22
Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me in the evening, before the refugeescame. And He opened my mouth at the time they came to me in the morning; so my mouth was opened and I was nolongerspeechless.
24
"Son of man, they who live in thesewasteplaces in the land of Israel are saying, 'Abraham was only one, yet he possessed the land; so to us who are many the land has been given as a possession.'
25
"Thereforesay to them, 'Thussays the LordGOD, "You eat meat with the blood in it, lift up your eyes to your idols as you shedblood. Should you then possess the land?
27
"Thus you shall say to them, 'Thussays the LordGOD, "As I live, surely* those who are in the wasteplaces will fall by the sword, and whoever is in the openfield I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves will die of pestilence.
28
"I will make the land a desolation and a waste, and the pride of her power will cease; and the mountains of Israel will be desolateso that noone will passthrough.
30
"But as for you, son of man, your fellowcitizens who talk about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, speak to oneanother, each to his brother, saying, 'Comenow and hearwhat the message is which comesforth from the LORD.'
31
"They come to you as peoplecome, and sitbefore you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustfuldesires expressed by their mouth, and their heartgoesafter their gain.
32
"Behold, you are to them like a sensualsong by one who has a beautifulvoice and playswell on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them.