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1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the K'var River, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

2 On the fifth day of the month, which was during the fifth year of King Y'hoyakhin's exile,

3 the word of ADONAI came to the cohen Yechezk'el son of Buzi, in the land of the Kasdim by the K'var River; there the hand of ADONAI was on him.

4 I looked and saw a windy storm approaching from the north and a huge cloud with flashing fire, glowing brightly all around with the color of gleaming amber from within the fire.

5 Inside, there appeared to be four living creatures that looked like human beings;

6 but each one had four faces and four wings.

7 Their legs were straight, with feet like calves' hoofs. They glittered like burnished bronze.

8 Beneath their wings they had human hands on their four sides. The four of them had faces and wings as follows:

9 they touched one another with their wings; they did not turn when they moved, but each one moved straight forward;

10 as for the appearance of their faces, they had human faces [in front], each of the four had a lion's face on the right, each of the four had a bull's face on the left, and each of the four had an eagle's face [toward the rear] -

11 thus their faces. As for their wings, each had two that stretched upward and joined those of others, and two more that covered their bodies.

12 Each [living creature] moved in the direction of any of its faces; in whichever direction the spirit wanted to go, they went, without turning as they moved -

13 thus the appearance of the living creatures. With them was something that looked like fiery coals burning the way torches do, with the fire flashing here and there between the living creatures; the fire had a brilliance, and out of the fire went lightning.

14 The living creatures kept speeding here and there like flashes of lightning.

15 As I gazed at the living creatures, I saw wheels on the ground, one next to each of the four-faced living creatures.

16 All four wheels looked the same: their inner parts gleamed like beryl, and their structure seemed to be that of a wheel inside a wheel.

17 When they moved, they could go in any of the four directions without turning as they moved.

18 Their rims were tall and fearsome, because the rims of all four were full of eyes all around.

19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved along with them; and when the creatures were lifted off the ground, the wheels went with them.

20 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went, in the direction the spirit wanted to go. The wheels were lifted up next to them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

21 When [the living creatures] moved, [the wheels] moved; when the former stood still, the latter stood still; and when the former were lifted off the ground, the wheels were lifted up next to them; because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 Over the heads of the living creatures was what appeared to be a dome glittering like ice; it was awesome, spread out over their heads, above them.

23 Under the dome each had a pair of wings spread out straight toward those of others, and each had a pair which covered his body.

24 I heard the sound of their wings when they moved; it was like the sound of rushing water, like the voice of Shaddai, like the noise of a tumultuous crowd or army. When they stopped, they lowered their wings.

25 Whenever there was a sound from above the dome over their heads, they stopped and lowered their wings.

26 Above the dome that was over their heads was something like a throne that looked like a sapphire. On it, above it, was what appeared to be a person.

27 I saw what looked like gleaming, amber-colored fire radiating from what appeared to be his waist upward. Downward from what appeared to be his waist, I saw what looked like fire, giving a brilliant light all around him.

28 This brilliance around him looked like a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was how the appearance of the glory of ADONAI looked. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.

1 He said to me, "Human being! Stand up! I want to speak with you!"

2 As he spoke to me, a spirit entered me and put me on my feet, and I heard him who was speaking to me.

3 He said, "Human being! I am sending you to the people of Isra'el, that nation of rebels who have rebelled against me - they and their ancestors have been transgressing against me to this very day.

4 Because they are defiant, hardhearted children, I am sending you; and you are to tell them, 'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says.'

5 Whether they listen or not, this rebellious house will still know that a prophet has been among them!

6 "As for you, human being, don't be afraid of them or their words, even if briars and thorns surround you, and you sit among scorpions. Don't be afraid of their words or be upset by their looks, for they are a rebellious house.

7 You are to speak my words to them, whether they listen or not, for they are very rebellious.

8 But you, human being, hear what I am telling you: don't you be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth, and eat what I am about to give you."

9 When I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me, holding a scroll.

10 He spread it out in front of me, and it was covered with writing front and back. Written on it were laments, dirges and woes.

1 He said to me, "Human being, eat what you see in front of you; eat this scroll. Then go and speak to the house of Isra'el."

2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat,

3 as he said, "Human being, eat this scroll I am giving you; fill your insides with it." When I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey.

4 "Human being," he said to me, "go to the house of Isra'el, and speak my words to them.

5 For you are not being sent to a people with a difficult language and unintelligible speech, but to the house of Isra'el -

6 not to many peoples with difficult languages and unintelligible speech, whose words you can't understand when you hear them. Without doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you.

7 But the house of Isra'el will not be willing to listen to you, because they aren't willing to listen to me; since all the house of Isra'el are obstinate and hardhearted.

8 However, I am making you as defiant and obstinate as they are.

9 Yes, I am making your resoluteness harder than flint, as hard as a diamond. So don't be afraid of them or depressed by how they look at you, because they are a rebellious house."

10 Then he said to me, "Human being, receive in your heart and hear with your ears all my words that I speak to you.

11 Then go to the exiles, to your countrymen; and speak to them. Tell them, 'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM, says,' whether they listen or not."

12 A spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a very loud sound - blessed be the glory of ADONAI from his place!

13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they beat against each other, and the sound of the wheels next to them, a very loud sound.

14 So a spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and the heat of my spirit, with the hand of ADONAI strong on me.

15 I went to the exiles who were living in Tel-Aviv, by the K'var River and stayed with them there in a stupefied state for seven days.

16 After seven days the word of ADONAI came to me:

17 "Human being, I have appointed you to be a watchman for the house of Isra'el. When you hear a word from my mouth, you are to warn them for me.

18 If I say to a wicked person, 'You will certainly die'; and you fail to warn him, to speak and warn the wicked person to leave his wicked way and save his life; then that wicked person will die guilty; and I will hold you responsible for his death.

19 On the other hand, if you warn the wicked person, and he doesn't turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, then he will still die guilty; but you will have saved your own life.

20 Similarly, when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, I will place a stumblingblock before him - he will die; because you failed to warn him, he will die in his sin; his righteous acts which he did will not be remembered; and I will hold you responsible for his death.

21 But if you warn the righteous person that a righteous person should not sin, and he doesn't sin; then he will certainly live, because he took the warning; and you too will have saved your life."

22 The hand of ADONAI came on me there, and he said to me, "Get up, go out to the valley, and I will speak with you there."

23 So I got up and went out to the valley. The glory of ADONAI was there, like the glory I had seen by the K'var River; and I fell on my face.

24 A spirit entered me and put me on my feet. Then he spoke with me and said to me, "Go, shut yourself inside your house.

25 Human being, you are going to be bound with ropes, unable to go out among the people.

26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, so that you will be mute, unable to reprove them; for they are a rebellious house.

27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth; and you will say to them, 'This is what Adonai ELOHIM says.' Whoever is inclined to listen will listen, and whoever is inclined to refuse will refuse, because they are a rebellious house.

1 "As for you, human being, take a clay slab, lay it down in front of you, and draw on it the city of Yerushalayim.

2 Show it under siege - build towers against it, raise earthworks against it, set up camps against it, and surround it with battering rams.

3 Then take an iron griddle and put it in place as a wall of iron between yourself and the city, and fix your gaze on it - the city is under siege, and you are the one besieging it. This will be a sign for the house of Isra'el.

4 "Next, you are to lie on your left side, and have it bear the guilt of the house of Isra'el - for as many days as you lie on your side, you will bear their guilt.

5 For I am assigning you one day for each year of their guilt; thus you are to bear the guilt of the house of Isra'el for 390 days.

6 Then, when you have finished that, you are to lie on your right side and bear the guilt of the house of Y'hudah for forty days, each day corresponding to a year; this is what I am assigning you.

7 You are to fix your gaze on the siege of Yerushalayim, and, with your arm bared, prophesy against it.

8 I am tying you down with ropes, and you are not to turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege.

9 "Take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and buckwheat; put them together in one bowl; and make bread from it. For as long as you lie on your side, 390 days, this is what you are to eat.

10 Each day the food you eat must weigh only three-quarters of a pound; you may eat it from time to time [during the day].

11 You are also to drink a limited amount of water, two-thirds of a quart; you may drink it from time to time [during the day].

12 [The bread] you eat is to be baked like barley cakes; you are to bake it before their eyes, using human dung as fuel."

13 ADONAI said, "This is how the people of Isra'el will eat their food - unclean - in the nations where I am driving them."

14 I objected: "No, Adonai ELOHIM! I have never defiled myself - from my youth until now I have never eaten anything that died by itself or was killed by wild animals; no such disgusting food has ever entered my mouth."

15 He answered, "All right, I will give you cow dung to use instead of human dung, and you can prepare your bread on it."

16 He then said to me, "Human being, I am going to cut off the supply of bread in Yerushalayim, so that they will anxiously weigh out bread to eat, and, horrified, ration water to drink.

17 Finally, due to lack of bread and water, they will stare at each other in shock, wasting away because of their guilt."

1 "Now you, human being, take a sharp sword; and use it like a barber's razor to shave your head and beard. Then weigh the hair on a balance-scale, and divide it up.

2 A third of it you are to burn in the city when the days of the siege are over. Take another third, and hit it with your sword all around the city. Scatter the last third to the wind, and I will pursue them with drawn sword.

3 Also take a few hairs and tie them up in the folds of your garment.

4 Again, of these take some; throw them in the fire, and burn them up; from there a fire will come out against the entire house of Isra'el.

5 "Here is what Adonai ELOHIM, says: 'This is Yerushalayim! I have placed her in the middle of the nations; countries can be found all around her.

6 But she has rebelled against my rulings and committed wickedness more than the nations, against my laws more than the countries around her; because they have rejected my rulings and not lived according to my laws.'

7 "Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM, says: 'Because you have outdone the nations around you by not living according to my laws or following my rulings or even following the rules of the nations around you,'

8 therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM, says: 'I too am against you, yes, I; and I will execute judgments among you while all the nations look on.

9 Moreover, because of all your disgusting practices, I will do things to you that I have never done before; and I will never do such things again.

10 Parents among you will eat their children, and children will eat their parents! I will execute judgments among you and scatter to all the winds those of you who remain.

11 For, as I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'because you defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and disgusting practices, therefore I swear that I will cut you off - my eye will not spare, I will have no pity.

12 A third of you will die from plague or be consumed by famine inside [Yerushalayim]; a third will fall by the sword all around [Yerushalayim]; and a third I will scatter to all the winds and pursue with the sword.'

13 In this way my anger will spend itself, my fury against them will die down, and I will be satisfied. Then, when I have spent my fury on them, they will know that I, ADONAI, have spoken out of my zeal.

14 'I will make you a ruin and an object of reproach among the nations around you, in the sight of all passing by.

15 When I execute judgments and furious punishments among you in anger and fury, [Yerushalayim] will be an object of reproach, derision and horror, and a lesson to warn the nations around you. I, ADONAI, have announced it.

16 I will send upon them the deadly, destructive arrows of famine, which I will send to destroy you. I will make the famine worse for you by cutting off your food supply.

17 Yes, I will send famine and savage beasts upon you to leave you without children; plague and bloodshed will sweep through you; and I will bring the sword upon you. I, ADONAI, have spoken it.'"

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, face toward the mountains of Isra'el, and prophesy against them:

3 'Mountains of Isra'el, hear the word of Adonai ELOHIM: here is what Adonai ELOHIM says about the mountains, hills, ravines and valleys: "I myself will bring a sword against you and destroy your high places.

4 Your altars will be wrecked and your pillars for sun-worship broken, and I will throw down your slain ones in front of your idols.

5 I will lay the corpses of the people of Isra'el in front of their idols and scatter your bones all around your altars.

6 Everywhere you live, the cities will be destroyed and the high places wrecked; so that your altars can be destroyed and wrecked, your idols broken and abolished, your pillars for sun-worship cut down and the things you have made wiped out.

7 The slain will fall among you; then you will know that I am ADONAI.

8 "'"Nevertheless, I will leave a remnant, some who will escape the sword among the nations, when you have been scattered throughout the countries.

9 Those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they have been exiled. How broken I have been over their whoring hearts that left me, and over their eyes that went whoring after their idols! They are going to loathe themselves for all the evils they committed in their disgusting practices.

10 Then they will know that I am ADONAI; it isn't for nothing that I said I would bring this calamity upon them."'

11 "Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Strike with your hand, and stamp with your foot, and bemoan all the terrible disgusting practices of the house of Isra'el. For they will fall by sword, famine and plague.

12 Those far away will die from the plague, those nearby will fall by the sword, and whoever stays and is besieged will die from famine. This is how I will spend my fury on them.

13 You will know that I am ADONAI when their slain men are lying among their idols around their altars on every high hill, on every mountaintop, under every green tree, under every thick pistachio tree, wherever they offered sweet-smelling sacrifices to appease their idols.

14 I will stretch out my hand over them and make the land wherever they live into a desolate waste worse than the Divlah Desert. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'"

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "As for you, human being, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says about the land of Isra'el: 'The end! The end is coming to the four corners of the land!

3 Now the end is upon you! I will send my anger upon you, I will judge you according to your ways. I will bring on you all your disgusting practices.

4 My eye will not spare you, I will have no pity, but I will bring your ways upon you, and your disgusting practices will be done among you. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.'

5 "Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Disaster, unique disaster - here it comes!

6 The end is coming! The end is coming! It rouses itself against you - here it comes!

7 Doom has come to you, you who live in the land! The time has come, the day is near, for tumult, not joyful shouts on the mountains.

8 Now, soon, I will pour out my fury on you, I will spend my anger on you; I will judge you according to your ways I will bring on you all your disgusting practices.

9 My eye will not spare you, I will have no pity; but will bring upon you what your ways deserve; and your disgusting practices will be among you. Then you will know it is I, ADONAI, striking you.

10 "'Here is the day! Here it comes! Doom has gone out, the rod has blossomed, arrogance has budded.

11 Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness. Nothing is left of them, nothing of their crowds, nothing of their wealth - there is nothing of importance in them.

12 The time has come, the day has arrived; let neither buyer rejoice nor seller regret; for wrath is coming to all her many people.

13 For the seller will not return to what he sold, even if he is still alive; for though the vision was brought to all her many people, nobody repented. Each kept living his own wicked life; they weren't strong enough [to repent].

14 The shofar has sounded, everything is ready, but no one goes out to the battle, for my wrath is coming to all her many people.

15 "'Outside is the sword, inside plague and famine. Those in the country will die by the sword. And as for those in the city, plague and famine will eat them up.

16 But if any of them manage to escape, they will head for the mountains like doves from the valleys, all of them moaning, each for his sin.

17 All hands will droop, all knees turn to water.

18 They will put on sackcloth; horror will cover them; every face will be ashamed, every head shaved bald.

19 They will throw their silver into the streets; their gold will be like something unclean. On the day of ADONAI's wrath their silver and gold won't be able to rescue them. These things won't satisfy their hunger, these things won't fill their stomachs, because these are what caused them to sin.

20 From their beautiful jewellery, in which they took such pride, they made their abominable idols and their other detestable things; therefore, for them I have caused it to be like something unclean.

21 I will hand it over to foreigners as booty, to the wicked of the earth as spoil, and they will profane it.

22 I will turn my face away from them; then [Bavel] will profane my secret place, robbers will enter and profane it.

23 "'Forge a chain, for the land is full of capital crimes and the city full of violence.

24 Therefore I will bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their homes; I will end the arrogance of the strong; and their holy places will be profaned.

25 When horror comes, they will seek peace; but there will be none.

26 Calamity will follow calamity, rumor will follow rumor; they will seek a vision from the prophet, but Torah will perish from the cohen and advice from the leaders.

27 The king will go into mourning, the prince will be clothed with fright, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble in terror. I will treat them as their way of life deserves and judge them as they have judged others. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'"

1 On the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year, as I was sitting in my house, and the leaders of Y'hudah were sitting there with me, the hand of Adonai ELOHIM fell on me.

2 I looked and saw what seemed like a man made of fire. From what appeared to be his waist downward was fire, and from his waist upward was what appeared to be a gleaming amber-colored brilliance.

3 The form of a hand was put out, which took me by a lock of my hair; and a spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me, in these visions from God, to Yerushalayim, to the entrance of the inner [courtyard] gate that faces north. There stood the idol that [arouses God's] jealousy and provokes [his] zealous indignation.

4 There before me was the glory of the God of Isra'el, as in the vision I had seen in the valley.

5 Then he said to me, "Human being, raise your eyes toward the north." I raised my eyes toward the north and saw, north of the Altar Gate, this image that [arouses God's] jealousy in the entryway.

6 He asked me, "Human being, do you see what they are doing, the horribly disgusting practices that the house of Isra'el is committing here, so that I must distance myself from my own sanctuary? But you will see even worse abominations."

7 He brought me to the entrance of the courtyard; and when I looked, I saw a hole in the wall.

8 He said to me, "Human being, dig into the wall." After digging in the wall, I saw a door.

9 "Go in," he said, "and see the wicked practices they are engaged in here."

10 So I went in and looked, and there, carved on the walls all around, were every kind of reptile and repulsive animal, along with all the idols of the house of Isra'el.

11 Standing in front of them were seventy of the leading men of the house of Isra'el - in the center stood Ya'azanyahu the son of Shafan. Each man had his incense-burner in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up.

12 Then he said to me, "Human being, did you see what the leaders of the house of Isra'el are doing in the dark, each one in the room of his own carved image, because they say, 'ADONAI can't see us; ADONAI has left the land.'?"

13 He also said to me, "You will see even worse abominations that they are doing."

14 He brought me to the entrance of the north gate to ADONAI's house; and there before me were women weeping for Tammuz.

15 "Human being," he asked me, "have you seen this? You will see practices even more disgusting than these."

16 He brought me into the inner courtyard of ADONAI's house; and there, at the entrance to the temple of ADONAI, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of ADONAI and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun toward the east.

17 He asked me, "Human being, have you seen this? Does the house of Y'hudah consider it a casual matter that they commit the disgusting practices they are committing here, thus filling the land with violence, provoking me still more? Look! They are even putting the branch to their nose!

18 Therefore I will act in fury, my eye will not spare, I will have no pity. Even if they cry loudly right in my ears, I will not listen to them."

1 Then he cried loudly right in my ears: "Summon the commanders of the city, each holding his weapon of destruction."

2 At once, six men approached on the path from the upper gate, to the north, each man holding his weapon of destruction. Among them was a man clothed in linen, with a scribe's writing equipment at his waist. They entered and stood by the bronze altar.

3 Then the glory of the God of Isra'el was made to go up from over the keruv, where it had been, to the threshold of the house. He called to the man clothed in linen, who had the scribe's writing equipment at his waist.

