ruler’s sons will keep a gift of land from the ruler. 18And the ruler will not take any of the people’s land or force them to leave their land. He must give some of his own land to his sons. In that way my people will not be forced to lose their land.”
The Special Kitchens
19The man led me through the entrance at the side of the gate. He led me to the holy rooms for the priests on the north side. There I saw a place at the west end of the path. 20The man said to me, “This is where the priests will boil the guilt offering and the sin offering and will bake the grain offering. Why? So they will not need to bring these offerings out into the outer courtyard. So they will not bring those holy things out where the common people are.”
21Then the man led me out to the outer courtyard. He led me to the four corners of the courtyard. I saw smaller courtyards in each corner of the large courtyard. 22There was a small, enclosed area in each of the four corners of the courtyard. Each small courtyard was 40 cubits long and 30 cubits wide. The four areas measured the same. 23There was a brick wall around each of the four small courtyards, and there were places built into the brick walls for cooking. 24The man said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who serve at the Temple cook the sacrifices for the people.”
21Then the man led me out to the outer courtyard. He led me to the four corners of the courtyard. I saw smaller courtyards in each corner of the large courtyard. 22There was a small, enclosed area in each of the four corners of the courtyard. Each small courtyard was 40 cubits long and 30 cubits wide. The four areas measured the same. 23There was a brick wall around each of the four small courtyards, and there were places built into the brick walls for cooking. 24The man said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who serve at the Temple cook the sacrifices for the people.”
47Chapter
The Water Flowing From the Temple
1The man led me back to the entrance of the Temple. I saw water coming out from under the east gate of the Temple. (The front of the Temple is on the east side.) The water flowed down from under the south end of the Temple and ran south of the altar. 2The man led me out through the north gate and then around the outside to the outer gate on the east side. The water was flowing out on the south side of the gate.
3The man walked east with a tape measure in his hand. He measured 1000 cubits. Then he told me to walk through the water at that place. The water was only ankle deep. 4He measured another 1000 cubits. Then he told me to walk through the water at that place. There the water came up to my knees. Then he measured another 1000 cubits and told me to walk through the water at that place. There the water was waist deep. 5He measured another 1000 cubits, but there the water was too deep to cross. It had become a river. The water was deep enough to swim in. It was a river that was too deep to cross. 6Then the man said to me, “Son of man, did you pay close attention to the things you saw?” Then the man led me back along the side of the river. 7As I walked back along the side of the river, I saw many trees on both sides of the water. 8He said to me, “This water flows east, down to the Arabah Valley. 9This water flows into the Dead Sea so that the water in that sea becomes fresh and clean. There are many fish in this water, and all kinds of animals live where this river goes. 10You can see fishermen standing by the river all the way from En Gedi to En Eglaim. You can see them throwing their fishing nets and catching many kinds of fish. There are as many kinds of fish in the Dead Sea as there are in the Mediterranean Sea. 11But the swamps and small marshes will not become fresh. They will be left for salt. 12All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves never will become dry and fall. The fruit will never stop growing on those trees. The trees will produce fruit every month, because the water for the trees comes from the Temple. The fruit from the trees will be for food, and their leaves will be for healing.”
3The man walked east with a tape measure in his hand. He measured 1000 cubits. Then he told me to walk through the water at that place. The water was only ankle deep. 4He measured another 1000 cubits. Then he told me to walk through the water at that place. There the water came up to my knees. Then he measured another 1000 cubits and told me to walk through the water at that place. There the water was waist deep. 5He measured another 1000 cubits, but there the water was too deep to cross. It had become a river. The water was deep enough to swim in. It was a river that was too deep to cross. 6Then the man said to me, “Son of man, did you pay close attention to the things you saw?” Then the man led me back along the side of the river. 7As I walked back along the side of the river, I saw many trees on both sides of the water. 8He said to me, “This water flows east, down to the Arabah Valley. 9This water flows into the Dead Sea so that the water in that sea becomes fresh and clean. There are many fish in this water, and all kinds of animals live where this river goes. 10You can see fishermen standing by the river all the way from En Gedi to En Eglaim. You can see them throwing their fishing nets and catching many kinds of fish. There are as many kinds of fish in the Dead Sea as there are in the Mediterranean Sea. 11But the swamps and small marshes will not become fresh. They will be left for salt. 12All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves never will become dry and fall. The fruit will never stop growing on those trees. The trees will produce fruit every month, because the water for the trees comes from the Temple. The fruit from the trees will be for food, and their leaves will be for healing.”
