Ezekiel 1-22

Contemporary English Version

Ezekiel Sees the Lord's Glory

1 ^1-3 (A) I am Ezekiel—a priest and the son of Buzi.^[a]

Five years after King Jehoiachin of Judah had been led away as a prisoner to Babylonia, I was living near the Chebar River among those who had been taken there with him. Then on the fifth day of the fourth month^[b] of the thirtieth year,^[c] the heavens suddenly opened. The Lord placed his hand upon me^[d] and showed me some visions.

⁴ I saw a windstorm blowing in from the north. Lightning flashed from a huge cloud and lit up the whole sky with a dazzling brightness. The fiery center of the cloud was as shiny as polished metal, ^5 (B) and in that center I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were somewhat like humans, ⁶ except that each one had four faces and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight, but their feet looked like the hoofs of calves and sparkled like bronze. ⁸ Under each of their wings, these creatures had a human hand. ⁹ The four creatures were standing back to back with the tips of their wings touching. They moved together in every direction, without turning their bodies.

^10 (C) Each creature had the face of a human in front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of a bull on the left, and the face of an eagle in back. ¹¹ Two wings^[e] of each creature were spread out and touched the wings of the creatures on either side. The other two wings of each creature were folded against its body.

¹² The four living creatures went wherever the Spirit led them, and they moved together without turning their bodies, because each creature faced straight ahead. ^13 (D) The creatures were glowing like hot coals, and I saw something like a flaming torch moving back and forth among them. Lightning flashed from the torch every time its flame blazed up.^{[f] 14} The creatures themselves moved as quickly as sparks jumping from a fire.^[g]

^15 (E) I then noticed that on the ground beside each of the four living creatures was a wheel,^{[h] 16} shining like chrysolite.^[i] Each wheel was exactly the same and had a second wheel that cut through the middle of it,^{[j] 17} so that they could move in any direction without turning. ^18 (F) The rims of the wheels were large and frightening, and they had eyes all the way around them.^{[k] 19-21} The creatures controlled when and where the wheels moved—the wheels went wherever the four creatures went and stopped whenever they stopped. Even when the creatures flew in the air, the wheels were beside them.

^22-23 (G) Above the living creatures, I saw something that was sparkling like ice, and it reminded me of a dome. Each creature had two of its wings stretched out toward the creatures on either side, with the other two wings folded against its body. ^24 (H) Whenever the creatures flew, their wings roared like an ocean or a large army or even the voice of God All-Powerful. And whenever the creatures stopped, they folded their wings against their bodies.

²⁵ When the creatures stopped flapping their wings, I heard a sound coming from above the dome. ^26 (I) I then saw what looked like a throne made of sapphire,^[l] and sitting on the throne was a figure in the shape of a human. ^27 (J) From the waist up, it was glowing like metal in a hot furnace, and from the waist down it looked like the flames of a fire. The figure was surrounded by a bright light, ²⁸ as colorful as a rainbow that appears after a storm.

I realized I was seeing the brightness of the Lord's glory! So I bowed with my face to the ground, and just then I heard a voice speaking to me.

The Lord Chooses Ezekiel

2 The Lord^[m] said, “Ezekiel, son of man,^[n] I want you to stand up and listen.” ² After he said this, his Spirit took control of me and lifted me to my feet. Then the Lord said:

³ Ezekiel, I am sending you to the people of Israel. They are just like their ancestors who rebelled against me and refused to stop. ⁴ They are stubborn and hardheaded. But I, the Lord God, have chosen you to tell them what I say. ⁵ Those rebels may not even listen, but at least they will know that a prophet has come to them.

⁶ Don't be afraid of them or of anything they say. You may think you're in the middle of a thorn patch or a bunch of scorpions. But be brave ⁷ and preach my message to them, whether they choose to listen or not. ⁸ Ezekiel, don't rebel against me, as they have done. Instead, listen to everything I tell you.

And now, Ezekiel, open your mouth and eat what I am going to give you.

^9 (K) Just then, I saw a hand stretched out toward me. And in it was a scroll.^{[o] 10} The hand opened the scroll, and both sides of it were filled with words of sadness, mourning, and grief.

3 ^(L) The Lord said, “Ezekiel, son of man, after you eat this scroll, go speak to the people of Israel.”

^2-3 He handed me the scroll and said, “Eat this and fill up on it.” So I ate the scroll, and it tasted sweet as honey.

⁴ The Lord said:

Ezekiel, I am sending you to your own people. ^5-6 They are Israelites, not some strangers who speak a foreign language you can't understand. If I were to send you to foreign nations, they would listen to you. ⁷ But the people of Israel will refuse to listen, because they have refused to listen to me. All of them are stubborn and hardheaded, ⁸ so I will make you as stubborn as they are. ⁹ You will be so determined to speak my message that nothing will stop you. I will make you hard like a diamond, and you'll have no reason to be afraid of those arrogant rebels.

¹⁰ Listen carefully to everything I say and then think about it. ¹¹ Then go to the people who were brought here to Babylonia with you and tell them you have a message from me, the Lord God. Do this, whether they listen to you or not.

¹² The Spirit^[p] lifted me up, and as the glory of the Lord started to leave,^[q] I heard a loud, thundering noise behind me. ¹³ It was the sound made by the creatures' wings as they brushed against each other, and by the rumble of the wheels beside them. ¹⁴ Then the Spirit carried me away.

The Lord's power had taken complete control of me, and I was both annoyed and angry.

¹⁵ When I was back with the others living at Abib Hill near the Chebar River, I sat among them for seven days, shocked at what had happened to me.

The Lord Appoints Ezekiel To Stand Watch

(Ezekiel 33.1-9)

¹⁶ Seven days after I had seen the brightness of the Lord's glory, the Lord said:

¹⁷ Ezekiel, son of man, I have appointed you to stand watch for the people of Israel. So listen to what I say, then warn them for me. ¹⁸ When I tell wicked people they will die because of their sins, you must warn them to turn from their sinful ways so they won't be punished. If you refuse, you are responsible for their death. ¹⁹ However, if you do warn them, and they keep on sinning, they will die because of their sins, and you will be innocent.

²⁰ Now suppose faithful people start sinning, and I decide to put stumbling blocks in their paths to make them fall. They deserve to die because of their sins. So if you refuse to warn them, I will forget about the times they were faithful, and I will hold you responsible for their death. ²¹ But if you do warn them, and they listen to you and stop sinning, I will let them live. And you will be innocent.

Ezekiel Cannot Talk

²² The Lord took control of me and said, “Stand up! Go into the valley, and I will talk with you there.”

²³ I immediately went to the valley, where I saw the brightness of the Lord's glory, just as I had seen it near the Chebar River, and I bowed with my face to the ground. ²⁴ His Spirit took control of me and lifted me to my feet. Then the Lord said:

Go back and lock yourself in your house! ²⁵ You will be tied up to keep you inside, ²⁶ and I will make you unable to talk or to warn those who have rebelled against me. ²⁷ But the time will come, when I will tell you what to say, and you will again be able to speak my message.^[r] Some of them will listen; others will be stubborn and refuse to listen.

