Ezekiel 1:1-21:20

International Standard Version

An Introduction to Ezekiel’s Visions

1 On the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year of the exile to Babylon,^[a] while I was among the captives on the bank of^[b] the Chebar River, heaven opened up and I saw visions from God.

The Vision of the Fire Cloud

² On the fifth day^[c] of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s imprisonment in exile, ³ a message from^[d] the Lord came directly to Buzi’s son Ezekiel,^[e] the priest, by the Chebar River in the land of the Chaldeans.^[f] The hand of the Lord rested upon him there.

⁴ I was amazed to see a wind storm blow^[g] in from the north, consisting of^[h] a massive cloud and fire that was flashing back and forth, surrounded by bright light. From deep within the cloud,^[i] something was shining that appeared to have a color like bronze that had been placed in fire until it glowed.

The Vision of the Four Beings

⁵ Deep inside it, the likenesses of four living beings were visible. Their appearances were similar to human forms, ⁶ except that they each had four faces, four pairs of wings,^{[j] 7} and straight legs. Their feet resembled calves’ hooves, but they gleamed like polished bronze. ⁸ From under their wings there were human hands on their four sides.

Now as to their four faces and four pairs of wings, ⁹ their pairs of wings overlapped each other. They moved in straight directions without turning their faces around as they moved. ¹⁰ The form of their faces was human, but each of the four also had the face of a lion to the right, the face of an ox to the left, and the face of an eagle behind them.^{[k] 11} That’s what their faces were like. Their wings spread out above and around them, one pair overlapping another, with one pair covering themselves. ¹² Each moved in straight directions. Wherever they decided^[l] to go, they went without turning themselves.

¹³ Now, in the midst of the living beings there was something that^[m] appeared to glow like coals kindled by a fire,^[n] like torches that moved back and forth between the living beings. The fire was dazzling, and lightning flashed from the fire. ¹⁴ The living beings moved around, in appearance resembling lightning.

The Vision of the Wheels

¹⁵ As I observed the living beings, I noticed one wheel on the earth beside each being—that is, for the four of them.^{[o] 16} Their wheels and their construction details looked like gold-colored beryl.^[p] Each wheel was identical in form to the others,^[q] and they appeared to have been constructed and designed as if one wheel were within another. ¹⁷ Whenever the four moved, no matter which of four directions, they moved without turning around.

¹⁸ Their wheel rims were ornate^[r] and terrifying. They were full of eyes that surrounded the four of them. ¹⁹ Whenever the living beings moved, the wheels moved, too. Whenever the living beings rose from the earth, the wheels rose also. ²⁰ Whatever direction these spirits went, the wheels would be lifted up along with them, because the wheels were alive.^{[s] 21} They moved around whenever they wanted to move around,^[t] and they stood still whenever they wanted to stand still;^[u] and whenever they rose from the earth, the wheels remained close beside them, because the wheels were also alive.^[v]

The Vision of the Wings

²² There was spread out over the heads of the living beings what looked like a canopy,^[w] in outward appearance resembling ice, ²³ and underneath the canopy, their wings spread out straight over their heads toward each other. They each also had two wings with which they covered themselves, one wing covering its body on one side and one wing covering itself on the other side.

²⁴ I also heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of roaring^[x] water, like the voice of the Almighty, or like a boisterous crowd within an army camp. Whenever they stopped flying, they lowered their wings. ²⁵ A sound came from above the canopy that was spread out over their heads. Whenever they stood still, they lowered their wings. ²⁶ From above the canopy that was spread out over their heads, there appeared to be something reminiscent of a throne, resembling sapphire^[y] in form.

The Vision of the Glory of God

There was the likeness of the appearance of a human being seated on the likeness of the throne high above. ²⁷ I noticed that from what appeared to look like his waist upward there was something that looked like metal that glowed as if it were immersed in fire. Below this there was something resembling fire, with a radiant light surrounding him. ²⁸ The appearance of the radiant light resembled that of a rainbow shining in a cloud on a rainy day. This was what the appearance of the form of the glory of the Lord resembled. When I saw all of this,^[z] I fell flat on my face. Then I heard a voice speaking.

Ezekiel’s Commission to Prophesy

2 “Son of Man,” the Lord said,^[aa] “get up on your feet. I want to talk to you.” ² Even while he was speaking to me, the Spirit entered me, set me on my feet, and I listened to the voice that had been speaking to me.

³ “Son of Man, I’m sending you to that rebellious people, the Israelis, who have rebelled against me the same way their ancestors did. And they’re still rebels^[ab] to this very day! ⁴ They’re stubborn^[ac] and strong willed. I’m sending you to them to tell them what the Lord says. ⁵ Whether this rebellious group^[ad] listens to you or not, at least^[ae] they’ll realize that a prophet had appeared in their midst!

⁶ “Now as for you, Son of Man, never be afraid of them or of anything they have to say, because being with them will be like settling down to live among briers, thorn bushes, and scorpions! Don’t be afraid of anything they have to say, and don’t be awed by their appearance, since they are a rebellious group.^{[af] 7} You are to tell them whatever I have to say to them, whether they listen or not, since they are rebellious.”

The Vision of the Edible Scroll

⁸ “Son of Man, you are to listen to what I tell you. You are never to be rebellious like they are: a rebellious group.^[ag] Now, open your mouth and eat what I’m giving you…”

⁹ As I watched, all of a sudden there was a hand being stretched out in my direction! And there was a scroll ¹⁰ being unrolled right in front of me! Written on both sides were lamentations, mourning, and cries of grief.^[ah]

Ezekiel’s Commission to Prophesy

3 Then he told me, “Son of Man, eat! Eat what you see^[ai]—this scroll—and then go talk to the house of Israel.” ² So I opened my mouth and he fed me^[aj] the scroll.

³ Then he told me, “Son of Man, fill your stomach and digest this scroll that I’m giving you.” So I ate it, and it was like sweet honey in my mouth.

⁴ Then he told me, “Son of Man, go to the house of Israel and tell them what I have to say to them, ⁵ because you’re not going to a people whose speech you cannot understand or whose language is difficult to speak. Instead, you’re going to the house of Israel. ⁶ This isn’t a large group of people whose speech is unintelligible to you or whose language is difficult for you to comprehend. Frankly, if I had sent you to that kind of people,^[ak] they would certainly have listened to you! ⁷ But the house of Israel won’t listen to you, since they weren’t willing to listen to me. That’s because the entire house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted. ⁸ So pay attention! I’m going to make you just as obstinate^[al] and unyielding as they are.^{[am] 9} I’m making you harder than flint—like diamond! So you are not to fear them or be intimidated by how they look at you,^[an] since they’re a rebellious group.”

Ezekiel is Commissioned to Speak

¹⁰ Next, he told me, “Son of Man, take to heart every word that I’m telling you. Listen carefully, ¹¹ then go immediately^[ao] to the exiles; that is, to your people’s descendants, and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says…’ whether they listen or not.”^[ap]

¹² Then the Spirit lifted me up and I heard a great earthquake behind me and the glory of the Lord arose from his place, ¹³ accompanied by the sound of the wings of the living creatures gently touching each other and with the sound of the wheels emanating from the front, accompanied by a great earthquake.

Ezekiel Addresses the Israelis

¹⁴ Then the Spirit lifted me up and carried me away. I went bitterly with an angry attitude as the hand of the Lord rested on me. ¹⁵ I came to the exiles at Tel-abib by the Chebar River and sat down among them for seven days, appalled. ¹⁶ At the end of the seven days, this message from the Lord came to me: ¹⁷ “Son of Man,” he said,^[aq] “I’ve appointed you to be a watchman^[ar] over the house of Israel. Therefore when you hear a message that comes from me, you are to warn them for me.

¹⁸ “So when I say to a wicked person, ‘You’re about to die,’ if you don’t warn or instruct that wicked person that his behavior^[as] is wicked so he can live, that wicked person will die in his sin, but I’ll hold you responsible for his death.^{[at] 19} If you warn the wicked person, and he doesn’t repent of his wickedness or of his wicked behavior,^[au] he’ll die in his sin, but you will have saved your own life.

²⁰ “When a righteous man abandons his righteousness to practice unrighteousness, I’ll set a stumbling block before him. He’ll die. If you don’t warn him, he’ll die in his sin and the righteous deeds that he had practiced won’t be remembered, but you’ll be held responsible for his death.^{[av] 21} If you warn the righteous person, so that he^[aw] doesn’t commit sin, then he’ll live, since he had been warned. And you will have saved your life.”

Ezekiel Sees God in the Valley

²² The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he told me, “Get up! Go to the valley, and I’ll speak with you there.” ²³ So I got up, went to the valley, and there was the glory of the Lord, standing there just like^[ax] I had seen at the Chebar River. So I fell on my face.