Division of the Land for the Tribes
13This is what the Lord God says: “These are the borders for dividing the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will have two parts. 14You will divide the land equally. I promised to give this land to your ancestors, so I am giving this land to you.
15“These are the borders of the land: On the north side, it goes from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon where the road turns toward Hamath and on to Zedad, 16Berothah, Sibraim (which is on the border between Damascus and Hamath) and Hazer Hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17So the border will go from the sea to Hazar Enan on the northern border of Damascus and Hamath. This will be on the north side.
18“On the east side, the border will go from Hazar Enan between Hauran and Damascus and continue along the Jordan River between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the eastern sea and all the way to Tamar. This will be the eastern border.
19“On the south side, the border will go from Tamar all the way to the oasis at Meribah-kadesh. Then it will go along the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. This will be the southern border.
20“On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the border all the way to the area in front of Lebo Hamath. This will be your western border.
21“So you will divide this land among you for the tribes of Israel. 22You will divide it as a property for yourselves and for the foreigners who live among you and who have had children among you. These foreigners will be residents—they will be like natural born Israelites. You will divide some land for them among the tribes of Israel. 23The tribe where that resident lives must give him some land.” This is what the Lord God said!
15“These are the borders of the land: On the north side, it goes from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon where the road turns toward Hamath and on to Zedad, 16Berothah, Sibraim (which is on the border between Damascus and Hamath) and Hazer Hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17So the border will go from the sea to Hazar Enan on the northern border of Damascus and Hamath. This will be on the north side.
18“On the east side, the border will go from Hazar Enan between Hauran and Damascus and continue along the Jordan River between Gilead and the land of Israel, to the eastern sea and all the way to Tamar. This will be the eastern border.
19“On the south side, the border will go from Tamar all the way to the oasis at Meribah-kadesh. Then it will go along the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. This will be the southern border.
20“On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the border all the way to the area in front of Lebo Hamath. This will be your western border.
21“So you will divide this land among you for the tribes of Israel. 22You will divide it as a property for yourselves and for the foreigners who live among you and who have had children among you. These foreigners will be residents—they will be like natural born Israelites. You will divide some land for them among the tribes of Israel. 23The tribe where that resident lives must give him some land.” This is what the Lord God said!
48Chapter
The Land for the Tribes of Israel
1-7“The northern border goes east from the Mediterranean Sea to Hethlon to Hamath Pass and then all the way to Hazar Enan. This is on the border between Damascus and Hamath. The land for the tribes in this group will go from the east of these borders to the west. From north to south, the tribes in this area are Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Judah.
The Special Section of Land
8“The next area of land will be for a special use. This land is south of Judah’s land. This area is 25,000 cubits long from north to south. From east to west, it will be as wide as the land that belongs to the other tribes. The Temple will be in the middle of this section of land. 9You will dedicate this land to the Lord. It will be 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits wide. 10This special area of land will be divided among the priests and Levites.
“The priests will get one part of this area. The land will be 25,000 cubits long on the north side, 10,000 cubits wide on the west side, 10,000 cubits wide on the east side, and 25,000 cubits long on the south side. The Lord’s Temple will be in the middle of this area of land. 11This land is for Zadok’s descendants. These men were chosen to be my holy priests, because they continued to serve me when the other people of Israel left me. Zadok’s family did not leave me like the other people from the tribe of Levi. 12This share from this holy part of the land will be especially for these priests. It will be next to the land of the Levites.
13“Next to the land for the priests, the Levites will have a share of the land. It will be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. They will get the full length and width of this land—25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits wide. 14The Levites will not sell or trade any of this land. They will not be able to sell any of it. They must not cut up this part of the country, because this land belongs to the Lord—it is very special. It is the best part of the land.