Ezekiel Acts Out an Attack on Jerusalem

The Lord said:

4 Ezekiel, son of man, find a brick and sketch a picture of Jerusalem on it. ² Then prepare to attack the brick as if it were a real city. Build a dirt mound and a ramp up to the top and surround the brick with enemy camps. On every side put large wooden poles as though you were going to break down the gate to the city. ³ Set up an iron pan like a wall between you and the brick. All this will be a warning for the people of Israel.

^4-5 After that, lie down on your left side and stay there for 390 days as a sign of Israel's punishment^[s]—one day for each year of its suffering. ⁶ Then turn over and lie on your right side 40 more days. That will be a sign of Judah's punishment—one day for each year of its suffering.

⁷ The brick stands for Jerusalem, so attack it! Stare at it and shout angry warnings. ⁸ I will tie you up, so you can't leave until your attack has ended.

⁹ Get a large bowl. Then mix together wheat, barley, beans, lentils, and millet, and make some bread. This is what you will eat for the 390 days you are lying down. ¹⁰ Eat only a small loaf of bread each day ¹¹ and drink only two large cups of water. ¹² Use dried human waste to start a fire, then bake the bread on the coals where everyone can watch you. ¹³ When I scatter the people of Israel among the nations, they will also have to eat food that is unclean, just as you must do.^[t]

¹⁴ I said, “Lord God, please don't make me do that! Never in my life have I eaten food that would make me unacceptable to you. I've never eaten anything that died a natural death or was killed by a wild animal or that you said was unclean.”

¹⁵ The Lord replied, “Instead of human waste, I will let you bake your bread on a fire made from cow manure. ¹⁶ Ezekiel, the people of Jerusalem will starve. They will have so little food and water that they will be afraid and hopeless. ¹⁷ Everyone will be shocked at what is happening, and, because of their sins, they will die a slow death.”

Jerusalem's Coming Destruction

The Lord said:

5 Ezekiel, son of man, get a sharp sword and use it to cut off your hair and beard. Weigh the hair and divide it into three equal piles. ² After you attack the brick that stands for Jerusalem, burn one pile of your hair on the brick. Chop up the second pile and let the small pieces of hair fall around the brick. Throw the third pile into the wind, and I will strike it with my own sword.

³ Keep a few of the hairs and wrap them in the hem of your clothes. ⁴ Then pull out a few of those hairs and throw them in the fire, so they will also burn. This fire will spread, destroying everyone in Israel.

⁵ I am the Lord God, and I have made Jerusalem the most important place in the world, and all other nations admire it. ⁶ But the people of Jerusalem rebelled and refuse to obey me. They ignored my laws and have become even more sinful than the nations around them.

⁷ So tell the people of Jerusalem:

I am the Lord God! You have refused to obey my laws and teachings, and instead you have obeyed the laws of the surrounding nations. You have become more rebellious than any of them! ⁸ Now all those nations will watch as I turn against you and punish you ⁹ for your sins. Your punishment will be more horrible than anything I've ever done or will ever do again. ^10 (M) Parents will be so desperate for food that they will eat their own children, and children will eat their parents. Those who survive this horror will be scattered in every direction.

¹¹ Your sins have disgusted me and made my temple unfit as a place to worship me. So I swear by my own life that I will cut you down^[u] and show you no pity. ¹² A third of you will die here in Jerusalem from disease or starvation. Another third will be killed in war. And I will scatter the last third of you in every direction, then track you down and kill you.

¹³ You will feel my fierce anger until I have finished taking revenge. Then you will know that I, the Lord, was furious because of your disobedience. ¹⁴ Every passerby will laugh at your destruction. Foreign nations ¹⁵ will insult you and make fun of you, but they will also be shocked and terrified at what I did in my anger. ¹⁶ I will destroy your crops until you starve to death, and disasters will strike you like arrows. ^17 (N) Starvation and wild animals will kill your children. I'll punish you with horrible diseases, and your enemies will strike you down with their swords. I, the Lord, have spoken.

Israel Is Doomed

6 The Lord God said:

² Ezekiel, son of man, face the hills of Israel and tell them:

³ Listen, you mountains and hills, and every valley and gorge! I, the Lord, am about to turn against you and crush all the places where foreign gods are worshiped. ⁴ Every altar will be smashed, and in front of the idols I will put to death the people who worship them. ⁵ Dead bodies and bones will be lying around the idols and the altars. ⁶ Every town in Israel will be destroyed to make sure that each shrine, idol, and altar is smashed—everything the Israelites made will be a pile of ruins.^{[v] 7} All over the country, your people will die. And those who survive will know that I, the Lord, did these things. ⁸ I will let some of the people live through this punishment, but I will scatter them among the nations, ⁹ where they will be prisoners. And when they think of me, they will realize that they disgraced me by rebelling and by worshiping idols. They will hate themselves for the evil things they did, ¹⁰ and they will know that I am the Lord and that my warnings must be taken seriously.

¹¹ The Lord God then said:

Ezekiel, beat your fists together and stomp your feet in despair! Moan in sorrow, because the people of Israel have done disgusting things and now will be killed by enemy troops, or they will die from starvation and disease. ¹² Those who live far away will be struck with deadly diseases. Those who live nearby will be killed in war. And the ones who are left will starve to death. I will let loose my anger on them! ¹³ These people used to offer incense to idols at altars built on hills and mountaintops and in the shade of large oak trees. But when they see dead bodies lying around those altars, they will know that I am the Lord. ¹⁴ I will make their country a barren wasteland, from the Southern Desert to the town of Diblah in the north. Then they will know that I, the Lord, have done these things.

Disaster Is Near

7 The Lord God said:

² Ezekiel, son of man, tell the people of Israel that I am saying:

Israel will soon come to an end! Your whole country is about to be destroyed ³ as punishment for your disgusting sins. I, the Lord, am so angry ⁴ that I will show no pity. I will punish you for the evil you've done, and you will know that I am the Lord.

⁵ There's never been anything like the coming disaster.^{[w] 6} And when it comes, your life will be over. ⁷ You people of Israel are doomed! Soon there will be panic on the mountaintops instead of celebration.^{[x] 8} I will let loose my anger and punish you for the evil things you've done. You'll get what you deserve. ⁹ Your sins are so terrible, that you'll get no mercy from me. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have punished you.

¹⁰ Disaster is near! Injustice and arrogance are everywhere, ¹¹ and violent criminals run free. None of you will survive the disaster, and everything you own and value will be shattered.^{[y] 12} The time is coming when everyone will be ruined. Buying and selling will stop, ¹³ and people who sell property will never get it back, because all of you must be punished for your sins. And I won't change my mind!^[z]

¹⁴ A signal has been blown on the trumpet, and weapons are prepared for battle. But no one goes to war, because in my anger I will strike down everyone in Israel.