4 ADONAI said to him, "Go throughout the city, through all Yerushalayim, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who are sighing and crying over all the disgusting practices that are being committed in it."

5 To the others I heard him say, "Go through the city after him and strike! Don't let your eye spare; have no pity!

6 Kill old men, young men, girls, little children, women - slaughter them all! But don't go near anyone with the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." They began with the leaders in front of the house.

7 Then he said to them, "Defile the house! Fill the courtyards with corpses! Get going!" So they went out, spreading death in the city.

8 While the killing was going on, I was left alone. I fell on my face, cried, and said, "Oh, Adonai ELOHIM! In pouring out your fury on Yerushalayim, are you going to destroy everyone left in Isra'el?"

9 Then he said to me, "The wickedness of the house of Isra'el and Y'hudah is enormous, the land is full of blood, and the city is full of justice denied; because they say, 'ADONAI has left the land, ADONAI doesn't see.'

10 But as far as I am concerned, my eye will not spare, and I will have no pity, but I will bring [the consequences of] their ways on their own heads."

11 At this point the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his waist returned and reported, "I have done everything you ordered me to do."

1 Then I looked, and suddenly, on the dome over the heads of the k'ruvim, there appeared above them something like sapphire that seemed to take the form of a throne.

2 He spoke to the man clothed in linen; he said, "Go in between the wheels under the k'ruvim, fill both your hands with fiery coals from between the k'ruvim, and throw them on the city." As I watched, he went.

3 Now the k'ruvim were standing to the right of the house when the man entered, and the cloud filled the inner courtyard.

4 The glory of ADONAI rose from above the keruv to the threshold of the house, leaving the house filled with the cloud and the courtyard full of the brilliance of ADONAI's glory.

5 The sound of the wings of the k'ruvim could be heard even in the outer courtyard sounding like the voice of God, Shaddai, when he speaks.

6 When he ordered the man clothed in linen to take fire from between the wheels, from between the k'ruvim, he went in and stood next to a wheel;

7 and a keruv put out his hand from between the k'ruvim into the fire between the k'ruvim, took some of it, and put it in the hands of the one clothed in linen, who took it and went out.

8 Now there appeared among the k'ruvim the form of a man's hand under their wings.

9 I looked and saw four wheels next to the k'ruvim, one wheel next to one keruv and another wheel next to another keruv: the wheels had the color of beryl.

10 Their shape was the same for all four, like a wheel inside a wheel.

11 When they moved, they could go in any of the four directions without turning as they moved; rather, wherever the head looked, they followed without turning as they moved.

12 Their whole bodies, including their backs, hands and wings, and also the wheels, were full of eyes all around - even the wheels of the four k'ruvim.

13 As for the wheels, I heard them called "the wheel apparatus."

14 Every one [of the k'ruvim] had four faces: the first face was the face of a keruv, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion and the fourth the face of an eagle.

15 Then the k'ruvim rose. These were the living creatures I had seen by the K'var River.

16 When the k'ruvim moved, the wheels went with them; and when the k'ruvim lifted their wings to rise off the ground, these wheels did not stop going with them.

17 When [the k'ruvim] stood still, [the wheels] stood still; and when the former rose, the latter rose with them; because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.

18 Now the glory of ADONAI left the threshold of the house and halted above the k'ruvim.

19 The k'ruvim lifted their wings and rose off the earth - I was watching as they went off with the wheels next to them. They paused at the entrance to the east gate of ADONAI's house, with the glory of the God of Isra'el over them, from above.

20 This was the living creature I had seen beneath the God of Isra'el by the K'var River, so I knew they were k'ruvim.

21 Each of the four had four faces, and each had four wings, and what looked like a man's hands was under their wings.

22 As for how their faces looked, they were the faces I had seen by the K'var River, identical in appearance. Each one moved straight ahead.

1 Then a spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of ADONAI's house, the gate that faces eastward. At the entrance of the gate I saw twenty-five men; among them were Ya'azanyah the son of 'Azur and P'latyahu the son of B'nayahu, leaders of the people.

2 He said to me, "Human being, these are the men who make evil plans and give wicked advice in this city.

3 They say, 'The time hasn't come to build houses. This city is the cooking pot, and we're the meat!'

4 Therefore prophesy against them, human being, prophesy!"

5 The Spirit of ADONAI fell on me, and he said to me, "Say, 'Here is what ADONAI says: "What you are saying is correct, house of Isra'el; because I know how your minds work.

6 You have killed many in this city, you have filled its streets with the dead."

7 Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: "Those you have killed and strewn all over it, they are the meat; and this city is indeed the cooking pot; but you will be removed from it.

8 You are afraid of the sword, but I will bring the sword upon you," says Adonai ELOHIM.

9 "I will bring you out of it, hand you over to foreigners and execute judgments among you.

10 You will die by the sword; I will judge you at the border of Isra'el; and you will know that I am ADONAI.

11 This city will not be your cooking pot, but you will be the meat in it - I will judge you at Isra'el's frontier;

12 and you will know that I am ADONAI. For you have not lived by my laws or obeyed my rulings but have acted according to the rules of the nations surrounding you."'"

13 As I was prophesying, P'latyahu the son of B'nayah died. I fell down on my face and cried out, "Oh, Adonai ELOHIM! Are you going to destroy completely those of Isra'el who are left?"

14 Then the word of ADONAI came to me:

15 "Human being, it is to your kinsmen - your brothers, your relatives and the whole house of Isra'el - that the people living in Yerushalayim have said, 'Get away from ADONAI! This land has been given to us to possess!'

16 Therefore, say that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'True, I removed them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries; nevertheless, I have been a little sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.'

17 Therefore, say that Adonai ELOHIM says this: '"I will gather you from the peoples and collect you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give the land of Isra'el to you."

18 Then they will go there and remove all its loathsome things and disgusting practices,

19 and I will give them unity of heart. "I will put a new spirit among you." I will remove from their bodies the hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh;

20 so that they will live by my regulations, obey my rulings and act by them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.

21 But as for those whose hearts go after the heart of their loathsome things and disgusting practices, I will bring [the consequences of] their ways on their own heads,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

22 The k'ruvim lifted their wings, and the wheels were next to them, with the glory of the God of Isra'el over them, above.

23 Next, the glory of ADONAI rose from within the city and stood over the mountain which is on the east side of the city.

24 Then a spirit lifted me up and brought me, in the vision, by the Spirit of God, to the exiles in the land of the Kasdim; after which the vision I had seen left me.

25 So I told the exiles everything ADONAI had shown me.

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes that can see, but they don't take notice; and they have ears that can hear, but they don't pay attention; because they are a rebellious people.

3 So you, human being, prepare supplies for exile; and during the daytime, as they watch, go away as if you were going into exile - leave your place, and go somewhere else as they watch. Perhaps they will take notice, even though they are a rebellious house.

4 Bring out your belongings during the day while they watch, as supplies for exile; and you yourself, while they watch, are to leave as people do who are going into exile.

5 Dig a hole through the wall while they watch, and carry [your belongings] out through it.

6 While they watch, you are to shoulder your pack and carry it out into the dark, with your face covered, so that you can't see the ground; for I am making you a sign for the house of Isra'el."

7 So I did as I had been ordered - I brought out my belongings during the day as supplies for exile, and in the evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand; then I carried my pack out on my shoulder in the dark as they watched.

8 In the morning the word of ADONAI came to me:

9 "Human being, the house of Isra'el, that rebellious house, has asked you what you are doing.

10 Tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this prophecy concerns the prince in Yerushalayim and all the house of Isra'el there.

11 Say: 'I am a sign for you. As I have done, so will it be done to them - they will go into exile, into captivity.

12 The prince who is with them will shoulder his pack and leave in the dark. They will dig holes through the wall to carry out their supplies. He will cover his face, so that he won't be able to see the ground with his eyes.

13 I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. Then I will bring him to Bavel, to the land of the Kasdim. But he will not see it, even though he is going to die there.

14 I will scatter to every wind all who are in attendance on him to help him, along with all his troops; and I will pursue them with the sword.

15 They will know that I am ADONAI when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the countries.

16 But I will spare a few of them from sword, famine and plague; so that they can tell about all their disgusting practices among the nations where they go; thus they too will know that I am ADONAI.'"

17 The word of ADONAI came to me:

18 "Human being, shake as you eat your food; tremble anxiously as you drink your water;

19 and say to the people of the land, 'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says concerning those living in Yerushalayim in the land of Isra'el: "They will eat their bread in anxiety and drink their water in horror; because the land will be desolated from everything that fills it, due to the violence of those living there.

20 The inhabited cities will be laid waste, the land will be desolate, and you will know that I am ADONAI."'"

21 The word of ADONAI came to me:

22 "Human being, don't you have this proverb in the land of Isra'el, 'Time keeps passing, and none of the visions are fulfilled'?

23 Therefore tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will put an end to that proverb; never again will they use it as a proverb in Isra'el.' Tell them, 'The time has come for the fulfillment of every vision.

24 There will no longer be empty visions or falsely optimistic divinations in the house of Isra'el,

25 because I am ADONAI. I will speak; and whatever statement I make, it will be accomplished. It will no longer be delayed; for in your days, you rebellious house, I will speak the word and accomplish it,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

26 Again, the word of ADONAI came to me:

27 "Human being, look! People from the house of Isra'el are saying, 'The vision he sees concerns the distant future; he is prophesying about a time far off.'

28 Therefore, say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'None of my words will be delayed any more, but the word that I speak will be accomplished,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, prophesy against the prophets of Isra'el who prophesy. Tell those prophesying out of their own thoughts, 'Listen to what ADONAI says!

3 Adonai ELOHIM says: "Woe to the vile prophets who follow their own spirits and things which they have not seen!

4 Isra'el, your prophets have been like jackals among ruins.

5 You [prophets] have not gone up to the breaks in the barricade or repaired it for the house of Isra'el, so that they can stand fast in battle on the day of ADONAI.

6 Their visions are futile and their divination is false; they say, 'ADONAI says,' when ADONAI has not sent them; yet they hope that the word will be confirmed.

7 Haven't you had a futile vision and spoken a false divination when you say, 'ADONAI says,' and I have not spoken?

8 Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM does say: 'Because you have spoken futilities and seen falsehoods, therefore I am against you,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

9 "'"My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and produce false divinations; they will not be allowed into the council of my people, or be written in the register of the house of Isra'el, or enter the land of Isra'el. Then you will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.

10 They deserve this, because they have led my people astray by saying there is peace when there is no peace. If someone builds a wall without mortar, they 'plaster' it with whitewash [to make it appear strong].

11 Tell these 'plasterers' that a cloudburst is coming, with huge hailstones and gale-force winds;

12 and the wall will fall down. Then people will ask you, 'Where is the whitewash you used to "plaster" it?'"

13 Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says: "In my rage I will cause gale-force winds to break out, and in my anger there will come a cloudburst, with huge hailstones to consume it in fury.

14 This is how I will break down the wall you covered with whitewash - I will smash it to the ground, so that its foundation will be revealed. The wall will fall down, and you will be consumed with it. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.

15 In this way I will spend my fury on the wall and on those who covered it with whitewash; and I will say to you, 'The wall is gone, and so are those who "plastered" it,'

16 that is, the prophets of Isra'el who prophesy about Yerushalayim and see visions of peace for her when there is no peace," says Adonai ELOHIM.'

17 "You, human being, turn your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own thoughts. Prophesy against them;

18 tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Woe to the women who sew magic pads for all arm joints and put veils over people of all sizes, in order to hunt human lives! Will you hunt down the lives of my people while you keep your own lives safe?

19 You dishonor me before my people for a few handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread, killing people who should not die and sparing those who should not live, by your lying to my people, who love hearing lies.'

20 Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against your pads, with which you hunt human lives like birds; I will tear them from your arms and let the lives go, yes, the human lives that you hunt like birds.

21 I will also tear your veils and rescue my people from your clutches, so that they will no longer be in your power for you to hunt. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.

22 Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies when I was not trying to cause them pain and have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their wicked ways and thus be saved,

23 therefore you will have no more futile visions, and you will produce no more divinations. I will rescue my people from your clutches, and you will know that I am ADONAI.'"

1 Then certain of Isra'el's leaders came to me; and while they were sitting with me,

2 the word of ADONAI came to me:

3 "Human being, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, thus setting in front of themselves the stumblingblock that leads to sin. Should I let them consult me at all?

4 Therefore speak to them, and tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Everyone in the house of Isra'el who takes his idols into his heart, thus setting in front of himself the stumblingblock that leads to sin, and then comes to the prophet, I myself, ADONAI, will answer him in a manner suited to his many idols,

5 in order to grab hold of the house of Isra'el in their hearts; since, through their idols, they have all fallen away from me.'

6 "Therefore say to the house of Isra'el that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Repent! Turn yourselves away from your idols, turn your faces away from all your disgusting practices!

7 For everyone, whether from the house of Isra'el or a foreigner living in Isra'el, who separates himself from me and takes his idols into his heart, thus setting in front of himself the stumblingblock that leads to sin, and then comes to the prophet, asking him to consult me for him, I myself, ADONAI, will answer him.

8 I will set my face against that person, make him a warning sign and an example, and cut him off from my people. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.

9 "'Now, whenever a prophet is enticed into speaking a word, it will be I, ADONAI, who will have enticed that prophet. I will stretch out my hand over him and destroy him from among my people Isra'el.

10 The prophets will bear the guilt for their sins - the sin of the prophet will be the same as the sin of the inquirer -

11 so that the house of Isra'el will no longer wander away from me or defile themselves with all their crimes; rather, they will be my people and I will be their God,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

12 The word of ADONAI came to me:

13 "Human being, when a land sins against me by dealing treacherously with me, so that I stretch out my hand over it and break off its food supply, sending it famine and eliminating both its humans and its animals;

14 even if these three men were in it - Noach, Dani'el and Iyov - they would by their righteousness save only themselves," says Adonai ELOHIM.

15 "If I unleash wild beasts on the land, and they kill its children and desolate it, so that no one can pass through because of the animals;

16 even if these three men were in it, as I live," says Adonai ELOHIM, "they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved, and the land would remain barren.

17 "Or if I bring the sword down on that land, saying, 'Let the sword pass through the land,' so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals;

18 even if these three men were in it, as I live," says Adonai ELOHIM, "they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved.

19 "Or if I bring a plague into that land and pour out my fury on it in bloodshed, so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals;

20 even if Noach, Dani'el and Iyov were in it, as I live," says Adonai ELOHIM, "they would save neither a son nor a daughter; they would save only themselves by their righteousness."

21 For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: "Even if I inflict my four dreadful judgments on Yerushalayim - sword, famine, wild animals and plagues - to eliminate both its humans and its animals;

22 there will still be left a remnant in it to be brought out, including both sons and daughters. When they come out to you, and you see their way of life and how they act, then you will be consoled over the calamity I have brought upon Yerushalayim, over everything I have done to it.

23 Yes, they will console you when you see their way of life and how they act; and you will understand that it was not without good reason that I did what I did in [Yerushalayim]," says Adonai ELOHIM.

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, why should wood from a grapevine be better than some other kind of wood, than some branch that one might find among the trees of the forest?

3 Its wood can't be used to make anything, not even a pin on which to hang a pot.

4 So now it is thrown in the fire as fuel, the fire consumes both ends of it, and the middle of it is singed is it useful now for making something?

5 When it was whole, it was good for nothing; so how much less, when the fire has consumed it, and it is singed, will it be useful for making something!

6 "So Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Like wood from the vine among the trees of the forest, which I consign to the fire as fuel, so I give those living in Yerushalayim.

7 I will set my face against them they may have escaped one fire, but the fire will consume them yet. When I set my face against them, you will know that I am ADONAI.

8 I will make the land desolate because they have dealt so treacherously,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, make Yerushalayim realize how disgusting her practices are.

3 Say that Adonai ELOHIM is telling Yerushalayim, 'By origin and birth you are of the land of the Kena'ani - your father was an Emori, and your mother was a Hitti.

4 As for your birth - on the day you were born nobody cut your umbilical cord, washed you in water to clean you off, rubbed salt on you or wrapped you in cloth.

5 No one seeing you had enough pity on you to do any of these things for you - no one had any compassion on you. Instead, you were thrown into an open field in your own filth on the day you were born.

6 "'I passed by and saw you there, wallowing in your own blood; and as you lay in your blood I said to you, "Live!" Yes, I said to you, as you lay in your blood, "Live!

7 I will increase your numbers just like plants growing in the field." And you did increase, you developed, you reached puberty, your breasts appeared, and your hair grew long; but you were naked and exposed.

8 "'Again I passed by you, looked at you and saw that your time had come, the time for love. So I spread my cloak over you to cover your private parts and entered into a covenant with you,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'and you became mine.

9 Then I bathed you in water, washed the blood off you, and anointed you with oil.

10 I also clothed you with an embroidered gown, gave you fine leather sandals to wear, put a fine linen headband on your head and covered you with silk.

11 I gave you jewelry to wear, bracelets for your hands, a necklace for your neck,

12 a ring for your nose, earrings for your ears and a beautiful crown for your head.

13 Thus you were decked out in gold and silver; your clothing was of fine linen, silk and richly embroidered cloth; you ate the finest flour, honey and olive oil. You grew increasingly beautiful - you were fit to be queen.

14 Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty, because it was perfect, due to my having bestowed my own splendor on you' says Adonai ELOHIM.

15 "'But you put your trust in your own beauty and began prostituting yourself because of your fame, soliciting everyone passing by and accepting all comers.

16 You took your clothes and used them to decorate with bright colors the high places you made for yourself, and there you continued prostituting yourself. Such things shouldn't happen, and in the future they won't.

17 You also took your beautiful jewels made of my gold and my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images, with which you continued to prostitute yourself.

18 You took your embroidered clothing and covered them; you set my olive oil and my incense in front of them;

19 and you took my food, which I had given you - my fine flour, olive oil and honey, that I had given you to eat - and set it in front of them to give a pleasant aroma. That is how it was,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

20 "'Moreover, your sons and daughters, whom you bore me, you took and sacrificed for them to devour. Were these fornications of yours a casual matter? -

21 killing my children, handing them over and setting them apart for [these idols]?

22 In all your disgusting practices and fornications you never remembered the condition you were in when you were young - naked, exposed and wallowing in your own blood.

23 "'So, after all this wickedness of yours - woe, woe to you!' says Adonai ELOHIM -

24 'you built platforms and made yourself high places in every open space.

25 You built your high places at every streetcorner, turning your beauty into an abomination, spreading your legs for every passer-by, and multiplying your acts of fornication.

