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The Announcement of the Imminent Coming of the Exile
12 And the word of Yahweh came[a] to me, saying,[b] 2 “Son of man,[c] you are dwelling in the midst of the house of rebellion who has eyes to see and they do not see;[d] they have ears to hear,[e] and they do not hear, for they are a house of rebellion. 3 And you, son of man,[f] prepare for yourself[g] the baggage of an exile, and go into exile by day before their eyes. And you must go into[h] exile from your place to another place before their eyes; perhaps they will see that they are a house of rebellion. 4 And you must bring out your baggage like the baggage of an exile by day before their eyes, and you must go out in the evening before their eyes like those who go into exile.[i] 5 Before their eyes dig through for yourself,[j] through the wall, and you must bring the baggage out through it. 6 Before their eyes, on your[k] shoulder, you must lift up the baggage in the dusk, and your face you must cover, so that you may not see the land, for I make you as a sign to the house of Israel.” 7 And I did just as[l] I was commanded; my baggage, like the baggage of an exile, I brought out by day, and in the evening I dug through for myself[m] into[n] the wall with my hand in the dusk; I brought the baggage on my shoulder; I carried it before their eyes. 8 And the word of Yahweh came[o] to me in the morning, saying,[p] 9 “Son of man,[q] did not they, the house of Israel, the house of rebellion, say to you, ‘What are you doing?’ 10 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “This oracle is about the prince in Jerusalem and the entire[r] house of Israel who are among them.”’[s] 11 Say, ‘I am your sign, and just as[t] I did, so will it be done to them in the exile; into[u] captivity they will go.’ 12 And the prince who is in the midst of them, on his shoulder he will carry the baggage in the dusk, and[v] he will go out; the wall will be dug through[w] to bring him through it; and he will cover his face so that he will[x] not see the land with his[y] eye. 13 And I will spread out my net on him, and he will be captured in my hunting snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die. 14 And all who are around him, his help[z] and all of his troops I will scatter in every direction,[aa] and I will draw[ab] the sword behind them. 15 And they will know that I am Yahweh when I scatter them[ac] among the nations and I scatter them in the countries. 16 But[ad] I will spare from them a few men[ae] from the sword, from the famine and from the plague, so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations to which they will go, and they will know that I am Yahweh.”
17 And the word of Yahweh came[af] to me, saying,[ag] 18 “Son of man,[ah] you must eat your food with trembling, and your water with shuddering, and with anxiety you must drink. 19 And you must say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh to the inhabitants of Jerusalem about the land of Israel: “They will eat their food with anxiety and their water they will drink with horror, because their land will be desolate from[ai] its fullness because of all the violence of those who are dwelling in it.[aj] 20 And the inhabited cites will be desolate,[ak] and the land will be a desolation, and you will know that I am Yahweh.”’”
21 And the word of Yahweh came[al] to me, saying,[am] 22 “Son of man,[an] what is this proverb you people have[ao] about the land of Israel, saying,[ap] ‘The days are prolonged,[aq] and every vision has come to nothing.’ 23 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “I will put an end to this proverb, and they will not quote it as a proverb again in Israel.”’ But[ar] say to them, ‘The days are near, and also the word of every vision.’ 24 For there will not be any longer any false vision[as] or flattering divination in the midst of the house of Israel. 25 For I, Yahweh, I will speak what I will speak as a word, and it will be done. It will not prolong itself any longer, for in your days, house of rebellion, I will speak a word and I will fulfill it!” declares[at] the Lord Yahweh. 26 And the word of Yahweh came[au] to me, saying,[av] 27 “Son of man,[aw] look! The house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he is seeing is for many days from now, and for distant times he is prophesying.’ 28 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “None of my words will be prolonged any longer that I speak as a word, and it will be fulfilled!”’” declares[ax] the Lord Yahweh.
Condemnation of False Prophets
13 And the word of Yahweh came[ay] to me, saying,[az] 2 “Son of man,[ba] prophesy to[bb] the prophets of Israel who are prophesying,[bc] and you must say to those who are prophets out of their own imagination,[bd] ‘Hear the word of Yahweh!’ 3 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Alas, for the foolish prophets who are going after their own spirit, and they did not see anything![be] 4 Your prophets have been like foxes[bf] among ruins. 5 You did not go up into[bg] the breaches and repair a wall for the house of Israel to stand firm in the battle on the day of Yahweh. 6 They saw falseness and a lying divination,[bh] the ones saying, ‘Declaration of Yahweh!’ and Yahweh did not send them, and they wait for the confirmation of their word.[bi] 7 Have you not seen a false vision[bj] and spoken a lying divination,[bk] and you said, ‘Declaration of Yahweh!’ but I myself did not speak.[bl] 8 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Because of your speaking falseness and because you envisioned a lie, therefore, look! I am against you!” declares[bm] the Lord Yahweh. 9 “And it will be my hand against the prophets who are seeing falseness and who are practicing lying divination. They will not be in the council of my people, and they will not be written down in the record book of the house of Israel, and into[bn] the land of Israel they will not come, and then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh. 10 Because, yes, because they led my people astray, saying[bo] ‘Peace!’ And there is not peace. And when anyone[bp] builds a flimsy wall, look, they coat it with whitewash. 11 Say to those covering it with whitewash that it will fall; there will be a torrent of rain,[bq] and I will give stones of hail; they will fall! [br] And a windstorm[bs] will burst forth! 12 And look! When the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the whitewash with which you covered it?’ 13 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘And so I will let burst forth a windstorm[bt] in my rage, and there will be a torrent of rain[bu] in my anger, and hailstones in my rage for complete destruction.[bv] 14 And I will break down the wall that you covered with whitewash, and I will knock it to the ground, and its foundation will be revealed, and it will fall, and you will come to an end in the midst of it, and you will know that I am Yahweh! 15 And I will fully vent my rage against the wall and against those covering it with whitewash, and I will say to you, “The wall is no more,[bw] and the people covering it are no more,[bx] 16 that is, the prophets of Israel, the ones prophesying concerning Jerusalem and the ones seeing visions of peace, and there is not peace!’” ” declares[by] the Lord Yahweh.