Israel Is Surrounded

The Lord said to the people of Israel:

¹⁵ War, disease, and starvation are everywhere! People who live in the countryside will be killed in battle, and those who live in towns will die from starvation or deadly diseases. ¹⁶ Anyone who survives will escape into the hills, like doves who leave the valleys to find safety.

All of you will moan^[aa] because of your sins. ¹⁷ Your hands will tremble, and your knees go limp. ¹⁸ You will put on sackcloth^[ab] to show your sorrow, but terror will overpower you. Shame will be written all over your faces, and you will shave your heads in despair. ¹⁹ Your silver and gold will be thrown into the streets like garbage, because those are the two things that led you into sin, and now they cannot save you from my anger. They are not even worth enough to buy food. ²⁰ You took great pride in using your beautiful jewelry to make disgusting idols of foreign gods. So I will make your jewelry worthless.

²¹ Wicked foreigners will rob and disgrace you. ²² They will break into my temple^[ac] and leave it unfit as a place to worship me, but I will look away and let it happen.

²³ Your whole country is in confusion!^[ad] Murder and violence are everywhere in Israel, ²⁴ so I will tell the most wicked nations to come and take over your homes. They will put an end to the pride you have in your strong army, and they will make your places of worship unfit to use. ²⁵ You will be terrified and will desperately look for peace—but there will be no peace. ²⁶ One tragedy will follow another, and you'll hear only bad news. People will beg prophets to give them a message from me. Priests will stop teaching my Law, and wise leaders won't be able to give advice. ²⁷ Even your king and his officials will lose hope and cry in despair. Your hands will tremble with fear.

I will punish you for your sins and treat you the same way you have treated others. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

Ezekiel Sees the Terrible Sins of Jerusalem

8 Six years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the leaders of Judah were meeting with me in my house. On the fifth day of the sixth month,^[ae] the Lord God suddenly took control of me, ^2 (O) and I saw something in the shape of a human.^[af] This figure was like fire from the waist down, and it was bright as polished metal from the waist up. ³ It reached out what seemed to be a hand and grabbed my hair. Then in my vision the Lord's Spirit lifted me into the sky and carried me to Jerusalem.

The Spirit took me to the north gate of the temple's inner courtyard, where there was an idol that disgusted the Lord and made him furious. ^4 (P) Then I saw the brightness of the glory of the God of Israel, just as I had seen it near the Chebar River.

⁵ God said to me, “Ezekiel, son of man, look north.” And when I did, I saw that repulsive idol by the altar near the gate.

⁶ God then said, “Do you see the terrible sins of the people of Israel? Their sins are making my holy temple unfit as a place to worship me. Yet you will see even worse things than this.”

⁷ Next, I was taken to the entrance of the courtyard, where I saw a hole in the wall.

⁸ God said, “Make this hole bigger.” And when I did, I realized it was a doorway. ⁹ “Go in,” God said, “and see what horrible and evil things the people are doing.”

¹⁰ Inside, I saw that the walls were covered with pictures of reptiles and disgusting, unclean animals,^[ag] as well as with idols that the Israelites were worshiping. ¹¹ Seventy Israelite leaders were standing there, including Jaazaniah son of Shaphan. Each of these leaders was holding an incense burner, and the smell of incense filled the room.

¹² God said, “Ezekiel, do you see what horrible things Israel's leaders are doing in secret? They have filled their rooms with idols. And they say I can't see them, because they think I have already deserted Israel. ¹³ But I will show you something even worse than this.”

¹⁴ He took me to the north gate of the temple, where I saw women mourning for the god Tammuz.^{[ah] 15} God asked me, “Can you believe what these women are doing? But now I want to show you something even worse.”

¹⁶ I was then led into the temple's inner courtyard, where I saw about 25 men standing near the entrance, between the porch and the altar. Their backs were to the Lord's temple, and they were bowing down to the rising sun.

¹⁷ God said, “Ezekiel, it's bad enough that the people of Judah are doing these disgusting things. But they have also spread violence and injustice everywhere in Israel and have made me very angry. They have disgraced and insulted me in the worst possible way.^{[ai] 18} So in my fierce anger, I will punish them without mercy and refuse to help them when they cry out to me.”

The Lord Gives the Command To Punish Jerusalem

9 After that, I heard the Lord shout, “Come to Jerusalem, you men chosen to destroy the city. And bring your weapons!”

² I saw six men come through the north gate of the temple, each one holding a deadly weapon. A seventh man dressed in a linen robe was with them, and he was carrying things to write with. The men went into the temple and stood by the bronze altar.

³ The brightness of God's glory then left its place above the statues of the winged creatures^[aj] inside the temple and moved to the entrance. The Lord said to the man in the linen robe, ^4 (Q) “Walk through the city of Jerusalem and mark the forehead of anyone who is truly upset and sad about the terrible things that are being done here.”

^5-6 He turned to the other six men and said, “Follow him and put to death everyone who doesn't have a mark on their forehead. Show no mercy or pity! Kill men and women, parents and children. Begin here at my temple, but be sure not to harm those who are marked.”

The men immediately killed the leaders who were standing there.

⁷ Then the Lord said, “Pollute the temple by piling the dead bodies in the courtyards. Now get busy!” They left and started killing the people of Jerusalem.

⁸ I was then alone, so I bowed down and cried out to the Lord, “Why are you doing this? Are you so angry with the people of Jerusalem that everyone must die?”

⁹ The Lord answered, “The people of Israel and Judah have done horrible things. Their country is filled with murderers, and Jerusalem itself is filled with violence. They think that I have deserted them, and that I can't see what they are doing. ¹⁰ And so I will not have pity on them or forgive them. They will be punished for what they have done.”

¹¹ Just then, the man in the linen robe returned and said, “I have done what you commanded.”

The Lord's Glory Leaves the Temple

10 ^(R) I saw the dome that was above the four winged creatures,^[ak] and on it was the sapphire^[al] throne.^{[am] 2 (S)} The Lord said to the man in the linen robe, “Walk among the four wheels beside the creatures and pick up as many hot coals as you can carry. Then scatter them over the city of Jerusalem.” I watched him as he followed the Lord's instructions.

³ The winged creatures were standing south of the temple when the man walked among them. A cloud filled the inner courtyard, ⁴ and the brightness of the Lord's glory moved from above the creatures and stopped at the entrance of the temple. The entire temple was filled with his glory, and the courtyard was dazzling bright. ⁵ The sound of the creatures' wings was as loud as the voice of God All-Powerful and could even be heard in the outer courtyard.

⁶ The man in the robe was now standing beside a wheel. ⁷ One of the four creatures reached its hand into the fire among them and gave him some of the hot coals. The man took the coals and left.

⁸ I noticed again that each of the four winged creatures had what looked like human hands under their wings, ^9 (T) and I saw the four wheels near the creatures. These wheels were shining like chrysolite.^{[an] 10} Each wheel was exactly the same and had a second wheel that cut through the middle of it,^{[ao] 11} so that they could move in any direction without turning. The wheels moved together whenever the creatures moved. ^12 (U) I also noticed that the wheels and the creatures' bodies, including their backs, their hands, and their wings, were covered with eyes. ¹³ And I heard a voice calling these “the wheels that spin.”

