Ezekiel Called to Be a Prophet

And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.”

As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

The Responsibility of the Prophet

Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”

“Therefore you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem; your arm shall be uncovered, and you shall prophesy against it.

“Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,

Disaster will come upon disaster, And rumor will be upon rumor. Then they will seek a vision from a prophet; But the law will perish from the priest, And counsel from the elders.

Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man!”

Now it happened, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then 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?”

“Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’

Woe to Foolish Prophets

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ ”

Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!

O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.

“My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord God.

that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ ” says the Lord God.

“Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them,

“Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols,

For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the Lord will answer him by Myself.

“And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I the Lord have induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.

And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired,

“Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South,

“Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, preach against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel;

“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ Say: ‘A sword, a sword is sharpened And also polished!

“You therefore, son of man, prophesy, And strike your hands together. The third time let the sword do double damage. It is the sword that slays, The sword that slays the great men, That enters their private chambers.

A Sword Against the Ammonites

“And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach,’ and say: ‘A sword, a sword is drawn, Polished for slaughter, For consuming, for flashing—