Ezekiel 31
And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; ‘Whom art thou like in thy greatness?
“‘Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.
“‘The waters made [Or, nourished] him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field.
“‘Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth [Or, when it sent them forth].
“‘All the fowls of heaven made their nest in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.
“‘Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.
“‘The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.
“‘I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.
“‘Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;
“‘“I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.
“‘“And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him.
“‘“Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches:
“‘“To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.”
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.
“‘“I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.
“‘“They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen.
“‘“To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,” ’ saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 31: 1-18)
Ezekiel 7
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD unto the land of Israel; ‘An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land.
“‘Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send Mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations.
“‘And Mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.’
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘An evil, an only evil, behold, is come.
“‘An end is come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it is come.
“‘The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again [Or, echo] of the mountains.
“‘Now will I shortly pour out My fury upon thee, and accomplish Mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.
“‘And Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD that smiteth.
“‘Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.
“‘Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude [Or, tumult], nor of any of theirs: neither shall there be wailing for them.
“‘The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
“‘For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life [Or, whose life is in his iniquity].
“‘They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for My wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
“‘The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.
“‘But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.
“‘All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water.
“‘They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads.
“‘They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.
“‘As for the beauty of His ornament, He set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.
“‘And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.
“‘My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute My secret place: for the robbers [Or, burglars] shall enter into it, and defile it.
“‘Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.
“‘Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled.
“‘Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.
“‘Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.
“‘The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.’ ” (Ezekiel 7: 1-27)
Ezekiel 18
The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
“What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
“As I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
“Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
“But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
“And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,
“And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
“He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
“Hath walked in My statutes, and hath kept My judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live,” saith the Lord GOD.
“If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,
“And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife,
“Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
“Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
“Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
“That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife,
“Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
“That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed My judgments, hath walked in My statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
“As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
“Yet say ye, ‘Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all My statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
“But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
“All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
“Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” saith the Lord GOD: “and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
“But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
“Yet ye say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not My way equal? are not your ways unequal?
“When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
“Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
“Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
“Yet saith the house of Israel, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ O house of Israel, are not My ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” saith the Lord GOD. “Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
“Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
“For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,” saith the Lord GOD: “wherefore turn yourselves [Or, others], and live ye.” (Ezekiel 18: 1-32)
Ezekiel 4
“Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:
“And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.
“Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan [Or, a flat plate, or, slice], and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
“Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.
“For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
“And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.
“Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.
“And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.
“Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches [Or, spelt], and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.
“And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.
“Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.
“And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.”
And the LORD said, “Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.”
Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.
Then He said unto me, “Lo, I have given thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.”
Moreover He said unto me, “Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:
“That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.” (Ezekiel 4: 1-17)
Ezekiel 28
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
“Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, ‘I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas’; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
“‘“Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
“‘“With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
“‘“By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:
“‘“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;
“‘“‘Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.
“‘“‘They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.
“‘“‘Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, “I am God?” but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth [Or, woundeth] thee.
“‘“‘Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hands of strangers: for I have spoken it,’ saith the Lord GOD.” ’ ”
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, ‘Thus saith the Lord God; “Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
“‘“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
“‘“Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
“‘“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
“‘“By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
“‘“Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
“‘“Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
“‘“All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” ’ ”
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it,
“And say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.
“‘“For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
“‘“And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.”
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob.
“‘“And they shall dwell safely [Or, with confidence] therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise [Or, spoil] them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.” ’ ” (Ezekiel 28: 1-26)
Ezekiel 12
The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
“Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff [Or, instruments] for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight; it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.
“Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.
“Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
“In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.”
And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.
And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,
“Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, ‘What doest thou?’
“Say thou unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.” ’
“Say, ‘I am you sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.’
“And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.
“My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in My snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
“And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.
“And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.
“But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;
“And say unto the people of the land, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; “They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.
“‘“And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth’?
“Tell them therefore, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel”; but say unto them, “The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.
“‘“For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
“‘“For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it,” saith the Lord GOD.’ ”
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, ‘The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.’
“Therefore say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “There shall none of My words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done,” ’ ” saith the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 12: 1-28).
Ezekiel 1
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,
The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.
