Ezekiel 10-12
New Living Translation
The Lord’s Glory Leaves the Temple
10 In my vision I saw what appeared to be a throne of blue lapis lazuli above the crystal surface over the heads of the cherubim. 2 Then the Lord spoke to the man in linen clothing and said, “Go between the whirling wheels beneath the cherubim, and take a handful of burning coals and scatter them over the city.” He did this as I watched.
3 The cherubim were standing at the south end of the Temple when the man went in, and the cloud of glory filled the inner courtyard. 4 Then the glory of the Lord rose up from above the cherubim and went over to the entrance of the Temple. The Temple was filled with this cloud of glory, and the courtyard glowed brightly with the glory of the Lord. 5 The moving wings of the cherubim sounded like the voice of God Almighty[a] and could be heard even in the outer courtyard.
6 The Lord said to the man in linen clothing, “Go between the cherubim and take some burning coals from between the wheels.” So the man went in and stood beside one of the wheels. 7 Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand and took some live coals from the fire burning among them. He put the coals into the hands of the man in linen clothing, and the man took them and went out. 8 (All the cherubim had what looked like human hands under their wings.)
9 I looked, and each of the four cherubim had a wheel beside him, and the wheels sparkled like beryl. 10 All four wheels looked alike and were made the same; each wheel had a second wheel turning crosswise within it. 11 The cherubim could move in any of the four directions they faced, without turning as they moved. They went straight in the direction they faced, never turning aside. 12 Both the cherubim and the wheels were covered with eyes. The cherubim had eyes all over their bodies, including their hands, their backs, and their wings. 13 I heard someone refer to the wheels as “the whirling wheels.” 14 Each of the four cherubim had four faces: the first was the face of an ox,[b] the second was a human face, the third was the face of a lion, and the fourth was the face of an eagle.
15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the same living beings I had seen beside the Kebar River. 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved with them. When they lifted their wings to fly, the wheels stayed beside them. 17 When the cherubim stopped, the wheels stopped. When they flew upward, the wheels rose up, for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.
18 Then the glory of the Lord moved out from the entrance of the Temple and hovered above the cherubim. 19 And as I watched, the cherubim flew with their wheels to the east gate of the Lord’s Temple. And the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.
20 These were the same living beings I had seen beneath the God of Israel when I was by the Kebar River. I knew they were cherubim, 21 for each had four faces and four wings and what looked like human hands under their wings. 22 And their faces were just like the faces of the beings I had seen at the Kebar, and they traveled straight ahead, just as the others had.
Judgment on Israel’s Leaders
11 Then the Spirit lifted me and brought me to the east gateway of the Lord’s Temple, where I saw twenty-five prominent men of the city. Among them were Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, who were leaders among the people.
2 The Spirit said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who are planning evil and giving wicked counsel in this city. 3 They say to the people, ‘Is it not a good time to build houses? This city is like an iron pot. We are safe inside it like meat in a pot.[c]’ 4 Therefore, son of man, prophesy against them loudly and clearly.”
5 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and he told me to say, “This is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: I know what you are saying, for I know every thought that comes into your minds. 6 You have murdered many in this city and filled its streets with the dead.
7 “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: This city is an iron pot all right, but the pieces of meat are the victims of your injustice. As for you, I will soon drag you from this pot. 8 I will bring on you the sword of war you so greatly fear, says the Sovereign Lord. 9 I will drive you out of Jerusalem and hand you over to foreigners, who will carry out my judgments against you. 10 You will be slaughtered all the way to the borders of Israel. I will execute judgment on you, and you will know that I am the Lord. 11 No, this city will not be an iron pot for you, and you will not be like meat safe inside it. I will judge you even to the borders of Israel, 12 and you will know that I am the Lord. For you have refused to obey my decrees and regulations; instead, you have copied the standards of the nations around you.”
13 While I was still prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah suddenly died. Then I fell face down on the ground and cried out, “O Sovereign Lord, are you going to kill everyone in Israel?”
Hope for Exiled Israel
14 Then this message came to me from the Lord: 15 “Son of man, the people still left in Jerusalem are talking about you and your relatives and all the people of Israel who are in exile. They are saying, ‘Those people are far away from the Lord, so now he has given their land to us!’
16 “Therefore, tell the exiles, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I have scattered you in the countries of the world, I will be a sanctuary to you during your time in exile. 17 I, the Sovereign Lord, will gather you back from the nations where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel once again.’
18 “When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols. 19 And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart,[d] 20 so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those who long for vile images and detestable idols, I will repay them fully for their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
The Lord’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem
22 Then the cherubim lifted their wings and rose into the air with their wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them. 23 Then the glory of the Lord went up from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east.
24 Afterward the Spirit of God carried me back again to Babylonia,[e] to the people in exile there. And so ended the vision of my visit to Jerusalem. 25 And I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.
