Ezekiel 31

A Cedar in Lebanon

1In the eleventh year,† in the third month on the first day, the word of the LORD came to me:† 2“Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:




“ ‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?

3Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,

with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;

it towered on high,

its top above the thick foliage.†

4The waters nourished it,

deep springs made it grow tall;

their streams flowed

all around its base

and sent their channels

to all the trees of the field.

5So it towered higher

than all the trees of the field;

its boughs increased

and its branches grew long,

spreading because of abundant waters.†

6All the birds of the air

nested in its boughs,

all the beasts of the field

gave birth under its branches;

all the great nations

lived in its shade.†

7It was majestic in beauty,

with its spreading boughs,

for its roots went down

to abundant waters.

8The cedars† in the garden of God

could not rival it,

nor could the pine trees

equal its boughs,

nor could the plane trees

compare with its branches—

no tree in the garden of God

could match its beauty.†

9I made it beautiful

with abundant branches,

the envy of all the trees of Eden†

in the garden of God.†

10“ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because it towered on high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud† of its height, 11I handed it over to the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,† 12and the most ruthless of foreign nations† cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys;† its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.† 13All the birds of the air settled on the fallen tree, and all the beasts of the field were among its branches.† 14Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined for death,† for the earth below, among mortal men, with those who go down to the pit.†

15“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day it was brought down to the grave[82] I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away. 16I made the nations tremble† at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the grave with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees† of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the trees that were well-watered, were consoled† in the earth below.† 17Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, had also gone down to the grave with it, joining those killed by the sword.†

18“ ‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised,† with those killed by the sword.

“ ‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign LORD.’ ”


Ezekiel 32

A Lament for Pharaoh

1In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the LORD came to me:† 2“Son of man, take up a lament† concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:

“ ‘You are like a lion† among the nations;

you are like a monster in the seas

thrashing about in your streams,

churning the water with your feet

and muddying the streams.†

3“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

“ ‘With a great throng of people

I will cast my net over you,

and they will haul you up in my net.†

4I will throw you on the land

and hurl you on the open field.

I will let all the birds of the air settle on you

and all the beasts of the earth gorge themselves on you.†

5I will spread your flesh on the mountains

and fill the valleys† with your remains.

6I will drench the land with your flowing blood†

all the way to the mountains,

and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.

7When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens

and darken their stars;

I will cover the sun with a cloud,

and the moon will not give its light.†

8All the shining lights in the heavens

I will darken over you;

I will bring darkness over your land,

declares the Sovereign LORD.

9I will trouble the hearts of many peoples

when I bring about your destruction among the nations,

among[83] lands you have not known.

10I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,

and their kings will shudder with horror because of you

when I brandish my sword before them.

On the day† of your downfall

each of them will tremble

every moment for his life.†

11“ ‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

“ ‘The sword of the king of Babylon†

will come against you.

12I will cause your hordes to fall

by the swords of mighty men—

the most ruthless of all nations.†

They will shatter the pride of Egypt,

and all her hordes will be overthrown.†

13I will destroy all her cattle

from beside abundant waters

no longer to be stirred by the foot of man

or muddied by the hoofs of cattle.†

14Then I will let her waters settle

and make her streams flow like oil,

declares the Sovereign LORD.

15When I make Egypt desolate

and strip the land of everything in it,

when I strike down all who live there,

then they will know that I am the LORD.† ’

16“This is the lament† they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign LORD.”

17In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:† 18“Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign† to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, with those who go down to the pit.† 19Say to them, ‘Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.’† 20They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged† off with all her hordes. 21From within the grave[84] † the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, ‘They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.’

22“Assyria is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all her slain, all who have fallen by the sword. 23Their graves are in the depths of the pit† and her army lies around her grave. All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.

24“Elam† is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.† All who had spread terror in the land of the living† went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.† 25A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword. Because their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the slain.

26“Meshech and Tubal† are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living. 27Do they not lie with the other uncircumcised warriors who have fallen, who went down to the grave with their weapons of war, whose swords were placed under their heads? The punishment for their sins rested on their bones, though the terror of these warriors had stalked through the land of the living.

28“You too, O Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.

29“Edom† is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.†

30“All the princes of the north† and all the Sidonians† are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.

31“Pharaoh—he and all his army—will see them and he will be consoled† for all his hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign LORD. 32Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign LORD.”