²⁴ The Spirit entered me, rested on me, caused me to stand on my feet, and then he spoke to me. This is what he had to say: “Go barricade yourself in your house. ²⁵ Now pay attention! They’re going to bind you with ropes, tying you up right in their midst, so you won’t be able to circulate freely among them. ²⁶ Meanwhile, I’ll make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you’ll be mute and unable to reprove them, since they’re a rebellious group.^{[ay] 27} But when I speak with you, I’ll open your mouth so you can say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

The Vision of the Brick

4 “And now Son of Man, you are to take a brick,^[ba] set it in front of you, and inscribe on it the outline of^[bb] the city—that is, Jerusalem.^{[bc] 2} You are to lay siege against it, build a rampart around it, set a bulwark against it, encircle it with a berm, set up camps against it, and place battering rams around it. ³ Then you are to take a flat, iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city.

“Next, you are to turn toward it, oppose^[bd] it, and place it under siege, because you are to lay siege to it. All of this will serve as a sign to the house of Israel.

⁴ “Now as for you, you are to sleep^[be] on your left side, symbolically^[bf] bearing the punishment^[bg] of the house of Israel while you’re counting the days you’ll be sleeping on your left side^[bh] to bear symbolically^[bi] the punishment for^[bj] their sin. ⁵ I’ve assigned you to sleep this way for 390 days, representing the years they’ve been sinning,^[bk] as you bear symbolically^[bl] the punishment of the house of Israel. ⁶ When you have completed this, you are to sleep^[bm] on your right side, symbolically^[bn] bearing the iniquity of Judah for 40 days. Each day that I’ve assigned to you represents one year. ⁷ After this, you are to turn toward the rampart of Jerusalem and oppose^[bo] it with your bare arms, because I’m going to prophesy about it. ⁸ Look! I’ll tie you up^[bp] so that you’re unable to turn from one side to the other until you’ve completed your siege.”

Ezekiel’s Menu

⁹ “Furthermore, you are to take some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt, and mix them together in one container. Then you are to make bread from these grains sufficient to supply you through the time during which you’ll be sleeping on your side. You are to eat it for 390 days. ¹⁰ The food that you’ll be eating is to consist of portions weighing 20 shekels,^[bq] to be consumed daily at regular intervals.^{[br] 11} You are to measure one sixth of one hin^[bs] of water each time you drink it. ¹² You are to eat it as barley cakes and bake it right in front of them, using dried human dung for cooking fuel.”^[bt]

¹³ Then the Lord said, “This is how the Israelis will be eating unclean food among the nations, where I’ll be sending them.”

¹⁴ “Now, Lord God,” I replied, “I’ve never been defiled, ever since I was young until now. I haven’t eaten an animal that died on its own or was torn by beasts, and no unclean meat has ever entered my mouth!”

¹⁵ “Very well,” he responded. “I’ll allow you to substitute cow’s dung for human dung. Cook your food^[bu] over that.”

¹⁶ He also told me, “Son of Man, look! I’m about to disrupt the source^[bv] of bread in Jerusalem. As a result, they’ll ration bread by weight while their terror continues to grow and they’ll ration drinking water while their horror continues to mount! ¹⁷ Indeed, they’ll need bread and water, but everyone will be panic-stricken as they waste away in their iniquity.”

Ezekiel Shaves with a Sword

5 “Now as for you, Son of Man, you are to go find a sharp sword and use it like a barber’s razor. You are to cut your hair and beard. Then you are to take a weighing scale and divide your shaved hair into three parts.^{[bw] 2} You are to burn a third of it in the middle of the city when you’ve finished your siege. Next, you are to take another third of it and beat it with your sword. Last, you are to scatter the remaining third to the wind, after which I’ll unsheathe my sword and pursue them. ³ You are to preserve a few strands of hair and hide them in the folds^[bx] of your garment. ⁴ Then you are to take a few strands, throw them in the fire, and incinerate them. A fire will proceed to the house of Israel from there.”

Jerusalem’s Desolation Predicted

⁵ “This is what the Lord God says, ‘This is Jerusalem. I placed her in the center of nations, with many^[by] nations surrounding her. ⁶ But she rebelled against my ordinances and my statutes. She practiced more evil than all the nations and territories around her. They rejected my ordinances and didn’t live by^[bz] my statutes.’

⁷ “Therefore this is what the Lord God says: ‘Because you’re more disrespectful than the nations that surround you, you didn’t follow my statutes or follow my ordinances. You didn’t even follow the ordinances of the surrounding nations!’

⁸ “Therefore this is what the Lord God says: ‘Watch out! I—that’s right, even I—am against you. I’ll carry out my sentence among you right in front of the nations. ⁹ In fact, I’m going to do what I’ve never done before and what I’ll never again do, because of all of your loathsome behavior: ¹⁰ Fathers will eat their children in your midst. After this, your sons will eat their fathers as I carry out my sentence against you and scatter your survivors to the winds!’

¹¹ “Therefore, as sure as I live,” declares the Lord God, “because you’ve defiled my sanctuary with every loathsome thing and every abomination, I’ll restrain myself, and I’ll show neither pity nor compassion.^{[ca] 12} A third of you will die by pestilence, starving because of the famine in your midst. Another third will die violently by the violence of war^[cb] around you. The final third I’ll scatter to the wind as I unsheathe my sword to pursue them.

¹³ “Only then will I stop being angry—my burning in anger. Then they’ll know that I’ve spoken out in my arduous anger. Only then will my burning anger^[cc] against them be exhausted. ¹⁴ I’m also going to turn you into a waste and an object of insult among the nations that surround you and in front of every person who passes by. ¹⁵ As a result, Jerusalem^[cd] will become an insult, an object of taunt, an example of chastisement, and a useless waste to all the nations that surround you when I carry out my sentence against you in my anger, my burning rage, and my burning rebukes. I, the Lord, have spoken it. ¹⁶ I’ll send arrows of severe famine in their direction, meant for destruction, which I’ll shoot, intending to destroy them. I’ll make you have more and more famines that will attack you, and I’ll disrupt your source of food.^[ce]

¹⁷ “I’ll send famine and wild beasts against you that will rob you of your children.^[cf] Pestilence and bloodshed will devastate you when^[cg] I’ll declare war on^[ch] you. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

Prophecy against the Mountains of Israel

6 The Lord continued with his message to me. ² “Son of Man,” he said, “turn your face to oppose the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them. ³ Tell the mountains of Israel to listen as the Lord God speaks. This is what the Lord God has to say to the mountains, hills, streams, and the valleys: ‘Look! I’m about to bring my sword against you. I’m going to destroy your high places. ⁴ Your altars will become desolate and your sun pillars will be shattered. I’ll throw your slain down right in front of your idols. ⁵ I’ll place the corpses of the Israelis in front of their idols. I’ll scatter your bones around your altar. ⁶ In all the places where you live, the cities will be desolate. The high places will also be desolate so that your altars will be laid waste, bearing the punishment appropriate to them.^[ci] Your idols will be shattered, your sun pillars will be hewn down, and your works will be obliterated. ⁷ The fatally wounded among you will fall, and at that time you’ll know that I am the Lord. ⁸ I’ll leave a remnant among you—those who will escape the sword when I’ll have scattered you throughout the earth. ⁹ Your survivors will remember me among the nations where they’ll be taken captives. I’ve been crushed by their unfaithful^[cj] hearts that have turned against me. ¹⁰ Then they’ll know that I am the Lord. I didn’t declare this evil that’s intended for them^[ck] without a reason.’”

¹¹ This is what the Lord God says: “Clap your hands and stamp your feet! Say, ‘Oh, no!’ Because of all the detestable evil that has come from Israel’s house, they’ll fall by the sword, famine, and pestilence. ¹² The one who lives far away will die by pestilence and the one who is near will die violently.^[cl] The survivors and their surveillance details will die by famine as I exhaust my rage against them.

¹³ “You’ll learn^[cm] that I am the Lord, when the fatally wounded will be among their idols, around their altars, on every hill, on top of the mountains, under every luxuriant tree, and under all the full-grown^[cn] foliage—every place where they’ve offered fragrant aromas to all their idols. ¹⁴ I’ll stretch out my hands to strike^[co] them and send devastation to the land, from the wilderness of Diblah, throughout all their dwelling places. Then they’ll know that I am the Lord.”

The End has Come

7 This message from the Lord arrived for me: ² “Son of Man, this is what Lord God says to the land of Israel: ‘It’s over! All four corners of the land are out of time! ³ Your time is up! I’m sending my anger against you to judge you according to how you live your lives,^[cp] and I’m going to pay you back with the consequences of all your detestable practices. ⁴ I won’t be showing pity on you and I won’t be showing compassion. I’m going to turn your own lifestyles against you while your detestable practices remain among you. Then you’ll learn^[cq] that I am the Lord.’”

One Bad Thing after Another

⁵ “This is what the Lord God says: ‘It’s one evil event after another!

