Vision of Abominations in Jerusalem

Now it came about in the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord [a]God fell upon me there. Then I looked, and behold, something like the appearance of [b]a man; from His waist and downward there was the (A)appearance of fire, and from His waist and upward like the appearance of a glow, like (B)gleaming [c]metal. And He extended the form of a hand and took me by the hair of my head; and the (C)Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the [d]north gate of the inner courtyard, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which (D)provokes to jealousy, was located. And behold, the (E)glory of the God of Israel was there, like the appearance which I saw in the plain.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, (F)raise your eyes now toward the north.” So I raised my eyes toward the north, and behold, to the north of the altar gate was this (G)idol of jealousy at the entrance. And He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great (H)abominations which the house of Israel are committing here, so that I would be far from My sanctuary? But yet you will see still greater abominations!”

Then He brought me to the entrance of the courtyard, and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. And He said to me, “Son of man, now (I)dig through the wall.” So I dug through the wall, and behold, an entrance. Then He said to me, “Go in and see the wicked abominations that they are committing here.” 10 So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of crawling things and animals and detestable things, with all the idols of the house of Israel, were carved on the wall all around. 11 And standing in front of them were (J)seventy (K)elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan standing among them, each man with his (L)censer in his hand; and the fragrance of the cloud of incense was rising. 12 Then He said to me, “Do you see, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each man in the rooms of his carved images? For they say, ‘(M)The Lord does not see us; the Lord has (N)abandoned the land.’” 13 And He said to me, “Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing!”

14 Then He brought me to the entrance of the (O)gate of the Lords house which was toward the north; and behold, women were sitting there weeping for [e]Tammuz. 15 And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Yet you will see still greater abominations than these!”

16 Then He brought me into the inner courtyard of the Lords house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their (P)backs to the temple of the Lord while their faces were toward the east; and (Q)they were [f]prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun. 17 And He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it a trivial thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they have committed here, that they have (R)filled the land with violence and (S)provoked Me to anger repeatedly? Yet behold, they are [g]putting the twig to their nose! 18 Therefore, I indeed will deal in wrath. My eye will have no pity nor will I spare; and (T)though they cry out in My ears with a loud voice, yet I will not listen to them.”

The Vision of Slaughter

Then He cried out in my [h]presence with a loud (U)voice, saying, “Come forward, you [i]executioners of the city, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand.” And behold, six men came from the direction of the upper gate which faces north, each with his smashing weapon in his hand; and among them was (V)one man clothed in linen with a scribe’s kit at his waist. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Then the (W)glory of the God of Israel ascended from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the [j]temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen at whose waist was the scribe’s kit. And the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and make a (X)mark on the foreheads of the people who (Y)groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” But to the others He said in my [k]presence, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. [l]Utterly (Z)kill old men, young men, female virgins, little children, and women, but do not (AA)touch any person on whom is the mark; and you shall (AB)start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the [m]elders who were before the [n]temple. He also said to them, “(AC)Defile the [o]temple and fill the courtyards with the dead. Go out!” So they went out and struck and killed the people in the city. And as they were striking the people and I alone was left, I (AD)fell on my face and cried out, [p]saying, “(AE)Oh, Lord [q]God! Are You going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel [r]by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?”

Then He said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is (AF)filled with blood, and the city is (AG)full of perversion; for (AH)they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land, and the Lord does not see!’ 10 But as for Me, (AI)My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but (AJ)I will bring their conduct upon their heads.”

11 Then behold, the man clothed in linen, at whose waist was the scribe’s kit, [s]reported, saying, “I have done just as You have commanded me.”

Vision of God’s Glory Departing from the Temple

10 Then I looked, and behold, in the [t](AK)expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim something like a (AL)sapphire stone, in appearance resembling a (AM)throne, appeared above them. And He spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, “Enter between the (AN)whirling wheels under the [u]cherubim and fill your hands with (AO)coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” And he entered in my sight.

Now the cherubim were standing on the right side of the [v]temple when the man entered, and the cloud filled the (AP)inner courtyard. Then the (AQ)glory of the Lord went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the (AR)temple was filled with the cloud, and the courtyard was filled with the (AS)brightness of the glory of the Lord. Moreover, the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer courtyard, like the (AT)voice of [w]God Almighty when He speaks.

And it came about when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” he entered and stood beside a wheel. Then the cherub reached out with his hand from between the cherubim to the fire which was between the cherubim, took some coals and put them into the hands of the one clothed in linen; and he took them and went out. The cherubim appeared to have something like a human hand under their wings.