^14 (V) Each of the winged creatures had four faces: the face of a bull,^[ap] the face of a human, the face of a lion, and the face of an eagle. ^15-17 These were the same creatures I had seen near the Chebar River. They controlled when and where the wheels moved—the wheels went wherever the creatures went and stopped whenever they stopped. Even when the creatures flew in the air, the wheels stayed beside them.

¹⁸ Then I watched the brightness of the Lord's glory move from the entrance of the temple and stop above the winged creatures. ¹⁹ They spread their wings and flew into the air with the wheels at their side. They stopped at the east gate of the temple, and the Lord's glory was above them.

²⁰ I knew for sure that these were the same creatures I had seen beneath the Lord's glory near the Chebar River. ^21-22 They had four wings with hands beneath them, and they had the same four faces as those near the River. Each creature moved straight ahead without turning.

Ezekiel Condemns Jerusalem's Wicked Leaders

11 The Lord's Spirit^[aq] lifted me up and took me to the east gate of the temple, where I saw 25 men, including the two leaders, Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah. ² The Lord said, “Ezekiel, son of man, these men are making evil plans and giving dangerous advice to the people of Jerusalem. ³ They say things like, ‘Let's build more houses.^[ar] This city is like a cooking pot over a fire, and we are the meat, but at least the pot keeps us from being burned in the fire.’^{[as] 4} So, Ezekiel, condemn them!”

⁵ The Lord's Spirit took control of me and told me to tell these leaders:

I, the Lord God, know what you leaders are saying. ⁶ You have murdered so many people that the city is filled with dead bodies! ⁷ This city is indeed a cooking pot, but the bodies of those you killed are the meat. And so I will force you to leave Jerusalem, ⁸ and I'll send armies to attack you, just as you fear. ⁹ Then you will be captured and punished by foreign enemies.^{[at] 10} You will be killed in your own country, but not before you realize that I, the Lord, have done these things.

¹¹ You leaders claim to be meat in a cooking pot, but you won't be protected by this city. No, you will die at the border of Israel. ¹² You will realize that while you were following the laws of nearby nations, you were disobeying my laws and teachings. And I am the Lord!

¹³ Before I finished speaking, Pelatiah dropped dead. I bowed down and cried out, “Please, Lord God, don't kill everyone left in Israel.”

A Promise of Hope

¹⁴ The Lord replied:

¹⁵ Ezekiel, son of man, the people living in Jerusalem claim that you and the other Israelites who were taken to Babylonia are too far away to worship me. They also claim that the land of Israel now belongs only to them. ¹⁶ But here is what I want you to tell the Israelites in Babylonia:

It's true that I, the Lord God, have forced you out of your own country and made you live among foreign nations. But for now, I will be with you wherever you are, so that you can worship me. ¹⁷ And someday, I will gather you from the nations where you are scattered and let you live in Israel again. ¹⁸ When that happens, I want you to clear the land of all those idols I hate so much. ^19 (W) Then I will take away your stubbornness and make you eager to be completely faithful to me. You will want to obey me ²⁰ and all my laws and teachings. You will be my people, and I will be your God. ²¹ But those who worship idols will be punished and get what they deserve. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

The Lord's Glory Leaves Jerusalem

^22 (X) After the Lord had finished speaking, the winged creatures spread their wings and flew into the air, and the wheels were beside them. The brightness of the Lord's glory above them ²³ left Jerusalem and stopped at a hill east of the city.

²⁴ Then in my vision, the Lord's Spirit^[au] lifted me up and carried me back to the other exiles in Babylonia. The vision faded away, ²⁵ and I told them everything the Lord had shown me.

Ezekiel Acts Out Israel's Captivity

12 The Lord said:

^2 (Y) Ezekiel, son of man, you are living among rebellious people. They have eyes, but refuse to see; they have ears, but refuse to listen. ³ So before it gets dark, here is what I want you to do. Pack a few things as though you were going to be taken away as a prisoner. Then go outside where everyone can see you and walk around from place to place. Maybe as they watch, they will realize what rebels they are. ⁴ After you have done this, return to your house.

Later that evening leave your house as if you were going into exile. ⁵ Dig through the wall of your house^[av] and crawl out, carrying the bag with you. Make sure everyone is watching. ⁶ Lift the bag to your shoulders, and with your face covered, take it into the darkness, so that you cannot see the land you are leaving. All this will be a warning for the people of Israel.

⁷ I did everything the Lord had said. I packed a few things. Then as the sun was going down, and while everyone was watching, I dug a hole through one of the walls of my house. I pulled out my bag, then lifted it to my shoulders and left in the darkness.

⁸ The next morning, the Lord ⁹ reminded me that those rebellious people didn't even ask what I was doing. ¹⁰ So he sent me back to tell them:

The Lord God has a message for the leader of Jerusalem and everyone living there!

¹¹ I have done these things to show them what will happen when they are taken away as prisoners.

¹² The leader of Jerusalem will lift his own bag to his shoulders at sunset and leave through a hole that the others have dug in the wall of his house. He will cover his face, so he can't see the land he is leaving. ^13 (Z) The Lord will spread out a net and trap him as he leaves Jerusalem. He will then be led away to the city of Babylon, but will never see that place,^[aw] even though he will die there. ¹⁴ His own officials and troops will scatter in every direction, and the Lord will track them down and put them to death.

¹⁵ The Lord will force the rest of the people in Jerusalem to live in foreign nations, where they will realize that he has done all these things. ¹⁶ Some of them will survive the war, the starvation, and the deadly diseases. That way, they will be able to tell foreigners how disgusting their sins were, and that it was the Lord who punished them in this way.

A Sign of Fear

¹⁷ The Lord said:

¹⁸ Ezekiel, son of man, shake with fear when you eat, and tremble when you drink. ¹⁹ Tell the people of Israel that I, the Lord, say that someday everyone in Jerusalem will shake when they eat and tremble when they drink. Their country will be destroyed and left empty, because they have been cruel and violent. ²⁰ Every town will lie in ruins, and the land will be a barren desert. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

The Words of the Lord Will Come True

²¹ The Lord said:

²² Ezekiel, son of man, you've heard people in Israel use the saying, “Time passes, and prophets are proved wrong.” ²³ Now tell the people that I, the Lord, am going to prove that saying wrong. No one will ever be able to use it again in Israel, because very soon everything I have said will come true! ²⁴ The people will hear no more useless warnings and false messages. ²⁵ I will give them my message, and what I say will certainly happen. Warn those rebels that the time has come for them to be punished. I, the Lord, make this promise.

^26-27 Ezekiel, the people of Israel are also saying that your visions and messages are only about things in the future. ²⁸ So tell them that my words will soon come true, just as I have warned. I, the Lord, have spoken.