26 You had sex with your big-membered Egyptian neighbors and engaged in fornication over and over, just to provoke me.

27 So now I have stretched out my hand over you, diminished your ration of food and put you at the mercy of those who hate you, the daughters of the P'lishtim, who find your lewd behavior revolting.

28 "'Still unsatisfied, you acted like a whore also with the people of Ashur; yes, you fornicated with them and were still not satisfied.

29 You multiplied your acts of fornication with the land of traders, the Kasdim, and still weren't satisfied.

30 "'You are so weak-willed!' says Adonai ELOHIM. 'You do all these things, behaving like a shameless whore,

31 building your platforms on every streetcorner, making your high places in every open space - and yet you aren't like a whore, because you scorn getting paid.

32 Here is a wife who commits adultery, who goes to bed with strangers instead of her husband;

33 but also instead of receiving gifts like every other prostitute, you give gifts to all your lovers, you bribe them to come to you from all over the place and have sex with you!

34 You are the opposite of other women - you solicit the fornication, you aren't solicited; and you pay them, they don't pay you - you're the opposite!

35 "'All right, you whore, listen to the word of ADONAI!'

36 Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because your filth has been poured out and your privates exposed through your acts of fornication with your lovers, and because of all the idols of your disgusting practices, and because of the blood of your children, which you gave them,

37 therefore, look! I am going to gather all your lovers, to whom you have been so very nice, all the ones you hate right along with all the ones you love - I will gather them against you from all over the place and expose your private parts to them, so that they will see you completely naked.

38 I will pronounce on you the sentence that applies to women who commit adultery and murder; I will bring on you the death [decreed for] furious jealousy.

39 Yes, I will hand you over to them; and they will make a ruin of your platforms, tear down your high places, strip you of your clothes, take away your jewels, and leave you naked and exposed.

40 They will also bring up a mob against you, who will stone you to death and hack you to pieces with their swords.

41 They will burn your houses to the ground and execute judgments against you in the presence of many women. I will make you stop fornicating, and you will never again pay for a lover.

42 "'Yes, I will satisfy my fury against you. But after that, my jealousy will leave you; and I will calm down and no longer be angry.

43 "'Because you didn't remember the condition you were in when you were young, but enraged me with all these things, therefore I will bring [the consequences of] your ways on your own head' says Adonai ELOHIM. "'You committed these obscenities in addition to all your other disgusting practices!

44 Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb against you, "Like mother, like daughter."

45 Yes, you are your mother's daughter, who despises her husband and children; you are the sister of your sisters, who despise their husbands and children; your mother was a Hitti and your father an Emori.

46 Moreover, your older sister is Shomron, who lives at your left, she and her daughters; and your younger sister, living at your right, is S'dom with her daughters.

47 You didn't merely live by their ways and act according to their disgusting practices, but in a very short time you acted more corruptly than they in all your ways.

48 "'As I live' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'your sister S'dom has not done, neither she nor her daughters, [as much evil] as you have done, you and your daughters.

49 The crimes of your sister S'dom were pride and gluttony; she and her daughters were careless and complacent, so that they did nothing to help the poor and needy.

50 They were arrogant and committed disgusting acts before me; so that when I saw it, I swept them away.

51 Shomron did not commit even half as many sins as you did. You committed many more disgusting acts than your sisters; in fact, in comparison with all the disgusting acts you have committed, they seem innocent!

52 But you too must bear your disgrace; for by your passing judgment that your sisters were innocent, through your having committed sins worse than theirs, they are shown to be more righteous than you. So be ashamed, and bear the disgrace you deserve for making your [guilty] sisters seem innocent!

53 "'I will end their exile - the exile of S'dom and her daughters, the exile of Shomron and her daughters, and the exile of your captives there among them;

54 so that you can bear your own shame and experience the disgrace you deserve for all you have done to shield them from feeling their own guilt.

55 Your sisters, S'dom with her daughters and Shomron with her daughters, will return to their previous condition; and you with your daughters will return to your previous condition.

56 When you were so proud, you spoke with contempt about your sister S'dom,

57 before your own wickedness was exposed. But now the daughters of Aram mock you, as do her neighbors; and the daughters of the P'lishtim on every side are repulsed by you.

58 You have brought it all on yourself with your depravities and disgusting practices,' says ADONAI.

59 "For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will do to you as you have done - you treated the oath with contempt by breaking the covenant.

60 Nevertheless, I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl and will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

61 Then you will remember your behavior and be ashamed of it as you receive your older and younger sisters and make them your daughters, even though the covenant with you does not cover that;

62 and I will re-establish my covenant with you. Then you will know that I am ADONAI;

63 so that you will remember and be so ashamed that you will never open your mouth again, so ashamed will you be when I have forgiven you all that you have done,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, propound this riddle, tell the house of Isra'el this allegory,

3 say that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'A big eagle having great wings and long pinions full of varicolored feathers came to the L'vanon and took over the top of the cedar.

4 He cropped off the topmost of its young twigs, carried them to a land of traders and set them down in a city of merchants.

5 He also took some of the seed in the land and planted it in fertile soil, placing it where there was abundant water, as one would a willow.

6 It grew to become a fruitful vine sprawling over the ground; its branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him - thus it became a vine, sprouting branches and putting forth shoots.

7 "'There was another big eagle with great wings and many feathers; and the vine bent its roots toward him and put forth its branches toward him, so that he might water it more than in the bed where it was planted.

8 It had been planted in good soil, near plenty of water, so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a noble vine.'

9 "Say that Adonai ELOHIM asks: 'Will it succeed? Won't he pull it up by the roots and cut off its fruit; so that it dries up; and all its sprouting leaves wither? There will be no great power and few people there when it is plucked up by the roots.

10 Will it thrive just because it was planted? Won't it wither altogether when the east wind strikes it? Yes, it will wither right there in the beds where it was growing.'"

11 The word of ADONAI came to me:

12 "Say to the rebellious house: 'Don't you know what these things mean?' Tell them: 'Here, the king of Bavel came to Yerushalayim, took its king and princes and brought them to himself in Bavel.

13 Then he took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He removed the powerful leaders of the land,

14 so that this kingdom of his would stay humble and not develop aspirations of its own; rather, it would keep his covenant and live accordingly.

15 But this man rebelled and sent representatives to Egypt, in order to obtain horses and a sizeable army. Can he succeed? Can someone who does such things escape punishment? Can he break the covenant and still escape punishment?

16 "'As I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'in the place where the king who gave him his throne lives, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, there with him in Bavel I swear that he will die.

17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and numerous troops will give him no help in the war, when they raise siege-works and build fortified towers to destroy many people;

18 because he despised the oath by breaking the covenant to which he had sworn allegiance; having done all these things, he will not escape unpunished.'

19 Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says: 'As I live, I swear that it is my oath he has despised and my covenant he has broken, and I will bring this on his own head.

20 I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Bavel and bring him to judgment there for breaking faith with me.

21 The elite troops among his forces will die by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, ADONAI, said it.'

22 "Adonai ELOHIM says, 'From the top of this tall cedar, from its highest branch, I will take a shoot and plant it myself on a high and prominent mountain.

23 I will plant it on the highest mountain in Isra'el, where it will put out branches, bear fruit, and become a noble cedar. Under it will live all kinds of birds; winged creatures of every description will live there in the shadow of its branches.

24 Then all the trees of the field will know that I, ADONAI, bring down the tall tree and raise up the low tree, wither the green tree and make the withered tree bear fruit. I, ADONAI, have spoken; and I will do it.'"

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "What does it mean, that you keep quoting this proverb in the land of Isra'el 'When parents eat sour grapes, their children's teeth are set on edge'?

3 "As I live," says Adonai ELOHIM, "I swear that you will never again quote this proverb in Isra'el.

4 Look, all lives belong to me - both the parent's life and the child's life are equally mine - so it is the person who sins, himself, who must die.

5 "Consider someone who is righteous, who does what is lawful and right.

6 He doesn't eat on the mountains or raise his eyes toward the idols of the house of Isra'el; he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or touch a woman during her time of menstrual impurity;

7 he doesn't wrong anyone; he returns any pledged property a debtor has given as collateral for a loan; he takes nothing by robbery, but gives his food to the hungry and clothing to those who need it;

8 he neither demands nor accepts interest on a loan; he refrains from what is evil; and he judges honestly between one person and another.

9 In short, he lives according to my laws and observes my rulings, so as to act faithfully. Such a person is righteous, and he will certainly live," says Adonai ELOHIM.

10 "Now suppose he is the father of a son who is a robber, a murderer, or who does any of these things to a brother -

11 whereas the father himself does none of them. He eats on the mountains, defiles his neighbor's wife,

12 wrongs the poor and needy, takes by robbery, doesn't restore pledged property, raises his eyes toward the idols, engages in disgusting practices,

13 demands and accepts interest. Should he live? He will not live, because he has engaged in all these disgusting practices - he must be put to death; his blood is on him.

14 "But now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father committed, thinks about them, and behaves differently.

15 He doesn't eat on the mountains, raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Isra'el, defile his neighbor's wife,

16 wrong others, keep pledged property or take by robbery, but gives his food to the hungry and clothing to those in need of it;

17 he refrains from oppressing the poor; and he neither demands nor accepts interest. He obeys my rulings and lives according to my laws. So he will not die for his father's sins but will certainly live.

18 Yet his father, because he oppressed so cruelly, committed robbery against his brother and never did anything good among his people - he will die for his sins.

19 "You ask, 'Why doesn't the son bear his father's guilt?' When the son has done what is lawful and right, has kept all my laws and obeyed them, he will certainly live.

20 The person who sins is the one that will die - a son is not to bear his father's guilt with him, nor is the father to bear his son's guilt with him; but the righteousness of the righteous will be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked will be his own.

21 "However, if the wicked person repents of all the sins he committed, keeps my laws and does what is lawful and right; then he will certainly live, he will not die.

22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done, he will live.

23 Do I take any pleasure at all in having the wicked person die?" asks Adonai ELOHIM. "Wouldn't I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

24 "On the other hand, when the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness by acting in accordance with all the disgusting practices that the wicked person does, will he live? None of the righteous deeds he has done will be remembered; for the trespasses and sins he has committed, he will die.

25 "So now you say, 'ADONAI's way isn't fair.' Listen, house of Isra'el! Is it my way that is unfair? or your ways that are unfair?

26 When the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, he will die for it - for the wickedness he commits he will die.

27 And when the wicked person turns away from all the wickedness he has committed and does what is lawful and right, he will save his life.

28 Because he thinks it over and repents of all the transgressions he committed, he will certainly live, not die.

29 Yet the house of Isra'el says, 'ADONAI's way isn't fair.' House of Isra'el, is it my ways that are unfair, or your ways that are unfair?

30 Therefore, house of Isra'el, I will judge each of you according to his ways," says Adonai ELOHIM. "Repent, and turn yourselves away from all your transgressions, so that they will not be a stumblingblock that brings guilt upon you.

31 Throw far away from yourselves all your crimes that you committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit; for why should you die, house of Isra'el?

32 I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," says Adonai ELOHIM, "so turn yourselves around, and live!

1 "Moreover, raise a lament for the leaders of Isra'el;

2 say: 'What a mother you had a lioness among lions! She lay down among young lions and reared her cubs.

3 One of her cubs she singled out: he became a young lion, he learned to seize his prey, he became a man-eater.

4 The nations sounded an alarm against him; and he was caught in their pit. With hooks they dragged him off to the land of Egypt.

5 When she saw that she had been thwarted, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made a young lion of him.

6 He prowled among the lions, grew to be a young lion, learned to seize his prey and became a man-eater.

7 He raped their widows and destroyed their cities; the land and all in it were appalled at the sound of his roaring.

8 The nations set a snare for him from the provinces all around, they spread their net over him, and he was caught in their pit.

9 With hooks they put him in a cage and brought him to the king of Bavel to imprison him in a fortress, so that his roar would be heard no more on the mountains of Isra'el.

10 "'Your mother was like a strong grapevine planted by the water. It was fruitful and luxuriant because of the abundant water.

11 It had strong branches to be used as scepters by rulers; besides having thick foliage, it grew taller and taller, until its height was noticed, with its mass of branches.

12 But it was torn up in fury and flung on the ground. An east wind withered her fruit, her strong branches were broken off; they dried up; and fire consumed the vine.

13 It has been transplanted to the desert, to a dry, thirsty land.

14 Fire has gone out from its own branches, burning up its fruit, so that now it has no strong branch to be a ruler's scepter.'" This lamentation became very well known.

1 On the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year, some of Isra'el's leaders came to consult ADONAI and sat with me;

2 and the word of ADONAI came to me:

3 "Human being, speak to Isra'el's leaders; tell them that Adonai ELOHIM asks, 'Have you come to consult me? As I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'I swear that I will not let you consult me.'

4 "Are you going to judge them? Human being, are you going to judge them? Then have them realize how disgusting their ancestors' practices were.

5 Tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Back on the day when I chose Isra'el, I raised my hand to the descendants of the house of Ya'akov. I revealed myself to them in the land of Egypt when I raised my hand to them and said, "I am ADONAI your God."

6 On the day I raised my hand to them, pledging to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had reconnoitered for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands,

7 I told them, "Each of you is to throw away the detestable things that draw your eyes. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am ADONAI your God."

8 "'But they rebelled against me and wouldn't listen to me; they did not, each of them, throw away the detestable things that drew their eyes; and they did not abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them and spend my anger on them there in the land of Egypt.

9 But concern for my own reputation kept me from letting it be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they were living, in the sight of whom I had made myself known to them, in order to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

10 So I had them leave the land of Egypt and brought them into the desert.

11 I gave them my laws and showed them my rulings; if a person obeys them, he will have life through them.

12 I gave them my shabbats as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I, ADONAI, am the one who makes them holy.

13 "'But the house of Isra'el rebelled against me in the desert. They did not live by my laws; and they rejected my rulings, which, if a person does, he will have life through them; moreover, they greatly profaned my shabbats. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them in the desert, in order to destroy them.

14 But concern for my own reputation kept me from letting it be profaned in the sight of the nations who had seen when I brought them out.

15 Yet I also raised my hand and swore to them in the desert that I would not bring them into the land I was giving them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands;

16 because they had rejected my rulings, did not live by my laws and profaned my shabbats; since their hearts went after their idols.

17 However, I spared them from complete destruction; I did not completely finish them off in the desert.

18 "'I said to their children in the desert, "Don't live by the laws of your fathers, observe their rulings or defile yourselves with their idols.

19 I am ADONAI your God; live by my laws, observe my rulings, and obey them,

20 and keep my shabbats holy; and they will be a sign between me and you, so that you will know that I am ADONAI your God."

21 "'But the children too rebelled against me. They did not live by my laws or observe my rulings, to obey them, which, if a person does, he will have life by them; and they profaned my shabbats. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them and spend my anger on them in the desert.

22 Nevertheless, I withdrew my hand and allowed concern for my own reputation to keep me from letting it be profaned in the sight of the nations who had seen when I brought them out.

23 "'I also raised my hand and swore to them in the desert that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries;

24 because they hadn't obeyed my rulings but had rejected my laws and profaned my shabbats, and their eyes had turned toward their fathers' idols.

25 I also gave them laws which did them no good and rulings by which they did not live;

26 and I let them become defiled by their own gifts, in that they offered up their firstborn sons, so that I could fill them with revulsion, so that they would [finally] realize that I am ADONAI.'

27 "Therefore, human being, speak to the house of Isra'el; tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Moreover, your ancestors blasphemed me by breaking faith with me in still another way:

28 for after I had brought them into the land, which I had raised my hand in pledge to give them, they noted all its high hills and leafy trees and offered there their sacrifices; there they made offerings that provoked my anger, there they set out their sweet aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings.

29 When I asked them, "This high place where you go, what is the meaning of it?" they gave it the name Bamah which it retains to this day.'

30 "So tell the house of Isra'el that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'You are defiling yourselves in the same way as your ancestors, following their abominations and fornicating with them;

31 and when offering your gifts, you make your children pass through the fire and defile yourselves with all your idols - to this day. So, am I supposed to allow you to consult me, house of Isra'el? As I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'I swear that I won't have you consult me,

32 and that what you have in mind when you say, "We will be like the Goyim, like the families of the other countries, serving wood and stone," will certainly not happen.

33 As I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'I swear that surely with a mighty hand, with a stretched-out arm and with poured-out fury I myself will be king over you.

34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you were scattered, with a mighty hand, with a stretched-out arm and with poured-out fury;

35 then I will bring you into the desert of the peoples and judge you face to face.

36 Just as I judged your ancestors in the desert of the land of Egypt, so will I judge you,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

37 'I will make you pass under the crook and bring you into the obligations of the covenant.

38 I will rid you of the rebels who are in revolt against me - I will bring them out from the land where they are living, but they will not enter the land of Isra'el; then you will know that I am ADONAI.'

39 "As for you, house of Isra'el, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Go on serving your idols, every one of you! But afterwards, [I swear that] you will listen to me, and you will no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and with your idols.

40 For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Isra'el,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'the whole house of Isra'el, all of them, will serve me in the land. I will accept them there, and there I will require your contributions, your best gifts and all your consecrated things.

41 I will accept you with your sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you were scattered; and through you I will manifest my holiness in the sight of the nations.

42 "'You will know that I am ADONAI when I bring you into the land of Isra'el, into the country which I pledged, by raising my hand, to give to your ancestors.

43 There you will remember your behavior and all the things you did by which you defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evils you committed.

44 You will know that I am ADONAI when I have dealt with you in a manner that preserves my reputation, and not according to your evil ways and corrupt actions, house of Isra'el' says Adonai ELOHIM." The Hebrew word bamah means "high place"; the etymology suggested here relates it to Hebrew ba ("go") and mah ("what").

45 The word of ADONAI came to me:

46 "Human being, turn your face southward, preach to the south and prophesy to the scrublands of the Negev;

47 say to the Negev forest: 'Hear the word of ADONAI. Adonai ELOHIM says, "I will light a fire in you; it will devour every tree in you, green and dry alike; a blazing, unquenchable flame that will scorch every face from the Negev to the north.

48 All humanity will see that I, ADONAI, lit it; it will not be put out."'"

49 I said, "Oh, Adonai ELOHIM! They complain that I speak only in parables."

1 Then the word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, turn your face toward Yerushalayim, preach to the sanctuaries and prophesy to the land of Isra'el;

3 tell the land of Isra'el that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I am against you. I will draw my sword from its scabbard and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.

4 Since I am going to rid you of both righteous and evildoers, my sword will also go out of its scabbard against everyone, from the Negev to the north.