And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward [Or, divided above]; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
And they went every one straight forward: wither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings [Or, strakes] were full of eyes round about them four.
And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.
And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of His loins even upward, and from the appearance of His loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake (Ezekiel 1: 1-28).
Ezekiel 33
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
“‘If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
“‘Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
“‘He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
“‘But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.’
“So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me.
“When I say unto the wicked, ‘O wicked man, thou shalt surely die’; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
“Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
“Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; ‘Thus ye speak, saying, “If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?” ’
“Say unto them, ‘As I live,’ saith the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?’
“Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, ‘The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.’
“When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
“Again, when I say unto the wicked, ‘Thou shalt surely die’; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
“If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
“None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
“Yet the children of thy people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal’: but as for them, their way is not equal.
“When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
“But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
“Yet ye say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.”
And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.
Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.
Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, ‘Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.’
“Wherefore say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?
“‘“Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour’s wife; and shall ye possess the land?” ’
“Say thou thus unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
“‘“For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through.
“‘“Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.” ’
“Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee [Or, of thee] by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, ‘Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.’
“And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as My people [Or, My people sit before thee], and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their coveteousness.
“And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
“And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.” (Ezekiel 33: 1-33)
Ezekiel 23
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
“Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:
“And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.
“And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were Mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah [That is, His tent, or, tabernacle], and Jerusalem Aholibah.
“And Aholah played the harlot when she was Mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,
“Which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses.
“Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself.
“Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.
“Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.
“These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment upon her.
“And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms.
“She doted about the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men.
“Then I saw that she was defiled, that they took both one way,
“And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion,
“Girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity:
“And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.
“And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them.
“So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then My mind was alienated from her, like as My mind was alienated from her sister.
“Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
“For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
“Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth.
“Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;
“‘The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.
“‘And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments.
“‘And I will set My jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire.
“‘They shall also strip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair jewels.
“‘Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom brought from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more.’
“For thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated:
“‘And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.
“‘I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.
“‘Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.’
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Thou shalt drink of thy sister’s cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.
“‘Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.
“‘Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it,’ saith the Lord GOD.
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Because thou hast forgotten Me, and cast Me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.’ ”
The LORD said moreover unto me; “Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;
“That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto Me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them.
“Moreover this they have done unto Me: they have defiled My sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned My Sabbaths.
“For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into My sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of Mine house.
“And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments,
“And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, whereupon thou hast set Mine incense and Mine oil.
“And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans [Or, drunkards] from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
“Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, ‘Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?’
“Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.
“And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
“For thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled.
“‘And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
“‘Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.
“‘And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.’ ” (Ezekiel 23: 1-49)
Ezekiel 17
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
“And say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
“‘“He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
“‘“He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
“‘“And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.
“‘“There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
“‘“It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.” ’
“Say thou, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it whither? it shall whither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.
“‘“Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly whither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall whither in the furrows where it grew.” ’ ”
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Say now to the rebellious house, ‘Know ye not what these things mean?’ tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;
“‘And hath taken of the king’s seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
“‘That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
“‘But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
“‘As I live,’ saith the Lord GOD, ‘surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
“‘Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
“‘Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.’ ”
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “As I live, surely Mine oath that he hath despised, and My covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
“And I will spread My net upon him, and he shall be taken in My snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against Me.
“And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.”
Thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
“In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
“And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.” (Ezekiel 17: 1-24)
Ezekiel 30
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Howl ye, ‘Woe worth the day!’
“‘“For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.
“‘“And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain [Or, fear] shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.
“‘“Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.”
“‘Thus saith the LORD; “They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene [Or, from Migdol to Syene] shall they fall in it by the sword,” saith the Lord GOD.
“‘“And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.
“‘“And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and when all her helpers shall be destroyed.
“‘“In that day shall messengers go forth from Me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh.”
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.
“‘“He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, shall be brought to destroy the land: and they shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain.
“‘“And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the LORD have spoken it.”
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.
“‘“And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No.
“‘“And I will pour My fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No.
“‘“And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.
“‘“The young men of Aven [Or, Heliopolis] and of Pibeseth [Or, Pubastum] shall fall by the sword: and these cities shall go into captivity.
