The Book of
EZEKIEL
Ezekiel’s Vision of God
1Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by athe River Chebar, that bthe heavens were opened and I saw cvisions1 of God.
2On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity,
3the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the 2Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and dthe hand of the LORD was upon him there.
4Then I looked, and behold, ea whirlwind was coming fout of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5gAlso from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And hthis was their appearance: they had ithe likeness of a man.
6Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings.
7Their 3legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled jlike the color of burnished bronze.
8kThe hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings.
9Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight lforward.
10As for mthe likeness of their faces, each nhad the face of a man; each of the four had othe face of a lion on the right side, peach of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, qand each of the four had the face of an eagle.
11Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and rtwo covered their bodies.
12And seach one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
13As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, tlike the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning.
14And the living creatures ran back and forth, uin appearance like a flash of lightning.
15Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, va wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces.
16wThe appearance of the wheels and their workings was xlike the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
17When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went.
18As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were yfull of eyes, all around the four of them.
19zWhen the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, afor the spirit of the 4living creatures was in the wheels.
21When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the 5living creatures was in the wheels.
22bThe likeness of the 6firmament above the heads of the 7living creatures was like the color of an awesome ccrystal, stretched out dover their heads.
23And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body.
24eWhen they went, I heard the noise of their wings, flike the noise of many waters, like gthe voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings.
25A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings.
26hAnd above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, iin appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above jit.
27Also from the appearance of His waist and upward kI saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around.
28lLike the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. mThis was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. Dates in Ezekiel
Ezekiel Sent to Rebellious Israel
So when I saw it, nI fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
Ezekiel Called to Be a Prophet
1And He said to me, “Son of man, astand on your feet, and I will speak to you.”
2Then bthe Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me.
3And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has crebelled against Me; dthey and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.
4e“For they are 1impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’
5f“As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a grebellious house—yet they hwill know that a prophet has been among them.
6“And you, son of man, ido not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though jbriers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; kdo not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, lthough they are a rebellious house.
7m“You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious.
8“But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and neat what I give you.”
9Now when I looked, there was oa hand stretched out to me; and behold, pa scroll of a book was in it.
10Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.
The Responsibility of the Prophet
1Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; aeat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
2So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.
3And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I bate, and it was in my mouth clike honey in sweetness.
4Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.
5“For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel,
6“not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, dhad I sent you to them, they would have listened to you.
7“But the house of Israel will not listen to you, ebecause they will not listen to Me; ffor all the house of Israel are 1impudent and hard-hearted.
8“Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads.
9g“Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; hdo not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”
10Moreover He said to me: “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.
11“And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, i‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse.”
12Then jthe Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: “Blessed is the kglory of the LORD from His place!”
13I also heard the lnoise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise.
14So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the 2heat of my spirit; but mthe hand of the LORD was strong upon me.
15Then I came to the captives at Tel Abib, who dwelt by the River Chebar; and nI sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
Ezekiel Is a Watchman
16Now it ocame to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
17p“Son of man, I have made you qa watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them rwarning from Me:
18“When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man sshall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.
19“Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; tbut you have delivered your soul.
20“Again, when a urighteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.
21“Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.” Ezekiel’s Sign Experiences
22vThen the hand of the LORD was upon me there, and He said to me, “Arise, go out winto the plain, and there I shall talk with you.”
23So I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, xthe glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory which I ysaw by the River Chebar; zand I fell on my face.
24Then athe Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and spoke with me and said to me: “Go, shut yourself inside your house.
25“And you, O son of man, surely bthey will put ropes on you and bind you with them, so that you cannot go out among them.
26c“I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and dnot be 3one to rebuke them, efor they are a rebellious house.
27f“But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, g‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.
The Siege of Jerusalem Portrayed
1“You also, son of man, take a clay tablet and lay it before you, and portray on it a city, Jerusalem.
2a“Lay siege against it, build a bsiege wall against it, and heap up a mound against it; set camps against it also, and place battering rams against it all around.
