Category: Ezekiel

Evil Rulers to Be Judged

1 Moreover, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the Lord’shouse, which faced eastward. And behold, at the entrance of the gatethere weretwenty-five men; and I saw among them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.

2 Then the Spirit said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise evil and give wicked advice in this city,

3 who say, ‘Is notthe timenear to build houses? Thiscityis [secure just like] the pot and we are the meat [in it].’

4 Therefore, prophesy against them; prophesy, son of man!”

5 Then the Spirit of the Lordfell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘Thus says the Lord, “This is what you think, house of Israel, for I know your thoughts.

6 You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the corpses [of righteous men].”

7 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “Your dead whom you have laid in the midst of your city are the meat and this city is the pot; but I shall force you out of [the security of] it.

8 You have feared the sword; so I will bring a sword upon you,” says the Lord God.

9 “And I will bring you out of the midst of the city and hand you over to strangers and execute judgment against you.

10 You will fall by the sword; I will judgeandpunish you [in front of your neighbors] at the border of [the land of] Israel; and you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.

11 Thiscitywill not be a pot for you, nor will you be meat [safe] in it, but I will judge you at the border of Israel.

12 And you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes nor have you executed My ordinances, but you have acted in accordance with the ordinances of the nations around you.” ’ ”

13 Now it came about while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell face downward and cried out loudly, “Alas, Lord God! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?”

Promise of Restoration

14 Then the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

15 “Son of man, your brothers, your relatives, your fellow exiles and the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the [present] inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far away from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’

16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Though I had removed Israel far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary for them for a little while in the countries to which they had gone.” ’

17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give [back] to you the land of Israel.” ’

18 When they return there, they will remove from it all [traces of] its detestable things and all its repulsive things (remnants of paganism).

19 And I will give them one heart [a new heart], and put a new spirit within them. I will take from them the heart of stone, and will give them a heart of flesh [that is responsive to My touch],

20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

21 But as for those whose heart longs forandfollows after their detestable things and their repulsive things [associated with idolatry], on their own head I will repay [them in full for] their [vile] conduct,” says the Lord God.

22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the [Shekinah] glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.

23 Then the gloryandbrilliance of the Lordwent up from the midst of the city and paused over the mountain, [the Mount of Olives] which is east of the city.

24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles in Chaldea (Babylonia). Then the vision that I had seen left me.

25 Then I told the exiles everything that the Lordhad shown me.

Ezekiel Prepares for Exile

1 The word of the Lordalso came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, you live among a rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, who have ears to hear but do not hear; for they are a rebellious people.

3 Therefore, son of man, prepare your belongings for exile, and move into exile during the day when they will see you; even go into exile from your place to another place as they watch. Perhaps they will understand even though they are a rebellious people.

4 Bring yourprovisionsandsupplies out during the day as they watch, as provisionsandsupplies for [going into] exile. Then you shall go out at evening as they watch, as those going into exile.

5 Dig through the wall as they watch and go out through the hole.

6 As they look on, loadthe provisions and supplieson your shoulder and carry it out in the dark. You shall cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel.”

7 I did as I had been commanded. I brought out my provisionsandsupplies during the day, like the provisionsandsupplies of an exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I brought outmy provisions and suppliesin the dark, carrying it on my shoulder as they watched.

8 In the morning the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

9 “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, asked you, ‘What you are doing?’

10 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Thisoracle (a burden to be carried) concerns the prince (Zedekiah) in Jerusalem as well as all the house of Israel who are there.” ’

11 Say, ‘I am a sign to you. As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile, into captivity.’

12 The prince who is among them will loadhis provisions and supplieson his shoulder in the dark and go out. They will dig a hole through the wall to go out. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes.

13 I will also spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. And I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of theChaldeans; yet he willnot see it, though he will die there.

14 I will scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops; and I will draw out a sword after them.

15 So they will knowandunderstand fully that I am the Lordwhen I scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the [pagan] countries.

16 But I will leave a few [survivors] who will escape the sword, the famine, and the virulent disease, that they may confess all their repulsive (idolatrous) acts among the nations where they go, and may know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.”

