¹³ He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him take an oath^(A) in God’s name. He became stiff-necked^(B) and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁴ Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful,^(C) following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem^(D)(E)

¹⁵ The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers^(F) again and again,^(G) because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. ¹⁶ But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed^(H) at his prophets until the wrath^(I) of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.^(J)

25 So in the ninth^(A) year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar^(B) king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works^(C) all around it.

Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot

24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(A) 2} “Son of man, record^(B) this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.^{(C) 3} Tell this rebellious people^(D) a parable^(E) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁶ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁹ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹³ “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed^(P) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.^(Q)

¹⁴ “‘I the Lord have spoken.^(R) The time has come for me to act.^(S) I will not hold back; I will not have pity,^(T) nor will I relent.^(U) You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,^(V) declares the Sovereign Lord.^(W)’”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

¹⁵ The word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁶ “Son of man, with one blow^(X) I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.^(Y) Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.^{(Z) 17} Groan quietly;^(AA) do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban^(AB) fastened and your sandals^(AC) on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard^(AD) or eat the customary food of mourners.^(AE)”

¹⁸ So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.^(AF)

¹⁹ Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?^(AG) Why are you acting like this?”

²⁰ So I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: ²¹ Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary^(AH)—the stronghold in which you take pride,^(AI) the delight of your eyes,^(AJ) the object of your affection. The sons and daughters^(AK) you left behind will fall by the sword.^{(AL) 22} And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard^(AM) or eat the customary food of mourners.^{(AN) 23} You will keep your turbans^(AO) on your heads and your sandals^(AP) on your feet. You will not mourn^(AQ) or weep but will waste away^(AR) because of^[a] your sins and groan among yourselves.^{(AS) 24} Ezekiel^(AT) will be a sign^(AU) to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’

²⁵ “And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes,^(AV) their heart’s desire,^(AW) and their sons and daughters^(AX) as well— ²⁶ on that day a fugitive will come to tell you^(AY) the news. ²⁷ At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.^(AZ) So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.^(BA)”

A Prophecy Against Ammon

25 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face against^(BB) the Ammonites^(BC) and prophesy against them.^{(BD) 3} Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!^(BE)” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated^(BF) and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile,^{(BG) 4} therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East^(BH) as a possession. They will set up their camps^(BI) and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.^{(BJ) 5} I will turn Rabbah^(BK) into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep.^(BL) Then you will know that I am the Lord. ⁶ For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands^(BM) and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel,^{(BN) 7} therefore I will stretch out my hand^(BO) against you and give you as plunder^(BP) to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy^(BQ) you, and you will know that I am the Lord.^(BR)’”

A Prophecy Against Moab

⁸ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab^(BS) and Seir^(BT) said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,” ⁹ therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth^(BU), Baal Meon^(BV) and Kiriathaim^(BW)—the glory of that land. ¹⁰ I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered^(BX) among the nations; ¹¹ and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”^(BY)

A Prophecy Against Edom

¹² “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Edom^(BZ) took revenge on Judah and became very guilty by doing so, ¹³ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stretch out my hand^(CA) against Edom and kill both man and beast.^(CB) I will lay it waste, and from Teman^(CC) to Dedan^(CD) they will fall by the sword.^{(CE) 14} I will take vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom in accordance with my anger^(CF) and my wrath; they will know my vengeance, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”^(CG)

A Prophecy Against Philistia

¹⁵ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines^(CH) acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice^(CI) in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, ¹⁶ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines,^(CJ) and I will wipe out the Kerethites^(CK) and destroy those remaining along the coast.^{(CL) 17} I will carry out great vengeance^(CM) on them and punish^(CN) them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord,^(CO) when I take vengeance on them.^(CP)’”

God Rejects Zedekiah’s Request

21 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah^(A) sent to him Pashhur^(B) son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah^(C) son of Maaseiah. They said: ² “Inquire^(D) now of the Lord for us because Nebuchadnezzar^[a](E) king of Babylon^(F) is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will perform wonders^(G) for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.”

³ But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah, ⁴ ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn^(H) against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians^[b] who are outside the wall besieging^(I) you. And I will gather them inside this city. ⁵ I myself will fight^(J) against you with an outstretched hand^(K) and a mighty arm^(L) in furious anger and in great wrath. ⁶ I will strike^(M) down those who live in this city—both man and beast—and they will die of a terrible plague.^{(N) 7} After that, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah^(O) king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague,^(P) sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon^(Q) and to their enemies^(R) who want to kill them.^(S) He will put them to the sword;^(T) he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’^(U)

⁸ “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life^(V) and the way of death. ⁹ Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague.^(W) But whoever goes out and surrenders^(X) to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.^{(Y) 10} I have determined to do this city harm^(Z) and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands^(AA) of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’^(AB)

¹¹ “Moreover, say to the royal house^(AC) of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord. ¹² This is what the Lord says to you, house of David:

⁴ Now Jeremiah was free to come and go among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison.^{(A) 5} Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt,^(B) and when the Babylonians^[a] who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they withdrew^(C) from Jerusalem.^(D)

³ King Zedekiah, however, sent^(A) Jehukal^(B) son of Shelemiah with the priest Zephaniah^(C) son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah the prophet with this message: “Please pray^(D) to the Lord our God for us.”

⁶ Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet: ⁷ “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire^(A) of me, ‘Pharaoh’s army, which has marched^(B) out to support you, will go back to its own land, to Egypt.^{(C) 8} Then the Babylonians will return and attack this city; they will capture^(D) it and burn^(E) it down.’

⁹ “This is what the Lord says: Do not deceive^(F) yourselves, thinking, ‘The Babylonians will surely leave us.’ They will not! ¹⁰ Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian^[a] army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn^(G) this city down.”