Ezekiel 33

Ezekiel a Watchman

1The word of the LORD came to me: 2“Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword† against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,† 3and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet† to warn the people, 4then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning† and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head.† 5Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. 6But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’†

7“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.† 8When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,† ’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for[85] his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood.† 9But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.†

10“Son of man, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away† because of[86] them. How then can we live?† ” ’ 11Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.† Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’†

12“Therefore, son of man, say to your countrymen, ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not save him when he disobeys, and the wickedness of the wicked man will not cause him to fall when he turns from it. The righteous man, if he sins, will not be allowed to live because of his former righteousness.’† 13If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but then he trusts in his righteousness and does evil, none of the righteous things he has done will be remembered; he will die for the evil he has done.† 14And if I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ but he then turns away from his sin and does what is just† and right— 15if he gives back what he took in pledge for a loan, returns what he has stolen,† follows the decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will surely live; he will not die.† 16None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live.†

17“Yet your countrymen say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. 18If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it.† 19And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by doing so. 20Yet, O house of Israel, you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to his own ways.”

Jerusalem’s Fall Explained

21In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month on the fifth day, a man who had escaped† from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!† ” 22Now the evening before the man arrived, the hand of the LORD was upon me,† and he opened my mouth† before the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened and I was no longer silent.†

23Then the word of the LORD came to me: 24“Son of man, the people living in those ruins† in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as our possession.’† 25Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Since you eat meat with the blood† still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land?† 26You rely on your sword, you do detestable things, and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife.† Should you then possess the land?’

27“Say this to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: As surely as I live, those who are left in the ruins will fall by the sword, those out in the country I will give to the wild animals to be devoured, and those in strongholds and caves will die of a plague.† 28I will make the land a desolate waste, and her proud strength will come to an end, and the mountains of Israel will become desolate so that no one will cross them. 29Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land a desolate waste because of all the detestable things they have done.’

30“As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.’ 31My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before† you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.† 32Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.†

33“When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.† ”


Ezekiel 34

Shepherds and Sheep

1The word of the LORD came to me: 2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?† 3You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.† 4You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.† 5So they were scattered because there was no shepherd,† and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.† 6My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.†




7“ ‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, 9therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 10This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against† the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue† my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.†

11“ ‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12As a shepherd† looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.† 13I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.† 14I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel† will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture† on the mountains of Israel.† 15I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.† 16I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak,† but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.†

17“ ‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.† 18Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

20“ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns† until you have driven them away, 22I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.† 23I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend† them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24I the LORD will be their God,† and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.†

25“ ‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts† so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety.† 26I will bless† them and the places surrounding my hill.[87] I will send down showers in season;† there will be showers of blessing.† 27The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke† and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them.† 28They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid.† 29I will provide for them a land renowned† for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine† in the land or bear the scorn† of the nations.† 30Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Sovereign LORD.† 31You my sheep, the sheep of my pasture,† are people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign LORD.’ ”


Ezekiel 35

A Prophecy Against Edom

1The word of the LORD came to me: 2“Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir; prophesy against it 3and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out my hand† against you and make you a desolate waste.† 4I will turn your towns into ruins and you will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.†

5“ ‘Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity, the time their punishment reached its climax,† 6therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you.† Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you. 7I will make Mount Seir a desolate waste and cut off from it all who come and go. 8I will fill your mountains with the slain; those killed by the sword will fall on your hills and in your valleys and in all your ravines.† 9I will make you desolate forever; your towns will not be inhabited. Then you will know that I am the LORD.†

10“ ‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession† of them,” even though I the LORD was there, 11therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will treat you in accordance with the anger† and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.† 12Then you will know that I the LORD have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.† ” 13You boasted against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it.† 14This is what the Sovereign LORD says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.† 15Because you rejoiced† when the inheritance of the house of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, O Mount Seir,† you and all of Edom.† Then they will know that I am the LORD.’ ”


Ezekiel 36

A Prophecy to the Mountains of Israel

1“Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD. 2This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The enemy said of you, “Aha!† The ancient heights† have become our possession.† ” ’ 3Therefore prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because they ravaged and hounded you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people’s malicious talk and slander,† 4therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign LORD: This is what the Sovereign LORD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys,† to the desolate ruins and the deserted towns that have been plundered and ridiculed by the rest of the nations around you† — 5this is what the Sovereign LORD says: In my burning zeal I have spoken against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, for with glee and with malice in their hearts they made my land their own possession so that they might plunder its pastureland.’† 6Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I speak in my jealous wrath because you have suffered the scorn of the nations.† 7Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I swear with uplifted hand that the nations around you will also suffer scorn.