Then I looked, and behold, (AU)four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like the gleam of a [x](AV)Tarshish stone. 10 And as for their appearance, all four of them had the same likeness, as if one wheel were within another wheel. 11 When they moved, they went (AW)in any of their four [y]directions without turning as they went; but they followed in the direction which [z]they faced, without turning as they went. 12 And their (AX)whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings and the (AY)wheels were [aa]covered with eyes all around, the wheels belonging to all four of them. 13 The wheels were called, [ab]as I heard, the [ac]whirling wheels. 14 And (AZ)each one had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a human, the third, the face of a lion, and the fourth, the face of an eagle.

15 Then the cherubim rose up. They are the (BA)living beings that I saw by the river Chebar. 16 Now when the cherubim moved, the wheels would move beside them; also when the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels themselves would not turn away from beside them. 17 When [ad]the cherubim (BB)stood still, [ae]the wheels would stand still; and when they rose up, [af]the wheels would rise with them, because the spirit of the living beings was in them.

18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood (BC)over the cherubim. 19 When (BD)the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the ground in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the Lords house, and the glory of the God of Israel [ag]hovered over them.

20 These are the (BE)living beings that I saw beneath the God of Israel by (BF)the river Chebar; so I knew that they were cherubim. 21 (BG)Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and beneath their wings was the form of human hands. 22 As for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the river Chebar. Each one went straight ahead.

Evil Rulers to Be Judged

11 Now the (BH)Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the Lords house which faced eastward. And behold, there were twenty-five men at the entrance of the gate, and among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and (BI)Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. Then He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise wrongdoing and (BJ)give evil advice in this city, who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. [ah]This (BK)city is the pot and we are the meat.’ Therefore, (BL)prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man!”

Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘This is what the Lord says: “This is how you think, house of Israel, for (BM)I know [ai]your (BN)thoughts. You have (BO)multiplied your slain in this city, and filled its streets with [aj]them.” Therefore, this is what the Lord [ak]God says: “Your (BP)slain whom you have laid in the midst of [al]the city are the meat and this city is the pot; but [am]I will (BQ)bring you out of it. You have (BR)feared a sword; so I will (BS)bring a sword upon you,” the Lord God declares. “And I will bring you out of the midst of [an]the city, and hand you over to (BT)strangers, and (BU)execute judgments against you. 10 You will (BV)fall by the sword. I will judge you to the (BW)border of Israel; so you shall know that I am the Lord. 11 This city will (BX)not be a pot for you, nor will you be meat in the midst of it; I will judge you to the border of Israel. 12 So you will know that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes, nor have you (BY)executed My ordinances, but you have acted in accordance with the ordinances of the (BZ)nations around you.”’”

13 Now it came about, as I prophesied, that (CA)Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice, and said, “(CB)Oh, Lord God! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete destruction?”

Promise of Restoration

14 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 15 “Son of man, your brothers, your relatives, [ao]your fellow exiles, and the entire house of Israel, all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Keep far from the Lord; this land has been given (CC)to us as a possession.’ 16 Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Though I had removed them far away among the nations, and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a (CD)sanctuary for them for a little while in the countries where they had gone.”’ 17 Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “I will (CE)gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”’ 18 When they come there, they will (CF)remove all its (CG)detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19 And I will (CH)give them one heart, and put a new spirit within [ap]them. And I will remove the (CI)heart of stone from their flesh and give them a (CJ)heart of flesh, 20 so that they may (CK)walk in My statutes, and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be (CL)My people, and I shall be their God. 21 [aq]But as for those whose hearts go after their (CM)detestable things and abominations, I will [ar](CN)bring their conduct down on their heads,” declares the Lord God.