17 Moreover, the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

18 “Son of man, eat your bread with anxiety, and drink your water with trembling and with fear.

19 Then say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord Godconcerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel, “They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water with horror, because their land will be strippedandlooted of its fullness because of the violence of all those who live in it.

20 The cities that are inhabited will be in ruins and the land will be deserted; and you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.” ’ ”

21 Then the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are long and every vision fails’?

23 Therefore tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “I will put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer use it as a proverb in Israel.” But say to them, “The days draw near as well as the fulfillment of every vision.

24 For there will no longer be any falseandempty vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.

25 For I the Lordwill speak, and whatever word I speak will be accomplished. It will no longer be delayed, for in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and I will fulfill it,” says the Lord God.’ ”

26 Again the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

27 “Son of man, behold, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that Ezekiel sees is for many yearsfrom now,and he prophesies of the times that are far off.’

28 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “None of My words will be delayed any longer. Whatever word I speak will be fulfilled completely,” ’ ” says the Lord God.

False Prophets Condemned

1 And the word of the Lordcame to me saying,

2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own inspiration, ‘Hear the word of the Lord!

3 Thus says the Lord God, “Woe (judgment is coming) to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit [claiming to have seen things] but have [in fact] seen nothing.

4 O Israel, your prophets have been likefoxes among the ruins.

5 You have not gone up into the gapsorbreaches, nor built the wall around the house of Israel that it might stand in the battle on the day of the Lord.

6 They have seen falsehood and lying divination, saying, ‘The Lordsays,’ but the Lordhas not sent them. Yet they hopeandmake men to hope for the confirmation of their word.

7 Did you not see (make up) a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said, ‘The Lorddeclares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?” ’ ”

8 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “Because you have spoken emptyanddelusive words and have seen lies, therefore behold, I am against you,” says the Lord God.

9 “So My hand will be against the [counterfeit] prophets who see (make up) emptyanddelusive visions and who give lying prophecies. They will have no place in the [secret] council of My people, nor will they be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter into the land of Israel, that you may know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord God.

10 It is definitely because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because when one builds a [flimsy] wall, behold, these [lying] prophets plaster it over with whitewash;

11 so tell those who plaster it with whitewash, that it will fall! A flooding rain [of judgment] will come, and you, O [great] hailstones, will fall; and a violent wind will tear the wall apart.

12 Behold, when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, ‘Where is the coating with which you [prophets] plastered it?’ ”

13 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “I will make a violent wind break out in My wrath, and there will be in My anger an overwhelming rain and great hailstones to destroy [that wall] in wrath.

14 So I will tear down the wall which you have plastered with whitewash and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundations will be exposed; when it falls, you will perish in its midst. And you shall knowandunderstand fully that I am the Lord.

15 Thus I will expend My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with whitewash and I will say to you, ‘The wall is gone and its plasterers are gone,

16 along withthe [false] prophets of Israel who prophesy [deceitfully] to Jerusalem, and who see [false] visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ says the Lord God.

17 “Now you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are prophesying out of [the wishful thinking of] their own mind (inspiration). Prophesy against them

18 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe to the women who fastenmagic(protective) charms on all wrists and make veils for the heads of those of every stature to capture [human] lives! Will you capture the lives of My people but keep your own?

19 You have profaned Me among My people [in payment] for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die and giving [a guarantee of] life to those who should not live, because of your lies to My people who pay attention to lies.” ’ ”

20 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against yourmagicbands [and veils] by which you hunt [human] lives as birds and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the lives you hunt go free, even those lives whom you hunt as birds.

21 I will also tear off your [pagan] veils and rescue My people from your hands, and they will no longer be in your grip to be huntedandtrapped. Then you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.

22 Because you disheartened the righteous with falsehood when I did not cause him grief, but have encouraged the wicked not to turn from his wicked way and preserve his life,

23 therefore, you women will no longer see false visions or practice divinations, and I will rescue My people from your hand. Then you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.”

Idolatrous Elders Condemned

1 Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me [seeking an oracle from God] and sat down before me.