3“Moreover take for yourself an iron plate, and set it as an iron wall between you and the city. Set your face against it, and it shall be cbesieged, and you shall lay siege against it. dThis will be a sign to the house of Israel.
4“Lie also on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. According to the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity.
5“For I have laid on you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days; eso you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
6“And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year.
7“Therefore you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem; your arm shall be uncovered, and you shall prophesy against it.
8f“And surely I will 1restrain you so that you cannot turn from one side to another till you have ended the days of your siege.
9“Also take for yourself wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread of them for yourself. During the number of days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat it.
10“And your food which you eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day; from time to time you shall eat it.
11“You shall also drink water by measure, one-sixth of a hin; from time to time you shall drink.
12“And you shall eat it as barley cakes; and bake it using fuel of human waste in their sight.”
13Then the LORD said, “So gshall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, where I will drive them.”
14So I said, h“Ah, Lord GOD! Indeed I have never defiled myself from my youth till now; I have never eaten iwhat died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has jabominable2 flesh ever come into my mouth.”
15Then He said to me, “See, I am giving you cow dung instead of human waste, and you shall prepare your bread over it.”
16Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, surely I will cut off the ksupply of bread in Jerusalem; they shall leat bread by weight and with anxiety, and shall mdrink water by measure and with dread,
17“that they may lack bread and water, and be dismayed with one another, and nwaste away because of their iniquity.
A Sword Against Jerusalem
1“And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber’s razor, aand pass it over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair.
2b“You shall burn with fire one-third in the midst of cthe city, when dthe days of the siege are finished; then you shall take one-third and strike around it with the sword, and one-third you shall scatter in the wind: I will draw out a sword after ethem.
3f“You shall also take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your garment.
4“Then take some of them again and gthrow them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel.
5“Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her.
6‘She has rebelled against My judgments by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are all around her; for they have refused My judgments, and they have not walked in My statutes.’
7“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Because you have 1multiplied disobedience more than the nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes hnor kept My judgments, 2nor even done according to the judgments of the nations that are all around you’—
8“therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Indeed I, even I, am against you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations.
9i‘And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of all your abominations.
10‘Therefore fathers jshall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments among you, and all of you who remain I will kscatter to all the winds.
11‘Therefore, as I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely, because you have ldefiled My sanctuary with all your mdetestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; nMy eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity.
12o‘One-third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one-third shall fall by the sword all around you; and pI will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after qthem.
13‘Thus shall My anger rbe spent, and I will scause My fury to rest upon them, tand I will be avenged; uand they shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them.
14‘Moreover vI will make you a waste and a reproach among the nations that are all around you, in the sight of all who pass by.
15‘So 3it shall be a wreproach, a taunt, a xlesson, and an astonishment to the nations that are all around you, when I execute judgments among you in anger and in fury and in yfurious rebukes. I, the LORD, have spoken.
16‘When I zsend against them the terrible arrows of famine which shall be for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, I will increase the famine upon you and cut off your asupply of bread.
17‘So I will send against you famine and bwild beasts, and they will bereave you. cPestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the LORD, have spoken.’ ”
Judgment on Idolatrous Israel
1Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2“Son of man, aset your face toward the bmountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,
3“and say, ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, to the hills, to the ravines, and to the valleys: “Indeed I, even I, will bring a sword against you, and cI will destroy your 1high places.
4“Then your altars shall be desolate, your incense altars shall be broken, and dI will cast down your slain men before your idols.
5“And I will lay the corpses of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones all around your altars.
6“In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the 2high places shall be desolate, so that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, your idols may be broken and made to cease, your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.
7“The slain shall fall in your midst, and eyou shall know that I am the LORD.
8f“Yet I will leave a remnant, so that you may have some who escape the sword among the nations, when you are gscattered through the countries.
9“Then those of you who escape will hremember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because iI was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and jby their eyes which play the harlot after their idols; kthey will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations.
10“And they shall know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain that I would bring this calamity upon them.”
11‘Thus says the Lord GOD: l“Pound3 your fists and stamp your feet, and say, ‘Alas, for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! mFor they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.