8“ ‘But you, O mountains of Israel, will produce branches and fruit† for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. 9I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown, 10and I will multiply the number of people upon you, even the whole house of Israel. The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.† 11I will increase the number of men and animals upon you, and they will be fruitful and become numerous. I will settle people on you as in the past† and will make you prosper more than before.† Then you will know that I am the LORD. 12I will cause people, my people Israel, to walk upon you. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance;† you will never again deprive them of their children.

13“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because people say to you, “You devour men† and deprive your nation of its children,” 14therefore you will no longer devour men or make your nation childless, declares the Sovereign LORD. 15No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign LORD.† ’ ”

16Again the word of the LORD came to me: 17“Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. Their conduct was like a woman’s monthly uncleanness in my sight.† 18So I poured out† my wrath on them because they had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols. 19I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered† through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions.† 20And wherever they went among the nations they profaned† my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the LORD ’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’† 21I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.†

22“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned† among the nations where you have gone.† 23I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy† through you before their eyes.†

24“ ‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.† 25I will sprinkle† clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse† you from all your impurities and from all your idols.† 26I will give you a new heart† and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.† 27And I will put my Spirit† in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people,† and I will be your God.† 29I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine† upon you. 30I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.† 31Then you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices.† 32I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, O house of Israel!†

33“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. 34The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. 35They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden;† the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited.† ” 36Then the nations around you that remain will know that I the LORD have rebuilt what was destroyed and have replanted what was desolate. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.’†

37“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep, 38as numerous as the flocks for offerings† at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts. So will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the LORD. ”


Ezekiel 37

The Valley of Dry Bones

1The hand of the LORD was upon me,† and he brought me out by the Spirit† of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley;† it was full of bones.† 2He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.† ”

4Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!† 5This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath[88] enter you, and you will come to life.† 6I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.† ’ ”

7So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath;† prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.†

11Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’† 12Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.† 13Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14I will put my Spirit† in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.† ’ ”

One Nation Under One King

15The word of the LORD came to me: 16“Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, ‘Belonging to Judah and the Israelites† associated with him.† ’ Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, ‘Ephraim’s stick, belonging to Joseph and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ 17Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.†

18“When your countrymen ask you, ‘Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’† 19say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim’s hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah’s stick, making them a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.’† 20Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on 21and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land.† 22I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.† 23They will no longer defile† themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding,[89] and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.†

24“ ‘My servant David† will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd.† They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.† 25They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your fathers lived.† They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever,† and David my servant will be their prince forever.† 26I will make a covenant of peace† with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers,† and I will put my sanctuary among them forever.† 27My dwelling place† will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.† 28Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy,† when my sanctuary is among them forever.’ ”


Ezekiel 38

A Prophecy Against Gog

1The word of the LORD came to me: 2“Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog,† the chief prince of[90] Meshech and Tubal;† prophesy against him 3and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of[91] Meshech and Tubal.† 4I will turn you around, put hooks† in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords.† 5Persia, Cush[92] † and Put† will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6also Gomer† with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah† from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.

7“ ‘Get ready; be prepared,† you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them. 8After many days† you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations† to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety.† 9You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm;† you will be like a cloud† covering the land.

10“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme.† 11You will say, “I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars.† 12I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land.” 13Sheba† and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages[93] will say to you, “Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?† ” ’

14“Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety,† will you not take notice of it? 15You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army.† 16You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud† that covers the land. In days to come, O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.†

17“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Are you not the one I spoke of in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel? At that time they prophesied for years that I would bring you against them. 18This is what will happen in that day: When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. 19In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.† 20The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground.† 21I will summon a sword† against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Sovereign LORD. Every man’s sword will be against his brother.† 22I will execute judgment† upon him with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones† and burning sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many nations with him. 23And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.† ’


Ezekiel 39

1“Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of[94] Meshech and Tubal.† 2I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. 3Then I will strike your bow† from your left hand and make your arrows† drop from your right hand. 4On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals.† 5You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD. 6I will send fire† on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands,† and they will know that I am the LORD.