2 And the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

3 “Son of man, these men have set up [and honored] their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the [vile] stumbling block of their wickednessandguilt; should I [permit Myself to] be consulted by them at all?

4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Any man of the house of Israel who takes his idols [of rebellion] into his heart, and puts the [vile] stumbling block of his wickednessandguilt [images of silver and gold] before his face, and yet comes to the prophet [to ask of him], I the Lordwill answer him, [but I will answer him] in accordance with the number of his idols,

5 in order that I may take hold of the heart (mind) of the house of Israel who are all estranged from Me because of their idols.” ’

6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your disgustingandvile acts.

7 For anyone of the house of Israel or among the strangers who immigrate to Israel who separates himself from Me, taking his idols into his heart, and puts right before his face the [vile] stumbling block of his wickednessandguilt, and [then] comes to the prophet to ask of Me for himself, I the Lordwill answer him Myself.

8 I will set My face against that man [that hypocrite] and will make him asign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from among My people; and you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.

9 “But if the prophet [who speaks without My authority] is enticed to speak a word [of his own], it is I the Lordwho have caused that prophet [to speak falsely to please the inquirer, thus allowing himself to be a party to the inquirer’s sin], and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.

10 They [both] will bearthe punishmentof their wickedness; the sin of the [counterfeit] prophet will be the same as the sin of the [hypocritical] inquirer,

11 so that the house of Israel may no longer drift away from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions, but they will be My people, and I will be their God,” ’ says the Lord God.”

The City Will Not Be Spared

12 The word of the Lordcame [again] to me, saying,

13 “Son of man, if a land sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it and destroy its source of bread and send famine on it and cut off from it both man and animal,

14 even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in that land, by their own righteousness (right standing with God) they could only save (deliver) themselves,” says the Lord God.

15 “If I were to cause predatory beasts to pass through the land and they ravaged itanddepopulated it of children, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through because of the predators,

16 thoughthese three men were in the land, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they could not save either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate (ruined, deserted).

17 Or if I were to bring a sword on that land and say, ‘Let a sword go through the land and cut off man and animal from it,’

18 eventhoughthese three men were in the land, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they could not save either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be saved.

19 Or if I should send a virulent disease into that land and pour out My wrath in blood on it to cut off man and animal from it,

20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they could not save either their son or their daughter; they would save only themselves by their righteousness [that is, their right-standing with God—their moral and spiritual integrity].”

21 For thus says the Lord God, “How much more when I send My four severe judgments against Jerusalem—sword, famine, predatory beasts, and virulent disease—to cut off man and animal from it!

22 Yet, behold, survivors will be left in it [escaping the judgments], both sons and daughters. Listen carefully, they are going to come out to you [in Babylon] and you will see their [wicked] conduct and [despicable] actions; then you will be at peace in regard to the disaster which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought on it [has been deserved].

23 Then they will reassureyou [in regard to the appropriateness of the judgments] when you see their [heinous] conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done without cause whatever I did to it,” declares the Lord God.

Jerusalem like a Useless Vine

1 And the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, how is the wood of the grapevine (Israel) better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

3 Can wood be taken from it to make any object? Or can men take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel?

4 If it has been thrown into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and the middle section has been charred, is it suitableoruseful for anything?

5 Notice this, even when it was complete, it was not usefulandwas not made into anything. How much less, after the fire has burned [part of] it and [the remainder of] it is charred, can it still be made into anything?

6 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Like the wood of the grapevine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the people of Jerusalem;

7 and I set My face against them.Thoughthey have come out of the fire, yet the fire will consume them. Then you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.

8 I will make the land desolate (ruined, deserted), because they have acted unfaithfully [through their idolatry],’ says the Lord God.”

God’s Grace to Unfaithful Jerusalem

1 Again the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, make Jerusalem understand [the heinous and vile nature of] her repulsive (idolatrous) acts

3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord Godto Jerusalem (all of Israel), “Your [spiritual] origin and your birth are from the land of the Canaanite; your [spiritual] father was anAmorite and your [spiritual] mother a Hittite.