Lying Prophets

13 The Lord said:

² Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the prophets of Israel who say they speak in my name, but who preach messages that come from their own imagination. Tell them it's time to hear my message.

³ I, the Lord God, say those lying prophets are doomed! They don't see visions—they make up their own messages! ⁴ Israel's prophets are no better than jackals^[ax] that hunt for food among the ruins of a city. ⁵ They don't warn the people about coming trouble or tell them how dangerous it is to sin against me. ⁶ Those prophets lie by claiming they speak for me, but I have not even chosen them to be my prophets. And they still think their words will come true. ⁷ They say they're preaching my messages, but they are full of lies—I did not speak to them!

⁸ So I am going to punish those lying prophets for deceiving the people of Israel with false messages. ⁹ I will turn against them and no longer let them belong to my people. They will not be allowed to call themselves Israelites or even to set foot in Israel. Then they will realize that I am the Lord God.

^10 (AA) Those prophets refuse to be honest. They tell my people there will be peace, even though there's no peace to be found. They are like workers who think they can fix a shaky wall by covering it with paint. ¹¹ But when I send rainstorms, hailstones, and strong winds, the wall will surely collapse. ¹² People will then ask the workers why the paint didn't hold it up.

¹³ That wall is the city of Jerusalem. And I, the Lord God, am so angry that I will send strong winds, rainstorms, and hailstones to destroy it. ¹⁴ The lying prophets have tried to cover up the evil in Jerusalem, but I will tear down the city, all the way to its foundations. And when it collapses, those prophets will be killed, and everyone will know that I have done these things.

¹⁵ The city of Jerusalem and its lying prophets will feel my fierce anger. Then I will announce that the city has fallen and that the lying prophets are dead, ¹⁶ because they promised my people peace, when there was no peace. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

Women Who Wear Magic Charms

The Lord said:

¹⁷ Ezekiel, son of man, now condemn the women of Israel who preach messages that come from their own imagination. ¹⁸ Tell them they're doomed! They wear magic charms on their wrists and scarves on their heads, then trick others into believing they can predict the future.^[ay] They won't get away with telling those lies. ¹⁹ They charge my people a few handfuls of barley and a couple pieces of bread, and then give messages that are insulting to me. They use lies to sentence the innocent to death and to help the guilty go free. And my people believe them!

²⁰ I hate the magic charms they use to trick people into believing their lies. I will rip those charms from their wrists and set free the people they have trapped like birds.^{[az] 21} I will tear the scarves from their heads and rescue my people from their power once and for all. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.

²² They do things I would never do. They lie to good people and encourage them to do wrong, and they convince the wicked to ruin their own lives by not turning from sin. ²³ I will no longer let these women give false messages and use magic, and I will free my people from their control. Then they will know that I, the Lord, have done these things.

Ezekiel Encourages the People To Turn Back to the Lord

14 One day, some of Israel's leaders came to me and asked for a message from the Lord. ² While they were there, the Lord said:

³ Ezekiel, son of man, these men have started worshiping idols, though they know it will cause them to sin even more. So I refuse to give them a message!

⁴ Tell the people of Israel that if they sin by worshiping idols and then go to a prophet to find out what I say, I will give them the answer their sins deserve. ⁵ When they hear my message, maybe they will see that they need to turn back to me and stop worshiping those idols.

⁶ Now, Ezekiel, tell everyone in Israel:

I am the Lord God. Stop worshiping those idols I hate so much and come back to me.

⁷ Suppose one of you Israelites or a foreigner living in Israel rejects me and starts worshiping idols. If you then go to a prophet to find out what I say, I will answer ⁸ by turning against you. I will make you a warning to anyone who might think of doing the same thing, and you will no longer belong to my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that you have sinned against me.

⁹ If a prophet gives a false message, I am the one who caused that prophet to lie. But I will still reject him and cut him off from my people, ¹⁰ and anyone who goes to that prophet for a message will be punished in the same way. ¹¹ I will do this, so that you will come back to me and stop destroying yourselves with these disgusting sins. So turn back to me! Then I will be your God, and you will be my people. I, the Lord God, make this promise.

Judgment on a Sinful Nation

¹² The Lord God said:

¹³ Ezekiel, son of man, suppose an entire nation sins against me, and I punish it by destroying the crops and letting its people and livestock starve to death. ^14 (AB) Even if Noah, Daniel,^[ba] and Job were living in that nation, their faithfulness would not save anyone but themselves.

¹⁵ Or suppose I punish a nation by sending wild animals to eat people and scare away every passerby, so that the land becomes a barren desert. ¹⁶ As surely as I live, I promise that even if these three men lived in that nation, their own children would not be spared. The three men would live, but the land would be an empty desert.

¹⁷ Or suppose I send an enemy to attack a sinful nation and kill its people and livestock. ¹⁸ If these three men were in that nation when I punished it, not even their children would be spared. Only the three men would live.

¹⁹ And suppose I am so angry that I send a deadly disease to wipe out the people and livestock of a sinful nation. ²⁰ Again, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were living there, I, the Lord, promise that the children of these faithful men would also die. Only the three of them would be spared.

^21 (AC) I am the Lord God, and I promise to punish Jerusalem severely. I will send war, starvation, wild animals, and deadly disease to slaughter its people and livestock. ²² And those who survive will be taken from their country and led here to Babylonia. Ezekiel, when you see how sinful they are, you will know why I did all these things to Jerusalem. ²³ You will be convinced that I, the Lord God, was right in doing what I did.

Jerusalem Is a Useless Vine

15 Some time later, the Lord said:

² Ezekiel, son of man, what happens to the wood of a grapevine after the grapes have been picked? It isn't like other trees in the forest, ³ because the wood of a grapevine can't be used to make anything, not even a small peg to hang things on. ⁴ It can only be used as firewood. But after its ends are burnt and its middle is charred, it can't be used for anything. ⁵ The wood is useless before it is burned, and afterwards, it is completely worthless.

⁶ I, the Lord God, promise that just as the wood of a grapevine is burned as firewood, ⁷ I will punish the people of Jerusalem with fire. Some of them have escaped one destruction, but soon they will be completely burned. And when that happens, you, Ezekiel, will know that I am the Lord. ⁸ I will make their country an empty wasteland, because they have not been loyal to me. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

Jerusalem Is Unfaithful

16 The Lord said:

² Ezekiel, son of man, remind the people of Jerusalem of their disgusting sins ³ and tell them that I, the Lord God, am saying:

Jerusalem, you were born in the country where Canaanites lived. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite.^{[bb] 4} When you were born, no one cut you loose from your mother or washed your body. No one rubbed your skin with salt and olive oil,^[bc] and wrapped you in warm blankets. ⁵ Not one person loved you enough to do any of these things, and no one even felt sorry for you. You were despised, thrown into a field, and forgotten.

⁶ I saw you lying there, rolling around in your own blood, and I couldn't let you die. ⁷ I took care of you, like someone caring for a tender, young plant. You grew up to be a beautiful young woman with mature breasts and hair, but you were still naked.