7“ ‘I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned,† and the nations will know that I the LORD am the Holy One in Israel.† 8It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD. This is the day I have spoken of.

9“ ‘Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up—the small and large shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and spears. For seven years they will use them for fuel.† 10They will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut it from the forests, because they will use the weapons for fuel. And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them, declares the Sovereign LORD.†

11“ ‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east toward[95] the Sea.[96] It will block the way of travelers, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon Gog.[97] †

12“ ‘For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land.† 13All the people of the land will bury them, and the day I am glorified† will be a memorable day for them, declares the Sovereign LORD.

14“ ‘Men will be regularly employed to cleanse the land. Some will go throughout the land and, in addition to them, others will bury those that remain on the ground. At the end of the seven months they will begin their search. 15As they go through the land and one of them sees a human bone, he will set up a marker beside it until the gravediggers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. 16(Also a town called Hamonah[98] will be there.) And so they will cleanse the land.’

17“Son of man, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Call out to every kind of bird† and all the wild animals: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrifice I am preparing for you, the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. 18You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls—all of them fattened animals from Bashan.† 19At the sacrifice I am preparing for you, you will eat fat till you are glutted and drink blood till you are drunk. 20At my table you will eat your fill of horses and riders, mighty men and soldiers of every kind,’ declares the Sovereign LORD.†

21“I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them.† 22From that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the LORD their God. 23And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.† 24I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.†

25“Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity[99] † and will have compassion† on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name.† 26They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety† in their land with no one to make them afraid.† 27When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations.† 28Then they will know that I am the LORD their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. 29I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit† on the house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD. ”


Ezekiel 40

The New Temple Area

1In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city† —on that very day the hand of the LORD was upon me† and he took me there. 2In visions† of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain,† on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. 3He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze;† he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod† in his hand. 4The man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell† the house of Israel everything you see.† ”

The East Gate to the Outer Court

5I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits, each of which was a cubit[100] and a handbreadth.[101] He measured† the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.

6Then he went to the gate facing east.† He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep.[102] 7The alcoves† for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep.

8Then he measured the portico of the gateway; 9it[103] was eight cubits deep and its jambs were two cubits thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple.

10Inside the east gate were three alcoves on each side; the three had the same measurements, and the faces of the projecting walls on each side had the same measurements. 11Then he measured the width of the entrance to the gateway; it was ten cubits and its length was thirteen cubits. 12In front of each alcove was a wall one cubit high, and the alcoves were six cubits square. 13Then he measured the gateway from the top of the rear wall of one alcove to the top of the opposite one; the distance was twenty-five cubits from one parapet opening to the opposite one. 14He measured along the faces of the projecting walls all around the inside of the gateway—sixty cubits. The measurement was up to the portico[104] facing the courtyard.[105] † 15The distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its portico was fifty cubits. 16The alcoves and the projecting walls inside the gateway were surmounted by narrow parapet openings all around, as was the portico; the openings all around faced inward. The faces of the projecting walls were decorated with palm trees.†

The Outer Court

17Then he brought me into the outer court.† There I saw some rooms and a pavement that had been constructed all around the court; there were thirty rooms† along the pavement.† 18It abutted the sides of the gateways and was as wide as they were long; this was the lower pavement. 19Then he measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court;† it was a hundred cubits† on the east side as well as on the north.

The North Gate

20Then he measured the length and width of the gate facing north, leading into the outer court. 21Its alcoves† —three on each side—its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as those of the first gateway. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 22Its openings, its portico† and its palm tree decorations had the same measurements as those of the gate facing east. Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them. 23There was a gate to the inner court facing the north gate, just as there was on the east. He measured from one gate to the opposite one; it was a hundred cubits.†

The South Gate

24Then he led me to the south side and I saw a gate facing south. He measured its jambs and its portico, and they had the same measurements as the others. 25The gateway and its portico had narrow openings all around, like the openings of the others. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.† 26Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them; it had palm tree decorations on the faces of the projecting walls on each side.† 27The inner court† also had a gate facing south, and he measured from this gate to the outer gate on the south side; it was a hundred cubits.