12‘He who is far off shall die by the pestilence, he who is near shall fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged shall die by the famine. nThus will I spend My fury upon them.
13‘Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when their slain are among their idols all around their altars, oon every high hill, pon all the mountaintops, qunder every green tree, and under every thick oak, wherever they offered sweet incense to all their idols.
14‘So I will rstretch out My hand against them and make the land desolate, yes, more desolate than the wilderness toward sDiblah, in all their dwelling places. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.’ ” ’ ”
Judgment on Israel Is Near
1Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2“And you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD to the land of Israel:
a‘An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
3Now the end has come upon you,
And I will send My anger against you;
I will judge you baccording to your ways,
And I will repay you for all your abominations.
4c My eye will not spare you,
Nor will I have pity;
But I will repay your ways,
And your abominations will be in your midst;
d Then you shall know that I am the LORD!’
5“Thus says the Lord GOD:
‘A disaster, a singular edisaster;
Behold, it has come!
6An end has come,
The end has come;
It has dawned for you;
Behold, it has come!
7f Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land;
g The time has come,
A day of trouble is near,
And not of rejoicing in the mountains.
8Now upon you I will soon hpour out My fury,
And spend My anger upon you;
I will judge you according to your ways,
And I will repay you for all your abominations.
9‘My eye will not spare,
Nor will I have pity;
I will 1repay you according to your ways,
And your abominations will be in your midst.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD who strikes.
10‘Behold, the day!
Behold, it has come!
i Doom has gone out;
The rod has blossomed,
Pride has budded.
11j Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness;
None of them shall remain,
None of their multitude,
None of 2them;
k Nor shall there be wailing for them.
12The time has come,
The day draws near.
‘Let not the buyer lrejoice,
Nor the seller mmourn,
For wrath is on their whole multitude.
13For the seller shall not return to what has been sold,
Though he may still be alive;
For the vision concerns the whole multitude,
And it shall not turn back;
No one will strengthen himself
Who lives in iniquity.
14‘They have blown the trumpet and made everyone ready,
But no one goes to battle;
For My wrath is on all their multitude.
15n The sword is outside,
And the pestilence and famine within.
Whoever is in the field
Will die by the sword;
And whoever is in the city,
Famine and pestilence will devour him.
16‘Those who osurvive will escape and be on the mountains
Like doves of the valleys,
All of them mourning,
Each for his iniquity.
And every knee will be as weak as water.
18They will also qbe girded with sackcloth;
Horror will cover them;
Shame will be on every face,
Baldness on all their heads.
19‘They will throw their silver into the streets,
And their gold will be like refuse;
Their rsilver and their gold will not be able to deliver them
In the day of the wrath of the LORD;
They will not satisfy their souls,
Nor fill their stomachs,
Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.
20‘As for the beauty of his ornaments,
He set it in majesty;
s But they made from it
The images of their abominations—
Their detestable things;
Therefore I have made it
Like refuse to them.
21I will give it as tplunder
Into the hands of strangers,
And to the wicked of the earth as spoil;
And they shall defile it.
22I will turn My face from them,
And they will defile My secret place;
For robbers shall enter it and defile it.
23‘Make a chain,
For uthe land is filled with crimes of blood,
And the city is full of violence.
24Therefore I will bring the vworst of the Gentiles,
And they will possess their houses;
I will cause the pomp of the strong to cease,
And their holy places shall be wdefiled.
253 Destruction comes;
They will seek peace, but there shall be none.
26x Disaster will come upon disaster,
And rumor will be upon rumor.
y Then they will seek a vision from a prophet;
But the law will perish from the priest,
And counsel from the elders.
27‘The king will mourn,
The prince will be clothed with desolation,
And the hands of the common people will tremble.
I will do to them according to their way,
And according to what they deserve I will judge them;
Then they shall know that I am the LORD!’ ”
Abominations in the Temple
1And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with athe elders of Judah sitting before me, that bthe hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.
2cThen I looked, and there was a likeness, like the appearance of fire—from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness, dlike the color of amber.