⁸ When I saw you again, you were old enough to have sex. So I covered your naked body with my own robe.^[bd] Then I solemnly promised that you would belong to me and that I, the Lord God, would take care of you.

⁹ I washed the blood off you and rubbed your skin with olive oil. ¹⁰ I gave you the finest clothes and the most expensive robes,^[be] as well as sandals made from the best leather. ¹¹ I gave you bracelets, a necklace, ¹² a ring for your nose, some earrings, and a beautiful crown. ¹³ Your jewelry was gold and silver, and your clothes were made of only the finest material and embroidered linen. Your bread was baked from fine flour, and you ate honey and olive oil. You were as beautiful as a queen, ¹⁴ and everyone on earth knew it. I, the Lord God, had helped you become a lovely young woman.

¹⁵ You learned that you were attractive enough to have any man you wanted, so you offered yourself to every passerby.^{[bf] 16} You made shrines for yourself and decorated them with some of your clothes. That's where you took your visitors to have sex with them. These things should never have happened!^{[bg] 17} You made idols out of the gold and silver jewelry I gave you, then you sinned by worshiping those idols. ¹⁸ You dressed them in the clothes you got from me, and you offered them the olive oil and incense I gave you. ¹⁹ I supplied you with fine flour, olive oil, and honey, but you sacrificed it all as offerings to please those idols. I, the Lord God, watched this happen.

²⁰ But you did something even worse than that—you sacrificed your own children to those idols! ²¹ You slaughtered my children, so you could offer them as sacrifices. ²² You were so busy sinning and being a prostitute that you refused to think about the days when you were young and were rolling around naked in your own blood.

²³ Now I, the Lord God, say you are doomed! Not only did you do these evil things, ²⁴ but you also built places on every street corner ²⁵ where you disgraced yourself by having sex with anyone who walked by. And you did that more and more every day! ²⁶ To make me angry, you even offered yourself to Egyptians, who were always ready to sleep with you.

²⁷ So I punished you by letting those greedy Philistine enemies take over some of your territory. But even they were offended by your repulsive behavior.

²⁸ You couldn't get enough sex, so you chased after Assyrians and slept with them. You still weren't satisfied, ²⁹ so you went after Babylonians. But those merchants could not satisfy you either.

³⁰ I, the Lord God, say that you were so disgusting that you would have done anything to get what you wanted.^{[bh] 31} You had sex on every street corner, and when you finished, you refused to accept money. That's worse than being a prostitute! ³² You are nothing but an unfaithful wife who would rather have sex with strangers than with your own husband. ³³ Prostitutes accept money for having sex, but you bribe men from everywhere to have sex with you. ³⁴ You're not like other prostitutes. Men don't ask you for sex—you offer to pay them!

Jerusalem Must Be Punished

The Lord said:

³⁵ Jerusalem, you prostitute, listen to me. ³⁶ You chased after lovers, then took off your clothes and had sex. You even worshiped disgusting idols and sacrificed your own children as offerings to them. ³⁷ So I, the Lord God, will gather every one of your lovers, those you liked and those you hated. They will stand around you, and I will rip off your clothes and let all of those lovers stare at your nakedness. ³⁸ I will find you guilty of being an unfaithful wife and a murderer, and in my fierce anger I will sentence you to a violent death! ³⁹ Then I will hand you over to your lovers, who will tear down the places where you had sex. They will take your clothes and jewelry, leaving you naked and empty-handed.

⁴⁰ Your lovers and an angry mob will stone you to death; they will cut your dead body into pieces ⁴¹ and burn down your houses. Other women will watch these terrible things happen to you. I promise to stop you from being a prostitute and paying your lovers for sex.

⁴² Only then will I calm down and stop being angry and jealous. ⁴³ You made me furious by doing all these disgusting things and by forgetting how I took care of you when you were young. Then you made things worse by acting like a prostitute. You must be punished! I, the Lord God, have spoken.

Jerusalem's Two Sisters

The Lord said:

⁴⁴ People will use this saying about you, Jerusalem: “If the mother is bad, so is her daughter.” ⁴⁵ You are just like your mother, who hated her husband and her own children. You are also like your sisters, who hated their husbands and children. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite.^{[bi] 46} Your older sister was Samaria, that city to your north with her nearby villages. Your younger sister was Sodom, that city to your south with her nearby villages. ⁴⁷ You followed their way of life and their wicked customs, and soon you were more repulsive than they were.

⁴⁸ As surely as I am the living Lord God, the people of Sodom and its nearby villages were never as sinful as you. ⁴⁹ They were arrogant and spoiled; they had everything they needed and still refused to help the poor and needy. ⁵⁰ They thought they were better than everyone else, and they did things I hate. And so I destroyed them.

⁵¹ You people of Jerusalem have sinned twice as much as the people of Samaria. In fact, your evil ways have made both Sodom and Samaria look innocent. ⁵² So their punishment will seem light compared to yours. You will be disgraced and put to shame because of your disgusting sins.

Jerusalem Will Be Ashamed

The Lord said to Jerusalem:

⁵³ Someday I will bless Sodom and Samaria and their nearby villages. I will also bless you, Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ Then you will be ashamed of how you've acted, and Sodom and Samaria will be relieved that they weren't as sinful as you. ⁵⁵ When that day comes, you and Sodom and Samaria will once again be well-off, and all nearby villages will be restored.

⁵⁶ Jerusalem, you were so arrogant that you sneered at Sodom. ⁵⁷ But now everyone has learned how wicked you really are. The countries of Syria and Philistia, as well as your other neighbors, hate you and make insulting remarks. ⁵⁸ You must pay for all the vulgar and disgusting things you have done. I, the Lord, have spoken.

The Lord Makes a Promise to Jerusalem

The Lord said:

⁵⁹ Jerusalem, you deserve to be punished, because you broke your promises and ignored our agreement. ⁶⁰ But I remember the agreement I made with you when you were young,^[bj] and so I will make you a promise that will last forever. ⁶¹ When you think about how you acted, you will be ashamed, especially when I return your sisters^[bk] to you as daughters, even though this was not part of our agreement.^{[bl] 62} I will keep this solemn promise, and you will know that I am the Lord. ⁶³ I will forgive you, but you will think about your sins and be too ashamed to say a word. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

A Story about Two Eagles and a Vine

17 The Lord said:

² Ezekiel, son of man, tell the people of Israel the following story, ³ so they will understand what I am saying to them:

A large eagle with strong wings and beautiful feathers once flew to Lebanon. It broke the top branch off a cedar tree, ⁴ then carried it to a nation of merchants and left it in one of their cities. ⁵ The eagle also took a seed from Israel and planted it in a fertile field with plenty of water, like a willow tree beside a stream.^{[bm] 6} The seed sprouted and grew into a grapevine that spread over the ground. It had lots of leaves and strong, deep roots, and its branches grew upward toward the eagle.

⁷ There was another eagle with strong wings and thick feathers. The roots and branches of the grapevine soon turned toward this eagle, hoping it would bring water for the soil. ⁸ But the vine was already growing in fertile soil, where there was plenty of water to produce healthy leaves and large grapes.

