Beginning
Vision of the Angels
9 The Lord shouted with a loud voice in my ears. He said, “You who are chosen to punish this city, come near. Bring your weapon in your hand.” 2 Then six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north. Each had his powerful weapon in his hand. Among them was a man dressed in linen. At his side he had things to write with. The men went in and stood by the bronze altar.
3 Then the glory of the God of Israel went up. It had been above the creatures with wings. It moved to the place in the Temple where the door opened. Then the Lord called the man dressed in linen. He had the things to write with at his side. 4 The Lord said to him, “Go through Jerusalem. Put a mark on the foreheads of the people who groan and cry about all the terrible things being done among them.”
5 As I listened, the Lord spoke to the other men. He said, “Go through the city behind the man dressed in linen and kill. Don’t pity anyone. Don’t show mercy. 6 Kill and destroy old men, young men and women, little children and older women. But don’t touch anyone who has the mark on him. Start at my Temple.” So they started with the elders who were in front of the Temple.
7 And the Lord said to the men, “Make the Temple unclean. Fill the courtyards with those who have been killed. Go out!” Then the men went out and killed the people in the city. 8 While the men were killing the people, I was left alone. I bowed facedown on the ground. I cried out, “Oh, Lord God! Will you destroy everyone left alive in Israel when you turn loose your anger on Jerusalem?”
9 Then the Lord said to me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is very great. The land is filled with people who murder. And the city is full of people who are not fair. The people say, ‘The Lord has left the land. And the Lord does not see.’ 10 But I will have no pity. I will show no mercy. But I will bring their evil acts back on their heads.”
11 Then the man dressed in linen reported to the Lord. He was the man who had things to write with at his side. He said, “I have done just as you have commanded me.”
The Coals of Fire
10 Then I looked and saw the sky above the heads of the living creatures. I saw something like a sapphire gem. It looked like a throne. 2 The Lord said to the man dressed in linen, “Go in between the wheels under the living creatures. And fill your hands with coals of fire from between the living creatures. Scatter the coals over the city.”
As I watched, the man with linen clothes went in. 3 Now the living creatures were standing on the south side of the Temple when the man went in. And the cloud from the Lord filled the inner courtyard. 4 Then the glory of the Lord went up from the living creatures. And it stood over the door of the Temple. The Temple was filled with the cloud. And the courtyard was full of the brightness from the glory of the Lord. 5 The sound of the wings of the living creatures was heard all the way to the outer courtyard. It was like the voice of God All-Powerful when he speaks.
6 The Lord commanded the man dressed in linen, “Take fire from between the wheels, from between the living creatures.” Then the man went in and stood by a wheel. 7 One living creature put out his hand to the fire that was among them. The living creature took some of the fire. And he put it in the hands of the man dressed in linen. The man took the fire and went out.
The Wheels and the Creatures
8 Something that looked like a man’s hand appeared under the wings of the living creatures. 9 I saw the four wheels by the living creatures. One wheel was by each living creature. The wheels looked like shining chrysolite. 10 All four wheels looked alike. Each looked like a wheel crossways inside another wheel. 11 When the wheels moved, they went in any of the directions that the four living creatures faced. The wheels did not turn about. The living creatures did not turn their bodies as they went. But they followed wherever their faces pointed. 12 All their bodies, their backs, hands, wings and the wheels were full of eyes all over. Now each of the four living creatures had a wheel. 13 I heard the wheels being called “whirling wheels.” 14 Each living creature had four faces. The first face was the face of a creature with wings. The second face was the face of a man. The third was the face of a lion. And the fourth was the face of an eagle.
15 The living creatures flew up. They were the same living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River. 16 And when the living creatures moved, the wheels moved by their sides. The living creatures lifted their wings to fly up from the ground. And the wheels did not leave their sides. 17 When the living creatures stopped, the wheels stopped. When the creatures went up, the wheels went up also. This was because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
18 Then the glory of the Lord left the door of the Temple and stood over the living creatures. 19 The living creatures spread their wings. And they flew up from the ground while I watched. As they went up, the wheels stayed by their sides. They stood where the east gate of the Temple of the Lord opened. The glory of the God of Israel was over them.
20 These are the living creatures I had seen under the God of Israel. This was by the Kebar River. I knew they were called cherubim. 21 Each one had four faces. Each one had four wings. Things that looked like a man’s hands were under their wings. 22 Their faces looked the same as the ones I had seen by the Kebar River. They each went straight ahead.
Prophecies Against Evil Leaders
11 The Spirit lifted me up. And he brought me to the front gate of the Temple of the Lord. This gate faces east. I saw 25 men where the gate opens. I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah. They were leaders of the people. They were among these 25 men. 2 Then the Lord said to me, “Human being, these are the men who plan evil. And they give wicked advice in this city of Jerusalem. 3 They say, ‘It is almost time for us to build houses. This city is like a cooking pot. And we are like the best meat.’ 4 So prophesy against them. Prophesy, human being.”
5 Then the Spirit of the Lord entered me. He told me to say: “This is what the Lord says: You have said these things, people of Israel. But I know what is going through your mind. 6 You have killed many people in this city. You have filled its streets with their bodies.
