¹It was during the 30th year, in the 4th month and on the 5th day of the month, as I was amidst the captivity by the Chobar River, that the heavens opened up and I beheld visions [from] God. ²This was 5 years and 5 months after King JehoiAchin had been carried off as a captive.³The Word of Jehovah came to me, EzekiEl son of Buzi (a Priest), near the Chobar river in the land of the Chaldeans. And this is what I received from the hand of the Lord...⁴For I looked up and I saw a wind that could lift iron coming from the north, along with a huge cloud that had bright lights all around it and flashes of lightning. I also had a vision of a bright bronze casting in the middle of a fire. ⁵Then there in its midst was something that looked like four animals. But in this vision, they also looked like men. ⁶Each had four faces and four wings. ⁷Their legs were straight, there were feathers on their feet, there were sparks like flashes of brass, and they had very fine wings.⁸Beneath each of their four wings was a man’s hand, and they had wings on each of their four parts. So, they each had four faces and four wings, ⁹and they traveled opposite to [the direction] they were facing. Also, their wings didn’t turn as they moved.¹⁰Each of the faces [in the front] were like those of a man, the faces on the right looked like lions, the faces on the left looked like calves, and there was the face of an eagle on [the back side of] each of the four.¹¹[Two of] their wings stretched out high above the other [two] wings and they were yoked to each other, while their lower two wings were just used to cover their bodies. ¹²They followed each other [in a line], one in front of the other, and wherever [God’s] Breath led them they went, not turning aside.¹³Also, there among the animals, I had a vision of burning coals that looked like lamps that were spinning in their midst. The flames were very bright, and lightning shot from the flames. ¹⁴Also, the animals were moving up and back like lightning.¹⁵Then I looked and I saw wheels on the ground that were next to each of the four animals, ¹⁶and the wheels [sparkled] like peridots. There also appeared to be four wheels within each wheel, and they worked as though there were wheels within wheels. ¹⁷Each [wheel] moved in the direction that [the animals] faced, and they [moved together] ¹⁸(the rims were tall and awesome). Then I looked again and I noticed that their back sides were full of eyes that went all around each of the four wheels.¹⁹As the animals moved, the wheels moved next to them. And when the animals lifted up from the ground, the wheels went up also, ²⁰along with a cloud that went wherever [God’s] Breath led it. The animals and the wheels moved up along with [the cloud], because the breath of life was in the wheels. ²¹Wherever [the animals] traveled, the wheels went along. For when they stood still, the wheels stood still, but when they rose above the ground, the wheels went up with them, because the breath of life was in the wheels.²²Above the heads of the animals was what looked like a dome of ice that was stretched out over the tops of their wings. ²³And under this dome, their wings were stretched out and flapping side by side, as the other two [wings] covered their bodies.²⁴The sound that I heard from the movement of their wings as they traveled was like the sound of a lot of rushing water and the sound of someone very important whenever they moved. However, it was like the sound of [many] words being spoken in a camp whenever the animals stood still and rested their wings.²⁵{Look!} There was also a sound that came from above the dome.²⁶In the vision [that I had], above their heads there was what looked like a huge sapphire stone; and sitting above it was a throne upon which was sitting what appeared to be a man from the heavens. ²⁷I saw what looked like molten bronze that was filled with fire around and above His loins; and beneath that, I just saw fire and brightness all around Him. ²⁸He was like a rainbow that forms in the clouds on a rainy day, and there was just brightness all around Him.This was, in fact, a vision of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah!And when I saw this, I fell to my face.Then I heard a voice that started speaking [to me]...

¹He said to me:‘Son of man; you must stand on your feet, And thereafter, I will address you!’²And at that, His Spirit came over me… It picked me up and lifted me up on my feet!Then I heard Him speaking to me. ³He said:‘O son of man,‘To the sons of IsraEl, I’ll send you… To those who’re rebelling against Me. For against Me, they and their fathers Have been in rebellion down to this day.⁴‘They’re a harsh and hard-hearted people, And these are the ones to whom you’ll be sent. So, tell them that thus says Jehovah:⁵You should listen in terror, For you are a house in rebellion. And [after you do this], they’ll know That you’ve served as a Prophet among them.⁶‘And you, O son of man, should not be afraid Or be upset by their faces. For they will get all heated up, Then they will rise up against you, And they will have you surrounded.‘So, among these scorpions, you’ll have to live… But don’t fear the things that they’ll say to your face, For they are a house in rebellion.⁷‘You must then tell them My words, So that they will hear them and fear… For they are a house in rebellion.⁸‘Now you, O son of man, must pay close attention To the One who’ll be speaking to you… Don’t rebel, like that house in rebellion!‘Now, open your mouth very wide And eat this thing that I’m handing to you!’⁹So at that, I looked and I saw a hand that was reaching out towards me with a rolled up scroll. ¹⁰But then He unrolled it before me… And written on both the front and backsides was a lamentation and a dirge.

¹Then He said to me:‘O son of man, you must eat this… And after you eat it, You must tell the sons of IsraEl [what it says]!’²So He opened my mouth in order to feed me the scroll...³Then He said to me:‘O son of man'‘After I put this scroll in your mouth, Your belly will get filled with this thing That I am feeding to you.’So I ate it and found it to be as sweet as honey in my mouth.⁴Then He said to me:‘O son of man,Now, go to the house of IsraEl And tell them all that I have to say!⁵‘You won’t have to speak to those with thick lips Or to those who speak foreign tongues… For to the house of IsraEl, you’re being sent.⁶‘I will not send you to other nations … To those who speak words that you won’t understand Or to those who have foreign, thick tongues Those who won’t know what you’re saying, But to those who will understand you.⁷‘Yet, the house of IsraEl will not listen To the things that I’ll tell you to say… They’ll not agree to listen to Me, Since they are a hard-hearted people And all they do is talk back.⁸‘{Look!} Now, against their faces, I’ve made your face strong, So your face will be firmer than theirs… Yes, it will be harder than rock.⁹‘So, don’t be afraid [when you go] before them, And you should not be afraid, For they are a house in rebellion.’¹⁰And he said to me:‘O son of man,‘Now, take My words into your heart, And listen to them with your ears. ¹¹Then, tell the captive sons of your people That The Lord Jehovah has spoken, And surely they’ll listen and yield.’¹²Well after that, [His] Spirit stood me erect, and from behind me I heard a rumbling sound that spoke to me and said:‘Praise the glory of Jehovah That has come [to you] from His realm!’¹³Then I heard the sound of the flapping of the wings of the animals (because [the wings] were touching each other), as well as the sounds of the wheels that were moving next to them with a great rumbling.¹⁴And thereafter, [God’s] Breath lifted me up and carried me away… So my spirit was being lifted and motivated by the hand of Jehovah that had come over me, and this made me extremely powerful!¹⁵Then, while I was in this elevated [condition], I traveled among the rest of captives that live next to the Chobar River, and I stayed there for 7 days. ¹⁶And at the end of the 7 days, the Word of Jehovah came to me and said this:¹⁷‘O son of man,‘Over the house of IsraEl, I have made you the watchman. So you must listen to the words from my mouth, And then, you must bring them my warnings.¹⁸‘For I’m saying that the lawless will die! And you will also die with them If you fail to give them my orders.‘Give these warnings to those lawless people And tell them that they will only survive If they’ll turn from their unrighteous ways! But, if they should choose to stay lawless, They will die for their sins, And I won’t require their blood from your hands.¹⁹‘If you give my word to the lawless, And they refuse to turn from their ways; They will die in their sins, But I will still rescue you.²⁰‘For, if a righteous man should turn from right ways And start doing things that are evil; I’ll torment his face ‘til he dies. But, if you’ve failed to bring him my word, And this is what caused him to die, So his righteous deeds are forgotten; I’ll require his blood from your hands.²¹‘But, if you will give [my] word to the righteous, And you warn them that they must not sin… And they choose not to sin because they’ve been warned, And this results in their being saved; You will have saved your own life.’²²And after that, the hand of the Lord came upon me and said:‘Now arise and go out to the plains; For there, I will tell you much more!’²³So I got up and went out to the plains...And {Look!} there was the glory of Jehovah – the glory that I had seen by the Chobar River – and I fell to my face. ²⁴Then [God’s] Breath came over me and stood me up on my feet… And it spoke to me and said:‘Go home and lock yourself inside your house; ²⁵{Look!} For you, O son of man, are appointed to be bound… Yes, they will come here and then tie you up, And no way will you set yourself free.²⁶‘They’ll also wrap your tongue in your throat, So you’ll be unable to speak, And you won’t be able to scold them; For, they are a house in rebellion.²⁷‘But then, my voice will start speaking through you… I will open your mouth, and you’ll tell them That this was said by Jehovah:‘All that wish to hear, should now listen! But, those who don’t wish to make any change Can continue to resist My persuasion; For you are a house in rebellion!’

¹‘And you, O son of man; Must go find a brick, Then set it in front of your face.‘Draw a map of JeruSalem upon it, ²Then surround it with a circle of forts. Also draw a siege mound and camps, And encircle the city with weapons.³‘Then, go find an iron frying pan, And set it as a wall between you and the city, Then prepare your face to oppose it… Prepare for a siege, then attack it… And to the sons of IsraEl, this will serve as a sign!⁴‘Then, go to sleep on your left side, And lay the sins of the house of IsraEl upon you… You must bear their unrighteous ways For the number of days that you’ll sleep [on that side].⁵‘For I’ve appointed two things that you must do Because of their unrighteous deeds:‘The unrighteous ways of the house of IsraEl Must be born upon you, For 390 [full] days.⁶‘Then, after that, you must sleep on your right For the house of Judah’s unrighteous ways. You must do this for 40 more days… A day for each year, is what I’ve established!⁷‘And as for the siege on JeruSalem; Prepare your face and stiffen your arm; For against [that city], you must then prophesy.⁸‘{Look!} Because I’ve appointed their bondage on you, Don’t turn from one side to the other, Until the days of your siege are fulfilled.⁹‘Take wheat, barley, and beans for yourself, As well as wild oats, lentils, and millet, And put them into an earthenware pot; Then, use them to bake loaves of bread.‘Make enough for the number of days (All the 390) That you must sleep on your side. ¹⁰And the weight of the food that you can consume Will be just 10 ounces a day, Which you may eat at various times.¹¹‘You must also measure the water you’ll drink… You may drink just 10 ounces from time to time.¹²‘And bake the barley cakes that you’ll eat Over human manure, Which you must hide in the coals Before the eyes [of the people].’¹³‘For this was said by Jehovah, the God of IsraEl:‘This is the type of uncleanness That the sons of IsraEl will eat Among the nations where they will be thrown.’¹⁴But I said:‘Absolutely not, O Lord God of IsraEl!‘For my soul has never been defiled or made unclean by decaying flesh, nor have I eaten wild animals from [the day] that I was born until now… Nothing unclean has ever entered my mouth!’¹⁵So [the Lord] said to me:‘Then, rather than using human manure, I’ll allow you to use cattle dung… You may bake your loaves over that.’¹⁶And he said to me:‘O son of man,‘{Look!} I’ll break JeruSalem’s trust in its bread; For they’ll have to ration it out, And they’ll ration the water they drink ‘til it’s gone.¹⁷‘Since there won’t be enough water or bread, Each man [will steal] from his brother, And because of their unrighteous deeds, They will then melt away.’

