Ezekiel 11:1-13

Expanded Bible

Prophecies Against Evil Leaders

11 ·The Spirit [or A spirit/or wind] lifted me up and brought me to the ·front [^Leastern] gate of the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord, which faces east. ·I saw [^TAnd behold] twenty-five men at the entrance of the gate, among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, who were ·leaders [princes; officials] of the people. ² Then the Lord said to me, “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], these are the men who plan evil and give wicked advice in this city [^CJerusalem]. ³ They say, ‘·It is almost time [or Isn’t it a good time…?; or The time is not near] for us to build houses [^Cmeaning either (1) let’s keep building, since no judgment is coming, or (2) we don’t need to build our own houses, since we can seize the houses of others (Mic. 2:1–2)]. This city is ·like a cooking pot [the cauldron], and we are ·like the best meat [^Lthe meat; ^Cthe city will protect them; see 24:3–11 for the same image used differently].’ ⁴ So prophesy against them, prophesy, ·human [^Tson of man; 2:1].”

⁵ Then the ·Spirit [or spirit] of the Lord ·entered [fell upon] me and told me to say: “This is what the Lord says: You have said these things, ·people [^Lhouse] of Israel, and I know ·what you are thinking [^Lthe steps of your spirits]. ⁶ You have killed many people in this city, filling its streets with ·their bodies [the slain].

⁷ “So this is what the Lord God says: Those people you have killed and left in the middle of the city are ·like the best meat [^Lthe meat], and this city is ·like the cooking pot [^Lthe cauldron]. But I will ·force [drive; take] you out of the city. ⁸ You have feared the sword, ·but [so] I will bring a sword against you, says the Lord God. ⁹ I will ·force [drive; take] you out of the city and hand you over to ·strangers [foreigners] and ·punish [execute judgments upon] you. ¹⁰ You will die by the sword. I will ·punish [judge] you at the border of Israel so you will know that I am the Lord. ¹¹ This city will not be ·your cooking pot [the cauldron], and you will not be ·the best meat [^Lmeat] in the middle of it. I will ·punish [judge] you at the border of Israel. ¹² Then you will know that I am the Lord. You did not live by my ·rules [statutes] or obey my ·laws [rules; judgments]. Instead, you ·did the same things as [obeyed the laws/rules/judgments of] the nations around you.”

¹³ While I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I ·bowed [fell] facedown on the ground and ·shouted [cried out] with a loud voice, “·Oh no [Ah], Lord God! Will you completely destroy the ·Israelites who are left alive [remnant of Israel]?”