5 Everyone alive will know that I, ADONAI, drew my sword from its scabbard; it will not be sheathed again.'

6 "Therefore, human being, groan! Groan bitterly, as if your heart would break, as they watch.

7 Then, when they ask you, 'Why are you groaning?' you will answer, 'Because of the news, because it's coming. All hearts will melt, all hands hang limp, all spirits faint and all knees turn to water; here, it's coming, it will happen,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

8 The word of ADONAI came to me:

9 "Human being, prophesy. Say that Adonai ELOHIM says to say this: 'A sword, a sword has been sharpened and polished,

10 sharpened in order to slaughter and slaughter, polished to flash like lightning. But how can we rejoice? My son rejects the rod and every other stick.

11 The sword was given to be polished, so that it could be wielded; it was sharpened and polished to be placed in the slaughterer's hand.'

12 "Shout and wail, human being, because it's coming upon my people, upon all the leaders of Isra'el - they will be victims of the sword along with my people. Strike your thigh in remorse!

13 For a test is coming, and what if he rejects the rod again then? He will cease to exist," says Adonai ELOHIM.

14 "Therefore, human being, prophesy and clap your hands together. Then the sword will strike twice, three times, the sword for victims, the sword for a great slaughter, coming from every direction.

15 So that their hearts will melt, and many will stumble and fall, I have posted the point of the sword at every one of their gates. See how it flashes, sharpened for the kill!

16 "Sword! Slash to the right; destroy to the left, whichever way your edge is aimed!

17 I too will clap my hands together and satisfy my fury. I, ADONAI, have spoken."

18 The word of ADONAI came to me:

19 "Now, human being, designate two roads for the sword of the king of Bavel to follow, both coming out of one country. Put up a signpost at the start of the road leading to the city.

20 Make a road, so that the sword can come to Rabbah of the people of 'Amon and to Y'hudah in fortified Yerushalayim.

21 For the king of Bavel is standing at the fork in the road, where the two roads separate, about to use divination - he is shaking the arrows, consulting the household gods, examining the liver.

22 Into his right hand comes the lot for Yerushalayim, to set up battering rams, give the order for slaughter, raise a shout, set battering rams against the gates, build siege ramps and erect watchtowers.

23 The inhabitants will believe this is a false divination because of the oaths upon oaths [that their false prophets have sworn to the contrary]. But it will cause [God] to remember their guilt and thus insure their capture.

24 "Therefore this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you have caused your guilt to be remembered, with your misdeeds revealed and the sins in all your actions evident - since you have been remembered, you will be captured.'

25 As for you, you wicked prince of Isra'el, due to be killed, whose day has come, at the time of final punishment,

26 here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Remove the turban, take off the crown! Everything is being changed. What was low will be raised up, and what was high will be brought down.

27 Ruin! Ruin! I will leave it a ruin such as there has never been, and it will stay that way until the rightful ruler comes, and I give it to him.'

28 "You, human being, prophesy! Say that Adonai ELOHIM says this about the people of 'Amon and their insults: 'A sword, a sword, is drawn for slaughter, polished to the utmost, to flash like lightning -

29 while [your prophets] produce false visions for you, while they divine lies for you to lay you out upon the necks of the wicked who are to be killed, whose day has come, at the time of final punishment.

30 Cause it to return to its scabbard! I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land of your origin.

31 I will pour my fury out on you, breathe on you with the fire of my rage, and hand you over to barbarous men highly skilled in destruction.

32 You will be fuel for the fire, your blood will flow through the land, you will be remembered no more; for I, ADONAI, have spoken.'"

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Now, human being, are you prepared to judge? Are you prepared to judge the city drenched in blood? Then make her realize how disgusting all her practices are!

3 Say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'City that sheds blood within yourself, thus speeding your own doom, and that makes idols for yourself that defile you:

4 you are guilty because of the blood you have shed, you are defiled by your idols that you have made. You have shortened your days, you have completed your years; therefore I have made you an object of scorn for the nations and a laughingstock for every country.

5 Those close by and those far off will taunt you, you who have such a defiled reputation and such great disorder.

6 "'The leaders of Isra'el in you all use their power in order to shed blood.

7 In you, they make light of fathers and mothers, they oppress foreigners, they wrong orphans and widows.

8 You treat my holy things with contempt, you profane my shabbats.

9 In you, people gossip to the point of inciting bloodshed; in you are those who go to eat on the mountains; in you, they commit lewd acts;

10 in you, they commit incest; in you, they force themselves on women during their menstrual impurity.

11 In you, one commits an abomination with his neighbor's wife; another commits some lewd act defiling his daughter-in-law; still another humbles his sister, his own father's daughter.

12 In you, people take bribes to shed blood; you demand and accept interest on loans; in greed you make profits off your neighbors by extorting them; and you have forgotten me,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

13 "'Therefore, I am clapping my hands together because of your ill-gotten gains and the blood shed in you.

14 Can your courage last, can your strength continue during the days when I deal with you? I, ADONAI, have spoken it; and I will do it.

15 I will scatter you among the Goyim and disperse you throughout the countries; thus I will remove your defilement from you,

16 and you will cause yourselves to be profaned in full view of the Goyim. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.'"

17 The word of ADONAI came to me:

18 "Human being, the house of Isra'el has become an alloy of base metals for me; they are all copper, tin, iron and lead mixed together in the crucible, the dross left over from the silver.

19 Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Because you have all become dross, I will collect all of you inside Yerushalayim.

20 Then, just as they collect silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a crucible and blow fire on it to melt it down; so likewise I will collect you in my anger and fury, throw you in there, and melt you down.

21 Yes, I will collect you and blow on you with the fire of my rage, and you will be melted down in it.

22 As silver is melted down in a crucible, so will you be melted down in [Yerushalayim]. Then you will know that it is I, ADONAI, who have poured out my fury on you.'"

23 The word of ADONAI came to me:

24 "Human being, tell her this: 'You are a land that is neither cleansed nor rained on in the day of fury.

25 There is a conspiracy of prophets in it like a roaring lion tearing up the prey; they have devoured people, seized wealth and valuables, and widowed many in it.

26 Her cohanim have done violence to my Torah, profaned my holy things, made no difference between the holy and the common, not distinguished between unclean and clean, hidden their eyes from my shabbats, and profaned me among themselves.

27 Her leaders in it are like wolves tearing up the prey to shed blood and destroy people, in order to benefit unjustly.

28 Her prophets have "plastered" for them with whitewash, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, "Thus says Adonai ELOHIM," when ADONAI has not spoken.

29 The people of the land have extorted, robbed, wronged the poor and needy and unjustly oppressed foreigners.

30 "'I sought for a man among them who could build a barricade or stand in the break to oppose me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

31 Therefore I am pouring out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my rage, bringing their own ways on their own heads,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being! There were two women, daughters of the same mother,

3 who were whores in Egypt - even as young girls they were whores. There they let their breasts be caressed, and there their virgin nipples were fondled.

4 Their names were Oholah, the older one, and Oholivah, her sister. They belonged to me, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their names, Shomron is Oholah, and Yerushalayim is Oholivah

5 "Even when she belonged to me, Oholah prostituted herself; she lusted after her lovers from Ashur - warriors

6 dressed in blue, governors, rulers, all of them good-looking young men riding on horseback.

7 She gave herself as a whore to them, all of them the elite of Ashur; and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.

8 She did not give up the whoring she had begun in Egypt, where men had sex with her, fondled her virgin nipples and flooded her with their fornication.

9 "So I handed her over to her lovers, the men of Ashur she lusted after.

10 They exposed her private parts, took her sons and daughters, and put her to death with the sword; so that she became notorious among women for the judgments executed against her.

11 "Her sister Oholivah saw this; nevertheless she was worse than her sister in lusting and likewise in whoring.

12 She lusted after the men from Ashur, governors and rulers, warriors dressed to perfection, skilled horsemen, all of them good-looking young men.

13 I saw that she had defiled herself; both sisters had gone down the same path.

14 She prostituted herself more than ever; because she saw wall-carvings of men, depicting the Kasdim in vermilion

15 with sashes wrapped around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like military men, the very image of men of Bavel born in the land of the Kasdim.

16 The moment she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in the land of the Kasdim;

17 and the men of Bavel climbed into her "love bed" and defiled her with their lust. She was defiled by them, and then filled with revulsion at them.

18 Thus did she reveal her fornication and expose her private parts. When this happened, I was filled with revulsion at her, just as I had been filled with revulsion at her sister.

19 Still she kept increasing her whoring, remembering the days when she was young, fornicating in the land of Egypt

20 Yes, she lusted after their male prostitutes, whose members are like those of donkeys and who ejaculate like stallions.

21 You yearned for the lewdness of your girlhood, when the Egyptians used to fondle your nipples and caress your young breasts

22 "Therefore, Oholivah, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will raise up your lovers against you, the ones who fill you with revulsion, and bring them against you from every side -

23 the men of Bavel and all the Kasdim, P'kod, Shoa and Koa, and with them all the men of Ashur, good-looking young men, all of them governors and rulers, commanders and officers, all on horseback.

24 They will advance on you armed with chariots, wagons and with an army drawn from many peoples; they will array themselves against you from every side with breastplates, shields and helmets. I will give them the authority to judge, and they will judge you as they see fit.

25 I will direct my jealousy against you, so that they will deal with you in fury - they will cut off your nose and ears, and what is left of you will die by the sword; they will seize your sons and daughters, and those who remain of you will be consumed by the fire.

26 They will strip you of your clothes and seize your fine jewels.

27 Thus I will put an end to your lewdness and your fornication brought from the land of Egypt, so that you will no longer raise your eyes toward them or remember Egypt any more.'

28 For this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am about to hand you over to those you hate, to those who fill you with revulsion;

29 and they will deal with you in hatred, seize everything you have worked for, and leave you naked and exposed - the full shame of your whoring will be exposed, your lewdness and your fornicating.

30 These things will be done to you because you have gone fornicating with the Goyim, and because you are defiled with their idols.

31 You walked down your sister's path, so I will put her cup in your hand.'

32 Adonai ELOHIM says: 'You will drink from your sister's cup, a cup both deep and wide, full right up to the brim with scorn and derision,

33 filling you with drunkenness and sorrow, a cup of horror and devastation the cup of your sister Shomron.

34 You will drink it, you will drain it, and then you will gnaw it to shreds and tear out your own breasts! For I have spoken it' says Adonai ELOHIM.

35 "Therefore this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you forgot me and flung me behind your back, you will bear the guilt of your lewdness and whoring.'"

36 Then ADONAI said to me, "Human being, are you ready to judge Oholah and Oholivah? Then confront them with their disgusting practices

37 For they committed adultery, and their hands are dripping with blood. They committed adultery with their idols; and they offered their sons, whom they bore to me, for these idols to eat.

38 Moreover, they have done this to me as well: they defiled my sanctuary on the same day, and they profaned my shabbats

39 For after killing their children for their idols, they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; this they did in my house.

40 "Worse still, you sent a messenger summoning men to come from a distance; and they came. For them you washed yourself, painted your eyes, decked yourself with your finery,

41 and sat on a sumptuous bed, with a table arranged before it, on which you put my incense and my olive oil.

42 The noise of a carefree crowd could be heard there; many of the men were brought in drunk from the desert. They put bracelets on their hands and magnificent crowns on their heads.

43 I thought, 'That woman! She's worn out from all her adulteries, but they still go to fornicate with her!'

44 For every one went in to her; just as men go in to a prostitute, so they went in to Oholah and Oholivah, those debauched women.

45 Nevertheless, there are righteous men who will judge them as adulterers and murderers are supposed to be judged; because they are adulterers, and blood is dripping from their hands.

46 For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Summon an assembly to punish them; give them over to terror and plunder.

47 Let the assembly stone them to death, dispatch them with their swords, kill their sons and daughters and burn their houses to the ground.

48 "'Thus I will put an end to lewdness in the land, so that all women may be taught not to imitate your lewdness.

49 You will receive the punishment your lewdness deserves, and you will pay the penalty for your idolatries. Then you will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.'"

1 The word of ADONAI came to me on the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year:

2 "Human being, write down today's date; because on this very day the king of Bavel has begun his attack on Yerushalayim.

3 And tell this allegory to these rebels; say that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Put a pot on the fire; put it there, pour water in it;

4 Put in it pieces of meat, all the best parts - the thigh, the shoulder; fill it with the choicest cuts,

5 taken from the pick of the flock, and pile the bones underneath. Bring it to a rolling boil, till it's all cooked, even the bones.'

6 "Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Woe to the city drenched with blood, to the pot whose scum is in it, and whose scum has not been removed. Empty it piece by piece, without troubling to draw lots.

7 For her blood is still in her; she poured it on bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.

8 So in order to rouse my fury and excite my vengeance, I have fixed her blood there on the bare rock, where it will not be covered.'

9 "Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Woe to the city drenched with blood! I myself will make a huge bonfire,

10 heap on the wood, light it, cook the meat and add the spices - the bones can just be burned.

11 Put the empty pot on the coals, heat it till its copper bottom glows, till its impurity melts inside it, and its scum is burned away.

12 But the effort is in vain: its layers of scum will not leave it; so into the fire with its scum!

13 Because of your filthy lewdness, because you refused to be purified when I wanted to purify you; now you will not be purified from your filth until I have satisfied my fury on you.

14 "'I, ADONAI, have spoken it, and it will happen. I will do it, I will not turn back, I will not refrain or spare or relent. They will judge you as your ways and deeds deserve,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

15 The word of ADONAI came to me:

16 "Human being, with a single blow I am about to deprive you of the delight of your eyes. But you are not to lament, weep or let your tears run down.

17 Sigh silently, don't observe mourning for the dead, bind your turban on your head, put your sandals on your feet, don't cover your upper lip, and don't eat the food people prepare for mourners."

18 I spoke to the people in the morning, and that evening my wife died. So I did the following morning as I had been ordered.

19 The people asked me, "Won't you tell us what these actions of yours mean for us?"

20 I answered them, "The word of ADONAI came to me, telling me

21 to speak to the house of Isra'el and say that this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am about to profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes and your heart's desire. Your sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword.

22 But you are to do as I have done - not cover your upper lips, not eat the food people prepare for mourners,

23 put your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet, and neither observe mourning nor cry. Rather, because of your crimes you will pine away and groan to one another.

24 Thus Yechezk'el will be a sign for you; you will do just what he has done; and when this happens, you will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.'

25 "As for you, human being, on the day when I take away from them their stronghold, their crowning joy, the delight of their eyes, their heart's desire, their sons and daughters -

26 on that day a fugitive will come and bring you the news;

27 and on that day your mouth will be opened for you to speak to the survivor and no longer be silent. In this way you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am ADONAI."

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, turn your face toward the people of 'Amon and prophesy against them;

3 say to the people of 'Amon, 'Hear the word of Adonai ELOHIM. Adonai ELOHIM says, "Because you gloated when my sanctuary was profaned, when the land of Isra'el was laid waste, and when the house of Y'hudah went into exile;

4 I will let the people from the east take possession of you. They will set up camps and build their homes among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.

5 I will turn Rabbah into a camel pasture and 'Amon into a sheep-yard. Then you will know that I am ADONAI."

6 For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: "Because you clapped your hands and stamped your feet, full of malicious joy over the land of Isra'el;

7 I am going to stretch out my hand over you and deliver you as plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from being a people and cause you to cease from being a nation; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.'"

8 "Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because Mo'av and Se'ir say, "The house of Y'hudah is like all the other nations,"

9 I will expose the flank of Mo'av, with all its cities - that is, all the cities on its frontier, the glory of the land, Beit-Yeshimot, Ba'al-M'on and Kiryatayim -

10 together with the people of 'Amon, to the people from the east, whom I will let take possession of them. Thus the people of 'Amon will not be remembered as being one of the nations;

11 and I will execute judgments on Mo'av. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'

12 "Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because Edom has taken severe vengeance against the house of Y'hudah, incurring much guilt by its acts of vengeance against them,

13 therefore,' Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will stretch my hand out over Edom and eliminate both its humans and its animals. I will make it a ruin; from Teman to D'dan they will die by the sword.

14 Moreover, I will lay my vengeance on Edom through my people Isra'el; they will treat Edom in accordance with my anger and my fury; and they will know my vengeance' says Adonai ELOHIM.

15 "Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Because the P'lishtim have acted out of vengeance, taking revenge and destroying with malice of heart, due to their long-standing hatred;

16 therefore,' Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will stretch out my hand over the P'lishtim, eliminate the K'reti and destroy the rest of the seacoast peoples.

17 I will execute great vengeance on them with furious punishments; and they will know that I am ADONAI when I lay my vengeance on them.'"

1 On the first day of the month in the eleventh year, the word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, since Tzor has said against Yerushalayim, 'Ha! She is shattered, the gateway of the peoples. Now that she is ruined, her riches will be mine';

3 therefore, Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Look, Tzor! I am against you. Just as the sea churns up its waves, I will churn up many nations against you.

4 They will destroy the walls of Tzor, they will demolish her towers. I will scrape its soil from her and reduce her to bare rock.

5 With the sea all around her, she will be a place for drying fish nets and a plunder for the nations. I have spoken,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

6 'Her daughters on the mainland will be put to death with the sword; then they will know that I am ADONAI.'

7 "For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will bring upon Tzor, from the north, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel, king of kings, with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a great and powerful army.

8 "'Your daughters on the mainland he will put to death with the sword. He will build siege-towers against you, he will build a ramp against you and raise a screen of shields against you.

9 He will pound your walls with his battering-rams and break down your towers with his axes.

10 His horses are so many that their dust will cover you. The thunder of cavalry, wagons and chariots will shake your walls, as he enters your gates, like men storming a city through a breach.

11 With the hoofs of his horses he will trample your streets. He will put your people to the sword and pull to the ground your massive standing-stones.

12 They will seize your wealth, loot your wares, break down your walls, destroy your fine houses; then they will throw your stones and timber and even your dust into the sea.

13 I will put an end to your singing, the sound of your lyres will be heard no more.

14 I will reduce you to bare rock, you will be a place for drying fish nets, you will never be built again, for I, ADONAI, have spoken,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

15 To Tzor Adonai ELOHIM says: "How the coastlands will shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when the slaughter takes place in you!

16 Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones; they will put aside their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, trembling all the time, appalled at your condition.

17 Then they will raise this lament for you: "'How you have been destroyed, you who were peopled from the seas, city so renowned, once so strong at sea, you and your inhabitants, who used to spread terror over all [the mainland's] inhabitants!

18 Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your downfall, and the islands in the sea are in shock at your end.'