3He estretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and fthe Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and gbrought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the north gate of the inner court, hwhere the seat of the image of jealousy was, which iprovokes1 to jealousy.
4And behold, the jglory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I ksaw in the plain.
5Then He said to me, “Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north.” So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate, was this image of jealousy in the entrance.
6Furthermore He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great labominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far away from My sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations.”
7So He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, there was a hole in the wall.
8Then He said to me, “Son of man, dig into the wall”; and when I dug into the wall, there was a door.
9And He said to me, “Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there.”
10So I went in and saw, and there—every msort of ncreeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, 2portrayed all around on the walls.
11And there stood before them oseventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and in their midst stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. Each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up.
12Then He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, p‘The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.’ ”
13And He said to me, “Turn again, and you will see greater abominations that they are doing.”
14So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD’s house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for 3Tammuz.
15Then He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these.”
16So He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house; and there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, qbetween the porch and the altar, rwere about twenty-five men swith their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping tthe sun toward the east.
17And He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have ufilled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose.
18v“Therefore I also will act in fury. My weye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they xcry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.”
The Wicked Are Slain
1Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, “Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a 1deadly weapon in his hand.”
2And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his 2battle-ax in his hand. aOne man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn 3at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.
3Now bthe glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the 4temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side;
4and the LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put ca mark on the foreheads of the men dwho sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”
5To the others He said in my 5hearing, “Go after him through the city and ekill;6 fdo not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.
6g“Utterly7 slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but hdo not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and ibegin at My sanctuary.” jSo they began with the elders who were before the 8temple.
7Then He said to them, “Defile the 9temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city.
8So it was, that while they were killing them, I was left alone; and I kfell on my face and cried out, and said, l“Ah, Lord GOD! Will You destroy all the remnant of Israel in pouring out Your fury on Jerusalem?”
9Then He said to me, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and mthe land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, n‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and othe LORD does not see!’
10“And as for Me also, My peye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but qI will recompense their deeds on their own head.”
11Just then, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, “I have done as You commanded me.”
The Glory Departs from the Temple
1And I looked, and there in the afirmament1 that was above the head of the cherubim, there appeared something like a sapphire stone, having the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2bThen He spoke to the man clothed with linen, and said, “Go in among the wheels, under the cherub, fill your hands with ccoals of fire from among the cherubim, and dscatter them over the city.” And he went in as I watched.
3Now the cherubim were standing on the 2south side of the 3temple when the man went in, and the ecloud filled the inner court.
4fThen the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the 4temple; and gthe house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’s hglory.
5And the isound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even in the outer court, like jthe voice of Almighty God when He speaks.
6Then it happened, when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim,” that he went in and stood beside the wheels.
7And the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim to the fire that was among the cherubim, and took some of it and put it into the hands of the man clothed with linen, who took it and went out.
8kThe cherubim appeared to have the form of a man’s hand under their wings.
9lAnd when I looked, there were four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub and another wheel by each other cherub; the wheels appeared to have the color of a mberyl stone.
10As for their appearance, all four looked alike—as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
11nWhen they went, they went toward any of their four directions; they did not turn aside when they went, but followed in the direction the head was facing. They did not turn aside when they went.
12And their whole body, with their back, their hands, their wings, and the wheels that the four had, were ofull of eyes all around.
13As for the wheels, they were called in my 5hearing, “Wheel.”
14pEach one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
15And the cherubim were lifted up. This was qthe living creature I saw by the River Chebar.
16rWhen the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also did not turn from beside them.
17sWhen 6the cherubim stood still, the wheels stood still, and when 7one was lifted up, 8the other lifted itself up, for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
18Then tthe glory of the LORD udeparted from the threshold of the 9temple and stood over the cherubim.
19And vthe cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels were beside them; and they stood at the door of the weast gate of the LORD’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
20xThis is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel yby the River Chebar, and I knew they were cherubim.
21zEach one had four faces and each one four wings, and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
22And athe likeness of their faces was the same as the faces which I had seen by the River Chebar, their appearance and their persons. bThey each went straight forward.