“‘Look out! It’s coming!

⁶ “‘The end is coming!

“‘The end is here!

“‘And it’s looking in your direction!^[cr]

“‘Look out! It’s arrived!

⁷ “‘Your doom has come to you, you who live in the land. The time has arrived, and the day of confusion is near. There will be no shouts of joy on the mountains. ⁸ Very soon now, I’ll pour out my burning anger on you. I’ll complete expressing my anger at you, judge you according to your behavior, and repay you for all your detestable practices. ⁹ I won’t be showing pity or compassion. I’ll repay you according to your behavior while your detestable practices remain among you. And you’ll know that I, the Lord, have been attacking you.’”^[cs]

The Harvest Approaches

¹⁰ “Look out! The day!

“Look out! It’s coming!

“Doom has blossomed.

“Arrogance has sprouted!

¹¹ “Violence has matured into a branch that is wicked. No one will survive from that vast crowd, from their wealthy people, or from the famous among them.

¹² “The time has come!

“The day has arrived.^[ct] Don’t let the buyer rejoice, nor the seller lament, because wrath is coming to attack the entire multitude. ¹³ The seller won’t regain what he has sold while the crowd remains^[cu] alive, because the vision concerning the entire multitude won’t be annulled. No person will be able to survive because of the sin in his life.

¹⁴ “They’ve sounded the alarm,^[cv] and everyone is prepared, but no one is marching for battle, since I’m angry at the entire multitude. ¹⁵ The sword lurks outside, but pestilence and famine are on the prowl inside the house. Whoever is in the field will die by violence,^[cw] while famine and pestilence will devour those in the city. ¹⁶ Fugitives will escape to the mountains like doves fleeing through the valleys, all of them moaning because of their own iniquity. ¹⁷ Every hand will be limp. Every knee will glisten with sweat.”^[cx]

The Coming Terror

¹⁸ “They’ll clothe themselves with sackcloth, terror will overcome them, shame will cover their faces, and baldness will spread over their entire heads. ¹⁹ They’ll fling their silver into the streets, and their gold will be cast away as impure. Their silver and gold won’t be able to deliver them during the time^[cy] of the Lord’s wrath. They won’t be able to satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs, because their iniquity has tripped them up.”

The Temple Defiled

²⁰ “As for his beautiful ornament,^[cz] he set it up in majesty, but they made detestable images and loathsome idols. Therefore, I’ll give them something loathsome— ²¹ I’ll give it as plunder into the control of strangers and as the spoils of war to the wicked who will invade the land to profane it. ²² I’ll turn my face away from them so that they’ll defile my treasured place. Robbers will enter and profane it!

²³ “Forge a chain, because the land is full of bloody judgment and the city is filled with violence. ²⁴ Therefore, I’m bringing the worst of the nations, who will take possession of their houses. I’ll cause the pride of the mighty to cease, and their sanctuaries will be profaned.

²⁵ “When destruction comes, they’ll seek peace, but there will be none to be found. ²⁶ Disaster upon disaster will come, followed by rumor after rumor. They’ll seek an oracle from the prophet, but the Law will be gone from the priests, and counsel from the elders.

²⁷ “The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with desolation,^[da] and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. I’ll deal with them according to their behavior and I will judge them by how they’ve judged. Then they’ll learn^[db] that I am the Lord.”

The Vision of Jerusalem

8 In the sixth year, on the fifth day of the sixth month, I had just sat down in my house, with the elders of Judah seated in front of me. All of a sudden, the hand of the Lord God touched me ² and I saw a likeness comparable to the appearance of a man. From his thighs downward there was the appearance of fire, and from his waist upward, there was the appearance of brightness that looked like brass.

³ The form of a hand reached out and took me by the hair of my head. Then the Spirit lifted me up between the earth and sky, brought me toward Jerusalem, and in visions that came from God took me through the doors of the inner gate that faced north, where an image that provoked God’s jealous anger had been erected.

⁴ All of a sudden, the glory of the God of Israel was there! It looked like what I had seen back in the valley. ⁵ Then he told me, “Son of Man, look up toward the north.”

So I looked off toward the north. Suddenly, off toward the north, facing the gate that led to the altar, the image that provoked God’s jealousy was standing near the entrance.

⁶ Then the Spirit^[dc] told me, “Son of Man, don’t you see what they’re doing? The house of Israel practices awful, detestable things here, so I’m going far away from my sanctuary. But you’re about to see things even more detestable than these.”

Idol Worship in the Temple

⁷ Then the Spirit^[dd] brought me to the entrance of the court. As I watched, all of a sudden, there was a^[de] hole in the wall! ⁸ Then he told me, “Son of Man, dig through the wall!” So I dug into the wall. That’s when I uncovered an entrance!

⁹ Then he told me, “Go on through that entrance, so you may see the wicked, detestable things that they’re committing here.”

¹⁰ So I entered, looked around, and there was every form of crawling thing, loathsome animals, and all kinds of idols from the house of Israel carved all around the wall. ¹¹ I saw 70 men from the elders of the house of Israel standing among them, including Shaphan’s son Jaazaniah. Each man held a censer in his hand. As the scent of the cloud of incense ascended, ¹² the Spirit^[df] asked me, “Do you see, Son of Man, what the elders of Israel’s house are doing in secret, each in the chamber of his own carved idol? They keep saying, ‘God doesn’t see us. The Lord has abandoned the land.’”

¹³ Then the Spirit^[dg] told me, “You’re about to see even more detestable practices that they’re doing!”

Women Weeping for Tammuz

¹⁴ Then he brought me to the entrance of the gate to the Lord’s Temple, which faced the north. That’s where I saw women seated, weeping for Tammuz. ¹⁵ Then he asked me, “Do you see this, Son of Man? You’re about to see even more detestable practices than these.”

Sun Worship in the Temple

¹⁶ Then he brought me to the inner court of the Lord’s Temple. There, at the entrance to the Lord’s Temple, between the porch and the altar, were 25 men, with their backs toward the Lord’s Temple and facing the east, prostrating themselves to the sun.

¹⁷ “Do you see this, Son of Man?” he asked me. “Is it an insignificant thing for Judah’s house to commit the detestable things that they’re doing here? They’ve filled the land with violence and turned away from me, causing me to become angry again. Look how they’re sniffing with their noses!^{[dh] 18} I’m going to deal with them in rage and anger. I’ll show neither pity nor compassion. They’ll cry loudly directly in my ears, but I won’t listen to them.”

The Vision of the Executioners

9 Then the Spirit^[di] shouted right in my ears with a loud voice! “Come forward,” he said, “you executioners of the city, and bring your weapon of destruction in your^[dj] hand!”

² All of a sudden, I noticed six men approaching from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north. Each of them held a destructive weapon in his hand. Among them there was one man, clothed in linen, who was equipped with a writing set^[dk] at his side. They went in and presented themselves beside the bronze altar. ³ Then the glory that is Israel’s God arose from the cherubim on which he had been seated and settled on the threshold of the Temple. He called out to the man dressed in linen who wore the writing case at his side.

⁴ The Lord told him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of everyone who sighs and moans over all of the loathsome things that are happening in it.”

⁵ As I continued to listen, he also told the others, “Follow him through the city and start killing. Don’t spare anyone you see, and don’t show pity of any kind. ⁶ You are to execute old men, young men, young women, little children, and women. But don’t touch anyone who has been marked. Begin at my Holy Place!” And so they started with the elders who were in standing in front of the Temple.

⁷ “Desecrate my Temple,” he told them, “and fill its courtyard with the dead!” So they went out and began striking down people throughout the city.

Ezekiel Intercedes for Israel

⁸ While they were out carrying out the executions, I was left alone. So I fell on my face and cried out, “O Lord God, are you going to destroy all of the survivors of Israel when you pour out your anger on Jerusalem?”

⁹ “The house of Israel and Judah is guilty—and theirs is a stubborn guilt, at that!” he replied to me. “The land is filled with blood, and the city overflows with injustice, because they keep saying, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land,’ and ‘The Lord isn’t watching.’ ¹⁰ So as for me, I’m not going to show pity, and I won’t look in their direction with mercy. I’m repaying them for what they have done.”

¹¹ Then I noticed the man dressed in linen who wore the writing case by his side as he brought back this message: “I’ve done as you have commanded me.”

The Vision of God’s Throne

10 As I continued to watch, there on the expanse above the heads of the cherubim was a massive^[dl] sapphire stone that resembled a throne in form and appearance. ² The Lord^[dm] spoke to the man who was clothed in white linen, telling him, “Go between the whirling wheels, under the cherubim, and fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim. Then scatter them^[dn] over the city.” So he entered as I watched.^[do]

³ Now the cherubim were standing on the south^[dp] side of the entrance to the Temple, when the man entered and a cloud filled the inner court. ⁴ The glory of the Lord rose above the cherub and moved to the threshold of the Temple. A cloud filled the Temple and the court was filled with the brilliance of the Lord’s glory. ⁵ The sound of the wings of the cherubim, reminiscent of the voice of the Sovereign God when he speaks, could be heard as far as the outer court.