Signs of the Coming Exile
12 Again a message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people.
3 “So now, son of man, pretend you are being sent into exile. Pack the few items an exile could carry, and leave your home to go somewhere else. Do this right in front of the people so they can see you. For perhaps they will pay attention to this, even though they are such rebels. 4 Bring your baggage outside during the day so they can watch you. Then in the evening, as they are watching, leave your house as captives do when they begin a long march to distant lands. 5 Dig a hole through the wall while they are watching and go out through it. 6 As they watch, lift your pack to your shoulders and walk away into the night. Cover your face so you cannot see the land you are leaving. For I have made you a sign for the people of Israel.”
7 So I did as I was told. In broad daylight I brought my pack outside, filled with the things I might carry into exile. Then in the evening while the people looked on, I dug through the wall with my hands and went out into the night with my pack on my shoulder.
8 The next morning this message came to me from the Lord: 9 “Son of man, these rebels, the people of Israel, have asked you what all this means. 10 Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: These actions contain a message for King Zedekiah in Jerusalem[f] and for all the people of Israel.’ 11 Explain that your actions are a sign to show what will soon happen to them, for they will be driven into exile as captives.
12 “Even Zedekiah will leave Jerusalem at night through a hole in the wall, taking only what he can carry with him. He will cover his face, and his eyes will not see the land he is leaving. 13 Then I will throw my net over him and capture him in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Babylonians,[g] though he will never see it, and he will die there. 14 I will scatter his servants and warriors to the four winds and send the sword after them. 15 And when I scatter them among the nations, they will know that I am the Lord. 16 But I will spare a few of them from death by war, famine, or disease, so they can confess all their detestable sins to their captors. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
17 Then this message came to me from the Lord: 18 “Son of man, tremble as you eat your food. Shake with fear as you drink your water. 19 Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says concerning those living in Israel and Jerusalem: They will eat their food with trembling and sip their water in despair, for their land will be stripped bare because of their violence. 20 The cities will be destroyed and the farmland made desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
A New Proverb for Israel
21 Again a message came to me from the Lord: 22 “Son of man, you’ve heard that proverb they quote in Israel: ‘Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing.’ 23 Tell the people, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.’ Now give them this new proverb to replace the old one: ‘The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!’
24 “There will be no more false visions and flattering predictions in Israel. 25 For I am the Lord! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
26 Then this message came to me from the Lord: 27 “Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, ‘He’s talking about the distant future. His visions won’t come true for a long, long time.’ 28 Therefore, tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No more delay! I will now do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!’”
Ezekiel 10-12
English Standard Version
The Glory of the Lord Leaves the Temple
10 Then I looked, and behold, (A)on the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something (B)like a sapphire,[a] in appearance like a throne. 2 And he said to (C)the man clothed in linen, “Go in among (D)the whirling wheels underneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with (E)burning coals from between the cherubim, and (F)scatter them over the city.”
And he went in (G)before my eyes. 3 Now the cherubim were standing (H)on the south side of the house, when the man went in, and (I)a cloud filled (J)the inner court. 4 And (K)the glory of the Lord (L)went up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house (M)was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with (N)the brightness of the glory of the Lord. 5 And (O)the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, (P)like the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.
6 And when he commanded (Q)the man clothed in linen, (R)“Take fire from between (S)the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim,” he went in and stood beside a wheel. 7 And a cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took some of it and put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who took it and went out. 8 The cherubim appeared to have (T)the form of a human hand under their wings.
9 (U)And I looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one beside each cherub, and (V)the appearance of the wheels was (W)like sparkling (X)beryl. 10 And as for their appearance, the four had the same likeness, as if a wheel were within a wheel. 11 (Y)When they went, they went in any of their four directions[b] (Z)without turning as they went, (AA)but in whatever direction the front wheel[c] faced, the others followed without turning as they went. 12 (AB)And their whole body, their rims, and their spokes, their wings,[d] and the wheels were full of eyes all around—the wheels that the four of them had. 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing (AC)“the whirling wheels.” 14 (AD)And every one had four faces: (AE)the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was (AF)a human face, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15 (AG)And the cherubim mounted up. These were (AH)the living creatures that I saw by (AI)the Chebar canal. 16 (AJ)And when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them. And (AK)when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels did not turn from beside them. 17 (AL)When they stood still, these stood still, and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them, for the spirit of the living creatures[e] was in them.
18 (AM)Then (AN)the glory of the Lord went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 (AO)And the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth (AP)before my eyes as they went out, with the wheels beside them. And they stood at the entrance of the (AQ)east gate of the house of the Lord, and (AR)the glory of the God of Israel was over them.
20 (AS)These were the living creatures that I saw (AT)underneath the God of Israel by (AU)the Chebar canal; and I knew that they were cherubim. 21 (AV)Each had four faces, and each four wings, and underneath their wings (AW)the likeness of human hands. 22 (AX)And as for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the Chebar canal. (AY)Each one of them went straight forward.
Judgment on Wicked Counselors
11 (AZ)The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to (BA)the east gate of the house of the Lord, which faces east. And behold, at the entrance of the gateway there were (BB)twenty-five men. And I saw among them Jaazaniah (BC)the son of Azzur, and (BD)Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2 And he said to me, (BE)“Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in this city; 3 (BF)who say, (BG)‘The time is not near[f] to build houses. (BH)This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’ 4 Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, O son of man.”
