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Lamentations 4 - Ezekiel 3
New King James Version
Lamentations 4 - Ezekiel 3
New King James Version
The Degradation of Zion
4 How the gold has become dim!
How changed the fine gold!
The stones of the sanctuary are [a]scattered
At the head of every street.
2 The precious sons of Zion,
[b]Valuable as fine gold,
How they are [c]regarded (A)as clay pots,
The work of the hands of the potter!
3 Even the jackals present their breasts
To nurse their young;
But the daughter of my people is cruel,
(B)Like ostriches in the wilderness.
4 The tongue of the infant clings
To the roof of its mouth for thirst;
(C)The young children ask for bread,
But no one breaks it for them.
5 Those who ate delicacies
Are desolate in the streets;
Those who were brought up in scarlet
(D)Embrace ash heaps.
6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people
Is greater than the punishment of the (E)sin of Sodom,
Which was (F)overthrown in a moment,
With no hand to help her!
7 Her [d]Nazirites were [e]brighter than snow
And whiter than milk;
They were more ruddy in body than rubies,
Like sapphire in their [f]appearance.
8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot;
They go unrecognized in the streets;
(G)Their skin clings to their bones,
It has become as dry as wood.
9 Those slain by the sword are better off
Than those who die of hunger;
For these (H)pine away,
Stricken for lack of the fruits of the (I)field.
10 The hands of the (J)compassionate women
Have [g]cooked their (K)own children;
They became (L)food for them
In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 The Lord has fulfilled His fury,
(M)He has poured out His fierce anger.
(N)He kindled a fire in Zion,
And it has devoured its foundations.
12 The kings of the earth,
And all inhabitants of the world,
Would not have believed
That the adversary and the enemy
Could (O)enter the gates of Jerusalem—
13 (P)Because of the sins of her prophets
And the iniquities of her priests,
(Q)Who shed in her midst
The blood of the just.
14 They wandered blind in the streets;
(R)They have defiled themselves with blood,
(S)So that no one would touch their garments.
15 They cried out to them,
“Go away, (T)unclean!
Go away, go away,
Do not touch us!”
When they fled and wandered,
Those among the nations said,
“They shall no longer dwell here.”
16 The [h]face of the Lord scattered them;
He no longer regards them.
(U)The people do not respect the priests
Nor show favor to the elders.
17 Still (V)our eyes failed us,
Watching vainly for our help;
In our watching we watched
For a nation that could not save us.
18 (W)They [i]tracked our steps
So that we could not walk in our streets.
(X)Our end was near;
Our days were over,
For our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were (Y)swifter
Than the eagles of the heavens.
They pursued us on the mountains
And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20 The (Z)breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord,
(AA)Was caught in their pits,
Of whom we said, “Under his shadow
We shall live among the nations.”
21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of (AB)Edom,
You who dwell in the land of Uz!
(AC)The cup shall also pass over to you
And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.
22 (AD)The punishment of your iniquity [j]is accomplished,
O daughter of Zion;
He will no longer send you into captivity.
(AE)He will punish your iniquity,
O daughter of Edom;
He will uncover your sins!
Prayer for Restoration
5 Remember, (AF)O Lord, what has come upon us;
Look, and behold (AG)our reproach!
2 (AH)Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens,
And our houses to foreigners.
3 We have become orphans and waifs,
Our mothers are like (AI)widows.
4 We pay for the water we drink,
And our wood comes at a price.
5 (AJ)They pursue at our [k]heels;
We labor and have no rest.
6 (AK)We have given our hand (AL)to the Egyptians
And the (AM)Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread.
7 (AN)Our fathers sinned and are no more,
But we bear their iniquities.
8 Servants rule over us;
There is none to deliver us from their hand.
9 We get our bread at the risk of our lives,
Because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin is hot as an oven,
Because of the fever of famine.
11 They (AO)ravished the women in Zion,
The maidens in the cities of Judah.
12 Princes were hung up by their hands,
And elders were not respected.
13 Young men (AP)ground at the millstones;
Boys staggered under loads of wood.
14 The elders have ceased gathering at the gate,
And the young men from their (AQ)music.
15 The joy of our heart has ceased;
Our dance has turned into (AR)mourning.
16 (AS)The crown has fallen from our head.
Woe to us, for we have sinned!
17 Because of this our heart is faint;
(AT)Because of these things our eyes grow dim;
18 Because of Mount Zion which is (AU)desolate,
With foxes walking about on it.