⁶ He issued this order to the man who was clothed in white linen: “Take fire from within the whirling wheels, among the cherubim.” So he went and stood beside the wheels.

Ezekiel’s Vision of the Cherubim

⁷ Then a cherub stretched out his hand to the fire, which was among the cherubim, took some of the fire, and placed it in the hands of the one clothed in white linen, who took it and left. ⁸ There appeared to be human hands under the wings of the cherubim.

⁹ As I continued to watch, I observed four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub.^[dq] The wheels resembled beryl stone. ¹⁰ In appearance, the four wheels looked like they consisted of a wheel within a wheel. ¹¹ Whenever they moved, they proceeded without turning around as they moved, but they followed in the direction where their head was facing, without looking around as they moved.

¹² Their entire bodies, backs, hands, and wings were filled with eyes around, including each of their four wheels. ¹³ The wheels whose sound I was hearing were called “the whirling wheels”. ¹⁴ Each had four faces. The first one was the face of a cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

¹⁵ The cherubim arose. These were the same beings that I had seen at the Chebar River. ¹⁶ When the cherubim moved, the wheels went alongside them. But when the cherubim started to ascend, beating their wings to rise above the earth, the wheels beside them didn’t turn. ¹⁷ When they stood still, the wheels stood still. When they rose up, the wheels rose up, too, because they were alive.^[dr]

¹⁸ Then the glory of the Lord moved away from the threshold of the Temple and stood over the cherubim. ¹⁹ The cherubim lifted their wings and rose above the earth while I watched. They went out, along with their wheels, and stood at the entrance to the east gate of the Lord’s Temple as the glory of Israel’s God remained above, covering them.

²⁰ These were the living beings that I had seen under the God of Israel on the bank of the Chebar River. I knew that they were cherubim. ²¹ Each one had four faces. Each one had four wings, and the form of human hands could be seen under their wings. ²² As to the likeness of their faces, they were like what I had seen on the bank of the Chebar River. They each moved straight ahead.

The Vision of the Eastern Gate

11 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east facing gate of the Lord’s Temple. At the entrance of the gate I saw 25 men. Included among them were Azzur’s son Jaazaniah and Benaiah’s son Pelatiah, who were princes of the people.

² Then he told me, “Son of Man, these men are plotting evil and are giving wicked advice in this city. ³ They keep saying, ‘The right time to build families^[ds] hasn’t yet arrived. The city is the pot and we are the meat.’ ⁴ Therefore you are to prophesy against them. Prophesy, Son of Man!”

God Rebukes those who Plot Evil

⁵ Just then the Spirit of the Lord took control of^[dt] me and told me, “You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord says: “You’ve said, O house of Israel, that I know what goes through your mind.^{[du] 6} You’ve increased the number of fatally wounded in this city and you’ve filled your streets with the dead.”

⁷ ‘Therefore this is what the Lord God says, “The corpses that you’ve laid out in your midst are the meat, and this city is the cooking pot. But you’ll be taken out from the middle of it. ⁸ You’ve feared the sword,^[dv] but I’m bringing violent death in your direction,”^[dw] declares the Lord God. ⁹ “I’m bringing you out from the middle of it and I’m going to deliver you into the hands of strangers, because I’m going to carry out my sentence against you. ¹⁰ You’re going to die violently,^[dx] and I’ll judge you as far as the borders of Israel. Then you’ll learn^[dy] that I am the Lord. ¹¹ This city won’t be your cooking pot and neither will you be the meat in it, because I’m going to judge you as far as the borders of Israel. ¹² Then you’ll learn^[dz] that I am the Lord, because you didn’t live by my statues or obey my ordinances. Instead, you obeyed the ordinances of the nations around you.”’”

Ezekiel Reacts to Pelatiah’s Death

¹³ While I was prophesying, Benaiah’s son Pelatiah died, so I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice. “Ah, Lord God,” I said, “are you going to put an end to the survivors within Israel?”

¹⁴ Then this message came to me from the Lord: ¹⁵ “Son of Man, your brothers, your other relatives, your fellow exiles,^[ea] and the entire house of Israel are the people to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘They’ve abandoned the Lord. This land was given to us for an inheritance.’”

The Future Hope of Israel

¹⁶ “Therefore you are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “Although I’ve removed them far away to live among the nations, and although I’ve scattered them throughout the earth, yet I’ve continued to be their sanctuary, even for the short time that they will be living in the lands to which they’ve gone.”’

¹⁷ “Therefore you are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “I’m going to gather you from among the nations, assembling you from the lands among which you have been dispersed. I’ll give you the land of Israel. ¹⁸ When they return from there and cast away all of their loathsome things and detestable practices, ¹⁹ then I’ll give them a united heart, placing a new spirit within them.^[eb] I’ll remove their stubborn heart^[ec] and give them a heart that’s sensitive to me.^{[ed] 20} When they live by my statutes and keep my ordinances by observing them, then they’ll be my people and I will be their God. ²¹ But to those whose hearts delight in loathsome things and detestable practices, I’ll bring the consequences of their behavior crashing down on their own heads,” declares the Lord God.’”

The Cherubim Leave

²² Then the cherubim arose, with their wheels alongside, and the glory of Israel’s God remained above and over them. ²³ The glory of the Lord went up from the middle of the city and stood on the mountain, east of the city. ²⁴ Then in a vision from the Spirit of God, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Chaldea. At that point, the vision that I had been observing ended. ²⁵ Later, I spoke to the exiles concerning everything the Lord had spoken that I had witnessed.

Ezekiel Packs for Exile

12 This message came to me from the Lord: ² “Son of Man, you live in a rebellious house that has eyes to see, but they can’t see, and ears to hear, but they can’t hear, since they’re a rebellious house.

³ “So now, Son of Man, you are to prepare your luggage for a trip into exile, and then you are to leave during the daytime so they see you leaving. Leave from your place to another while they’re watching. Then perhaps they’ll realize that they’re a rebellious house.

⁴ “Bring out your luggage, like you’re packing to go into exile, and do this during the daytime while they’re watching you.^[ee] Later that evening, leave while they’re watching you like someone heading into exile. ⁵ While they continue to watch, dig a hole for yourself in the wall and enter through it.

⁶ “While they’re watching, carry your luggage^[ef] on your shoulder and go out in total^[eg] darkness. Cover your face so that you won’t see the land, because I’m using you as a sign to Israel’s house.”

⁷ I did just as I was commanded. I brought out the luggage as if it were luggage for exile. I did this during the day. Then in the evening I dug a hole in the wall with my hand and brought the luggage out in total^[eh] darkness and carried it out on my shoulder while they were watching.

The Meaning of the Message

⁸ The next morning, this message came to me from the Lord: ⁹ “Son of Man, didn’t the house of Israel, that rebellious house, ask you, ‘What are you doing?’ ¹⁰ Answer them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “This oracle concerns the prince of Jerusalem and the whole of Israel’s house that is in their midst. ¹¹ Tell them, ‘I’m a sign for you. Just as I enacted it,^[ei] it’s going to happen to them. They’ll go into exile and captivity. ¹² Then the prince, who will be one of them, will carry his luggage^[ej] on his shoulder in the dark and will go out. They’ll dig a hole in the wall for him to go through. His face will be covered so that he won’t be able to see the land with his eyes. ¹³ But I’ll throw my net over him. As a result, he’ll be captured with my net, and with it I’ll bring him to Babel, the land of the Chaldeans. He won’t see it, though he’ll die there. ¹⁴ I’ll scatter every attendant who surrounds him, along with his entire army, to every wind. When I unsheathe my sword to pursue them, ¹⁵ they’ll learn^[ek] that I am the Lord, when I’ve dispersed them among the nations and scattered them throughout the earth.”’”

The Purpose of the Surviving Remnant

¹⁶ “But I’ll preserve^[el] a few people out of the violent death,^[em] famine, and pestilence, so they can recount their detestable practices among the nations when they’ll go there. Then they’ll know that I am the Lord.”

The Coming Devastation

¹⁷ This message came to me from the Lord: ¹⁸ “Son of Man, eat your bread with trembling and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. ¹⁹ Then tell the people of the land, ‘This is what the Lord says to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to Israel’s land: “They’ll eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in trepidation, because their land will be desolate in its entirety due to all the violence committed by all who live in it. ²⁰ The towns that are inhabited will lie in ruins, because the land will be devastated. Then they’ll learn^[en] that I am the Lord.”’”

