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False Prophets Condemned

13 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel. Tell those who make up their prophecies, ‘Listen to the Lord’s word.

“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for the foolish prophets. They follow their own ideas, and they have seen nothing. Israel, your prophets are like foxes among the ruins ⌞of a city⌟. They haven’t repaired the gaps in the wall or rebuilt the wall for the nation of Israel. So Israel will not be protected in battle on the day of the Lord. These foolish prophets see false visions, and their predictions don’t come true. They say, “The Lord said this.” But the Lord hasn’t sent them. Then they hope that their message will come true. Prophets of Israel, haven’t you seen false visions and predicted things that don’t come true? Don’t you say, “The Lord said this,” even though I haven’t said anything?

“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: Your predictions are false, and your visions are lies. That is why I’m against you, declares the Almighty Lord. I will use my power against the prophets who see false visions and predict things that don’t come true. They will not help my people make decisions or be recorded in the records of the nation of Israel. They won’t even enter Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

10 “ ‘They have deceived my people by saying that everything is alright, but it’s not alright. When someone builds a flimsy wall, the prophets cover it up with paint. 11 Tell those who cover up the wall with paint that their wall will fall down. Rain will pour down, hailstones will fall on it, and stormy winds will break it to pieces. 12 When the wall falls down, people will ask them, “Where’s the paint that you used to cover the wall?”

13 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: In my fury I’ll cause a storm to break out. In my anger rain will pour down, and hailstones will destroy the wall. 14 I will tear down the wall that the prophets covered up with paint. I will level it and expose its foundation. When the wall falls, they will be destroyed by it. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 15 I will unleash my fury on the wall and on those who covered it up with paint.

“ ‘Then I will say to you, “The wall is gone, and so are those who painted it. 16 The prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem are gone. Those who said that everything was alright, when it wasn’t alright, are gone, declares the Almighty Lord.” ’

17 “Son of man, look at the women among your people who make up prophecies, and prophesy against them.

18 “Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for women who sew magic charms for people’s wrists and make magic veils of every size for people’s heads. You want to trap people. You want to control the lives of my people for your own profit. 19 You dishonor me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who shouldn’t die, and you spare the lives of people who shouldn’t live. You lie to my people who are willing to listen.

20 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I’m against the magic charms that you use to trap people like birds. I will tear them from your arms and free the people that you have trapped. 21 I will tear off your magic veils and rescue my people from your power so that they will no longer be under your control. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 22 You have discouraged righteous people with your lies, even though I hadn’t brought them any grief. You encouraged wicked people not to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives. 23 That is why you will no longer see false visions or make predictions. I will rescue my people from your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”

Idolaters Condemned

14 Some of Israel’s leaders came to me and sat down in front of me. Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, “Son of man, these people are devoted to their idols, and they are allowing themselves to fall into sin. Should they be allowed to ask me for help?

“So speak to them. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: Suppose an Israelite is devoted to idols and allows himself to fall into sin. Suppose he goes to a prophet ⌞to ask for my help⌟. I, the Lord, will give that Israelite an answer, the answer that his many idols deserve. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the nation of Israel. They have deserted me because of their disgusting idols.’

“So tell the nation of Israel, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: Change the way you think and act! Turn away from your idols, and don’t return to any of your disgusting things. Suppose an Israelite or a foreigner who lives in Israel deserts me by devoting himself to idols and by allowing himself to fall into sin. If he goes to a prophet to ask for my help, I, the Lord, will give him an answer. I will reject him, and I will make an example of him. I will exclude him from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

“ ‘If a prophet is tricked into giving a prophecy, it is I, the Lord, who tricked the prophet. I will use my power against you and destroy you from among my people Israel. 10 Both of you will suffer for your sins. The prophet will be as guilty as you are when you ask for his help. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer wander away from me. They will no longer dishonor me with all their sins. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Almighty Lord.’ ”

12 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 13 “Son of man, suppose a country sins against me by being unfaithful to me. I will use my power against it, cut off its food supply, send a famine to it, and destroy its people and animals. 14 Even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in that country, they would, by their righteousness, rescue only themselves,” declares the Almighty Lord.

15 “Suppose I send wild animals through that country and they make it childless and turn it into such a wasteland that no one travels through it because of the animals. 16 As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could rescue their own sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves. And the country would become a wasteland.

17 “Suppose I bring a war against that country by saying, ‘I will let a war go throughout this country.’ Suppose I destroy the people and the animals in it. 18 As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could rescue their sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves.

19 “Suppose I send a plague into that country or pour out my fury on it by killing people and destroying animals. 20 As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could, by their righteousness, rescue their sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves.

21 “This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will surely send four terrible punishments against Jerusalem. I will send wars, famines, wild animals, and plagues. They will destroy people and animals. 22 But some people will survive. Some of your sons and daughters will be brought out. When they come out to you, you will see how they live. Then you will be comforted after the disasters that I will bring on Jerusalem, after every disaster that I will bring against it. 23 You will be comforted when you see how they live. Then you will know that everything I have done was done for a reason,” declares the Almighty Lord.