Judgment on Wicked Counselors
1Then athe Spirit lifted me up and brought me to bthe East Gate of the LORD’s house, which faces eastward; and there cat the door of the gate were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2And He said to me: “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give wicked 1counsel in this city,
3“who say, ‘The time is not dnear to build houses; ethis city is the 2caldron, and we are the meat.’
4“Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man!”
5Then fthe Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said to me, “Speak! ‘Thus says the LORD: “Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for gI know the things that come into your mind.
6h“You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain.”
7‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: i“Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are the meat, and this city is the caldron; jbut I shall bring you out of the midst of it.
8“You have kfeared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you,” says the Lord GOD.
9“And I will bring you out of its midst, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and lexecute judgments on you.
10m“You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at nthe border of Israel. oThen you shall know that I am the LORD.
11p“This city shall not be your 3caldron, nor shall you be the meat in its midst. I will judge you at the border of Israel.
12“And you shall know that I am the LORD; for you have not walked in My statutes nor executed My judgments, but qhave done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are all around you.” ’ ”
13Now it happened, while I was prophesying, that rPelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then sI fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?”
God Will Restore Israel
14Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
15“Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Get far away from the LORD; this land has been given to us as a possession.’
16“Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, tyet I shall be a little 4sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.” ’
17“Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: u“I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” ’
18“And they will go there, and they will take away all its vdetestable things and all its abominations from there.
19“Then wI will give them one heart, and I will put xa new spirit within 5them, and take ythe stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,
20z“that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; aand they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
21“But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, bI will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.
22So the cherubim clifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was high above them.
23And dthe glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood eon the mountain, fwhich is on the east side of the city.
24Then gthe Spirit took me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into 6Chaldea, to those in captivity. And the vision that I had seen went up from me.
25So I spoke to those in captivity of all the things the LORD had shown me.
Judah’s Captivity Portrayed
1Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2“Son of man, you dwell in the midst of aa rebellious house, which bhas eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; cfor they are a rebellious house.
3“Therefore, son of man, prepare your belongings for captivity, and go into captivity by day in their sight. You shall go from your place into captivity to another place in their sight. It may be that they will consider, though they are a rebellious house.
4“By day you shall bring out your belongings in their sight, as though going into captivity; and at evening you shall go in their sight, like those who go into captivity.
5“Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry your belongings out through it.
6“In their sight you shall bear them on your shoulders and carry them out at twilight; you shall cover your face, so that you cannot see the ground, dfor I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”
7So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my belongings by day, as though going into captivity, and at evening I dug through the wall with my hand. I brought them out at twilight, and I bore them on my shoulder in their sight.
8And in the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
9“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, ethe rebellious house, said to you, f‘What are you doing?’
10“Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “This gburden1 concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are among them.” ’
11“Say, h‘I am a sign to you. As I have done, so shall it be done to them; ithey shall be carried away into captivity.’
12“And jthe prince who is among them shall bear his belongings on his shoulder at twilight and go out. They shall dig through the wall to carry them out through it. He shall cover his face, so that he cannot see the ground with his eyes.
13“I will also spread My knet over him, and he shall be caught in My snare. lI will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans; yet he shall not see it, though he shall die there.
14m“I will scatter to every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his troops; and nI will draw out the sword after them.
15o“Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.
16p“But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”
Judgment Not Postponed
17Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
18“Son of man, qeat your bread with 2quaking, and drink your water with trembling and anxiety.
19“And say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the land of Israel: “They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with dread, so that her land may rbe emptied of all who are in it, sbecause of the violence of all those who dwell in it.
20“Then the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall become desolate; and you shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”
21And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
22“Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, t‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?
23“Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.” But say to them, u“The days are at hand, and the 3fulfillment of every vision.
24“For vno more shall there be any wfalse4 vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.
25“For I am the LORD. I speak, and xthe word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and yperform it,” says the Lord GOD.’ ”
26Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
27z“Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is afor many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’
28b“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak cwill be done,” says the Lord GOD.’ ”
Woe to Foolish Prophets
1And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2“Son of man, prophesy aagainst the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to bthose who prophesy out of their own cheart,1 ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ ”
3Thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen 2nothing!