19 "For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'When I make you a ruined city, like other uninhabited cities; when I bring the deep sea over you, and its mighty waters cover you;

20 then I will bring you down with those who descend to the pit, to the people of long ago, and make you live in underworld places like those who were ruined long ago, with those who descend to the pit, so that you will be uninhabited when I give glory to the land of the living.

21 I will make you horrible; you will cease to exist. People will seek you but never more find you,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "You, human being, raise this lament for Tzor;

3 say to Tzor, located at the gateways to the sea, merchant for peoples to many coastlands, that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Tzor, you have said, "My beauty is perfect."

4 Your borders are in the heart of the sea, your builders perfected your beauty.

5 They used cypress logs from S'nir to fashion all your planking. They took cedars from the L'vanon to make masts for you.

6 Out of oaks from Bashan they made your oars. Your deck they made of ivory inlaid in larch from the coasts of Kittim.

7 Richly woven linen from Egypt was used for your sail, which was also your banner. Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was used to cover your deck-tent.

8 The people of Tzidon and Arvad served as your oarsmen. Your own skilled men, Tzor, were there as your pilots.

9 The leaders and craftsmen of G'val sealed the cracks between your boards. "'Every seagoing ship and its crew came to you to trade in your wares.

10 Men from Paras, Lud and Put were [mercenaries] in your army; hanging shield and helmet on you, they showed off your splendor.

11 Men from Arvad and your own army were posted around on your walls. The Gamadim were in your towers; they hung their shields all around your walls, making your beauty perfect.

12 "'Tarshish did business with you because of the quantity and variety of your resources; they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your goods.

13 Greece, Tuval and Meshekh traded with you, exchanging slaves and articles of bronze for your wares.

14 The people of Togarmah traded for your merchandise with horses, horsemen and mules.

15 The men of D'dan traded with you. Many coastlands were your customers, giving you ivory tusks and ebony in payment.

16 Aram traded with you, because you were so wealthy; for your goods they exchanged green feldspar, purple stuff, embroidery, fine linen, coral and rubies.

17 Y'hudah and the land of Isra'el also traded with you, exchanging for your goods wheat from Minnit, millet, honey, olive oil and resin for healing.

18 Because you were so wealthy, with such a variety of valuable merchandise, Dammesek traded wine from Helbon and white wool with you.

19 V'dan and Yavan from Uzal traded ironwork, cassia and aromatic cane for your goods.

20 D'dan traded with you for riding gear.

21 Arabia and all the princes of K'dar were your customers; for your goods they traded lambs, rams and goats.

22 The traders of Sh'va and Ra'mah exchanged the best quality spices, all kinds of precious stones and gold for your goods.

23 The merchants of Haran, Kaneh and 'Eden, who traded also with Sh'va, Ashur and Kilmad,

24 brought you in exchange for your goods rich clothes, cloaks made of blue material and embroidery, and cedar-lined chests filled with multicolored clothing and bound with cords.

25 "Tarshish" ships transported your imports and exports. "'So you were full, loaded down, surrounded by the sea.

26 Your oarsmen brought you through heavy seas. But the east wind will break you surrounded by the sea.

27 Your riches, your goods, your merchandise, your crew, your pilots, your ship-sealers, your traders, all your warriors aboard, and all the others in the ship with you will sink surrounded by the sea on the day of your shipwreck.

28 When they hear the cries of your pilots, the mainland coasts will tremble.

29 The oarsmen, crew and pilots will disembark and stand on shore,

30 mourning aloud at your fate, crying bitterly, throwing dust on their heads, rolling in the ashes,

31 shaving their heads bald for you, wrapping themselves in sackcloth, with heartfelt bitterness weeping for you in bitter lamentation.

32 Wailing, they will raise a lament for you; this will be their lament for you: "'"Who anywhere in the sea has ever been silenced like Tzor?

33 When your wares came forth from the seas, you satisfied many peoples; with your vast wealth and variety of goods you enriched the kings of the earth.

34 But now you have been wrecked by the waves, sunk in the watery depths; your merchandise and all your people have gone down with you.

35 All who live along the coasts are aghast at you; their kings are horribly afraid, their faces are convulsed;

36 the merchants among the peoples are gasping at your fate; you are an object of terror, and you will cease to exist."'"

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, tell the prince of Tzor that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you are so proud and have said, "I am a god; I sit on the throne of God, surrounded by the sea"; yet you are a man, not God, even though you think that you think like God.

3 Sure, you are wiser than Dani'el! No secret can be hidden from you!

4 By your wisdom and discernment you have acquired wealth, you have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries.

5 By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and it is because of your wealth that you have become so proud.

6 "Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Because you think that you think like God,

7 I will bring foreigners against you, the most barbarous of the nations, to draw their swords against your fine wisdom and defile your splendor.

8 They will lower you into the pit to die a violent death surrounded by the sea.

9 Will you still say, "I am God," to them who are about to kill you? You are a man, you are not God, in the hands of those who defile you.

10 You will die the deaths of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners. For I have spoken,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

11 The word of ADONAI came to me:

12 "Human being, raise a lament for the king of Tzor, and tell him that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'You put the seal on perfection; you were full of wisdom and perfect in beauty;

13 you were in 'Eden, the garden of God; covered with all kinds of precious stones - carnelians, topaz, diamonds, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphires, green feldspar, emeralds; your pendants and jewels were made of gold, prepared the day you were created.

14 You were a keruv, protecting a large region; I placed you on God's holy mountain. You walked back and forth among stones of fire.

15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.

16 "'When your commerce grew, you became filled with violence; and in this way you sinned. Therefore I have thrown you out, defiled, from the mountain of God; I have destroyed you, protecting keruv, from among the stones of fire.

17 Your heart grew proud because of your beauty, you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. But I have thrown you on the ground; before kings I have made you a spectacle.

18 By your many crimes in dishonest trading, you have profaned your sanctuaries; therefore I brought forth fire from within you, and it has devoured you; I reduced you into ashes on the ground in the sight of all who can see you.

19 All who know you among the peoples will be aghast at you. You are an object of terror, and you will cease to exist.'"

20 The word of ADONAI came to me:

21 "Human being, turn your face toward Tzidon, and prophesy against it.

22 Say that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against you, Tzidon; but I will be glorified in you. They will know that I am ADONAI, once I execute judgments in her and show my holiness in her.

23 For I will send plagues into her, and blood will flow in her streets; attacked from all sides by the sword, the wounded will fall within her. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.

24 "'The house of Isra'el will no longer have a briar pricking away at them, no longer will any of its contemptuous neighbors be a thorn to stab them. Then they will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.'

25 "Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Once I have gathered the house of Isra'el from the peoples among whom they are scattered, once I have shown my holiness in them as the Goyim watch, then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Ya'akov.

26 They will have security when they live there, building houses and planting vineyards; yes, they will live in safety, once I have executed judgments against all their contemptuous neighbors. Then they will know that I am ADONAI their God.'"

1 On the twelfth day of the tenth month of the twelfth year, the word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, turn your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt; prophesy against him and against all Egypt;

3 speak out; and say that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, you big crocodile lying in the streams of the Nile! You say, "My Nile is mine; I made it for myself."

4 But I will put hooks in your jaws and make your Nile fish stick to your scales. Yes, I will bring you up from your Nile, with all your Nile fish sticking to your scales,

5 and leave you in the desert, you and all your Nile fish. You will fall in the open field and not be gathered or buried; but I will give you as food to wild animals and birds.

6 Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am ADONAI, because they have been a support made of straw for the house of Isra'el.

7 When they grasped you in hand, you splintered and threw all their shoulders out of joint; when they leaned on you, you broke and made them all wrench their backs.'

8 "Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will bring the sword against you and eliminate both your people and your animals.

9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate waste, and they will know that I am ADONAI; because he said, "The Nile is mine; I made it."

10 So I am against you and your Nile; and I will make the land of Egypt a totally desolate waste from Migdol to S'venah, all the way to the border of Ethiopia.

11 No human foot will pass through it, and no animal foot will pass through it; it will be uninhabited for forty years.

12 Yes, I will make the land of Egypt desolate, even when compared with other desolate countries, likewise her cities in comparison with other ruined cities; they will be desolate forty years. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them through the countries.'

13 "For this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were scattered -

14 I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and cause them to return to the land of their origin, Patros. But there they will be a humble kingdom,

15 the humblest of kingdoms. It will never again dominate other nations; I will reduce them, so that they never again rule other nations.

16 Moreover, they will no longer be a source of confidence for Isra'el to turn to; rather, it will only bring to mind their guilt in having turned to them before. Then they will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.'"

17 On the first day of the first month of the twenty-seventh year, the word of ADONAI came to me:

18 "Human being, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel had his army mount a massive expedition against Tzor; [the loads of dirt they carried] made every head bald and every shoulder raw; yet neither he nor his army derived any benefit from Tzor out of this expedition against it.

19 Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will give the land of Egypt to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel. He will carry off its riches, take its spoil and its prey; and these will be the wages for his army.

20 I am giving him the land of Egypt as his wages for which he worked, because they were working for me,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

21 'When that day comes I will cause power to return to the house of Isra'el, and I will enable you [Yechezk'el] to open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'"

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, prophesy; say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Wail, "Oh no! It's today!"

3 For the day is near, the Day of ADONAI, a day of clouds, the time of the Goyim.

4 The sword will come against Egypt, and Ethiopia will be in anguish, when the slain fall in Egypt, when they take away her wealth, and her foundations are torn down.

5 Ethiopia, Put and Lud, all the mixed population and Kuv, and the people of allied lands will die by the sword with them.'

6 "ADONAI says this: 'Those supporting Egypt will fall; its arrogant power will be brought down; from Migdol to S'venah they will die by the sword,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

7 "They will be desolate even when compared with other desolate countries, likewise her cities in comparison with other ruined cities.

8 They will know that I am ADONAI when I set fire to Egypt, and those supporting it are destroyed.

9 When that day comes, I will send out messengers in ships to terrify the unsuspecting Ethiopians; and anguish will overcome them on the day of Egypt. Yes, here it comes!

10 "Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will destroy the hordes of Egypt through N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel.

11 He and his people, the most barbarous of the nations, will be brought in to ravage the land. They will unsheathe their swords against Egypt and fill the land with corpses.

12 I will dry up the streams of the Nile and sell the land to the wicked. Through the power of foreigners I will make the land and all that is in it desolate. I, ADONAI, have spoken.'

13 "Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will destroy the idols, make the false gods in Nof cease to exist. No longer will there be a prince from the land of Egypt; I will put fear in the land of Egypt,

14 desolate Patros, set fire to Tzo'an, execute judgements in No,

15 pour my fury on Seen the stronghold of Egypt, and destroy the hordes of No.

16 Yes, I will set fire to Egypt; Seen will writhe in anguish; No will be torn apart; enemies will attack Nof in broad daylight.

17 The young men of On and Pi-Veset will die by the sword, while the cities themselves will go into captivity.

18 At T'chafn'ches the day will grow dark when I break the yokes of Egypt there, and the pride she takes in her power ceases. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.

19 Thus will I execute judgments on Egypt. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'"

20 On the seventh day of the first month of the eleventh year, the word of ADONAI came to me:

21 "Human being, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; it has not been bound up with dressings and bandages, so that it can heal and become strong enough again to wield the sword.

22 Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the sound one and the broken one, and I will make the sword fall from his hand.

23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.

24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Bavel and put my sword in his hand; but I will break the arms of Pharaoh; he will groan like a man mortally wounded.

25 Yes, I will hold up the arms of the king of Bavel; but the arms of Pharaoh will droop. They will know that I am ADONAI when I put my sword in the hand of the king of Bavel, and he stretches it out over the land of Egypt.

26 Yes, I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries; and they will know that I am ADONAI.'"

1 On the first day of the third month of the eleventh year, the word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes: 'Whom are you like in your greatness?

3 Like Ashur, a cedar in the L'vanon. It had beautiful branches, dense foliage, its tall crown surrounded by leafy boughs.

4 The water nourished it; the deep made it grow, sending its rivers round the place where it was planted, sending its streams to all the trees in the fields.

5 So it grew taller than any other tree, its branches grew in number and spread far and wide, for it had plenty of water to make them grow.

6 In its boughs all the birds of the air had their nests, beneath its branches all the wild animals gave birth to their young, and all great nations lived in its shade.

7 It was beautiful in its greatness and the length of its branches, because its roots went down to plenty of water.

8 No cedar in God's garden was like it, no cypress tree could compare with its boughs, no chestnut tree could rival its branches, no tree in God's garden could match its beauty.

9 I made it so beautiful, with its many branches; all trees in 'Eden, God's garden, envied it.'

10 "Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you are so tall, because he has lifted his crown above the leafy boughs, because he has grown so arrogant about his height,

11 I am handing him over to the mightiest of the nations, who will certainly deal with him as his wickedness deserves; I reject him.

12 Foreigners, the most barbarous of the nations, will destroy him and leave him lying where he is. His branches will lie fallen on the mountains and in the valleys, his boughs will lie broken in all the rivers of the land, and all the peoples of the earth will withdraw from his shade and leave him.

13 All the birds will settle on his fallen trunk, and all the wild animals will be on his branches.

14 This is to warn all the trees growing near water not to grow so tall, not to lift their crowns above the leafy boughs, and all that take up water not to reach up in their height. For they are all given over to death, to the depths of the underworld, along with human beings, with those who descend to the pit.'

15 "Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'On the day he descended to Sh'ol, I caused the abyss to mourn and cover itself for him; I held back its rivers, so that its deep waters were stopped. I made the L'vanon mourn for him, and all the field trees withered because of him.

16 At the sound of his fall I made the nations shake, when I hurled him down to Sh'ol with those who descend to the pit. All the trees of 'Eden, the pick of the best in the L'vanon, all that take up water, were consoled in the underworld.

17 They descended with him to Sh'ol to those who were killed by the sword, to those who were his fighting arm, those among the nations who lived in his shade.

18 Which of the trees of 'Eden was your equal in glory or size? Yet you will be brought down to the underworld along with the trees of 'Eden. You will lie there among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword. This is Pharaoh and his hordes,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

1 On the first day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year, the word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, raise a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt; say to him, 'You compared yourself to a lion among the nations; In fact, you are more like a crocodile in the lakes. You burst out of your streams, churn the water with your feet and foul their streams.'

3 "So here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'With many nations assembled, I will spread my net over you, and they will haul you up in my dragnet.

4 Then I will throw you on the shore, hurl you into an open field, make all the birds in the air settle on you and let the animals of the whole earth eat their fill of you.

5 I will leave your flesh on the mountains and fill the valleys with your rotting carcass.

6 I will drench the land in which you swim with your blood, as far as the mountains; the waterways will be full of you.

7 When I extinguish you, I will cover the sky and make its stars black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.

8 All the shining lights in the sky I will darken above you; I will spread darkness over your land,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

9 "'I will anger many peoples when I bring your destroyed ones in among the nations, into countries you have not known.

10 I will make many peoples aghast at you; their kings will shudder in horror over you when I brandish my sword before them. On the day of your downfall they will tremble continuously, each man in fear of his life.'

11 "For Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'The sword of the king of Bavel will come against you.

12 With the swords of the warriors I will cause your hordes to fall. They are all the most barbarous of the nations, and they will shatter the glory of Egypt - all its hordes will be destroyed.

13 I will destroy all her cattle beside her plentiful waters. No human foot will trouble them again, nor the hoof of any animal.

14 Then I will make their water clear and cause their streams to flow like oil,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

15 'When I make the land of Egypt a ruined waste, a land stripped of all that filled it; when I strike all those who live there; they will know that I am ADONAI.

16 This is the lament that they will raise; the daughters of the nations will use it to mourn; they will chant it for Egypt and all its hordes,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

17 On the fifteenth day of the month in the twelfth year, the word of ADONAI came to me:

18 "Human being, wail for the hordes of Egypt; send them with the daughters of mighty nations down to the underworld, with those who descend to the pit.

19 Are you more beautiful than the others? Go down, lie with the uncircumcised dead!

20 They will fall among those killed by the sword; she is given to the sword; pull her down with her hordes.

21 From the depths of Sh'ol the mightiest warriors will speak of him with those who helped him. They went down; they lie still, the uncircumcised, killed by the sword.

22 "Ashur is there with her hordes; their graves are all around them, all of them slain, killed by the sword.

23 Their graves are in the deepest parts of the pit, her hordes are all around her grave, all of them slain, killed by the sword, those who terrorized the land of the living.

24 "'Eilam is there, with her hordes around her grave, all of them slain, killed by the sword, descended uncircumcised to the underworld, those who terrorized the land of the living; they bear their shame together with those who descended to the pit.

25 They have given her a bed among the slain with her hordes; her graves are all around them, all of them uncircumcised, killed by the sword, because they terrorized the land of the living; they bear their shame with those who descended to the pit; they are put among those who were slain.

26 "Meshekh and Tuval with her horde is there, her graves are all around them, all of them uncircumcised, killed by the sword, because they terrorized the land of the living.

27 They do not lie with the fallen warriors of the uncircumcised who descended to Sh'ol with their weapons of war, their swords laid under their heads, and their crimes upon their bones; because these warriors terrorized the land of the living.

28 But you will lie broken among the uncircumcised, with those who were killed by the sword.

29 "There is Edom, her kings and all her princes, who, despite all their power, are laid with those who were killed by the sword, with the uncircumcised, with those who descended to the pit.

30 "There are all the princes of the north, all of them, and the Tzidoni, who descended with the slain, ashamed of all the terror they caused by their power; they lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword, bearing their shame with those who descended to the pit.

31 "All of these Pharaoh will see, and he will be consoled about his hordes, Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword," says Adonai ELOHIM.

32 "For I have put my terror in the land of the living, and he will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his hordes," says Adonai ELOHIM.

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, speak to your people; say to them, 'Suppose I bring the sword on a country, and the people of that country take one of their men and appoint him their watchman.

3 Now if, upon seeing the sword coming against that country, he blows the shofar and warns the people;

4 then, if the sword comes and takes away someone who heard the sound of the shofar but paid no attention to it, the responsibility for that person's death will be his own -

5 he heard the shofar but paid no attention, so the responsibility for his death is his own; whereas if he had paid attention, he would have saved his life.

6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the shofar, so that the people are not warned; and then the sword comes and takes any one of them, that one is indeed taken away in his guilt, but I will hold the watchman responsible for his death.'

7 "Likewise you, human being - I have appointed you as watchman for the house of Isra'el. Therefore, when you hear the word from my mouth, warn them for me.

8 When I tell the wicked person, 'Wicked person, you will certainly die'; and you fail to speak and warn the wicked person to leave his way; then that wicked person will die guilty; and I will hold you responsible for his death.