5 And (BI)the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and he said to me, “Say, Thus says the Lord: So you think, O house of Israel. (BJ)For I know the things that come into your mind. 6 (BK)You have multiplied your slain in this city and have filled its streets with the slain. 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: (BL)Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it, (BM)they are the meat, and (BN)this city is the cauldron, but you shall be brought out of the midst of it. 8 (BO)You have feared the sword, and I will bring the sword upon you, declares the Lord God. 9 And I will bring you out of the midst of it, and (BP)give you into the hands of foreigners, and (BQ)execute judgments upon you. 10 (BR)You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at the border of Israel, (BS)and you shall know that I am the Lord. 11 (BT)This city shall not be your cauldron, nor shall you be the meat in the midst of it. I will judge you at the border of Israel, 12 and you shall know that I am the Lord. For you have not walked in my statutes, nor obeyed my rules, (BU)but have acted according to the rules of the nations that are around you.”
13 And it came to pass, while I was prophesying, (BV)that (BW)Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. (BX)Then I fell down on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, (BY)“Ah, Lord God! (BZ)Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”
Israel's New Heart and Spirit
14 And the word of the Lord came to me: 15 (CA)“Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, your kinsmen,[g] the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, (CB)‘Go far from the Lord; to us this land is given for a possession.’ 16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet (CC)I have been a sanctuary to them for a while[h] in the countries where they have gone.’ 17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: (CD)I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, (CE)and I will give you the land of Israel.’ 18 And when they come there, (CF)they will remove from it all its (CG)detestable things and all its abominations. 19 (CH)And I will give them one heart, and (CI)a new spirit I will put within them. (CJ)I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh (CK)and give them a heart of flesh, 20 (CL)that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. (CM)And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21 (CN)But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, (CO)I will[i] bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord God.”
22 (CP)Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, (CQ)and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. 23 And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and (CR)stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city. 24 (CS)And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me (CT)in the vision by the Spirit of God (CU)into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25 And I told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me.
Judah's Captivity Symbolized
12 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 (CV)“Son of man, you dwell in the midst of (CW)a rebellious house, (CX)who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are (CY)a rebellious house. 3 As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself (CZ)an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day (DA)in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place (DB)in their sight. (DC)Perhaps they will understand, though[j] they are a rebellious house. 4 You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself (DD)at evening in their sight, as those do who must go into exile. 5 In their sight (DE)dig through the wall, and bring your baggage out through it. 6 In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk. You shall cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you (DF)a sign for the house of Israel.”
7 (DG)And I did as I was commanded. (DH)I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought out my baggage at dusk, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight.
8 In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: 9 (DI)“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, (DJ)the rebellious house, said to you, (DK)‘What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: This oracle concerns[k] (DL)the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.’[l] 11 Say, (DM)‘I am a sign for you: (DN)as I have done, so shall it be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.’ 12 (DO)And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk, and shall go out. (DP)They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. (DQ)He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes. 13 (DR)And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare. And (DS)I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, (DT)yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there. 14 (DU)And I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops, (DV)and I will unsheathe the sword after them. 15 (DW)And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries. 16 (DX)But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, (DY)and may know that I am the Lord.”
17 And the word of the Lord came to me: 18 (DZ)“Son of man, (EA)eat your bread with quaking, and drink water with trembling and with anxiety. 19 And say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord God concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: (EB)They shall eat their bread with anxiety, (EC)and drink water in dismay. In this way (ED)her land will be stripped of all it contains, (EE)on account of the violence of all those who dwell in it. 20 (EF)And the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
21 And the word of the Lord came to me: 22 “Son of man, (EG)what is this proverb that you[m] have about the land of Israel, saying, (EH)‘The days grow long, and every vision comes to nothing’? 23 Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.’ But say to them, (EI)The days are near, and the fulfillment[n] of every vision. 24 (EJ)For there shall be no more any (EK)false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am the Lord; I will speak (EL)the word that I will speak, and it will be performed. (EM)It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, (EN)O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord God.”
26 And the word of the Lord came to me: 27 “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, (EO)‘The vision that he sees is (EP)for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: (EQ)None of my words will be delayed any longer, (ER)but the word that I speak will be performed, declares the Lord God.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 10:1 Or lapis lazuli
- Ezekiel 10:11 Hebrew to their four sides
- Ezekiel 10:11 Hebrew the head
- Ezekiel 10:12 Or their whole body, their backs, their hands, and their wings
- Ezekiel 10:17 Or spirit of life
- Ezekiel 11:3 Or Is not the time near… ?
- Ezekiel 11:15 Hebrew the men of your redemption
- Ezekiel 11:16 Or in small measure
- Ezekiel 11:21 Hebrew To the heart of their detestable things and their abominations their heart goes; I will
- Ezekiel 12:3 Or will see that
- Ezekiel 12:10 Or This burden is
- Ezekiel 12:10 Hebrew in the midst of them
- Ezekiel 12:22 The Hebrew for you is plural
- Ezekiel 12:23 Hebrew word
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