19 You, O Lord, (AV)remain forever;
(AW)Your throne from generation to generation.
20 (AX)Why do You forget us forever,
And forsake us for so long a time?
21 (AY)Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be [l]restored;
Renew our days as of old,
22 Unless You have utterly rejected us,
And are very angry with us!
Ezekiel’s Vision of God
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by (AZ)the River Chebar, that (BA)the heavens were opened and I saw (BB)visions[m] of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3 the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the [n]Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and (BC)the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
4 Then I looked, and behold, (BD)a whirlwind was coming (BE)out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 5 (BF)Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And (BG)this was their appearance: they had (BH)the likeness of a man. 6 Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. 7 Their [o]legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled (BI)like the color of burnished bronze. 8 (BJ)The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. 9 Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight (BK)forward.
10 As for (BL)the likeness of their faces, each (BM)had the face of a man; each of the four had (BN)the face of a lion on the right side, (BO)each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, (BP)and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and (BQ)two covered their bodies. 12 And (BR)each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, (BS)like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. 14 And the living creatures ran back and forth, (BT)in appearance like a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, (BU)a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. 16 (BV)The appearance of the wheels and their workings was (BW)like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 17 When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. 18 As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were (BX)full of eyes, all around the four of them. 19 (BY)When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, (BZ)for the spirit of the [p]living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the [q]living creatures was in the wheels.
22 (CA)The likeness of the [r]firmament above the heads of the [s]living creatures was like the color of an awesome (CB)crystal, stretched out (CC)over their heads. 23 And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. 24 (CD)When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, (CE)like the noise of many waters, like (CF)the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings.
26 (CG)And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, (CH)in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above (CI)it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward (CJ)I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 (CK)Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. (CL)This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
Ezekiel Sent to Rebellious Israel
So when I saw it, (CM)I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
Ezekiel Called to Be a Prophet
2 And He said to me, “Son of man, (CN)stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.” 2 Then (CO)the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me. 3 And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has (CP)rebelled against Me; (CQ)they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. 4 (CR)For they are [t]impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5 (CS)As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a (CT)rebellious house—yet they (CU)will know that a prophet has been among them.
6 “And you, son of man, (CV)do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though (CW)briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; (CX)do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, (CY)though they are a rebellious house. 7 (CZ)You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and (DA)eat what I give you.”
9 Now when I looked, there was (DB)a hand stretched out to me; and behold, (DC)a scroll of a book was in it. 10 Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.
The Responsibility of the Prophet
3 Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; (DD)eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.
3 And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I (DE)ate, and it was in my mouth (DF)like honey in sweetness.
4 Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. 5 For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, 6 not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, (DG)had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you, (DH)because they will not listen to Me; (DI)for all the house of Israel are [u]impudent and hard-hearted. 8 Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 (DJ)Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; (DK)do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”
10 Moreover He said to me: “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. 11 And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, (DL)‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse.”
12 Then (DM)the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: “Blessed is the (DN)glory of the Lord from His place!” 13 I also heard the (DO)noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise. 14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the [v]heat of my spirit; but (DP)the hand of the Lord was strong upon me. 15 Then I came to the captives at Tel Abib, who dwelt by the River Chebar; and (DQ)I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
Ezekiel Is a Watchman
16 Now it (DR)came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 (DS)“Son of man, I have made you (DT)a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them (DU)warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man (DV)shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; (DW)but you have delivered your soul.
20 “Again, when a (DX)righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.”
22 (DY)Then the hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, “Arise, go out (DZ)into the plain, and there I shall talk with you.”