22 Then the cherubim (CO)lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and (CP)the glory of the God of Israel [as]hovered over them. 23 The (CQ)glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and (CR)stood over the mountain which is east of the city. 24 And the (CS)Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to [at]Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen [au](CT)left me. 25 And I (CU)told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 8:1 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  2. Ezekiel 8:2 As in LXX; MT fire
  3. Ezekiel 8:2 Heb uncertain; Gr indicates a gold and silver alloy
  4. Ezekiel 8:3 Lit facing north
  5. Ezekiel 8:14 I.e., a Babylonian god
  6. Ezekiel 8:16 I.e., worshiping
  7. Ezekiel 8:17 Possibly an obscene gesture toward God
  8. Ezekiel 9:1 Lit ears
  9. Ezekiel 9:1 Lit punishers
  10. Ezekiel 9:3 Lit house
  11. Ezekiel 9:5 Lit ears
  12. Ezekiel 9:6 Lit To destruction
  13. Ezekiel 9:6 Or old men
  14. Ezekiel 9:6 Lit house
  15. Ezekiel 9:7 Lit house
  16. Ezekiel 9:8 Lit and said
  17. Ezekiel 9:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  18. Ezekiel 9:8 Lit by Your pouring
  19. Ezekiel 9:11 Lit brought back word
  20. Ezekiel 10:1 Or firmament; i.e., atmosphere and space
  21. Ezekiel 10:2 As in LXX; MT cherub
  22. Ezekiel 10:3 Lit house, and so throughout the ch
  23. Ezekiel 10:5 Heb El Shaddai
  24. Ezekiel 10:9 Perhaps topaz
  25. Ezekiel 10:11 Lit sides
  26. Ezekiel 10:11 Lit the head turned
  27. Ezekiel 10:12 Lit full of
  28. Ezekiel 10:13 Lit in my ears
  29. Ezekiel 10:13 Heb galgal
  30. Ezekiel 10:17 Lit they
  31. Ezekiel 10:17 Lit they
  32. Ezekiel 10:17 Lit they
  33. Ezekiel 10:19 Lit over them from above
  34. Ezekiel 11:3 Or This is
  35. Ezekiel 11:5 Lit what comes up in your spirit
  36. Ezekiel 11:6 Lit the slain
  37. Ezekiel 11:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  38. Ezekiel 11:7 Lit it
  39. Ezekiel 11:7 As in LXX; MT he will bring you out
  40. Ezekiel 11:9 Lit it
  41. Ezekiel 11:15 As in LXX and some ancient versions; MT the men of your redemption
  42. Ezekiel 11:19 As in LXX and many mss; MT you
  43. Ezekiel 11:21 Lit And to the heart of their detestable things and their abominations their heart goes
  44. Ezekiel 11:21 Lit give...conduct on
  45. Ezekiel 11:22 Lit over them from above
  46. Ezekiel 11:24 I.e., Babylonia
  47. Ezekiel 11:24 Lit went up from

Idolatry in the Temple

In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders(A) of Judah were sitting before(B) me, the hand of the Sovereign Lord came on me there.(C) I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man.[a] From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal.(D) He stretched out what looked like a hand(E) and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up(F) between earth and heaven and in visions(G) of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court,(H) where the idol that provokes to jealousy(I) stood. And there before me was the glory(J) of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain.(K)

Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol(L) of jealousy.

And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable(M) things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary?(N) But you will see things that are even more detestable.”

Then he brought me to the entrance to the court. I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall. He said to me, “Son of man, now dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there.

And he said to me, “Go in and see the wicked and detestable things they are doing here.” 10 So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls(O) all kinds of crawling things and unclean(P) animals and all the idols of Israel.(Q) 11 In front of them stood seventy elders(R) of Israel, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing among them. Each had a censer(S) in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense(T) was rising.(U)

12 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness,(V) each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see(W) us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’” 13 Again, he said, “You will see them doing things that are even more detestable.”

14 Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord, and I saw women sitting there, mourning the god Tammuz.(X) 15 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this.”

16 He then brought me into the inner court(Y) of the house of the Lord, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar,(Z) were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun(AA) in the east.(AB)

17 He said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the people of Judah to do the detestable things(AC) they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence(AD) and continually arouse my anger?(AE) Look at them putting the branch to their nose! 18 Therefore I will deal with them in anger;(AF) I will not look on them with pity(AG) or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen(AH) to them.”

Judgment on the Idolaters

Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, “Bring near those who are appointed to execute judgment on the city, each with a weapon in his hand.” And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen(AI) who had a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Now the glory(AJ) of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim,(AK) where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem(AL) and put a mark(AM) on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament(AN) over all the detestable things that are done in it.(AO)

As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity(AP) or compassion.(AQ) Slaughter(AR) the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children,(AS) but do not touch anyone who has the mark.(AT) Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the old men(AU) who were in front of the temple.(AV)

Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain.(AW) Go!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city. While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell facedown,(AX) crying out, “Alas, Sovereign Lord!(AY) Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath(AZ) on Jerusalem?(BA)

He answered me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice.(BB) They say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see.’(BC) 10 So I will not look on them with pity(BD) or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done.(BE)

11 Then the man in linen with the writing kit at his side brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded.”

God’s Glory Departs From the Temple

10 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne(BF) of lapis lazuli(BG) above the vault(BH) that was over the heads of the cherubim.(BI) The Lord said to the man clothed in linen,(BJ) “Go in among the wheels(BK) beneath the cherubim. Fill(BL) your hands with burning coals(BM) from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.

Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the Lord(BN) rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord. The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice(BO) of God Almighty[b] when he speaks.(BP)

When the Lord commanded the man in linen, “Take fire from among the wheels,(BQ) from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel. Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand to the fire(BR) that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out. (Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like human hands.)(BS)

I looked, and I saw beside the cherubim four wheels, one beside each of the cherubim; the wheels sparkled like topaz.(BT) 10 As for their appearance, the four of them looked alike; each was like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 11 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about[c] as the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went. 12 Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes,(BU) as were their four wheels.(BV) 13 I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.” 14 Each of the cherubim(BW) had four faces:(BX) One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion,(BY) and the fourth the face of an eagle.(BZ)

15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures(CA) I had seen by the Kebar River.(CB) 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side. 17 When the cherubim stood still, they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.(CC)

18 Then the glory(CD) of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.(CE) 19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them.(CF) They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory(CG) of the God of Israel was above them.

20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River,(CH) and I realized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces(CI) and four wings,(CJ) and under their wings was what looked like human hands. 22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by the Kebar River.(CK) Each one went straight ahead.

God’s Sure Judgment on Jerusalem

11 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the Lord that faces east. There at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah(CL) son of Benaiah, leaders(CM) of the people.(CN) The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who are plotting evil(CO) and giving wicked advice in this city.(CP) They say, ‘Haven’t our houses been recently rebuilt? This city is a pot,(CQ) and we are the meat in it.’(CR) Therefore prophesy(CS) against them; prophesy, son of man.”

Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and he told me to say: “This is what the Lord says: That is what you are saying, you leaders in Israel, but I know what is going through your mind.(CT) You have killed many people in this city and filled its streets with the dead.(CU)

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: The bodies you have thrown there are the meat and this city is the pot,(CV) but I will drive you out of it.(CW) You fear the sword,(CX) and the sword is what I will bring against you, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CY) I will drive you out of the city and deliver you into the hands(CZ) of foreigners and inflict punishment on you.(DA) 10 You will fall by the sword, and I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel.(DB) Then you will know that I am the Lord. 11 This city will not be a pot(DC) for you, nor will you be the meat in it; I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel. 12 And you will know that I am the Lord,(DD) for you have not followed my decrees(DE) or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you.(DF)

13 Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah(DG) son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! Will you completely destroy the remnant of Israel?(DH)

The Promise of Israel’s Return

14 The word of the Lord came to me: 15 “Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have said of your fellow exiles and all the other Israelites, ‘They are far away from the Lord; this land was given to us as our possession.’(DI)

16 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary(DJ) for them in the countries where they have gone.’

17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’(DK)

18 “They will return to it and remove all its vile images(DL) and detestable idols.(DM) 19 I will give them an undivided heart(DN) and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone(DO) and give them a heart of flesh.(DP) 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.(DQ) They will be my people,(DR) and I will be their God.(DS) 21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols,(DT) I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.(DU)

22 Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory(DV) of the God of Israel was above them.(DW) 23 The glory(DX) of the Lord went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain(DY) east of it. 24 The Spirit(DZ) lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia[d] in the vision(EA) given by the Spirit of God.

Then the vision I had seen went up from me, 25 and I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.(EB)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 8:2 Or saw a fiery figure
  2. Ezekiel 10:5 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  3. Ezekiel 10:11 Or aside
  4. Ezekiel 11:24 Or Chaldea

And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.

Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.

And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.

Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.

He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.

And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.

Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.

And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.

10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.

11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.

12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, the Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth.

13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.

14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.

16 And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.

17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.

18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.

He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.

And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.

And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not.

10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.

10 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.

Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.

Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory.

And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.

And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.

And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.

And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.

10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.

11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.

12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.

13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.

14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.

16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.

17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.

18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.

19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the Lord's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.

21 Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.

22 And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.

11 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the Lord's house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.

Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:

Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.

Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.

And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.

Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.

Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord God.

And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.

10 Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

11 This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel:

12 And ye shall know that I am the Lord: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.

13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?

14 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the Lord: unto us is this land given in possession.

16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.

17 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.

18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.

19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God.

22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

23 And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.

24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.

25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the Lord had shewed me.