⁹ Now tell me, Ezekiel, do you think this grapevine will live? Or will the first eagle pull it up by its roots and pluck off the grapes and let its new leaves die? The eagle could easily kill it without the help of a large and powerful army. ¹⁰ The grapevine is strong and healthy, but as soon as the scorching desert wind blows, it will quickly wither.

The Lord Explains the Story

¹¹ The Lord said:

^12 (AD) Ezekiel, ask the rebellious people of Israel if they know what this story means.

Tell them that the king of Babylonia came to Jerusalem, then he captured the king of Judah^[bn] and his officials, and took them back to Babylon as prisoners. ¹³ He chose someone from the family of Judah's king^[bo] and signed a treaty with him, then made him swear to be loyal. He also led away other important citizens, ¹⁴ so that the rest of the people of Judah would obey only him and never gain control of their own country again.

¹⁵ But this new king of Judah later rebelled against Babylonia and sent officials to Egypt to get horses and troops. Will this king be successful in breaking the treaty with Babylonia? Or will he be punished for what he's done?

¹⁶ As surely as I am the living Lord God, I swear that the king of Judah will die in Babylon, because he broke the treaty with the king of Babylonia, who appointed him king. ¹⁷ Even the king of Egypt and his powerful army will be useless to Judah when the Babylonians attack and build towers and dirt ramps to destroy the cities of Judah and its people. ¹⁸ The king of Judah broke his own promises and ignored the treaty with Babylonia. And so he will be punished!

¹⁹ He made a promise in my name and swore to honor the treaty. And now that he has broken that promise, my name is disgraced. He must pay for what he's done. ²⁰ I will spread out a net to trap him. Then I will drag him to Babylon and see that he is punished for his unfaithfulness to me. ²¹ His best troops^[bp] will be killed in battle, and the survivors will be scattered in every direction. I, the Lord, have spoken.

Those Who Sin Will Die

18 The Lord said:

^2 (AE) Ezekiel, I hear the people of Israel using the old saying,

³ Now tell them that I am the Lord God, and as surely as I live, that saying will no longer be used in Israel. ⁴ The lives of all people belong to me—parents as well as children. However, only those who sin will be put to death.

⁵ Suppose there is a truly good man who always does what is fair and right. ⁶ He refuses to eat meat sacrificed to foreign gods at local shrines or to worship Israel's idols. He doesn't have sex with someone else's wife or with a woman having her monthly period. ⁷ He never cheats or robs anyone and always returns anything taken as security for a loan; he gives food and clothes to the poor ⁸ and doesn't charge interest when lending money. He refuses to do anything evil; he is fair to everyone ^9 (AF) and faithfully obeys my laws and teachings. This man is good, and I promise he will live.

¹⁰ But suppose this good man has an evil son who is violent and commits sins ¹¹ his father never did. He eats meat at local shrines, has sex with someone else's wife, ¹² cheats the poor, and robs people. He keeps what is given to him as security for a loan. He worships idols, does disgusting things, ¹³ and charges high interest when lending money. An evil man like that will certainly not live. He is the one who has done these horrible sins, so it's his own fault that he will be put to death.

¹⁴ But suppose this evil man has a son who sees his father do these things and refuses to act like him. ¹⁵ He doesn't eat meat at local shrines or worship Israel's idols, and he doesn't have sex with someone else's wife. ¹⁶ He never cheats or robs anyone and doesn't even demand security for a loan. He gives food and clothes to the poor ¹⁷ and refuses to do anything evil^[bq] or to charge interest. And he obeys all my laws and teachings. Such a man will live. His own father sinned, but this good man will not be put to death for the sins of his father. ¹⁸ It is his father who will die for cheating and robbing and doing evil.

¹⁹ You may wonder why a son isn't punished for the sins of his father. It is because the son does what is right and obeys my laws. ^20 (AG) Only those who sin will be put to death. Children won't suffer for the sins of their parents, and parents won't suffer for the sins of their children. Good people will be rewarded for what they do, and evil people will be punished for what they do.

²¹ Suppose wicked people stop sinning and start obeying my laws and doing right. They won't be put to death. ²² All their sins will be forgiven, and they will live because they did right. ²³ I, the Lord God, don't like to see wicked people die. I had much rather see them turn back from their sins and live.

²⁴ But when good people start sinning and doing disgusting things, will they live? No! All their good deeds will be forgotten, and they will be put to death because of their sins.

²⁵ You people of Israel accuse me of being unfair! But listen—I'm not unfair; you are! ²⁶ If good people start doing evil, they must be put to death, because they have sinned. ²⁷ And if wicked people start doing right, they will save themselves from punishment. ²⁸ They will think about what they've done and stop sinning, and so they won't be put to death. ²⁹ But you still say that I am unfair. You are the ones who have done wrong and are unfair!

³⁰ I will judge each of you for what you've done. So stop sinning, or else you will certainly be punished. ³¹ Give up your evil ways and start thinking pure thoughts. And be faithful to me! Do you really want to be put to death for your sins? ^32 (AH) I, the Lord God, don't want to see that happen to anyone. So stop sinning and live!

A Funeral Song for Israel's Leaders

The Lord said:

19 Ezekiel, sing a funeral song for two of Israel's leaders:^[br]

This funeral song must be sung with sorrow.

Israel Keeps On Rebelling

20 Seven years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, some of Israel's leaders came to me on the tenth day of the fifth month.^[bu] They sat down and asked for a message from the Lord. ² Just then, the Lord God said:

³ Ezekiel, son of man, these leaders have come to find out what I want them to do. As surely as I live, I will not give them an answer of any kind.

⁴ Are you willing to warn them, Ezekiel? Then remind them of the disgusting sins of their ancestors.

^5 (AI) Tell them that long ago I, the Lord God, chose Israel to be my own. I appeared to their ancestors in Egypt and made a solemn promise that I would be their God and the God of their descendants. ⁶ I swore that I would rescue them from Egypt and lead them to a land I had already chosen. This land was rich with milk and honey and was the most splendid land of all. ⁷ I told them to get rid of their disgusting idols and not to sin by worshiping the gods of Egypt. I reminded them that I was the Lord their God, ⁸ but they still rebelled against me. They refused to listen and kept on worshiping their idols and foreign gods.

In my anger, I decided to punish the Israelites in Egypt. ⁹ But that would have made me look like a liar, because I had already promised in front of everyone that I would lead them out of Egypt. ¹⁰ So I brought them out and led them into the desert. ^11 (AJ) I gave them my laws and teachings, so they would know how to live right. ^12 (AK) And I commanded them to respect the Sabbath as a way of showing that they were holy and belonged to me. ¹³ But the Israelites rebelled against me in the desert. They refused to obey my laws and teachings, and they treated the Sabbath like any other day.