Gates to the Inner Court

28Then he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it had the same measurements† as the others. 29Its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 30(The porticoes† of the gateways around the inner court were twenty-five cubits wide and five cubits deep.) 31Its portico† faced the outer court; palm trees decorated its jambs, and eight steps led up to it.

32Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements as the others. 33Its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as the others. The gateway and its portico had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34Its portico† faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.

35Then he brought me to the north gate† and measured it. It had the same measurements as the others, 36as did its alcoves,† its projecting walls and its portico, and it had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 37Its portico[106] faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.

The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices

38A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings† were washed. 39In the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings,† sin offerings† and guilt offerings† were slaughtered. 40By the outside wall of the portico of the gateway, near the steps at the entrance to the north gateway were two tables, and on the other side of the steps were two tables. 41So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered. 42There were also four tables of dressed stone† for the burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit high. On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices.† 43And double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth long, were attached to the wall all around. The tables were for the flesh of the offerings.

Rooms for the Priests

44Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, were two rooms, one[107] at the side of the north gate and facing south, and another at the side of the south[108] gate and facing north. 45He said to me, “The room facing south is for the priests who have charge of the temple,† 46and the room facing north† is for the priests who have charge of the altar.† These are the sons of Zadok,† who are the only Levites who may draw near to the LORD to minister before him.† ”

47Then he measured the court: It was square—a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.

The Temple

48He brought me to the portico of the temple† and measured the jambs of the portico; they were five cubits wide on either side. The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits and its projecting walls were[109] three cubits wide on either side. 49The portico† was twenty cubits wide, and twelve[110] cubits from front to back. It was reached by a flight of stairs,[111] and there were pillars† on each side of the jambs.


Ezekiel 41

1Then the man brought me to the outer sanctuary† and measured the jambs; the width of the jambs was six cubits[112] on each side.[113] 2The entrance was ten cubits wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were five cubits wide. He also measured the outer sanctuary; it was forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide.†




3Then he went into the inner sanctuary and measured the jambs of the entrance; each was two cubits wide. The entrance was six cubits wide, and the projecting walls on each side of it were seven cubits wide. 4And he measured the length of the inner sanctuary; it was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits across the end of the outer sanctuary.† He said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.† ”

5Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was six cubits thick, and each side room around the temple was four cubits wide. 6The side rooms were on three levels, one above another, thirty† on each level. There were ledges all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side rooms, so that the supports were not inserted into the wall of the temple.† 7The side rooms all around the temple were wider at each successive level. The structure surrounding the temple was built in ascending stages, so that the rooms widened as one went upward. A stairway† went up from the lowest floor to the top floor through the middle floor.

8I saw that the temple had a raised base all around it, forming the foundation of the side rooms. It was the length of the rod, six long cubits. 9The outer wall of the side rooms was five cubits thick. The open area between the side rooms of the temple 10and the [ priests’] rooms was twenty cubits wide all around the temple. 11There were entrances to the side rooms from the open area, one on the north and another on the south; and the base adjoining the open area was five cubits wide all around.

12The building facing the temple courtyard on the west side was seventy cubits wide. The wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length was ninety cubits.

13Then he measured the temple; it was a hundred cubits long, and the temple courtyard and the building with its walls were also a hundred cubits long. 14The width of the temple courtyard on the east, including the front of the temple, was a hundred cubits.†

15Then he measured the length of the building facing the courtyard at the rear of the temple, including its galleries† on each side; it was a hundred cubits.

The outer sanctuary, the inner sanctuary and the portico facing the court, 16as well as the thresholds and the narrow windows† and galleries around the three of them—everything beyond and including the threshold was covered with wood. The floor, the wall up to the windows, and the windows were covered.† 17In the space above the outside of the entrance to the inner sanctuary and on the walls at regular intervals all around the inner and outer sanctuary 18were carved† cherubim† and palm trees.† Palm trees alternated with cherubim. Each cherub had two faces:† 19the face of a man toward the palm tree on one side and the face of a lion toward the palm tree on the other. They were carved all around the whole temple.† 20From the floor to the area above the entrance, cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wall of the outer sanctuary.