“‘“At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened [Or, restrained], when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.
“‘“Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”
And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword.
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.
“‘And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.
“‘And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put My sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh’s arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man.
“‘But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.
“‘And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they shall know that I am the LORD.’ ” (Ezekiel 30: 1-26)
Ezekiel 10
Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
And He spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, “Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city.” And he went in in my sight.
Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’s glory.
And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when He speaketh.
And it came to pass, that when He had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, “Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims”; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.
And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.
And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man’s hand under their wings.
And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.
And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.
And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.
When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature [Or, of life] was in them.
Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD’s house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward (Ezekiel 10: 1-22).
Ezekiel 9
He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, “Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.”
And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And He called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;
And the LORD said unto him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.”
And to the others He said in mine hearing, “Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
“Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
And He said unto them, “Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth.” And they went forth, and slew in the city.
And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt Thou destroy all the residue of Israel in Thy pouring out of Thy fury upon Jerusalem?
Then said He unto me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness [Or, wresting of judgment]: for they say, ‘The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.’
“And as for Me also, Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.”
And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as Thou hast commanded me (Ezekiel 9: 1-11).
Ezekiel 11
Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD’s house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
Then said He unto me, “Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city:
“Which say, ‘It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.’
“Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.”
And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, “Speak; ‘Thus saith the LORD; “Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.
“‘“Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.”
“‘Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.
“‘“Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you,” saith the Lord GOD.
“‘“And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
“‘“Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
“‘“This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel:
“‘“And ye shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not walked [Or, which have not walked] in My statutes, neither executed My judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.” ’ ”
And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt Thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession.’
“Therefore say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.” ’
“Therefore say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” ’
“And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.
“And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
“That they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
“But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads,” saith the Lord GOD.
Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
Afterwards the Spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me (Ezekiel 11: 1-25).
Ezekiel 22
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge [Or, plead for], wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.
“Then say thou, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD, “The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself.
“‘“Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries.
“‘“Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed.
“‘“Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.
“‘“In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.
“‘“Thou hast despised Mine holy things, and hast profaned My Sabbaths.
“‘“In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.
“‘“In thee have they discovered their fathers’ nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.
“‘“And one [Or, every one] hath committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.
“‘“In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten Me,” saith the Lord GOD.
“‘“Behold, therefore I have smitten Mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.
“‘“Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it.
“‘“And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.
“‘“And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself [Or, shalt be profaned] in the sight of the heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, the house of Israel is to Me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Because ye have all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
“‘As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in Mine anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.
“‘Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of My wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.
“‘As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out My fury upon you.’ ”
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, say unto her, ‘Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.’
“There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
“Her priests have violated My law, and have profaned Mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
“Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
“And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD,’ when the LORD hath not spoken.
“The people of the land have used oppression [Or, deceit], and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
“Therefore have I poured out Mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads,” saith the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 22: 1-31).
Ezekiel 26
And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, ‘Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste’:
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up.
“‘And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock.
“‘It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it,’ saith the Lord GOD: ‘and it shall become a spoil to the nations.
“‘And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the LORD.’ ”
For thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I will upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people.
“He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee.
“And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers.
“By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach.
“With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground.
“And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water.
“And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard.
“And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it,” saith the Lord GOD.
Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; “Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?
“Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee.
“And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, ‘How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it!
“‘Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure.’ ”
For thus saith the Lord GOD; “When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee;
“When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living;
“I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again,” saith the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 26: 1-21).
Ezekiel 24
Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.
“And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:
“‘“Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.
“‘“Take the choice of the flock, and burn [Or, heap] also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein.”
“‘Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.
“‘“For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;
“‘“That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that is should not be covered.”
“‘Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.
“‘“Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.
“‘“Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.
“‘“She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.
“‘“In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused My fury to rest upon thee.
“‘“I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee,” saith the Lord GOD.’ ”
Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
“Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.”
So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Speak unto the house of Israel, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.
“‘“And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.
“‘“And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.
“‘“Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.’ ”
“Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters.
“That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears?
“In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 24: 1-27)
Ezekiel 27
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
“Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;
“And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “O Tyrus, thou hast said, ‘I am of perfect beauty.’
