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。

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Judgment on Wicked Counselors

11 Then (A)the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to (B)the East Gate of the Lord’s house, which faces eastward; and there (C)at the door of the gate were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. And He said to me: “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give wicked [a]counsel in this city, who say, ‘The time is not (D)near to build houses; (E)this city is the [b]caldron, and we are the meat.’ Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man!”

Then (F)the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said to me, “Speak! ‘Thus says the Lord: “Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for (G)I know the things that come into your mind. (H)You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain.” Therefore thus says the Lord God: (I)“Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are the meat, and this city is the caldron; (J)but I shall bring you out of the midst of it. You have (K)feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you,” says the Lord God. “And I will bring you out of its midst, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and (L)execute judgments on you. 10 (M)You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at (N)the border of Israel. (O)Then you shall know that I am the Lord. 11 (P)This city shall not be your [c]caldron, nor shall you be the meat in its midst. 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 executed My judgments, but (Q)have done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are all around you.” ’ ”

13 Now it happened, while I was prophesying, that (R)Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then (S)I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?”

God Will Restore Israel

14 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 15 “Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Get far away from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’ 16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, (T)yet I shall be a little [d]sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.” ’ 17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: (U)“I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” ’ 18 And they will go there, and they will take away all its (V)detestable things and all its abominations from there. 19 Then (W)I will give them one heart, and I will put (X)a new spirit within [e]them, and take (Y)the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 (Z)that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; (AA)and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, (AB)I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.

22 So the cherubim (AC)lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was high above them. 23 And (AD)the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood (AE)on the mountain, (AF)which is on the east side of the city.

24 Then (AG)the Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into [f]Chaldea, to those in captivity. And the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25 So I spoke to those in captivity of all the things the Lord had shown me.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 11:2 Advice
  2. Ezekiel 11:3 Pot
  3. Ezekiel 11:11 Pot
  4. Ezekiel 11:16 holy place
  5. Ezekiel 11:19 Lit. you (pl.)
  6. Ezekiel 11:24 Or Babylon, and so elsewhere in the book