9 On the other hand, if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he doesn't turn from his way; then he will still die guilty, but you will have saved your own life.

10 "Therefore, you, human being, say to the house of Isra'el: 'You say, "Our crimes and sins are weighing us down, we're pining away because of them, how can we even stay alive?"'

11 Say to them, 'As I live,' swears Adonai ELOHIM, 'I take no pleasure in having the wicked person die, but in having the wicked person turn from his way and live. So repent! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, house of Isra'el?'

12 "Next, you, human being, say to your people: 'The righteousness of the righteous person will not save him, once he starts committing crimes; and likewise, the wickedness of the wicked person will not cause him to fall, once he turns from his wickedness. No, the righteous person cannot live by virtue of [his former righteousness], once he starts sinning.

13 So if, after I tell the righteous person that he will surely live, he begins trusting in his own [former] righteousness and starts committing crimes; then none of his [former] righteous actions will be remembered; on the contrary, he will die for the evil deeds he has committed.

14 Likewise, if, after I tell the wicked person, "You must die," he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right -

15 if the wicked person restores pledged property and returns what he stole, so that he lives by the laws that give life and does not commit evil deeds; then he will live, he will not die.

16 None of the sins he committed will be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he will surely live.'

17 "Now your people say, 'Adonai's way isn't fair!' But it is their way, theirs, that isn't fair!

18 When the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, he will die because of it.

19 And when the wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he will live because of it.

20 Yet you say, 'Adonai's way isn't fair!' House of Isra'el, I will judge each of you according to his ways."

21 In the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth day of the tenth month, a fugitive from Yerushalayim came to me with the news, "The city has been struck."

22 Now the hand of ADONAI had been on me that evening, before the fugitive arrived - he had opened my mouth prior to his coming to me in the morning, so my mouth was open, and I was no longer mute.

23 Then the word of ADONAI came to me:

24 "Human being, those living in the desolate parts of the land of Isra'el are saying, 'Avraham was only one, and he inherited the land. But we are many, so [how much more] is the land given to us to inherit!'

25 Therefore, tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'You eat [flesh] with the blood, you raise your eyes to your idols, and you shed blood - and you still expect to possess the land?

26 You depend on your swords, you commit disgusting practices, and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife - and you still expect to possess the land?'

27 Tell them that Adonai ELOHIM swears, 'As I live, those living in the ruins will fall by the sword, those in the countryside I will give to the wild animals to eat, and those in the fortresses and caves will die of the plague.

28 Moreover, I will utterly desolate the land; it will cease taking pride in its power; and the mountains of Isra'el will be so desolate that no one will pass through.'

29 Then they will know that I am ADONAI, when I have made the land utterly desolate, because of all the disgusting practices they have committed.

30 "Now you, human being, your people are gathering and talking about you by the walls and in the doorways of houses. They're saying to each other, each one telling his brother, 'Come, let's go and hear the latest word coming from ADONAI.'

31 So then they come to you, as people do, sit in front of you as my people, and hear your words; but they don't act on them. For with their mouths they flatter you, but their hearts are set on their own self-interest;

32 so for them you are like a love-song sung by someone with a nice voice who can play an instrument well - they hear your words, but they don't act on them.

33 So when all this comes true, then, at last, they will realize that a prophet has been there with them."

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, prophesy against the shepherds of Isra'el. Prophesy! Tell them, the shepherds, that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Woe to the shepherds of Isra'el who feed themselves! Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep?

3 You eat the choice meat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, and you slaughter the best of the herd; but you don't feed the sheep!

4 You don't strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bandage the broken, bring back the outcasts or seek the lost; on the contrary, you tyrannize them with crushing force.

5 So they were scattered, without a shepherd, and became food for every wild animal - they were scattered.

6 My sheep wandered around aimlessly on every mountain and hill; yes, my sheep were scattered all over the land, with no one to search for them or look after them.

7 "'Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of ADONAI:

8 "As I live," Adonai ELOHIM swears, "because my sheep have become prey, my sheep have become food for every wild animal, since there was no shepherd, since my shepherds didn't look for my sheep, and instead my shepherds fed themselves but not my sheep,"

9 therefore, shepherds, hear the word of ADONAI!

10 Adonai ELOHIM says, "I am against the shepherds. I demand that they hand my sheep back to me. I will not allow them to feed the sheep, and they won't feed themselves either. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths; they will be food for them no longer."

11 "'For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: "I am taking over! I will search for my sheep and look after them, myself.

12 Just as a shepherd looks after his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so I will look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark.

13 I will bring them back from those peoples, gather them from those countries and return them to their own land. Then I will let them feed on the mountains of Isra'el, by the streams and in all the livable places of the land.

14 I will have them feed in good pastures; their grazing ground will be on the high mountains of Isra'el. They will rest in good grazing grounds and feed in rich pastures on Isra'el's mountains.

15 Yes, I will pasture my sheep; and I will let them rest" says Adonai ELOHIM.

16 "I will seek the lost, bring back the outcasts, bandage the broken, and strengthen the sick. But the fat and the strong I will destroy - I will feed them with judgment."

17 "'As for you, my flock,' Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I will judge between sheep and other sheep, between rams and billy-goats.

18 Wasn't it enough for you to feed on the best pasture and drink from the clearest water? Did you have to trample the rest of the pasture and foul the remaining water with your feet?

19 So now my sheep eat what you have trampled with your feet and drink water fouled by your feet.'

20 Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says to them: 'I will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep.

21 Because you push them with your flanks and shoulders and butt all the weak ones with your horns, till you scatter them in every direction;

22 therefore I will save my flock; they will no longer be prey; and I will judge between sheep and other sheep.

23 "'I will raise up one shepherd to be in charge of them, and he will let them feed - my servant David. He will pasture them and be their shepherd.

24 I, ADONAI, will be their God; and my servant David will be prince among them. I, ADONAI, have spoken.

25 I will make a covenant of peace with them; I will rid the land of wild animals; and they will live securely in the desert and sleep in the forests.

26 I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing, and I will cause the rain to fall when it should - there will be showers of blessing.

27 The trees in the field will bear their fruit and the soil its produce, and they will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am ADONAI, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the power of those who turned them into slaves.

28 No longer will they be prey for the Goyim, nor will the wild animals devour them; but they will live securely, with no one to make them afraid.

29 I will make the productivity of their crops famous, and they will no longer be consumed by hunger in the land or bear the shame of the Goyim any more.

30 They will know that I, ADONAI their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Isra'el, are my people,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

31 'You, my sheep, the sheep in my pasture, are human beings; and I am your God,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, turn your face against Mount Se'ir; prophesy against it,

3 and say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I am against you, Mount Se'ir. I will stretch out my hand against you and make you utterly desolate.

4 I will make your cities ruins and make you an utter waste, and you will know that I am ADONAI.

5 Because of your long-standing hatred, you put the people of Isra'el to the sword at their time of calamity, at the time of final iniquity.

6 Therefore, as I live,' Adonai ELOHIM swears, 'I will prepare you for blood. Blood will pursue you. You intensely hate your own blood [relatives]; therefore blood will pursue you.

7 Yes, I will make Mount Se'ir utterly desolate, cutting off from it anyone passing through or returning.

8 I will fill his mountains with his slain; in your hills and valleys and in all your ravines will fall those slain by the sword.

9 I will turn you into perpetual ruins; your cities will not return; and you will know that I am ADONAI.

10 "'Because you say, "These two nations, these two countries, will be mine; we will take possession of them," even though ADONAI is there;

11 therefore, as I live,' swears Adonai ELOHIM, 'I will deal with you as your anger and envy arising from your hatred deserve; and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.

12 You will know that I, ADONAI, have heard all your blasphemous talk against the mountains of Isra'el, such as, "They are desolated, they are given to us to devour."

13 Moreover, you have boasted against me with your mouths, speaking more and more against me - I have heard it.'

14 Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'To the joy of all the land, I will desolate you.

15 Since you rejoiced over possessing the house of Isra'el, because it was desolate, that is what I will do to you - you will be desolate, Mount Se'ir and all Edom, all of it. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'

1 "Now you, human being, prophesy to the mountains of Isra'el. Say: 'Mountains of Isra'el, hear the message from ADONAI.

2 Adonai ELOHIM says: "The enemy is boasting over you, 'Ha! Even the ancient high places are ours now!' " '

3 Therefore prophesy, and say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Because they desolated you and swallowed you up from every side, so that the other nations could take possession of you; and now people are gossiping about you and slandering you;

4 therefore, mountains of Isra'el, hear the message of Adonai ELOHIM - this is what Adonai ELOHIM says to the mountains and hills, the streams and valleys, the desolate wastes and the abandoned cities, now preyed on and derided by the other surrounding nations -

5 therefore this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: "In the heat of my jealousy I speak against the other nations and all of Edom, since, rejoicing with all their heart, they have arrogated my land to themselves as a possession and, with utter contempt, seized it as prey."'

6 "Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Isra'el, and say to the mountains, the hills, the streams and the valleys that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I speak in my jealousy and fury, because you have endured being shamed by the nations.

7 Therefore thus says Adonai ELOHIM: "I have raised my hand and sworn that the nations surrounding you will bear their shame.

8 But you, mountains of Isra'el, you will sprout your branches and bear your fruit for my people Isra'el, who will soon return.

9 I am here for you, and I will turn toward you; then you will be tilled and sown;

10 and I will multiply your population, all the house of Isra'el, all of it. The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.

11 I will multiply both the human and animal populations, they will increase and be productive; and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before - indeed, I will do you more good than before; and you will know that I am ADONAI.

12 I will cause people to walk on you, my people Isra'el; they will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; never again will you make them childless."

13 Adonai ELOHIM says, "Because they say to you, 'Land, you devour people and make your nations childless,'

14 therefore you will no longer devour people, and you will not make your nations childless any more," says Adonai ELOHIM.

15 "I will not permit the nations to shame you, or the peoples to reproach you any longer; and you will no more cause your nations to stumble," says Adonai ELOHIM.'"

16 The word of ADONAI came to me:

17 "Human being, when the house of Isra'el lived in their own land, they defiled it by their manner of life and their actions; their way before me was like the uncleanness of niddah.

18 Therefore I poured out my fury on them, because of the blood they had shed in the land and because they defiled it with their idols.

19 I scattered them among the nations and dispersed them throughout the countries; I judged them in keeping with their manner of life and actions.

20 When they came to the nations they were going to, they profaned my holy name; so that people said of them, 'These are ADONAI's people, who have been exiled from his land.'

21 But I am concerned about my holy name, which the house of Isra'el is profaning among the nations where they have gone.

22 "Therefore tell the house of Isra'el that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I am not going to do this for your sake, house of Isra'el, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have been profaning among the nations where you went.

23 I will set apart my great name to be regarded as holy, since it has been profaned in the nations - you profaned it among them. The nations will know that I am ADONAI,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'when, before their eyes, I am set apart through you to be regarded as holy.

24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you from all the countries, and return you to your own soil.

25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols.

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you; I will take the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

27 I will put my Spirit inside you and cause you to live by my laws, respect my rulings and obey them.

28 You will live in the land I gave to your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

29 I will save you from all your uncleanliness. I will summon the grain and increase it, and not send famine against you.

30 I will multiply the yield of fruit from the trees and increase production in the fields, so that you never again suffer the reproach of famine among the nations.

31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your actions that were not good; as you look at yourselves, you will loathe yourselves for your guilt and disgusting practices.

32 Understand,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'that I am not doing this for your sake. Instead, be ashamed and dismayed for your ways, house of Isra'el.'

33 "Adonai ELOHIM says, 'When the day comes for me to cleanse you from all your guilt, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the ruins to be rebuilt.

34 The land that was desolate will be tilled, whereas formerly it lay desolate for all passing by to see.

35 Then they will say, "The land that used to be desolate has become like Gan-'Eden, and the cities formerly ruined, abandoned and wasted have been fortified and are inhabited!"

36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I, ADONAI, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was abandoned. I, ADONAI, have spoken; and I will do it.'

37 "Adonai ELOHIM says, 'In addition, I will let the house of Isra'el pray to me to do this for them: to increase their numbers like sheep -

38 like flocks of sheep for sacrifices, like the flocks of sheep in Yerushalayim at its designated times, in this degree will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'"

1 With the hand of ADONAI upon me, ADONAI carried me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones.

2 He had me pass by all around them - there were so many bones lying in the valley, and they were so dry!

3 He asked me, "Human being, can these bones live?" I answered, "Adonai ELOHIM! Only you know that!"

4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones! Say to them, 'Dry bones! Hear what ADONAI has to say!

5 To these bones Adonai ELOHIM says, "I will make breath enter you, and you will live.

6 I will attach ligaments to you, make flesh grow on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you. You will live, and you will know that I am ADONAI."'"

7 So I prophesied as ordered; and while I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound; it was the bones coming together, each bone in its proper place.

8 As I watched, ligaments grew on them, flesh appeared and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.

9 Next he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, human being! Say to the breath that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Come from the four winds, breath; and breathe on these slain, so that they can live.'"

10 So I prophesied as ordered, and the breath came into them, and they were alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army!

11 Then he said to me, "Human being! These bones are the whole house of Isra'el; and they are saying, 'Our bones have dried up, our hope is gone, and we are completely cut off.'

12 Therefore prophesy; say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'My people! I will open your graves and make you get up out of your graves, and I will bring you into the land of Isra'el.

13 Then you will know that I am ADONAI - when I have opened your graves and made you get up out of your graves, my people!

14 I will put my Spirit in you; and you will be alive. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, ADONAI, have spoken, and that I have done it,' says ADONAI."

15 The word of ADONAI came to me:

16 "You, human being, take one stick and write on it, 'For Y'hudah and those joined with him [among] the people of Isra'el.' Next, take another stick and write on it, 'For Yosef, the stick of Efrayim, and all the house of Isra'el who are joined with him.'

17 Finally, bring them together into a single stick, so that they become one in your hand.

18 When your people ask you what all this means,

19 tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I will take the stick of Yosef, which is in the hand of Efrayim, together with the tribes of Isra'el who are joined with him, and put them together with the stick of Y'hudah and make them a single stick, so that they become one in my hand.'

20 The sticks on which you write are to be in your hand as they watch.

21 Then say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will take the people of Isra'el from among the nations where they have gone and gather them from every side and bring them back to their own land.

22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Isra'el; and one king will be king for all of them. They will no longer be two nations, and they will never again be divided into two kingdoms.

23 "'They will never again defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, or any of their transgressions; but I will save them from all the places where they have been living and sinning; and I will cleanse them, so that they will be my people, and I will be their God.

24 My servant David will be king over them, and all of them will have one shepherd; they will live by my rulings and keep and observe my regulations.

25 They will live in the land I gave to Ya'akov my servant, where your ancestors lived; they will live there - they, their children, and their grandchildren, forever; and David my servant will be their leader forever.

26 I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give to them, increase their numbers, and set my sanctuary among them forever.

27 My home will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.

28 The nations will know that I am ADONAI, who sets Isra'el apart as holy, when my sanctuary is with them forever.'"

1 The word of ADONAI came to me:

2 "Human being, turn your face toward Gog (of the land of Magog), chief prince of Meshekh and Tuval; and prophesy against him.

3 Say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshekh and Tuval.

4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all completely equipped, a great horde with breastplates and shields, all wielding swords.

5 Paras, Ethiopia and Put are with them, all with breastplates and helmets;

6 Gomer with all its troops; the house of Togarmah in the far reaches of the north, with all its troops - many peoples are with you.

7 Prepare yourself, get ready, you and all your crowd gathered around you; and take charge of them.

8 After many days have passed, you will be mustered for service; in later years you will invade the land which has been brought back from the sword, gathered out of many peoples, the mountains of Isra'el. They had been lying in ruins for a long time, but now Isra'el has been extracted from the peoples and all of them are living there securely.

9 You will come up like a storm, you will be like a cloud covering the land - you and all your troops, and many other peoples with you.'

10 "Adonai ELOHIM says: 'When that day comes, thoughts will well up in your mind, and you will devise a sinister scheme.

11 You will say, "I am going to invade this land of unwalled villages; I will take by surprise these people who are at peace, living securely, all in places without walls, bars or gates.

12 I will seize the spoil and take the plunder." You will attack the former ruins that are now inhabited and come against the people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and other wealth and are living in the central parts of the land.

13 Sh'va, D'dan and all the leading merchants of Tarshish will ask you, "Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hordes to loot; to carry off silver, gold, livestock and other wealth; to take much plunder?"'

14 "Therefore, human being, prophesy! Tell Gog that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Won't you be aware of it when my people Isra'el are living in security?

15 You will choose just that time to come from your place in the far reaches of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them on horseback, a huge horde, a mighty army;

16 and you will invade my people Isra'el like a cloud covering the land. This will be in the acharit-hayamim; and I will bring you against my land, so that the Goyim will know me when, before their eyes, I am set apart as holy through you, Gog.'

17 "Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I spoke of you long ago through my servants the prophets of Isra'el. Back then, they prophesied for many years that I would have you invade them.

18 When that day comes, when Gog invades the land of Isra'el,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'my furious anger will boil up.

19 In my jealousy, in my heated fury I speak: when that day comes there will be a great earthquake in the land of Isra'el;

20 so that the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the wild beasts, all the reptiles creeping on the ground and every human being there in the land will tremble before me. Mountains will fall, cliffs crumble and every wall crash to the ground.

21 I will summon a sword against him throughout all my mountains,' says Adonai ELOHIM; 'every man will wield his sword against his brother.

22 I will judge him with plague and with blood. I will cause torrential rain to fall on him, his troops and the many peoples with him, along with huge hailstones, fire and sulfur.

23 I will show my greatness and holiness, making myself known in the sight of many nations; then they will know that I am ADONAI.'

1 "So you, human being, prophesy against Gog; say that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshekh and Tuval.

2 I will turn you around, lead you on and bring you from the far reaches of the north against the mountains of Isra'el.

3 But then I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand.

4 You will fall on the mountains of Isra'el, you, your troops and all the peoples with you; I will give you to be eaten up by all kinds of birds of prey and by wild animals.

5 You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

6 "'I will also send fire against Magog and against those living securely in the coastlands; then they will know that I am ADONAI.

7 I will make my holy name known among my people Isra'el; I will not allow my holy name to be profaned any longer. Then the Goyim will know that I am ADONAI, the Holy One in Isra'el.

