Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.

Ezekiel’s Call to Be a Prophet

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

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.

And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns 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.

But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

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.”

Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.

And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.

“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.

And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.

Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized

“Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it.

He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair,

God’s Razor of Judgment

“Now, son of man, take a sharp sword and use it as a barber’s razor to shave your head and your beard. Then take a set of scales and divide up the hair.

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

“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!

Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol of jealousy.

And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see things that are even more detestable.”

He said to me, “Son of man, now dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there.

He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’”

He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this.”

He said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the people of Judah to do the detestable things they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence and continually arouse my anger? Look at them putting the branch to their nose!

The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who are plotting evil and giving wicked advice in this city.

Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, son of man.”

“Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have said of your fellow exiles and all the other Israelites, ‘They are far away from the Lord; this land was given to us as our possession.’

“Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.

“Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious people.

“Son of man, did not the Israelites, that rebellious people, ask you, ‘What are you doing?’

“Son of man, tremble as you eat your food, and shudder in fear as you drink your water.

“Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’?

“Son of man, the Israelites are saying, ‘The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.’

“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord!

“Now, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them

“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?

“Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,

“Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest?

“Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices

“Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable.

“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.’

“Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors

“Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors blasphemed me by being unfaithful to me:

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

“Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary. Prophesy against the land of Israel

“Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief.

“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—

Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people; it is against all the princes of Israel. They are thrown to the sword along with my people. Therefore beat your breast.

“So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times. It is a sword for slaughter— a sword for great slaughter, closing in on them from every side.

“Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost where the road branches off to the city.

“And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites and their insults: “‘A sword, a sword, drawn for the slaughter, polished to consume and to flash like lightning!

“Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her detestable practices