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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.
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The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’
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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.”
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He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.
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You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel—
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But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.
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Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.”
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“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
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But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.
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Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the people of Israel.
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“Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side.
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I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the people of Israel.
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The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.”
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Again, take a few of these and throw them into the fire and burn them up. A fire will spread from there to all Israel.
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“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.
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“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: You have been more unruly than the nations around you and have not followed my decrees or kept my laws. You have not even conformed to the standards of the nations around you.
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“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will inflict punishment on you in the sight of the nations.
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Doom for the Mountains of Israel
The word of the Lord came to me:
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“Son of man, set your face against the mountains of Israel; prophesy against them
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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: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.
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I will lay the dead bodies of the Israelites in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones around your altars.
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“‘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.
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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 on them.
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“Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel: “‘The end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land!
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The end is now upon you, and I will unleash my anger against you. I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices.