23 So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, (EA)the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory which I (EB)saw by the River Chebar; (EC)and I fell on my face. 24 Then (ED)the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and spoke with me and said to me: “Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 And you, O son of man, surely (EE)they will put ropes on you and bind you with them, so that you cannot go out among them. 26 (EF)I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and (EG)not be [w]one to rebuke them, (EH)for they are a rebellious house. 27 (EI)But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, (EJ)‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 4:1 Lit. poured out
- Lamentations 4:2 Lit. Weighed against
- Lamentations 4:2 reckoned
- Lamentations 4:7 Or nobles
- Lamentations 4:7 Or purer
- Lamentations 4:7 Lit. polishing
- Lamentations 4:10 boiled
- Lamentations 4:16 Tg. anger
- Lamentations 4:18 Lit. hunted
- Lamentations 4:22 has been completed
- Lamentations 5:5 Lit. necks
- Lamentations 5:21 returned
- Ezekiel 1:1 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Syr., Tg. a vision
- Ezekiel 1:3 Or Babylonians, and so elsewhere in the book
- Ezekiel 1:7 Lit. feet
- Ezekiel 1:20 Lit. living creature; LXX, Vg. spirit of life; Tg. creatures
- Ezekiel 1:21 See note at v. 20
- Ezekiel 1:22 Or expanse
- Ezekiel 1:22 So with LXX, Tg., Vg.; MT living creature
- Ezekiel 2:4 Lit. stiff-faced and hard-hearted sons
- Ezekiel 3:7 Lit. strong of forehead
- Ezekiel 3:14 Or anger
- Ezekiel 3:26 Lit. one who rebukes
Lamentations 4 - Ezekiel 3
New International Version
Lamentations 4 - Ezekiel 3
New International Version
4 [a]How the gold has lost its luster,
the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered
at every street corner.(A)
2 How the precious children of Zion,(B)
once worth their weight in gold,
are now considered as pots of clay,
the work of a potter’s hands!
3 Even jackals offer their breasts
to nurse their young,
but my people have become heartless
like ostriches in the desert.(C)
4 Because of thirst(D) the infant’s tongue
sticks to the roof of its mouth;(E)
the children beg for bread,
but no one gives it to them.(F)
5 Those who once ate delicacies
are destitute in the streets.
Those brought up in royal purple(G)
now lie on ash heaps.(H)
6 The punishment of my people
is greater than that of Sodom,(I)
which was overthrown in a moment
without a hand turned to help her.
7 Their princes were brighter than snow
and whiter than milk,
their bodies more ruddy than rubies,
their appearance like lapis lazuli.
8 But now they are blacker(J) than soot;
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;(K)
it has become as dry as a stick.
9 Those killed by the sword are better off
than those who die of famine;(L)
racked with hunger, they waste away
for lack of food from the field.(M)
10 With their own hands compassionate women
have cooked their own children,(N)
who became their food
when my people were destroyed.
11 The Lord has given full vent to his wrath;(O)
he has poured out(P) his fierce anger.(Q)
He kindled a fire(R) in Zion
that consumed her foundations.(S)
12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
nor did any of the peoples of the world,
that enemies and foes could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.(T)
13 But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her priests,(U)
who shed within her
the blood(V) of the righteous.
14 Now they grope through the streets
as if they were blind.(W)
They are so defiled with blood(X)
that no one dares to touch their garments.
15 “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them.
“Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”
When they flee and wander(Y) about,
people among the nations say,
“They can stay here no longer.”(Z)
16 The Lord himself has scattered them;
he no longer watches over them.(AA)
The priests are shown no honor,
the elders(AB) no favor.(AC)
17 Moreover, our eyes failed,
looking in vain(AD) for help;(AE)
from our towers we watched
for a nation(AF) that could not save us.
18 People stalked us at every step,
so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
for our end had come.(AG)
19 Our pursuers were swifter
than eagles(AH) in the sky;
they chased us(AI) over the mountains
and lay in wait for us in the desert.(AJ)
20 The Lord’s anointed,(AK) our very life breath,
was caught in their traps.(AL)
We thought that under his shadow(AM)
we would live among the nations.
21 Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,
you who live in the land of Uz.(AN)
But to you also the cup(AO) will be passed;
you will be drunk and stripped naked.(AP)
22 Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion;(AQ)
he will not prolong your exile.
But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom,
and expose your wickedness.(AR)
5 Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
look, and see our disgrace.(AS)
2 Our inheritance(AT) has been turned over to strangers,(AU)
our homes(AV) to foreigners.(AW)
3 We have become fatherless,
our mothers are widows.(AX)
4 We must buy the water we drink;(AY)
our wood can be had only at a price.(AZ)
5 Those who pursue us are at our heels;
we are weary(BA) and find no rest.(BB)
6 We submitted to Egypt and Assyria(BC)
to get enough bread.
7 Our ancestors(BD) sinned and are no more,
and we bear their punishment.(BE)
8 Slaves(BF) rule over us,
and there is no one to free us from their hands.(BG)
9 We get our bread at the risk of our lives
because of the sword in the desert.
10 Our skin is hot as an oven,
feverish from hunger.(BH)
11 Women have been violated(BI) in Zion,
and virgins in the towns of Judah.
12 Princes have been hung up by their hands;
elders(BJ) are shown no respect.(BK)
13 Young men toil at the millstones;
boys stagger under loads of wood.