¹‘And you, O son of man,‘Go and buy a sharp blade (A razor that’s used by a barber), And shave your head and your beard.‘Then, [put the hair on] a scale, And divide it in portions by weight. ²A quarter must be used to kindle a fire, Which you must burn in the midst of the city, [To show] the number of days of its siege… Then toss the second quarter into the fire.‘And use a knife to cut the third quarter; Then scatter it throughout [the city]. And toss the last quarter into the wind; For I’ll empty them out with the sword.³‘Thereafter, you must take what little remains, And put it into a bag… ⁴Then, take out some [of the hairs], And toss them into the fire. And as they’re burning, tell the house of IsraEl That this was said by Jehovah:⁵‘This is what I’ll do to JeruSalem… I’ll place her amid many nations, And they will have her surrounded.⁶‘Then, speak of My righteous decisions… Yes, speak to that lawless nation, And to those lawless that are living around them. For they’ve pushed away My righteous decrees, And they haven’t followed My Laws.’⁷‘Yes, you must [give them this warning]:‘It’s because of this,’ says Jehovah, ‘That lawless ways will now come to you From the nations that have you surrounded.‘For, you haven’t followed My Laws, Nor have you observed My righteous decrees… You’ve not even raised to the standards Of the nations that are living around you!⁸‘So because of this,’ says Jehovah, ‘{Look!} I am now standing against you, And I’ll bring My judgments upon you, There in front of the gentiles!⁹‘I will bring [many bad] things upon you That have never happened before, Nor will they be done in the future, For the disgusting things that you’re doing!¹⁰‘For, fathers then eat their own children, Or children will be eating their fathers; And the rest will be scattered to the [four] winds… For My righteous decisions will be poured upon you!¹¹‘As I live,’ says Jehovah… ‘Because you’ve dirtied My Holy Things With all that’s disgusting and loathsome, I will push you away… My eyes won’t spare or show mercy!¹²‘So a quarter will be consumed by the plague; A quarter will be finished by famine; A quarter will be scattered to the [four] winds; And a quarter will fall by the broadsword… Yes, you will all be surrounded, And the sword will be emptied upon you.¹³‘But, after I’ve brought My anger and rage, I’ll return and offer you comfort. For then, you’ll know that this happened Because I, Jehovah, had warned you, And in My zeal, I showed you My rage.¹⁴‘I’ll turn you and your daughters into waterless lands In the presence of all that pass by. ¹⁵For the nations will squeeze you and scoff When I bring My anger and judgments on you, Along with My vengeance and rage. For I, Jehovah, have spoken.¹⁶‘I’ll shoot the arrows of famine at you, And after you come to be in great need, I’ll send [the nations] to finish you off. Yes, I’m sending a famine among you, To break your reliance on bread.¹⁷‘I’ll not only bring a famine to you, But I’ll also send ferocious wild beasts! And with plagues, you will also be punished, Before your blood will be spilled; For upon you, I’m bringing the sword. Yes, I, Jehovah, have spoken!’

¹Thereafter, the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²‘O son of man,‘Now, turn your face towards IsraEl’s hills, And against them, you must now prophesy!³‘Speak to those in IsraEl’s mountains And tell them to hear the Word of Jehovah! Yes, hear what [God] has decreed To the mountains, hills, valleys, and forests:‘{Look!} Against you, I’m bringing the broadsword And it will destroy your high places. ⁴I will also break all your altars; Your [incense stands], I’ll tear down; And before their idols, I’ll leave all your slain.‘The bodies of IsraEl’s sons Will be offered in front of their idols; ⁵And then, on their altars, I’ll scatter their bones.⁶‘All the homes in your towns will be empty; All your high places will be wiped away; All your altars will be destroyed; Your idols will no longer be, And your incense stands will be lifted away… Your works will all be erased. ⁷Then, as the slain are falling among you, You will know that I am Jehovah.⁸‘Then, those who escape from the broadsword Will be scattered among all the nations. ⁹And those who escape from the nations Where they will be taken as captives, Will start thinking of Me once again.‘I vow this against the hearts of all those Who’ve committed adultery against Me And done so many bad things… They will slap their own faces Over the vile acts they’ve performed. ¹⁰Then they’ll know that I am Jehovah, And that this is why I sent them the warning That I’d bring such evil upon them.’¹¹‘And thereafter, Jehovah said:‘Clap your hands… Yes, stamp your feet and then say:‘This is what they deserve For the disgusting things that IsraEl's done!’Yes, may they fall by the broadsword, As well as by famine and plague!¹²‘Then, those far away will die by the plague; Those who are near will fall by the sword; And those who remain after the siege Will be finished off by the famine, As I wear out My anger against them.¹³‘And you’ll know that I am Jehovah, When among your idols, you’ll see all your slain… The idols that you’ve placed on all the high hills And under each shade tree and bush, Before which, you have burned incense.¹⁴‘For, against such ones, I’ll stretch out My hand, And I’ll bring an end to their homes and their lands… I’ll dry them out like figs in the desert, And they’ll know that I am Jehovah.’

¹Then the Word of Jehovah came to me again and said:²‘And to you, O son of man,‘Jehovah says this about IsraEl:‘To the 4 wings of the land, The end has finally come… ³Yes, the end has arrived; For upon them, I’m bringing My rage.‘I’m the one who is standing against them And I’ll punish them for the things that they’ve done… I’ll hold them to blame for their evil, ⁴And my eyes won’t spare or show mercy!‘Because they have been so disgusting, I’ll no longer forgive all the badness That’s being done in their midst… Then they’ll know that I am Jehovah!⁵‘Jehovah said:‘{Look!} Upon the evil, evil will come… ⁶For their end has reached its fulfillment, And their punishment has been awakened.⁷‘{Look!} The circle of the wreath has fallen on them (All those who live in the land), And the time has finally arrived… The day of tumult and distress.⁸‘For now, I’ll pour out My rage And finish My anger against them. They’ll be judged for the bad things they’ve done, And I’ll hold them to blame for their evil.⁹‘My eyes won’t spare or show mercy, For I’ll make them pay for their ways And the disgusting things that they’ve done. Then, they will know that it’s Me… I’m the One who is knocking them down!¹⁰‘Look! The day of the Lord has arrived, And his rod has [finally] blossomed. ¹¹The time to injure has come, Which will break the resolve of the lawless. Then, nothing at all will remain… No wealth and nothing of value.¹²‘Look! The time has arrived… Today is truly the day! So, those who buy shouldn’t rejoice, And those who sell shouldn’t wail; For [God’s] wrath will cover such things.¹³‘Now the one who buys will not return What he bought to the person who sold it, Because neither one will survive.‘This vision is for all of you (As many as live in this place), And it will not be turned back.‘Yet, the eyes of these people won’t see [The things that are coming into] their lives. ¹⁴So, although they should be [preparing themselves] And knowing what is coming upon them, No one’s getting ready for war As My wrath is approaching her crowds!¹⁵‘For when the sword arrives on the outside, There’ll be famine and plagues on the inside. And those who carry their swords to the fields Will thereafter die [in those fields], While there’s famine and plague in their cities.¹⁶‘Then, those who try to escape Will sit on the mountains like pigeons and know That destruction has come because they’re so bad.¹⁷‘So, all their hands will be weak And all their loins will be wet, ¹⁸As around themselves, they’ll wrap sack cloth. For, they’ll be covered by shock; Upon every face will be shame; And every head will be bald.¹⁹‘Then they’ll toss their silver into the squares, And their gold won’t have any value; For their silver and gold will not save them In the day of the wrath of the Lord.‘Then their lives will not find satisfaction, Nor will their bellies be filled, Since the torment for their sins will then have arrived.²⁰‘Of their [silver and gold], they are now so proud, So they used it to create their foul idols… And for this, I’ve handed them over to filth.²¹‘Yes, I’ll hand them to strangers Who will then rip them to pieces. To the pests of the earth, I will give them, And as their spoils, they’ll profane them.²²‘For from them, I’ve now turned My face; And to those over whom I kept watch, Sudden destruction will come. The attack will arrive when it isn’t expected… And then, they will all be profaned.²³‘Yes, a great befouling will come To a land that is filled with judgments of blood. For with all of their lawless ways, This city is now filled to the brim!‘So upon them, I will then bring The evil ways of the nations, And [the gentiles] will take all their homes.²⁴‘So I’ll turn away all their neighing About how great they’ve become, And the things they hold holy will then be defiled.²⁵‘Yes the time to repay has arrived, And those who seek peace will not find it. ²⁶For there will come woe upon woe, As message after message arrives.‘Then, from their prophets, they’ll search for a vision; But the law of their Priests will be gone, As will the counsel of the king’s elders.²⁷‘Then, after their rulers are gone, The peoples’ hands will go limp, And I’ll do to them the same as they’ve done… I’ll punish them with their own judgments, So they’ll know that I am Jehovah.’