“‘“Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
“‘“They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee.
“‘“Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; the company of the Ashurites have made thy benches of ivory, brought out of the isles of Chittim.
“‘“Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee.
“‘“The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy mariners: thy wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots.
“‘“The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers [Or, stoppers of chinks]: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise.
“‘“They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness.
“‘“The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: thy hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect.
“‘“Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs.
“‘“Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market [Or, merchandise].
“‘“They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules.
“‘“The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony.
“‘“Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate.
“‘“Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they traded in thy market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm [Or, rosin].
“‘“Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy making, for the multitude of all riches; in the wine of Helbon, and white wool.
“‘“Dan also and Javan going to and fro [Or, Meuzel] occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market.
“‘“Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots.
“‘“Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants.
“‘“The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold.
“‘“Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were thy merchants.
“‘“These were thy merchants in all sorts of things [Or, excellent things], in blue clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords, and made of cedar, among thy merchandise.
“‘“The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas.
“‘“Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east wind hath broken thee in the midst of the seas.
“‘“Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin.
“‘“The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots.
“‘“And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land;
“‘“And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes:
“‘“And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.
“‘“And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, ‘What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea?
“‘“‘When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise.
“‘“‘In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall.
“‘“‘All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their countenance.
“‘“‘The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more.’ ” ’ ” (Ezekiel 27: 1-36)
Ezekiel 14
Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
“Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
“‘“That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from Me through their idols.” ’
“Therefore say unto the house of Israel, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Repent, and turn yourselves [Or, others] from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
“‘“For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from Me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning Me; I the LORD will answer him by Myself:
“‘“And I will set My face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
“‘“And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of My people Israel.
“‘“And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;
“‘“That the house of Israel may go no more astray from Me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that that may be My people, and I may be their God,” ’ saith the Lord GOD.”
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,
“Son of man, when the land sinneth against Me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out Mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:
“Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness,” saith the Lord GOD.
“If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil [Or, bereave] it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:
“Though these three men were in it, as I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
“Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it’:
“Though these three men were in it, as I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
“Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out My fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:
“Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.”
For thus saith the Lord GOD; “How much more when I send My four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
“Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.
“And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it,” saith the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 14: 1-23).
Ezekiel 35
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, set thy face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
“And say unto it, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out Mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.
“‘“I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
“‘“Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred [Or, hatred of old], and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:
“‘“Therefore, as I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee.
“‘“Thus will I make Mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth.
“‘“And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword.
“‘“I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
“‘“Because thou hast said, ‘These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it’; whereas the LORD was there:
“‘“Therefore, as I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them, when I have judged thee.
“‘“And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.’
“‘“Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against Me, and have multiplied your words against Me: I have heard them.”
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will make thee desolate.
“‘“As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, O Mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and they shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ (Ezekiel 35: 1-15)
Jennifer Alice Chandler
Ezekiel 34
The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; “Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
“‘“Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
“‘“The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
“‘“And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
“‘“My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.” ’ ”
Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
“As I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not My flock;
“Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require My flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.” ’ ”
For thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I, even I, will both search My sheep, and seek them out.
“As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
“And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
“I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
“I will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down,” saith the Lord GOD.
“I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
“And as for you, O My flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.
“‘Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?
“‘And as for My flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.’ ”
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; “Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
“Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
“Therefore will I save My flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
“And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even My servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
“And I the LORD will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
“And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
“And I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
“And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
“And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.
“And I will raise up for them a plant of renown [Or, for renown], and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
“Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are My people,” saith the Lord GOD.
“And ye My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men, and I am your God,” saith the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 34: 1-31).
Ezekiel 3
Moreover He said unto to me, “Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.”
So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that roll.
And He said unto me, “Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee.” Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
And He said unto me, “Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with My words unto them.
“For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
“Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
“But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto Me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
“Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
“As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.”
Moreover He said unto me, “Son of man, all My words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
“And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD’; whether they will hear, or whether they will forebear.”
Then the Spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from His place.
I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.
So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.
Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me.
“When I say unto the wicked, ‘Thou shalt surely die’; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
“Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
“Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteous, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
“Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.”
And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and He said unto me, “Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.”
Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.