The Coming Fulfillment of Visions

²¹ Later, this message came to me from the Lord: ²² “Son of Man, what’s this proverb you have concerning Israel’s land that says, ‘The days pass slowly and every vision ends in nothing.’?^{[eo] 23} Therefore you are to tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “I’m about to put an end to use of this proverb in Israel. It will never be used again as a proverb in Israel. Instead, tell them that the days are drawing near when every vision will be fulfilled. ²⁴ There will no longer be worthless visions and flattering divinations in the midst of Israel’s house. ²⁵ Because I am the Lord, I’ll speak and the message that I communicate will be accomplished without delay. While you continue to be a rebellious house, I’ll speak the message and then fulfill it,” declares the Lord God.’”

The Imminent Fulfillment

²⁶ Later, this message came to me from the Lord: ²⁷ “Son of Man, pay attention! The house of Israel keeps on saying, ‘The vision that he’s talking about concerns the distant future. He’s prophesying concerning times that are far in the future!’ ²⁸ Therefore tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “None of my messages will be delayed any longer. Any message that I speak will be fulfilled,” declares the Lord God.’”

A Prophecy against Prophets

13 This message came to me from the Lord: ² “Son of Man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who even now are prophesying, and tell those prophets that keep on prophesying according to what they wish would happen,^[ep] ‘Listen to what the Lord says.’”

³ “This is what the Lord God says, ‘How terrible it will be for the false prophets who walk according to their own wrong inclinations^[eq] and see nothing. ⁴ Israel, your prophets have become like foxes among ruins. ⁵ You didn’t go up to repair^[er] the breaches in the walls and you didn’t build the walls so Israel’s house would be able to endure battle on the Day of the Lord. ⁶ Instead, they crafted^[es] false prophecies and divination.

“‘They say, “…declares the Lord,” even though the Lord didn’t send them. And they hope for the fulfillment of their message. ⁷ You’ve crafted^[et] a false prophesy and spoken deceptive divination, haven’t you? But then you say, “…declares the Lord,” although I haven’t spoken a single word.

⁸ “‘Therefore this is what the Lord God says, “Because you’ve spoken falsehood and deceptions, I am therefore opposing^[eu] you,” declares the Lord God. ⁹ My hand will oppose the prophets who see false visions and speak deceptive divinations. They won’t be included with the council of my people, nor will they be entered into the registry of Israel’s house or enter Israel’s land. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord God, ¹⁰ because they’ve truly caused my people to stray saying, “Peace,” but there’s no peace.’”

Metaphor of the Whitewashed Wall

“When someone builds a wall, they coat it with whitewash. ¹¹ Tell those who coat it with whitewash that it will fall. It will be washed off by the rain. Great hailstones will fall and a stormy wind will strip it off.^{[ev] 12} Look! When the wall collapses, won’t it be said of you, ‘Where’s the coat of paint that you spread all over the wall?’

¹³ “Therefore this is what the Lord God says, ‘In my burning anger, I’ll rip it open with a windstorm. In my anger, I’ll rinse it off with rain, and put an end to it with a hailstorm in my destructive rage. ¹⁴ I’ll tear down the wall that you’ve smeared with whitewash, level it to the ground, and tear out its foundation. Then it will collapse—and you’ll perish with it! Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.

¹⁵ “‘That’s how I’ll vent my anger on the wall and on the ones who coated it with whitewash. And I’ll say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who coated it.”^{[ew] 16} The prophets of Israel prophesied about Jerusalem and saw visions of peace concerning her, yet there’s no peace,’” declares the Lord God.

A Rebuke to Israel’s Women

¹⁷ “And now, Son of Man, turn toward and oppose^[ex] the women^[ey] of your people who prophesy according to their own wrong inclinations^[ez] and prophesy against them. ¹⁸ Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “How terrible it will be for those women who sew magical bracelets on all their wrists and make one-size-fits all headbands,^[fa] in order to entrap their souls. Will you hunt for the souls of my people and remain alive? ¹⁹ You’ve profaned me among my people for a handful of barley and a morsel of bread. You’re causing people to die who shouldn’t have to die, and you’re causing people to live who shouldn’t survive, when you deceive my people who tend to listen to lies.”

²⁰ “‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says, “Watch out! I’m opposing your amulets with which you hunt souls as one would swat at a flying insect.^[fb] I’ll tear them off your arms and then deliver those people, whom you’ve hunted like birds. ²¹ I’ll also tear off your headbands^[fc] and deliver my people from your grip so that they won’t be under your control anymore. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.

²² “‘“Because you’ve dismayed the heart of the righteous—whom I never intended to dismay—with lies, and because you’ve encouraged^[fd] the wicked so that he wouldn’t abandon his evil behavior and by doing so live, ²³ you’ll no longer see false visions or again practice divination, because I’m going to deliver my people from your power. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.”’”

A Prophecy against Idolatry

14 Later, some men from the elders of Israel came to visit me. After they had sat down in my presence, ² this message came to me from the Lord.

³ “Son of Man, these men have taken idols into their hearts. They’ve placed the stumbling block that is their own iniquity right in front of their faces. Should I be consulted by them at all? ⁴ Therefore, speak up and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “Every person from Israel’s house who follows his idols and sets the stumbling block that is his own sin in front of his face, and then consults a prophet, I the Lord will answer him according to how many idols he embraces. ⁵ I’ll do this in order to capture the hearts of Israel’s house who have become alienated from me due to all of their idols.”’”

An Exhortation to Turn Away

⁶ “Therefore you are to tell Israel’s house, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “Turn away! Turn away from your idols, and abandon your detestable practices! ⁷ For when a native Israeli or a resident alien abandons me to set up idols in his heart behind my back, and then places the stumbling block of his iniquity right in front of his own face, then approaches a prophet to inquire of me on behalf of his own self-interest, I, the Lord will answer him myself. ⁸ I’m determined to oppose that person^[fe] and make him an example. Proverbs will be written about him^[ff] when I eliminate him from my people. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.”’”

On False Prophets

⁹ “Now as to the prophet, if through deceit he delivers a message, I the Lord have deceived that prophet! I’ll reach out in opposition to him and exterminate him from among my people Israel. ¹⁰ They’ll bear the consequences of their guilt, and the prophet will be just as guilty as the one who seeks that prophet’s guidance. ¹¹ Then Israel’s house won’t wander away from me again, nor will they defile themselves again with all their transgressions. They’ll become my people and I’ll be their God,” declares the Lord God.

On Noah, Daniel, and Job

¹² This message came to me from the Lord: ¹³ “Son of Man, when a nation^[fg] sins against me by a treacherous act,^[fh] I’ll reach out to oppose it, destroying its source of food,^[fi] by sending famine against it, and by destroying both people and beast within it. ¹⁴ Though these three men, Noah, Daniel,^[fj] and Job lived in that land, they would only save their own lives on account of their righteousness,” declares the Lord God.

¹⁵ “If I were to make wild animals pass throughout the land, so that they kill its residents^[fk] and it were to become desolate because no one will travel through it due to those wild animals,^{[fl] 16} then even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they wouldn’t be able to deliver even their sons or daughters. They would only save themselves, but the land would become desolate.

¹⁷ “Or if I were to bring war to^[fm] that land and say, ‘Hey, sword! Pass throughout the land so I can destroy both man and beasts in it,’ ¹⁸ though these three men lived there, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they couldn’t deliver their own sons and daughters. They would only save themselves.

¹⁹ “Or if I were to send a pestilence against that land and pour out my anger in it with bloodshed, destroying both man and beast in it, ²⁰ even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were among them, as I live” says the Lord God, “they couldn’t save their own sons or daughters. They would only save their own souls due to their own righteousness.”

²¹ This is what the Lord God says, “I’m sending four of my most destructive judgments—military invasion,^[fn] famine, wild animals, and pestilence—into Jerusalem to destroy both human beings and livestock in it. ²² But look! There will be a remnant who escapes, a few sons and daughters to be brought out. Look! They’ll come out to you and you’ll see how they’ve lived and what they’ve done, and you’ll be comforted concerning the catastrophe that I brought on Jerusalem, including everything that I brought against her. ²³ They’ll comfort you when you see how they’ve lived and what they’ve done, because you’ll know for certain that I haven’t done anything that I’ve done against them without any reason,”^[fo] declares the Lord God.

A Message about Vines

15 This message came to me from the Lord: ² “Son of Man, how does wood from a vine compare to a branch taken from any of the trees in the forest? ³ Is wood ever taken from it to make anything practical? Can it even be made into a peg to hang something on? ⁴ After all, it’s useful only for kindling a fire, isn’t it? And once you’ve burnt up the ends and charred through the middle of it, is it useful for anything else? ⁵ If it was useless before it was burned, now that it’s been burned and charred through, it’s even more useless!

⁶ Therefore this is what the Lord God says: “Just as the wood from a grape vine is removed from the forest and used for kindling fires, I’m giving the inhabitants of Jerusalem over ⁷ to punishment. They may have escaped one fire, but the coming fire will burn them up completely, and they will know that I am the Lord, when I set myself in opposition to^[fp] them ⁸ and dedicate the land to desolation because of their unfaithful unbelief,” declares the Lord God.