4 And as for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing, nor were you rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths.

5 No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out in the open field, for you were loathed on the day that you were born.

6 “When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your [newborn] blood, I said to you while you were there in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you while you were there in your blood, ‘Live!’

7 I made you (Israel) multiply like plants [which grow] in the field, and you grew up and became tall and you reached the age for [wearing] fine jewelry; your breasts were formed and your hair had grown, yet you were naked and bare.

8 “Then I passed by you [again] and looked on you; behold, you were maturingandat the time for love, and I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore [an oath] to you and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord God, “and you became Mine.”

9 “Then I washed you with water; yes, I [thoroughly] washed away from you the [clinging] blood and anointed you with oil.

10 I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals ofporpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk.

11 I adorned you with ornaments and I put bracelets on your wrists and a necklace around your neck.

12 I also put a ring in your nostril and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.

13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was [made] of fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil; so you were extremely beautiful and you advancedandprospered into royalty.

14 Then your fame went out among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My majestyandsplendor which I bestowed on you,” says the Lord God.

15 “But you trusted inandrelied on your beauty and prostituted yourself [in idolatry and its debauched rituals] because of your fame, and you poured out your immoralities on every [willing] passer-by and your beauty was his [as you worshiped the idols of the Gentile nations].

16 You took some of your clothes and made for yourself [decorated] high placesandshrines of various colors and prostituted yourself on them—things which should never have come about and taken place.

17 You also took your beautiful jewelsandbeautiful vessels made of My gold and My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men so that you could prostitute yourself with them;

18 and you took your embroidered clothing and covered them, and offered My oil and My incense before them.

19 Also My bread which I gave you, [made from the] fine flour and oil and honey with which I fed you, you even offered it before idols [no better than cow dung] as a sweetandsoothing aroma; so it happened,” says the Lord God.

20 “Moreover, you took your sons and your daughters whom you had borne to Me, and you destroyed them as sacrifices [to your man-made gods]. Were your gross immoralities so small a matter?

21 You slaughtered My children and offered them up to [worthless] idols, forcing them to pass through the [hideousness of the] fire.

22 And in all your repulsive acts and prostitutions (idolatrous immoralities) you did not [pause to] remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, squirming in your [newborn] blood.

23 “Then it came about after all your wickedness (‘Woe, woe to you!’ says the Lord God),

24 that you built yourself analtar for prostitution and made yourself a high place [for ritual prostitution] in every square [of Jerusalem].

25 At the beginning of every street you built your high place and made your beauty repulsive; and you offered your body to every passer-by and multiplied your obscene immorality.

26 You also prostituted yourself with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors [by embracing their pagan rituals], and you multiplied your obscene immorality to provoke Me to anger.

27 Behold now [listen very carefully], I have stretched out My hand against you, reduced your portion, and handed you over to the desire of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your infamous behavior.

28 You prostituted yourself with the Assyrians because you were not satisfied; you prostituted yourself with them and still were not satisfied.

29 Moreover, you increased your obscene immorality with the land of tradesmen, Chaldea (Babylonia), and yet even with this you were not satisfied.” ’ ”

30 “How weakened by longingandlust is your heart (mind),” says the Lord God, “while you do all these things, the actions of a boldandbrazen prostitute.

31 When you built your shrine altar for prostitution at the beginning of every street and made your high place in every public square, you were not like a prostitute because you refused payment.

32 You adulterous wife, who welcomesandreceives strangers instead of her husband!

33 Men give gifts to all prostitutes, but you give your gifts to all your lovers, bribing the pagan nations to come to you [as allies] from every direction for your obscene immoralities.

34 And you are different from other [unfaithful] women in your promiscuity, in that no one follows you to lure you into prostitution, and because you give money and no money is given you; in this way you are different.”