8 Yes, this is coming, and it will be done,' says Adonai ELOHIM; 'this is the day about which I have spoken.

9 "'Those living in Isra'el's cities will go out and set fire to the weapons, to use as fuel - the shields, breastplates, bows, arrows, clubs and spears; they will use them for fire seven years;

10 so that they will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut down any from the forests; because they will use the weapons for fire. Thus they will plunder those who plundered them and rob those who robbed them,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

11 "'When that day comes, I will give Gog a place there in Isra'el for graves, the Travelers' Valley, east of the sea; and it will block the travelers' passage. There they will bury Gog and all his horde, and they will rename it the Valley of Hamon-Gog [horde of Gog].

12 It will take the house of Isra'el seven months to bury them, in order to cleanse the land.

13 Yes, all the people of the land will be burying them; they will become famous for it. It will be a day for me to be glorified,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

14 'They will then pick men for the continual duty of going through the land and burying with the travelers the corpses still lying out on the ground, in order to cleanse it; they will begin their search after the seven months.

15 As they go through the land, if anyone sees a human bone, he will put a marker next to it until the gravediggers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-Gog.

16 Moreover, "Hamonah" [its horde] will be the name of a city. Thus will they cleanse the land.'

17 "As for you, human, Adonai ELOHIM says that you are to speak to all kinds of birds and to every wild animal as follows: 'Assemble yourselves and come, gather yourselves from all around for the sacrifice I am preparing for you, a great sacrifice on the mountains of Isra'el, where you can eat flesh and drink blood!

18 You will eat the flesh of heroes and drink the blood of the earth's princes - rams, lambs, goats and bulls, fattened in Bashan, all of them.

19 You will eat fat till you are gorged and drink blood till you are drunk at the sacrifice I have prepared for you.

20 At my table you will be satiated with horses, horsemen, heroes and every kind of warrior,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

21 "'Thus will I display my glory among the nations, so that all the nations will see my judgment when I execute it and my hand when I lay it on them.

22 From that day on, the house of Isra'el will know that I am ADONAI their God;

23 while the Goyim will know that the house of Isra'el went into exile because of their guilt, because they broke faith with me; so that I hid my face from them and handed them over to their adversaries; and they fell by the sword, all of them.

24 Yes, I treated them as their uncleanness and crimes deserved; and I hid my face from them.'

25 "Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Now I will restore the fortunes of Ya'akov and have compassion on the entire house of Isra'el, and I will be jealous for my holy name.

26 They will bear their shame and all their [guilt from] breaking faith with me, once they are living securely in their land, with no one to make them afraid.

27 This will be after I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, thereby being consecrated through them in the sight of many nations.

28 Then they will know that I am ADONAI their God, since it was I who caused them to go into exile among the nations, and it was I who regathered them to their own land. I will leave none of them there any more,

29 and I will no longer hide my face from them, for I have poured out my Spirit on the house of Isra'el,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

1 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month - this was the fourteenth year after the city [of Yerushalayim] was struck - it was on that very day that the hand of ADONAI was on me, and he took me there.

2 In visions God brought me into the land of Isra'el and put me down on a very high mountain; on it, toward the south, it seemed that a city was being built.

3 That is where he took me, and there in front of me was a man whose appearance was like bronze. He had a flax cord and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway.

4 The man said to me, "Human being, look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and pay attention to all the things I am showing you; because the reason you were brought here is so that I could show them to you. Tell everything you see to the house of Isra'el."

5 There was a wall surrounding the house. The man had in his hand a measuring rod six cubits long [ten-and-a-half feet], each cubit [twenty-one inches] being a normal cubit [eighteen inches] plus a handbreadth [three inches]. He measured the wall's width at ten-and-a-half feet and its height ten-and-a-half feet.

6 He went to the east gate, climbed its steps and measured one of the gate's doorposts at ten-and-a-half feet wide and the other one the same.

7 There were guardrooms, each ten-and-a-half feet square; the distance between the guardrooms was eight-and-three-quarters feet. The threshold of the gate adjoining the gate's entranceway facing the house measured ten-and-a-half feet.

8 He measured the gate's entranceway facing the house at ten-and-a-half feet.

9 Then he measured the gate's entranceway itself, fourteen feet, and its supports, three-and-a-half feet; the gate's entranceway was on the side facing the house.

10 There were three guardrooms on each side of the east gate, all the same size; and on each side the supports [between the guardrooms] were also all the same size.

11 He measured the width of the opening to the gateway at seventeen-and-a-half feet and the width of the passage through the gateway at twenty-two-and-three-quarters feet.

12 There was a partition in front of the guardrooms [on one side] twenty-one inches [wide] and a partition on the other side twenty-one inches [wide], with the guardrooms themselves being ten-and-a-half feet square.

13 He measured [inside] the gate from the back wall of one guardroom to the back wall of the other a distance of forty-three-and-three-quarters feet, the openings [to the guardrooms] being opposite each other.

14 He made the posts 105 feet, likewise the posts of the other gates around the courtyard.

15 The distance along the passage from the outer opening of the gateway to the far side of the entranceway at the inner end of the gateway was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet.

16 There were narrow windows to the guardrooms and to their supports facing inward all along the gate; also the vestibules had windows all around facing inward. On each side support were [carvings of] palm trees.

17 Then he brought me into the outer courtyard. There I saw rooms and paved mosaic flooring made for the courtyard all around its perimeter, and thirty rooms facing the flooring.

18 The flooring was alongside the gates and corresponded to the length of the gates [from outside to inside], this lower flooring.

19 He measured at 175 feet the distance from inside this lower gate that faced east to the outside of the inner courtyard, and he did the same for the gate that faced north.

20 Next he measured the length and width of the outer courtyard gate that faced north.

21 It had three guardrooms on each side, and its supports and vestibule were the same size as those at the first gate; its length was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet and its width forty-three-and-three-quarters feet.

22 Its windows, vestibule and palm trees were the same size as those at the east gate. Seven steps led up to it [from the outside], while its vestibule was toward the inside.

23 There were gates to the inner courtyard across from the gates to the north and east; he measured 175 feet from each outer gate to its corresponding inner gate.

24 He led me toward the south, and there I saw a gate that faced south. He measured its supports and vestibule; they were the same size as the others.

25 There were windows in it and all around its vestibule like the other windows; the length was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet and the width forty-three-and-three-quarters feet.

26 Seven steps led up to it [from the outside], while its vestibule was toward the inside. It had palm trees, one on each side, on its supports.

27 The inner courtyard had a gate on the south; he measured from gate to gate toward the south 175 feet.

28 He brought me to the inner courtyard through its south gate. He measured this south gate as being the same size;

29 its guardrooms, supports and vestibule were the same size; it had windows and a vestibule surrounding it; it was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet long and forty-three-and-three-quarters feet wide.

30 There was a vestibule around it forty-three-and-three-quarters feet long and eight-and-three-quarters feet wide;

31 this vestibule faced the outer courtyard, palm trees were on its supports, and it had eight steps leading up to it.

32 He brought me into the inner courtyard, went toward the east and measured that gate as being the same size;

33 its guardrooms, supports and vestibule were the same size; it had windows and a vestibule surrounding it; it was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet long and forty-three-and-three-quarters feet wide.

34 Its vestibule faced the outer courtyard, palm trees were on its supports, both on the one side and on the other; and it had eight steps leading up to it.

35 He brought me over to the north gate and measured it as being the same size;

36 it had guardrooms, supports and a vestibule with windows all around; the length was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet and the width forty-three-and-three-quarters feet.

37 Its supports faced the outer courtyard; palm trees were on its supports, both on the one side and on the other; and it had eight steps leading up to it.

38 There was a room with its entry by the supports at the gates where the burnt offerings were washed.

39 In the entranceway to the gate were two tables on the one side and two on the other, on which to slaughter the burnt offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings.

40 On the outside, as one goes up to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side of the entranceway to the gate were two tables.

41 So there were four tables on the one side and four on the other side, by the gate - eight tables on which to slaughter sacrifices.

42 There were four tables of cut stone for the burnt offering, thirty-one-and-a-half inches square and twenty-one inches high, on which to lay the instruments for slaughtering the burnt offerings and other sacrifices.

43 Hooks a handbreadth long were fastened all around the inside of the room; the flesh of the offerings was to be placed on the tables.

44 Outside the inner gate, in the inner courtyard, were rooms for the singers, one facing south alongside the north gate, and one facing north alongside the east gate.

45 He said to me, "This room facing south is for the cohanim in charge of the house;

46 while the room facing north is for the cohanim in charge of the altar; these are the descendants of Tzadok, who are the descendants of Levi designated to approach ADONAI and serve him."

47 Then he measured the courtyard at 175 feet long and 175 feet wide - it was square. The altar was in front of the house.

48 He brought me to the vestibule of the house and measured at eight-and-three-quarters feet the thickness of the walls on either side of its entrance. On each side, these walls extended five-and-a-quarter feet from the side-walls of the vestibule.

49 The length of the vestibule was thirty-five feet and the width nineteen-and-a-quarter feet; steps led up to it. There were columns on each side of the entrance.

1 He brought me to the sanctuary and measured at ten-and-a-half feet the thickness of the walls on either side of its entrance, which was [also] the thickness of [the walls surrounding] the "tent" [that is, the sanctuary together with the Especially Holy Place].

2 The width of the entrance was seventeen-and-a-half feet. The sides of the entrance were eight-and-three-quarters feet on the one side and the same on the other. He measured its length at seventy feet and its width at thirty-five feet.

3 Next, he went farther in [to the entranceway leading to the Especially Holy Place] and measured at three-and-a-half feet [the thickness of] each entrance support. He measured at ten-and-a-half feet the total thickness of the walls on either side of the entrance; and he measured at twelve-and-a-quarter feet the width of the entrance.

4 [Continuing into the inner room,] he said to me, "This is the Especially Holy Place." He measured its length at thirty-five feet and its width at thirty-five feet along the wall nearest the sanctuary.

5 [On his way out,] he measured the thickness of the wall of the house at ten-and-a-half feet [at ground level], and the width of all the side-rooms surrounding the house, seven feet [at ground level].

6 There were three floors of side-rooms, thirty on each floor; and the wall around the house was terraced, so that the side-rooms rested on the terraces and were not supported on [the vertical parts of] the wall.

7 The higher side-rooms surrounding the house were wider than the lower ones, as were the passageways next to the side-rooms on each floor; thus the width of the side-rooms plus that of the passageways increased as one went up from floor to floor. The ascent from the lowest floor to the highest was [by a ramp] through the middle floor.

8 I saw that the house had a raised pavement all around it which extended outward a full rod of ten-and-a-half feet from where the foundations of the side-rooms joined it.

9 The outer wall of the side-rooms was eight-and-three-quarters feet thick [at ground level], likewise the empty space left [between] the structure containing the side-rooms [and the house itself also measured eight-and-three quarters feet wide].

10 On all sides around the house itself was a space thirty-five feet wide between it and the [block of] rooms [for the cohanim].

11 The doors of the side-rooms opened toward an empty space, one door facing north and the other facing south; the empty space was eight-and-three-quarters feet [wide] all around.

12 The building on the west facing the separated yard had a[n interior] width of 1221/2 feet, a[n interior] length of 1571/2 feet and exterior walls eight-and-three-quarters feet thick all the way around.

13 He measured the length of the house at 175 feet; then a distance that included [the width of] the separated yard, [the interior width of] the building and [the thickness of] its [front and back exterior] walls, at 175 feet.

14 The distance along the facade of the house on the east through the separated yard[s to the north and south] was 175 feet.

15 He measured the length of the building facing the separated yard behind [the house], together with its galleries on both sides, at 175 feet. The sanctuary, the inner place and the vestibules [leading from the house] to the courtyard,

16 as well as the thresholds, narrow windows and galleries around these three, had wood panelling around them as far as the thresholds and from the ground up to the windows; and the windows were covered.

17 From the area above the entrance to the interior of the house, as well as outside, and on the entire wall all the way around, both inside and outside, was a pattern

18 consisting of k'ruvim and palm trees, with a palm tree between every two k'ruvim. Every keruv had two faces;

19 so that there was the face of a man toward the palm tree on its one side and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on its other side - this was the pattern all the way around the house.

20 The k'ruvim and palm trees ran from the ground to above the door, and likewise on the wall of the sanctuary.

21 As for the sanctuary, the door-frames were squared, and the appearance of the [Especially] Holy Place was like the appearance [I saw at the K'var River].

22 The altar was of wood, five-and-a-quarter feet high and three-and-a-half feet long; its length and walls were also of wood. He said to me, "This is the table which is in the presence of ADONAI."

23 The sanctuary had two doors, and the [Especially] Holy Place

24 had two doors. The doors had two swinging leaves each - two leaves for the one door and two for the other.

25 On them, that is, on the doors of the sanctuary, were carved k'ruvim and palm trees like those on the walls; and on the exterior facade of the outside entrance were thick beams of wood.

26 There were narrow windows flanked by palm trees on both sides of the entrance; the side-rooms of the house and the thick beams also [had palm trees].

1 Then he led me into the outer courtyard - the route went north - and brought me to the [block of] rooms opposite the separated yard and opposite the building to the north.

2 The length of the front was 175 feet on the north side, where the door was; the width was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet.

3 It was located between the inner courtyard, which was thirty-five feet wide, and the flooring of the outer courtyard. It had galleries, one above the other, on three floors.

4 In front of the [block of] rooms was a walkway seventeen-and-a-half feet wide and a path twenty-one inches [wide]; their doors faced north.

5 The upper rooms were shorter, because the galleries took up some of their space, more than from the [rooms on the] lower and middle [floors] of the building.

6 For the rooms were on three floors, and they didn't have columns like those in the courtyards; therefore space was taken away from the [rooms on the] lower and middle [floors], in comparison with the ground.

7 The length of the wall outside, next to the rooms, toward the outer courtyard in front of the rooms, was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet.

8 For the length of the rooms toward the outer courtyard was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet, whereas [the length of] the side facing the sanctuary was 175 feet.

9 Under these rooms was the entrance to the east side, leading in from the outer courtyard.

10 In the width of the courtyard wall on the east, facing the separated yard and facing the building, there were rooms,

11 with a passageway in front of them, similar to the rooms on the north. They were the same length and width and had similarly made exits and entrances.

12 By the entrances of the rooms on the south there was an entrance at the end of the passage, the passageway right in front of the wall, toward the eastern entrances.

13 Then he said to me, "The north and south [blocks of] rooms in front of the separated yard are the holy rooms where the cohanim who approach ADONAI will eat the especially holy things. This is where they will put the especially holy things - the grain offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings; for the place is holy.

14 When the cohanim come, they will not go out of the [Especially] Holy Place into the outer courtyard; rather, they will leave [in these rooms] the clothes they use when ministering, because they are holy. They will put on other clothes and only then approach the areas permitted to the people."

15 After he had finished measuring the inner house, he brought me out by way of the gate facing east and measured the whole area.

16 He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.

17 He measured the north side; it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.

18 He measured the south side; it was 875 feet by the measuring rod.

19 He turned to the west side and measured 875 feet with the measuring rod.

20 He measured its four sides; it had a wall around it; and it was 875 [feet] long and 875 [feet] wide. Thus a division was made between what was holy and what was common.

1 After this, he brought me to the gate facing east.

2 There I saw the glory of the God of Isra'el approaching from the east. His voice was like the sound of rushing water, and the earth shone with his glory.

3 The vision seemed like the vision I had seen when I came to destroy the city; also the visions were like the vision I had seen by the K'var River; and I fell on my face.

4 ADONAI's glory entered the house through the gate facing east.

5 Next, a spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and I saw ADONAI's glory fill the house.

6 I heard someone speaking to me from the house, and a man was standing by me.

7 He said, "Human being, this is the place for my throne, the place for the soles of my feet, where I will live among the people of Isra'el forever. The house of Isra'el, both they and their kings, will never again defile my holy name by their prostitution, by [burying] the corpses of their kings [on] their high places,

8 or by placing their threshold next to my threshold and their door-frames next to my door-frames, with only a common wall between me and them. Yes, they defiled my holy name by the disgusting practices they committed; which is why I destroyed them in my anger.

9 So now, they should put their prostitution at a distance and the corpses of their kings far away from me; then I will live among them forever.

10 "You, human being, describe this house to the house of Isra'el, so that they will be ashamed of their crimes. And let them measure accurately.

11 If they become ashamed of all they have done, show them the elevation and plan of the house, its exits and entrances, all its details and decorations, and all its specifications, its design and its Torah. Sketch it for them to see, so that they can observe the entire design with its specifications, and carry them out.

12 This is Torah for the house: the whole surrounding area on the mountaintop will be especially holy. This is Torah for the house."

13 These are the measurements of the altar in cubits (a cubit here is defined as a normal cubit [eighteen inches] plus a handbreadth [three inches]): the base, one cubit [twenty-one inches] deep and one cubit wide; with the molding surrounding it at its rim about a hand-span [nine inches] in width. The height of the altar is thus:

14 from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, three-and-a-half feet, with the width twenty-one inches; from the lower ledge to the upper ledge, seven feet, with the width again twenty-one inches.

15 The hearth measures seven feet [high], with four horns on top of the hearth.

16 The hearth is a square twenty-one feet on each of its four sides.

17 The ledge measures a square twenty-four-and-a-half feet on each of its four sides; the molding around it ten-and-a-half inches [across]; and its base twenty-one inches [larger than the rest, all the way] around. Its steps face east.

18 He said to me, "Human being, Adonai ELOHIM says, 'These are the regulations for the altar when the time comes to construct it, offer burnt offerings on it and splash the blood against it:

19 you are to give to the cohanim, who are L'vi'im descended from Tzadok and who approach to serve me,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'a young bull as a sin offering.

20 You are to take its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge and on the molding all the way around; this is how you will purify it and make atonement for it.

21 You are also to take the bull which is the sin offering and have it burned up at the designated place [on the grounds] of the house, outside the sanctuary.

22 On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect as a sin offering, and they are to purify the altar as they purified it with the bull.

23 When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull without defect and a ram from the flock without defect.

24 You are to present them before ADONAI, and the cohanim will throw salt on them and offer them as a burnt offering to ADONAI.

25 Every day, for seven days, you are to prepare a goat as a sin offering; they are also to prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock without defect.

26 For seven days, they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; in this way they are to consecrate it.

27 When these days are over, then, on the eighth day and afterwards, the cohanim will present your burnt offerings on the altar and your peace offerings; and I will accept you,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

1 Then he brought me back by way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east; and it was shut.

2 ADONAI said to me, "This gate will remain shut; it will not be opened, and no one will go through it; because ADONAI, the God of Isra'el, has gone through it. Therefore, it is to be kept shut.

3 Only the prince, since he is a prince, is to sit there to eat his meal before ADONAI; he is to enter through the vestibule of the gate and leave the same way."