A Prophecy Confronting Jerusalem

16 This message came to me from the Lord: ² “Son of Man, make known to Israel her detestable practices. ³ You are to declare, ‘This is what the Lord God says to Jerusalem: “Your birth place^[fq] was the territory that belonged to the Canaanites. Your father was an Ammonite and your mother was a Hittite. ⁴ Now as to your birth, on the day you were born your umbilical cord wasn’t cut. You weren’t washed with water to clean you, and nobody rubbed you with salt. And it’s certain that you weren’t wrapped in strips of cloth. ⁵ Nobody pitied you to do any of these things for you, and nobody showed you any compassion. You were tossed outside on the ground, because you^[fr] were detested from the day you were born.

⁶ “‘“When I passed by you, I saw you kicking around, covered in your own blood. That’s when I told you, ‘Live!’—while you were wallowing in your blood. I commanded you to live, even as you lay there in your own blood. ⁷ I made you increase like sprouting grain^[fs] in the field. As a result, you multiplied greatly. Eventually, you reached the age when young women start wearing jewelry. Your breasts were formed, your hair had grown, but you were still bare and naked.”’”

God’s Betrothal to Jerusalem

⁸ “When I passed by you again, I looked at you, and noticed that it was your proper time for love. I spread my cloak^[ft] over you to cover your nakedness. I made a solemn promise to you and entered into a covenant with you,” declares the Lord God. “You belong to me. ⁹ I bathed you with water, rinsed your own blood from you, and anointed you with oil. ¹⁰ Then I covered you with embroidered clothing, clothed your feet with leather sandals, wrapped^[fu] you with fine linen, and dressed you in silk. ¹¹ I adorned you with jewels, placing bracelets on your hand and necklaces on your neck. ¹² I put a ring in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a crown encrusted with jewels on your head. ¹³ You were adorned with gold, silver, clothing of fine linen, silk, and embroidery. You ate food made from the finest flour, honey, and olive oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, attaining royal status. ¹⁴ Your fame^[fv] spread throughout the nations because of your beauty. You were perfectly beautiful due to my splendor with which I endowed you,” declares the Lord God.

Jerusalem’s Arrogant Unfaithfulness

¹⁵ “But you trusted in your beauty. You did what whores do, as a result of your fame. You passed out your sexual favors^[fw] to anyone who passed by, giving yourself to anyone. ¹⁶ You took some of your clothes and made gaily-colored high places and prostituted yourself all around them—something which had never happened before nor will ever happen again.

¹⁷ “You also took your fine jewelry—including my gold and my silver that I had given you. Then you made for yourself male images and had sex with them! ¹⁸ You took your embroidered gowns and made clothes to cover them. Then you offered my olive oil and incense to them.

¹⁹ “Not only that, you took the food I gave you—my fine flour, olive oil, and honey with which I fed you, and you offered^[fx] them to those gods^[fy] in order to appease them.^[fz] That’s exactly what happened,” says the Lord God. ²⁰ “Then you took your sons and daughters whom you bore for me and sacrificed them for your idols to eat. As though your prostitutions were an insignificant thing, ²¹ you also slaughtered my sons and offered them to idols, incinerating them in fire.^{[ga] 22} Throughout all of your detestable practices and immorality, you never did remember your earlier life when you were bare, naked, and wallowing in your own blood.”

The Unfaithfulness of God’s People

²³ “How terrible! How terrible it will be for all of your wickedness!” declares the Lord God. ²⁴ “You built raised mounds and high places for yourself on every plaza. ²⁵ At every street corner you made your beauty abhorrent when you made yourself available for sex to^[gb] anyone who was passing by. By doing this, you kept on committing more and more immorality. ²⁶ Then you committed immorality with your neighbors, the Egyptians,^[gc] with perverted lust,^[gd] and by doing so you fornicated even more, provoking me to anger.

²⁷ “Therefore, look out! I’ve reached out to oppose you. I withdrew your rations and delivered you^[ge] to those Philistine women who hate you. Even they were embarrassed at your wicked ways! ²⁸ You committed immorality with the Assyrians,^[gf] because you still weren’t satisfied. You committed immorality with them, but you still weren’t satisfied. ²⁹ You committed even more immorality with that land of the merchants, the Chaldeans. But you weren’t satisfied even with these!

³⁰ “How weak is your heart,” declares the Lord God, “when you committed all of these deeds, the acts of an imperious whore! ³¹ When you built your mound on every street corner and constructed your high place at every plaza, you weren’t like a common prostitute, in that you’ve insulted the wages of a prostitute ³² who commits adultery, preferring a stranger over her husband!

³³ “All prostitutes receive gifts, but you give your gifts to all your lovers, then you bribe them to come to you from everywhere to get your sexual favors!^{[gg] 34} You’re different from other women when you commit immorality—no one can match you in that!^[gh] After all, you pay fees, but no fee is given to you. You’re certainly different!”

The Coming Punishment

³⁵ “Therefore listen to this message from the Lord, you whore! ³⁶ This is what the Lord God says: ‘Because your lust has been poured out and your nakedness has been uncovered by your acts of fornication with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols and the blood of your sons, whom you offered to them, ³⁷ therefore, watch out! I’m about to gather all your lovers from whom you’ve received your pleasure, everyone whom you’ve loved, and those whom you’ve hated. I’ll gather them together to oppose you from every side, and they’ll uncover your nakedness in their presence. Then they’ll see you completely naked. ³⁸ I’ll judge you with the same standards by which I issue verdicts against a woman who commits adultery and murder.^[gi] I’ll avenge the blood you’ve shed with impassioned wrath.^[gj]

³⁹ “I’ll also deliver you into their control, and they’ll break down your mounds, tear down your high places, strip off your clothes, remove your fine jewels, and then they’ll leave you stark naked! ⁴⁰ They’ll bring a mob against you to stone you to death^[gk] and cut you into pieces with their swords. ⁴¹ Then they’ll burn your houses and carry out my sentence^[gl] against you in the sight of many women.

“That’s how I’ll make you stop your prostitution so you won’t pay any prostitute’s fees anymore. ⁴² I’ll stop being angry with you, and I’ll cease being jealous.^[gm] I’ll be calm and not be indignant anymore. ⁴³ Because you didn’t remember the time when you were young, but instead you provoked me to anger because of all these things, watch out! I’m going to bring your behavior back to haunt^[gn] you!” declares the Lord God. “Didn’t you do this wicked thing, in addition to all your other^[go] detestable practices?”

Like Mother, Like Daughter

⁴⁴ “Now, everyone who likes proverbs will quote this proverb about you, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ ⁴⁵ You’re the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and children. You’re the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children.

“Your mother was a Hittite and your father was an Amorite. ⁴⁶ Your elder sister was Samaria. She and her daughters lived in the north,^[gp] while your younger sister who lived in the south^[gq] with her daughters was Sodom. ⁴⁷ It wasn’t just that you lived like they did and committed their detestable practices, but in just a little while your behavior led you to become more corrupt than they were!”

Sins of Sodom

⁴⁸ “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “your sister Sodom and her daughters didn’t do what you and your daughters have done. ⁴⁹ Look! This was the sin of your sister Sodom and her daughters: Pride, too much food, undisturbed peace, and failure to help^[gr] the poor and needy. ⁵⁰ In their arrogance, they committed detestable practices in my presence, so when I saw it, I removed them. ⁵¹ Samaria didn’t commit half of your sins—you practiced more detestable deeds than they did! You’ve caused your sister to be more righteous than you, because of the detestable practices that you’ve committed. ⁵² So now, bear your own shame as you mediate for your sisters. The sins that you’ve committed are more detestable than theirs. That makes them more righteous than you. Indeed, be ashamed and bear your reproach, because you’ve made your sisters to be more righteous than you.”

A Change in Circumstances

⁵³ “I’ll bring them back from their captivity—that is, from the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, along with the captivity of Samaria and her daughters and the captivity of your captives among them. ⁵⁴ But you’ll continue to bear your own reproach and be humiliated for everything that you’ve done. You’ll be a comfort to them. ⁵⁵ Your sister Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former status. Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former status. Then you and your daughters will be restored to your former status.

⁵⁶ “When you were being so arrogant, you never once mentioned your sister Sodom ⁵⁷ before your wickedness was revealed. Now you’ve become an object of derision to the inhabitants^[gs] of Aram and its neighbors, including the Philistines^[gt]—all those around you who despise you. ⁵⁸ You are to bear the punishment of your wickedness and detestable practices,” declares the Lord, ⁵⁹ “since the Lord God says, ‘I’ll deal with you according to what you’ve done, when you despised your oath by breaking the covenant.