¹It was during the 6th year, in the 6th month, on the 5th day of the month, while I was sitting in my house and all the elders of Judah were sitting before me, that the hand of Jehovah came over me.²For I looked and I saw what appeared to be a man… But from his loins down he looked like fire, and from his loins up he looked as bright as molten bronze... ³Then he stretched out what appeared to be a hand, and he lifted me by the decorative fringes on my clothes. With the wind, he lifted me up between the ground and the sky and he blew me back to JeruSalem!Then in this vision from God, I found myself looking north towards the [city] gate, and there [I saw] a monument to [the god], The Consumer.⁴In this vision; {Look!} there in the plains, I saw the glory of Jehovah the God of IsraEl!⁵And He said to me:‘O son of man,‘Now raise your eyes and look towards the north!’So I raised my eyes towards the north and I saw that just north of the gate (on the east side of the Altar) there was the idol of Jealousy that was standing at the entrance [to the city].⁶And He said to me:‘O son of man,‘Do you see these things that they’re doing… These lawless deeds of the house of IsraEl To push Me away from My Holy Place? Yet, you’ll see even greater and worse lawless deeds!’⁷So then He carried me to the threshold of the Temple courtyard, and there {Look!} I saw an opening in the wall.⁸Then He said to me:‘O son of man,‘Dig [a hole] in this wall!’So I dug [a hole] in the wall, and there {Look!} I found a door!⁹And He said to me:‘Now, enter and see all the evil… All the lawless things being done there!’¹⁰So I went inside... And {Look!} I saw depictions of all sorts of crawling things, [unclean] animals, and all the idols of the house of IsraEl… Foolish and disgusting things that had been painted on the walls.¹¹Then I saw 70 men among the elders of the house of IsraEl, with JaAzaniAh (son of ShaPhan) standing in front of them, and each man was holding a smoking incense pan in his hands.¹²And He said to me:‘O son of man,‘See what IsraEl’s elders are doing In the darkness of these hidden rooms… They’re saying that Jehovah is gone from the land!’¹³And then He said:‘But [I’ll show you] even greater lawless things.’¹⁴So He carried me up to the threshold of the Gate of Jehovah’s Temple (the one that faces north), and there I saw women sitting and wailing for TamMuz.¹⁵And He said to me:‘O son of man,‘Now, after you’ve seen all of this, You’ll see even worse being done here.’¹⁶So He carried me into the inner courtyard of Jehovah’s Temple, up to the threshold of the Temple of the Lord... And there between the columned porch and the Altar I saw about 25 men who were facing east with their backsides to Jehovah’s Temple… They were bowing to the sun in the east!¹⁷Then He asked me:‘Should I not be concerned About all of these lawless deeds That the house of Judah is doing? They’ve filled the land with their lawless ways… They’ve turned from Me and provoked Me to rage!‘And look! They’re holding out branches of grapevines As though they are sneering at Me!¹⁸‘So I’ll deal with them in My rage, And My eyes will no longer spare them Nor will I show mercy upon them. So, no matter how loud they shout in My ears… I won’t listen to the things that they’re saying!’

¹Then He shouted into my ears with a great voice and said:‘The punishment on this city has arrived!’[And at that, some men appeared], and each one was carrying implements of destruction in their hands... ²{Look!} There were 6 men coming along the road that leads to the upper gate (the one that faces north), and they were each carrying battle axes in their hands.There was also a man in their midst who was wrapped in a robe that reached to his feet and he had a belt [covered with] sapphires wrapped around his waist. Then they entered [the Temple area] and stood next to the brass Altar. ³And at that, the glory of the God of IsraEl ascended from between the cherubs and hung there between them in the open air of the Temple.Then He called out to the man who was dressed in the full-length robe and who wore the belt of sapphires, ⁴and said to him:‘Now, go through the midst of the city – Through the midst of JeruSalem – And put a sign on the foreheads Of the men who are groaning and deeply upset For the lawless deeds being done here!’⁵And He said [to those who were carrying the axes] in my hearing:‘Now, go through the city behind him and strike… Don’t let your eyes spare or show mercy! ⁶Kill and wipe out the old and the young, Including the women, children, and virgins… And start here at My Holy Place… But don’t approach those who are marked with the sign!’So they started [by destroying] the elders who were there inside the Temple. ⁷For He said to [those who were carrying the axes]:‘Now, go and start defiling My Temple… Fill its courtyards [with those whom you’ll slay], And strike down all that are [fleeing]!’⁸Then as they started their destroying, I fell to my face and yelled out:‘O Lord!‘Are you going to wipe out all the remaining ones of IsraEl by pouring Your rage upon JeruSalem?’⁹And He told me:‘The sins of the houses of IsraEl and Judah Have now become just too great; For with [bloodshed], the land’s become filled, And the city is full of uncleanness and sin.‘For they’re saying that Jehovah’s abandoned the land, And that He’s no longer paying attention. ¹⁰So My eyes won’t spare or show mercy, And I’ll hold them to blame for their evil.’¹¹Then {Look!} the man who was wrapped in the full-length robe and wearing the belt around his waist returned to Him and said:‘[We have] done everything that you said to do.’

¹Well at that, I looked up and I saw a sapphire stone shaped like a throne that was upon the dome over the heads of the cherubs.²And [the One who was sitting on the throne] said to the man who was dressed in the robe:‘Go between the wheels that are under the cherubs And fill your hands with the coals that you’ll find, Then scatter them over the city!’So he went in [between the wheels] there in front of me ³(as the cherubs were standing to the right of the place where the man had entered), and a mist started to fill the inner courtyard... ⁴Then the glory of Jehovah (which had been hanging in the open air between the cherubs) entered the Temple, and the [inner] courtyard became filled with the cloud, as well as with the brightness of the glory of Jehovah.⁵Meanwhile, I could hear the sounds of the wings of the cherubs coming from the outer courtyard, which was like the voice of God when He speaks. ⁶And they said this to the man who was wrapped in the holy robe:‘Go between the wheels that are under the cherubs And carry out some of the fire!’So he entered and stood next to the wheels. ⁷Then a cherub stuck his hands into the midst of the fire that was under the cherubs and he grabbed some of the [fire] and placed it into the hands of the man who was wearing the holy robe… Who then took it and left.⁸Well, as I was looking at the cherubs, I noticed that they had what appeared to be the hands of men between their wings. ⁹And {Look!} I noticed the four wheels that were standing beside each of the cherubs (there was one wheel for each cherub). These wheels looked like peridots, ¹⁰and there appeared to be wheels within each of the four wheels, ¹¹but their four parts didn’t move as they traveled. Then, whichever way the [cherub’s] heads looked, the [wheels] would travel in that direction… But the [wheels] didn’t turn as they moved.¹²I also noticed that there were eyes all over the flesh [of the cherub’s] hands and wings, as well as on the four wheels… ¹³And it was then that I heard that these wheels were called ‘The Chariots.’¹⁴[I also noticed] that [each of the cherubs] had four faces:• One face was that of a cherub, • The 2nd was the face of a man, • The 3rd was the face of a lion, and • The 4th was the face of an eagle.¹⁵Well thereafter, the cherubs started moving upward; and it was then that I started to realize that these were the [same] living creatures that I had seen [earlier] next to the Chobar River.¹⁶Well, wherever the cherubs went, the wheels traveled alongside them. Yet when the cherubs flew high above the ground with their wings, the wheels next to them didn’t turn. ¹⁷And whenever they stood still, the wheels stood still; but when they flew upward, the wheels flew upward with them, because the breath of life was in [the wheels].¹⁸Then the glory of Jehovah that was mounted on the cherubs left the open air inside the Temple. ¹⁹For the cherubs raised their wings and flew high above the ground in front of me (with their wheels alongside them), and [they settled] on top of the gate that’s in front of the Jehovah’ Temple, with the glory of the God of IsraEl above them.²⁰Well, it was after I had first seen these animals traveling beneath the God of IsraEl back at the Chobar River that I came to realize that they were in fact cherubs. ²¹Each one had four faces, four wings, and what looked like the hands of a man under each wing… ²²And these [cherubs] had the same faces that I saw under the glory of the God of IsraEl in the vision by the Chobar River, and they also traveled in whichever direction that they faced.

¹Well at that, the wind lifted me up and led me to the East Gate of the Jehovah’s Temple. And {Look!} there on the threshold of the gate, I saw about 25 men. Among them I could see JaAzaniAh (son of Azur) and PedaiAh (son of BenaiAh)… The ones who were supposed to be guiding the people.²And [Jehovah] said to me:‘O son of man,‘These are the men who think foolish things And discuss evil plans for this city. ³They are also the ones who are saying:‘Since we have just built homes for ourselves, This [city] is our kettle and we are its meat!’⁴‘For this, you must say this against them… Yes, O son of man; you must now prophesy!’⁵Then the Breath of Jehovah came over me and He told me to tell them that Jehovah said this:‘O you of the house of IsraEl:‘I know the things that you’re saying, And I know what you’ve planned in your [hearts]. ⁶To this city, you’ve brought many deaths, And you’ve filled her roads with the murdered.⁷‘Because of this,’ says Jehovah, ‘Those whom you’ve killed are the meat in her midst, And [JeruSalem] is their kettle… For I’ll drive you out of her midst!⁸‘Since you’re so afraid of the broadsword, I’ll be bringing the broadsword against you,’ said Jehovah, ⁹‘I will lead you out of her midst, And bring My judgments against you, For I’ll hand you over to strangers; ¹⁰And at their hands, you will fall by the sword.‘To the borders of IsraEl, I’ll judge you, And you’ll know that I am Jehovah. ¹¹Then [this city] will be your kettle no more, And in her, you’ll not be the meat.¹²‘To the borders of IsraEl, I’ll judge you… And then you’ll know that I am Jehovah. For you chose to overlook My Commandments, And you didn’t [respect] My decisions. Then you walked in the ways of the gentiles… Those who now have you surrounded.’¹³It was then that the prophecy came to pass, for PedaiAh (son of BenaiAh) dropped dead! So I fell to my face and yelled out in a loud voice, saying:‘Alas, O Jehovah!‘Have You appointed those who are left in IsraEl to be totally consumed?’¹⁴And the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:¹⁵‘O son of man,‘Your brothers and your fellow captives Have arrived at the place where I sent them. But, those who are still in JeruSalem Are saying these things about them:‘Because they are far from Jehovah, We will inherit their land!’¹⁶‘So, tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘I’ll push you away to the nations And scatter you to many lands. Then I’ll not be someone to whom you can turn In the places where you will be taken.’¹⁷‘And tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘Yet, I’ll gather you back from the nations... I’ll bring you back from those places, And I will give back [your land]. ¹⁸For by that time, you will have rejected The disgusting lawless things that you’ve followed.¹⁹‘A new spirit and heart, I’ll then give you… I’ll remove your hearts made of stone And exchange them for hearts made of flesh. ²⁰So you will then follow My orders… You’ll guard My Laws and obey them… You’ll be My people and I’ll be your God!²¹‘It’s because of the disgusting things that you’ve done And the lawless ways of your hearts, That your hearts have chosen to do such [bad] things, And caused Me to pour your guilt on your heads,’ says Jehovah.’²²Then the cherubs lifted their wings [and started flying], as the wheels moved alongside them and the glory of the God of IsraEl was above them.²³So thereafter, the glory of Jehovah arose from the midst of the city and settled on the mountain that sits in front of it. ²⁴And at that, the wind picked me up and blew me back to the land of the Chaldeans (back to the land of our captivity) in this vision that came from the Breath of God.Well, after I came out of this vision that I was seeing, ²⁵I told [my fellow] captives every word that the Lord had spoken to me.