17 “And you, son of man,[bz] place your face toward the daughters of your people who prophesy from their imagination,[ca] and prophesy against them! 18 And you must say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Woe to those who sew[cb] magic charm bands on all the wrists[cc] of the hands of my people and those who make the veils[cd] that are on the head of people of every height, to ensnare people’s lives![ce] Will you ensnare the lives[cf] of my people and keep yourselves alive?[cg] 19 And you defiled me among my people for a handful of barley and for morsels of bread to kill persons who should not die and to keep alive persons who should not live by means of your lies to my people who are listening to your lies.”’[ch] 20 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Look! I am against your magic charm bands with which you are ensnaring persons[ci] as birds; I will tear them from your arms, and I will release the persons that you are ensnaring, treating persons as birds. 21 And I will tear off your veils, and I will deliver my people from your hand, and they will not any longer be in your hand as prey, and you will know that I am Yahweh. 22 Because you disheartened the heart of the righteous by deception, and I have not[cj] caused him pain, and strengthened the hands of the wicked so that he did not turn[ck] from his wicked way to save his life. 23 Therefore falseness[cl] you will not see,[cm] and divination you will not practice[cn] any longer, and I will rescue my people from your hand, and you will know that I am Yahweh!’”
Condemnation of Israel’s Idolatrous Elders
14 And men from the elders of Israel came to me, and they sat before me.[co] 2 And the word of Yahweh came[cp] to me, saying,[cq] 3 “Son of man,[cr] these men took up their idols into their heart and they placed before themselves[cs] a stumbling block of their guilt.[ct] Should I really let myself be consulted by them?[cu] 4 Therefore speak with them, and you must say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Every person from the house of Israel who brings up his idols into his heart and places before himself[cv] a stumbling block of his guilt[cw] and yet he comes to the prophet, I Yahweh, I will respond to him through this act[cx] with respect to the multitude[cy] of his idols, 5 so that I may take hold of the house of Israel by their heart, those who are estranged from me, all of them, through their idols.’ 6 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Return,[cz] and turn away from your idols and from all of your detestable things! Turn away your faces!”’ 7 For each person[da] from the house of Israel, and from the alien who dwells as an alien in Israel, who separates himself from following me[db] and brings up his idols into his heart and places before himself[dc] a stumbling block of his guilt[dd], and yet he comes to the prophet to consult him concerning me, I Yahweh will answer[de] him myself. 8 And I will set my face against that person, and I will make him to[df] be a sign and make him into[dg] the subject of proverbs; and I will cut him off from the midst of my people, and you will know I am Yahweh. 9 And the prophet, if he is deceived and he speaks a word, I Yahweh, I have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him, and I will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. 10 And they will bear their guilt, like[dh] the guilt of the inquirer so[di] the guilt of the prophet will be, 11 so that the house of Israel will not go astray again from me,[dj] and they will not make themselves unclean again with all of their transgressions, and they will be for me a people, and I will be for them as God,” declares[dk] the Lord Yahweh.
The Greatness of Melchizedek
7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham as he[a] was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,[b] 2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of everything[c]—in the first place, his name is translated “king of righteousness,” and then also “king of Salem,” that is, “king of peace”; 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God—he remains a priest for all time.
4 But see how great this man was, to whom Abraham[d] the patriarch gave a tenth from the spoils! 5 And indeed those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a commandment to collect a tenth from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, although they are descended from Abraham[e]. 6 But the one who did not trace his descent from them collected tithes from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Now without any dispute the inferior is blessed by the more prominent. 8 And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case it is testified that he lives. 9 And, so to speak[f], even Levi, the one who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham. 10 For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
The Superiority of Jesus to Melchizedek
11 Thus if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for on the basis of it the people received the law, what further need is there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek and not said to be according to the order of Aaron? 12 For when[g] the priesthood changes, of necessity there is a change of the law also. 13 For the one about whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord is a descendant of Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests. 15 And it is still more clear, if another priest according to the likeness of Melchizedek arises, 16 who has become a priest not according to a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is testified,
37 Then he brought them out with silver and gold,
and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed,
because the fear of them[a] had fallen upon them.
39 He spread out a cloud for a covering,
and fire to give light at night.
40 They[b] asked, and he brought quail,
and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41 He opened the rock and waters flowed;
they coursed[c] through the dry places like a river.
42 For he remembered his holy promise;[d]
he remembered Abraham his servant.
43 And so he brought out his people with joy,
his chosen ones with rejoicing.
44 And he gave to them the lands of the nations,
and they inherited the labor of the peoples,
45 so that they might observe his statutes,
and keep his laws.
Praise Yah.[e]
3 Heavy is a stone and weighty is sand,
but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
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