21The outer sanctuary† had a rectangular doorframe, and the one at the front of the Most Holy Place was similar. 22There was a wooden altar† three cubits high and two cubits square[114]; its corners, its base[115] and its sides were of wood. The man said to me, “This is the table† that is before the LORD.” 23Both the outer sanctuary† and the Most Holy Place had double doors.† 24Each door had two leaves—two hinged leaves† for each door. 25And on the doors of the outer sanctuary were carved cherubim and palm trees like those carved on the walls, and there was a wooden overhang on the front of the portico. 26On the sidewalls of the portico were narrow windows with palm trees carved on each side. The side rooms of the temple also had overhangs.†


Ezekiel 42

Rooms for the Priests

1Then the man led me northward into the outer court and brought me to the rooms† opposite the temple courtyard† and opposite the outer wall on the north side.† 2The building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits[116] long and fifty cubits wide. 3Both in the section twenty cubits from the inner court and in the section opposite the pavement of the outer court, gallery† faced gallery at the three levels.† 4In front of the rooms was an inner passageway ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits[117] long. Their doors were on the north.† 5Now the upper rooms were narrower, for the galleries took more space from them than from the rooms on the lower and middle floors of the building. 6The rooms on the third floor had no pillars, as the courts had; so they were smaller in floor space than those on the lower and middle floors. 7There was an outer wall parallel to the rooms and the outer court; it extended in front of the rooms for fifty cubits. 8While the row of rooms on the side next to the outer court was fifty cubits long, the row on the side nearest the sanctuary was a hundred cubits long. 9The lower rooms had an entrance† on the east side as one enters them from the outer court.

10On the south side[118] along the length of the wall of the outer court, adjoining the temple courtyard and opposite the outer wall, were rooms† 11with a passageway in front of them. These were like the rooms on the north; they had the same length and width, with similar exits and dimensions. Similar to the doorways on the north 12were the doorways of the rooms on the south. There was a doorway at the beginning of the passageway that was parallel to the corresponding wall extending eastward, by which one enters the rooms.

13Then he said to me, “The north† and south rooms facing the temple courtyard are the priests’ rooms, where the priests who approach the LORD will eat the most holy offerings. There they will put the most holy offerings—the grain offerings, the sin offerings† and the guilt offerings† —for the place is holy.† 14Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments† in which they minister, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they go near the places that are for the people.† ”

15When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate† and measured the area all around: 16He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits.[119] 17He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits[120] by the measuring rod. 18He measured the south side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 19Then he turned to the west side and measured; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 20So he measured† the area on all four sides. It had a wall around it,† five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide,† to separate the holy from the common.†


Ezekiel 43

The Glory Returns to the Temple

1Then the man brought me to the gate facing east,† 2and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters,† and the land was radiant with his glory.† 3The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he[121] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. 4The glory† of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east.† 5Then the Spirit† lifted me up† and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

6While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. 7He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel will never again defile my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution[122] and the lifeless idols[123] of their kings at their high places.† 8When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. 9Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the lifeless idols of their kings, and I will live among them forever.†

10“Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed† of their sins. Let them consider the plan, 11and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations[124] and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.†

12“This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area† on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple.

The Altar

13“These are the measurements of the altar† in long cubits, that cubit being a cubit[125] and a handbreadth[126]: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span[127] around the edge. And this is the height of the altar: 14From the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge it is two cubits high and a cubit wide, and from the smaller ledge up to the larger ledge it is four cubits high and a cubit wide. 15The altar hearth is four cubits high, and four horns† project upward from the hearth. 16The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide. 17The upper ledge also is square, fourteen cubits long and fourteen cubits wide, with a rim of half a cubit and a gutter of a cubit all around. The steps† of the altar face east.”

18Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings† and sprinkling blood† upon the altar when it is built: 19You are to give a young bull† as a sin offering to the priests, who are Levites, of the family of Zadok,† who come near† to minister before me, declares the Sovereign LORD. 20You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge† and all around the rim, and so purify the altar† and make atonement for it. 21You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.†

22“On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. 23When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.† 24You are to offer them before the LORD, and the priests are to sprinkle salt† on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the LORD.

25“For seven days† you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect.† 26For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. 27At the end of these days, from the eighth day† on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings[128] † on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign LORD.”


