审判以色列的首领

11 那时,灵将我举起,带我到耶和华殿的东门,我见那里有二十五个人,当中有百姓的首领押朔的儿子雅撒尼亚和比拿雅的儿子毗拉提。 耶和华对我说:“人子啊,这些人在这城里专给人出毒计,设恶谋。 他们说,‘建造房屋的时候不是到了吗?我们的城像铁锅一样坚固,我们像在锅里的肉一样得到保护。’ 人子啊,你要说预言,说预言斥责他们。”

耶和华的灵降在我身上,并吩咐我说:“耶和华这样说,‘以色列人啊,我知道你们口中在说什么,心里在想什么。 你们在城中杀人无数,大街小巷遍地尸体。 所以,主耶和华说,你们在城中杀死的人就是肉,这城就是锅,但我必把你们从锅中拉出来。 你们惧怕刀剑,我必使刀剑临到你们。这是主耶和华说的。 我必把你们从城中赶出去,交给外族人。我必惩罚你们, 10 使你们死于刀下。我要审判整个以色列,这样你们就知道我是耶和华。 11 这城必不是你们的锅,你们也必不是其中的肉,我必在全以色列施行审判。 12 这样你们就知道我是耶和华。因为你们没有遵行我的律例,没有顺从我的典章,却效法你们四邻外族的规矩。’”

13 我正在说预言的时候,比拿雅的儿子毗拉提就死了。我便俯伏在地大喊:“唉,主耶和华啊,你要灭绝以色列的余民吗?”

14 耶和华对我说: 15 “人子啊,留在耶路撒冷的居民会这样谈论你、你的亲人和一切被掳的以色列人,说,‘他们远离了耶和华,这地方已经给了我们。’ 16 因此,你要说,‘主耶和华这样说,我虽然把以色列人赶到远方各国,分散在列邦,却要在他们所去的国家暂作他们的圣所。’

17 “你要说,‘主耶和华这样说,我必从各国召集你们,从你们被驱散到的列邦中聚集你们,将以色列再赐给你们。’ 18 他们回来后,必除掉一切丑恶可憎的事。 19 我必赐给他们一颗专一的心,将新灵放在他们里面,除去他们的石心,赐给他们肉心, 20 使他们恪守我的律例,谨遵我的典章。他们将做我的子民,我将做他们的上帝。 21 至于那些心里恋慕丑恶可憎之物的人,我必按他们所行的报应他们。这是主耶和华说的。”

22 于是,基路伯天使展开翅膀,轮子跟在他们旁边,在他们上面有以色列上帝的荣耀。 23 耶和华的荣耀从城中升起,停在城东的山上。 24 灵将我举起,在异象中把我带到迦勒底被掳的人那里,我所见的异象从我面前上升消失了。 25 我把耶和华让我看到的一切都告诉了那些被掳的人。

Vision of Israel’s Corrupt Leaders

11 The Spirit then lifted me up(A) and brought me to the eastern gate of the Lord’s house, which faces east, and at the gate’s entrance were twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur, and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. The Lord[a] said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil(B) and give wicked advice in this city. They are saying, ‘Isn’t the time near to build houses?[b](C) The city is the pot,(D) and we are the meat.’ Therefore, prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man!”

Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and he told me, “You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord says: That is what you are thinking, house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your mind.(E) You have multiplied your slain in this city,(F) filling its streets with them.

“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: The slain you have put within it are the meat,(G) and the city is the pot, but I[c] will take you out of it.(H) You fear the sword,(I) so I will bring the sword against you.(J) This is the declaration of the Lord God. I will take you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners; I will execute judgments against you.(K) 10 You will fall by the sword,(L) and I will judge you at the border of Israel.(M) Then you will know that I am the Lord. 11 The city will not be a pot for you,(N) and you will not be the meat within it. I will judge you at the border of Israel, 12 so you will know that I am the Lord, whose statutes you have not followed and whose ordinances you have not practiced. Instead, you have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you.’”(O)

13 Now while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died.(P) Then I fell facedown and cried out loudly, “Oh, Lord God!(Q) You are bringing the remnant of Israel to an end!”

Promise of Israel’s Restoration

14 The word of the Lord came to me again: 15 “Son of man, your own relatives, those who have the right to redeem your property,[d][e] along with the entire house of Israel—all of them—are those to whom the residents of Jerusalem have said, ‘You are far from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’

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

17 “Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will gather you from the peoples(S) and assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’

18 “When they arrive there, they will remove all its(T) abhorrent acts(U) and detestable practices from it. 19 I will give them integrity of[f] heart(V) and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone(W) from their bodies[g] and give them a heart of flesh,(X) 20 so that they will follow my statutes,(Y) keep my ordinances, and practice them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.(Z) 21 But as for those whose hearts pursue their desire for abhorrent acts and detestable practices, I will bring their conduct down on their own heads.”(AA) This is the declaration of the Lord God.

God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem

22 Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, lifted their wings,(AB) and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23 The glory of the Lord(AC) rose up from within the city and stopped on the mountain(AD) east of the city.[h](AE) 24 The Spirit lifted me up(AF) and brought me to Chaldea and to the exiles in a vision from the Spirit of God. After the vision I had seen left me, 25 I spoke to the exiles about all the things the Lord had shown me.

Footnotes

  1. 11:2 Lit He
  2. 11:3 Or “The time is not near to build houses.
  3. 11:7 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg; other Hb mss read he
  4. 11:15 LXX, Syr read your relatives, your fellow exiles
  5. 11:15 Or own brothers, your relatives
  6. 11:19 Lit give them one
  7. 11:19 Lit flesh
  8. 11:23 = the Mount of Olives