¹Then the Word of Jehovah came to me again and said:²‘O son of man,‘You live in the midst of unrighteous [men]… Those who have eyes that can’t see And those who have ears that can’t hear; For, they are a house in rebellion.³‘So you, O son of man, Must go and gather the things of a captive, Then act like someone in prison… [You must sit] there before them throughout the whole day. And before them, you must act like a captive… Someone who was carried away And taken to some other place, So that they will be able to see What a house in rebellion they’ve been.⁴‘You must set your things of a captive In front of their eyes, throughout the whole day, And walk as a captive before them each night.⁵‘Dig a hole in the wall and crawl in it, ⁶And carry [your things] on your shoulders… Act as though you are trying to hide, Then cover your face so you can’t see the ground. For, to the house of IsraEl, I’ve made you a sign.’⁷Well, I did that… Everything that He told me to do. I brought out the items of captivity that day, and that evening I dug a hole through the wall for myself (by hand), and I crawled into it as though I was hiding. And thereafter, I carried my things on my shoulders before them.⁸Then the Word of Jehovah came to me the next morning, and said:⁹‘O son of man,‘The house of IsraEl, those who are now in rebellion, Didn’t ask you what you were doing. ¹⁰So, tell them this concerning their rulers… Those who are giving direction To JeruSalem and its people.‘Say that Jehovah has spoken. ¹¹Then explain to them that you’re acting out signs Of the things that will happen to them. For, [in the same way as you’re acting], They will be carried away.¹²‘Say [that Jehovah said the following:]‘The one who rules in their midst Will bear his things on his shoulders. Then he will dig a hole in a wall with his hands, Which he will crawl into and hide.‘He’ll cover himself, so he can’t be seen In a place where he can’t see the ground. ¹³Then around him, I’ll spread out My net, And he will be caught in its wraps.‘So, off to Babylon, I’ll lead him… Yes, into the land of Chaldea… But he won’t be able to see it, And there, he will come to his end.¹⁴‘Thereafter, I’ll scatter his helpers And those who’ve been his assistants To the [four] winds [of the earth]… I’ll send the broadsword [to chase] them away.¹⁵‘And they’ll know that I am Jehovah, When they’re scattered among many nations… [For, wherever they go], they’ll be scattered.¹⁶‘Yet, among their numbers, I’ll still leave a few As survivors of the sword, famine, and plague To speak of these things in great detail To all the nations where they will be sent. They’ll also tell how lawless they’ve been… And they all will know that I am Jehovah.’¹⁷Thereafter, the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:¹⁸‘O son of man,‘In grief, you will now eat your bread, And in torment and affliction, you will drink water. ¹⁹Then speak to the men of this land, And tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘Very soon, there will be no bread, And the drinking water will vanish Both in IsraEl and in JeruSalem. Then, you will become extinct in the land, And the violence among those who live there Will have finally come to an end.²⁰‘Then the cities where you dwell will be [empty] As extinction comes to your land, And you’ll know that I am Jehovah.’²¹Well thereafter, the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²²‘O son of man,‘Why are all the people saying this proverb about IsraEl?‘The days [that he speaks of] are still far away, And all the visions have perished.’²³‘Because of this, tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘I will turn their proverb around And the house of IsraEl will say this no more. Instead, they will say that the days have arrived, As have the words of the visions!’²⁴‘And [you must also say this]:‘False visions will come to an end, And there’ll be no more speaking of omens To curry the favor of IsraEl’s sons. ²⁵For, after I tell them what I will do, I’ll act and not stretch out the time.’‘Yes, tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘In your days, O you house in rebellion, I’ll just say the words and then act!’²⁶Then the Word of Jehovah came to me again and said:²⁷‘O son of man,‘See how IsraEl is rebelling, For this is what they are saying:‘The visions he sees are of some distant time, And he prophesies things [that won’t happen for years]!’²⁸‘Because of this, tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘I’ll no longer stretch out the words that I speak; For now, I’ll speak and then do it!’

¹Then the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²‘O son of man,‘Against IsraEl’s prophets, you must now testify (Those who [say they can tell what will come])! You must speak to these prophets and tell them That their prophecies all come from their hearts.‘So, you must prophesy and tell them To hear the Word of Jehovah; ³For, these are the words that He spoke:‘Woe to those who speak prophecies From ideas that come from their hearts While they have seen nothing at all… Those following the direction of their spirits!⁴‘O IsraEl,‘Your prophets are like foxes that live in the fields, ⁵For they do not take firm positions. To the house of IsraEl, they don’t gather flocks, Nor are they getting them ready for war By warning them about the Day of the Lord.⁶‘The visions that they see are all false, And all of their omens are useless; For they say that Jehovah has spoken, And they make their words sound important; Yet, they were not sent by Jehovah.⁷‘Haven’t your visions all proven false… Aren’t the words that you’ve spoken untrue? For you speak when I haven’t spoken,’ says Jehovah!⁸‘Because of this, you must tell them,’ said Jehovah, ‘That since their words are all false And they prophesy things that are foolish… Yes, because of this, I’m against them!⁹‘So, towards those prophets, I’ll stretch out My hand Towards those who are seeing false visions And those who declare foolish things When they give instructions to My people; Then, among [the faithful of] IsraEl, Their [names] will never be written, And they’ll know that I am Jehovah!¹⁰‘For, they are misleading My people By saying there’s peace, when there’s really no peace… So the people are plastering walls that will fall.¹¹‘Rather, they should say to those who are plastering walls: Your [walls] will soon fall and the rain will pour in. For I’m sending rocks to be hurled against them, And then your [walls] will just drop… [Yes, I’ll send] a mighty wind to destroy them!¹²‘{Look!} And after the walls have all fallen, They will then come here and ask:‘What happened to all of the plaster That we used to make repairs on these [walls]?’¹³‘It’s because of this,’ says Jehovah, ‘That I will send out a wind, Which will rip down [their walls] in My anger; And then, My rage will flood in.‘In My rage, I’ll cause rocks to be thrown As I bring it all to an end! ¹⁴For I’ll raze the walls that they’ve plastered… I’ll lay them out on the ground, And then, I’ll expose their foundations.‘And [you who’ve foretold better things] Will then be worn out by their shouting… And you’ll know that I am Jehovah.¹⁵‘Yes, against those walls I’ll wear out My rage, And on those who are plastering them; For, all their walls will soon fall.‘Yet [the problem] is not with the walls Or with those applying the plaster; ¹⁶It’s with those who fortell a good future… Those who say there’ll be peace, When there really won’t be any peace,’ says Jehovah.¹⁷‘And you, O son of man, must now fix your face Against the daughters of your people… Against those who now prophesy According to the things in their hearts. Against them, you must prophesy this… ¹⁸Tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘Woe to those who sew pillows That are made to be placed under elbows, And those who create all sizes of veils That they say will serve as protection… Those misleading the lives of My people!¹⁹‘You profane Me in front of My people For a handful of barley or a few scraps of bread. You’re ending lives that don’t have to die, And offer protection to souls that won’t live… You promise foolish things to My people!²⁰‘And because of this, says Jehovah, I am opposed to your pillows, Which you’re using to gather their souls. So from your arms, I’ll rip them away, And lead off those who you’ve misled… For soon, they all will be scattered.²¹‘I will also rip off your veils To save My people from your [wicked] hands. No, into your hands, they’ll not fall again… And you’ll know that I am Jehovah.²²‘You’ve perverted the hearts of the righteous And strengthened the hands of the lawless… Yes you’ve failed to turn them from bad, so they’d live!²³‘And because of this, You will not see false visions again, And you won’t see any more omens. For, from your hands, I’ll rescue My people… And you’ll know that I am Jehovah.’

¹Well after that, elders from among the people of IsraEl came to me and they all sat down in front of me. ²Then the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:³‘Son of man,‘The thoughts in the hearts of these people are set; So, lay out their badness before them, Since I will now give them an answer… ⁴Speak and tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘Any man from the house of IsraEl, Who may start to think in his heart That he’ll not be punished for his badness, Should arrange his face and then come to the Prophet, And I, Jehovah, will tell him his thoughts ⁵So I can change the hearts of the house of IsraEl… Those whose hearts are so far from Me.⁶‘So, speak to the house of IsraEl And tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘Turn from the things that you’re doing… Turn your faces from your godless deeds!⁷‘For a man – any man – from the house of IsraEl Or from among foreign converts Who no longer chooses to [walk in My ways] And starts to think in his heart That he should never be punished For all the bad things that he’s doing, Must arrange his face and come to the Prophet, Then ask, and I will reply About the things over which he’s concerned.⁸‘For I’ll fix My face against such a man And assign him to a place in extinction… From the midst of My people, I’ll lift him away… And he’ll know that I am Jehovah.⁹‘And if a prophet should say that he’s been misled, And he says I’m the One who misled him; Against him, I’ll stretch out My hand And remove him from IsraEl’s midst.¹⁰‘So each one who [comes before Me] and asks Must bear the punishment he’s due For all of his unrighteous acts… According to the things that he’s done.‘Then the sins of the prophets will come upon them, ¹¹So the house of IsraEl will not stay misled And remain defiled by its errors. Then they’ll be My people and I’ll be their God,’ says Jehovah.¹²Well after that, the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:¹³[‘Jehovah says:]‘O son of man,If a land sins against Me and falls into sin; Against [that land], I will stretch out My hand, And break its reliance on bread… Famine I’ll send [to that land] And remove men and beasts from upon it.¹⁴‘But, should such good men be found in that land As Noah, DaniEl, and Job; I will save such a man,’ says Jehovah.¹⁵‘And if I must bring ferocious wild beasts As a punishment upon such a land; It will become an extinction… None will pass through it again Because of the faces of the wild beasts I’ll send.¹⁶‘But if three such good men can be found there; As I live,’ says Jehovah, ‘Although its sons and daughters will not be saved… [Those three men] will be saved, And the land will thereafter be ruined.¹⁷‘Or if I should bring the sword to that land, If I say, ‘Let the broadsword pass through it,’ And I cause men and beasts to be lifted from there… ¹⁸If three such men can be found in its midst; As I live,’ says Jehovah, ‘Although its sons and daughters will not be saved, Those [3 men] will be rescued.¹⁹‘Or, if I should send a plague to that land And pour My rage upon it in blood, Destroying both men and wild beasts… ²⁰And among them, three such men can be found As Noah, DaniEl, and Job; As I live,’ says Jehovah, ‘Its sons and daughters will not be saved… For the only thing that can save them Is becoming as righteous [as those three men]!²¹‘Then Jehovah said:‘To JeruSalem, I’ll be sending 4 things: The sword, famine, and plague, As well as ferocious wild beasts… They’ll destroy all the men and their cattle.²²‘{Look!} And any of those who remain Those who escape all these things, Will then be carried away, Along with their sons and their daughters.‘Then {Look!} they will be brought here to you, And you’ll know of the things that they thought, As well as of the things they have done.‘And although you’ll be saddened by the harm that I’ll bring – All that I’ll do to JeruSalem – ²³[Your mind] will then be relieved, Because you will see their ways and their thoughts, And you’ll know all the things that I did Weren’t done without a good reason,’ says Jehovah.’