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. And this city is like the cooking pot. But I will force you out of the city. 8 You have feared the sword. But I will bring a sword against you, says the Lord God. 9 I will force you out of the city. I will hand you over to strangers. I will surely punish you. 10 You will die by the sword. I will punish you at the border of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 11 This city will not be your cooking pot. You will not be the best meat in the middle of the city. I will punish you at the border of Israel. 12 Then you will know that I am the Lord. You did not live by my rules. You did not obey my laws. You did the same things that the nations around you do.”
13 As I prophesied, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I bowed facedown on the ground. I shouted with a loud voice and said, “Oh no, Lord God! Will you completely destroy the Israelites who are left alive?”
Promise to Those Remaining
14 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 15 “Human being, the people still in Jerusalem have spoken about your relatives. And they have spoken about all the people of Israel who are captives with you. The people still in Jerusalem have said, ‘They are far from the Lord. This land was given to us as our property.’
16 “So say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I sent the people far away among the nations. I scattered them among the countries. But for a little while I have become a Temple to them in the countries where they have gone.’
17 “So say: ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will gather you from the nations. And I will bring you together from the countries where you have been scattered. Then I will give you back the land of Israel.’
18 “They will come to this land. Then they will take away all the hated idols from the land. They will take all the terrible images from there. 19 I will give them a desire to respect me completely. I will put a new way to think inside them. I will take out the stubborn heart like stone from their bodies. Then I will give them an obedient heart of flesh. 20 Then they will live by my rules. They will obey my laws and keep them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But some people will want to serve their evil statues and hated idols. And I will pay them back for their evil ways, says the Lord God.”
Ezekiel’s Vision Ends
22 Then the living creatures lifted their wings. The wheels went beside them. And the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23 The glory of the Lord went up from inside Jerusalem. And it stopped on the mountain on the east side of the city. 24 The Spirit lifted me up. And he brought me to the captives who had been taken from Judah to Babylonia. He did this in a vision given by the Spirit of God. Then the vision I had seen ended. 25 And I told the things that the Lord had shown me. I told it to the captives from Judah.
Ezekiel Moves Out
12 Again the Lord spoke his word to me. He said: 2 “Human being, you are living among a people who refuse to obey. They have eyes to see, but they do not see. They have ears to hear, but they do not hear. This is because they are a family that refuses to obey.
3 “So, human being, pack your things as if you will be taken away captive. And walk away like a captive. Do this in the daytime with the people watching. Move from your place to another with the people watching. Maybe they will understand, even though they are a people who refuse to obey. 4 Bring out the things you would pack as a captive. Do it during the day when the people are watching. At evening go out with the people watching. Go like those who are taken away as captives from their country. 5 Dig a hole through the wall while they watch. Bring your things out through the hole. 6 Lift them onto your shoulders with the people watching. Carry them out in the dark. Cover your face so you cannot see the ground. I have made you a sign to the people of Israel.”
7 I did these things as I was commanded. In the daytime I brought out my things. I was packed, ready to go away as a captive. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I brought my things out in the dark. I carried them on my shoulders. And the people saw all this.
8 Then in the morning the Lord spoke his word to me. He said: 9 “Human being, Israel refuses to obey. Didn’t those people ask you, ‘What are you doing?’
10 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: This message is about the king in Jerusalem. And it is about all the people of Israel who live there.’ 11 Say, ‘I am a sign to you.’
“The same things I have done will be done to the people in Jerusalem. They will be taken away from their country as captives. 12 The king among them will put his things on his shoulder in the dark. And he will leave. The people will dig a hole through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the ground. 13 But I will spread my net over him. He will be caught in my trap. Then I will bring him to Babylon in the land of the Babylonians. He will not see that land, but he will die there. 14 All who are around the king I will scatter in every direction. I will scatter his helpers and all his army. I will chase them with a sword.
15 “Then they will know that I am the Lord. I will scatter them among the nations. And I will spread them among the countries. 16 But I will save a few of them from the sword. I will save a few from hunger and disease. Then they can tell about their hated actions among the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Lesson of Ezekiel’s Shaking
17 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said: 18 “Human being, shake as you eat your food. Shake with fear as you drink your water. 19 Then say to the people of the land: ‘This is what the Lord God says about the people who live in Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They will eat their food with fear. And they will drink their water in shock. This is because their land will be made empty. This is because of the violence of the people who live in it. 20 And the cities where people live will become ruins. The land will become empty. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
The Visions Will Come True
21 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said: 22 “Human being, what is this saying you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’? 23 So say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will make them stop saying this. Then nobody in Israel will use it anymore.’ But tell them, ‘The time is near when every vision will come true. 24 There will be no more false visions or pleasing prophecies inside the nation of Israel. 25 This is because I, the Lord God, will speak. What I say will be done. It will not be delayed. You are a people who refuse to obey. And in your time I will say the word and do it, says the Lord God.’”
26 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said: 27 “Human being, look! The people of Israel are saying this: ‘The vision that Ezekiel sees is for a time many years from now. He is prophesying about times far away.’
28 “So say to them: ‘The Lord God says this: None of my words will be delayed anymore. What I have said will be done, says the Lord God.’”
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.