35 Therefore, O prostitute [Israel], hear the word of the Lord.

36 Thus says the Lord God, “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your obscene immoralities with your lovers (pagan allies), and with all your [repulsive] idols, and because of the blood of your sons that you gave to them,

37 therefore, listen, I will gather all your lovers (pagan allies) with whom you took pleasure, and all those whom you loved with all those whom you hated; I will even gather them against you from every direction and will expose your nakedness to them that they may see all your nakedness [making you, Israel, an object of loathing and of mockery, a spectacle among the nations].

38 And I [the Lord God] will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.

39 I will also hand you over to your lovers, and they will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, strip you of your clothing, take away your jewels, and they will leave you naked and bare.

40 They will also incite a crowd against you and they will stone you and slaughter you with their swords.

41 They will burn down your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women (Gentile nations). Then I will make you cease your prostitution, and you will no longer hire your lovers.

42 So I will calm My wrath toward you and My jealousy [resulting from being denied what is rightfully and uniquely mine] will turn away from you; I will be pacified and no longer angry.

43 Because you have not remembered the days of your youth but have enraged Me with all these things, therefore, I in turn will bring your conduct down on your own head,” says the Lord God, “so that you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other repulsive acts.

44 “Behold, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb against you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’

45 You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and her children. You are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children. Your [spiritual] mother was a Hittite and your [spiritual] father an Amorite.

46 Now your older sister is Samaria, she with her daughters (outlying cities) who live north of you; and your younger sister is Sodom, she with her daughters who live south of you.

47 Yet you have not merely walked in their ways or behaved in accordance with their pagan practices; but, as if that were too little, you [soon] acted more corruptly in all your ways than they.

48 As I live,” says the Lord God, “Sodom, your sister and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done.

49 Behold, this was the sin of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters (outlying cities) had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.

50 They were haughty and committed repulsive acts before Me; therefore I removed them when I saw it.

51 Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half of your sins, but you have greatly increased your repulsive acts more than they. So you have made your [wicked] sisters [Samaria and Sodom] appear righteousandjustified by [comparison to] all the disgusting things which you have done.

52 Also bear your disgrace [as punishment], having made judgment favorable for your sisters, for [you virtually absolved them] because of your sins in which you behaved more repulsively than they; they are more in the right than you. Yes, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you made your [pagan] sisters seem righteous.

53 “Nevertheless, I will restore them [again] from their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters (outlying cities), the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and along with them [I will restore you from] your own captivity [in the day of the Lord God],

54 so that you [Judah] will bear your humiliationanddisgrace, and be [thoroughly] ashamed for all [the wickedness] that you have done to consoleandcomfort them.

55 Your sisters, Sodom and her daughters and Samaria and her daughters will return to their former state; and you and your daughters will return to your former state.

56 For [the name of] your sister Sodom was not mentioned by you [except as a byword] in the day of your pride [when David ruled],

57 before your [own] wickedness was uncovered. Now you have become an object of reproachanda byword for the daughters of Aramandof Edom and all who are around her, and for the daughters of the Philistines—those surrounding you who despise you.

58 You have borne [the penalty of] your lewdness and your repulsive acts,” says the Lord.

59 Yes, thus says the Lord God, “I will also deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

The Covenant Remembered

60 “Nevertheless, I will remember [with compassion] My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant [with Me].

62 And I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord,

63 so that you may remember [in detail] and be ashamed and never open your mouth again because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,” says the Lord God.

Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine

1 Now the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, ask a riddle and tell aparable to the house of Israel,

3 saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “A great eagle (Nebuchadnezzar) with great wings, long pinions and a rich plumage of many colors came to Lebanon (Jerusalem) and took away the top of the cedar (Judah).

4 He broke off the topmost of its young twigs (young King Jehoiachin) and carried it to a land of traders (Babylonia); he set it in a city of merchants (Babylon).

5 He also took some of the seed of the land (Zedekiah, of the royal family) and planted it in fertile soilanda fruitful field; he placed it beside abundant waters and set it like a willow tree.

6 Then it sproutedandgrew and became a low, spreading vine whose branches turned [in submission] toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and yielded shoots and sent out branches.

7 “There was [also] another greateagle with great wings and many feathers; and behold, this vine (Zedekiah) bent its roots toward him and sent out its branches toward him, away from the beds where it was planted, for him to water.