¹And the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²‘[Let Me ask] you this, O son of man:‘What happens to the wood from all of the vines That live among trees in the forests? ³Do they find some use for this wood… Do they use their pieces as hangers? ⁴No!‘{Look!} Each year, they’re thrown into the fire, As [people] are cleaning [their yards]. So, the wood disappears in the end, Since no use for it can be found!⁵‘And even whole pieces aren’t useful; For, after they’re burned in the flames, They no longer have any value.⁶‘So Jehovah said this:‘As I’ve put the vines among trees To be burned in fires and consumed… That’s what I’ve done to those in JeruSalem.⁷‘For against them, I’ve now set My face, And fire, they’ll have to [endure]… For fire will [come and] consume them. And [when they see that] it’s My face against them, They’ll know that I am Jehovah.⁸‘I’ll appoint [their] land to extinction, Because they fell into sin,’ said Jehovah.’

¹Then the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²‘O son of man,‘To JeruSalem, you must now testify About all of her lawless deeds! ³So tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘Your roots and your birth are in CanaAn, Where an Amorite man was your father, And a Hittite [woman], your mother.⁴‘And concerning your birth and the day you were born; Your naval wasn’t cut, nor were you washed, No one [cleansed] you with salt, And you weren’t wrapped up in a blanket.⁵‘For their eyes didn’t feel enough pity for you To do such things on your behalf; They just threw you into the fields, Since your soul had been deformed since your birth.⁶‘Then I came and saw you defiled in your blood, And I said to you:‘Come to life!’Yes, I said this to you in your blood:‘Come to life… Become many!’⁷‘I made you like crops that grow in the fields, Then you became many and great And you entered the city of cities.‘Thereafter, your breasts and your hair both grew full… But you were still indecent and naked.⁸‘It was then that I came and beheld you, And I saw that it was your time… A time for you to find rest.‘So I opened and spread out My wings over you And covered your indecent condition. Over you, I then swore an oath, And concluded a Sacred Agreement,’ says Jehovah. So, that’s when you became Mine.⁹‘I bathed you in water and washed off your blood, And then, I rubbed you with oil. ¹⁰I dressed you in [the best] colored clothes… In blue and linen, I wrapped you, And I placed a braided belt [on your hips].¹¹‘I decked you with ornamentation… I put bracelets on [both] of your [wrists], And around your neck, put a necklace.¹²‘I gave you a ring for your nose, As well as disks for your ears, And to boast, a garland [to wear on] your head.¹³‘So, you were adorned in silver and gold; Your wraps were the finest of linen; You had braided hair and colored clothes, And you ate the finest of flour, As well as the best honey and oil.‘So, you became exceedingly [great], And you prospered as one who’s a [queen]. ¹⁴Among the nations, your name became known, And this was true of your beauty; For I’d made your beauty complete… I’m the One who ordered it for you,’ says Jehovah.¹⁵‘Then, on your beauty, you came to rely, And you gave away [sex], because of your fame… You ‘poured it out’ on the roads.¹⁶‘Then you [ripped] your clothes, so that you could make strings To tie all your idols together, And you used them to do what’s immoral. So now, there’s no way that you can return… No way may you come back to Me!¹⁷‘Then you took the things of which you could boast – The silver and gold that I gave you – And made idols, with which you had sex. ¹⁸You dressed them up in your colored clothes, And set before them My incense and oil.¹⁹‘You took the bread that I made With the fine flour, honey, and oil, And set it in front of their faces As pleasing scents and aromas.‘And after you did all of this,’ says Jehovah, ²⁰‘You took the sons and daughters you bore And offered them up to [your gods] Until [they had all] been consumed.²¹‘Yes you killed them to make your gods happy… You gave all of your children to them! ²²And this is much more disgusting Than the rest of the bad things you’ve done.‘For, you forgot the days of your youth When you were indecent and naked, And lived befouled in your blood. ²³And now that you’ve done all your evil, Woe, woe, upon you,’ says Jehovah!²⁴‘A whorehouse you’ve built for yourself, And you’ve posted signs in the squares. ²⁵You’ve erected them on each corner, And there, you’ve wasted your beauty.‘Between your legs, you’ve led all who would pass. And again, you made it much worse… ²⁶You had sex with the sons of Egyptians… With the flesh of those who live just next door! Yes, you have done all these bad things That have driven Me into a rage.²⁷‘So {Look!} against you, I’ll stretch My hand, And I’ll take away all your Laws, Then hand you to those who detest you… To the daughters of the Philistines, Whose godless ways you have followed.²⁸‘With Assyria’s sons, you also had sex, Which brought you no more satisfaction… You had sex, but it wasn’t enough. ²⁹So in CanaAn’s land, you also had sex, As well as with the Chaldeans… But you still couldn’t find satisfaction.³⁰‘O what will I do to your heart,’ asks Jehovah, ‘As you are doing these bad things… The works of a woman that’s known as a whore, And who’s even had sex with her daughters!³¹‘Whorehouses, you’ve built upon every [street], But you don’t act as the madam! ³²An adulterous woman is all that you are… One whose husband acts as her pimp!³³‘You’ve even paid those you’ve had sex with… You’ve paid wages to all of your lovers As inducements for them to stay near And engage in all of your whoring!³⁴‘Your perversions are worse than all others; For with other whores, you’ve even had sex… You paid them – they didn’t pay you; So, what you have done is perversion!³⁵‘Because of this, O you whore, Hear the Word of Jehovah:³⁶‘Because you paid others with your copper coins, Your shame will soon be uncovered… Your whoring with all of your lovers, As well as your evil thoughts… Your lawless deeds and the blood of your young, Which you have offered [to idols].³⁷‘So, because of these things that you’ve done, I’ll gather your lovers against you And mix those you’ve hated among them. Together, I’ll bring them against you Until they have you surrounded. I’ll uncover your evils before them, And then, they’ll all see your shame.³⁸‘I’ll punish you as an adulteress, And I will pour out your blood… In My zeal, I’ll appoint you for blood, ³⁹And I’ll hand you over to them.‘Then, they’ll cut down your whorehouses… They’ll demolish your base, and rip off your clothes, Then take all the things about which you boast… They’ll leave you indecent and naked again.⁴⁰‘Against you, they will lead mobs Who’ll stone you with rocks and stab you with swords, ⁴¹Then burn your whorehouses with fire… They will wreak vengeance upon you, There before other women.‘But I’ll turn you away from your whoring, And return the money that you’ve paid your lovers… ⁴²Against you, I’ll slacken My rage And remove the jealous zeal I once had… So I can rest and be anxious no more.⁴³‘Because you forgot the days of your youth And brought Me regret with your actions; {Look!} I’ll bring them down on your head,’ says Jehovah, ‘And then, you’ll be godless no more!⁴⁴‘For against you, they all have said this:‘The daughter is just like the mother,’⁴⁵And truly, you are just like your mother… A woman released by her man, And one who abandoned her children, As well as her brothers and sisters… Yes, she also pushed them away, Along with her husband and children.‘For an Amorite man was your father, And a Hittite woman, your mother. ⁴⁶Samaria is your big sister, Whose daughters have lived to your left.‘Your younger sister, who lives on your right, Along with her daughters, is Sodom. ⁴⁷And in their ways, you have traveled – Their lawless deeds, you’ve done also – So their ways are now better than yours!⁴⁸‘As I live,’ says Jehovah, ‘Has your sister, Sodom, or her daughters Ever acted like you and those who are yours?⁴⁹‘The sin of Sodom, your sister, was pride. For, although she had plenty of bread (She and her daughters had more than enough), This thing that was found among them was true: They offered no aid to the needy and poor… ⁵⁰Before Me they bragged and broke laws, And as you saw, I removed them!⁵¹‘Yet, Samaria didn’t sin with half of your sins, And you’re now more lawless than her. Yes, all the lawless things that you’ve done Prove your sisters more righteous. ⁵²So now, you must carry your torment!‘For by your sins, you’ve corrupted your sisters… And your lawless ways are much worse than theirs, So that they now look better than you! Yes, be ashamed and accept your dishonor, For it’s you who made them look better.⁵³‘So from them, I’ll remove My rejection – The rejection of Sodom and her daughters – And I’ll remove Samaria’s rejection (As well as that of her daughters)… And then, I’ll wipe you out of their midst!⁵⁴‘Therefore, you must now bear the torment and disgrace For all that you did to provoke Me. ⁵⁵And your sister, Sodom, and her daughters Will be restored as they were at the first, Along with Samaria and her daughters, Who’ll become as they were [in their youth]. Yes, her daughters will all be restored As they had been [long ago].⁵⁶‘Wasn’t Sodom, your sister, a reason to boast In the days of your pride, ⁵⁷Before your evils were seen… Those evils for which you’re now being scorned By all of Syria’s daughters And by those who are living around you… Like the daughters of the Philistines… Those who live just next door?⁵⁸‘So, because of your godless ways, And the lawless deeds that you’ve done,’ says Jehovah, ⁵⁹‘I’ll do to you as you’ve done to Me… For you’ve disgraced the promise you made By breaking your Agreement with Me.⁶⁰‘Yet, I will remember My oath… The one that I made with you in your youth, To establish My Agreement with you throughout the age… ⁶¹Then, perhaps you’ll remember the right ways to act.‘But for following in the ways of your sisters – Both the younger and older – You will now be despised.‘And thereafter, I’ll give them to you, Then you can start teaching them... But not of your Agreement with Me, ⁶²For My Sacred Agreement will just be with you… And you’ll all know that I am Jehovah.⁶³‘So remember, and then be ashamed… Do not open your mouth, Since your face has been so dishonored. And I am the One who has born all the cost Of the sins that you have committed,’ says Jehovah!’