Then the Spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, “Go, shut thyself within thine house.
“But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
“And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
“But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD’; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel 3: 1-27)
Ezekiel 19
“Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
“And say, ‘What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.
“‘And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.
“‘The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.
“‘Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.
“‘And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men.
“‘And he knew their desolate palaces [Or, their widows], and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.
“‘Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.
“‘And they put him in ward in chains [Or, in hooks], and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.
“‘Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.
“‘And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.
“‘But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them.
“‘And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground.
“‘And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule.’ ” This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation (Ezekiel 19: 1-14).
Ezekiel 16
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,
“And say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; “Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.
“‘“And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither was thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
“‘“None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.
“‘“And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood [Or, trodden under foot], I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, ‘Live’; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, ‘Live.’
“‘“I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare.
“‘“Now when I pass by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread My skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee,” saith the Lord GOD, “‘“and thou becamest Mine.”
“‘“Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.
“‘“I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.
“‘“I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.
“‘“And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.
“‘“Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
“‘“And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through My comeliness, which I had put upon thee,” saith the Lord GOD.
“‘“But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.
“‘“And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.
“‘“Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of My gold and of My silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,
“‘“And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set Mine oil and Mine incense before them.
“‘“My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was,” saith the Lord GOD.
“‘“Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto Me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter,
“‘“That thou hast slain My children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?
“‘“And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.
“‘“And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (‘woe, woe unto thee!’ saith the Lord GOD;)
“‘“That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place [Or, brothel house], and hast made thee an high place in every street.
“‘“Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.
“‘“Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke Me to anger.
“‘“Behold, therefore I have stretched My hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters [Or, cities] of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way.
“‘“Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied.
“‘“Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.” ’ ”
“How weak is thine heart,” saith the Lord GOD, “seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;
“In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire;
“But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband!
“They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom.
“And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary.”
Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD:
Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;
“Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.
“And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.
“And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.
“They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.
“And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more.
“So will I make My fury toward thee to rest, and My jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.
“Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted Me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head,” saith the Lord GOD: “and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.
“Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, ‘As is the mother, so is her daughter.’
“Thou art thy mother’s daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite.
“And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.
“Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways.
“As I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.
“Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
“And they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
“Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.
“Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.
“When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:
“That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.
“When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.
“For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride,
“Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise [Or, spoil] thee round about.
“Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations,” saith the LORD.
For thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.
“Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.
“Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.
“And I will establish My covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD:
“That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done,” saith the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 16: 1-63).
Ezekiel 13
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, ‘Hear ye the word of the LORD;
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing [Or, and things which they have not seen]!
“‘“O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.
“‘“Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.
“‘“They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, ‘The LORD saith’: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
“‘“Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, ‘The LORD saith it’; albeit I have not spoken?” ’ ”
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you,” saith the Lord GOD.
“And Mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of My people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
“Because, even because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace’; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:
“Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.
“Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, ‘Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?’ ”
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will even rend it with a stormy wind in My fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in Mine anger, and great hailstones in My fury to consume it.
“So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
“Thus will I accomplish My wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, ‘The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;
“‘To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace,’ saith the Lord GOD.
“Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,
“And say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of My people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
“‘“And will ye pollute Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to My people that hear your lies?” ’ ”
Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.
“Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
“Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
“Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver My people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 13: 1-23)
Ezekiel 15
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?
“Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
“Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?
“Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
“‘And I will set My face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them.
“‘And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass,’ ” saith the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 15: 1-8).
Ezekiel 6
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,
“And say, ‘Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; “Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.
“‘“And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.
“‘“And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.
“‘“In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.
“‘“And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
“‘“Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries.
“‘“And they that escape of you shall remember Me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from Me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.
“‘“And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.” ’
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, “Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.
“‘“He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish My fury upon them.
“‘“Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.
“‘“So will I stretch out My hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ” (Ezekiel 6: 1-14)
Ezekiel 2
And He said unto me, “Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.”
And the Spirit entered into me when He spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that spake unto me.
And He said unto me, “Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against Me: they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, even unto this very day.
“For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD.’
“And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
“And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns [Or, rebels] be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
“And thou shalt speak My words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
“But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.”