8 It was planted in good soil where water was plentiful for it to produce leavesandbranches and to bear fruit, so that it might become a splendid vine.” ’

9 Thus says the Lord God, ‘Ask, “Will it thrive? Will he (Nebuchadnezzar) not uproot it and strip off its fruit so that all its sprouting leaves will wither? It will not take a strong arm or many people to uproot it [ending Israel’s national existence].

10 Though it is planted, will it thriveandgrow? Will it not completely wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the beds where it grew.” ’ ”

Zedekiah’s Rebellion

11 Moreover, the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

12 “Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Do you not know (realize) what these thingsmean?’Tell them, ‘Hear this, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took its king [Jehoiachin] and its princes and brought them with him to Babylon.

13 And he took a member of the royal family [the king’s uncle, Zedekiah] and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He also took the important leaders of the land,

14 so that the kingdom would be in subjection, unable to restore itselfandrise again, but that by keeping his covenant it might continue.

15 But Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar by sending his ambassadors to Egypt so that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant [with Babylon] and [still] escape?

16 As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely in the country of the king (Nebuchadnezzar) who made Zedekiah [the vassal] king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, in Babylon Zedekiah shall die.

17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they (the Babylonians) put up ramps and build siege walls to destroy many lives.

18 Now Zedekiah dishonored the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his handandpledged his allegiance, yet did all these things; he shall not escape.’ ”

19 Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “As I live, I will bring down on his own head My oath [made on My behalf by Nebuchadnezzar] which Zedekiah dishonored and My covenant which he broke.

20 I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare; and I will bring him to Babylon and will enter into judgment with him there for his treason which he has committed against Me.

21 All the choice men [from Judah] in all his troops will fall by the sword, and those that survive will be scattered to every wind; and you will know [without any doubt] that I the Lordhave spoken.”

22 Thus says the Lord God, “I Myself will takea twigfrom the lofty top of the cedar and will set it out; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.

23 I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel, that it may grow boughs and bear fruit and be a nobleandstately cedar. And birds of every kind will live under it; they will nest [securely] in the shade of its branches.

24 All the trees of the field will know that I the Lordbring down the tall tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will fulfill it.”

God Deals Justly with Individuals

1 The word of the Lordcame to me again, saying,

2 “What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel,

‘The fathers eat sour grapes [they sin],

But the children’s teeth are set on edge’?

3 As I live,” says the Lord God, “you are certainly not going to use this proverb [as an excuse] in Israel anymore.

4 Behold (pay close attention), all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

5 “But if a man is righteous (keeps the law) and practices justice and righteousness,

6 and does not eat [at the pagan shrines] on the mountains or raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her [monthly] time of impurity—

7 if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

8 if hedoes not charge interest or takea percentage ofincrease [on what he lends in compassion], if he keeps his hand from sin and executes true justice between man and man,

9 if he walks in My statutes and [keeps] My ordinances so as to act with integrity; [then] he is [truly] righteous and shall certainly live,” says the Lord God.

10 “If he is the father of a violent son who sheds blood, and who does any of these things to a brother

11 (though the father did not do any of these things), that is, the son even eats [the food set before idols] at the mountainshrines,and defiles his neighbor’s wife,

12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore [to the debtor] his pledge, but raises his eyes to the idols, and commits repulsive acts,

13 and charges interest and takes [a percentage of] increase on what he has loaned; will he then live? He will not live! He has done all these disgusting things, he shall surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.

14 “Now behold, if this [wicked] man has a son who has observed all the sins which his father committed, and considers [thoughtfully what he has observed] and does not do like his father:

15 He does not eat [food set before idols] at the mountainshrinesor raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor’s wife,

16 or oppress anyone, or take anything in pledge, or commit robbery, but he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,

17 he keeps his hand from [oppressing] the poor, does not receive interest or increase [from the needy], but executes My ordinances and walks in My statutes; he shall not die for the sin (guilt) of his father; he shall certainly live.

18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his sin.

19 “Yet do you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s sin?’ When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has kept all My statutes and has done them, he shall certainly live.