¹Then the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²‘O son of man,‘Tell this story and sing it as a song Before the house of IsraEl… ³Tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘There was a great eagle with very great wings Whose claws were long and outstretched. To Lebanon, He was then led, Where He perched on the choicest of cedars.⁴‘The most tender tips, He plucked off, And to the land of CanaAn, He took them; Then He placed them in a city with walls.⁵‘He also took a seed from that land And planted it in ground fit for sowing A place with plenty of water, And He arranged for it to be tended.⁶‘Thereafter, [the seed] grew into a vine, Which proved that it would be great. Above, it grew many branches of vines, As its roots [spread out] underneath it… It became a vine with layers of vines, And its tendrils kept spreading abroad.⁷‘There was also another great eagle That had large wings and [long] claws. So {Look!} the grapevine then twisted towards him, As did its roots and its branches.‘[The vine] reached towards [the eagle] from her water, Which pulled her from her place in the sun… ⁸Even though the soil in which she was planted was good, And even though she had plenty of water. For, she was fat and putting out buds, And as a great vine, was bearing much fruit.’⁹‘Then Jehovah asked:‘So, will she continue to prosper? Will she continue to have tender roots? Won’t all her fruits start to rot?‘Yes, those early shoots will all dry, But not because of some great mighty arm Or because an army had pulled up her roots.¹⁰‘{Look!} This fat one will no longer prosper Because she’ll be touched by hot winds And she will be dried up by drought. Yes, when the east winds blow, she will shrivel!’¹¹Then the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:‘Ask the rebellious house what all of this meant… Yes, [go ahead and just] ask them!¹²‘{Look!} Babylon’s king will come to JeruSalem And capture her king and her rulers; Then, they’ll be taken to Babylon.¹³‘Yes, he’ll take the offspring of the kingdom, Then force him to swear an oath of allegiance… As he carries the rulers away from their land.¹⁴‘So the kingdom will then be so weak That it won’t be able to lift itself up. And in order for them to survive, They’ll have to keep their treaty with him.¹⁵‘But [the king] will thereafter revolt And send his envoys to Egypt To beg them for horses and soldiers.‘Will he succeed? Will the one who disobeyed be preserved? Will the one who broke his oath then be saved?¹⁶‘As I live,’ says Jehovah, ‘Surely, here in the place of the king, He’ll disgrace the One who allowed him to rule And he’ll break the oath of his treaty. So to Babylon, he will be taken, And there is where he will die!¹⁷‘No, he won’t succeed despite his great power Or because of the [strength] of his [army]. For although PharaOh will join him in war And build many weapons and siege mounds, Which will bring many lives to an end; ¹⁸Because [the king] will have disgraced his oath – The one which he’ll swear before Me, When he breaks the agreement he made... {Look!} The one over which he held up his hand! For this, he will not escape.¹⁹‘So, tell him that thus says Jehovah:‘As I live… You will be disgraced For breaking the agreement you made before Me. So upon your head, I’ll lay this:²⁰‘Over you, I’ll spread out My net, And in it, you’ll be wrapped up and captured… Then off to Babylon, you will be led, Where I’ll judge you for your sins against Me.²¹‘Then your armies that are ready for battle Will all be cut down by swords, And the survivors will be scattered to the [four] winds… Then they’ll know that I, Jehovah, have spoken.’²²‘Thereafter, Jehovah said:But then, from the choicest of cedars, I will pluck off a top… Yes, out of its heart, I will pluck it, And on a high mountain, I’ll plant it.²³‘On a Mountain in IsraEl, I’ll place it… I’ll plant it and then it will bud, And it will bear fruit once again.‘Once more, it will be a great cedar, And a place of resting for birds… In the shadow of its branches, they’ll rest, For the branches of her vines will then be restored.²⁴‘So then, all the trees in the plains Will know that I am Jehovah… I’m the One who humbles the trees in their heights And who raises those who have been laid low.‘I’m the One who can dry up green trees Or make them flourish in dryness, Because, I am Jehovah… So I’ve spoken, and now I will act!’

¹And the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²‘O son of man,‘How does the proverb apply To the land of IsraEl, which goes:‘When the fathers eat unripe grapes, The mouths of the children get toothaches?³‘Jehovah says:‘As I live, Will this proverb prove true among IsraEl?⁴‘I’m the One who owns all their souls… Yes the souls of both the fathers and sons. And since they are all really Mine; The sinners among them will die!⁵‘But the one who is fair, righteous, and just… ⁶Who doesn’t feast to idols on hills… Whose eyes are not [filled with pride]… Whose thoughts are of the House of IsraEl… Who doesn’t defile the wife of his neighbor Nor does he dirty his wife By approaching her in menstruation… ⁷Who does not tyrannize others… Who asks no collateral [for loans] – The things that he doesn’t return – Who takes nothing by force… Who gives bread to the hungry and clothes to the naked… ⁸Who doesn’t require interest on loans – Who asks no payment of interest – Who turns his hand from injustice… Who is fair when he serves as the judge Between a man and his neighbor… ⁹Who follows all of My orders… Who guards My Laws and obeys them… Such a man will be thought of as righteous, And he will then receive life,’ says Jehovah.¹⁰‘But, if he should father a bad son… One who sins and sheds blood, ¹¹And won’t follow his father’s righteous ways, But feasts before idols on mountains, And willingly defiles the wife of his neighbor… ¹²Who tyrannizes the needy and poor And seizes collateral by force, Then chooses not to return it… Who turns his eyes towards the idols, Then practices all that is lawless, ¹³And lends his things out for interest… He will not receive life. For his lawless deeds, he will die, And his blood will be upon his [own head].¹⁴‘Then, if he should father a son Who fears all the sins of his father, And refuses to act as he did… ¹⁵If he’s one who won’t feast to idols on hills, And remembers the house of IsraEl… If he doesn’t defile the wife of his neighbor… ¹⁶If he doesn’t act like a tyrant… If he doesn’t require collateral for loans… If he doesn’t take things by force… If he gives bread to the hungry and clothes to the naked… ¹⁷If he doesn’t turn his hand towards injustice Or charge interest for the loans that he makes… If he’s righteous and follows My orders… He’ll live and not die for his father’s sins!¹⁸‘But because his father was oppressive and bad… Because he took things by force And was contrary among his own people… For his unrighteous ways, he will die!¹⁹‘But then, you will ask:‘Why won’t the son bear the sins of his father?’‘It’s because he is merciful, righteous, and fair… He’s kept My Laws and obeyed them, And as a result, he will live… ²⁰Just the soul that is sinning will die!‘So the son won’t be blamed for his father’s bad ways, And the father won’t be blamed for those of his son. Yes, the righteous ways of each person And lawless ways of each person Are what they will bring on themselves!²¹But, if the lawless one turns from what’s bad And starts to keep My Commandments... If he becomes merciful, righteous, and just... He will be granted life, Yes, he will live and not die! ²²I will forget all his sins, No matter how many there are… For his righteous ways, he will live!²³‘Do I wish to bring death to the lawless,’ asks Jehovah? ‘No, I want them to turn from the bad, so they’ll live! ²⁴But, if the righteous should turn from right ways And commit all the sins of the lawless… Yes, if they do such things, they will die… I’ll forget all the righteous things that they did And destroy them for their errors and sins.²⁵‘But then, you will say:‘The ways of Jehovah aren’t right!’‘Pay attention, O house of IsraEl! Haven’t My ways proven straight? Aren’t yours the ways that are crooked?²⁶‘When a righteous man turns from right ways, Shouldn’t he die for his sins… Since he’s the one who’s to blame, Isn’t he the one who should die?²⁷‘And when the lawless turn from bad ways… When they start acting righteous and fair ²⁸And recognize how godless they’ve been; All these people should live… No way should they have to die!²⁹‘Yet, the house of IsraEl still claims That the ways of Jehovah aren’t straight.‘O house of IsraEl,‘Is it really My ways that aren’t straight? Aren’t yours the ways that are crooked?³⁰‘Therefore, O house of IsraEl,‘I’ll judge each man by the things that he does,’ says Jehovah. ‘So, if you will turn from your bad ways, You won’t be punished for the bad things you’ve done!³¹‘But, you must discard all your bad ways, As well as your irreverence towards Me… Create for yourselves new breaths and hearts!‘O house of IsraEl,‘Why should you die? ³²I want no one to die,’ says Jehovah… ‘So return [to Me] and you’ll live!’

¹‘Now, against the rulers of IsraEl, I want you to sing this lament:²‘Your mother was a lion with cubs… For in the midst of lions, she had many cubs. ³Then, one of her cubs made the leap Into becoming a lion… He learned to attack and eat men.⁴‘But the nations soon heard about him, And in their corruption, they caught him, Then in a cage, they brought him to Egypt.⁵‘Well, when she saw that [her son] had been caught And that she had lost her support; She took another one of her cubs And made him grow into a lion.⁶‘So he started to walk among lions, And very soon, he became one… He captured prey and ate many men.⁷‘In their cities, he then boldly fed Until the whole land was destroyed And filled with the sounds of his roaring.⁸‘So the nations all came from their places… They surrounded and then they attacked him… In their corruption, they threw nets and caught him.⁹‘Into a cage, he was put, And to the king of Babylon, they took him. So, because he was kept in a cage, His roar was no longer heard In IsraEl’s mountains, thereafter.¹⁰‘Now, this mother was much like a grape vine Or a pomegranate planted near water. And because there was so much water, Soon she grew buds and fruit.¹¹‘Among the head tribe, she became a strong rod, And she was esteemed for her greatness Amidst the rest of those great trunks [of trees]… And she saw that her branches were what made her great.¹²‘But in rage, she was thereafter broken… Yes, she was cut to the ground And by burning winds, she was dried. Then her choicest of branches – the rods of her strength – Were punished, dried out, and burned.¹³‘For, she’d moved herself into the desert… To a land that was thirsty and dry. ¹⁴So the flames on her choicest of branches Also reached down and consumed her, Which left her without the rod of her strength. So, to her tribe, she became a sad song About one who will surely be missed.’