14 The elders are gone from the city gate;
the young men have stopped their music.(BL)
15 Joy is gone from our hearts;
our dancing has turned to mourning.(BM)
16 The crown(BN) has fallen from our head.(BO)
Woe to us, for we have sinned!(BP)
17 Because of this our hearts(BQ) are faint,(BR)
because of these things our eyes(BS) grow dim(BT)
18 for Mount Zion,(BU) which lies desolate,(BV)
with jackals prowling over it.
19 You, Lord, reign forever;(BW)
your throne endures(BX) from generation to generation.
20 Why do you always forget us?(BY)
Why do you forsake(BZ) us so long?
21 Restore(CA) us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
renew our days as of old
22 unless you have utterly rejected us(CB)
and are angry with us beyond measure.(CC)
Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision
1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles(CD) by the Kebar River,(CE) the heavens were opened(CF) and I saw visions(CG) of God.
2 On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin(CH)— 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel(CI) the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.[b] There the hand of the Lord was on him.(CJ)
4 I looked, and I saw a windstorm(CK) coming out of the north(CL)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,(CM) 5 and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.(CN) In appearance their form was human,(CO) 6 but each of them had four faces(CP) and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.(CQ) 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.(CR) All four of them had faces and wings, 9 and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.(CS)
10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.(CT) 11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings(CU) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.(CV) 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals(CW) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning(CX) flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.(CY)
15 As I looked at the living creatures,(CZ) I saw a wheel(DA) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,(DB) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction(DC) as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes(DD) all around.
19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,(DE) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.(DF)
22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,(DG) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. 23 Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing(DH) waters, like the voice(DI) of the Almighty,[c] like the tumult of an army.(DJ) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.
25 Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne(DK) of lapis lazuli,(DL) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.(DM) 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.(DN) 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow(DO) in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.(DP)
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory(DQ) of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown,(DR) and I heard the voice of one speaking.
Ezekiel’s Call to Be a Prophet
2 He said to me, “Son of man,[d](DS) stand(DT) up on your feet and I will speak to you.(DU)” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me(DV) to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.
3 He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.(DW) 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.(DX) Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’(DY) 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen(DZ)—for they are a rebellious people(EA)—they will know that a prophet has been among them.(EB) 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid(EC) of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns(ED) are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.(EE) 7 You must speak(EF) my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.(EG) 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel(EH) like that rebellious people;(EI) open your mouth and eat(EJ) what I give you.”
9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand(EK) stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,(EL) 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.(EM)
3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.
3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate(EN) it, and it tasted as sweet as honey(EO) in my mouth.
4 He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.(EP) 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language,(EQ) but to the people of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.(ER) 7 But the people of Israel are not willing to listen(ES) to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.(ET) 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.(EU) 9 I will make your forehead(EV) like the hardest stone, harder than flint.(EW) Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.(EX)”
10 And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart(EY) all the words I speak to you. 11 Go(EZ) now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’(FA) whether they listen or fail to listen.(FB)”
12 Then the Spirit lifted me up,(FC) and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the Lord rose from the place where it was standing.[e] 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures(FD) brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound.(FE) 14 The Spirit(FF) then lifted me up(FG) and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord(FH) on me. 15 I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River.(FI) And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days(FJ)—deeply distressed.
Ezekiel’s Task as Watchman
16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me:(FK) 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman(FL) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.(FM) 18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,(FN)’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for[f] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.(FO) 19 But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn(FP) from their wickedness(FQ) or from their evil ways, they will die(FR) for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.(FS)
20 “Again, when a righteous person turns(FT) from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block(FU) before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.(FV) 21 But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.(FW)”
22 The hand of the Lord(FX) was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go(FY) out to the plain,(FZ) and there I will speak to you.” 23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River,(GA) and I fell facedown.(GB)
24 Then the Spirit came into me and raised me(GC) to my feet. He spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house.(GD) 25 And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.(GE) 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof(GF) of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people.(GG) 27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’(GH) Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.(GI)
Footnotes
- Lamentations 4:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Ezekiel 1:3 Or Chaldeans
- Ezekiel 1:24 Hebrew Shaddai
- Ezekiel 2:1 The Hebrew phrase ben adam means human being. The phrase son of man is retained as a form of address here and throughout Ezekiel because of its possible association with “Son of Man” in the New Testament.
- Ezekiel 3:12 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text sound—may the glory of the Lord be praised from his place
- Ezekiel 3:18 Or in; also in verses 19 and 20
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