And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;
And He spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe (Ezekiel 2: 1-10).
Ezekiel 21
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
“And say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus saith the LORD; “Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth My sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteousness and the wicked.
“‘“Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall My sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:
“‘“That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth My sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.” ’
“Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
“And it shall be, when they say unto thee, ‘Wherefore sighest thou?’ that thou shalt answer, ‘For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass,’ saith the Lord GOD.”
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘Thus saith the LORD’; Say, ‘A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
“‘It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter’: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of My son, as every tree.
“And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.
“Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon My people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon My people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.
“Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more,” saith the Lord GOD.
“Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.
“I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.
“Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.
“I will also smite Mine hands together, and I will cause My fury to rest: I the LORD have said it.”
The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
“Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city.
“Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.
“For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.
“At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains [Or, battering rams], to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort.
“And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.
“‘And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,’
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.
“‘I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him.’
“And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach’; even say thou, ‘The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering:
“‘Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end.
“‘Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.
“‘And I will pour out Mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of My wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.
“‘Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the LORD have spoken it.’ ” (Ezekiel 21: 1-32)
Ezekiel 32
And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, ‘Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale [Or, dragon] in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.’ ”
Thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will therefore spread out My net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in My net.
“Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.
“And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height.
“I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
“And when I shall put [Or, extinguish] thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
“All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land,” saith the Lord GOD.
“I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
“Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish My sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.”
For thus saith the Lord GOD; “The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee.
“By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.
“I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them.
“Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil,” saith the Lord GOD.
“When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am the LORD.
“This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude,” saith the Lord GOD.
It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit.
‘Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.’
“They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes.
“The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: ‘they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.’
“Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword:
“Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror [Or, dismaying] in the land of the living.
“There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.
“They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of them that be slain.
“There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living.
“And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
“Yea, thou shall be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword.
“There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit.
“There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.
“Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword,” saith the Lord GOD.
“For I have caused My terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude,” saith the Lord GOD (Ezekiel 32: 1-32).
Ezekiel 20
And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.
Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,
“Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Are ye come to enquire of Me? As I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “I will not be enquired of by you.” ’
“Wilt thou judge them [Or, plead for them], son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:
“And say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up Mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up Mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;
“‘“In the day that I lifted up Mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:
“‘“Then said I unto them, ‘Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.’
“‘“But they rebelled against Me, and would not hearken unto Me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
“‘“But I wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made Myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
“‘“Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
“‘“And I gave them My statutes, and shewed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.
“‘“Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.
“‘“But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness: they walked not in My statutes, and they despised My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and My Sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.
“‘“But I wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.
“‘“Yet also I lifted up My hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;
“‘“Because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
“‘“Nevertheless Mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.
“‘“But I said unto their children in the wilderness, ‘Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:
“‘“‘I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them;
“‘“‘And hallow My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.’
“‘“Notwithstanding the children rebelled against Me: they walked not in My statutes, neither kept My judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted My Sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.
“‘“Nevertheless, I withdrew Mine hand, and wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.
“‘“I lifted up Mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;
“‘“Because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, and had polluted My Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.
“‘“Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
“‘“And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD.” ’
“Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me, in that they have committed a trespass against Me.
“‘“For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up Mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.
“‘“Then I said unto them, ‘What is the high place whereunto ye go?’ And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.” ’
“Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?
“‘“For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “I will not be enquired of by you.
“‘“And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, ‘We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.’
“‘“As I live,” saith the Lord GOD, “surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:
“‘“And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.
“‘“And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
“‘“Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you,” saith the Lord GOD.
“‘“And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
“‘“And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against Me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
“‘“As for you, O house of Israel,” thus saith the Lord GOD; “Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto Me: but pollute ye My holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.
“‘“For in Mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel,” saith the Lord GOD, “there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve Me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.
“‘“I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.
“‘“And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up Mine hand to give it to your fathers.
“‘“And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.
“‘“And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel,” saith the Lord GOD.’ ”
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;
“And say to the forest of the south, ‘Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
“‘“And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.” ’ ”
Then said I, “Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, ‘Doth he not speak parables?’ ” (Ezekiel 20: 1-49)
The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel
Ezekiel 8
And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of His loins even downward, fire; and from His loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
And He put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the Spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
Then said He unto me, “Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north.” So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
He said furthermore unto me, “Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from My sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.”