Then in my anger, I decided to destroy the Israelites in the desert once and for all. ¹⁴ But that would have disgraced me, because many other nations had seen me bring the Israelites out of Egypt. ^15 (AL) Instead, I told them in the desert that I would not lead them into the beautiful, fertile land I had promised. ¹⁶ I said this because they had not only ignored my laws and teachings, but had disgraced my Sabbath and worshiped idols.

¹⁷ Yet, I felt sorry for them and could not let them die in the desert. ¹⁸ So I warned the children not to act like their parents or follow their evil ways or worship their idols. ¹⁹ I reminded them that I was the Lord their God and that they should obey my laws and teachings. ²⁰ I told them to respect my Sabbath to show that they were my people and that I was the Lord their God. ²¹ But the children also rebelled against me. They refused to obey my laws and teachings, and they treated the Sabbath as any other day.

I became angry and decided to punish them in the desert. ²² But I did not. That would have disgraced me in front of the nations that had seen me bring the Israelites out of Egypt. ^23 (AM) So I solemnly swore that I would scatter the people of Israel across the nations, ²⁴ because they had disobeyed my laws and ignored my teachings; they had disgraced my Sabbath and worshiped the idols their ancestors had made. ²⁵ I gave them laws that bring punishment instead of life, ²⁶ and I let them offer me unacceptable sacrifices, including their first-born sons. I did this to horrify them and to let them know that I, the Lord, was punishing them.

²⁷ Ezekiel, tell the people of Israel that their ancestors also rejected and insulted me ²⁸ by offering sacrifices, incense, and wine to gods on every hill and under every large tree. I was very angry, because they did these things in the land I had given them! ²⁹ I asked them where they went to worship those gods, and they answered, “At the local shrines.”^[bv] And those places of worship are still called shrines.

³⁰ Then ask the Israelites why they are following the example of their wicked ancestors ³¹ by worshiping idols and by sacrificing their own children as offerings. They commit these sins and still think they can ask me for a message. As surely as I am the living Lord God, I will give them no answer. ³² They may think they can be like other nations and get away with worshiping idols made of wood and stone. But that will never happen!

The Lord Promises To Restore Israel

The Lord said to the people of Israel:

³³ As surely as I am the living Lord God, I will rule over you with my powerful arm. You will feel my fierce anger ³⁴ and my power, when I gather you from the places where you are scattered ³⁵ and lead you into a desert surrounded by nations. I will meet you there face to face. Then I will pass judgment on you ³⁶ and punish you, just as I punished your ancestors in the desert near Egypt.^{[bw] 37} I will force each of you to obey the regulations of our solemn agreement. ³⁸ I will separate the sinful rebels from the rest of you, and even though I will bring them from the nations where they live in exile, they won't be allowed to return to Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

³⁹ Go ahead and worship your idols for now, you Israelites, because soon I will no longer let you dishonor me by offering gifts to them. You will have no choice but to obey me!^{[bx] 40} When that day comes, everyone in Israel will worship me on Mount Zion, my holy mountain in Jerusalem. I will once again call you my own, and I will accept your sacred offerings and sacrifices. ⁴¹ When I bring you home from the places where you are now scattered, I will be pleased with you, just as I am pleased with the smell of the smoke from your sacrifices. Every nation on earth will see that I am holy, ⁴² and you will know that I, the Lord, am the one who brought you back to Israel, the land I promised your ancestors. ⁴³ Then you will remember your wicked sins, and you will hate yourselves for doing such horrible things. They have made you unacceptable to me, ⁴⁴ so you deserve to be punished. But I will treat you in a way that will bring honor to my name, and you will know that I am the Lord God.

Fire from the South

⁴⁵ The Lord said, ⁴⁶ “Ezekiel, son of man, turn toward the south and warn the forests ⁴⁷ that I, the Lord God, will start a fire that will burn up every tree, whether green or dry. Nothing will be able to put out the blaze of that fire as it spreads to the north and burns everything in its path. ⁴⁸ Everyone will know that I started it, and that it cannot be stopped.”

⁴⁹ But I complained, “Lord God, I don't want to do that! People already say I confuse them with my messages.”

The Lord Will Punish Jerusalem

21 The Lord said:

² Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the places in Jerusalem where people worship. Warn everyone in Israel ³ that I am about to punish them. I will pull out my sword and have it ready to kill everyone, whether good or evil. ⁴ From south to north, people will die, ⁵ knowing that my sword will never be put away.

⁶ Ezekiel, groan in sorrow and despair so that everyone can hear you. ⁷ When they ask why you are groaning, tell them you have terrifying news that will make them faint and tremble in fear and lose all courage. These things will happen soon. I, the Lord God, make this promise!

A Sword Is Ready To Attack Israel

⁸ The Lord said:

^9-10 Ezekiel, son of man, tell the people of Jerusalem:

The King of Babylonia and His Sword

¹⁸ The Lord said:

¹⁹ Ezekiel, son of man, mark two roads for the king of Babylonia to follow when he comes with his sword. The roads will begin at the same place, but be sure to put up a signpost where the two roads separate and go in different directions. ²⁰ Clearly mark where the two roads lead. One goes to Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and the other goes to Jerusalem, the fortified capital of Judah. ²¹ When the Babylonian king stands at that signpost, he will decide which way to go by shaking his arrows, by asking his idols, and by carefully looking at the liver of a sacrificed animal.^{[cb] 22} His right hand will pull out the arrow marked “Jerusalem.” Then he will immediately give the signal to shout the battle cry, to build dirt ramps up to the top of the city walls, to break down its walls and gates with large wooden poles, and to kill the people. ²³ Everyone in Jerusalem had promised to be loyal to Babylonia, and so none of them will believe that this could happen to them. But Babylonia's king will remind them of their sinful ways and warn them of their coming captivity.

²⁴ Ezekiel, tell the people of Jerusalem and their ruler that I, the Lord God, am saying:

Everything you do is wicked and shows how sinful you are. You are guilty and will be taken away as prisoners.

²⁵ And now, you evil and wicked ruler of Israel, your day of final punishment is almost here. ²⁶ I, the Lord God, command you to take off your royal turban and your crown, because everything will be different. Those who had no power will be put in charge, and those who now rule will become nobodies. ²⁷ I will leave Jerusalem in complete ruins like no one has ever seen until my chosen one comes to punish this city.

Judgment against Ammon

^28 (AN) The Lord God said:

Ezekiel, son of man, the Ammonites have insulted Israel, so condemn them and tell them I am saying:

²⁹ You wicked Ammonites see false visions and believe untrue messages. But your day of punishment is coming soon, and my sword will slaughter you!

³⁰ Your days to punish others are over, so put your swords away.^[cc] You will be punished in the land of your birth. ³¹ My furious anger will scorch you like fire, and I will hand you over to cruel men who are experts in killing. ³² You will be burned and will die in your own land. Then you will be forgotten forever. I, the Lord, have spoken.

Jerusalem Is Condemned

22 Some time later, the Lord said:

² Ezekiel, son of man, are you ready to condemn Jerusalem? That city is filled with murderers, so remind the people of their sins