¹It was in the 7th year, in the 5th month, and on the 10th day of the month that men from among the elders of the house of IsraEl came before me to ask [things] from Jehovah. So after they all came and sat down in front of my face, ²the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:³‘O son of man,‘Speak to IsraEl’s elders And tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘Have you come to ask something of Me? As I live, I will not reply,’ says Jehovah! ⁴‘But I’ll punish you, O sons of men, For the lawless deeds of your fathers…‘Yes, this is what you must tell them!⁵‘And tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘From the day that I took the house of IsraEl And to Jacob’s offspring, became known, When I let them know Me in Egypt… Yes, when I took hold of their hands, And told them that I am Jehovah their God...⁶Since the day that I took them into My hands And led them from Egypt’s land Into the land that I had prepared... A land that flowed with honey and milk… Honeycombs that are far greater Than those in all other lands... ⁷And I told them that they must abandon The disgusting things in front of their eyes And the defilements of Egypt… Since then, I’ve been Jehovah their God!⁸‘But then, they revolted against Me And refused to hear what I said. Their disgusting things, they didn’t remove The things [they could see] with their eyes, Nor did they leave the bad ways of Egypt.‘So I threatened to pour out My rage upon them, And finish My anger among them in Egypt. ⁹But I acted so My Name would not be profaned Before the nations among which they were living Those to whom I had made [Myself] known… And I led them from Egypt’s land.¹⁰‘Then I led them from Egypt into the desert, ¹¹Where I gave them My orders and all of My Laws… Which, if a man does them, bring life.¹²‘And I gave them My Sabbaths to serve as a sign That they knew that I am Jehovah… The One who is making them holy.¹³‘But, in the desert, they made Me feel bitter; For they didn’t follow My orders, And My Laws, they then pushed away... Which, if a man does them, bring life, And they profaned all My Sabbaths.‘So, it was there in the desert That I threatened to pour out My rage And to completely wipe them away. ¹⁴Yet I didn’t, so My Name would not be profaned Among the gentiles who saw that I led them.¹⁵‘Then, in the desert, I lifted My hand So as not to bring them into the land A land that flows with honey and milk… Honeycombs that are greater than in other lands; ¹⁶For they’d pushed away all My Laws, And they chose not to follow My orders… They also profaned all My Sabbaths, And they followed the desires of their hearts.¹⁷‘Yet, My eyes continued to spare them… I did not wipe them away Or destroy them there in the desert.¹⁸‘In the desert, I then warned their children Not to follow the laws of their fathers, Nor to obey their [bad] rules… Not defile themselves with their fathers’ ways, ¹⁹For I am Jehovah their God.‘[I told them that they must] follow My orders… They must keep My Laws and obey them, ²⁰And keep My Sabbath days holy. For, this is the sign between Me and them That I am Jehovah their God.²¹‘But against Me, they also rebelled, And their children wouldn’t follow My orders… They didn’t guard My Laws or obey them – The Laws that bring life to all who’ll obey – And they profaned all My Sabbaths.‘So I spoke to them in My anger… I threatened to pour My rage upon them And finish My wrath in the desert.²²‘So against them, I then turned My hand And I acted because of Myself… That My Name would not be profaned Before the nations, from which they’d been led.²³‘But in the desert, I lifted My hand To scatter them among all the nations, ²⁴Because they’d refused to follow My Laws, And My orders, they’d just pushed away! Yes, they had profaned all My Sabbaths, And they followed the thoughts of their fathers.²⁵‘So I [let them do as] their fathers had said And to follow their laws that do not bring life… ²⁶Yes, I let their orders defile them! Then I scattered all those who opened the womb… I completely wiped them away So they’d know that I am Jehovah!’²⁷‘And because of these things, O son of man, You must speak to the house of IsraEl And tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘To this day, your fathers have enraged Me By the sins they’ve committed against Me. ²⁸For, although I brought them into the land That I gave to them when I lifted My hand… When they saw its shady trees and [beautiful] hills, To other gods, they offered sacrifices.‘So on them and their gifts, I then brought My wrath; For to other gods, they also had offered Drink offerings, incense, and pleasing aromas.²⁹‘Then I asked:‘What’s so great about your high places That you’re still choosing to go there? For they call them the High Places down to this day...’³⁰‘So tell IsraEl that thus says Jehovah:‘Do all the lawless deeds of your fathers! With their disgusting ways, dirty yourselves! ³¹Offer [those gods] your first-fruits and gifts, Then pass your children through fire! Yes defile yourselves in all of your thoughts As you’ve continued to do to this day!‘So house of IsraEl; what must I reply? As I live,’ says Jehovah; ‘If I should give you an answer, Would your spirits pay any attention? ³²Won’t you say that you’d rather be like the nations… Like all the [other] tribes of the earth That serve before wood and stone idols?³³‘Because of this, as I live,’ says Jehovah, ‘With a strong hand, I’ll dominate you; And with My arm raised high in great rage!³⁴‘But I’ll also lead you out of those nations… Yes, I’ll take you away from those places Where My strong hand has sent you With My arm raised high in great rage!³⁵‘Then I’ll lead you into the deserts, And there, before all the nations, I’ll argue your case with them face to face, ³⁶Just as I did for your fathers Back in the deserts of Egypt… And that’s how I’ll then be your judge,’ says Jehovah.³⁷‘I’ll lead you away with My rod, And bring you back [to your homeland]. ³⁸Then I’ll pick away all those among you That are irreverent and rebellious… I’ll remove them from those who [are righteous], And to the land of IsraEl, they’ll never return, So you’ll know that I am Jehovah.’³⁹‘Jehovah says:‘As for you, O house of IsraEl; Move away from your evil deeds, And then you must listen to Me! You may not profane My Holy Name With your gifts and those [wicked] deeds ⁴⁰That you practiced on My Holy Mountain, And upon all of IsraEl’s hills.‘Jehovah says:In their land, IsraEl must serve Me; For, that is where I’ll receive them And it’s where I’ll keep watch on their first fruits… The first-fruits of all that they offer, And the rest of their most-holy things.⁴¹‘And when I bring them back from the nations From the places where they will be scattered, I’ll accept their pleasing aromas again, And I will be holy among them Before the eyes of [the gentiles]… ⁴²And they’ll know that I am Jehovah When I bring them back to IsraEl’s land… The land that I gave to their fathers.⁴³‘Then, you will consider your ways, And think about all the bad things you did In order to make yourselves dirty, And you’ll slap your own faces for your evil ways… ⁴⁴For you’ll know that I am Jehovah.‘You’ll also know that I did all these things So My Name would not be profaned By the bad things you practiced and your evil ways,’ says Jehovah.’⁴⁵Then the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:⁴⁶‘O son of man,‘Now, turn your face towards TeMan and look… You must look towards [the land in the south]; Then, you must prophesy this Towards the woods that lead to the Negev!⁴⁷‘You must tell those in the Negev’s wooded lands To hear the Word of Jehovah! For, this is what He’s declared:‘{Look!} Within you, I’ll now light a ‘fire’ That will burn up all of your trees, Both those that are green and those that are dry. And after this ‘fire’ has been lit, It won’t be extinguished thereafter!‘All your faces will soon be consumed By ‘winds’ that come from the north and the east. ⁴⁸And all flesh will know that I am Jehovah When I light a ‘fire’ that can’t be extinguished!’⁴⁹But I said:‘O Lord… O Jehovah… By no means! For then they’ll ask:‘Aren’t you just telling us a parable?’

¹And the Lord replied to me saying:²‘Because of these things, O son of man, [You must speak against them] this prophecy… Towards JeruSalem, you must now set your face And look towards its Most Holy place; Then to IsraEl, you must prophesy this… ³Tell IsraEl that thus says Jehovah:‘{Look!} I’m the One who is coming against you; So I’ll pull My sword from its sheath And destroy your unrighteous and lawless.⁴‘I’ll pull My sword out of its sheath [That is, men] from the north and the east; ⁵And after I pull them out of the sheath, I won’t be putting them back, So all will then know that I am Jehovah!’⁶‘And you, O son of man,‘Groan as if you’ve broken your hips… Before their eyes, you must groan in grief. ⁷And when they ask why you’re groaning, This is what you must tell them:‘The message that comes will break [all your] hearts And all your hands will grow feeble. For all flesh and all that are breathing Will soon come to an end And all [bottoms] will be tainted by wetness.⁸‘Look… It’s coming and now it will happen,’ says Jehovah, [your] God.’⁹And thereafter, the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:‘O son of man,‘Now you must prophesy this… You must tell them that thus says Jehovah:‘O broadsword, O broadsword, be angry and sharp, ¹⁰Then slay the victims for slaughter. Be sharpened until you are shiny, Then prepare for numbing and slay! Treat [them all] with contempt, And chop down all of their trees!¹¹‘For He’s readied the sword that He holds in his hand... This sword which He has just sharpened... And prepared it for use by the one who stabs through.¹²‘So, cry out and shriek, O sons of men, For upon my people, it’s coming, And upon all of IsraEl’s guides… Yes this sword [is coming to them]!¹³‘It will come to all of my people, And because of this, clap your hands; For, this is justice that’s due.’So I asked him:‘But then, won’t my tribe be totally thrown away?’And the Lord said:‘Don’t worry, that just will not happen.’¹⁴‘But you, O son of man, must now prophesy… Clap one hand on the other To summon another broadsword against them. For this third one will be a sword of great slaughter… It’s one that will truly amaze.¹⁵‘It will break all their hearts, as many grow weak, When, at their gates, it arrives… And all will be killed by this sword.‘Well done, O sharp one that slaughters. Well done, O great shining one. Now like lightning, you must go forth and slay!¹⁶‘Sharpen both sides, the right and the left, Then swing it wherever your face is aroused.¹⁷‘But after that, I will clap my hands, And then I will slacken My rage… For I Jehovah, have spoken.’¹⁸Then the Word of Jehovah came to me again, and said:¹⁹‘And you, O son of man,‘Prepare two ways for the sword to arrive So that Babylon’s king may now enter.‘Two [armies] will come from one place; One will come from the right, And the other from the city’s top street… So, ready the corner of that street!²⁰‘The broadsword [will first enter] RabBah; And then, from the direction of AmMon’s sons An attack will be launched on JeruSalem. ²¹Then, on those most ancient roads, The king of Babylon will stand.‘On the corner, between the two streets, [he will stand], Looking to his diviners for signs… [He’ll ask them] to stir with the rod And to question their idols, Then to look into the liver.²²‘So, an oracle will give him instructions And tell him to throw up a siege mound On JeruSalem’s right.‘Then he’ll open his mouth and he’ll yell:‘Raise your voices and shout, And against her gates, erect siege mounds! Yes, build the mounds all around them, And create more weapons of war!’²³‘For he’ll serve as an omen against them… He’ll provide divination concerning [their end]. He’ll remind them that they will be led off as captives Because they have been so unrighteous.²⁴‘And he’ll also help them to remember,’ said the Lord… ‘That he came because of their unrighteous ways, And to reveal their irreverent condition.‘He will then show them their sins, As well as the laws that they’ve broken, Which they’ll think of after they’re captured.²⁵‘And then [say to] that lawless profane one… Upon the one who is IsraEl’s guide:‘Your unrighteous days have now ended!’²⁶‘For [the Lord] Jehovah said this [about him]:‘Remove the turban and take off the crown, Because they’ll no longer be yours. For, from your high place, you will be cut down, And then, what is low will be raised!²⁷‘For, to the unrighteous, I’ll bring what’s unrighteous… And that’s all there’ll be ‘til the time That the one who is worthy arrives… And to him, I will give it all back.’²⁸‘So now, prophesy now, O son of man… And to the sons of AmMon, you must say That Jehovah said this concerning their scorn:‘O broadsword, O broadsword, now be unsheathed… Be unsheathed for the victims of slaughter Arise and shine to consume them!²⁹‘For, all their visions are worthless, And your oracles are just telling lies… So they won’t be able to save you. For your lawless ways, [I’ll bring swords to] your necks, And your unrighteous days will have ended.³⁰‘Then return, [O sword], to your sheath! For, in this place where you were once born I’ll judge these [people] in their own land ³¹And I’ll pour My rage out upon them.‘Against them, I’ll breathe the fire of My rage, And to barbarians, I will hand them over… To those contriving corruption for them.³²‘By fire, they will then be devoured, And blood will be flowing throughout their land. And thereafter, they’ll just be forgotten… For I Jehovah, have spoken.’

