23-25 God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, tell her, ‘You’re a land that during the time I was angry with you got no rain, not so much as a spring shower. The leaders among you became desperate, like roaring, ravaging lions killing indiscriminately. They grabbed and looted, leaving widows in their wake.

26-29 “‘Your priests violated my law and desecrated my holy things. They can’t tell the difference between sacred and secular. They tell people there’s no difference between right and wrong. They’re contemptuous of my holy Sabbaths, profaning me by trying to pull me down to their level. Your politicians are like wolves prowling and killing and rapaciously taking whatever they want. Your preachers cover up for the politicians by pretending to have received visions and special revelations. They say, “This is what God, the Master, says . . .” when God hasn’t said so much as one word. Extortion is rife, robbery is epidemic, the poor and needy are abused, outsiders are kicked around at will, with no access to justice.’

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23 Again the word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has not been cleansed or rained on in the day of wrath.’(A) 25 There is a conspiracy(B) of her princes[a] within her like a roaring lion(C) tearing its prey; they devour people,(D) take treasures and precious things and make many widows(E) within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law(F) and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common;(G) they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean;(H) and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned(I) among them.(J) 27 Her officials(K) within her are like wolves(L) tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people(M) to make unjust gain.(N) 28 Her prophets whitewash(O) these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations.(P) They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.(Q) 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery;(R) they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner,(S) denying them justice.(T)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 22:25 Septuagint; Hebrew prophets