⁶⁰ “‘Meanwhile, as for me, I’ll remember my covenant with you from when you were young, because I’ll establish an eternal covenant with you. ⁶¹ Then you’ll remember your behavior and be ashamed when you greet your sisters—your elder sister and your younger sister. I’ll give them to you as daughters, but not on account of my covenant with you. ⁶² I’ll establish my covenant with you, and then you’ll know that I am the Lord. ⁶³ Then you will remember, be ashamed, and you won’t open your mouth anymore due to humiliation when I will have made atonement for you for everything that you’ve done,’ declares the Lord God.”

The Parable of the Eagle

17 This message came to me from the Lord: ² “Son of Man, compose a riddle and relate a parable to Israel’s house. ³ Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “A massive eagle with gigantic wings, long pinions, and full, multi-colored plumage came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.^{[gu] 4} He plucked off the top of its shoot, brought it to a land of merchants, and set it down in a city full of traders. ⁵ Then the eagle took a seed from the land and planted it in fertile ground. He planted it like a willow tree next to abundant waters. ⁶ It flourished and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward him, and its roots spread under him to become a vine that put out shoots and spread out its branches.

⁷ “‘“All of a sudden, there was another eagle with gigantic wings and thick plumage. The vine stretched its roots hungrily toward him and spread its branches out to him in order to be watered on the terraces where it was planted. ⁸ It was transplanted into good soil^[gv] near abundant water, and it produced branches and bore fruit, becoming a magnificent vine.”’

⁹ “Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “Will it prosper? Won’t he pull up its roots, and strip it bare so all its fresh foliage dries up? It won’t be by great strength or by a great army that it will be uprooted. ¹⁰ Look! Because it’s a transplanted vine, won’t it wither when the east wind hits it? It will surely wither in the terraces where it had started to sprout.”’”

The Meaning of the Parable

¹¹ This message came to me from the Lord: ¹² “Tell my^[gw] rebellious house, ‘Don’t you know what these things mean? Look! The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, captured her king and princes, and took them with him to Babylon. ¹³ Then he took one of the royal descendants, made a covenant with him, and put him under an oath of loyalty, taking the leaders of the land captive ¹⁴ in order to humiliate the kingdom so it wouldn’t be able to return to power, but would still be able to continue as long as he keeps his covenant. ¹⁵ But he rebelled against the king of Babylon^[gx] by sending his messengers to Egypt to obtain horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Or will the one who did this escape? Will he break the covenant, but still be delivered?’”

God will Punish the King

¹⁶ “As long as I live,” declares the Lord God, “in Babylon, that place where the king has enthroned him, whose oath he despised so as to break his covenant, he’ll die with him. ¹⁷ Pharaoh, with his massive army and large battalions won’t protect him when mounds and siege walls are built to destroy many people.^{[gy] 18} He despised the oath he had made and broke the covenant. Look! Because he willingly submitted,^[gz] yet he has done all these things, he won’t escape.

¹⁹ Therefore, this is what the Lord God says, “As long as I live, because he despised my oath and broke my covenant, he’s going to suffer the consequences.^{[ha] 20} I’ll spread my net over him so that he’ll be caught in my snare. I’ll bring him to Babylon and carry out my sentence there because of his treachery toward me. ²¹ The fugitives of his troops will die by the sword, and the survivors will be scattered to the four^[hb] winds. Then you’ll know that I, the Lord, have spoken.”

The Transplanted Vine

²² This is what the Lord God says, “I’m also going to take a shoot from the top of a cedar and plant it. I’ll pluck off its delicate twigs and transplant it on a high and lofty mountain. ²³ I’ll transplant it on Israel’s land, and it will grow branches, bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. All sorts^[hc] of birds will rest under it, and they’ll settle down in the shade of its branches. ²⁴ Then all the trees of the fields will know that I, the Lord, bring down the lofty tree and exalt the lowly tree. I dry up the green^[hd] tree and cause the dry tree to bud. I the Lord have spoken this, and I will fulfill it.”

The Outdated Proverb

18 This message came to me from the Lord: ² “Why do you cite this proverb when you talk about Israel’s land: ‘The fathers eat sour grapes but it’s their children’s teeth that have become numb.’ ³ As long as I live,” declares the Lord, “you won’t use this proverb about Israel anymore. ⁴ Look! Every living soul belongs to me—the father’s as well as the son’s.^[he] So pay attention! The person who keeps on sinning is going to die.”

Standards of Righteous Behavior

⁵ “If a person is righteous, and practices what’s lawful and right, ⁶ if he doesn’t eat at mountain shrines, and doesn’t look to the idols that have been erected in Israel’s house, if he doesn’t defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her time of menstrual separation, ⁷ if he doesn’t oppress anyone, but instead returns the debtor’s security for his debt, if he doesn’t rob anyone, but instead shares his food with the hungry and gives clothes to those who are naked, ⁸ if he doesn’t lend with usury or exact interest, but instead refuses to participate in^[hf] what is unjust, if he administers true justice between people,^{[hg] 9} if he lives his life^[hh] consistent with my statutes and keeps my ordinances by practicing what’s true, then he’s righteous and will certainly live,” declares the Lord God.

Standards of Unrighteous Behavior

¹⁰ “Now suppose that person produces a son who’s violent, a murderer, and practices any of these things, ¹¹ even though the father^[hi] hasn’t done any of these things. The son who eats at mountain shrines, defiles his neighbor’s wife, ¹² oppresses the afflicted and the poor, robs others, doesn’t return security for a debt, looks to idols, does detestable things, ¹³ loans with usury, and exacts interest; will he live? He certainly will not! He has done all these detestable practices. He will certainly die, and his guilt will be his own fault.”^[hj]

Personal Accountability for Sin

¹⁴ “Now suppose that he produced a son who practiced all of his father’s sins, but then that son^[hk] began to fear me and stopped doing all of these things. ¹⁵ That is, suppose he doesn’t eat at the mountain shrines, doesn’t look to the idols of Israel’s house, doesn’t defile his neighbor’s wife, ¹⁶ doesn’t oppress anyone, doesn’t take possession of a debtor’s pledge, or doesn’t steal, but instead shares his food with the hungry, gives clothes to those who are naked, ¹⁷ doesn’t refuse to help the afflicted, or refuses to loan with usury or exact interest, but instead follows my ordinances and lives his life consistent with my statutes. He won’t die because of his father’s sin, will he? No! He’ll certainly live. ¹⁸ As for his father, watch out! If he wrongfully oppressed or robbed his brother and did what wasn’t good among his people, he’ll die because of^[hl] his own sin.”

The Person who Sins will Die

¹⁹ “Yet you keep asking, ‘Why wouldn’t the son bear the punishment of his father’s sin?’ Because the son has done what was lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes and obeyed them, he’s certainly going to live. ²⁰ The soul who sins dies. The son won’t bear the punishment of his father’s sin and the father won’t bear the punishment of his son’s sin. The righteous deeds of that righteous person will be attributed to him, while the wicked deeds of the wicked person will be charged against him. ²¹ But if the wicked person turns from all his sins, which he did and keeps my statutes, then he’ll live. He won’t die. ²² None of the transgressions that he had committed will be held^[hm] against him. Because of the righteous deeds that he had done, he’ll live.

²³ “I don’t take delight in the death of the wicked, do I?” asks the Lord God. “Shouldn’t I rather delight^[hn] when he turns from his wicked ways and lives? ²⁴ But when the righteous person abandons his righteous deeds and commits evil, detestable practices, as wicked people do, he won’t live, will he? None of the righteous acts that he had done will be remembered. He’ll die in his treacherous unfaithfulness and sins that he had committed.”

Accusing God of Unrighteousness

²⁵ “Yet you keep saying, ‘The Lord isn’t being consistent with his standards.’ Pay attention, you house of Israel: Is my behavior really inconsistent with my standards? Isn’t it your behavior that isn’t just?

²⁶ “When a righteous person turns from his righteous deeds and does evil, he’ll die because of that evil. He’ll die because of his unrighteous acts that he committed. ²⁷ When a wicked person quits^[ho] his wicked behavior^[hp] and does what’s just and right, he’ll be enabled to live.^{[hq] 28} Because he reconsidered his transgression and turned away from everything that he had been doing, he’ll certainly live and not die. ²⁹ Yet Israel’s house keeps saying, ‘The Lord isn’t being consistent with his standards.’ Is it my behavior that’s inconsistent with my standards?^[hr] Is it not your behavior that’s inconsistent with my standards?”^[hs]

A Command to Repent

³⁰ “Therefore, Israel, I’m going to judge you according to the behavior of each and every one of you,” declares the Lord God. “So repent and turn from all your sins so that sin won’t keep on being a stumbling block for you. ³¹ Stop your transgressing—the deeds by which you’ve rebelled—and then make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, you house of Israel? ³² I don’t take pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord. “So repent, so you may live!”

A Prophecy against Israel’s Nobles

19 “Now as for you, publish^[ht] this mourning psalm about Israel’s leaders. ² Tell them:

“This is a lamentation, and it is to be used in mourning.”