And He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
Then said He unto me, “Son of man, dig now in the wall”: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
And He said unto me, “Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.”
So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.
And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
Then said He unto me, “Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, ‘The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.’ ”
He said also unto me, “Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.”
Then He brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
Then said He unto me, “Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”
And He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Then He said unto me, “Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
“Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.” (Ezekiel 8: 1-18)
Ezekiel 29
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt:
“Speak, and say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, ‘My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.’
“‘“But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales.
“‘“And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven.
“‘“And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.
“‘“When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand.”
“‘Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee.
“‘“And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he hath said, ‘The river is mine, and I have made it.’
“‘“Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia.
“‘“No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.
“‘“And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.”
“‘Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; “At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered:
“‘“And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom.
“‘“It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.
“‘“And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.” ’ ”
And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it”:
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.
“I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for Me,” saith the Lord GOD.
“In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 29: 1-21)
Ezekiel 5
“And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber’s razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.
“Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.
“Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.
“Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.
“‘And she hath changed My judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused My judgments and My statutes, they have not walked in them.’
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in My statutes, neither have kept My judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you’;
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.
“‘And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.
“‘Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.
“‘Wherefore, as I live,’ saith the Lord GOD; ‘Surely, because thou hast defiled My sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall Mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.
“‘A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
“‘Thus shall Mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in My zeal, when I have accomplished My fury in them.
“‘Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.
“‘So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.
“‘When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:
“‘So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.’ ” (Ezekiel 5: 1-17)
Ezekiel 36
“Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, ‘Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because the enemy hath said against you, ‘Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession’:
“‘“Therefore prophesy and say, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people” ’ ”:
“‘Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers [Or, bottoms, or, dales], and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about;
“‘Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Surely in the fire of My jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed My land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey.”
“‘Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, “Thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Behold, I have spoken in My jealousy and in My fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen’:
“‘“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘I have lifted up Mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.
“‘“‘But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to My people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.
“‘“‘For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:
“‘“‘And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:
“‘“‘And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
“‘“‘Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even My people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men.’
“‘“Thus saith the Lord GOD; ‘Because they say unto you, “Thou land devourest up men, and hast bereaved thy nations”;
“‘“‘Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave [Or, cause to fall] thy nations any more,’ saith the Lord GOD.
“‘“Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the heathen any more, neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more, neither shalt thou cause thy nations to fall any more,” saith the Lord GOD.’ ”
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before Me as the uncleanness of a removed woman.
“Wherefore I poured My fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it:
“And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.
“And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned My holy name, when they said to them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of His land.’
“But I had pity for Mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
“Therefore say unto the house of Israel, ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for Mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.
“‘“And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD,” saith the Lord GOD, “when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
“‘“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
“‘“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
“‘“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
“‘“I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.
“‘“And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God.
“‘“I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.
“‘“And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.
“‘“Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
“‘“Not for your sakes do I this,” saith the Lord GOD, “be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.”
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.
“‘“And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.
“‘“And they shall say, ‘This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.’
“‘“Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.”
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.
“‘“As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ” (Ezekiel 36: 1-38)
Ezekiel 25
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
“Son of man, set thy face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them;
“And say unto the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because thou saidst, ‘Aha,’ against My sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity;
“‘“Behold, therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the east for a possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk.
“‘“And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couchingplace for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”
“‘For thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because thou hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel;
“‘“Behold, therefore I will stretch out Mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil [Or, meat] to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will cause thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.”
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because that Moab and Seir do say, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen’;
“‘“Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim,
“‘“Unto the men of the east with the Ammonites [Or, against the children of Ammon], and will give them in possession, that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations.
“‘“And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that I am the LORD.”
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them”;
“‘Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “I will also stretch out Mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.
“‘“And I will lay My vengeance upon Edom by the hand of My people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to Mine anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance,” saith the Lord GOD.
“‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; “Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred”;
“‘Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; “Behold, I will stretch out Mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.
“‘“And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay My vengeance upon them.” ’ ” (Ezekiel 25: 1-17)