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Previewing the Exile
12 The Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, you are living in the midst of a rebellious house.[a] They have eyes to see, but do not see, and ears to hear, but do not hear,[b] because they are a rebellious house.
3 “Therefore, son of man, pack up your belongings as if for exile. During the day, while they are watching, pretend to go into exile. Go from where you live to another place. Perhaps they will understand,[c] although they are a rebellious house. 4 Bring out your belongings packed for exile during the day while they are watching. And go out at evening, while they are watching, as if for exile. 5 While they are watching, dig a hole in the wall and carry your belongings out through it. 6 While they are watching, raise your baggage onto your shoulder and carry it out in the dark.[d] You must cover your face so that you cannot see the ground[e] because I have made you an object lesson[f] to the house of Israel.”
7 So I did just as I was commanded. I carried out my belongings packed for exile during the day, and at evening I dug myself a hole through the wall with my hands. I went out in the darkness, carrying my baggage[g] on my shoulder while they watched.
8 The Lord’s message came to me in the morning: 9 “Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The prince will raise this burden in Jerusalem,[h] and all the house of Israel within it.’[i] 11 Say, ‘I am an object lesson[j] for you. Just as I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile and captivity.’
12 “The prince[k] who is among them will raise his belongings[l] onto his shoulder in darkness and will go out. He[m] will dig a hole in the wall to leave through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes. 13 But I will throw my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans[n] (but he will not see it),[o] and there he will die.[p] 14 All his retinue—his attendants and his troops—I will scatter to every wind; I will unleash a sword behind them.
15 “Then they will know that I am the Lord when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among foreign countries. 16 But I will let a small number of them survive the sword, famine, and pestilence, so that they can confess all their abominable practices to the nations where they go. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
17 The Lord’s message came to me: 18 “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling[q] and drink your water with anxious shaking. 19 Then say to the people of the land, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in fright, for their land will be stripped bare of all it contains because of the violence of all who live in it. 20 The inhabited towns will be left in ruins, and the land will be devastated. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
21 The Lord’s message came to me: 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel, ‘The days pass slowly, and every vision fails’? 23 Therefore tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I hereby end this proverb; they will not recite it in Israel any longer.’ But say to them, ‘The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled.[r] 24 For there will no longer be any false visions or flattering omens amidst the house of Israel. 25 For I, the Lord, will speak. Whatever word I speak will be accomplished. It will not be delayed any longer. Indeed in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and accomplish it, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
26 The Lord’s message came to me: 27 “Take note, son of man, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for distant days; he is prophesying about the far future.’ 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer! The word I speak will come to pass, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
False Prophets Denounced
13 Then the Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to the prophets who prophesy from their imagination:[s] ‘Listen to the Lord’s message! 3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit but have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets have become like jackals among the ruins, O Israel. 5 You have not gone up in the breaks in the wall, nor repaired a wall for the house of Israel that it would stand strong in the battle on the day of the Lord. 6 They see delusion and their omens are a lie.[t] They say, “The Lord declares,” though the Lord has not sent them;[u] yet they expect their word to be confirmed.[v] 7 Have you not seen a false vision and announced a lying omen when you say, “The Lord declares,” although I myself never spoke?
8 “‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have spoken false words and forecast delusion, look,[w] I am against you,[x] declares the Sovereign Lord. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see delusion and announce lying omens. They will not be included in the council[y] of my people, nor be written in the registry[z] of the house of Israel, nor enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
10 “‘This is because they have led my people astray saying, “All is well,”[aa] when things are not well. When anyone builds a wall without mortar,[ab] they coat it with whitewash. 11 Tell the ones who coat it with whitewash that it will fall. When there is a deluge of rain, hailstones[ac] will fall and a violent wind will break out.[ad] 12 When the wall has collapsed, people will ask you, “Where is the whitewash you coated it with?”