A Prophecy against Israel’s Elders

20 On the seventh year, on the tenth day^[hy] of the fifth month, men came from the elders of Israel to seek the Lord. They sat down in front of me.

² “Son of Man,” the Lord told me, ³ “Tell the elders of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God asks, “Did you come to inquire of me? As long as I live, I won’t let myself be sought by you,” declares the Lord God.’

⁴ “Will you judge them? Son of Man, will you indeed judge them? Teach them about the detestable things that their ancestors did. ⁵ Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “The day I chose Israel, when I made my commitment^[hz] to the descendants of Jacob’s house, I revealed myself to them in the land of Egypt and I made my promise to them with the words, ‘I am the Lord your God.’ ⁶ That day I promised to bring them out of the land of Egypt to the land that I had explored for them—a land flowing with milk and honey. It’s the most beautiful of all lands. ⁷ Then I told them, ‘Each of you are to abandon your detestable practices.^[ia] You are not to defile yourselves with Egypt’s idols. I am the Lord your God.’”’”

A Brief History of Israel’s Rebellion

⁸ “But they rebelled against me and weren’t willing to obey me. None of them abandoned their detestable practices^[ib] or their Egyptian idols. So I said, ‘I’ll pour out my anger on them, extending my fury in the middle of the land of Egypt.’ ⁹ I did this so my reputation^[ic] might not be tarnished among the nations where they were living, among whom I made myself known in their presence when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁰ I brought them out of the land of Egypt to bring them to the wilderness ¹¹ where I gave them my statutes and revealed my ordinances to them, which if a person^[id] observes, he’ll live by them. ¹² Also, I instituted^[ie] my Sabbath for them as a sign between me and them, so they would know that I am the Lord, who has set them apart.”

Israel Rebels in the Wilderness

¹³ “But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They didn’t live by^[if] my statutes. They despised my ordinances, which if a person observes, he’ll live by them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my anger on them and bring them to an end in the wilderness. ¹⁴ I did this so my reputation wouldn’t be tarnished among the nations in whose presence I had brought them out.

¹⁵ “Moreover, I solemnly swore to them in the wilderness that I wouldn’t bring them to the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands— ¹⁶ because they kept on rejecting my ordinances. They didn’t live life consistent with my statutes, they profaned my Sabbaths, and their hearts followed^[ig] their idols. ¹⁷ Even then, I^[ih] looked on them with compassion and didn’t completely destroy them in the wilderness. ¹⁸ I told their children in the wilderness, ‘You are not to follow the statutes of your ancestors, observe their ordinances, or be defiled by their idols. ¹⁹ I am the Lord your God. You are to follow my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them. ²⁰ You are to make my Sabbaths holy, and you are to let them serve as a sign between you and me, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’”

More of Israel’s Rebellion

²¹ “But they rebelled against me. They didn’t live according to my statutes, observe my ordinances, or practice them, by which a person will live. They also kept profaning my Sabbaths. So I said that I was going to pour out my anger on them and in my anger I’m going to bring about a complete end to them in the wilderness. ²² But I withdrew my decision^[ii] so my reputation wouldn’t be tarnished among the nations before whose eyes I brought them out.

²³ “Furthermore, I solemnly swore in the wilderness to disperse them among the nations and scatter them to other^[ij] lands ²⁴ because they didn’t observe my ordinances. Instead, they rejected my statutes, profaned my Sabbaths, and worshipped^[ik] their ancestors’ idols. ²⁵ So I gave them statutes that weren’t good and ordinances by which they could not live. ²⁶ I made them unclean because of their offerings, so they made all their firstborn^[il] to pass through the fire, so that I could make them astonished. Then they’ll know that I am the Lord.”

The Blasphemy of Israel’s Ancestors

²⁷ “Therefore, Son of Man, you are to speak to the children of Israel and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Your ancestors also blasphemed me in their treacherous behavior against me. ²⁸ I brought them to the land that I had promised to give them. But whenever they saw any high hill and or any leafy tree, they slaughtered their sacrifices there and presented their offerings that provoked my anger. There they presented their pleasing aromas and poured out their drink offering. ²⁹ So I asked them, ‘What is the high place to which you’re going?’ That’s why the name of the place has been called Bamah^[im] to this day.”’

³⁰ “Therefore you are to say to Israel’s house, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Will you defile yourselves like your ancestors did by acting as a prostitute, consistent with their horrible deeds? ³¹ When you present your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with your idols to this day. Should I be inquired of by you, you house of Israel? As I live,” declares the Lord, “I certainly won’t be inquired of by you.” ³² The thing that you’re imagining^[in] is never going to happen, since you’re thinking, “We’ll be like the nations, like the clans of other^[io] lands who serve gods made from wood and stone.”’”

The Coming Discipline of Israel

³³ “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “with my powerful hand and outstretched arm, along with my wrath poured out, I’ll reign as king over you. ³⁴ I’ll bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you were scattered. With a powerful hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, ³⁵ I’ll bring you into the wilderness of the nations. I’ll judge you right there, face to face. ³⁶ Just as I judged your ancestors in the wilderness in the land of Egypt, so I’ll judge you,” declares the Lord. ³⁷ “I’ll cause you to pass under the rod until I will have brought you into the bond of the covenant. ³⁸ I’ll eliminate the rebels among you, along with those who are transgressing against me. I’ll bring them out of the land where you’ve lived, but they won’t be able to enter the land of Israel. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.”

The Coming Regathering of Israel

³⁹ And now, you house of Israel, this is what the Lord God says, “Go ahead and serve your idols, both now and later, but later you’ll listen to me, and you won’t profane my sacred name again by your offerings and idols. ⁴⁰ For on my holy mountain, on Israel’s high mountains,” declares the Lord God, “the whole of Israel’s house—all of it—will serve me there in the land. I’ll accept them there. And there I’ll demand your offerings, the first fruits of your portions of all your sacred things.

⁴¹ “When I will have brought you from among the people and have gathered you from the lands where you were scattered, I’ll accept you as a pleasing aroma. I’ll reveal my holiness among you, and the entire world will see it. ⁴² Then you’ll know that I, the Lord, brought you to the land of Israel, to the land that I promised to give to your ancestors. ⁴³ You’ll remember all your practices and evil actions by which you’ve become defiled. You’ll loathe yourselves^[ip] because of all the evil things you’ve done. ⁴⁴ Then you’ll know that I am the Lord, when I will have dealt with you for the benefit of my own reputation and not according to your evil attitudes or corrupt practices, you house of Israel,” declares the Lord God.

Coming Judgment on the South

^45 [iq]This message came to me from the Lord: ⁴⁶ “Son of Man, turn to the south and oppose it, talking toward the south. ⁴⁷ Prophesy against the forest of the Negev,^[ir] ‘Listen to this message from the Lord. This is what the Lord God says: “Look out! I’m about to ignite a fire and set it against you. It will devour every tree—whether green or dry—that lives in you. This powerful flame will not be extinguishable, and the entire surface from south to north will be scorched by it. ⁴⁸ Then everyone^[is] will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it, because it won’t be extinguished.”’”

Ezekiel’s Complaint to God

⁴⁹ Then I said, “O Lord God! They’re saying about me, ‘Isn’t he one to propound parables?’”

A Prophecy against Jerusalem

21 ^[it]This message came to me from the Lord: ² “Son of Man, look toward Jerusalem, preach^[iu] against its sanctuaries, and prophesy against Israel’s land. ³ Declare to Israel, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Watch out! I’m against you! I’m going to unsheathe my sword to kill both the righteous and the wicked among you. ⁴ Since I’m going to kill both the righteous and the wicked among you, I’ll be unsheathing my sword against everyone from south to north. ⁵ Then everyone will know that I am the Lord, who unsheathed my sword, and who won’t have to unsheathe it again.”’

⁶ “And now, Son of Man, you are to start groaning until you’re sick to your stomach.^[iv] You are to groan bitterly right in front of them.^{[iw] 7} When they’ll ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that just arrived. Every heart will melt with fear, every hand will grow limp, every spirit will grow faint, and every knee will glisten with sweat.’ Look! It has come and it will be fulfilled,” declares the Lord God.

God’s Sword and Scepter

⁸ This message came to me from the Lord: ⁹ “Son of Man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

‘In putting the sword to the test along with the scepter, it won’t keep on rejecting, will it?’ declares the Lord God.”

A Double and Triple Judgment

Two Pathways to Invasion

¹⁸ This message came to me from the Lord: ¹⁹ “Now, Son of Man, demarcate two pathways by which the sword of Babylon’s king will arrive in the land. Both pathways will lead from a single land.

“Make a sign,^[jc] carving it out and installing it at the junction on the way to the city. ²⁰ Set it to point one way for bringing the sword against Rabbah, the descendants of Ammon, and the other way against Judah and fortified Jerusalem.