¹Then the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²‘And you, O son of man, Must now judge that city because of its blood… You must make an example of her For all of her lawless deeds!³‘You must say that the Lord Jehovah said this:‘O city of so much shed blood The one who has made herself dirty... ⁴You’ve fallen into the blood that you’ve shed And defiled yourself with your thoughts. So the end of your days has drawn near… You’ve reached the end of your years!‘You are given to be scorned by the nations, And for every region to mock you… ⁵You’ll be mocked by those who are living nearby And by those who live far away. Yes, you unclean one, they’ll mock you, For your lawless ways are now famous.⁶‘Then, look at what IsraEl’s guides have been doing… They’ve joined with all their relations In order to spill innocent blood! ⁷Look also at your fathers and mothers… All they talk about doing is evil!‘They treat foreign peoples unjustly, And tyrannize orphans and widows. ⁸My holy things, they treat with contempt, And they are profaning My Sabbaths!⁹‘The men among you are robbers, And they are shedding innocent blood. Then, in the mountains, they feast to their idols… Such unholy things are now done in your midst!¹⁰‘You’ve uncovered the shame of your fathers, And you have defiled many women Who were sitting apart as unclean.¹¹‘You’ve [had sex] with the wives of your neighbors… You’ve each defiled your daughters-in-law And done ungodly things to your sisters… You’ve debased the daughters of your parents!¹²‘You also take bribes and shed blood… Interest and rent, you require! So you’ve reached the end of your evil… In your tyranny, you have overlooked Me,’ says Jehovah.¹³‘Now, if I clap hand against hand Against all the evils you’re doing... Yes, against all those bad things, And the blood that’s been shed in your midst... ¹⁴Will your heart be able to stand [what I’ll do], And will your hands [still be strong] when I do it? For, I Jehovah, have spoken… Yes [I’ve spoken] and now I will act!¹⁵‘For I’ll spread you among all the nations… I’ll scatter you to many regions, And then your uncleanness will be wiped away. ¹⁶I’ll assign other nations to watch over you, And you’ll know that I am Jehovah.’¹⁷Then the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:¹⁸‘O son of man,‘{Look!} Before me, the house of IsraEl’s become Like brass that’s mixed in with iron, Or like tin and lead mixed with silver.¹⁹‘So because of their [wicked condition], You must tell them that thus says [Jehovah]:‘Since you are all mixed together; I’ll bring you into JeruSalem’s midst ²⁰As though you’re inside of a furnace.‘Then, just as silver that’s become mixed With brass, tin, iron, and lead, And air is blown in to refine it… That’s what I’ll do to you in My rage.‘In My anger, I’ll gather you all And throw you into a furnace. ²¹Then I’ll blow on you with the fire of My rage, And you’ll be refined in its midst.²²‘Yes, as silver is refined in a furnace; I’ll throw you into an oven. Then you’ll know that I am Jehovah When I pour My rage out upon you.’²³Well after that, the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²⁴‘O son of man,‘You must tell them [that Jehovah said] this:At that time, they’ll call yours the land… The land without any rain… For there’ll be no rain in the day of [My] rage.²⁵‘Since the leaders in your midst are like lions Who roar and seize prey by force… Since they dominate, destroy, and consume, And take whatever has value… The numbers of widows will grow in your midst.²⁶‘For your priests have annulled all My Laws, And My holy things, they’ve profaned… They can’t tell the holy from the profane Or what’s clean from the unclean. ²⁷From My Sabbaths, they’ve hidden their eyes, And I’ve been profaned in their midst.²⁸‘So her prophets that do the anointing Will soon all be cut down… Yes, those who can see only vain things And omens that really aren’t true, But who say that Jehovah has spoken to them When He hasn’t spoken at all.²⁹‘And even the land’s [common] people Call for what is unrighteous And [ask for their share] of the loot. They are tyrants to the needy and poor, And they treat foreign peoples unfairly!³⁰‘Then I searched among them for one righteous man… One who’ll stand firm in the day of My rage, So I wouldn’t have to bring her conclusion And totally wipe her away… But, no such man could I find.³¹So, I will pour out My anger And send the fire of My rage In order to finish them off… I’m bringing their blame upon their own heads,’ said Jehovah.’

¹And the Word of Jehovah came to me and said:²‘O son of man,[‘Jehovah says:]‘Two women were the daughters of one mother, ³And they were immoral during their youth. For, they [had sex] down in Egypt… Yes, there is where their breasts fell [to others], And it’s where they lost their virgin condition.⁴‘The eldest one’s name was ‘Her Tent’, And her sister was named ‘Her Tent is Within Her’. To Me, they both had been given To bear My sons and My daughters.‘Are these really their names? No! I’m calling Samaria, ‘Her Tent’, And ‘Her Tent is Within Her’ is JeruSalem.⁵‘‘Her Tent’ [that is, Samaria] had been unfaithful to Me, And she doted upon all her lovers… The Assyrians, with whom she had [slept]… ⁶Their blue-clad commanders and leaders, And the choicest of all their young men, As well as those who ride horses.⁷‘To them, she offered herself… To the choicest of Assyria’s sons. She gave herself to those she desired, And wholeheartedly made herself dirty.⁸‘But her affair with Egypt hadn’t ended... Those with whom she had [slept] in her youth... She gave her virginity to them, And they poured [their semen] upon her.⁹‘So I handed her to all her lovers, To the sons of the Assyrians, whom she desired... ¹⁰And they uncovered her shame. Then they took her sons and her daughters And slaughtered them all with their swords. The women also gossiped about her, When [the Assyrians] brought vengeance upon her.¹¹‘But when ‘Her Tent is Within Her’ [that is, JeruSalem] saw what had happened, She became more corrupt [than her sister]… Yes, even more immoral than her.¹²‘For she loved the sons of Assyria… Those nearby commanders and leaders Who wore such elegant clothes, And the men who rode on their horses… Yes, all of their choicest young men.¹³‘So I saw that they’d both been defiled, And that both were the same [kind of ‘women’].¹⁴‘Then, to her bad ways, she added, As she looked upon men who were painted on walls… Images of the Chaldeans, Depicted with brush strokes on [stone], ¹⁵Wearing colored belts on their hips, As well as deeply-dyed turbans, All giving the appearance of officials Among the sons of Babylon… Of her fatherland, the Chaldeans.¹⁶‘She doted on them with her eyes, And she sent her messengers to them There in the land of Chaldea.¹⁷‘So those sons of Babylon arrived, And on her marriage-bed they then rested… In their immoral ways, they defiled her.‘And as she was being defiled, She put her life in their hands… ¹⁸Her immoral shame, she uncovered… She removed My soul from her life As her sister had already done.¹⁹Then, she became even worse, As she forgot the days of her youth When she [had sex] down in Egypt ²⁰And started thinking about the Chaldeans. For, they had flesh just like burros, And genitals like those of horses.²¹‘She turned from the lawless ways of her youth And from the things that she did down in Egypt... That place in which she’d once lodged And where the breasts of her youth had first fallen [to others].²²‘So, because of this, O ‘Her Tent is Within Her’ [that is, JeruSalem]; {Look!} I’ve awakened your ‘lovers’ against you… Yes, those to whom you once gave your soul. And now, I will bring them against you, Then they will come and surround you… ²³The sons of Chaldea and Babylon – Pekod, Shoa, and Koa – Along with Assyria’s sons And all of their choicest young men… Their governors, commanders, and tribunes, And the famous ones riding on horses.²⁴‘From the north, they’ll all come against you With weapons and chariot wheels… Many nations with chest plates, helmets, and shields. They’ll surround you and throw up a siege mound; Then judgment, I’ll put on their faces, So you’ll be punished by their form of justice.²⁵‘Against you, I will then show My zeal, And I’ll deal with you in My rage. They’ll cut off your nose and your ears, And they’ll cut up what’s left with the sword.‘Then they’ll take your sons and your daughters; And all that remains will be burned. ²⁶They’ll strip off all of your clothes, And remove all the things of which you’re so proud.²⁷‘Your impious deeds, I’ll remove, Along with the bad things you practiced in Egypt. To them, you won’t raise your eyes anymore, And you’ll not think of Egypt again.’²⁸‘Jehovah says:‘{Look!} I’ll hand you to those who detest you... Those to whom you’ve given your soul. ²⁹Then they’ll deal with you in their hatred And take all the things for which you’ve worked hard, Leaving you naked and disgraced. Your immoral shame, they’ll uncover, Including your irreverence and whoring.³⁰‘They’ll do all these things, because you’re a whore Who defiled herself by thinking of them. ³¹So, since you’ve followed in your sister’s ways, I’ll now put her cup in your hands.’³²‘And Jehovah said:You’ll drink deeply from the cup of your sister… You’ll drink so much that you’ll laugh, And in your drunken condition, you’ll sneer.³³‘For from the cup of extinction, you will be filled, And it will make you feel weak… The same cup of Samaria, your sister.³⁴‘You will drink and then you will vomit… Shards of broken pots, you will eat, And you will start pulling your breasts.‘Then, I will pervert your holiday feasts, As well as all your New Moons… Yes I’ve said that I will pervert them,’ says Jehovah.³⁵‘Then Jehovah said:‘Because you forgot Me and pushed Me aside, You’ll get what you’re due for your whoring!’³⁶‘And Jehovah said:‘O son of man,‘Now, judge between ‘Her Tent’ [Samaria] And ‘Her Tent is Within Her’ [JeruSalem]. Yes, speak to them of their lawless ways… ³⁷Of their adultery and the blood on their hands. For, even their thoughts are adulterous, And they’ve led the children they bore Me through fire!³⁸‘Then, as they did this against Me; They defiled My holy things in that day, And they have profaned all My Sabbaths.³⁹‘They [offered] their children to idols, And entered My Holy Place to profane it… See what they’ve done in My Temple!⁴⁰‘Then, to those in far-away lands, They sent messengers and begged them to come. And as they were coming, they bathed… They decked themselves out and [painted] their eyes.⁴¹‘Before a spread table, they sat on a bed And set before them My incense and oil... Which these men found very delightful.⁴²‘Then the sounds of harmony and music Was played before men who were drunk… Men who’d just come from the desert. Then upon their arms, they put bracelets, And garlands of boasting, they put on their heads.⁴³‘Although I told them that they must be [faithful]; In the ways of a whore, they [had sex]. ⁴⁴So, they entered within them As a man would enter a whore… They entered ‘Her Tent’ [Samaria] and ‘Her Tent is Within Her’ [JeruSalem]… Two lawless ‘women’ with lawless ways.⁴⁵‘But because [their lovers] are also just men, They will punish them both With the punishment that’s due an adulteress. In justice, they’ll pour out their blood For the adultery and blood on their hands.’⁴⁶‘Then Jehovah said:‘Now, bring the armies against them… Bring disturbance and ravaging to them.⁴⁷‘May those armies then stone them with rocks And run them through with their swords! Kill their sons and their daughters, And burn down all of their homes!⁴⁸‘Yes, their godless [lovers], I’ll bring to this land In order to correct these two ‘women,’ So they’ll not be godless again.⁴⁹‘I’ll bring their irreverence down on their heads, And they’ll bear their own sins and ideas… Then they’ll know that I am Jehovah!’