4“O Israel, your prophets are dlike foxes in the deserts.
5“You ehave not gone up into the 3gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD.
6f“They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD!’ But the LORD has gnot sent them; yet they hope that the word may 4be confirmed.
7“Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The LORD says,’ but I have not spoken.”
8Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord GOD.
9“My hand will be hagainst the prophets who envision futility and who idivine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, jnor be written in the record of the house of Israel, knor shall they enter into the land of Israel. lThen you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
10“Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, m‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they nplaster5 it with untempered mortar—
11“say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. oThere will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down.
12“Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?’ ”
13Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it.
14“So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. pThen you shall know that I am the LORD.
15“Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar; and I will say to you, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it,
16‘that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who qsee visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ ” says the Lord GOD.
17“Likewise, son of man, rset your face against the daughters of your people, swho prophesy out of their own 6heart; prophesy against them,
18“and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the women who sew magic charms 7on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you thunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive?
19“And will you profane Me among My people ufor handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?”
20‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like 8birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds.
21“I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as prey in your hand. vThen you shall know that I am the LORD.
22“Because with wlies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have xstrengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life.
23“Therefore yyou shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ ”
Idolatry Will Be Punished
1Now asome of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.
2And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
3“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them bthat which causes them to stumble into iniquity. cShould I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?
4“Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols,
5“that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.” ’
6“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Repent, turn away from your idols, and dturn your faces away from all your abominations.
7“For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the LORD will answer him by Myself.
8e“I will set My face against that man and make him a fsign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. gThen you shall know that I am the LORD.
9“And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I the LORD hhave induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.
10“And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired,
11“that the house of Israel may ino longer stray from Me, nor be profaned anymore with all their transgressions, jbut that they may be My people and I may be their God,” says the Lord GOD.’ ”
Judgment on Persistent Unfaithfulness
12The word of the LORD came again to me, saying:
13“Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its ksupply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it.
14l“Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves mby their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD.
15“If I cause nwild beasts to pass through the land, and they 1empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts,
16“even othough these three men were 2in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be pdesolate.
17“Or if qI bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I rcut off man and beast from it,
18“even sthough these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.
19“Or if I send ta pestilence into that land and upour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast,
20“even vthough Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”
21For thus says the Lord GOD: “How much more it shall be when wI send My four 3severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it?
22x“Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be ybrought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and zyou will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it.
23“And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing awithout cause that I have done in it,” says the Lord GOD.
The Outcast Vine
1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
2“Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?
3“Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on?
4“Instead, ait is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work?
5“Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned?
6“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
7‘and bI will set My face against them. cThey will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. dThen you shall know that I am the LORD, when I set My face against them.
8‘Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,’ says the Lord GOD.”
God’s Love for Jerusalem
1Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2“Son of man, acause Jerusalem to know her abominations,
3“and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: “Your 1birth band your nativity are from the land of Canaan; cyour father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
4“As for your nativity, don the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.
5“No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were 2loathed on the day you were born.
6“And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’
7e“I made you 3thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare.
8“When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; fso I spread 4My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I gswore an oath to you and entered into a hcovenant with you, and iyou became Mine,” says the Lord GOD.
9“Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil.
10“I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of 5badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk.
11“I adorned you with ornaments, jput bracelets on your wrists, kand a chain on your neck.
12“And I put a 6jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.
13“Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. lYou ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly mbeautiful, and succeeded to royalty.
14n“Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord GOD.
Jerusalem’s Harlotry
15o“But you trusted in your own beauty, pplayed the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it.
16q“You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored 7high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor be.
17“You have also taken your beautiful jewelry from My gold and My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images and played the harlot with them.
18“You took your embroidered garments and covered them, and you set My oil and My incense before them.
19“Also rMy food which I gave you—the pastry of fine flour, oil, and honey which I fed you—you set it before them as 8sweet incense; and so it was,” says the Lord GOD.