Ezekiel 44

The Prince, the Levites, the Priests

1Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east,† and it was shut. 2The LORD said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it.† It is to remain shut because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it. 3The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence† of the LORD. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.† ”

4Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the LORD filling the temple† of the LORD, and I fell facedown.†

5The LORD said to me, “Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations regarding the temple of the LORD. Give attention to the entrance of the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary.† 6Say to the rebellious house† of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Enough of your detestable practices, O house of Israel! 7In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart† and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant.† 8Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary.† 9This is what the Sovereign LORD says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.†

10“ ‘The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray† and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin.† 11They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings† and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people and serve them.† 12But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the house of Israel fall into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand† that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign LORD.† 13They are not to come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame† of their detestable practices.† 14Yet I will put them in charge of the duties of the temple and all the work that is to be done in it.†

15“ ‘But the priests, who are Levites and descendants of Zadok and who faithfully carried out the duties of my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat and blood, declares the Sovereign LORD.† 16They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to come near my table† to minister before me and perform my service.†

17“ ‘When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes;† they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. 18They are to wear linen turbans† on their heads and linen undergarments† around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.† 19When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that they do not consecrate† the people by means of their garments.†

20“ ‘They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed.† 21No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court.† 22They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.† 23They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common† and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.†

24“ ‘In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges† and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed feasts, and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.†

25“ ‘A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself.† 26After he is cleansed, he must wait seven days.† 27On the day he goes into the inner court of the sanctuary to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer a sin offering for himself, declares the Sovereign LORD.

28“ ‘I am to be the only inheritance† the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession. 29They will eat the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings; and everything in Israel devoted[129] to the LORD† will belong to them.† 30The best of all the firstfruits† and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal† so that a blessing† may rest on your household.† 31The priests must not eat anything, bird or animal, found dead or torn by wild animals.†


Ezekiel 45

Division of the Land

1“ ‘When you allot the land as an inheritance,† you are to present to the LORD a portion of the land as a sacred district, 25,000 cubits long and 20,000[130] cubits wide; the entire area will be holy.† 2Of this, a section 500 cubits square† is to be for the sanctuary, with 50 cubits around it for open land. 3In the sacred district, measure off a section 25,000 cubits[131] long and 10,000 cubits[132] wide. In it will be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 4It will be the sacred portion of the land for the priests,† who minister in the sanctuary and who draw near to minister before the LORD. It will be a place for their houses as well as a holy place for the sanctuary.† 5An area 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide will belong to the Levites, who serve in the temple, as their possession for towns to live in.[133] †

6“ ‘You are to give the city as its property an area 5,000 cubits wide and 25,000 cubits long, adjoining the sacred portion; it will belong to the whole house of Israel.†

7“ ‘The prince will have the land bordering each side of the area formed by the sacred district and the property of the city. It will extend westward from the west side and eastward from the east side, running lengthwise from the western to the eastern border parallel to one of the tribal portions.† 8This land will be his possession in Israel. And my princes will no longer oppress my people but will allow the house of Israel to possess the land according to their tribes.†

9“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: You have gone far enough, O princes of Israel! Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right.† Stop dispossessing my people, declares the Sovereign LORD. 10You are to use accurate scales,† an accurate ephah[134] † and an accurate bath.[135] 11The ephah† and the bath are to be the same size, the bath containing a tenth of a homer[136] and the ephah a tenth of a homer; the homer is to be the standard measure for both. 12The shekel[137] is to consist of twenty gerahs.† Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels equal one mina.[138]

Offerings and Holy Days

13“ ‘This is the special gift you are to offer: a sixth of an ephah from each homer of wheat and a sixth of an ephah from each homer of barley. 14The prescribed portion of oil, measured by the bath, is a tenth of a bath from each cor (which consists of ten baths or one homer, for ten baths are equivalent to a homer). 15Also one sheep is to be taken from every flock of two hundred from the well-watered pastures of Israel. These will be used for the grain offerings, burnt offerings† and fellowship offerings[139] to make atonement† for the people, declares the Sovereign LORD. 16All the people of the land will participate in this special gift for the use of the prince in Israel. 17It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons and the Sabbaths† —at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.†

18“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In the first month† on the first day you are to take a young bull without defect† and purify the sanctuary.† 19The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the upper ledge† of the altar† and on the gateposts of the inner court. 20You are to do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sins unintentionally† or through ignorance; so you are to make atonement for the temple.