20 The person who sins [is the one that] will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the sin of the father, nor will the father bear the punishment for the sin of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on himself.

21 “But if the wicked man turns [away] from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall certainly live; he shall not die.

22 All of his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced [for his moral and spiritual integrity in every area and relationship], he will live.

23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” says the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn [away] from his [malevolent] acts and live?

24 “But when the righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits sin and acts in accordance with all the repulsive things that the wicked man does, will he live? All of his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered because of the treachery that he has committed and for his sin which he has committed; for them he shall die.

25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits sin and dies because of it, it is for his sin which he has committed that he dies.

27 Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life.

28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions which he had committed, he shall certainly live; he shall not die.

29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not right!’ O house of Israel, are My ways not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one in accordance with his conduct,” says the Lord God. “Repent (change your way of thinking) and turn away from all your transgressions, so that sin may not become a stumbling block to you.

31 Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed [against Me], and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why should you die, O house of Israel?

32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live!”

Dirge for the Princes of Israel

1 “As for you, take up a dirge (funeral poem to be sung) for the princes of Israel

2 and say,

‘What was your mother [Jerusalem and Judah]?

A lioness among lions!

She lay down among young lions,

She reared her cubs.

3 When she [the royal mother-city] brought up [Jehoahaz] one of her cubs,

He became a [young] lion,

And he learned to catchandtear the prey;

He devoured men.

4 The nations heard about him;

He was captured in their pit,

And they brought him with hooks

To the land of Egypt.

5 When she saw, as she waited,

That her hope was lost,

She tookanother of her cubs

And made him a young lion.

6 And he moved among the lions;

He became a young lion,

He learned to tear the prey;

He devoured men.

7 He destroyed their palaces

And he flattened their cities;

And the land and all who were in it were appalled

By the sound of his roaring.

8 Then the nations set against him (the king)

On every side from the provinces,

And they spread their net over him;

He was captured in their pit.

9 They put him in a cage with hooksandchains

And brought him to the king of Babylon;

They brought him in hunting nets

So that his voice would be heard no more

On the mountains of Israel.

10 Your mother [Jerusalem] was like a vine in yourvineyard,

Planted by the waters;

It was fruitful and full of branches

Because of abundant water.

11 And it had strong branches for the scepters of rulers,

And its height was raised above the thick branchesandinto the clouds

So that it was seen [easily] in its height with the mass of its branches.

12 But the vine was uprooted in [godly] wrath [by His representative]

And it was thrown down to the ground;

The east wind dried up its fruit.

Its strong branch was broken off

So that it withered;

The fire [of God’s judgment] consumed it.

13 And now it is transplanted in the wilderness,

In a dry and thirsty land [of Babylon].

14 And the fire [of Zedekiah’s rebellion] has gone out from its branch;

It has consumed the vine’s shoots and fruit,

So that it has in it no [longer a] strong branch

As a scepter to rule.’ ”

This is a dirge (funeral poem to be sung), and has become a dirge.

God’s Dealings with Israel Rehearsed

1 In the seventh year, in the fifthmonth,on the tenth of the month [after the beginning of the exile in Babylon], certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lordand sat down before me.

2 Then came the word of the Lordto me, saying,

3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ’

4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make them know [accurately]andunderstand fully the repulsive acts of their fathers;

5 and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day when I chose Israel and lifted up My handandswore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am the Lordyour God,

6 on that day I swore to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them, [plentiful and]flowing with milk and honey, [a land] which is an ornamentanda glory to all lands.

7 Then I said to them, ‘Let every man throw away the detestable things on which he feasts his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lordyour God.’

8 But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not throw away the detestable things on which they feasted their eyes, nor did theygive up the idols of Egypt.

“Then I decided to pour out My wrath on them and finish My anger against them in the land of Egypt.

9 But I acted for My Name’s sake, that it would not be profaned in the sight of the [pagan] nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

10 So I made them leave the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.

11 I gave them My statutes and explained My ordinances to them, which, if a man keeps, he will live.

12 Also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know [without any doubt] that I am the Lordwho sanctifies them (separates and sets them apart).