20s“Moreover you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter,
21“that you have slain My children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the tfire?
22“And in all your abominations and acts of harlotry you did not remember the days of your uyouth, vwhen you were naked and bare, struggling in your blood.
23“Then it was so, after all your wickedness—‘Woe, woe to you!’ says the Lord GOD—
24“that wyou also built for yourself a shrine, and xmade a 9high place for yourself in every street.
25“You built your high places yat the head of every road, and made your beauty to be abhorred. You offered yourself to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your acts of harlotry.
26“You also committed harlotry with zthe Egyptians, your very fleshly neighbors, and increased your acts of harlotry to aprovoke Me to anger.
27“Behold, therefore, I stretched out My hand against you, diminished your 10allotment, and gave you up to the will of those who hate you, bthe daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior.
28“You also played the harlot with the cAssyrians, because you were insatiable; indeed you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied.
29“Moreover you multiplied your acts of harlotry as far as the land of the trader, dChaldea; and even then you were not satisfied.
30“How degenerate is your heart!” says the Lord GOD, “seeing you do all these things, the deeds of a brazen harlot.
Jerusalem’s Adultery
31e“You erected your shrine at the head of every road, and built your 11high place in every street. Yet you were not like a harlot, because you scorned fpayment.
32“You are an adulterous wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband.
33“Men make payment to all harlots, but gyou made your payments to all your lovers, and 12hired them to come to you from all around for your harlotry.
34“You are the opposite of other women in your harlotry, because no one solicited you to be a harlot. In that you gave payment but no payment was given you, therefore you are the opposite.”
Jerusalem’s Lovers Will Abuse Her
35‘Now then, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD!
36‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your filthiness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your harlotry with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of hthe blood of your children which you gave to them,
37“surely, therefore, iI will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, and all those you hated; I will gather them from all around against you and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.
38“And I will judge you as jwomen who break wedlock or kshed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy.
39“I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down lyour 13high places. mThey shall also strip you of your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare.
40n“They shall also bring up an assembly against you, oand they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords.
41“They shall pburn your houses with fire, and qexecute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will make you rcease playing the harlot, and you shall no longer hire lovers.
42“So sI will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more.
43“Because tyou did not remember the days of your youth, but 14agitated Me with all these things, surely uI will also recompense your 15deeds on your own head,” says the Lord GOD. “And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations.
More Wicked than Samaria and Sodom
44“Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb against you: ‘Like mother, like daughter!’
45“You are your mother’s daughter, 16loathing husband and children; and you are the vsister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children; wyour mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.
46“Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and xyour younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters.
47“You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, yyou became more corrupt than they in all your ways.
48“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “neither zyour sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done.
49“Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, afullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
50“And they were haughty and bcommitted abomination before Me; therefore cI took them away as 17I saw fit.
51“Samaria did not commit dhalf of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and ehave justified your sisters by all the abominations which you have done.
52“You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters.
53f“When I bring back their captives, the captives of Sodom and her daughters, and the captives of Samaria and her daughters, then I will also bring back gthe captives of your captivity among them,
54“that you may bear your own shame and be disgraced by all that you did when hyou comforted them.
55“When your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters return to their former state, then you and your daughters will return to your former state.
56“For your sister Sodom was not a byword in your mouth in the days of your pride,
57“before your wickedness was uncovered. It was like the time of the ireproach of the daughters of 18Syria and all those around her, and of jthe daughters of the Philistines, who despise you everywhere.
58k“You have paid for your lewdness and your abominations,” says the LORD.
59‘For thus says the Lord GOD: “I will deal with you as you have done, who ldespised mthe oath by breaking the covenant.
An Everlasting Covenant
60“Nevertheless I will nremember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish oan everlasting covenant with you.
61“Then pyou will remember your ways and be ashamed, when you receive your older and your younger sisters; for I will give them to you for qdaughters, rbut not because of My covenant with you.
62s“And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the LORD,
63“that you may tremember and be ashamed, uand never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done,” says the Lord GOD.’ ”