13“Next to the land for the priests, the Levites will have a share of the land. It will be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. They will get the full length and width of this land—25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits wide. 14The Levites will not sell or trade any of this land. They will not be able to sell any of it. They must not cut up this part of the country, because this land belongs to the Lord—it is very special. It is the best part of the land.
The Shares for the City Property
15“There will be an area of land 5000 cubits wide by 25,000 cubits long that is left over from the land given to the priests and Levites. This land can be for the city, for grasslands for animals, and for building houses. The common people may use this land. The city will be in the middle of it. 16These are the city’s measurements: The north side will be 4500 cubits. The south side will be 4500 cubits. The east side will be 4500 cubits. The west side will be 4500 cubits. 17The city will have grasslands. These grasslands will be 250 cubits on the north and 250 cubits on the south. They will be 250 cubits on the east and 250 cubits on the west. 18What is left of the length along the side of the holy area will be 10,000 cubits on the east and 10,000 cubits on the west. This land will be along the side of the holy area. This land will grow food for the city workers. 19The city workers from all the tribes of Israel will farm this land.
20“This special area of land will be square. It will be 25,000 cubits long by 25,000 cubits wide. You must set apart this area for its special purposes. One part is for the priests, one part is for the Levites, and one part is for the city.
21-22“Part of that special land will be for the ruler of the country. That special area of land is square. It is 25,000 cubits long by 25,000 cubits wide. Part of this special land is for the priests, part of it is for the Levites, and part of it is for the Temple. The Temple is in the middle of this area of land. The rest of the land belongs to the ruler of the country. The ruler will get the area between the land of Benjamin and the land of Judah.
23-27“South of this special area will be the land for the tribes that lived east of the Jordan River. Each tribe will get a section of land that goes from the eastern border to the Mediterranean Sea. From north to south, these tribes are Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad.
28“The southern border of Gad’s land will go from Tamar to the oasis at Meribah-kadesh, then along the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. 29This is the land that you will divide among the tribes of Israel. This is what each group will get.” This is what the Lord God said!
20“This special area of land will be square. It will be 25,000 cubits long by 25,000 cubits wide. You must set apart this area for its special purposes. One part is for the priests, one part is for the Levites, and one part is for the city.
21-22“Part of that special land will be for the ruler of the country. That special area of land is square. It is 25,000 cubits long by 25,000 cubits wide. Part of this special land is for the priests, part of it is for the Levites, and part of it is for the Temple. The Temple is in the middle of this area of land. The rest of the land belongs to the ruler of the country. The ruler will get the area between the land of Benjamin and the land of Judah.
23-27“South of this special area will be the land for the tribes that lived east of the Jordan River. Each tribe will get a section of land that goes from the eastern border to the Mediterranean Sea. From north to south, these tribes are Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad.
28“The southern border of Gad’s land will go from Tamar to the oasis at Meribah-kadesh, then along the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. 29This is the land that you will divide among the tribes of Israel. This is what each group will get.” This is what the Lord God said!
The Gates of the City
30“These are the gates of the city. The gates will be named for the tribes of Israel.
“The north side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. 31There will be three gates: Reuben’s Gate, Judah’s Gate, and Levi’s Gate.
32“The east side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. There will be three gates: Joseph’s Gate, Benjamin’s Gate, and Dan’s Gate.
33“The south side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. There will be three gates: Simeon’s Gate, Issachar’s Gate, and Zebulun’s Gate.
34“The west side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. There will be three gates: Gad’s Gate, Asher’s Gate, and Naphtali’s Gate.
35“The distance around the city will be 18,000 cubits. From now on, the name of the city will be the lord is there. ”
32“The east side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. There will be three gates: Joseph’s Gate, Benjamin’s Gate, and Dan’s Gate.
33“The south side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. There will be three gates: Simeon’s Gate, Issachar’s Gate, and Zebulun’s Gate.
34“The west side of the city will be 4500 cubits long. There will be three gates: Gad’s Gate, Asher’s Gate, and Naphtali’s Gate.
35“The distance around the city will be 18,000 cubits. From now on, the name of the city will be the lord is there. ”
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