13 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my rage I will make a violent wind break out. In my anger there will be a deluge of rain and hailstones in destructive fury. 14 I will break down the wall you coated with whitewash and knock it to the ground so that its foundation is exposed. When it falls you will be destroyed beneath it,[ae] and you will know that I am the Lord. 15 I will vent my rage against the wall and against those who coated it with whitewash. Then I will say to you, “The wall is no more and those who whitewashed it are no more— 16 those prophets of Israel who would prophesy about Jerusalem and would see visions of peace for it, when there was no peace,” declares the Sovereign Lord.’
17 “As for you, son of man, turn toward[af] the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their imagination.[ag] Prophesy against them 18 and say ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to those who sew bands[ah] on all their wrists[ai] and make headbands[aj] for heads of every size to entrap people’s lives![ak] Will you entrap my people’s lives, yet preserve your own lives? 19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. You have put to death people[al] who should not die and kept alive those who should not live by your lies to my people, who listen to lies!
20 “‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take note[am] that I am against your wristbands with which you entrap people’s lives[an] like birds. I will tear them from your arms and will release the people’s lives, which you hunt like birds. 21 I will tear off your headbands and rescue my people from your power;[ao] they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 22 This is because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (although I have not grieved him), and because you have encouraged the wicked person not to turn from his evil conduct and preserve his life. 23 Therefore you will no longer see false visions and practice divination. I will rescue my people from your power, and you[ap] will know that I am the Lord.’”
Well-Deserved Judgment
14 Then some men from Israel’s elders came to me and sat down in front of me. 2 The Lord’s message came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity[aq] right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek[ar] me? 4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When anyone from the house of Israel erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet, I the Lord am determined to answer him personally according to the enormity of his idolatry.[as] 5 I will do this in order to capture the hearts of the house of Israel, who have alienated themselves from me on account of all their idols.’
6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Return! Turn from your idols, and turn your faces away from your abominations. 7 For when anyone from the house of Israel, or the resident foreigner[at] who lives in Israel, separates himself from me and erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet to seek something from me, I the Lord am determined to answer him personally. 8 I will set my face against that person and will make him an object lesson and a byword[au] and will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
9 “‘As for the prophet, if he is made a fool by being deceived into speaking a prophetic word—I, the Lord, have made a fool of[av] that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 10 They will bear their punishment;[aw] the punishment of the one who sought an oracle will be the same as the punishment of the prophet who gave it[ax] 11 so that the house of Israel will no longer go astray from me, nor continue to defile themselves by all their sins. They will be my people, and I will be their God,[ay] declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
The Nature of Melchizedek’s Priesthood
7 Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him.[a] 2 To him[b] also Abraham apportioned a tithe[c] of everything.[d] His name first means[e] king of righteousness, then king of Salem,[f] that is, king of peace. 3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time. 4 But see how great he must be, if[g] Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe[h] of his plunder. 5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office[i] have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen,[j] although they too are descendants of Abraham.[k] 6 But Melchizedek[l] who does not share their ancestry[m] collected a tithe[n] from Abraham and blessed[o] the one who possessed the promise. 7 Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, 8 and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. 9 And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. 10 For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins[p] when Melchizedek met him.
Jesus and the Priesthood of Melchizedek
11 So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood—for on that basis[q] the people received the law—what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron’s order? 12 For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come[r] as well. 13 Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to[s] a different tribe, and no one from that tribe[t] has ever officiated at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. 15 And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent[u] but by the power of an indestructible life. 17 For here is the testimony about him:[v] “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”[w]
37 He brought his people[a] out enriched[b] with silver and gold;
none of his tribes stumbled.
38 Egypt was happy when they left,
for they were afraid of them.[c]
39 He spread out a cloud for a cover,[d]
and provided a fire to light up the night.
40 They asked for food,[e] and he sent quail;
he satisfied them with food from the sky.[f]
41 He opened up a rock and water flowed out;
a river ran through dry regions.
42 Yes,[g] he remembered the sacred promise[h]
he made to Abraham his servant.
43 When he led his people out, they rejoiced;
his chosen ones shouted with joy.[i]
44 He handed the territory of nations over to them,
and they took possession of what other peoples had produced,[j]
45 so that they might keep his commands
and obey[k] his laws.
Praise the Lord.
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