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Yahweh Will Destroy Israel’s Pagan Altars

And the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “Son of man, set your face toward the (A)mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, hear the word of Lord Yahweh! Thus says Lord Yahweh to the mountains, the hills, the ravines, and the valleys: “Behold, I Myself am going to bring a sword on you, and (B)I will destroy your high places. So your (C)altars will become desolate, and your incense altars will be broken; and I will make your slain fall in front of your idols. I will also put the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their idols; and I will scatter your (D)bones all around your altars. In all your places of habitation, (E)cities will become waste, and the high places will be desolate, that your altars may become waste and [a]desolate, your (F)idols may be broken and cease, your incense altars may be cut in pieces, and your works may be blotted out. The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am Yahweh.

“However, I will leave a (G)remnant, for you will have those who (H)escaped the sword among the nations when you are scattered among the lands. Then those of you who escape will (I)remember Me among the nations to which they will be carried captive, how I have (J)been broken over their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols; and they will (K)loathe themselves to their own faces for the evils which they have done, for all their abominations. 10 Then they will know that I am Yahweh; I have not said in vain that I would do this calamitous evil against them.”’

11 “Thus says Lord Yahweh, ‘Strike your hands together, (L)stamp your foot and say, “(M)Alas, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, which will fall by the (N)sword, by the famine, and by the plague! 12 He who is (O)far off will die by the plague, and he who is near will fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged will die by the famine. Thus will I (P)spend My wrath on them. 13 Then you will know that I am Yahweh when their (Q)slain are among their idols all around their altars, on (R)every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak—the places where they [b]offered a soothing aroma to all their idols. 14 So throughout all their habitations I will (S)stretch out My hand against them and make the land more desolate and desecrated than the wilderness toward Diblah; thus they will know that I am Yahweh.”’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 6:6 As in some ancient versions; Heb bear their guilt
  2. Ezekiel 6:13 Lit gave

Doom for the Mountains of Israel

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

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 6:14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts Riblah