Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision

1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles^(A) by the Kebar River,^(B) the heavens were opened^(C) and I saw visions^(D) of God.

² On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin^(E)— ³ the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel^(F) the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.^[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him.^(G)

⁴ I looked, and I saw a windstorm^(H) coming out of the north^(I)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,^{(J) 5} and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.^(K) In appearance their form was human,^{(L) 6} but each of them had four faces^(M) and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.^{(N) 8} Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.^(O) All four of them had faces and wings, ⁹ and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.^(P)

¹⁰ Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.^{(Q) 11} Such were their faces. They each had two wings^(R) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. ¹² Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.^{(S) 13} The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals^(T) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning^(U) flashed out of it. ¹⁴ The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.^(V)

¹⁵ As I looked at the living creatures,^(W) I saw a wheel^(X) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. ¹⁶ This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,^(Y) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. ¹⁷ As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction^(Z) as the creatures went. ¹⁸ Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes^(AA) all around.

¹⁹ When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. ²⁰ Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,^(AB) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹ When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.^(AC)

²² Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,^(AD) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. ²³ Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. ²⁴ When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing^(AE) waters, like the voice^(AF) of the Almighty,^[b] like the tumult of an army.^(AG) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

²⁵ Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. ²⁶ Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne^(AH) of lapis lazuli,^(AI) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.^{(AJ) 27} I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.^{(AK) 28} Like the appearance of a rainbow^(AL) in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.^(AM)

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory^(AN) of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown,^(AO) and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel’s Call to Be a Prophet

2 He said to me, “Son of man,^[c](AP) stand^(AQ) up on your feet and I will speak to you.^(AR)” ² As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me^(AS) to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

³ He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.^{(AT) 4} The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.^(AU) Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’^{(AV) 5} And whether they listen or fail to listen^(AW)—for they are a rebellious people^(AX)—they will know that a prophet has been among them.^{(AY) 6} And you, son of man, do not be afraid^(AZ) of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns^(BA) are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.^{(BB) 7} You must speak^(BC) my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.^{(BD) 8} But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel^(BE) like that rebellious people;^(BF) open your mouth and eat^(BG) what I give you.”

⁹ Then I looked, and I saw a hand^(BH) stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,^{(BI) 10} which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.^(BJ)

Doom for the Mountains of Israel

6 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set your face^(A) against the mountains^(B) of Israel; prophesy against them^{(C) 3} and say: ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys:^(D) I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.^{(E) 4} Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars^(F) will be smashed; and I will slay your people in front of your idols.^{(G) 5} I will lay the dead bodies of the Israelites in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones^(H) around your altars.^{(I) 6} Wherever you live,^(J) the towns will be laid waste and the high places^(K) demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and devastated, your idols^(L) smashed and ruined, your incense altars^(M) broken down, and what you have made wiped out.^{(N) 7} Your people will fall slain^(O) among you, and you will know that I am the Lord.^(P)

⁸ “‘But I will spare some, for some of you will escape^(Q) the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations.^{(R) 9} Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember^(S) me—how I have been grieved^(T) by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols.^(U) They will loathe themselves for the evil^(V) they have done and for all their detestable practices.^{(W) 10} And they will know that I am the Lord;^(X) I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on them.^(Y)

¹¹ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Strike your hands together and stamp your feet and cry out “Alas!” because of all the wicked and detestable practices of the people of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine and plague.^{(Z) 12} One who is far away will die of the plague, and one who is near will fall by the sword, and anyone who survives and is spared will die of famine. So will I pour out my wrath^(AA) on them.^{(AB) 13} And they will know that I am the Lord, when their people lie slain among their idols^(AC) around their altars, on every high hill and on all the mountaintops, under every spreading tree and every leafy oak^(AD)—places where they offered fragrant incense to all their idols.^{(AE) 14} And I will stretch out my hand^(AF) against them and make the land a desolate waste from the desert to Diblah^[a]—wherever they live. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(AG)’”

The End Has Come

7 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel:

“‘Then you will know that I am the Lord.’^(AM)

⁵ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes you.^(AV)

“‘Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(CJ)’”

Hope for the Mountains of Israel

36 “Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel^(A) and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. ² This is what the Sovereign Lord says:^(B) The enemy said of you, “Aha!^(C) The ancient heights^(D) have become our possession.^(E)”’ ³ Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because they ravaged^(F) and crushed you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander,^{(G) 4} therefore, mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord: This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys,^(H) to the desolate ruins^(I) and the deserted^(J) towns that have been plundered and ridiculed^(K) by the rest of the nations around you^(L)— ⁵ this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my burning^(M) zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.’^{(N) 6} Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations.^{(O) 7} Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I swear with uplifted hand^(P) that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.^(Q)

⁸ “‘But you, mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit^(R) for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. ⁹ I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown,^{(S) 10} and I will cause many people to live on you—yes, all of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins^(T) rebuilt.^{(U) 11} I will increase the number of people and animals living on you, and they will be fruitful^(V) and become numerous. I will settle people^(W) on you as in the past^(X) and will make you prosper more than before.^(Y) Then you will know that I am the Lord. ¹² I will cause people, my people Israel, to live on you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance;^(Z) you will never again deprive them of their children.

¹³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because some say to you, “You devour people^(AA) and deprive your nation of its children,” ¹⁴ therefore you will no longer devour people or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁵ No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AB)’”

Israel’s Restoration Assured

¹⁶ Again the word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁷ “Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness^(AC) in my sight.^{(AD) 18} So I poured out^(AE) my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. ¹⁹ I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered^(AF) through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.^{(AG) 20} And wherever they went among the nations they profaned^(AH) my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’^{(AI) 21} I had concern for my holy name, which the people of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.^(AJ)

²² “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name,^(AK) which you have profaned^(AL) among the nations where you have gone.^{(AM) 23} I will show the holiness of my great name,^(AN) which has been profaned^(AO) among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,^(AP) declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy^(AQ) through you before their eyes.^(AR)

²⁴ “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.^{(AS) 25} I will sprinkle^(AT) clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse^(AU) you from all your impurities^(AV) and from all your idols.^{(AW) 26} I will give you a new heart^(AX) and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone^(AY) and give you a heart of flesh.^{(AZ) 27} And I will put my Spirit^(BA) in you and move you to follow my decrees^(BB) and be careful to keep my laws.^{(BC) 28} Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people,^(BD) and I will be your God.^{(BE) 29} I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine^(BF) upon you. ³⁰ I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.^{(BG) 31} Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.^{(BH) 32} I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign Lord. Be ashamed^(BI) and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!^(BJ)

³³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse^(BK) you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins^(BL) will be rebuilt.^{(BM) 34} The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. ³⁵ They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden;^(BN) the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.^(BO)” ³⁶ Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.’^(BP)

³⁷ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Once again I will yield to Israel’s plea^(BQ) and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,^{(BR) 38} as numerous as the flocks for offerings^(BS) at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(BT)”

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was on me,^(BU) and he brought me out by the Spirit^(BV) of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley;^(BW) it was full of bones.^{(BX) 2} He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.^(BY)”

⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!^{(BZ) 5} This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath^[a] enter you, and you will come to life.^{(CA) 6} I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(CB)’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath;^(CC) prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds^(CD) and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded^(CE) me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.^(CF)

¹¹ Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’^{(CG) 12} Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.^{(CH) 13} Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord,^(CI) when I open your graves and bring you up from them.^{(CJ) 14} I will put my Spirit^(CK) in you and you will live, and I will settle^(CL) you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.^(CM)’”

One Nation Under One King

¹⁵ The word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁶ “Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites^(CN) associated with him.^(CO)’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.’ ¹⁷ Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.^(CP)

¹⁸ “When your people ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’^{(CQ) 19} say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’^{(CR) 20} Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on ²¹ and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land.^{(CS) 22} I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.^(CT) There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.^{(CU) 23} They will no longer defile^(CV) themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding,^[b](CW) and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.^(CX)

²⁴ “‘My servant David^(CY) will be king^(CZ) over them, and they will all have one shepherd.^(DA) They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.^{(DB) 25} They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived.^(DC) They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever,^(DD) and David my servant will be their prince forever.^{(DE) 26} I will make a covenant of peace^(DF) with them; it will be an everlasting covenant.^(DG) I will establish them and increase their numbers,^(DH) and I will put my sanctuary among them^(DI) forever.^{(DJ) 27} My dwelling place^(DK) will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.^{(DL) 28} Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy,^(DM) when my sanctuary is among them forever.^(DN)’”