21“ ‘In the first month on the fourteenth day you are to observe the Passover,† a feast lasting seven days, during which you shall eat bread made without yeast. 22On that day the prince is to provide a bull as a sin offering for himself and for all the people of the land.† 23Every day during the seven days of the Feast he is to provide seven bulls and seven rams† without defect as a burnt offering to the LORD, and a male goat for a sin offering.† 24He is to provide as a grain offering† an ephah for each bull and an ephah for each ram, along with a hin[140] of oil for each ephah.†

25“ ‘During the seven days of the Feast,† which begins in the seventh month on the fifteenth day, he is to make the same provision for sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings and oil.†


Ezekiel 46

1“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The gate of the inner court† facing east† is to be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon† it is to be opened. 2The prince is to enter from the outside through the portico† of the gateway and stand by the gatepost. The priests are to sacrifice his burnt offering and his fellowship offerings.[141] He is to worship at the threshold of the gateway and then go out, but the gate will not be shut until evening.† 3On the Sabbaths and New Moons the people of the land are to worship in the presence of the LORD at the entrance to that gateway.† 4The burnt offering the prince brings to the LORD on the Sabbath day is to be six male lambs and a ram, all without defect. 5The grain offering given with the ram is to be an ephah,[142] and the grain offering with the lambs is to be as much as he pleases, along with a hin[143] of oil for each ephah.† 6On the day of the New Moon† he is to offer a young bull, six lambs and a ram, all without defect. 7He is to provide as a grain offering one ephah with the bull, one ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he wants to give, along with a hin of oil with each ephah.† 8When the prince enters, he is to go in through the portico† of the gateway, and he is to come out the same way.†

9“ ‘When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts,† whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate. 10The prince is to be among them, going in when they go in and going out when they go out.†

11“ ‘At the festivals and the appointed feasts, the grain offering is to be an ephah with a bull, an ephah with a ram, and with the lambs as much as one pleases, along with a hin of oil for each ephah.† 12When the prince provides† a freewill offering† to the LORD —whether a burnt offering or fellowship offerings—the gate facing east is to be opened for him. He shall offer his burnt offering or his fellowship offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out, the gate will be shut.†

13“ ‘Every day you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the LORD; morning by morning you shall provide it.† 14You are also to provide with it morning by morning a grain offering, consisting of a sixth of an ephah with a third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour. The presenting of this grain offering to the LORD is a lasting ordinance.† 15So the lamb and the grain offering and the oil shall be provided morning by morning for a regular† burnt offering.†

16“ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: If the prince makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons, it will also belong to his descendants; it is to be their property by inheritance.† 17If, however, he makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, the servant may keep it until the year of freedom;† then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs to his sons only; it is theirs. 18The prince must not take any of the inheritance† of the people, driving them off their property. He is to give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people will be separated from his property.’ ”

19Then the man brought me through the entrance† at the side of the gate to the sacred rooms facing north, which belonged to the priests, and showed me a place at the western end. 20He said to me, “This is the place where the priests will cook the guilt offering and the sin offering and bake the grain offering, to avoid bringing them into the outer court and consecrating† the people.”†

21He then brought me to the outer court and led me around to its four corners, and I saw in each corner another court. 22In the four corners of the outer court were enclosed[144] courts, forty cubits long and thirty cubits wide; each of the courts in the four corners was the same size. 23Around the inside of each of the four courts was a ledge of stone, with places for fire built all around under the ledge. 24He said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple will cook the sacrifices of the people.”


Ezekiel 47

The River From the Temple

1The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water† coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.† 2He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south side.




3As the man went eastward with a measuring line† in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[145] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.† 6He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.† 8He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah,[146] † where it enters the Sea.[147] When it empties into the Sea,[148] the water there becomes fresh.† 9Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.† 10Fishermen† will stand along the shore; from En Gedi† to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets.† The fish will be of many kinds† —like the fish of the Great Sea.[149] † 11But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.† 12Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river.† Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit† fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.† ”

The Boundaries of the Land

13This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “These are the boundaries† by which you are to divide the land for an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel, with two portions for Joseph.† 14You are to divide it equally among them. Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your forefathers, this land will become your inheritance.†

15“This is to be the boundary of the land: