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1 I was 30 years old. I was with my people who had been taken away from their country. We were by the Kebar River in the land of Babylonia. On the fifth day of the fourth month, the heavens were opened. I saw visions of God.

2 It was the fifth day of the month. Jehoiachin had been king of Judah. It was the fifth year since he had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner.

3 A message came to me from the Lord. I was by the Kebar River in Babylonia. The LORD put his strong hand on me there. I am Ezekiel, the son of Buzi. I'm a priest.

4 I looked up and saw a windstorm coming from the north. I saw a huge cloud. The fire of lightning was flashing out of it. Bright light surrounded it. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal.

5 I saw in the fire something that looked like four living creatures. They appeared to have the shape of a man.

6 But each of them had four faces and four wings.

7 Their legs were straight. Their feet looked like the feet of a calf. They were as bright as polished bronze.

8 The creatures had a man's hands under their wings on their four sides. All four of them had faces and wings.

9 Their wings touched one another. Each of the creatures went straight ahead. They didn't change their direction as they moved.

10 Here's what their faces looked like. Each of the four creatures had a man's face. On the right side each had the face of a lion. On the left each had the face of an ox. Each one also had an eagle's face.

11 That's what their faces looked like. Two of their wings were spread out and lifted up. Each one touched the wing of another creature on either side. The other two wings covered their bodies.

12 All of the creatures went straight ahead. Anywhere their spirits would lead them to go, they would go. They didn't change their direction as they went.

13 The living creatures looked like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures. It was bright. Lightning flashed out of it.

14 The creatures raced back and forth like flashes of lightning.

15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw wheels on the ground beside them. Each creature had four faces.

16 Here's how the wheels looked and worked. They gleamed like chrysolite. All four of them looked alike. Each one seemed to be made like a wheel inside another wheel at right angles.

17 The wheels could go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced. The wheels didn't change their direction as the creatures moved.

18 Their rims were high and terrifying. All four rims were full of eyes all the way around them.

19 When the creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved. When the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.

20 Anywhere their spirits would lead them to go, they would go. And the wheels would rise along with them. That's because the spirits of the living creatures were in the wheels.

21 When the creatures moved, the wheels also moved. When the creatures stood still, they also stood still. When the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them. That's because the spirits of the living creatures were in the wheels.

22 Something that looked like a huge space was spread out above the heads of the living creatures. It gleamed like ice. It was terrifying.

23 The wings of the creatures were spread out under the space. They reached out toward one another. Each creature had two wings covering its body.

24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings. It was like the roar of rushing waters. It sounded like the thundering voice of the Mighty One. It was like the loud noise an army makes. When the creatures stood still, they lowered their wings.

25 Then a voice came from above the huge space over their heads. They stood with their wings lowered.

26 Above the space over their heads was something that looked like a throne made out of sapphire. On the throne high above was a figure that appeared to be human.

27 From his waist up he looked like glowing metal that was full of fire. From his waist down he looked like fire. Bright light surrounded him.

28 The glow around him looked like a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. That's what the glory of the LORD looked like. When I saw it, I fell with my face toward the ground. Then I heard the voice of someone speaking.

1 He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet. I will speak to you."

2 As he spoke, the Spirit of the LORD came into me. He raised me to my feet. I heard him speaking to me.

3 He said, "Son of man, I am sending you to the people of Israel. That nation has refused to obey me. They have turned against me. They and their people before them have been against me to this very day.

4 The people I am sending you to are very stubborn. Tell them, 'Here is what the LORD and King says.'

5 "They might listen, or they might not. After all, they refuse to obey me. But whether they listen or not, they will know that a prophet was among them.

6 "Son of man, do not be afraid of them or of what they say. Do not be afraid, even if thorns and bushes are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say. Do not be terrified by them. They always refuse to obey me.

7 "You must give them my message. They might listen, or they might not. After all, they refuse to obey me.

8 Son of man, listen to what I tell you. Do not be like those who refuse to obey me. Open your mouth. Eat what I give you."

9 Then I looked up. I saw a hand reach out to me. A scroll was in it.

10 He unrolled it in front of me. Both sides had words written on them. They spoke about sadness, sorrow and trouble.

1 He said to me, "Son of man, eat what is in front of you. Eat this scroll. Then go and speak to the people of Israel."

2 So I opened my mouth. And he gave me the scroll to eat.

3 Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you. Fill your stomach with it." So I ate it. And it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

4 Then he said to me, "Son of man, go to the people of Israel. Give them my message.

5 "I am not sending you to people who speak another language that is hard to learn. Instead, I am sending you to the people of Israel.

6 You are not being sent to many nations whose people speak other languages that are hard to learn. You would not be able to understand them. Suppose I had sent you to them. Then they certainly would have listened to you.

7 But the people of Israel do not want to listen to you. That is because they do not want to listen to me. "All of the people of Israel are very stubborn.

8 But I will make you just as stubborn as they are.

9 I will make you very brave. So do not be afraid of them. Do not let them terrify you, even though they refuse to obey me."

10 He continued, "Son of man, listen carefully. Take to heart everything I tell you.

11 Go now to your own people who were brought here as prisoners. Speak to them. Tell them, 'Here is what the LORD and King says.' Speak to them whether they listen or not."

12 Then the Spirit of the LORD lifted me up. I heard a loud rumbling sound behind me. May the glory of the LORD be praised in the place where he lives!

13 The sound was made by the wings of the living creatures. They were brushing against one another. The sound was also made by the wheels beside them. It was a loud rumbling sound.

14 Then the Spirit lifted me up and took me away. My spirit was bitter. I was burning with anger. The strong hand of the LORD was on me.

15 I came to my people who had been brought as prisoners to Tel Abib. It was near the Kebar River. I went to where they were living. There I sat among them for seven days. I was shocked by everything that had happened.

16 After seven days, a message came to me from the Lord.

17 He said, "Son of man, I have appointed you as a prophet to warn the people of Israel. So listen to my message. Give them a warning from me.

18 "Suppose I say to a sinful person, 'You can be sure you will die.' And you do not warn him. You do not try to get him to change his evil ways in order to save his life. Then he will die because he has sinned. And I will hold you accountable for his death.

19 "But suppose you do warn that sinful person. And he does not turn away from his sin or his evil ways. Then he will die because he has sinned. But you will have saved yourself.

20 "Or suppose a godly person turns away from his godliness and does what is evil. And suppose I put something in his way that will trip him up. Then he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The godly things he did will not be remembered. And I will hold you accountable for his death.

21 "But suppose you do warn a godly person not to sin. And he does not sin. Then you can be sure that he will live because he listened to your warning. And you will have saved yourself."

22 The strong hand of the LORD was on me. He said, "Get up. Go out to the flatlands. I will speak to you there."

23 So I got up and went out to the flatlands. The glory of the LORD was standing there. It was just like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River. So I fell with my face toward the ground.

24 Then the Spirit of the LORD came into me. He raised me to my feet. He said to me, "Go, son of man. Shut yourself inside your house.

25 Some people will tie you up with ropes. So you will not be able to go out among your people.

26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth. Then you will be silent. You will not be able to correct them. They always refuse to obey me.

27 "But later I will speak to you. I will open your mouth. Then you will tell them, 'Here is what the LORD and King says.' Those who listen will listen. And those who refuse to listen will refuse. They always refuse to obey me.

1 "Son of man, get a clay tablet. Put it in front of you. Draw the city of Jerusalem on it.

2 Then pretend to surround it and attack it. Make some little models of war machines. Build a ramp up to it. Set camps up around it. Surround it with models of logs to be used for knocking down its gates.

3 Then get an iron pan. Put it between you and the city. Pretend it is an iron wall. Turn your face toward the city. It will be under attack when you begin to attack it. That will show the people of Israel what is going to happen to Jerusalem.

4 "Next, lie down on your left side. Pretend that you are putting Israel's sin on yourself. Keep their sin on you for the number of days you lie on your side.

5 Let each day you lie there stand for one year of their sin. So you will keep Israel's sin on you for 390 days.

6 "After you have finished that, lie down again. This time lie on your right side. Pretend that you are putting Judah's sin on yourself. Lie there for 40 days. That is one day for each year of their sin.

7 "Next, turn your face toward the model of Jerusalem under attack. Uncover your arm as if you were a soldier ready to fight. Prophesy against the city.

8 "I will tie you up with ropes. Then you will not be able to turn from one side to the other. You will stay that way until you have finished attacking Jerusalem.

9 "Get some wheat and barley. Also get some beans and lentils. And get some millet and spelt. Put everything in a storage jar. Use it to make some bread for yourself. Eat it during the 390 days you are lying down on your side.

10 Weigh out eight ounces of food to eat each day. Eat it at your regular mealtimes.

11 Also measure out two thirds of a quart of water. Drink it at your regular mealtimes.

12 "Eat your food as you would eat a barley cake. Bake it over human waste in front of the people."

13 The LORD said, "That is how the people of Israel will eat 'unclean' food. They will eat it in the nations where I will drive them."

14 Then I said, "No, LORD and King! I won't do it! I've never eaten anything that was 'unclean.' From the time I was young until now, I've never eaten anything that was found dead. And I've never eaten anything that was torn apart by wild animals. 'Unclean' meat has never entered my mouth."

15 "All right," he said. "I will let you bake your bread over waste from cows. You can use that instead of human waste."

16 He continued, "Son of man, I will cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will be worried as they eat their tiny share of food. They will not have any hope as they drink their tiny share of water.

17 There will be very little food and water. The people will be shocked as they look at one another. They will become weaker and weaker because of their sin.

1 "Son of man, get a sharp sword. Use it as a barber's razor. Shave your head and beard with it. Then get a set of scales and weigh the hair. Separate it into three piles.

2 "Burn up a third of the hair inside the city. Do it when you stop attacking the model of Jerusalem. Next, get another third of the hair. Strike it with a sword all around the city. Then scatter the last third to the winds. That is because I will chase the people with a sword that is ready to strike them down.

3 But save a few of the hairs. Tuck them away in the clothes you are wearing.

4 "Next, get a few more hairs. Throw them into the fire. Burn them up. The fire will spread to all of the people of Israel."

5 The LORD and King says, "This little model stands for Jerusalem. I have placed that city in the center of the nations. Countries are all around it.

6 But its people are sinful. They have refused to obey my laws and rules. They have turned their backs on my laws. They have not followed my rules. Those people are worse than the nations and countries around them."

7 The LORD and King continues, "You people have been worse than the nations around you. You have not lived by my rules or kept my laws. You have not even lived up to the standards of the nations around you."

8 The LORD and King continues, "Jerusalem, I myself am against you. I will punish you in the sight of the nations.

9 I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again. That is because you worship statues of gods. I hate them.

10 So parents will eat their own children inside the city. And children will eat their parents. I will punish you. And I will scatter to the winds anyone who is left alive.

11 "You have made my temple 'unclean.' You have set up statues of all of your evil gods. You have done other things I hate. So I will not show you my favor anymore. I will not spare you or feel sorry for you. And that is just as sure as I am alive," announces the LORD and King.

12 "A third of your people will die of the plague inside your walls. Or they will die of hunger there. Another third will be killed with swords outside your walls. And I will scatter the last third of your people to the winds. I will chase them with a sword that is ready to strike them down.

13 "Then I will not be angry anymore. My burning anger against them will die down. And I will be satisfied. Then they will know that I have spoken with strong feelings. And my burning anger toward them will come to an end. I am the Lord.

14 "I will destroy you. I will bring shame on you in the sight of the nations that are around you. All those who pass by will see it.

15 You will be put to shame. The nations will make fun of you. You will serve as a warning to others. They will be shocked when they see you. So I will punish you because my anger burns against you. You will feel the sting of my warning. I have spoken. I am the Lord.

16 "I will shoot at you with my deadly, destroying arrows of hunger. I will shoot to kill. I will bring more and more hunger on you. I will cut off your food supply.

17 I will send hunger and wild animals against you. They will destroy all of your children. Plague and murder will sweep over you. And I will send swords to kill you. I have spoken. I am the Lord."

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, turn your attention to the mountains of Israel. Prophesy against them.

3 Say, 'Mountains of Israel, listen to the message of the LORD and King. Here is what he says to the mountains and hills. And here is what he says to the canyons and valleys. He tells them, "I will send swords to kill your people. I will destroy the high places where you worship other gods.

4 " ' "Your altars will be torn down. Your incense altars will be smashed. And I will kill your people in front of the statues of your gods.

5 I will put the dead bodies of Israelites in front of those statues. I will scatter your bones around your altars.

6 " ' "No matter where you live, the towns will be destroyed. The high places will be torn down. So your altars will be completely destroyed. The statues of your gods will be smashed to pieces. Your incense altars will be broken down. And everything you have made will be wiped out.

7 Your people will fall down dead among you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

8 " ' "But I will spare some of you. Some will escape from being killed with swords. You will be scattered among other lands and nations.

9 You will be taken away to those nations as prisoners. Those of you who escape will remember me. You will recall how much pain your unfaithful hearts gave me. You turned away from me. Your eyes longed to see the statues of your gods. You will hate yourselves because of all of the evil things you have done. I hate those things too.

10 You will know that I am the Lord. I said I would bring trouble on you. And my warning came true." ' "

11 The LORD and King said to me, "Clap your hands. Stamp your feet. Cry out, 'How sad!' Do it because the people of Israel have done so many evil things. I hate those things. Israel will be destroyed by war, hunger and plague.

12 Those who are far away will die of the plague. Those who are near will be killed with swords. Those who are left alive and are spared will die of hunger. And my burning anger toward them will come to an end.

13 "Then they will know that I am the Lord. Their people will lie dead among the statues of their gods around their altars. Their bodies will lie on every high hill and every mountaintop. They will lie under every green tree and leafy oak tree. They used to offer sweet-smelling incense to all of their gods at those places.

14 I will reach out my powerful hand against them. The land will become dry and empty. Those people will live from the desert all the way to Diblah. They will know that I am the Lord."

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, I am the LORD and King. I say to the land of Israel, 'The end has come! It has come on the four corners of the land.

3 The end has now come for you. I will pour out my anger on you. I will judge you based on how you have lived. I will pay you back for all of your evil practices. I hate them.

4 " 'I will not spare you or feel sorry for you. You can be sure that I will pay you back in keeping with how you have lived. I will judge you for your evil practices. I hate them. You will know that I am the Lord.'

5 "I am the LORD and King. I say, 'Horrible trouble is coming! No one has ever heard of anything like it.

6 " 'The end has come! The end has come! It has stirred itself up against you. It is here!

7 Death has come on you who live in the land. The time for you to be destroyed has come. The day when it will happen is near. There is no joy on your mountains. There is nothing but panic.

8 " 'I am about to pour out all of my burning anger on you. I will judge you based on how you have lived. I will pay you back for all of your evil practices. I hate them.

9 " 'I will not spare you or feel sorry for you. I will pay you back based on how you have lived. I will judge you for your evil practices. I hate them. You will know that I am the one who strikes you down. I am the Lord.

10 " 'The day for me to punish you is here! It has come! Death has arrived. The time is ripe for you to be judged. Your pride has grown so much that you will be destroyed.

11 Your mean and harmful acts have become like a rod. I will use it to punish you for your sins. None of you will be left. No wealth or anything of value will remain.

12 " 'The time has come! The day has arrived! I will soon pour out my burning anger on the whole crowd of you. Do not let the buyer be happy. Do not let the seller be sad.

13 The seller will not get back the land that was sold as long as both of them are alive. " 'Ezekiel, the vision I gave you about that whole crowd will come true. They have committed many sins. So none of them will remain alive.

14 They might blow trumpets. They might get everything ready. But no one will go into battle. I will soon pour out my burning anger on the whole crowd.

15 " 'There is trouble everywhere. War is outside the city. Plague and hunger are inside it. Those who are out in the country will die in battle. Those in the city will be destroyed by hunger and plague.

16 All those who escape and are left alive will run to the mountains. They have committed many sins. So they will cry like sad doves in the valleys.

17 " 'Their hands will be powerless to help them. Their knees will become as weak as water.

18 They will put on black clothes. They will put on terror as if it were their clothes. Their faces will be covered with shame. Their heads will be shaved.

19 " 'They will throw their silver into the streets. Their gold will be like an "unclean" thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to save them on the day I pour out my anger on them. They will not be able to satisfy their hunger. Their stomachs will not be full. Their silver and gold have tripped them up. They have made them fall into sin.

20 My people were so proud of their beautiful jewelry. They used it to make statues of their evil gods. I hate those gods. So I will turn their statues into an "unclean" thing for them.

21 " 'I will hand everything over to strangers. I will turn it over to sinful people in other countries. They will pollute it.

22 I will turn my face away from my people. Their enemies will pollute my beautiful temple. Robbers will enter it and pollute it.

23 " 'Ezekiel, get ready to put my people in chains. The land is full of murderers. They are harming one another all over Jerusalem.

24 I will bring the most evil nations against them. They will take over the houses in the city. I will put an end to the pride of those who are mighty. Their holy places will be polluted.

25 " 'When terror comes, they will look for peace. But there will not be any.

26 Trouble after trouble will come. One report will follow another. But they will not be true. The people will try to get visions from the prophets. But there will not be any. The teaching of the law by the priests will be gone. So will advice from the elders.

27 " 'The king will be filled with sadness. The princes will lose all hope. The hands of the people of the land will tremble. I will punish them based on how they have lived. I will judge them by their own standards. Then they will know that I am the Lord.' "

1 It was the sixth year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the fifth day of the sixth month, I was sitting in my house. The elders of Judah were sitting there with me. The LORD and King put his powerful hand on me there.

2 I looked up and saw a figure that appeared to be human. From his waist down he looked like fire. From his waist up he looked as bright as glowing metal.

3 He reached out what appeared to be a hand. He took hold of me by the hair of my head. The Spirit of the LORD lifted me up between earth and heaven. In visions God gave me, the Spirit took me to Jerusalem. He brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the inner courtyard. The statue of a god was standing there. It made God very angry.

4 There in front of me was the glory of the God of Israel. It looked just as it did in the vision I had seen on the flatlands.

5 Then the LORD said to me, "Son of man, look toward the north." So I did. I saw a statue that made God angry. It was in the entrance of the gate north of the altar.

6 He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the people of Israel are doing here? They are doing things I hate very much. Those things will cause me to go far away from my temple. But you will see things I hate even more."

7 Then he brought me to the entrance to the courtyard. I looked up and saw a hole in the wall.

8 He said to me, "Son of man, dig into the wall." So I did. And I saw a door there.

9 He continued, "Go through it. Look at the evil things they are doing here. I hate those things."

10 So I went in and looked. All over the walls were pictures of all kinds of crawling things and other animals. The LORD hates it when people worship those things. There were also carvings of all of the gods of the people of Israel.

11 In front of them stood 70 elders of Israel. Jaazaniah was standing there among them. He is the son of Shaphan. Each elder was holding a shallow cup. A sweet-smelling cloud of incense was rising from the cups.

12 The LORD said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the elders of Israel are doing in the dark? Each of them is in his own room worshiping his own god. They say, 'The LORD doesn't see us. He has deserted the land.' "

13 He continued, "You will see them doing things I hate even more."

14 Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the LORD's house. I saw women sitting there. They were sobbing over the god Tammuz.

15 The LORD said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing? You will see things I hate even more."

16 Then he brought me into the inner courtyard of the LORD's house. About 25 men were there. They were at the entrance to the LORD's temple between the porch and the altar. Their backs were turned toward the temple. Their faces were turned toward the east. And they were bowing down to the sun.

17 He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen all of that? The people of Judah are doing things here that I hate. This is a very serious matter. They are harming one another all through the land. They continue to make me very angry. Just look at them making fun of me!

18 So I am angry with them. I will punish them. I will not spare them or feel sorry for them. They might even shout in my ears. But I will not listen to them."

1 Then I heard the LORD call out in a loud voice. He said, "Bring those who guard the city here. Make sure each of them has a weapon."

2 I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate. It faces north. Each of them had a deadly weapon. A man who was wearing linen clothes came along with them. He was carrying a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 The glory of the God of Israel had been above the cherubim. It moved from there to the doorway of the temple. Then the LORD called to the man who was dressed in linen clothes. He had the writing kit.

4 The LORD said to him, "Go all through Jerusalem. Look for those who are sad and sorry about all of the things that are being done there. I hate those things. Put a mark on the foreheads of those people."

5 I heard him speak to the six men. He said, "Follow him through the city. Do not show any pity or concern.

6 Kill old men and women, young men and women, and children. But do not touch anyone who has the mark. Start at my temple." So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple.

7 Then he said to the men, "Make the temple 'unclean.' Fill the courtyards with dead bodies. Go!" So they went out and started killing people all through the city.

8 While they were doing it, I was left alone. I fell with my face toward the ground. I cried out, "LORD and King, are you going to destroy all of the Israelites who are still left alive? Will you pour out your burning anger on all those who remain in Jerusalem?"

9 He answered me, "The sin of Israel and Judah is very great. The land is full of murderers. They are not being fair to one another anywhere in Jerusalem. They say, 'The LORD has deserted the land. He doesn't see us.'

10 So I will not spare them or feel sorry for them. Anything that happens to them will be their own fault."

11 Then the man who was wearing linen clothes returned. He had the writing kit. He reported, "I've done what you commanded."

1 I looked up and saw something that appeared to be a throne made out of sapphire. It was above the huge space that was spread out over the heads of the cherubim.

2 The LORD spoke to the man who was wearing linen clothes. He said, "Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from the fire that is among the cherubim. Scatter the coals over the city." As I watched, he went in.

3 The cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in. A cloud filled the inner courtyard.

4 Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim. It moved to the doorway of the temple. The cloud filled the temple. And the courtyard was full of the brightness of the glory of the Lord.

5 The sound the wings of the cherubim made could be heard as far away as the outer courtyard. It was like the voice of the Mighty God when he speaks.

6 The LORD gave a command to the man who was dressed in linen clothes. He said, "Get some coals of fire from among the wheels. Take them from among the cherubim." So the man went in and stood beside a wheel.

7 Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand. He picked up some of the burning coals that were among the wheels. He handed them to the man who was wearing linen clothes. The man took them and left.

8 I saw what looked like a man's hands. They were under the wings of the cherubim.

9 I looked up and saw four wheels beside the cherubim. One wheel was beside each of them. The wheels gleamed like chrysolite.

10 All four of them looked alike. Each wheel appeared to be inside another wheel at right angles.

11 The wheels could go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced. The wheels didn't change their direction as the cherubim moved. The cherubim went in the direction their heads faced. They didn't change their direction as they moved.

12 Their whole bodies were completely covered with eyes. That included their backs, hands and wings. Their four wheels were covered with eyes too.

13 I heard someone tell the wheels to start spinning around.

14 Each of the cherubim had four faces. One face was the face of a cherub. The second was a man's face. The third was the face of a lion. And the fourth was an eagle's face.

15 The cherubim rose from the ground. They were the same living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River.

16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved. The cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground. As they did, the wheels didn't leave their side.

17 When the cherubim stood still, the wheels also stood still. When the cherubim rose, the wheels rose along with them. That's because the spirits of the living creatures were in the wheels.

18 Then the glory of the LORD moved away from the doorway of the temple. It stopped above the cherubim.

19 While I watched, they spread their wings. They rose from the ground. As they went, the wheels went along with them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD's house. And the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

20 Those were the same living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River. I had seen them beneath the God of Israel. I realized that they were cherubim.

21 Each one had four faces and four wings. Under their wings was what looked like a man's hands.

22 Their faces looked the same as the ones I had seen by the Kebar River. Each of the cherubim went straight ahead.

1 Then the Spirit of the LORD lifted me up. He brought me to the east gate of the LORD's house. There were 25 men at the entrance of the gate. I saw Jaazaniah and Pelatiah among them. They were leaders of the people. Jaazaniah is the son of Azzur. Pelatiah is the son of Benaiah.

2 The LORD said to me, "Son of man, these men are making evil plans. They are giving bad advice to the city.

3 They say, 'This is not the time to build houses. The city is like a cooking pot. And we are the meat.'

4 So prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man."

5 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on me. He told me to tell them, "The LORD says, 'People of Israel, that is what you are saying. But I know what you are thinking.

6 You have killed many people in this city. In fact, you have filled its streets with dead bodies.'

7 "So the LORD and King says, 'The bodies you have thrown there are the meat. And the city is the cooking pot. But I will drive you out of it.

8 You are afraid of the swords of war. But I will bring them against you,' announces the LORD and King.

9 " 'I will drive you out of the city. I will hand you over to strangers. And I will punish you.

10 You will be killed with swords. I will judge you at the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

11 " 'This city will not be a pot for you. And you will not be the meat in it. I will judge you at the borders of Israel.

12 Then you will know that I am the Lord. You have not followed my rules. You have not kept my laws. Instead, you have lived by the standards of the nations that are around you.' "

13 Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, died as I was prophesying. Then I fell with my face toward the ground. I cried out in a loud voice. I said, "LORD and King, will you destroy all of the Israelites who are still left alive?"

14 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

15 "Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have spoken about your relatives. They have also spoken about all of the other people of Israel. They have said, 'Stay far away from the Lord. This land was given to us. And it belongs to us.'

16 "So tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "I sent some of my people far away among the nations. I scattered them among the countries. But for a little while I have been their temple in the countries where they have gone." '

17 "Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "I will gather you from the nations. I will bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered. I will give you back the land of Israel." '

18 "They will return to it. They will remove all of its statues of evil gods. I hate those gods.

19 I will give my people hearts that are completely committed to me. I will give them a new spirit that is faithful to me. I will remove their stubborn hearts from them. And I will give them hearts that obey me.

20 Then they will follow my rules. They will be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people. And I will be their God.

21 "But some people have hearts that are committed to worshiping the statues of their evil gods. I hate those gods. Anything that happens to those people will be their own fault," announces the LORD and King.

22 Then the cherubim spread their wings. The wheels were beside them. The glory of the God of Israel was above them.

23 The glory of the LORD went up from the city. It stopped above the Mount of Olives east of it.

24 The Spirit of God lifted me up. He took me to those who had been brought to Babylonia as prisoners. Those are the things that happened in the visions the Spirit gave me. Then the visions I had seen were gone.

25 I told my people everything the LORD had shown me.

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, you are living among people who refuse to obey me. They have eyes that can see. But they do not really see. They have ears that can hear. But they do not really hear. They refuse to obey me.

3 "Son of man, pack your belongings as if you were going on a long trip. Leave in the daytime. Let the people see you. Start out from where you are. Go to another place. Perhaps they will understand the meaning of what you are doing. But they will still refuse to obey me.

4 Bring out your belongings packed for a long trip. Do it during the daytime. Let the people see you. Then in the evening, pretend you are being forced to leave home. Let the people see you.

5 "While the people are watching, dig through the mud bricks of your house. Then take your belongings out through the hole in the wall.

6 Put them on your shoulder. Carry them out at sunset. Let the people see you. Cover your face so you can't see the land. All of that will show the people of Israel what is going to happen to them."

7 So I did just as he commanded me. During the day I brought out my things as if I were going on a long trip. In the evening I dug through the wall of my house with my hands. At sunset I took my belongings out. I put them on my shoulders. The people watched what I was doing.

8 In the morning a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

9 "Son of man, didn't the people of Israel ask you, 'What are you doing?' They always refuse to obey me.

10 "Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "This message is about Zedekiah, the prince in Jerusalem. It is also about all of the people of Israel who still live there." '

11 Tell them, 'The things I've done are a picture of what's going to happen to you. So what I've done will happen to you. You will be forced to leave home. You will be taken to Babylonia as prisoners.'

12 "The prince among them will put his things on his shoulder and leave. He will do it at sunset. Someone will dig a hole in a wall for him to go through. He will cover his face so he can't see the land.

13 I will spread out my net to catch him. He will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylonia. It is the land where the Chaldeans live. But he will not see it. He will die there.

14 I will scatter to the winds all those who are around him. I will scatter his officials and all of his troops. And I will chase them with a sword that is ready to strike them down.

15 "They will know that I am the LORD when I scatter them among the nations. I will send them to other countries.

16 But I will spare a few of them. I will save them from war, hunger and plague. In those countries they will admit they have done all kinds of evil things. I hate those things. They will know that I am the Lord."

17 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

18 "Son of man, tremble with fear as you eat your food. Tremble as you drink your water.

19 Speak to the people of the land. Say to them, 'Here is what the LORD and King says about those who live in Jerusalem and Israel. He tells them, "They will be worried as they eat their food. They will not have any hope as they drink their water. Their land will be stripped of everything in it because all those who live there are harming one another.

20 The towns where people live will be completely destroyed. The land will become a dry and empty desert. Then you will know that I am the Lord." ' "

21 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

22 "Son of man, you have a proverb in the land of Israel. It says, 'The days go by, and not even one vision comes true.'

23 Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "I am going to put an end to that proverb. They will not use that saying in Israel anymore." ' Tell them, 'The days are coming soon when every vision will come true.

24 There will be no more false visions. People will no longer use magic to find out whether good things are going to happen in Israel.

25 I am the Lord. So I will say what I want to. And it will come true when I want it to. In your days I will do everything I say I will. But you people always refuse to obey me,' announces the LORD and King."

26 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

27 "Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, 'The vision Ezekiel sees won't come true for many years. He is prophesying about a time that is a long way off.'

28 "So tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "Everything I say will come true. It will happen when I want it to," announces the LORD and King.' "

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, prophesy against those who are now prophesying in Israel. What they prophesy comes out of their own minds. Tell them, 'Listen to the LORD's message!

3 The LORD and King says, "How terrible it will be for you foolish prophets! You say what your own minds tell you to. Your visions did not come from me.

4 " ' "Israel, your prophets are like wild dogs that live among broken-down buildings.

5 You have not repaired the cracks in the city wall for the people of Israel. So it will not stand firm in the battle on the day I judge you.

6 The visions of those prophets are false. They use magic to try to find out what is going to happen. But their magic tricks are lies. They say, 'The LORD announces.' But I have not sent them. In spite of that, they expect their words to come true.

7 " ' "You prophets have seen false visions. You have used magic to try to find out what is going to happen. But your magic tricks are lies. So you lied when you said, 'The LORD announces.' I did not even speak to you at all."

8 " 'The LORD and King says, "I am against you prophets. Your messages are false. Your visions do not come true," announces the LORD and King.

9 " ' "Israel, my powerful hand will be against the prophets who see false visions. Their magic tricks are lies. They will not be among the leaders of my people. They will not be listed in the records of Israel. In fact, they will not even enter the land. Then you will know that I am the LORD and King.

10 " ' "They lead my people away from me. They say, 'Peace.' But there isn't any peace. They are like people who build a weak wall. They try to cover up the weakness by painting the wall white.

11 Tell those who do it that their wall is going to fall. Heavy rains will come. I will send hailstones crashing down. Powerful winds will blow.

12 The wall will fall down. Then people will ask them, 'Now where is the paint you covered it with?' "

13 " 'So the LORD and King speaks. He says, "When I am burning with anger, I will send a powerful wind. Hailstones and heavy rains will come. They will fall with great force.

14 I will tear down the wall you prophets painted over. I will knock it down. The only thing left will be its foundation. When it falls, you will be destroyed along with it. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

15 " ' "So I will pour out all of my burning anger on the wall. I will also send it against you prophets who painted it. I will say to you, 'The wall is gone. You who painted it will be gone too.

16 You prophets of Israel prophesied to Jerusalem. You saw visions of peace for its people. But there wasn't any peace,' announces the LORD and King." '

17 "Son of man, turn your attention to the daughters of your people. What they prophesy comes out of their own minds. So prophesy against them.

18 Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "How terrible it will be for you women who sew magic charms to put around your wrists! You make veils of different lengths to put on your heads. You do those things to trap people. You trap my people. But you will also be trapped.

19 You have treated me as if I were not holy. You did it among my very own people. You did it for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. You told lies to my people. They like to listen to lies. You killed those who should have lived. And you spared those who should have died."

20 " 'So the LORD and King says, "I am against your magic charms. You use them to trap people as if they were birds. I will tear them off your arms. I will set free the people you trap like birds.

21 I will tear your veils off your heads. I will save my people from your powerful hands. They will no longer be under your control. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

22 " ' "I had not made godly people sad. But when you told them lies, you made them lose all hope. You advised sinful people not to turn from their evil ways. You did not want them to save their lives.

23 So you will never see false visions again. You will not use your magic tricks anymore. I will save my people from your powerful hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord." ' "

1 Some of the elders of Israel came to see me. They sat down with me.

2 Then a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

3 "Son of man, these men have thought about nothing but other gods. They have fallen into the evil trap of worshiping them. Should I let those men ask me for any advice?

4 "Speak to them. Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "Suppose an Israelite thinks about other gods. And he falls into the evil trap of worshiping them. Then he goes to a prophet to ask for advice. If he does, I myself will tell the prophet to answer him in keeping with his worship of many gods.

5 I will win back the hearts of the people of Israel. All of them have deserted me for their other gods." '

6 "So speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "Turn away from your sins! Also turn away from your gods. Give up all of the evil things you have done. I hate them.

7 " ' "Suppose an Israelite or outsider who lives in Israel separates himself from me. And he thinks about other gods. He falls into the evil trap of worshiping them. Then he goes to a prophet to ask me for advice. If he does, I myself will tell the prophet to answer him.

8 I will turn against him. I will make an example out of him. People will laugh at him. I will cut him off from you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

9 " ' "Suppose that prophet is stirred up to give a prophecy. Then I am the one who has stirred him up. And I will reach out my powerful hand against him. I will destroy him from among my people Israel.

10 The prophet will be as much to blame as the one who asks him for advice. Both of them will be guilty.

11 Then the people of Israel will no longer wander away from me. And they will not pollute themselves anymore with their many sins. They will be my people. And I will be their God," ' announces the LORD and King."

12 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

13 "Son of man, suppose the people in a certain country sin against me. And they are not faithful to me. So I reach out my powerful hand against them. I cut off their food supply. I make them very hungry. I kill them and their animals.

14 And suppose Noah, Daniel and Job were in that country. Then those three men could save only themselves by doing what is right," announces the LORD and King.

15 "Or suppose I send wild animals through that country. And they kill all of its children. It becomes a dry and empty desert. No one can pass through it because of the animals.

16 And suppose those three men were in that country. Then they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved. But the land would become a dry and empty desert. And that is just as sure as I am alive," announces the LORD and King.

17 "Or suppose I send swords to kill the people in that country. And I say, 'Let swords sweep all through the land.' And I kill its people and their animals.

18 And suppose those three men were in that country. Then they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved. And that is just as sure as I am alive," announces the LORD and King.

19 "Or suppose I send a plague into that land. And I pour out my burning anger on it by spilling blood. I kill its people and their animals.

20 And suppose Noah, Daniel and Job were in that land. Then they could not save their own sons or daughters. They could save only themselves by doing what is right. And that is just as sure as I am alive," announces the LORD and King.

21 The LORD and King says, "It will get much worse. I will punish Jerusalem in four horrible ways. There will be war, hunger, wild animals and plague. They will destroy the people and their animals.

22 "But some people will be left alive. Some children will be brought out of the city. They will come to you. You will see how they act and the way they live. And you will be comforted in spite of all of the trouble I brought on Jerusalem.

23 You will be comforted when you see how they act and the way they live. Then you will know that I did not do anything there without a reason," announces the LORD and King.

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, is the wood of a vine better than the wood of any of the trees in the forest?

3 Can its wood ever be made into anything useful? Can pegs be made from it to hang things on?

4 "Suppose it is thrown in the fire to be burned. And the fire burns both ends and blackens the middle. Then is it useful for anything?

5 It was not useful when it was whole. So how can it be made into something useful now? The fire has burned it and blackened it."

6 The LORD and King says, "Instead of the wood of any tree in the forest, I have given the vine to burn in the fire. I will treat the people who live in Jerusalem the same way.

7 I will turn against them. They might have come out of the fire. But the fire will destroy them anyway. I will turn against them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

8 I will make the land a dry and empty desert. My people have not been faithful to me," announces the LORD and King.

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, tell the people of Jerusalem the evil things they have done. I hate those things.

3 "Tell them, 'The LORD and King speaks to Jerusalem. He says, "Your history in the land of Canaan goes back a long way. Your father was an Amorite. Your mother was a Hittite.

4 On the day you were born your cord was not cut. You were not washed with water to clean you up. You were not rubbed with salt. And you were not wrapped in large strips of cloth.

5 No one took pity on you. No one was concerned enough to do any of those things for you. Instead, you were thrown out into an open field. You were hated on the day you were born.

6 " ' "I was passing by. I saw you kicking around in your blood. As you were lying there, I said to you, 'Live!'

7 I made you grow like a plant in a field. Soon you had grown up. You became the most beautiful jewel of all. Your breasts had formed. Your hair had grown. But you were naked and bare.

8 " ' "Later, I was passing by again. I looked at you. I saw that you were old enough for love. So I got married to you and took good care of you. I covered your naked body. I took an oath and made a firm promise to you. I entered into a covenant with you. And you became mine," announces the LORD and King.

9 " ' "I bathed you with water. I washed the blood off you. And I put lotions on you.

10 I put a beautiful dress on you. I gave you leather sandals. I dressed you in fine linen. I covered you with expensive clothes.

11 I decorated you with jewelry. I put bracelets on your arms. I gave you a necklace for your neck.

12 I put rings on your nose and ears. And I gave you a beautiful crown for your head.

13 " ' "So you were decorated with gold and silver. Your clothes were made out of fine linen. They were made of expensive and beautiful cloth. Your food was made out of fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful. You became a queen.

14 You were so beautiful that your fame spread among the nations. The glory I had given you made your beauty perfect," announces the LORD and King.

15 " ' "But you trusted in your beauty. You used your fame to become a prostitute. You offered your body freely to anyone who passed by. In fact, you gave yourself to anyone who wanted you.

16 You used some of your clothes to make high places colorful. That is where people worshiped other gods. You were a prostitute there. Things like that should never happen. They should never take place.

17 " ' "I had given you fine jewelry. It was made out of gold and silver. You used it to make for yourself statues of male gods. You worshiped those gods. You were not faithful to me.

18 You put your beautiful clothes on them. You offered my oil and incense to them.

19 You also offered them the food that was made out of fine flour, olive oil and honey. I had given it to you to eat. You offered it as sweet-smelling incense to them. That is what you did," announces the LORD and King.

20 " ' "Then you got your sons and daughters who belonged to me. And you sacrificed them as food to other gods. Wasn't it enough for you to be a prostitute?

21 You killed my children. You sacrificed them to other gods.

22 " ' "You did not remember the days when you were young. At that time you were naked and bare. You were kicking around in your blood. But now you have done evil things. I hate them. You have worshiped other gods. You have not been faithful to me.

23 " ' "How terrible it will be for you!" announces the LORD and King. "How terrible for you! You continued to sin against me.

24 Your people built up mounds for themselves in every market place. They put little places of worship on them.

25 They set them up at every street corner. Jerusalem, you misused your beauty. You offered your body to anyone who passed by. You did it again and again.

26 " ' "You committed shameful acts with the people of Egypt. They were your neighbors, and they were filled with longing for their lovers. You offered yourself to others again and again. That made me very angry.

27 So I reached out my powerful hand against you. I made your territory smaller. I handed you over to your Philistine enemies. The people in their towns were shocked by your impure conduct.

28 " ' "You also committed shameful acts with the people of Assyria. Nothing ever seemed to satisfy you. You could never get enough.

29 Then you offered yourself to the people of Babylonia. But that did not satisfy you either. There are many traders in the land of Babylonia.

30 " ' "You can't control yourself," announces the LORD and King. "Just look at all of the things you are doing! You are acting like a prostitute who has no shame at all.

31 Your people built up mounds at every street corner. You put little places of worship on them in every market place. But you did not really act like a prostitute. You refused to let your lovers pay you anything.

32 " ' "You unfaithful wife! You would rather be with strangers than with your own husband!

33 Every prostitute gets paid. But you give gifts to all of your lovers. You offer them money to come to you from everywhere. You want them to make love to you. You are not faithful to me.

34 As a prostitute, you are the opposite of others. No one runs after you to make love to you. You are exactly the opposite. You pay them. They do not pay you." ' "

35 You prostitute, listen to the LORD's message.

36 The LORD and King says, "You poured out your wealth on your lovers. You took your clothes off and made love to them. You did it again and again. You worshiped other gods. I hate them. You even sacrificed your children to them.

37 "So I am going to gather together all of the lovers you found pleasure with. They include those you loved and those you hated. I will gather them against you from everywhere. I will take your clothes off right in front of them. Then they will see you completely naked.

38 I will hand down my sentence against you. You will be punished like women who commit adultery and sacrifice their children to other gods. My anger burns against you so much that I will sentence you to death for everything you have done.

39 "Then I will hand you over to your lovers. They will tear down those mounds you built. They will destroy the little places of worship you put on them. They will take your clothes off. They will remove your fine jewelry. And they will leave you naked and bare.

40 "They will bring a crowd against you. The crowd will put you to death by throwing stones at you. And they will chop you to pieces with their swords.

41 They will burn your houses down and punish you. Many women will see it. "I will not let you be a prostitute anymore. You will no longer pay your lovers.

42 Then my burning anger against you will die down. My jealous anger will turn away from you. I will be calm. I will not be angry anymore.

43 "You did not remember the days when you were young. The things you did made me very angry. So anything that happens to you will be your own fault," announces the LORD and King. "You added impure conduct to all of the other evil things you did. I hate all of those things.

44 "All those who use proverbs will use this one about you. They will say, 'Like mother, like daughter.'

45 You are a true daughter of your mother. She hated her husband and children. And you are a true sister of your sisters. They hated their husbands and children. "Your mother was a Hittite. Your father was an Amorite.

46 Your older sister was Samaria. She lived north of you with her daughters. Your younger sister was Sodom. She lived south of you with her daughters.

47 You lived exactly the way they did. You copied their evil practices. I hate those practices. Everything you did was so sinful that you soon became even worse than they were.

48 "Your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. And that is just as sure as I am alive," announces the LORD and King.

49 "Here is the sin your sister Sodom committed. She and her daughters were proud. They ate too much. They were not concerned about others. They did not help those who were poor and in need.

50 They were very proud. They did many things that were evil in my sight. I hated those things. So I got rid of Sodom and her daughters, just as you have seen.

51 "Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You sinned even more than they did. I hate those sins. Compared to what you did, you made your sisters seem godly.

52 So you will be dishonored. You have given your sisters an excuse for what they did. Your sins were far worse than theirs. In fact, your sisters appear to be more godly than you. So then, be ashamed. You will be dishonored. You have made them appear to be godly.

53 "I will not only give you back what you had before. I will also do the same thing for Sodom and her daughters. And I will do the same for Samaria and her daughters.

54 That will make you feel dishonored. You will be ashamed of everything you have done. You have made them feel better because you sinned more and were punished more than they were.

55 Your sisters Sodom and Samaria and their daughters will return to what they were before. And you and your daughters will return to what you were before.

56 "In the past you would not even mention your sister Sodom. You were proud at that time.

57 That was before your sin was uncovered. Now the daughters of Edom make fun of you. So do all of her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines. Everyone who lives around you looks down on you.

58 You will be punished for your impure conduct. I will also punish you for the other evil things you have done. I hate all of those things," announces the Lord.

59 The LORD and King says, "I will punish you in keeping with what you have done. I sealed with an oath the covenant I made with you. You hated that oath. And you broke my covenant.

60 "But I will remember my covenant with you. I made it with you when you were young. Now I will make a new covenant with you. It will last forever.

61 Then you will remember how you have lived. You will be ashamed when I give you Samaria and Sodom. Samaria is your older sister. Sodom is your younger one. I will give them and their daughters to you as daughters. That can't happen based on my old covenant with you.

62 So I will make my new covenant with you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

63 "I will pay for all of the sins you have committed. Then you will remember what you have done. You will be ashamed of it. Because of your shame, you will never speak against me again," announces the LORD and King.

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, tell the people of Israel a story about their kings. Let them know what will happen to them.

3 Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "A great eagle came to the city of 'Lebanon.' It had powerful wings and a lot of long feathers. The feathers were colorful and beautiful. The eagle landed in the top of a cedar tree.

4 It broke off the highest twig. It carried it away to Babylonia. There are many traders in that land. The eagle planted the twig in the city of Babylon.

5 " ' "Then it got a seed from your land. It put it in rich soil near plenty of water. It planted the seed like a willow tree.

6 The seed grew into a low, spreading vine. Its branches turned toward the eagle. And its roots remained under the eagle. So the seed became a vine. It produced branches and put out leaves.

7 " ' "But there was another great eagle. It also had powerful wings and a lot of feathers. The vine now sent its roots out toward that eagle. It sent them out from the place where it was planted. And it reached out its branches to the eagle for water.

8 The seed had been planted in good soil near plenty of water. Then it could produce branches and bear fruit. It could become a beautiful vine." '

9 "Ezekiel, tell the Israelites, 'The LORD and King asks, "Will the vine grow? Won't it be pulled up by its roots? Won't all of its fruit be stripped off? Won't it dry up? All of its new growth will dry up. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up.

10 It will not grow even if it is pulled up and planted somewhere else. It will dry up completely when the east wind strikes it. It will dry up in the place where it grew." ' "

11 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

12 "These people refuse to obey me. Ask them, 'Don't you know what these things mean?' Tell them, 'Nebuchadnezzar went to Jerusalem. He was king of Babylonia. He carried off King Jehoiachin and the nobles. He brought them back with him to the city of Babylon.

13 " 'Then Nebuchadnezzar made a peace treaty with Zedekiah. He was a member of Jerusalem's royal family. Nebuchadnezzar made him take an oath and promise he would keep the treaty. He also took the leading men of the land away as prisoners.

14 He did it to bring their kingdom down. It would not rise again. In fact, it would be able to last only by keeping his treaty.

15 " 'But Zedekiah turned against him. He sent messengers to Egypt. They went there to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Will he who does things like that escape? Can he break the peace treaty and still escape?

16 " 'Zedekiah will die in Babylon,' announces the LORD and King. 'And that is just as sure as I am alive. He will die in the land of King Nebuchadnezzar, who put him on the throne. He is the king whose oath Zedekiah hated. He also broke Nebuchadnezzar's treaty.

17 " 'So Nebuchadnezzar will build ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. He will set up war machines to destroy many lives. Pharaoh will not be able to help Zedekiah during the war. The huge and mighty army of Egypt will not be of any help.

18 " 'Zedekiah hated Nebuchadnezzar's oath and broke his treaty. He had made a firm promise to keep it. But he broke it anyway. So he will not escape.

19 " 'The LORD and King says, "Zedekiah hated the oath he took in my name. He broke the treaty. So I will pay him back. And that is just as sure as I am alive.

20 I will spread out my net to catch him. He will be caught in my trap. I will bring him to Babylon. I will judge him there because he was not faithful to me.

21 " ' "All of Zedekiah's troops will be killed with swords when they try to run away. Those who are left alive will be scattered to the winds. Then you will know that I have spoken. I am the Lord."

22 " 'The LORD and King says, "I myself will get a twig from the very top of a cedar tree and plant it. I will break off the highest twig. I will plant it on a very high mountain.

23 I will plant it on the high mountains of Israel. It will produce branches and bear fruit. It will become a beautiful cedar tree. All kinds of birds will make their nests in it. They will live in the shade of its branches.

24 All of the trees in the fields will know that I bring tall trees down. I make short trees grow tall. I dry up green trees. And I make dry trees green." " 'I have spoken. I will do it. I am the Lord.' "

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "You people have a proverb about the land of Israel. What do you mean by it? It says, " 'The parents eat sour grapes. But the children have a bitter taste in their mouths.'

3 "You will not use that proverb in Israel anymore," announces the LORD and King. "And that is just as sure as I am alive.

4 Everyone belongs to me. Father and son alike belong to me. People will die because of their own sins.

5 "Suppose a godly man does what is fair and right.

6 And he does not eat at the mountain temples. He does not worship the statues of Israel's gods. He does not have sex with another man's wife. He does not make love to his own wife during her monthly period.

7 He does not treat anyone badly. Instead, he always gives back what he took as security for a loan. He does not steal. Instead, he gives his food to hungry people. He provides clothes for those who are naked.

8 He does not lend money and charge too much interest. He keeps himself from doing what is wrong. He judges cases fairly.

9 He follows my rules. He is faithful in keeping my laws. He always does what is right. You can be sure he will live," announces the LORD and King.

10 "But suppose he has a mean son who harms other people. The son commits murder. Or he does some other things that are wrong.

11 Suppose he does those things even though his father never did. "Suppose he eats at the mountain temples. And he has sex with another man's wife.

12 He treats poor and needy people badly. He steals. He does not pay back what he owes. He worships statues of gods. He does other things I hate.

13 He lends money and charges too much interest. Will a man like that live? He will not! You can be sure he will be put to death. And what happens to him will be his own fault. He did many things I hate.

14 "But suppose that son has a son of his own. And the son sees all of the sins his father commits. He sees them, but he does not do them.

15 "Suppose he does not eat at the mountain temples. And he does not worship the statues of Israel's gods. He does not have sex with another man's wife.

16 He does not treat anyone badly. He does not make people give him something to prove they will pay back what they owe him. He does not steal. Instead, he gives his food to hungry people. He provides clothes for those who are naked.

17 He keeps himself from committing sins. He does not lend money and charge too much interest. He keeps my laws and follows my rules. He will not die because of his father's sin. You can be sure he will live.

18 But his father will die because of his own sin. He got rich by cheating others. He robbed his relatives. He also did what was wrong among his people.

19 "But you still ask, 'Is the son guilty along with his father?' No! The son did what was fair and right. He was careful to keep all of my rules. So you can be sure he will live.

20 People will die because of their own sins. The son will not be guilty because of what his father did. And the father will not be guilty because of what his son did. The right things a godly person does will be added to his account. The wrong things a sinful person does will be charged against him.

21 "But suppose a sinful person turns away from all of the sins he has committed. And he keeps all my rules. He does what is fair and right. Then you can be sure he will live. He will not die.

22 None of the sins he has committed will be held against him. Because of the godly things he has done, he will live.

23 "When sinful people die, it does not give me any joy," announces the LORD and King. "But when they turn away from their sins and live, that makes me very happy.

24 "Suppose a godly person stops doing what is right. And he commits sin. He does the same evil things a sinful person does. He does things I hate. Then he will not live. I will not remember any of the right things he has done. He has not been faithful to me. He has also committed many other sins. So he is guilty. He will die.

25 "But you say, 'What the Lord does isn't fair.' Listen to me, people of Israel. What I do is always fair. What you do is not.

26 "Suppose a godly person stops doing what is right. And he commits sin. Then he will die because of it. He will die because of the sin he has committed.

27 "But suppose a sinful person turns away from the evil things he has done. And he does what is fair and right. Then he will save his life.

28 He thinks about all of the evil things he has done. And he turns away from them. So you can be sure he will live. He will not die.

29 "But the people of Israel still say, 'What the Lord does isn't fair.' People of Israel, what I do is always fair. What you do is not.

30 "So I will judge you people. I will judge each of you in keeping with what you have done," announces the LORD and King. "Turn away from your sins! Turn away from all of the evil things you have done. Then sin will not bring you down.

31 Get rid of all of the evil things you have done. Let me give you a new heart and a new spirit. Then you will be faithful to me. Why should you die, people of Israel?

32 When anyone dies, it does not give me any joy," announces the LORD and King. "So turn away from your sins. Then you will live!

1 "Sing a song of sadness about Israel's princes.

2 Say to Israel, " 'You were like a mother lion to your princes. She lay down among the young lions. She brought up her cubs.

3 One of them was Jehoahaz. He became a strong lion. He learned to tear apart what he caught. And he ate men up.

4 The nations heard about him. They trapped him in their pit. They put hooks in his face. And they led him away to Egypt.

5 " 'The mother lion looked and waited. But all of her hope was gone. So she got another one of her cubs. She made him into a strong lion.

6 He prowled with the lions. He became very strong. He learned to tear apart what he caught. And he ate men up.

7 He broke down their forts. He completely destroyed their towns. The land and all those who were in it were terrified when he roared.

8 Then nations came against him. They came from all around him. They spread out their net to catch him. He was trapped in their pit.

9 They used hooks to pull him into a cage. They brought him to the king of Babylonia. They put him in prison. So his roar was not heard anymore on the mountains of Israel.

10 " 'Israel, you were like a vine in a vineyard. It was planted near water. It had a lot of fruit and many branches. There was plenty of water.

11 Its branches were strong. Each was good enough to be made into a ruler's rod. The vine grew high above all of the leaves. It stood out because it was so tall and had so many branches.

12 But Nebuchadnezzar became angry. He pulled it up by its roots. He threw it to the ground. The east wind dried it up. Its fruit was stripped off. Its strong branches dried up. And fire destroyed them.

13 Now it is planted in the Babylonian desert. It is in a dry and thirsty land.

14 One of its main branches was Zedekiah. Fire spread from it and burned up its fruit. None of its branches is good enough to be made into a ruler's rod.' "That is a song of sadness. And that is how it should be used."

1 It was the seventh year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to ask the LORD for advice. They sat down with me.

2 Then a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

3 "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel. Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "Have you come to ask me for advice? I will not let you do that," announces the LORD and King. "And that is just as sure as I am alive." '

4 "Are you going to judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Tell them the evil things their people did long ago. I hate those things.

5 Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "I chose Israel. On that day I raised my hand and took an oath. I made a promise to the members of Jacob's family line. I made myself known to them in Egypt. I raised my hand and told them, 'I am the LORD your God.'

6 " ' "On that day I promised I would bring them out of Egypt. I told them I would take them to a land I had found for them. It had plenty of milk and honey. It was the most beautiful land of all.

7 I said to them, 'Each of you must get rid of the statues of the evil gods you worship. Do not pollute yourselves by worshiping the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.'

8 " ' "But they refused to obey me. They would not listen to me. They did not get rid of the evil gods they worshiped. And they did not turn away from Egypt's gods. So I said I would pour out all of my burning anger on them in Egypt.

9 " ' "But I wanted my name to be honored. I kept it from being treated as if it were not holy. I did not want that to happen in front of the nations my people lived among. I had made myself known to Israel in the sight of those nations. I had brought my people out of Egypt.

10 " ' "So I led them out of Egypt. I brought them into the Desert of Sinai.

11 I gave them my rules. I made my laws known to them. The one who obeys them will live by them.

12 I also told them to observe my Sabbath days. That is the sign of the covenant I made with them. I wanted them to know that I made them holy. I am the Lord.

13 " ' "But the people of Israel refused to obey me in the desert. They did not follow my rules. They turned their backs on my laws. The one who obeys them will live by them. They totally misused my Sabbath days. So I said I would pour out my burning anger on them. I would destroy them in the desert.

14 " ' "But I wanted my name to be honored. I kept it from being treated as if it were not holy. I did not want that to happen in front of the nations. They had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt.

15 " ' "I also raised my hand and took an oath in the desert. I told my people I would not bring them into the land I had given them. It had plenty of milk and honey. It was the most beautiful land of all.

16 But they turned their backs on my laws. They did not follow my rules. They misused my Sabbaths. Their hearts were committed to worshiping the statues of their gods.

17 " ' "Then I felt sorry for them. So I did not destroy them. I did not put an end to them in the desert.

18 I spoke to their children there. I said, 'Do not follow the rules your parents gave you. Do not obey their laws. Do not pollute yourselves by worshiping their gods.

19 I am the LORD your God. So follow my rules. Be careful to obey my laws.

20 Keep my Sabbath days holy. That is the sign of the covenant I made with you. You will know that I am the LORD your God.'

21 " ' "But their children refused to obey me. They did not follow my rules. They were not careful to keep my laws. The one who obeys them will live by them. They misused my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out all of my burning anger on them in the desert.

22 " ' "But I kept myself from punishing them at that time. I wanted my name to be honored. So I kept it from being treated as if it were not holy. I did not want that to happen in front of the nations. They had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt.

23 " ' "I also raised my hand and took an oath in the desert. I told my people I would scatter them among the nations. I would send them to other countries.

24 They had not obeyed my laws. They had turned their backs on my rules. They had misused my Sabbaths. Their eyes longed to see the statues of their parents' gods.

25 " ' "I even let them follow rules that were not good. I let them have laws they could not live by.

26 I let them become polluted by offering sacrifices to other gods. They even sacrificed the first male child who was born in each family. I wanted to fill them with horror. Then they would know that I am the Lord." '

27 "Son of man, speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "Your people spoke evil things against me long ago. They deserted me.

28 But I brought them into the land. I had taken an oath and promised to give the land to them. Then they offered sacrifices that made me very angry. They did it on every high hill and under every green tree. There they brought their sweet-smelling incense. And there they poured out their drink offerings.

29 Then I said to them, 'What? You are going to a high place?' " ' " That high place is called Bamah to this very day.

30 The LORD said to me, "Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "Are you going to pollute yourselves the way your people did? Do you long to see the statues of their evil gods?

31 You pollute yourselves by offering sacrifices to other gods. You even sacrifice your children in the fire. You continue to do those things to this very day. People of Israel, should I let you ask me for advice? I will not let you do that," announces the LORD and King. "And that is just as sure as I am alive.

32 " ' "You say, 'We want to be like the other nations. We want to be like all of the other people in the world. They serve gods that are made out of wood and stone.' But what you have in mind will never happen.

33 I will rule over you by reaching out my mighty hand and powerful arm. I will pour my burning anger out on you," announces the LORD and King. "And that is just as sure as I am alive.

34 " ' "I will bring you back from the nations. I will gather you together from the countries where you have been scattered. I will reach out my mighty hand and powerful arm. I will pour my burning anger out on you.

35 I will send you among the nations. There I will judge you face to face. It will be as if I were judging you in the desert again.

36 Long ago, I judged your people in the desert of Egypt. In the same way, I will judge you," announces the LORD and King.

37 " ' "I will take note of you as you pass under my shepherd's rod. I will separate those who obey me from those who do not. And I will give the blessings of the new covenant to those of you who obey me.

38 I will get rid of those among you who turn against me and refuse to obey me. I will bring them out of the land where they are living. But they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

39 " ' "People of Israel, the LORD and King says, 'Go, every one of you! Serve your gods. But later you will listen to me. You will no longer treat my name as if it were not holy. You will not offer sacrifices to other gods anymore.

40 " ' " 'People of Israel, you will serve me,' announces the LORD and King. 'You will serve me on my high and holy mountain in Jerusalem. There I will accept you. I will require your offerings and your finest gifts. I want you to bring them along with all of your other holy sacrifices.

41 I will bring you back from the nations. I will gather you together from the countries where you have been scattered. Then I will accept you as if you were sweet-smelling incense. I will show that I am holy among you. The nations will see it.

42 " ' " 'I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Long ago I raised my hand and took an oath. I promised to give that land to your people.

43 There you will remember your conduct. You will think about everything you did that polluted you. And you will hate yourselves because of all of the evil things you have done.

44 " ' " 'People of Israel, I will deal with you for the honor of my name. I will not deal with you based on your evil conduct and sinful practices. Then you will know that I am the Lord,' announces the LORD and King." ' "

45 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

46 "Son of man, turn your attention to Judah in the south. Preach against it. Prophesy against its forests.

47 Tell them, 'Listen to the LORD's message. The LORD and King says, "I am about to set you on fire. The fire will destroy all of your trees. It will burn up green trees and dry trees alike. The blazing flame will not be put out. The faces of everyone from south to north will be burned by it.

48 Everyone will see that I started the fire. It will not be put out. I am the Lord." ' "

49 Then I said, "LORD and King, people are talking about me. They are saying, 'Isn't he just telling stories?' "

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, turn your attention to Jerusalem. Preach against the temple. Prophesy against the land of Israel.

3 "Tell them, 'The LORD says, "I am against you. I will pull out my sword. I will cut off from you godly people and sinful people alike.

4 Because I am going to cut them off, my sword will be ready to use. I will strike everyone down from south to north.

5 Then all people will know that I have pulled out my sword. I will not put it back. I am the Lord." '

6 "Groan, son of man! Groan in front of your people with a broken heart and bitter sorrow.

7 They will ask you, 'Why are you groaning?' "Then you will say, 'Because of the news that is coming. The hearts of all of the people will melt away in fear. Their hands will not be able to help them. Their spirits will grow weak. And their knees will become as weak as water.' "The news is coming! You can be sure those things will happen," announces the LORD and King.

8 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

9 "Son of man, prophesy. Say, 'The Lord says, " ' "A sword! A sword! A sharp and shiny sword is coming from Babylonia!

10 It is sharpened to kill people. It flashes like lightning." ' " The people say, "Should we take delight in the rod of the ruler of the LORD's son Judah? The sword looks down on every stick like that."

11 The LORD says, "I have told Nebuchadnezzar to shine his sword. It is in his hand. It has been sharpened and shined. It is ready for the killer's hand.

12 Son of man, cry out and sob. The sword is against my people. It is against all of the princes of Israel. It will kill them along with the rest of my people. So beat your chest in sorrow.

13 "You can be sure that testing will come. Why does the sword look down on the rod? Because the rod will not continue to rule," announces the LORD and King.

14 "Son of man, prophesy. Clap your hands. Let the sword strike twice. Let it strike even three times. It is a sword to kill people. It is a sword to kill many people. It is closing in on them from every side.

15 People's hearts will melt away in fear. Many will be wounded or killed. I have prepared the sword to kill people at all of their city gates. It flashes like lightning. It is in the killer's hand.

16 Sword, cut to the right. Then cut to the left. Strike people down everywhere your blade is turned.

17 I too will clap my hands. My burning anger will calm down. I have spoken. I am the Lord."

18 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

19 "Son of man, mark out on a map two roads for the sword to take. The sword belongs to the king of Babylonia. Both roads start from the same country. Put up a sign where the road turns off to the city of Rabbah.

20 Mark out one road for the sword to take against Rabbah in Ammon. Mark out another against Judah and the walls of Jerusalem.

21 "The king of Babylonia will stop at the place where the two roads meet. He will ask his gods to tell him which way to go. He will cast lots by pulling arrows out of a bag. And he will look carefully at the liver of a sheep.

22 "His right hand will pull out the arrow for Jerusalem. There he will get huge logs ready to knock down its gates. He will give the command to kill its people. He will sound the battle cry. He will build a ramp up to the city wall. He will bring in his war machines.

23 "The decision to attack Jerusalem will seem like the wrong advice to those who made a treaty with Nebuchadnezzar. But he will remind them that they are guilty. And he will take them away as prisoners."

24 So the LORD and King says, "You people have reminded everyone of how guilty you are. You have done it by refusing to obey me or any other authority. Everything you do clearly shows how sinful you are. So you will be taken away as prisoners."

25 King Zedekiah, the day for you to be punished has finally come. You are an unholy and evil prince in Israel. Your time is up.

26 The LORD and King says, "Take off your turban. Remove your crown. Things will not be as they were in the past. Those who are not important will be honored. And those who are honored will be brought down.

27 Jerusalem will fall. I will destroy it. It will not be rebuilt until the true king comes. After all, the kingdom belongs to him. I will give it to him.

28 "Son of man, prophesy. Say, 'The LORD and King speaks about the Ammonites. He also talks about the way they laugh because of Jerusalem's fall. He says, " ' "A sword! A sword! Nebuchadnezzar's sword is ready to kill you. It is shined to destroy you. It flashes like lightning.

29 The visions of your prophets are false. They use magic to try to find out what is going to happen to you. But their magic tricks are lies. The sword will strike the necks of you sinful people. You will be killed. The day for you to be punished has finally come. Your time is up.

30 Ammon, return your sword to its place. In the land where you were created, I will judge you. That is where you came from.

31 I will pour out my anger on you. I will breathe out my burning anger against you. I will hand you over to mean people. They are skilled at destroying others.

32 You will be burned in the fire. Your blood will be spilled in your land. You will not be remembered anymore. I have spoken. I am the Lord." ' "

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, are you going to judge Jerusalem? Will you judge this city that has so many murderers in it? Then tell its people they have done many evil things. I hate those things.

3 Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "Your city brings death on itself. You spill blood inside its walls. You pollute yourselves by making statues of gods.

4 You are guilty of spilling blood. The statues you have made have polluted you. " ' "You have brought your days to a close. The end of your years has come. So the nations will make fun of you. All of the countries will laugh at you.

5 Those who are near you will tell jokes about you. So will those who are far away. Trouble fills the streets of your sinful city.

6 " ' "The princes of Israel are in your city. All of them use their power to spill blood.

7 They have made fun of fathers and mothers alike. They have crushed outsiders. They have treated badly the children whose fathers have died. They have done the same thing to widows.

8 " ' "You have looked down on the holy things that were set apart to me. You have misused my Sabbath days.

9 You have spread lies about others so you can spill someone's blood. You eat at the mountain temples. You commit impure acts.

10 " ' "You bring shame on your fathers by having sex with their wives. You have sex with women during their monthly period. That is when they are 'unclean.'

11 One of you has sex with another man's wife. I hate that sin. Another brings shame on his daughter-in-law by having sex with her. Still another has sex with his sister, even though she is his own father's daughter.

12 " ' "You accept money from people who want special favors. You do it to spill someone's blood. You charge too much interest when you lend money. You get rich by cheating your neighbors. And you have forgotten me," announces the LORD and King.

13 " ' "I will clap my hands because I am so angry. You got rich by cheating others. You spilled blood inside the walls of your city.

14 Will you be brave on the day I deal with you? Will you be strong at that time? I have spoken. I will do it. I am the Lord.

15 " ' "I will scatter you among the nations. I will send you to other countries. I will put an end to your 'uncleanness.'

16 You will be polluted in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am the Lord." ' "

17 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

18 "Son of man, the people of Israel have become like scum to me. All of them are like the copper, tin, iron and lead that are left inside a furnace. They are only the scum that is removed from silver."

19 So the LORD and King says, "People of Israel, all of you have become like scum. So I will gather you together in Jerusalem.

20 Men put silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace. They melt it with a blazing fire. In the same way, I will gather you. I will pour out my burning anger on you. I will put you inside the city and melt you.

21 I will gather you together. My burning anger will blaze out at you. And you will be melted inside Jerusalem.

22 Silver is melted in a furnace. And you will be melted inside the city. Then you will know that I have poured out my burning anger on you. I am the Lord."

23 Another message came to me from the Lord. He said,

24 "Son of man, speak to the land. Tell it, 'You have not had any rain or showers. That is because I am angry with you.'

25 "Ezekiel, the princes of the land are like a roaring lion that tears its food apart. They eat people up. They take treasures and other valuable things. They cause many women in the land to become widows.

26 "Its priests break my law. They treat things that are set apart to me as if they were not holy. They treat holy and common things as if they were the same. They teach that there is no difference between things that are 'clean' and things that are not. They refuse to keep my Sabbath days. So they treat me as if I were not holy.

27 "The officials in the land are like wolves that tear their food apart. They spill blood and kill people to get rich.

28 The prophets cover up those acts for them. The visions of those prophets are false. They use magic to try to find out what is going to happen. But their magic tricks are lies. They say, 'The LORD and King says,' But I have not spoken to them.

29 "The people of the land get rich by cheating others. They steal. They crush those who are poor and in need. They treat outsiders badly. They refuse to be fair to them.

30 "I looked for a man among them who would stand up for Jerusalem. I tried to find someone who would pray to me for the land. Then I would not have to destroy it. But I could not find anyone who would pray for it.

31 So I will pour out my anger on its people. I will destroy them because my anger burns against them. And anything that happens to them will be their own fault," announces the LORD and King.

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, once there were two women. They had the same mother.

3 They became prostitutes in Egypt. They have been unfaithful to me since they were young. In that land they allowed their breasts to be touched. They permitted their virgin breasts to be kissed.

4 "The older sister was named Oholah. The younger one was Oholibah. They belonged to me. Sons and daughters were born to them. Oholah stands for Samaria. And Oholibah stands for Jerusalem

5 "Oholah was unfaithful to me even while she still belonged to me. She longed for her Assyrian lovers.

6 They included soldiers who wore blue uniforms. They also included governors and commanders. All of them were young and handsome. They rode horses.

7 She gave herself as a prostitute to all of Assyria's finest warriors. She polluted herself with the statues of the gods of everyone she longed for.

8 "She started being a prostitute in Egypt. And she never stopped. When she was young, men had sex with her. They kissed her virgin breasts. They used up all of their sinful longings on her.

9 "So I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers. She longed for them.

10 They stripped her naked. They took her sons and daughters away. And they killed her with their swords. Other women laughed when that happened. I was the one who had punished her.

11 "Her sister Oholibah saw it. But her evil longing for sexual sin was worse than her sister's.

12 She too longed for the men of Assyria. They included governors and commanders. They included soldiers who wore uniforms. They also included men who rode horses. All of them were young and handsome.

13 I saw that she too polluted herself. So both sisters did the same evil things.

14 "But Oholibah went even further with her sexual sins. She saw pictures of men drawn on a wall. They were figures of Babylonians drawn in red

15 They had belts around their waists. They wore flowing turbans on their heads. All of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers. They were from the land of the Chaldeans.

16 "As soon as she saw the pictures, she longed for the men. So she sent messengers to them in Babylonia.

17 Then the Babylonians came to her. They went to bed with her. They made love to her. They polluted her when they had sex with her. After they did it, she became sick of them. So she turned away from them.

18 "She acted like a prostitute who had no shame at all. She openly showed her naked body. I became sick of what she was doing. So I turned away from her. I had also turned away from her sister.

19 "But Oholibah offered her body to her lovers again and again. She remembered the days when she was a young prostitute in Egypt

20 There she had longed for her lovers. Their private parts seemed as big as those of donkeys. And their flow of semen appeared to be as much as that of horses.

21 So you wanted to return to the days when you were young. You longed for the time when you first became impure in Egypt. That was when you allowed your breasts to be kissed. And you permitted your young breasts to be touched.

22 So the LORD and King says, "Oholibah, I will stir up your lovers against you. You became sick of them. You turned away from them. But I will bring them against you from every side.

23 They include the Babylonians and all of the Chaldeans. They include the men from Pekod, Shoa and Koa. They also include all of the Assyrians. They are young and handsome. Some of them are governors and commanders. Others are chariot officers. Still others are very high officials. All of them ride horses.

24 "So a huge army will come against you with weapons, chariots and wagons. They will take up positions against you on every side. They will carry large and small shields. They will wear helmets. I will turn you over to them to be punished. They will punish you in their own way.

25 "I will pour out my jealous anger on you. And the army's anger will burn against you. They will cut off your noses and ears. Some of you who are left will be killed with swords. They will take your sons and daughters away. Others of you who are left will be burned up.

26 The army will also strip your clothes off. They will take your fine jewelry away from you.

27 "You became an impure prostitute in Egypt. But I will put a stop to all of that. You will no longer want to do any of it. You will not remember Egypt anymore."

28 The LORD and King says, "I am about to hand you over to people you hate. You became sick of them. You turned away from them.

29 They will punish you because they hate you so much. They will take everything you have worked for away from you. They will leave you naked and bare. Then everyone will see that you are a prostitute who has no shame at all. You were impure. You offered your body to your lovers again and again.

30 "That is why you will be punished. You longed for lovers in other nations. You polluted yourself by worshiping their gods.

31 You did the same things your sister Oholah did. So I will put her cup in your hand. It is filled with the wine of my anger."

32 The LORD and King says to Oholibah, "You will drink from your sister's cup. It is large and deep. It is filled with the wine of my anger. So others will laugh at you. They will make fun of you.

33 You will become drunk and sad. The cup of my anger will completely destroy you. It is the same cup your sister Samaria drank from.

34 You will drink from it until it is empty. Then you will throw it down and break it in pieces. And you will claw at your breasts. I have spoken," announces the LORD and King.

35 So the LORD and King says, "You have forgotten me. You have pushed me behind your back. You have been impure. You have acted like a prostitute. So I will punish you."

36 The LORD said to me, "Son of man, are you going to judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then tell them they have done many evil things. I hate those things

37 They have committed adultery. Their hands are covered with the blood of the people they have murdered. They have worshiped other gods. They have not been faithful to me. They have even sacrificed their children as food to other gods. Those children belonged to me.

38 "Here are some other things the sisters have done to me. They have polluted my temple. They have misused my Sabbath days

39 They have sacrificed their children to their gods. On that same day they entered my temple and polluted it. That is what they have done in my house.

40 "They even sent messengers to bring men from far away. When the men arrived, Oholibah took a bath. She put makeup on her eyes. She put her jewelry on.

41 She sat down on a beautiful couch. A table was in front of it. There she put the incense and olive oil that belonged to me.

42 "The noise of a carefree crowd was all around her. Sabeans were brought from the desert. Other men were brought along with them. They put bracelets on the arms of the two sisters. They put beautiful crowns on their heads.

43 "Then I spoke about Oholibah. She was worn out by adultery. I said, 'Let them use her as a prostitute. After all, that is what she is.'

44 So they had sex with her. In fact, they had sex with both of those impure women, Oholah and Oholibah. It was just like having sex with prostitutes.

45 "But men who are right with God will sentence the sisters to be punished. They will be punished in the same way as women who commit adultery and murder. After all, they have committed adultery. And their hands are covered with the blood of the people they have murdered."

46 The LORD and King says, "Bring an angry crowd against the sisters. Hand them over to those who will terrify them and steal everything they have.

47 The crowd will kill them by throwing stones at them. They will cut them down with their swords. They will kill their sons and daughters. And they will burn their houses down.

48 "So I will put an end to impurity in the land. Then all of its women will be warned. They will not want to be like the sisters.

49 Those sisters will be punished because of the impure things they have done. They will be judged because they have worshiped other gods. Then they will know that I am the LORD and King."

1 It was the ninth year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the tenth day of the tenth month, a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, write down today's date. The king of Babylonia has surrounded Jerusalem and attacked it this very day.

3 "Your people refuse to obey me. So tell them a story. Say to them, 'The LORD and King told me, " ' "Put a cooking pot on the fire. Pour water into it.

4 Put pieces of meat in it. Use all of the best pieces. Use the leg and shoulder. Fill it with the best bones.

5 Pick the finest animal in the flock. Pile wood under the pot to cook the bones. Bring the water to a boil. Cook the bones in it." ' "

6 The LORD and King says, "How terrible it will be for this city! It has so many murderers in it. How terrible for the pot that is coated with scum! The scum on it will not go away. Take the meat and bones out of the pot piece by piece. Do not cast lots for them.

7 "The blood Jerusalem's people spilled is inside its walls. They poured it out on a bare rock. They did not pour it on the ground. If they had, dust would have covered it up.

8 So I put their blood on the bare rock. I did not want it to be covered up. I poured my burning anger out on them. I paid them back."

9 So the LORD and King said to me, "How terrible it will be for this city! It has so many murderers in it. I too will pile the wood high.

10 So pile on the wood. Light the fire. Cook the meat well. Mix in the spices. Let the bones be blackened.

11 Then set the empty pot on the coals. Let it get hot. Let its copper glow. Then what is not pure in it will melt. Its scum will be burned away.

12 But it can't be cleaned up. Its thick scum has not been removed. Even fire can't burn it off.

13 "Jerusalem, you are really impure. I tried to clean you up. But you would not let me make you pure. So you will not be clean again until my burning anger against you has calmed down.

14 "I have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back. I will not feel sorry for you. I will do what I said I would do. You will be judged for your conduct and actions. I am the Lord," announces the LORD and King.

15 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

16 "Son of man, I will take away from you the wife you delight in. It will happen very soon. But do not sing songs of sadness. Do not let any tears flow from your eyes.

17 Groan quietly. Do not sob out loud over your wife when she dies. Keep your turban on your head. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not cover the lower part of your face. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies."

18 So I spoke to my people in the morning. And in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did what I had been commanded to do.

19 Then the people said to me, "Tell us what these things have to do with us."

20 So I told them. I said, "A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

21 'Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, "The LORD and King says, 'I am about to pollute my temple. I will let the Babylonians burn it down. It is the beautiful building you are so proud of. You take delight in it. You love it. The sons and daughters you left behind will be killed with swords.

22 " ' " 'So do what Ezekiel did. Do not cover the lower part of your face. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies.

23 Keep your turbans on your heads. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not cry or sob. You will waste away because you have sinned so much. You will groan among yourselves.

24 " ' " 'What Ezekiel has done will show you what is going to happen to you. You will do just as he has done. Then you will know that I am the LORD and King.' " '

25 "Son of man, I will take away their beautiful temple. It is their joy and glory. They take delight in it. Their hearts long for it. I will also take away their sons and daughters.

26 On the day I destroy everything, a man will escape. He will come and tell you the news.

27 "At that time I will open your mouth. Then you will no longer be silent. You will speak with the man. That will show them what will happen to them. And they will know that I am the Lord."

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, turn your attention to the Ammonites. Prophesy against them.

3 Tell them, 'Listen to the message of the LORD and King. He says, "You laughed when my temple was polluted. You also laughed when the land of Israel was completely destroyed. You made fun of the people of Judah when they were taken away as prisoners.

4 So I am going to hand you over to the people of the east. They will set up their tents in your land. They will camp among you. They will eat your fruit. They will drink your milk.

5 I will turn the city of Rabbah into grasslands for camels. Ammon will become a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord." ' "

6 The LORD and King says, "You clapped your hands. You stamped your feet. You hated the land of Israel deep down inside you. You were glad because of what happened to it.

7 So I will reach out my powerful hand against you. I will give you and everything you have to the nations. I will cut you off from them. I will wipe you out. I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

8 The LORD and King says, "Moab and Edom said, 'Look! The people of Judah have become like all of the other nations.'

9 So I will let Moab's enemies attack its lower hills. They will begin at the border towns. Those towns include Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon and Kiriathaim. They are the glory of that land.

10 I will hand Moab over to the people of the east. I will also give the Ammonites to them. And the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations.

11 I will punish Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

12 The LORD and King says, "Edom got even with the people of Judah. That made them very guilty."

13 He continues, "I will reach out my hand against Edom. I will kill its people and their animals. I will completely destroy it. They will be killed with swords from Teman all the way to Dedan.

14 I will use my people Israel to pay Edom back. They will punish Edom because my anger burns against it. They will know how I pay my enemies back," announces the LORD and King.

15 The LORD and King says, "The Philistines hated Judah deep down inside them. So they tried to get even with them. They had been Judah's enemies for many years. So they tried to destroy them."

16 He continues, "I am about to reach out my hand against the Philistines. I will cut off the Kerethites. I will destroy those who remain along the coast.

17 You can be sure that I will pay them back. I will punish them because my anger burns against them. When I pay them back, they will know that I am the Lord."

1 It was the first day of a month near the end of the 11th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, Tyre laughed because of what happened to Jerusalem. The people of Tyre said, 'Jerusalem is the gateway to the nations. But the gate is broken. Its doors have swung open to us. Jerusalem has been destroyed. So now we will succeed.' "

3 The LORD and King says, "But I am against you, Tyre. I will bring many nations against you. They will come in like the waves of the sea.

4 They will destroy your walls. They will pull your towers down. I will clear away the stones of your broken-down buildings. I will turn you into nothing but a bare rock.

5 "Out in the Mediterranean Sea your island city will become a place to spread fishnets. I have spoken," announces the LORD and King. "The nations will take you and everything you have.

6 Your settlements on the coast will be destroyed by war. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

7 The LORD and King says, "From the north I am going to bring Nebuchadnezzar against Tyre. He is king of Babylonia. He is the greatest king of all. He will come with horses and chariots. Horsemen and a great army will be brought along with him.

8 "He will go to war against you. He will destroy your settlements on the coast. He will bring in war machines to attack you. A ramp will be built up to your walls. He will use his shields against you.

9 He will use huge logs to knock your walls down. He will destroy your towers with his weapons.

10 "He will have so many horses that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will shake because of the noise of his war horses, wagons and chariots. He will enter your gates, just as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through.

11 The hoofs of his horses will pound in your streets. He will kill your people with swords. Your strong pillars will fall to the ground.

12 "His men will take away from you your wealth and anything else you have. They will pull your walls down. They will completely destroy your fine houses. They will throw the stones and lumber of your broken-down buildings into the sea.

13 "I will put an end to your noisy songs. No one will hear the music of your harps anymore.

14 I will turn you into nothing but a bare rock. You will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt. I have spoken. I am the Lord," announces the LORD and King.

15 The LORD and King speaks to Tyre. He says, "The lands along the coast will shake because of the sound of your fall. Wounded people will groan because so many are dying there.

16 "Then all of the princes along the coast will step down from their thrones. They will put their robes away. They will take off their beautiful clothes. They will sit on the ground. They will put on terror as if it were their clothes. They will tremble with fear all the time. They will be shocked because of what has happened to you.

17 "Then they will sing a song of sadness about you. They will say to you, " 'Famous city, you have been completely destroyed! You were filled with sea traders. You and your citizens were a mighty power on the seas. You terrified everyone who lived in you.

18 The lands along the coast trembled with fear when you fell. The islands in the sea were terrified when you were destroyed.' "

19 The LORD and King says to Tyre, "I will turn you into an empty city. You will be like cities where no one lives anymore. I will cause the ocean to sweep over you. Its mighty waters will cover you.

20 So I will bring you down together with those who go down into the grave. The people who are there lived long ago. You will have to live in the earth below. It will be like living in buildings that were destroyed many years ago. You will go down into the grave along with others. And you will never come back. You will not take your place in this world again.

21 I will bring you to a horrible end. You will be gone forever. People will look for you. But they will never find you," announces the LORD and King.

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, sing a song of sadness about Tyre.

3 It is located at the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea. It does business with nations on many coasts. Say to it, 'The LORD and King says, " ' "Tyre, you say, 'I am perfect and beautiful.'

4 You were like a ship that ruled over the high seas. Your builders made you perfect and beautiful.

5 They cut all of your lumber from pine trees on Mount Hermon. They used a cedar tree from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

6 They made your oars out of oak trees from Bashan. They made your deck out of cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus. They decorated it with ivory.

7 Your sail was made out of beautiful, Egyptian linen. It served as your banner. Your shades were made out of blue and purple cloth. They were from the coasts of Elishah.

8 Men from Sidon and Arvad manned your oars. Tyre, your sailors were skillful.

9 Very skilled workers from Byblos were on board. They kept you waterproof. All of the ships on the sea and their sailors came up beside you. They brought their goods to trade for yours.

10 " ' "City of Tyre, men from Persia, Lydia and Put served as soldiers in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls. That brought glory to you.

11 Men from Arvad and Cilicia guarded your walls on every side. Men from Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls. They made you perfect and beautiful.

12 " ' "Tarshish did business with you because you had so much wealth. They traded silver, iron, tin and lead for your goods.

13 " ' "Greece, Tubal and Meshech did business with you. They traded slaves and bronze articles for your products.

14 " ' "Men from Beth Togarmah traded work horses, war horses and mules for your goods.

15 " ' "Men from Rhodes did business with you. Many lands along the coast bought goods from you. They paid you with ivory tusks and ebony wood.

16 " ' "Aram did business with you because you had so many products for sale. They traded turquoise, purple cloth and needlework for your goods. They also traded fine linen, coral and rubies for them.

17 " ' "Judah and Israel did business with you. They traded wheat from Minnith, sweets, honey, olive oil and lotion for your products.

18 " ' "Damascus traded wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar to you. They did business with you because you had so many products and so much wealth.

19 " ' "Danites and Greeks from Uzal bought goods from you. They traded wrought iron, cassia and cane for your products.

20 " ' "Dedan traded saddle blankets to you.

21 " ' "Arabia and all of the princes of Kedar bought goods from you. They traded you lambs, rams and goats for them.

22 " ' "Traders from Sheba and Raamah did business with you. They traded the finest spices, jewels and gold for your goods.

23 " ' "Haran, Canneh and Eden did business with you. So did traders from Sheba, Asshur and Kilmad.

24 In your market place they traded beautiful clothes, blue cloth, and needlework to you. They also traded colorful rugs that had twisted cords and tight knots.

25 " ' "The ships of Tarshish carry your products. You are like a ship filled with a heavy load in the middle of the sea.

26 The sailors who man your oars take you out to the high seas. But the east wind will break you in pieces in the middle of the sea.

27 You will be wrecked on that day. Your wealth, goods and products will sink deep into the sea. So will your sailors, officers, carpenters, traders and all of your soldiers. Anyone else on board will sink too.

28 The lands along the coast will shake when your officers cry out.

29 All those who man the oars will desert their ships. The sailors and all of the officers will stand on the shore.

30 They will raise their voices. They will cry bitterly over you. They will sprinkle dust on their heads. They will roll in ashes.

31 They will shave their heads because of you. And they will put on black clothes. They will sob over you. Their spirits will be greatly troubled. They will be very sad.

32 As they sob and cry over you, they will sing a song of sadness about you. They will say, 'Who was ever like Tyre? It was destroyed in the sea.'

33 Your goods went out on the seas. You supplied many nations with what they needed. You had so much wealth and so many products. You made the kings of the earth rich.

34 Now the sea has torn you apart. You have sunk deep down into it. Your products and all of your people have gone down with you.

35 All those who live in the lands along the coast are shocked because of what has happened to you. Their kings tremble with fear. Their faces are twisted in horror.

36 The traders among the nations hiss at you. You have come to a horrible end. And you will be gone forever." ' "

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, speak to Ethbaal. He is the ruler of Tyre. Tell him, 'The LORD and King says, " ' "In your proud heart you say, 'I am a god. I sit on the throne of a god in the Mediterranean Sea.' But you are only a man. You are not a god. In spite of that, you think you are as wise as a god.

3 Are you wiser than Daniel? Isn't even one secret hidden from you?

4 You are wise and understanding. So you have become very wealthy. You have piled up gold and silver among your treasures.

5 You have used your great skill in trading to increase your wealth. You are very rich. So your heart has become proud." ' "

6 The LORD and King says, "You think you are wise. In fact, you claim to be as wise as a god.

7 So I am going to bring strangers against you. They will not show you any pity at all. They will use their swords against your beauty and wisdom. They will strike down your shining glory.

8 They will bring you down to the grave. You will die a horrible death in the middle of the sea.

9 Then will you say, 'I am a god'? Will you say that to those who kill you? You will be only a man to those who kill you. You will not be a god to them.

10 You will die just like those who have not been circumcised. Strangers will kill you. I have spoken," announces the LORD and King.

11 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

12 "Son of man, sing a song of sadness about the king of Tyre. Tell him, 'The LORD and King says, " ' "You were the model of perfection. You were full of wisdom. You were perfect and beautiful.

13 You were in Eden. It was my garden. All kinds of jewels decorated you. Here is a list of them. ruby, topaz and emerald chrysolite, onyx and jasper sapphire, turquoise and beryl Your settings and mountings were made out of gold. On the day you were created, they were prepared.

14 I appointed you to be like a guardian cherub. I anointed you for that purpose. You were on my holy mountain. You walked among the gleaming jewels.

15 Your conduct was without blame from the day you were created. But soon you began to sin.

16 You traded with many nations. You harmed people everywhere. And you sinned. So I sent you away from my mountain in shame. Guardian cherub, I drove you away from among the gleaming jewels.

17 You thought you were so handsome that it made your heart proud. You thought you were so glorious that it spoiled your wisdom. So I threw you down to the earth. I made an example out of you in front of kings.

18 Your many sins and dishonest trade polluted your temple. So I made you go up in flames. I turned you into nothing but ashes on the ground. I let everyone see it.

19 All of the nations that knew you are shocked because of what happened to you. You have come to a horrible end. And you will be gone forever." ' "

20 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

21 "Son of man, turn your attention to the city of Sidon. Prophesy against it.

22 Say, 'The LORD and King says, " ' "Sidon, I am against your people. I will gain glory for myself inside your city walls. I will punish your people. I will show that I am holy among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

23 I will send a plague on them. I will make blood flow in your streets. Those who are killed will fall inside you. Swords will strike your people on every side. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

24 " ' "The people of Israel will no longer have neighbors who hate them. Those neighbors will not be like sharp and painful thorns anymore. Then Israel will know that I am the LORD and King." ' "

25 The LORD and King says, "I will gather the people of Israel together from the nations where they have been scattered. I will show that I am holy among them. I will let the nations see it. Then Israel will live in their own land. I gave it to my servant Jacob.

26 My people will live there in safety. They will build houses. They will plant vineyards. They will live in safety. I will punish all of their neighbors who told lies about them. Then Israel will know that I am the LORD their God."

1 It was the tenth year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the 12th day of the tenth month, a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, turn your attention to Pharaoh Hophra. He is king of Egypt. Prophesy against him and the whole land of Egypt.

3 Tell him, 'The LORD and King says, " ' "Pharaoh Hophra, I am against you. King of Egypt, you are like a huge monster lying among your streams. You say, 'The Nile River belongs to me. I made it for myself.'

4 But I will put hooks in your jaws. I will make the fish in your streams stick to your scales. I will pull you out from among your streams. All of the fish will stick to your scales.

5 I will leave you out in the desert. All of the fish in your streams will be there with you. You will fall down in an open field. You will not be picked up. I will feed you to the wild animals and to the birds of the air.

6 Then everyone who lives in Egypt will know that I am the Lord. " ' "You have been like a walking stick made out of a papyrus stem. The people of Israel tried to lean on you.

7 They took hold of you. But you broke under their weight. You tore their shoulders open. They leaned on you. But you snapped in two. And their backs were broken." ' "

8 So the LORD and King says, "I will send Nebuchadnezzar's sword against you. He will kill your people and their animals.

9 Egypt will become a dry and empty desert. Then your people will know that I am the Lord. "You said, 'The Nile River belongs to me. I made it for myself.'

10 So I am against you and your streams. I will destroy the land of Egypt. I will turn it into a dry and empty desert from Migdol all the way to Aswan. I will destroy everything as far as the border of Cush.

11 "No people or animals will travel through Egypt. No one will even live there for 40 years.

12 Egypt will be more empty than any other land. Its destroyed cities will lie empty for 40 years. I will scatter the people of Egypt among the nations. I will send them to other countries."

13 But the LORD and King says, "At the end of 40 years I will gather the Egyptians together from the nations where they were scattered.

14 I will bring them back from where they were taken as prisoners. I will return them to Upper Egypt. That is where they came from. There they will be an unimportant kingdom.

15 "Egypt will be the least important kingdom of all. It will never place itself above the other nations again. I will make it very weak. Then it will never again rule over the nations.

16 The people of Israel will no longer trust in Egypt. Instead, Egypt will remind them of how they sinned when they turned to it for help. Then they will know that I am the LORD and King."

17 It was the 27th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the first day of the first month, a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

18 "Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia, drove his army in a hard military campaign against Tyre. Their helmets rubbed their heads bare. The heavy loads they carried made their shoulders raw. But he and his army did not gain anything from the campaign he led against Tyre.

19 "So I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia. He will carry off its wealth. He will take away anything else you have. He will give it to his army.

20 I have given Egypt to him as a reward for his efforts. After all, he and his army attacked Egypt because I told them to," announces the LORD and King.

21 "When Nebuchadnezzar wins the battle over Egypt, I will make the people of Israel strong again. Ezekiel, I will open your mouth. And you will be able to speak to them. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, prophesy. Say, 'The LORD and King says, " ' "Cry out, 'A terrible day is coming!'

3 The day is near. The day of the LORD is coming. It will be a cloudy day. The nations have been sentenced to die.

4 I will send Nebuchadnezzar's sword against Egypt. Cush will suffer terribly. Many will die in Egypt. Then its wealth will be carried away. Its foundations will be torn down.

5 The people of Cush, Put, Lydia, Libya and the whole land of Arabia will be killed with swords. So will the Jews who live in Egypt. They went there from the covenant land of Israel. And the Egyptians will die too." ' "

6 The LORD says, "Those who were going to help Egypt will die. The strength Egypt was so proud of will fail. Its people will be killed with swords from Migdol all the way to Aswan," announces the LORD and King.

7 "Egypt will be more empty than any other land. Its cities will be completely destroyed.

8 I will set Egypt on fire. All those who came to help it will be crushed. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

9 "At that time I will send messengers out in ships. They will terrify the people of Cush who are so contented. Cush will suffer greatly when Egypt falls. And you can be sure it will fall."

10 The LORD and King says, "I will put an end to the huge armies of Egypt. I will use Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia, to do it.

11 He and his armies will attack the land and destroy it. They will not show its people any pity at all. They will use their swords against Egypt. They will fill the land with dead bodies.

12 I will dry up the streams of the Nile River. I will sell the land to evil men. I will use the powerful hands of strangers to destroy the land and everything in it. "I have spoken. I am the Lord."

13 The LORD and King says, "I will destroy the statues of Egypt's gods. I will put an end to the gods the people in Memphis worship. Egypt will not have princes anymore. I will spread fear all through the land.

14 I will completely destroy Upper Egypt. I will set Zoan on fire. I will punish Thebes.

15 I will pour out my burning anger on Pelusium. It is a fort in eastern Egypt. I will cut off the huge army of Thebes.

16 I will set Egypt on fire. Pelusium will groan with terrible pain. Thebes will be ripped apart. Memphis will suffer greatly because of everything that happens.

17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will be killed with swords. Their people will be taken away as prisoners.

18 I will break Egypt's power over other lands. That will be a dark day for Tahpanhes. There the strength Egypt was so proud of will come to an end. Egypt will be covered with clouds. The people in its villages will be taken away as prisoners.

19 So I will punish Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

20 It was the 11th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the seventh day of the first month, a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

21 "Son of man, I have broken the powerful arm of Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. No bandages have been put on his arm to heal it. It has not been put in a cast. So his arm will not be strong enough to use a sword.

22 I am against Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. I will break both of his arms. I will break his healthy arm and his broken one. His sword will fall from his hand.

23 I will scatter the people of Egypt among the nations. I will send them to other countries.

24 "I will make the arms of the king of Babylonia stronger. I will put my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh. And he will groan in front of Nebuchadnezzar. He will cry out like someone dying from his wounds.

25 I will make the arms of the king of Babylonia stronger. But the arms of Pharaoh will not be able to help Egypt. I will put my sword in Nebuchadnezzar's hand. He will get ready to use it against Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

26 "I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. I will send them to other countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

1 It was the 11th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the first day of the third month, a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, speak to Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. Also speak to his huge army. Tell him, " 'Who can be compared with your majesty?

3 Think about what happened to Assyria. Once it was like a cedar tree in Lebanon. It had beautiful branches that provided shade for the forest. It grew very high. Its top was above all of the leaves.

4 The waters fed it. Deep springs made it grow tall. Their streams flowed all around its base. They made their way to all of the trees in the fields.

5 So it grew higher than any other tree in the fields. It grew more limbs. Its branches grew long. They spread because they had plenty of water.

6 All of the birds of the air made their nests in its limbs. All of the wild animals had their babies under its branches. All of the great nations lived in its shade.

7 Its spreading branches made it majestic and beautiful. Its roots went down deep to where there was plenty of water.

8 The cedar trees in my garden were no match for it. The pine trees could not equal its limbs. The plane trees could not compare with its branches. No tree in my garden could match its beauty.

9 I gave it many branches. They made it beautiful. All of the trees in my Garden of Eden were jealous of it.' "

10 So the LORD and King says, "The cedar tree grew very high. Its top was above all of the leaves. It was proud of how tall it was.

11 So I handed it over to the Babylonian ruler of the nations. I wanted him to punish it because it was so evil. I decided to get rid of it.

12 "The Babylonians cut it down and left it there. They did not show it any pity at all. Some of its branches fell on the mountains. Others fell in all of the valleys. They lay broken in all of the stream beds in the land. All of the nations on earth came out from under its shade. And they went on their way.

13 All of the birds of the air settled on the fallen tree. All of the wild animals moved among its branches.

14 "So trees that receive plenty of water must never grow so high that it makes them proud. Their tops must never be above the rest of the leaves. No other trees that receive a lot of water must ever grow that high. They are appointed to die and go down into the earth below. They will join the other nations that go down into the grave."

15 The LORD and King says, "Assyria was like a cedar tree. But I brought it down to the grave. On that day I dried up the deep springs of water and covered them. I held its streams back. I shut off its rich supply of water. Because of that, Lebanon was dressed in darkness as if it were clothes. All of the trees in the fields dried up.

16 "I brought the cedar tree down to the grave. It joined the other nations that go down there. I made the nations on earth shake because of the sound of its fall. Then all of the trees of Eden were comforted in the earth below. That included the finest and best trees in Lebanon. And it included all the trees that received plenty of water.

17 Others also went down into the grave along with it. That included those that lived in its shade. And it included those nations that were going to help it. They joined those who had been killed with swords.

18 "Which one of the trees of Eden can be compared with you? What tree is as glorious and majestic as you are? But you too will be brought down to the earth below. There you will join the trees of Eden. You will lie down with those who have not been circumcised. You will be among those who were killed with swords. "That is what will happen to Pharaoh and his huge armies," announces the LORD and King.

1 It was the 12th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the first day of the 12th month, a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, sing a song of sadness about Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. Tell him, " 'You are like a lion among the nations. You are like a monster in the sea. You move around wildly in your rivers. You churn the water with your feet. You make the streams muddy.' "

3 The LORD and King says, "I will use a large crowd of people to throw my net over you. They will pull you up in it.

4 Then I will throw you on the land. I will toss you into an open field. I will let all of the birds of the air settle on you. I will let all of the wild animals eat you up.

5 I will scatter the parts of your body all over the mountains. I will fill the valleys with your remains.

6 I will soak the land with your blood. It will flow all the way to the mountains. The valleys will be filled with the parts of your body.

7 When I wipe you out, I will put a cover over the heavens. I will darken the stars. I will cover the sun with a cloud. The moon will stop shining.

8 I will darken all of the bright lights in the sky above you. I will bring darkness over your land," announces the LORD and King.

9 "The hearts of many people will be troubled. That is because I will destroy you among the nations. You had never known anything about those lands before.

10 Many nations will be shocked when they see what has happened to you. Their kings will tremble with fear when they find out about it. I will get ready to use Nebuchadnezzar as my sword against them. On the day you fall from power, each of the kings will tremble with fear. Each will be afraid he is the next to die."

11 The LORD and King says, "I will send against you the sword of the king of Babylonia.

12 I will destroy your huge army. They will be killed with the swords of Babylonia's mighty soldiers. The soldiers will not show them any pity. They will bring Egypt down in all of its pride. Its huge armies will be thrown down.

13 I will destroy all of its cattle from the places where they have plenty of water. Human feet will never stir the water up again. The hoofs of cattle will not make it muddy anymore.

14 I will let the waters of Egypt settle. I will make its streams flow like olive oil," announces the LORD and King.

15 "I will turn Egypt into an empty land. I will strip away everything in it. I will strike down everyone who lives there. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

16 "That is the song of sadness people will sing about Egypt. Women from other nations will sing it. They will sob over Egypt and its huge armies," announces the LORD and King.

17 It was the 15th day of a month near the end of the 12th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

18 "Son of man, sob over the huge army of Egypt. Tell the Egyptians they will go down into the earth below. The women singers from the other mighty nations will go down into the grave along with them and others.

19 "Tell them, 'Are you any better than others? Since you are not, go down there. Lie down with those who have not been circumcised.'

20 "They will fall dead among those who were killed with swords. Nebuchadnezzar is ready to use his sword against them. Let Egypt be dragged off together with its huge armies.

21 "The mighty leaders who are already in the grave will talk about Egypt. They will also speak about the nations that were going to help it. They will say, 'They have come down here. They are lying down with those who had not been circumcised. They are here with those who were killed with swords.'

22 "Assyria is there with its whole army. Its king is surrounded by the graves of all of its people who were killed with swords.

23 Their graves are deep down in the pit. Assyria's army lies around the grave of its king. All those who spread terror while they were alive are now dead. They were killed with swords.

24 "Elam is also there. Its huge armies lie around the grave of its king. All those who spread terror while they were alive are now dead. They were killed with swords. They had not been circumcised. They went down into the earth below. Their shame is like the shame of others who go down into the grave.

25 "A bed is made for Elam's king among the dead. His huge armies lie around his grave. They had not been circumcised. They were killed with swords. They had spread terror while they were alive. So now their shame is like the shame of others who go down into the grave. They lie down among the dead.

26 "Meshech and Tubal are also there. Their huge armies lie around the graves of their kings. They had not been circumcised. They had spread their terror while they were alive. So they were killed with swords.

27 "They lie down with the other dead soldiers who had not been circumcised. They and their weapons had gone down into the grave. Their swords had been placed under their heads. They had spread their terror while they were alive. But now the shame of their sin covers their bones.

28 "Pharaoh Hophra, you too will be broken. You will lie down among those who had not been circumcised. You will be there with those who were killed with swords.

29 "Edom is also there. So are its kings and all of its princes. In spite of their power, they lie down with those who were killed with swords. They lie down with those who had not been circumcised. They are there with others who went down into the grave.

30 "All of the princes of the north are there too. So are all of the people of Sidon. They went down into the grave in dishonor. While they were alive, they used their power to spread terror. They had never been circumcised. But now they lie down there with those who were killed with swords. Their shame is like the shame of others who go down into the grave.

31 "Pharaoh and his whole army will see all of them. That will comfort him in spite of the fact that his huge armies were killed with swords," announces the LORD and King.

32 "I let Pharaoh spread terror while he was alive. But now he and his huge armies will be buried with those who had not been circumcised. They will lie down there with those who were killed with swords," announces the LORD and King.

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, speak to the people of your own country. Tell them, 'Suppose I send enemies against a land. And its people choose one of their men to stand guard.

3 He sees the enemies coming against the land. He blows a trumpet to warn the people.

4 " 'Someone hears the trumpet. But he does not pay any attention to the warning. The enemies come and kill him. Then what happens to him will be his own fault.

5 He heard the sound of the trumpet. But he did not pay any attention to the warning. So what happened to him was his own fault. If he had paid attention, he would have saved himself.

6 " 'But suppose the guard sees the enemies coming. And he does not blow the trumpet to warn the people. The enemies come and kill one of them. Then his life has been taken away from him because he sinned. But I will hold the guard accountable for his death.'

7 "Son of man, I have appointed you as a prophet to warn the people of Israel. So listen to my message. Give them a warning from me.

8 "Suppose I say to a sinful person, 'You can be sure that you will die.' And suppose you do not try to get him to change his ways. Then he will die because he has sinned. And I will hold you accountable for his death.

9 "But suppose you do warn that sinful person. You tell him to change his ways. But he does not do it. Then he will die because he has sinned. But you will have saved yourself.

10 "Son of man, speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, 'You are saying, "Our sins and the wrong things we have done weigh us down. We are wasting away because we have sinned so much. So how can we live?" '

11 "Tell them, 'When sinful people die, it does not give me any joy. But when they turn away from their sins and live, that makes me very happy. And that is just as sure as I am alive,' announces the LORD and King. 'So turn away from your sins! Change your evil ways! Why should you die, people of Israel?'

12 "Son of man, speak to the people of your own country. Tell them, 'The right things a godly person does will not save him when he does not obey the Lord. The wrong things a sinful person does will not destroy him when he turns away from them. If a godly person sins, he will not be allowed to live just because he used to do what is right.'

13 "Suppose I tell someone who is godly that he will live. And he trusts in the fact that he used to do what was right. But now he does what is evil. Then I will not remember any of the right things he has done. He will die because he has done so many evil things.

14 "Suppose I say to a sinful person, 'You can be sure you will die.' And then he turns away from his sin. He does what is fair and right.

15 He gives back what he took as security for a loan. He returns what he has stolen. He follows my rules that give life. He does not do what is evil. Then you can be sure he will live. He will not die.

16 None of the sins he has committed will be held against him. He has done what is fair and right. So you can be sure he will live.

17 "In spite of that, your people say, 'What the Lord does isn't fair.' But it is what you do that is not fair.

18 "Suppose someone who is godly stops doing what is right. And he does what is evil. Then he will die because of it.

19 But suppose a sinful person turns away from the evil things he has done. And he does what is fair and right. Then he will live by doing that.

20 "In spite of that, you people of Israel say, 'What the Lord does isn't fair.' But I will judge each of you based on how you have lived."

21 It was the 12th year since we had been brought to Babylonia as prisoners. On the fifth day of the tenth month, a man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to bring me a report. He said, "The city has fallen!"

22 The evening before the man arrived, the LORD put his strong hand on me. He opened my mouth before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened. I was no longer silent.

23 Then a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

24 "Son of man, the people who live in those broken-down buildings in Israel are saying, 'Abraham was only one man. But he owned the land. We are many people. The land must certainly belong to us.'

25 "So tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "You eat meat that still has blood in it. You worship your gods. You commit murder. So should you still possess the land?

26 You depend on your swords. You do things I hate. Each one of you has sex with your neighbor's wife. So should you still possess the land?" '

27 "Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "The people who are left in those broken-down buildings will be killed with swords. Wild animals will eat up those who are out in the country. Those who are in caves and other safe places will die of a plague. And that is just as sure as I am alive.

28 " ' "I will turn the land into a dry and empty desert. The strength Jerusalem is so proud of will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be deserted. No one will travel across them.

29 So I will turn the land into a dry and empty desert. I will punish my people because of all of the evil things they have done. I hate those things. They will know that I am the Lord." '

30 "Son of man, your people are talking about you. They are getting together by the walls of their houses and at their doors. They are saying to one another, 'Come. Listen to the LORD's message.'

31 "My people come to you, just as they usually do. They sit in front of you. They listen to what you say. But they do not put it into practice. With their mouths they claim to be faithful to me. But in their hearts they want what belongs to others. They try to get rich by cheating them.

32 You are nothing more to them than someone who sings love songs. They say you have a beautiful voice. They think you play an instrument well. They listen to what you say. But they do not put it into practice.

33 "Everything I have told you will come true. You can be sure of it. Then the people will know that a prophet has been among them."

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "How terrible it will be for you shepherds of Israel! You only take care of yourselves. You should take good care of your flocks.

3 Instead, you eat the butter. You dress yourselves with the wool. You kill the finest animals. But you do not take care of your flocks.

4 You have not made the weak ones in the flock stronger. You have not healed the sick. You have not bandaged those that are hurt. You have not brought back those that have wandered away. You have not searched for the lost. When you ruled over them, you were mean to them. You treated them badly.

5 " ' "So they were scattered because they did not have a shepherd. They became food for all of the wild animals.

6 My sheep wandered all over the mountains and high hills. They were scattered over the whole earth. No one searched for them. No one looked for them."

7 " 'Shepherds, listen to the LORD's message.

8 He says, "My flock does not have a shepherd. Many of my sheep have been stolen. They have become food for all of the wild animals. My shepherds did not care for my sheep. They did not even search for them. Instead, they only took care of themselves. And that is just as sure as I am alive," announces the LORD and King.

9 " 'Shepherds, listen to the LORD's message.

10 The LORD and King says, "I am against the shepherds. I will hold them accountable for my flock. I will stop them from taking care of the flock. Then they will not be able to feed themselves anymore. I will save my flock from their mouths. My sheep will no longer be food for them." ' "

11 The LORD and King says, "I myself will search for my sheep. I will look after them.

12 A shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them. And I will look after my sheep. I will save them from all of the places where they were scattered on a dark and cloudy day.

13 "I will bring them out from among the nations. I will gather them together from other countries. I will bring them into their own land. They will eat grass on the mountains of Israel. I will also let them eat in the valleys and in all of the places in the land where people live.

14 I will take care of them in the best grasslands. They will eat grass on the high mountains of Israel. There they will lie down in the finest grasslands. They will eat grass in the best places on Israel's mountains.

15 "I myself will take care of my sheep. I will let them lie down in safety," announces the LORD and King.

16 "I will search for the lost. I will bring back those that have wandered away. I will bandage the ones that are hurt. I will make the weak ones stronger. But I will destroy those that are fat and strong. I will take good care of my sheep. I will treat them fairly."

17 The LORD and King says, "You are my flock. I will judge between one sheep and another. I will judge between rams and goats.

18 You already eat in the best grasslands. Must you also stomp all over the other fields? You already drink clear water. Must you also make the rest of the water muddy with your feet?

19 Must my flock have to eat the grass you have stomped on? Must they drink the water you have made muddy?"

20 So the LORD and King speaks to them. He says, "I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.

21 You push the other sheep around with your hips and shoulders. You use your horns to butt all of the weak sheep. Finally, you drive them away.

22 But I will save my sheep. They will not be carried off anymore. I will judge between one sheep and another.

23 "I will place one shepherd over them. He will belong to the family line of my servant David. He will take good care of them. He will look after them. He will be their shepherd.

24 I am the Lord. I will be their God. And my servant from David's line will be prince among them. I have spoken. I am the Lord.

25 "I will make a covenant with them. It promises to give them peace. I will get rid of the wild animals in the land. Then my sheep can live safely in the desert. They can sleep in the forests.

26 "I will bless them. I will also bless the places surrounding my holy mountain of Zion. I will send down rain at the right time. There will be showers of blessing.

27 The trees in the fields will bear their fruit. And the ground will produce its crops. The people will be secure in their land. I will break the chains that hold them. I will save them from the powerful hands of those who made them slaves. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

28 "The nations will not carry them off anymore. Wild animals will no longer eat them up. They will live in safety. And no one will make them afraid.

29 I will give them a land that is famous for its crops. They will never be hungry there again. The nations will not make fun of them anymore.

30 "Then they will know that I am with them. I am the LORD their God. And they will know that they are my people Israel," announces the LORD and King.

31 "You are the sheep belonging to my flock. You are my people. And I am your God," announces the LORD and King.

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, turn your attention to Mount Seir. Prophesy against it.

3 Tell it, 'The LORD and King says, "Mount Seir, I am against you. I will reach out my powerful hand against you. I will turn you into a dry and empty desert.

4 I will destroy your towns. Your land will become empty. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

5 " ' "People of Edom, you have been Israel's enemies for a long time. You let many Israelites be killed with swords when they were in great trouble. At that time I used Nebuchadnezzar to punish them and destroy them completely.

6 Now I will hand you over to murderers. They will hunt you down. You murdered others. So murderers will chase you. And that is just as sure as I am alive," announces the LORD and King.

7 " ' "I will turn Mount Seir into a dry and empty desert. No one will be able to go anywhere or do anything there.

8 I will fill your mountains with dead bodies. Some of those who are killed with swords will fall down dead on your hills. Others will die in your valleys and in all of your canyons.

9 I will make your land empty forever. No one will live in your towns. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

10 " ' "You said, 'The nations of Israel and Judah will belong to us. We will take them over.' You said that, even though I was there. I am the Lord.

11 You were full of anger, jealousy and hatred toward my people. So I will punish you. When I judge you, they will know that I am the Lord. And that is just as sure as I am alive," announces the LORD and King.

12 " ' "You will know that I have heard all of the terrible things you said about those who live in the mountains of Israel. You made fun of them. You said, 'They have been destroyed. They've been handed over to us. Let's wipe them out.'

13 You bragged that you were better than I am. You spoke against me. You did not hold anything back. But I heard it." ' "

14 The LORD and King says, "The whole earth will be glad. But I will make your land empty.

15 You were happy when the land of Israel became empty. So I will treat you in the same way. Mount Seir, you will be empty. So will the whole land of Edom. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

1 "Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel. Tell them, 'Mountains of Israel, listen to the LORD's message.

2 The LORD and King says, "Your enemies made fun of you. They bragged, 'The hills you lived in for a long time belong to us now.' " '

3 "Ezekiel, prophesy. Say, 'The LORD and King says, "Your enemies destroyed you. They hunted you down from every side. So the rest of the nations took over your land. People talked about you. They told lies about you." ' "

4 Mountains of Israel, listen to the message of the LORD and King. He speaks to you mountains, hills, canyons and valleys. He speaks to you destroyed cities and deserted towns. The rest of the nations around you took everything of value away from you. They made fun of you.

5 So the LORD and King says, "My anger burns against those nations. I have spoken against them and the whole land of Edom. They were very happy when they took over my land. Deep down inside them they hated Israel. They wanted to take its grasslands.

6 "Ezekiel, prophesy about the land of Israel. Speak to the mountains, hills, canyons and valleys. Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "My jealous anger burns against the nations. They have laughed at you."

7 So the LORD and King says, "I raise my hand and take an oath. I promise that the nations around you will also be laughed at.

8 " ' "Mountains of Israel, you will produce branches and bear fruit for my people Israel. They will come home soon.

9 I am concerned about you. I will look on you with favor. Farmers will plow your ground. They will plant seeds in it.

10 " ' "I will multiply the number of people who live in Israel. The towns will no longer be empty. Their broken-down houses will be rebuilt.

11 I will increase the number of your people and animals. They will have many babies. I will settle people in your towns, just as I did in the past. I will help you succeed more than ever before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

12 " ' "I will let my people Israel walk there again. They will possess you. They will receive you as their own. You will never take their children away from them again." ' "

13 The LORD and King says, "People say to you mountains, 'You destroy people. You let your nation's children be taken away.'

14 But I will not let you destroy people anymore. I will no longer let your nation's children be taken away," announces the LORD and King.

15 "You will not have to listen to the nations laughing at you anymore. People will no longer make fun of you. You will not let your nation fall," announces the LORD and King.

16 Another message came to me from the Lord. He said,

17 "Son of man, the people of Israel used to live in their own land. But they polluted it because of how they acted and the way they lived. To me they were 'unclean' like a woman who was having her monthly period.

18 "They spilled people's blood in the land. They polluted the land by worshiping other gods. So I poured out my burning anger on them.

19 I scattered them among the nations. I sent them to other countries. I judged them based on how they acted and the way they lived.

20 "They treated my name as if it were not holy. They did it everywhere they went among the nations. People said about them, 'They are the LORD's people. But they were forced to leave his land.'

21 I was concerned about my holy name. The people of Israel treated it as if it were not holy. They did it everywhere they went among the nations.

22 "But tell the people of Israel, 'The LORD and King speaks. He says, "People of Israel, I will not take action for your benefit. Instead, I will act for the honor of my holy name. You have treated it as if it were not holy. You did it everywhere you went among the nations.

23 But I will show everyone how holy my great name is. You have treated it as if it were not holy. So I will use you to show the nations how holy I am. Then they will know that I am the Lord," announces the LORD and King.

24 " ' "I will take you out of the nations. I will gather you together from all of the countries. I will bring you back into your own land.

25 " ' "I will sprinkle pure water on you. Then you will be 'clean.' I will make you completely pure and clean. I will take all of the statues of your gods away from you.

26 I will give you new hearts. I will give you a new spirit that is faithful to me. I will remove your stubborn hearts from you. I will give you hearts that obey me.

27 " ' "I will put my Spirit in you. I will move you to follow my rules. I want you to be careful to keep my laws.

28 You will live in the land I gave your people long ago. You will be my people. And I will be your God.

29 " ' "I will save you from all of your 'uncleanness.' I will give you plenty of grain. You will have more than enough. So you will never be hungry again.

30 I will multiply the fruit on your trees. I will increase the crops in your fields. Then the nations will no longer make fun of you because you are hungry.

31 " ' "You will remember your evil ways and the sinful things you have done. You will hate yourselves because you have sinned so much. I also hate your evil practices.

32 I want you to know that I am not doing those things for your benefit," announces the LORD and King. "People of Israel, you should be ashamed of yourselves! Your conduct has brought dishonor to you." ' "

33 The LORD and King says, "I will make you pure from all of your sins. On that day I will settle you in your towns again. Your broken-down houses will be rebuilt.

34 The dry and empty land will be farmed again. "Everyone who passes through it will see that it is no longer empty.

35 They will say, 'This land was completely destroyed. But now it's like the Garden of Eden. The cities were full of broken-down buildings. They were destroyed and empty. But now they have high walls around them. And people live in them.'

36 "Then the nations that remain around you will know that I have rebuilt what was once destroyed. I have planted again the fields that were once empty. I have spoken. And I will do it. I am the Lord."

37 The LORD and King says, "Once again I will answer the prayers of the people of Israel. Here is what I will do for them. I will multiply them as if they were sheep.

38 Large flocks of animals are sacrificed at Jerusalem during the appointed feasts there. In the same way, the destroyed cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

1 The LORD put his strong hand on me. His Spirit brought me away from my home. He put me down in the middle of a valley. It was full of bones.

2 He led me back and forth among them. I saw a huge number of bones in the valley. The bones were very dry.

3 The LORD asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "LORD and King, you are the only one who knows."

4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones. Tell them, 'Dry bones, listen to the LORD's message.

5 The LORD and King speaks to you. He says, "I will put breath in you. Then you will come to life again.

6 I will attach tendons to you. I will put flesh on you. I will cover you with skin. So I will put breath in you. And you will come to life again. Then you will know that I am the Lord." ' "

7 So I prophesied just as the LORD commanded me to. As I was prophesying, I heard a noise. It was a rattling sound. The bones came together. One bone connected itself to another.

8 I saw tendons and flesh appear on them. Skin covered them. But there was no breath in them.

9 Then the LORD said to me, "Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell it, 'The LORD and King says, "Breath, come from all four directions. Go into these dead bodies. Then they can live." ' "

10 So I prophesied just as he commanded me to. And the breath entered them. Then they came to life again. They stood up on their feet. They were like a huge army.

11 Then the LORD said to me, "Son of man, these bones stand for all of the people of Israel. The people say, 'Our bones are dried up. We've lost all hope. We are cut off.'

12 "So prophesy. Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "My people, I am going to open up your graves. I am going to bring you out of them. I will take you back to the land of Israel.

13 So I will open up your graves and bring you out of them. Then you will know that I am the Lord. You are my people.

14 I will put my Spirit in you. And you will live again. I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I have spoken. I have done it," announces the Lord.' "

15 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

16 "Son of man, get a stick of wood. Write on it, 'Belonging to the tribe of Judah and the Israelites who are connected with it.' Then get another stick. Write on it, 'Ephraim's stick. Belonging to the tribes of Joseph and all of the Israelites connected with them.'

17 Join them together into one stick in your hand.

18 "The people of your own country will ask you, 'What do you mean by this?'

19 Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "I am going to get the stick of Joseph and the Israelites connected with it. That stick is in Ephraim's hand. I am going to join it to Judah's stick. They will become a single stick of wood in my hand." '

20 "Show them the sticks you wrote on.

21 Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them together from all around. I will bring them back to their own land.

22 There I will make them one nation. They will live on the mountains of Israel. All of them will have one king. They will never be two nations again. They will never again be separated into two kingdoms.

23 " ' "They will no longer pollute themselves by worshiping any of their evil gods. They will not do wrong things anymore. They always turn away from me. But I will save them from that sin. I will make them pure and clean. They will be my people. And I will be their God.

24 " ' "A man who belongs to the family line of my servant David will be their king. All of them will have one shepherd. They will follow my laws. And they will be careful to keep my rules.

25 They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob. That is where your people lived long ago. They, their children, their children's children, and their children after them will live there forever. And my servant from David's line will be their prince forever.

26 " ' "I will make a covenant with them. It promises to give them peace. The covenant will last forever. I will make them my people. And I will increase their numbers. I will put my temple among them forever.

27 I will live with them. I will be their God. And they will be my people.

28 My temple will be among them forever. Then the nations will know that I make Israel holy. I am the Lord." ' "

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, turn your attention to Gog. He is from the land of Magog. He is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him.

3 "Tell him, 'The LORD and King says, "Gog, I am against you. You are the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.

4 But I will turn you around. I will put hooks in your jaws. I will bring you out of your land along with your whole army. Your horses will come with you. Your horsemen will be completely armed. Your huge army will carry large and small shields. All of them will be ready to use their swords.

5 " ' "The men of Persia, Cush and Put will march out with them. All of them will have shields and helmets.

6 Gomer and all of its troops will be there too. Beth Togarmah from the far north will also come with all of its troops. Many nations will help you.

7 " ' "Get ready. Be prepared. Take command of the huge armies that are gathered around you.

8 After many years you will be called together to fight. Later, you will march into a land that has not had war for a while. Its people were gathered together from many nations. They came to the mountains of Israel. No one had lived in those mountains for a long time. So the people had been brought back from other nations. Now all of the people live in safety.

9 You, all of your troops and the many nations with you will march up to attack them. All of you will advance like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering their land."

10 " 'The LORD and King says, "At that time some ideas will come to you. You will make evil plans.

11 You will say, 'I will march out against a land whose villages don't have walls around them. I'll attack those peaceful people. I'll do it when they aren't expecting it. None of their villages has walls or gates with heavy metal bars on them.

12 " ' " 'I will rob those people. I'll steal everything they have. Then I'll turn my attention to the destroyed houses where people are living again. They have returned there from other nations. Now they are rich. They have plenty of livestock and all kinds of goods. They are living in Israel. It is the center of the earth.'

13 " ' "The people of Sheba and Dedan will speak to you. So will the traders of Tarshish and all of its villages. They will say, 'Have you come to rob us? Have you gathered your huge army together to steal our silver and gold? Are you going to take our livestock and goods away from us? Do you plan to carry off everything we have?' " '

14 "Son of man, prophesy. Tell Gog, 'The LORD and King says, "A time is coming when my people Israel will be living in safety. You will see that it is a good time to attack them.

15 So you will come from your place in the far north. Many nations will join you. All of their men will be riding on horses. You will have a huge and mighty army.

16 They will advance against my people Israel. They will be like a cloud covering their land. Gog, in days to come I will bring you against my land. Then the nations will know me. I will use you to show them how holy I am."

17 " 'The LORD and King says to Gog, "In the past I spoke about you through my servants, the prophets of Israel. At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them.

18 Here is what will happen in days to come. You will attack the land of Israel. That will stir up my hot anger," announces the LORD and King.

19 " ' "At that time my burning anger will blaze out at you. There will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.

20 The fish in the sea, the birds of the air and the wild animals will tremble with fear because of what I will do. So will every creature that moves along the ground. And so will all of the people on earth. The mountains will come crashing down. The cliffs will break into pieces. Every wall will fall to the ground.

21 " ' "I will punish you on all of my mountains," announces the LORD and King. "Your men will use their swords against one another.

22 I will judge you. I will send a plague against you. A lot of blood will be spilled. I will send heavy rain, hailstones and burning sulfur down to the earth. They will fall on you and your troops. They will also come down on the many nations that are helping you.

23 That will show how great and holy I am. I will make myself known to many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord." '

1 "Son of man, prophesy against Gog. Tell him, 'The LORD and King says, "Gog, I am against you. You are the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.

2 But I will turn you around. I will drag you along. I will bring you from the far north. I will send you against the mountains of Israel.

3 Then I will knock your bow out of your left hand. I will make your arrows drop from your right hand.

4 " ' "You will fall dead on the mountains of Israel. You and all of your troops will die there. So will the nations that join you. I will feed you to all kinds of birds that eat dead bodies. So they and the wild animals will eat you up.

5 You will fall dead in the open fields. I have spoken," announces the LORD and King.

6 " ' "I will send fire on the land of Magog. It will burn up the people who live in safety on the coast. So they will know that I am the Lord.

7 " ' "I will make my holy name known among my people Israel. I will no longer let them treat my name as if it were not holy. Then the nations will know that I am the Holy One in Israel. I am the Lord.

8 The day I will judge you is coming. You can be sure of it," announces the LORD and King. "It is the day I have spoken about.

9 " ' "At that time those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and light a fire. They will use it to burn up the weapons. That includes small and large shields. It also includes bows and arrows, war clubs and spears. It will take seven years to burn all of them up.

10 People will not gather wood from the fields. They will not cut the forests down. Instead, they will burn the weapons. And they will rob those who robbed them. They will steal from those who stole from them," announces the LORD and King.

11 " ' "Gog, at that time I will bury you in a grave in Israel. It will be in the valley where people travel east of the Dead Sea. It will block the path of travelers. That is because you and your huge armies will be buried there. So it will be called The Valley of Gog's Armies.

12 " ' "It will take seven months for the people of Israel to bury the bodies. They will do it to make the land 'clean' again.

13 All of the people in the land will bury them. That will bring glory to me. It will be a time to remember," announces the LORD and King.

14 " ' "After the seven months are over, men will be hired to finish the job of making the land 'clean' again. Some will go all through it. They will look for any remaining human bones on the ground. Other people will bury the bones.

15 So some will go through the land. When they see a bone, they will put a marker beside it. Then those who dig the graves will take it to The Valley of Gog's Armies. There they will bury it.

16 That is how they will make the land 'clean' again." ' " Also a town called Gog's Armies will be located there.

17 The LORD and King said to me, "Son of man, speak to every kind of bird. Call out to all of the wild animals. Tell them, 'Gather together. Come from everywhere. Gather around the sacrifice I am preparing for you. It is the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat human bodies and drink human blood.

18 " 'You will eat the bodies of mighty men. You will drink the blood of the princes of the earth. You will eat their bodies and drink their blood as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls. You will enjoy it as if you were eating the fattest animals from Bashan.

19 " 'So I am preparing a sacrifice for you. You will eat fat until you are completely full. You will drink blood until you are drunk.

20 At my table you will eat horses, riders, mighty men and soldiers until you are full,' announces the LORD and King.

21 " 'I will show all of the nations my glory. They will see how I punish them when I use my powerful hand against them.

22 From that time on, the people of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God.

23 " 'The nations will know that the people of Israel were taken away as prisoners because they sinned against me. They were not faithful to me. So I turned my face away from them. I handed them over to their enemies. All of them were killed with swords.

24 I punished them because they were "unclean." They did many things that were wrong. So I turned my face away from them.' "

25 The LORD and King says, "I will now bring the people of Jacob back home again. I will show my tender love for all of the people of Israel. I will make sure that my name is kept holy.

26 "My people will forget the shameful things they have done. They will not remember all of the ways they were unfaithful to me. They used to live in safety in their land. At that time no one made them afraid.

27 "So I will bring them back from the nations. I will gather them from the countries of their enemies. And I will use them to show many nations how holy I am.

28 Then they will know that I am the LORD their God. I let the nations take my people away as prisoners. But now I will bring them back to their own land. I will not leave anyone behind.

29 I will no longer turn my face away from the people of Israel. I will pour out my Spirit on them," announces the LORD and King.

1 It was the 14th year after Jerusalem had been captured. It was the tenth day of a month near the beginning of the 25th year since we had been brought to Babylonia as prisoners. On that very day the LORD put his strong hand on me. He took me back to my land.

2 In visions God gave me, he brought me to the land of Israel. He set me on a very high mountain. Some buildings were on the south side of it. They looked like a city.

3 He took me there. I saw a man who appeared to be made out of bronze. He was standing at the gate of the outer courtyard. He was holding a linen measuring tape and a measuring rod.

4 The man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes. Listen with your ears. Pay attention to everything I show you. That is why the LORD brought you here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see."

5 I saw a wall that completely surrounded the temple area. The measuring rod in the man's hand was ten and a half feet long. He measured the wall with it. The wall was as thick and as high as one measuring rod.

6 Then the man went to the gate that faced east. He climbed its steps. He measured the gateway. It was one rod wide.

7 The rooms where the guards stood were one rod long and one rod wide. The walls between the rooms were almost nine feet thick. The gateway next to the porch was one rod wide. The porch faced the front of the temple.

8 Then the man measured the porch of the gateway.

9 It was 14 feet wide. Each of its doorposts was three and a half feet thick. The porch of the gateway faced the front of the temple.

10 Inside the east gate were three rooms on each side. All of the rooms were the same size. The walls on each side of the rooms had the same thickness.

11 Then the man measured the entrance of the gateway. It was 17 and a half feet wide and almost 23 feet long.

12 In front of each room was a wall. It was 21 inches high. The rooms measured ten and a half feet on each side.

13 Then he measured the gateway from the back wall of one room to the back wall of the room across from it. It was almost 44 feet from the top of one wall to the top of the other.

14 He measured along the front of the side walls that were all around the inside of the gateway. The total was 105 feet. That didn't include the porch that faced the courtyard.

15 It was 87 and a half feet from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its porch.

16 The rooms and their side walls inside the gateway had narrow openings on top of them. So did the porch. All of the openings faced the inside. The front of each side wall was decorated with a palm tree.

17 Then the man brought me into the outer courtyard. There I saw some rooms and a sidewalk. They had been built all around the courtyard. Along the sidewalk were 30 rooms.

18 The sidewalk went all the way up to the sides of the gateways. It was as wide as they were long. That was the lower sidewalk.

19 Then he measured from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner courtyard. The east side measured 175 feet. So did the north side.

20 Then the man measured the gate that faced north. He wanted to show me how long and wide it was. The gate led into the outer courtyard.

21 It had three rooms on each side. Their side walls and porch measured the same as the ones at the first gateway. They measured 87 and a half feet long and almost 44 feet wide.

22 Its openings, porch and palm tree decorations measured the same as the ones at the east gate. Seven steps led up to the north gate. Its porch was across from them.

23 The inner courtyard had a gate. It faced the gate on the north. It was just like the east gate. He measured from one gate to the one across from it. The total was 175 feet.

24 Then the man led me to the south side of the courtyard. There I saw a gate that faced south. He measured its doorposts and porch. They measured the same as the others.

25 The gateway and its porch had narrow openings all around. The openings were the same as the others had. The side walls and porch measured 87 and a half feet long and almost 44 feet wide.

26 Seven steps led up to it. Its porch was across from them. The front of each side wall was decorated with a palm tree.

27 The inner courtyard also had a gate that faced south. The man measured from that gate to the outer gate on the south side. The total was 175 feet.

28 Then the man brought me into the inner courtyard. We went through the south gate. He measured it. It was the same size as the others.

29 Its rooms, side walls and porch measured the same as the ones at the other gateways. The gateway and its porch had openings all around. The side walls and porch measured 87 and a half feet long and almost 44 feet wide.

30 The porches of the gateways around the inner courtyard were almost 44 feet wide and 9 feet long.

31 Its porch faced the outer courtyard. Palm trees decorated its doorposts. Eight steps led up to it.

32 Then the man brought me to the east side of the inner courtyard. There he measured the gateway. It was the same size as the others.

33 Its rooms, side walls and porch measured the same as the ones at the other gateways. The gateway and its porch had openings all around. The side walls and porch measured 87 and a half feet long and almost 44 feet wide.

34 Its porch faced the outer courtyard. Each doorpost was decorated with a palm tree. Eight steps led up to the porch.

35 Then the man brought me to the north gate. He measured it. It was the same size as the others.

36 Its rooms, side walls and porch measured the same as the ones at the other gateways. It had openings all around. The side walls and the porch measured 87 and a half feet long and almost 44 feet wide.

37 The porch faced the outer courtyard. Each doorpost was decorated with a palm tree. Eight steps led up to the porch.

38 A room with a doorway was by the porch of each inner gateway. The burnt offerings were washed there.

39 On each side of the porch of the gateway were two tables. The burnt offerings were killed on them. So were the sin offerings and guilt offerings.

40 Two more tables were by the outer wall of the gateway porch. They were near the steps at the entrance of the north gateway. Two more tables were on the other side of the steps.

41 So there were four tables on each side of the gateway. The total number of tables was eight. Animals for sacrifice were killed on all of them.

42 There were also four other tables for the burnt offerings. They were made out of blocks of stone. Each table was two and a half feet long and two and a half feet wide. And each was almost two feet high. The tools for killing the burnt offerings and other sacrifices were placed on them.

43 Large hooks hung on the walls all around. Each was three inches long. The meat of the offerings was placed on the tables.

44 Near the inner gates were two rooms. They were in the inner courtyard. One room was next to the north gate. It faced south. The other one was next to the south gate. It faced north.

45 The man said to me, "The room that faces south is for the priests who are in charge of the temple.

46 The one that faces north is for the priests who are in charge of the altar. All of those priests are the sons of Zadok. They are the only Levites who can approach the LORD to serve him."

47 Then the man measured the courtyard. It was square. It measured 175 feet long and 175 feet wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.

48 The man brought me to the porch of the temple. He measured the doorposts of the porch. Each of them was almost nine feet wide. The entrance was 24 and a half feet wide. Each of the side walls was a little over five feet wide.

49 The porch was 35 feet wide. It was 21 feet from front to back. It was reached by some stairs. Pillars were on each side of the doorposts.

1 Then the man brought me to the Holy Room in the temple. There he measured the doorposts. Each of them was ten and a half feet wide.

2 The entrance was 17 and a half feet wide. Each of its side walls was almost nine feet wide. He also measured the Holy Room. It was 70 feet long and 35 feet wide.

3 Then he went into the Most Holy Room. There he measured the doorposts at the entrance. Each one of them was three and a half feet wide. The entrance itself was ten and a half feet wide. Each of its side walls was a little over 12 feet wide.

4 He also measured the Most Holy Room. It was 35 feet long and 35 feet wide. He said to me, "This is the Most Holy Room." It was beyond the back wall of the Holy Room.

5 Then the man measured the wall of the temple. It was ten and a half feet thick. Each side room around the temple was seven feet wide.

6 The side rooms were on three floors. There were 30 rooms on each floor. Ledges had been built all around the wall of the temple. So the floor beams of the side rooms rested on the ledges. The beams didn't go into the temple wall.

7 The side rooms of the temple were wider as we went up floor by floor. A stairway went from the lowest floor all the way up to the top floor. It passed through the middle floor.

8 I saw that the temple had a raised base all around it. The base formed the foundation of the side rooms. It was as long as one measuring rod. So it was ten and a half feet long.

9 The outer wall of each side room was almost nine feet thick. The open area between the side rooms of the temple

10 and the priests' rooms was 35 feet wide all around the temple.

11 The side rooms had entrances from the open area. One was on the north side. Another was on the south. The base next to the open area was almost nine feet wide all around.

12 There was a large building right behind the temple. It was on the west side of the outer courtyard. It was 122 and a half feet wide. Its wall was almost nine feet thick all around. And it was 157 and a half feet long.

13 Then the man measured the temple. It was 175 feet long. The open area and the large building behind the temple also measured 175 feet.

14 The east side of the inner courtyard was 175 feet wide. That included the front of the temple.

15 Then the man measured the building that was on the west side of the outer courtyard. It was behind the temple. It was 175 feet long. That included the walkways of the building on each side. The Holy Room, the Most Holy Room and the porch that faced the inner courtyard

16 were covered with wood. So were the gateways, narrow openings and walkways around those three places. The gateways and everything beyond them were covered with wood. The floor, the wall up to the openings, and the openings themselves were also covered.

17 The area above the outside of the entrance to the Most Holy Room was decorated. There were also decorations all around the walls of the Most Holy Room.

18 Carved cherubim and palm trees were used in the decorations. Each cherub had a palm tree next to it. And each palm tree had a cherub next to it. Each cherub had two faces.

19 One was a man's face. It looked toward the palm tree on one side. The other was the face of a lion. It looked toward the palm tree on the other side. The decorations were carved all around the whole temple.

20 Cherubim and palm trees decorated the wall of the Holy Room. They were carved from the floor all the way up to the area above the entrance.

21 The Holy Room had a doorframe that was shaped like a rectangle. So did the Most Holy Room.

22 A wooden altar stood in the Holy Room. It was a little over five feet high. It was three and a half feet long and three and a half feet wide. Its corners, base and sides were made out of wood. The man said to me, "This is the table that stands in front of the Lord."

23 The Holy Room had double doors. So did the Most Holy Room.

24 Each door had two parts that could swing back and forth.

25 Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the doors of the Holy Room. The decorations were like the ones on the walls. A wooden roof went out beyond the front of the porch.

26 The side walls of the porch had narrow openings on top of them. Palm trees were carved on each side. A wooden roof went out beyond the entrance to each side room of the temple.

1 Then the man led me north into the outer courtyard of the temple. He brought me to the rooms that were across from the inner courtyard. They were across from the outer wall of the temple on the north side.

2 The rooms were in a building north of the temple. The building had a door that faced north. It was 175 feet long. It was 87 and a half feet wide.

3 One row of rooms was next to the inner courtyard. The other row was across from the sidewalk of the outer courtyard. Each room was 35 feet long. Walkways in front of each row faced each other on all three floors.

4 Between the two rows was an inner sidewalk. It was 17 and a half feet wide and 175 feet long. Each of the rooms had a door on the north side.

5 The rooms on the top floor were narrower than the others. The walkways took up more space from them than they did from the rooms on the other two floors.

6 The courtyards had pillars. But the rooms on the third floor didn't. So their floor space was smaller than the space in the rooms on the other floors.

7 The building had an outer wall that was even with the outer row of rooms and with the outer courtyard. The wall continued east of the outer row for 87 and a half feet.

8 So there were two rows of rooms. The row next to the outer courtyard was 87 and a half feet long. The one closest to the temple was 175 feet long.

9 The first floor of the building had an entrance on the east side. It led to the outer courtyard.

10 There were also two rows of rooms in a building next to the south side of the inner courtyard. The building was across from the south wall of the outer courtyard.

11 Between the two rows was an inner sidewalk. The rooms were like the ones in the north building. They were as long and wide as the rooms on the north. The doorways of the rooms on the south were like the ones on the north.

12 People entered the south rooms through the doorway at the east end of the inner sidewalk. The south wall continued east of the outer row of rooms.

13 The man said to me, "The north and south rooms face the inner courtyard. They are the priests' rooms. That is where the priests who approach the LORD will eat the very holy offerings. They will also store them there. That includes the grain offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings. This place is holy.

14 "The priests who enter these holy rooms must leave behind the clothes they served in. Then they can go into the outer courtyard. The clothes they served in are holy. So they must put other clothes on. They have to do that before they go near the places where other people go."

15 The man finished measuring what was inside the temple area. Then he led me out through the east gate. He measured all around the area.

16 He measured the east side with his measuring rod. It was 875 feet long.

17 He measured the north side. It was 875 feet long.

18 He measured the south side. It was 875 feet long.

19 Finally, he turned and measured the west side. It was 875 feet long.

20 So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall around it. The wall was 875 feet long and 875 feet wide. It separated what was holy from what was not.

1 Then the man brought me to the east gate.

2 There I saw the glory of the God of Israel. He was coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters. His glory made the land shine brightly.

3 The vision I saw was like the one I had when he came to destroy the city. It was also like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River. I fell with my face toward the ground.

4 The glory of the LORD entered the temple through the east gate.

5 Then the Spirit lifted me up. He brought me into the inner courtyard. The glory of the LORD filled the temple.

6 The man was standing beside me. I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple.

7 He said, "Son of man, this is the place where my throne is. The stool for my feet is also here. I will live here among the people of Israel forever. They will never again treat my name as if it were not holy. They and their kings will not serve other gods anymore. The people will no longer worship the lifeless gods of their kings at their high places.

8 "The people of Israel placed their own doorway next to my holy doorway. They put their doorposts right beside mine. Nothing but a thin wall separated us. They treated my name as if it were not holy. I hated it when they did that. So I became angry with them and destroyed them.

9 Now let them stop serving other gods. Let them quit worshiping the lifeless gods of their kings. If they obey me, I will live among them forever.

10 "Son of man, tell the people of Israel about the temple. Then they will be ashamed of their sins. Let them think carefully about the plan of the temple.

11 What if they are ashamed of everything they have done? Then show them all of the plans of the temple. Explain to them how it is laid out. Tell them about its exits and entrances. Show them exactly what it will look like. Give them all of its rules and laws. Write everything down so they can see it. Then they will be faithful to its plan. And they will obey all of its rules.

12 "Here is the law of the temple. The whole area on top of Mount Zion will be very holy. That is the law of the temple."

13 The man said, "Here is the size of the altar. The standard measurement I am using is 21 inches. The base of the altar is 21 inches high. The base has a ledge that is 21 inches wide. It also has a rim that is nine inches wide around the edge. Here is how high the altar is.

14 The lower part is three and a half feet high. It has a ledge that is 21 inches wide. The middle part is seven feet high. It has a ledge that is 21 inches wide.

15 "The top part is where the sacrifices are burned. It is seven feet high. A horn sticks out from each of its upper four corners.

16 The top part of the altar is square. It is 21 feet long and 21 feet wide.

17 The middle part is also square. It is 24 and a half feet long. It is 24 and a half feet wide. Its rim is ten and a half inches wide. The base of the altar is 21 inches high all the way around. The steps leading up to the top of the altar face east."

18 Then the man said to me, "Son of man, the LORD and King speaks. He says, 'Here are the rules for the altar when it is built. Follow them when you sacrifice burnt offerings and sprinkle blood on it.

19 Give a young bull to the priests as a sin offering. They are Levites from the family of Zadok. They approach me to serve me,' announces the LORD and King.

20 'Get some of the bull's blood. Put it on the four horns. Also put it on the four corners of the middle part of the altar and all around the rim. That will make the altar pure and clean.

21 Use the bull for the sin offering. Burn it in the proper place outside the temple.

22 " 'On the second day offer a male goat. It must not have any flaws. It is a sin offering to make the altar pure and clean. So do as you did with the bull.

23 When you finish making the altar pure, offer a young bull and a ram from the flock. They must not have any flaws.

24 Offer them to me. The priests must sprinkle salt on them. Then they must sacrifice them as a burnt offering to me.

25 " 'Provide a male goat each day for seven days. It is a sin offering. Also provide a young bull and a ram from the flock. They must not have any flaws.

26 For seven days the priests must make the altar pure and clean. That is how they will set it apart to me.

27 " 'From the eighth day on, the priests must bring your burnt offerings and friendship offerings. They must sacrifice them on the altar. Then I will accept you,' announces the LORD and King."

1 Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the temple. It was the one that faced east. It was shut.

2 The LORD said to me, "This gate must remain shut. It must not be opened. No one can enter through it. It must remain shut because I have entered through it. I am the God of Israel.

3 The prince is the only one who can sit in the gateway. There he can eat in front of me. He must enter through the porch of the gateway. And he must go out the same way."

4 Then the man brought me through the north gate. He took me to the front of the temple. I looked up and saw the glory of the Lord. It filled his temple. I fell with my face toward the ground.

5 The LORD said to me, "Son of man, pay attention. Look carefully. Listen closely to everything I tell you about all of the rules concerning my temple. Pay attention to the entrance to the temple and to all of its exits.

6 "Speak to the people of Israel. They refuse to obey me. Tell them, 'The LORD and King says, "People of Israel, I have had enough of your evil practices. I hate them.

7 You brought strangers into my temple. They were not circumcised. Their hearts were stubborn. You polluted my temple. But you offered me food, fat and blood anyway. When you did all of those things, you broke the covenant I made with you. I hated all of the evil things you did.

8 " ' "You did not do what I told you to. You did not take care of my holy things. Instead, you put other people in charge of my temple." ' "

9 The LORD and King says, "No stranger whose heart is stubborn can enter my temple. They have not been circumcised. Even if they live among the people of Israel they can't enter it.

10 "Some Levites wandered far away from me when Israel went down the wrong path. They worshiped the statues of their gods. So they will be punished because they have sinned.

11 They might serve in my temple. They might be in charge of its gates. They might kill the burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people. And they might stand in front of the people and serve them in other ways.

12 "But they served the people of Israel while they were worshiping their gods. They made the people fall into sin. So I raised my hand and took an oath. I warned them that I would punish them because of their sin," announces the LORD and King.

13 "They must not approach me to serve me as priests. They must not come near any of my holy things. They must stay away from my very holy offerings. They did many things they should have been ashamed of. I hated those things.

14 "But I will still put them in charge of the temple duties. They can do all of the work that has to be done there.

15 "But the priests must approach me to serve me. They are Levites from Zadok's family line. They faithfully carried out their duties in my temple. They obeyed me when the people of Israel turned away from me. Those priests must serve me by offering sacrifices of fat and blood," announces the LORD and King.

16 "They are the only ones who can enter my temple. Only they can come near to serve me and do my work.

17 "They will enter the gates of the inner courtyard. When they do, they must wear linen clothes. They will serve at the gates of the inner courtyard or inside the temple. When they do, they must not wear any clothes that are made out of wool.

18 They must have linen turbans on their heads. They must wear linen underwear around their waists. They must not put anything on that makes them sweat.

19 "They will go into the outer courtyard where the people are. When they do, they must take off the clothes they have been serving in. They must leave them in the sacred rooms. And they must put other clothes on. Then they will not make the people holy if the people happen to touch their clothes.

20 "The priests must not shave their heads. They must not let their hair grow long. They must keep it cut short.

21 No priest can drink wine when he enters the inner courtyard.

22 They must not get married to widows or divorced women. They can only marry Israelite virgins or the widows of priests.

23 "The priests must teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is not. They must show them how to tell the difference between what is 'clean' and what is not.

24 "When people do not agree, the priests must serve as judges between them. They must make their decisions based on my laws. They must obey my laws and rules for all of my appointed feasts. And they must keep my Sabbath days holy.

25 "A priest must not make himself 'unclean' by going near a dead person. But suppose the dead person was his father or mother. Or suppose it was his son or daughter or brother or unmarried sister. Then the priest can make himself 'unclean.'

26 After he is pure and clean again, he must wait seven days.

27 Then he can go to the inner courtyard to serve in the temple. But when he does, he must sacrifice a sin offering for himself," announces the LORD and King.

28 "The priests will not receive any part of the land of Israel. I myself will be their only share.

29 They will eat the grain offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings. Everything in Israel that is set apart to me in a special way will belong to them.

30 The best of every first share of the people's crops will belong to the priests. So will all of their special gifts. The people must give the priests the first share of their ground meal. Then I will bless my people's families.

31 "The priests must not eat any bird or animal that is found dead. They must not eat anything that wild animals have torn apart.

1 "People of Israel, you will divide up the land you will receive. When you do, give me my share of it. It will be a sacred area. It will be eight and a fourth miles long and six and a half miles wide. The entire area will be holy.

2 The temple area in it will be 875 feet long and 875 feet wide. An 87-and-a-half-foot strip around it will be open land.

3 "In the sacred area, measure off a large strip of land. It will be eight and a fourth miles long and three and a third miles wide. The temple will be in it. It will be the most holy place of all.

4 The large strip will be the sacred share of land for the priests. There they will serve in the temple. And they will approach me to serve me there. Their houses will be built on that land. The holy temple will also be located there.

5 "So the Levites will serve in the temple. They will have an area eight and a fourth miles long and three and a third miles wide. The towns they live in will be located there.

6 "Give the city an area one and two thirds miles wide and eight and a fourth miles long. It will be right next to the sacred area. It will belong to all of the people of Israel.

7 "The prince will have land on both sides of the sacred area and the city. Its border will run east and west along the land of one of the tribes.

8 The prince will own that land in Israel. And my princes will not crush my people anymore. Instead, they will allow the people of Israel to receive their own share of land. It will be divided up based on their tribes."

9 The LORD and King says, "Princes of Israel, you have gone far enough! Stop hurting others. Do not crush them. Do what is fair and right. Stop taking my people's land away from them," announces the LORD and King.

10 "Use weights and measures that are honest and exact.

11 Use the same standard to measure dry and liquid products. Use a 6-bushel measure for dry products. And use a 60-gallon measure for liquids.

12 Every amount of money must be weighed out in keeping with the standard weights.

13 "You must offer a special gift. It must be 13 and a third cups out of every six bushels of grain.

14 Give two and a half quarts out of every 60 gallons of olive oil.

15 Also give one sheep from every flock of 200 sheep. Get them from the grasslands of Israel that receive plenty of water. Use them for grain offerings, burnt offerings and friendship offerings. They will be used to pay for the sin of the people," announces the LORD and King.

16 "All of the people in the land will take part in that special gift. The prince in Israel will use it.

17 He must provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings. They will be for the yearly feasts, New Moon Feasts and Sabbath days. So they will be for all of the appointed feasts of the people of Israel. The prince will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and friendship offerings. They will be used to pay for the sin of the people."

18 The LORD and King says, "Get a young bull. It must not have any flaws. Use it to make the temple pure and clean. Do it on the first day of the first month.

19 The priest must get some of the blood from the sin offering. He must put some on the doorposts of the temple. He must apply some to the four corners of the middle part of the altar. He must put the rest on the gateposts of the inner courtyard.

20 "Do the same thing on the seventh day of the month. Do it for those who sin without meaning to. And do it for those who sin without realizing what they are doing. So you will make the temple pure and clean.

21 "Keep the Passover Feast on the 14th day of the first month. It will last for seven days. During that time you must eat bread that is made without yeast.

22 "The prince must provide a bull as a sin offering. It will be for him and all of the people of the land.

23 For each of the seven days of the Feast he must provide seven bulls and seven rams. They must not have any flaws. They will be a burnt offering to me. The prince must also provide a male goat for a sin offering.

24 He must bring a little over half a bushel for each bull or ram. He must also provide four quarts of olive oil for each of them.

25 "The seven days of the Feast begin on the 15th day of the seventh month. During those days the prince must provide the same sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings and olive oil."

1 The LORD and King says, "On the six working days of each week you must keep the east gate of the inner courtyard of the temple shut. But open it on Sabbath days and during New Moon Feasts.

2 The prince must enter the temple area through the porch of the gateway. He must stand by the gatepost. The priests must sacrifice his burnt offering and friendship offerings. He must worship at the entrance of the gateway. Then he must leave. But the gate will not be shut until evening.

3 "On Sabbath days and during New Moon Feasts the people of the land must gather together at the entrance of the temple gateway. That is where they must worship me.

4 "The prince must bring a burnt offering to me on the Sabbath. It will be six male lambs and a ram. They must not have any flaws.

5 He must offer a little over half a bushel of grain along with the ram. The grain he offers along with the lambs can be as much as he wants to give. He must also offer four quarts of olive oil for every half bushel of grain.

6 "On the day of the New Moon Feast the prince must also offer a young bull, six lambs and a ram. They must not have any flaws.

7 He must offer a little over half a bushel of grain along with the bull or ram. The grain he offers along with the lambs can be as much as he wants to give. He must also offer four quarts of olive oil for every half bushel of grain.

8 "When the prince enters the temple area, he must go in through the porch of the gateway. He must leave the same way.

9 "The people of the land must worship me at the appointed feasts. Those who enter through the north gate must leave through the south gate. Those who enter through the south gate must leave through the north gate. They must not leave through the same gate they entered. Each one must go out the opposite gate.

10 The prince must be among them. He must go in when they go in. And he must leave when they leave.

11 "At the yearly feasts and other appointed feasts there must be grain offerings. The prince must offer a little over half a bushel of grain along with a bull or ram. The grain he offers along with the lambs can be as much as he wants to give. He must also offer four quarts of olive oil for every half bushel of grain.

12 He can also bring another offering to me because he chooses to. It might be a burnt offering or friendship offering. When he brings it, the east gate must be opened for him. He will bring his offering just as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he will leave. After he has gone out, the gate must be shut.

13 "Every day you must provide a lamb that is a year old. It must not have any flaws. It is a burnt offering to me. You must provide it every morning.

14 You must also offer grain along with it every morning. Bring 13 and a third cups of grain. Also bring one and a third quarts of olive oil to make the flour a little wet. So you will give the grain offering to me. That will be a law that will last for all time to come.

15 Provide the lamb, grain offering and oil every morning. They will be used for a regular burnt offering."

16 The LORD and King says, "Suppose the prince makes a gift from his share of land. And he gives it to one of his sons. Then the property will also belong to his sons after him. It will be handed down to them.

17 "But suppose he makes a gift from his share of land to one of his servants. Then the servant can keep it until the Year of Jubilee. After that, it will be returned to the prince. His property can be handed down only to his sons. It belongs to them.

18 "The prince must not take any share of land that belongs to the people. He must not drive them off their property. He must give his sons their share out of his own property. Then my people will not be separated from their property."

19 The man brought me through the entrance at the side of the north building. That's where the priests' sacred rooms were located. He showed me a place west of the building.

20 He said to me, "This is where the priests will cook the guilt offerings and sin offerings. They will also bake the grain offerings here. Then they will not have to bring the offerings into the outer courtyard. That will keep the people from touching the offerings and becoming holy."

21 Then the man brought me to the outer courtyard. He led me around to its four corners. In each corner I saw another smaller courtyard.

22 So in the four corners of the outer courtyard were walled courtyards. Each one was 70 feet long and 52 and a half feet wide. All of them were the same size.

23 Around the inside of each of the four courtyards was a stone ledge. Places for fire were built all around under each ledge.

24 The man said to me, "These are the kitchens. Those who serve at the temple will cook the people's sacrifices here."

1 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple. I saw water flowing east from under a temple gateway. The temple faced east. The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple. It was flowing south of the altar.

2 Then he brought me out through the north gate of the outer courtyard. He led me around the outside to the outer gate that faced east. The water was flowing from the south side of the east gate.

3 Then the man went toward the east. He had a measuring line in his hand. He measured off 1,750 feet. He led me through water that was up to my ankles.

4 Then he measured off another 1,750 feet. He led me through water that was up to my knees. Then he measured off another 1,750 feet. He led me through water that was up to my waist.

5 Then he measured off another 1,750 feet. But now it was a river that I could not go across. The water had risen so high that it was deep enough to swim in.

6 He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this?" Then he led me back to the bank of the river.

7 When I arrived there, I saw a large number of trees. They were on both sides of the river.

8 The man said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern territory. It goes down into the Arabah Valley. There it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into it, the water there becomes fresh.

9 Large numbers of creatures will live where the river flows. It will have huge numbers of fish. This water flows there and makes the salt water fresh. So where the river flows everything will live.

10 "People will stand along the shore to fish. From En Gedi all the way to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading fishnets. The Dead Sea will have many kinds of fish. They will be like the fish in the Mediterranean Sea.

11 "But none of the swamps will have fresh water in them. They will stay salty.

12 "Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not dry up. The trees will always have fruit on them. Every month they will bear fruit. The water from the temple will flow to them. Their fruit will be used for food. And their leaves will be used for healing."

13 The LORD and King says, "People of Israel, here are the borders you will have after you divide up the land. Each of the 12 tribes will receive a share. But the family of Joseph will have two shares.

14 Divide the land into equal parts. Long ago I raised my hand and took an oath. I promised to give the land to your people. So all of it will belong to you.

15 "Here are the borders of the land.

16 Berothah and Sibraim. Sibraim is between Damascus and Hamath. The border will reach all the way to Hazer Hatticon. It is right next to Hauran.

17 The border will go from the sea to Hazar Enan. It will run north of Damascus and south of Hamath. That will be the north border.

18 "On the east side the border will run between Hauran and Damascus. It will continue along the Jordan River between Gilead and the land of Israel. It will reach to the Dead Sea and all the way to Tamar. That will be the east border.

19 "On the south side the border will start at Tamar. It will reach all the way to the waters of Meribah Kadesh. Then it will run along the Wadi of Egypt. It will end at the Mediterranean Sea. That will be the south border.

20 "On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the border. It will go to a point across from Lebo Hamath. That will be the west border.

21 "You must divide up this land among yourselves. Do it based on the number of men in your tribes.

22 Each of the tribes must receive a share of the land. "You must also give some land to the outsiders who have settled among you and who have children. Treat them as if they had been born in Israel. Let them have some land among your tribes.

23 Outsiders can settle in any tribe. There you must give them their share," announces the LORD and King.

1 "Here are the tribes. They are listed by their names. Dan will receive one share of land. It will be at the northern border of Israel. The border will follow the Hethlon road to Lebo Hamath. Hazar Enan will be part of the border. So will the northern border of Damascus next to Hamath. Dan's northern border will run from east to west.

2 "Asher will receive one share. It will border the territory of Dan from east to west.

3 "Naphtali will receive one share. It will border the territory of Asher from east to west.

4 "Manasseh will receive one share. It will border the territory of Naphtali from east to west.

5 "Ephraim will receive one share. It will border the territory of Manasseh from east to west.

6 "Reuben will receive one share. It will border the territory of Ephraim from east to west.

7 "Judah will receive one share. It will border the territory of Reuben from east to west.

8 "You must give one share as a special gift to me. It will border the territory of Judah from east to west. It will be eight and a fourth miles wide. It will be as long as the border of each of the territories of the tribes. Its border will run from east to west. The temple will be in the center of that strip of land.

9 "Give that special share of land to me. It will be eight and a fourth miles long and three and a third miles wide.

10 It will be the sacred share of land for the priests. It will be eight and a fourth miles long on the north side. It will be three and a third miles wide on the west side. It will be three and a third miles wide on the east side. And it will be eight and a fourth miles long on the south side. My temple will be in the center of it.

11 "This share of land will be for the priests who are set apart to me. They will come from the family line of Zadok. The members of that family served me faithfully. They did not go down the wrong path as the Levites and other Israelites did.

12 Their share of land will be a special gift to them. It will be part of the sacred share of the land. It will be very holy. Its border will run along the territory of the Levites.

13 "The Levites will receive a share. It will be next to the territory of the priests. The Levites' share will be eight and a fourth miles long and three and a third miles wide.

14 They must not sell or trade any of it. It is the best part of the land. It must not be handed over to anyone else. It is set apart to me.

15 "The area that remains is one and two thirds miles wide. It is eight and a fourth miles long. It will not be holy. The people in Jerusalem can build houses there. They can use some of it as grasslands. The city will be in the center of it.

16 Each of the four sides of the city will be one and a half miles long.

17 Each of the four sides of the city's grasslands will be 437 and a half feet long.

18 "What remains of the area will be three and a third miles long on the east and west sides. Its border will run along the border of the sacred share. Its crops will supply food for the city workers.

19 They will farm the area. They will come from all of the tribes of Israel.

20 The entire area will be a square. Each of its four sides will be eight and a fourth miles long. Set the sacred share apart as a special gift to me. Do the same thing with the property of the city.

21 "The area that remains on both sides will belong to the prince. So his land does not include the sacred share and the city property. The eastern part of his land will reach from the sacred share all the way to the eastern border. The western part will reach from the sacred share to the western border. The sacred share itself is eight and a fourth miles long on its east and west sides. Both of those areas will be right next to the borders of the two tribes on the north and south sides. They will belong to the prince. The sacred share will be in the center of them. It will have the temple in it.

22 "The property of the Levites will lie in the center of the prince's share. So will the property of the city. The prince's land will lie between the borders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

23 "Here is the land for the rest of the tribes. Benjamin will receive one share. It will reach from the eastern border to the western border.

24 "Simeon will receive one share. It will border the territory of Benjamin from east to west.

25 "Issachar will receive one share. It will border the territory of Simeon from east to west.

26 "Zebulun will receive one share. It will border the territory of Issachar from east to west.

27 "Gad will receive one share. It will border the territory of Zebulun from east to west.

28 "The southern border of Gad will run south from Tamar to the waters of Meribah Kadesh. It will continue along the Wadi of Egypt. It will end at the Mediterranean Sea.

29 "That is the land you must divide among the tribes of Israel. And those will be the shares they will receive," announces the LORD and King.

30 "Here is a list of the gates of the city. Start with its north side. It will be a mile and a half long.

31 The city gates will be named after the tribes of Israel. The north side will have three gates. They will be the gates of Reuben, Judah and Levi.

32 "The east side will be a mile and a half long. It will have three gates. They will be the gates of Joseph, Benjamin and Dan.

33 "The south side will be a mile and a half long. It will have three gates. They will be the gates of Simeon, Issachar and Zebulun.

34 "The west side will be a mile and a half long. It will have three gates. They will be the gates of Gad, Asher and Naphtali.

35 "The city will be six miles around. "From that time on, its name will be THE LORD IS THERE."

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