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes and they despisedandrejected My ordinances, which, if a man keeps, he will live; and they greatly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I decided to pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them.

14 But I acted for My Name’s sake, that it would not be profaned in the sight of the [pagan] nations in whose sight I had brought them out [of slavery].

15 I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, [a land of plenty]flowing with milk and honey, which is the ornamentandglory of all lands,

16 because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My Sabbaths, for their heart continually went after their [worthless] idols.

17 Yet My eye [looked on them with compassion and] spared them instead of destroying them, and I did not annihilate them in the wilderness.

18 “But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers nor observe their ordinances nor defile yourselves with their idols.

19 I am the Lordyour God; walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and observe them.

20 Sanctify My Sabbathsandkeep them holy; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know [without any doubt] that I am the Lordyour God.’

21 Yet the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances, which, if a man keeps, he will live; they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I decided to pour out My wrath on them and finish My anger against them in the wilderness.

22 Yet I withdrew My hand and acted for My Name’s sake, that it would not be profaned in the sight of the [pagan] nations in whose sight I had brought them out [of slavery].

23 Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the [Gentile] nations and disperse them among the countries,

24 because they had not observed My ordinances, but had [dishonored and] rejected My statutes and had profaned My Sabbaths, and set their eyes on the [man-made] idols of their fathers.

25 [Therefore] I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live;

26 and I pronounced them unclean because of their offerings [to their idols], in that they made all their firstborn pass throughthe fire[as pagan sacrifices], so that I might make them desolate, in order that they might know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.” ’

27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Again in this your fathers have blasphemed Me, in that they acted faithlesslyandtreacherously against Me.

28 For when I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, they saw every high hill and every darkandleafy tree [as a place for idol worship], and there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented their offering that provoked My anger; there also they made their sweet-smelling aroma and there poured out their drink offerings.

29 Then I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So the name of it is called Bamah (High Place) to this day.” ’

30 Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Will you [exiles] defile yourselves in the same manner as your fathers? And will you prostitute yourselves before their loathsomeandheinous things?

31 When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be asked by you [for an oracle], O house of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.

32 What comes into your mind will never happen, when you say, ‘We will be like the [pagan] nations, like the tribes of the [Gentile] countries, serving [idols made of] wood and stone.’

God Will Restore Israel to Her Land

33 “As I live,” says the Lord God, “most certainly with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be King over you.

34 I will bring you out from the peoples and will gather you from the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out;

35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with youandcontend with you face to face.

36 As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgmentandcontend with you,” says the Lord God.

37 “I will make you pass under the rod [as the shepherd does with his sheep when he counts them, and I will count you as Mine and constrain you] and bring you into the bond of the covenant [to which you are permanently bound].

38 And I will separate from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they temporarily live, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.

39 “As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the Lord God, “Go, let everyone serve his idols; but later you shall most certainly listen to Me, and you shall no longer profane My holy name with your gifts and with your idols.

40 For on My holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel (Zion),” says the Lord God, “there the whole house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me. There I will [graciously] accept them, and there I will seek (require) your offerings and the choicest of your gifts, with all your holyandsacred things.

41 I will accept you [graciously] as a pleasantandsoothing aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands in which you have been scattered; and I will prove Myself holyandmanifest My holiness among you in the sight of the nations.

42 And you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the land which I swore to give to your fathers.

43 There you will remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all your evil deeds which you have done.

44 And you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lordwhen I have dealt with you for My Name’s sake, not in accordance with your evil ways nor with your corrupt conduct, O house of Israel,” says the Lord God.’ ”

45 Now the word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

46 “Son of man, set your face toward Teman, and speak out against the south and prophesy against the forest land of the Negev (the South),

47 and say to the forest of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it will devour every one of your green trees, as well as every one of your dry trees. The blazing flame will not be quenched and the whole surface from the south to the north will be burned by it.

48 All flesh will see that I the Lordhave kindled it; it will not be quenched.” ’ ”

49 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not [just] speaking in parablesandmaking allegories?’ ”