4 Then he brought me through the north gate to the front of the house. I looked, saw ADONAI's glory filling the house of ADONAI, and fell on my face.

5 ADONAI said to me, "Human being, pay attention; see with your eyes and hear with your ears everything I tell you about all the regulations of ADONAI's house and about all its Torah; pay attention to who can enter the house and who must be excluded from the sanctuary.

6 You are to tell the rebels, the house of Isra'el, that this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'House of Isra'el, enough of all your disgusting practices!

7 You brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in both heart and flesh, to be in my sanctuary and profane it - yes, my house - when you offered my food, the fat and the blood; thus in addition to all your disgusting practices, they broke my covenant.

8 Instead of taking care of my holy things yourselves, you have put these people in charge of my sanctuary.'

9 Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'No foreigner, uncircumcised in both heart and flesh, is to enter my sanctuary - no foreigner living among the people of Isra'el.

10 "'Rather, the L'vi'im, who went far away from me when Isra'el went astray, going astray after their idols - they will bear the consequences of their guilt,

11 but they are to serve in my sanctuary. They will have charge of the gates of the house and of serving in the house; they will slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people; and they will attend and serve them.

12 Because they served them in the presence of their idols and became an occasion of sin for the house of Isra'el, I am raising my hand against them,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'and they will bear the consequences of their guilt.

13 They will not approach me to serve me in the office of cohen or approach any of the holy things or the especially holy things; but they will bear their shame for the disgusting practices they committed.

14 Yet I will put them in charge of the house and all its maintenance and everything to be done in it.

15 "'However, the cohanim, who are L'vi'im and descendants of Tzadok, who took care of my sanctuary when the people of Isra'el went astray from me - they are the ones who will approach me and serve me; it is they who will attend me and offer me the fat and the blood,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

16 'They will enter my sanctuary, approach my table to minister to me and perform my service.

17 "'Once they enter the gates of the inner courtyard, they are to wear linen clothing; they are not to wear any wool while serving at the gates of the inner courtyard or inside it.

18 They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen underclothes on their bodies, and they are not to wear anything that makes them sweat.

19 Before going out to the people in the outer courtyard, they are to remove the clothes in which they minister, lay them in the holy rooms, and put on other clothes; so that they won't transmit holiness to the people by means of their clothing.

20 They are not to shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but must keep their hair carefully trimmed.

21 No cohen is to drink wine when he enters the inner courtyard.

22 They may not marry a widow or a divorcee but must marry virgins descended from the house of Isra'el or a widow whose deceased husband was a cohen.

23 "'They are to teach my people the difference between holy and common and enable them to distinguish between clean and unclean.

24 They are to be judges in controversies, and they are to render decisions in keeping with my rulings. At all my designated festivals they are to keep my laws and regulations, and they are to keep my shabbats holy.

25 They are not to come to any dead person, because this would make them unclean; however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister who has had no husband they may make themselves unclean.

26 After a cohen has been purified, he is to wait seven days.

27 Then, on the day he enters the sanctuary, when he goes into the inner courtyard to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer his sin offering,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

28 "'Their inheritance is to be this: I myself am their inheritance. You are not to grant them any possession in Isra'el - I myself am their possession.

29 They are to eat the grain offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings; and everything in Isra'el devoted [to God] will be theirs.

30 The first of all the firstfruits of everything, and every voluntary contribution of everything, from all your offerings, will be for the cohanim. You are also to give the cohen the first of your dough, so that a blessing will rest on your house.

31 The cohanim are not to eat anything, bird or animal, that dies naturally or is torn to death.

1 "'When you divide the land by lot for inheritance, you are to set aside an offering for ADONAI, a holy portion of the land. Its length is to be 25,000 [cubits, that is, eight miles] and its width 10,000 [three miles]; this entire region is to be holy.

2 Of this there is to be reserved for the holy place an area 875 [feet] square, with eighty-seven-and-a-half feet for open land around it.

3 Alongside this region you are to measure a length of eight [miles] and a width of three [miles]; in it is to be the sanctuary, which will be especially holy.

4 It is a holy portion of the land; it is for the cohanim who serve in the sanctuary, who approach to minister to ADONAI; there will be a place for their houses and a place set aside for the sanctuary.

5 A portion eight by three [miles] will be owned by the L'vi'im who serve in the house; it will also have twenty [gatekeepers'] rooms.

6 You are to give the city possession of an area, alongside the offering of the holy portion, one-and-a-half by eight [miles]; it will be for the whole house of Isra'el.

7 "'The prince is to have the territory on both sides of the holy offering and the city's holding; it will extend westward to the western border of the land and eastward to its eastern border; and the length [from the far side of one] of its two parts [to the far side of the other] will be the same as the length of one of the [tribal] portions.

8 His possession in Isra'el will be limited to this, and henceforth my princes will not wrong my people but will give the land to the house of Isra'el according to their tribes.'

9 Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Princes of Isra'el, that should be enough for you! Get rid of violence and looting, do what is right and just, and stop evicting my people from their land!' says Adonai ELOHIM.

10 "'You are to have honest balance-scales, an honest eifah [a one-bushel dry-measure] and an honest bat [a five-gallon liquid-measure].

11 The eifah and the bat are to contain the same volume - the bat is to contain one-tenth of a homer, and the eifah is to contain one-tenth of a homer; the homer is to set the standard for measurement.

12 Also the shekel is to be twenty gerahs; your maneh will be the sum of a twenty-shekel piece, a twenty-five-shekel piece and a fifteen-shekel piece.

13 "'This is the offering you are to make: one-sixth of a bushel from every ten bushels of wheat, and you are to give one-sixth of a bushel from every ten bushels of barley.

14 The law for olive oil is to be half a gallon from every fifty gallons, which is the same as ten bats or one homer, since ten bats equal a homer.

15 From the flock, take one sheep from every two hundred being pastured in Isra'el; [all these are to be used] for grain offerings, burnt offerings and peace offerings, to make atonement for them,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

16 'All the people in the land are to present this offering to the prince in Isra'el.

17 The prince's obligation will be to present the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the feasts, on Rosh-Hodesh, and on Shabbat - at all the designated times of the house of Isra'el. He is to prepare the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Isra'el.'

18 "Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'On the first day of the first month you are to take a young bull without defect and purify the sanctuary.

19 The cohen will take some of the blood from the sin offering and put it on the door-frames of the house, on the four corners of the altar's ledge and on the supports of the gate of the inner courtyard.

20 You are also to do this on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned inadvertently or through ignorance. Thus you will make atonement for the house.

21 "'On the fourteenth day of the first month you are to have the Pesach, a feast seven days long; matzah will be eaten.

22 On that day the prince will provide, for himself and for all the people of the land, a young bull as a sin offering.

23 On the seven days of the feast he is to provide a burnt offering for ADONAI, seven young bulls and seven rams without defect daily for the seven days, and a male goat daily as a sin offering.

24 He is to provide as a grain offering a bushel [of grain] for a young bull and a bushel for a ram, and for each bushel [of grain] a gallon of olive oil.

25 "'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, during the feast [of Sukkot] he is to do the same thing for those seven days in regard to the sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings and olive oil.'

1 "This is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'The east gate of the inner courtyard is to be shut on the six working days, but on Shabbat it is to be opened, and on Rosh-Hodesh it is to be opened.

2 The prince is to enter by way of the outer vestibule of the gate and stand by the support of the gate. The cohanim are to prepare his burnt offering and peace offerings. Then he is to prostrate himself in worship at the threshold of the gate, after which he is to leave; but the gate is not to be shut until evening.

3 The people of the land are also to prostrate themselves in worship before ADONAI at the entrance to that gate on Shabbat and on Rosh-Hodesh.

4 "'The burnt offering the prince is to offer ADONAI on Shabbat is to consist of six lambs without defect and a ram without defect.

5 The grain offering is to be a bushel for the ram, while for the lambs it can be as much as he wants to give; with a gallon of olive oil per eifah.

6 On Rosh-Hodesh it is to be a young bull, six lambs and a ram, all without defect.

7 He is to prepare a grain offering consisting of a bushel for the bull, a bushel for the ram, and for the lambs as his means allow; with a gallon of olive oil per bushel.

8 "'When the prince enters, he is to go in by way of the vestibule of the gate, and he is to leave the same way.

9 But when the people of the land come before ADONAI at the designated times, whoever comes in to worship by way of the north gate is to leave by way of the south gate, and whoever comes in by way of the south gate is to leave by way of the north gate; he is not to go back out through the gate by which he entered but is to exit straight ahead of him.

10 [On these occasions,] the prince is to be among them when they enter; and when they leave, they are to leave together.

11 "'At the festivals and at designated times, the grain offering is to be a bushel for a young bull and a bushel for a ram, while for the lambs it can be as much as he wants to give, with a gallon of olive oil per bushel.

12 "'When the prince provides a voluntary offering, whether it is a burnt offering or peace offerings that he offers voluntarily to ADONAI, someone is to open the east gate for him; and he is to provide his burnt offering and peace offerings as he does on Shabbat. Then he will leave; and after he leaves, the gate is to be shut.

13 "'You are to provide a lamb in its first year that has no defect for a daily burnt offering to ADONAI; do this each morning.

14 Also each morning, provide with it a grain offering, one-sixth of a bushel, and one-third of a gallon of olive oil to moisten the fine flour; this is the ongoing grain offering for ADONAI, by a permanent regulation.

15 Thus they will offer a lamb, a grain offering and oil each morning as the ongoing burnt offering.'

16 "Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'If the prince turns over part of his hereditary property to one of his sons, it is his inheritance; it will belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance.

17 But if he gives part of his hereditary property to one of his slaves, it will be his until the year of freedom, at which time it will revert to the prince, so that the prince's heritage will go to his sons.

18 The prince is not to take over any of the people's inheritance, thereby evicting them wrongfully from their property; he is to give his sons an inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people will be driven off their property.'"

19 Next, he brought me through the entry at the side of the gate into the holy rooms facing north that were for the cohanim. At their far west end I saw a place

20 about which he said to me, "This is the place where the cohanim will boil the guilt offerings and sin offerings and bake the grain offerings. In this way they won't have to bring them into the outer courtyard and risk transmitting holiness to the people."

21 He took me into the outer courtyard and had me pass by the four corners of the courtyard, and there in each corner of the courtyard was another courtyard -

22 in the four corners of the courtyard were enclosed courtyards seventy feet long and fifty-two-and-a-half feet; the four courtyards in the corners were the same size.

23 There was a wall around each of the four, with open stoves all around the bases of the walls.

24 He said to me, "These are the stoves where those serving in the house will boil the people's sacrifices."

1 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the house, and I saw water flowing eastward from under the threshold of the house, for the house faced east. The water flowed down from under the right side of the house, south of the altar.

2 Next he led me out through the north gate and took me around outside to the outer gate, by way of the east gate, where I saw water trickling from the south side.

3 With a line in his hand the man went out toward the east and measured a thousand cubits [one-third of a mile] and had me wade across the stream; the water came up to my ankles.

4 He measured another thousand and had me wade through the water, which reached my knees. He measured another thousand and had me wade through water up to my waist.

5 Finally he measured a thousand, and it was a river I couldn't cross on foot, because the water was so deep one would have to swim across; it was a river that could not be waded through.

6 He asked me, "Human being, have you seen this?" Then, guiding me, he got me back to the riverbank.

7 After being returned, I saw on the bank of the river a great number of trees on the one side and on the other.

8 He said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and continues down to the 'Aravah. When it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant water, [the Dead Sea,] its water will become fresh.

9 When this happens, swarms of all kinds of living creatures will be able to live in it wherever the streams flow; so that there will be a vast number of fish; for this water is flowing there, so that, wherever the river goes, everything will be restored and able to live.

10 Then fishermen will stand on its shores spreading their nets all the way from 'Ein-Gedi to 'Ein-'Eglayim. There will be as many kinds of fish there as in the Great Sea, [the Mediterranean,] a great variety.

11 However, its mud flats and marshes will not become fresh but will remain salty.

12 On both riverbanks will grow all kinds of trees for food; their leaves will not dry up, nor will their fruit fail. There will be a different kind of fruit each month, because the water flows from the sanctuary, so that this fruit will be edible, and the leaves will have healing properties."

13 "Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'These are the borders of the land you are to distribute for inheritance by the twelve tribes of Isra'el, with Yosef receiving two portions.

14 For inheritance you will each have equal shares. I swore to your ancestors that I would give them this land, and now it falls to you to inherit it.

15 "'The borders of the land will be as follows: on the north, from the Great Sea through Hetlon to the entrance of Tz'dad,

16 Hamat, Berotah, Sibrayim (which is between the border of Dammesek and the border of Hamat), Hatzer-Hatikhon (which is toward the border of Havran).

17 The border from the sea will be Hatzar-'Einon (at the border of Dammesek); while on the north, northward, is the border of Hamat. This is the north side.

18 "'On the east side, measure between Havran and Dammesek, Gil'ad and the land of Isra'el by the Yarden, from the border to the eastern sea. This is the east side.

19 "'On the side of the Negev toward the south it will be from Tamar as far as the waters of M'rivot-Kadesh, then to the Vadi [of Egypt] and on to the Great Sea. This is the south side toward the Negev.

20 "'The west side will be the Great Sea, as far as across from the entrance to Hamat. This is the west side.

21 "'This is the territory you are to divide among the tribes of Isra'el.

22 You are to divide it by lot as an inheritance both to you and to the foreigners living among you who give birth to children living among you; for you they are to be no different from the native-born among the people of Isra'el - they are to have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Isra'el.

23 You are to give the foreigner an inheritance in the territory of the tribe with whom he is living,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

1 "'Following is the list of tribes: "'This is Dan's territory: from the north end, through Hetlon to the entrance of Hamat, Hatzar-'Einan (at the border of Dammesek), northward, next to Hamat; and they will have their sides east and west.

2 "'Asher's territory will run alongside the territory of Dan from east to west.

3 "'Naftali's territory will run alongside the territory of Asher from east to west.

4 "'M'nasheh's territory will run alongside the territory of Naftali from east to west.

5 "'Efrayim's territory will run alongside the territory of M'nasheh from east to west.

6 "'Re'uven's territory will run alongside the territory of Efrayim from east to west.

7 "'Y'hudah's territory will run alongside the territory of Re'uven from east to west.

8 "'Alongside the territory of Y'hudah, from east to west, will be the offering you are to set aside, 25,000 [cubits] wide [eight miles], and in length equal to distance between the east and west boundaries of one of the portions, with the sanctuary inside it.

9 The offering you are to set aside for ADONAI is to be eight [miles] long and three wide.

10 This holy offering will be for the cohanim; it will be eight [miles] in length along its north and south sides and three in width along its west and east sides; ADONAI's sanctuary will be inside it.

11 The portion set aside as holy will be for the cohanim who are descendants of Tzadok that remained faithful to my commission and did not go astray when the people of Isra'el and the L'vi'im went astray.

12 It is to be an especially holy portion set apart for them and taken from the offering of the land, next to the border of the L'vi'im.

13 " 'Alongside the territory for the cohanim, the L'vi'im are to have a portion eight [miles] long and three wide - its total length will be eight and its width three.

14 They may not sell, exchange or alienate any of this choice land; because it is holy, for ADONAI.

15 "'The 5,000 [cubits, that is, the one-and-a-half miles] that are left of the width is to be for the common use of the city, for housing and for open fields. The city will be inside it.

16 and will measure 4,500 cubits [just under one-and-a-half miles] along each of its sides - north, south, east and west.

17 The city is to have outside it a border of land 440 feet wide on each side - north, south, east and west.

18 A strip next to the holy offering extending three [miles] to the east and three to the west is to be left. This area by the holy offering is to be used to grow food for those serving the city.

19 The people from all the tribes of Isra'el who serve in the city will farm it.

20 The entire offering will be eight [miles] square, including the section for the city.

21 "'What remains will be for the prince - the land on the two sides of the holy offering and section for the city, that is, the portion eastward from the eight [miles] of the offering's eastern border to the land's eastern border and the portion westward from the eight [miles] of the offering's western border to the land's western border - this land adjacent to the [tribal] portions will be for the prince, with the holy offering and the sanctuary of the house inside it.

22 Thus the land belonging to the L'vi'im and the section for the city will be inside that which belongs to the prince. "'The territory belonging to the prince will be between the territory of Y'hudah and the territory of Binyamin -

23 which brings us to the rest of the tribes: "'Binyamin's territory will run from east to west.

24 "'Shim'on's territory will run alongside the territory of Binyamin from east to west.

25 "'Yissakhar's territory will run alongside the territory of Shim'on from east to west.

26 "'Z'vulun's territory will run alongside the territory of Yissakhar from east to west.

27 "'Gad's territory will run alongside the territory of Z'vulun from east to west.

28 "'Alongside the territory of Gad, from the Negev southward, the border will run from Tamar to the water at M'rivat-Kadesh, then to the Vadi [of Egypt], and on to the Great Sea.

29 This is the land you are to distribute by lot to the tribes of Isra'el for inheritance, and these are their portions,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

30 "'These are the city exits; they are to be named after the tribes of Isra'el, three gates on each of the four sides; the four sides each measure just under one-and-a-half [miles]: on the north, gates named after Re'uven, Y'hudah and Levi; on the east, gates named after Yosef, Binyamin and Dan; on the south, gates named after Shim'on, Yissakhar and Z'vulun; and on the west, gates named after Gad, Asher and Naftali.

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35 "'The perimeter of [the city] will be just under six [miles] long. And from that day on the name of the city will be ADONAI Shamah [ADONAI is there].'"

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Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 2

Ezekiel 3

Ezekiel 4

Ezekiel 5

Ezekiel 6

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Ezekiel 8

Ezekiel 9

Ezekiel 10

Ezekiel 11

Ezekiel 12

Ezekiel 13

Ezekiel 14

Ezekiel 15

Ezekiel 16

Ezekiel 17

Ezekiel 18

Ezekiel 19

Ezekiel 20

Ezekiel 21

Ezekiel 22

Ezekiel 23

Ezekiel 24

Ezekiel 25

Ezekiel 26

Ezekiel 27

Ezekiel 28

Ezekiel 29

Ezekiel 30

Ezekiel 31

Ezekiel 32

Ezekiel 33

Ezekiel 34

Ezekiel 35

Ezekiel 36

Ezekiel 37

Ezekiel 38

Ezekiel 39

Ezekiel 40

Ezekiel 41

Ezekiel 42

Ezekiel 43

Ezekiel 44

Ezekiel 45

Ezekiel 46

Ezekiel 47

Ezekiel 48