Jerusalem Is Compared to Wood from a Wild Vine

15 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, “Son of man, what good is the wood from a vine? Is it better than the wood from a tree in the forest? Do people use it to make something? Do they make a peg from it to hang things on? No! It is only thrown into the fire as fuel. The fire burns up both its ends and chars its middle. Then can it be used to make anything? When the vine was in perfect condition, it couldn’t be made into anything. How can it be used to make anything after the fire has burned and charred it?

“So this is what the Almighty Lord says: As a vine is taken from among the trees in the forest to be used to feed the fire, so I will take the people who live in Jerusalem to punish them. I will turn against the people of Jerusalem. Even though they have escaped one fire, another fire will burn them. Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will turn against them. I will turn the country into a wasteland because they have been unfaithful,” declares the Almighty Lord.

A Description of Jerusalem’s Sins

16 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, “Son of man, make known to the people of Jerusalem the disgusting things they have done. Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says to the people of Jerusalem: Your birthplace and your ancestors were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite. When you were born, your umbilical cord wasn’t cut. You weren’t washed with water to make you clean. You weren’t rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloth. No one who saw you felt sorry enough for you to do any of these things. But you were thrown into an open field. You were rejected when you were born.

“ ‘Then I went by you and saw you kicking around in your own blood. I said to you, “Live.” I made you grow like a plant in the field. You grew up, matured, and became a young woman. Your breasts developed, and your hair grew. Yet, you were naked and bare.

“ ‘I went by you again and looked at you. You were old enough to make love to. So I spread my robe over you, and covered your naked body. I promised to love you, and I exchanged marriage vows with you. You became mine, declares the Almighty Lord.

“ ‘Then I bathed you with water, and I washed off your blood. I poured olive oil over you. 10 I put an embroidered dress on you and fine leather sandals on your feet. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 I gave you jewelry. I put bracelets on your wrists and a necklace around your neck. 12 I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 So you wore gold and silver jewelry. You were dressed in fine linen, silk, and embroidered clothes. Your food was flour, honey, and olive oil. You were very beautiful, and eventually you became a queen. 14 You became famous in every nation because of your beauty. Your beauty was perfect because I gave you my glory, declares the Almighty Lord.

15 “ ‘But you trusted your beauty, and you used your fame to become a prostitute. You had sex with everyone who walked by. 16 You took some of your clothes and made your worship sites colorful. This is where you acted like a prostitute. Such things shouldn’t happen. They shouldn’t occur. 17 You took your beautiful gold and silver jewelry that I had given you and made male idols for yourself. Then you committed adultery with them. 18 You took off your embroidered clothes and covered the idols with them. You offered my olive oil and incense in their presence. 19 You also offered them sweet and fragrant sacrifices. You gave flour, olive oil, and honey—all the food that I gave you to eat. This is what happened, declares the Almighty Lord.

20 “ ‘You took your sons and daughters, who belonged to me, and you sacrificed them as food to idols. Wasn’t your prostitution enough? 21 You slaughtered my children and presented them as burnt offerings to idols. 22 With all the disgusting things that you did and all your acts of prostitution, you didn’t remember the time when you were young. You didn’t remember when you were naked and bare, kicking around in your own blood.

23 “ ‘How horrible! How horrible it will be for you! declares the Almighty Lord. After all your wickedness, 24 you built yourself platforms and illegal worship sites in every city square. 25 You also built worship sites at the head of every street. You used your beauty to seduce people there. You offered your body to everyone who passed by. You increased your acts of prostitution. 26 You had sex with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians. You used your prostitution to make me angry.

27 “ ‘So I used my power against you. I took away some of your land, and I handed you over to your greedy enemies, the Philistines, who were ashamed of what you had done.

28 “ ‘You had sex with the Assyrians because you weren’t satisfied. You still weren’t satisfied. 29 So you increased your acts of prostitution to include the land of the merchants, the Babylonians. Even after that, you weren’t satisfied.

30 “ ‘You have no will power! declares the Almighty Lord. You do everything a shameless prostitute does. 31 You build your platforms at the head of every street and place your illegal worship sites in every square. Yet, you aren’t like other prostitutes, because you don’t want to be paid. 32 You are an adulterous wife who prefers strangers to her husband. 33 All prostitutes get paid. But you give gifts to all your lovers and bribe them to come to you from all directions to have sex with you. 34 You are a different kind of prostitute. No one goes after you for favors. You are the opposite. You pay them, and you don’t accept payment.

Jerusalem’s Punishment

35 “ ‘Listen to the Lord’s word, you prostitute. 36 This is what the Almighty Lord says: You exposed yourself and uncovered your naked body when you gave yourself to your lovers and to all your disgusting idols. You also killed your children and sacrificed their blood to these idols. 37 That is why I will gather all your lovers with whom you found pleasure. I will have all those who love you and hate you gather around. I will uncover your body for them, and they will see you naked. 38 I will punish you the same way that those who are guilty of prostitution and murder are punished. I will give you the death penalty in my fury and burning anger. 39 I will hand you over to your lovers. They will destroy your platforms and tear down your illegal worship sites. They will tear off your clothes, take away your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare. 40 They will also bring a mob against you. They will stone you and cut you into pieces with their swords. 41 They will burn your houses and punish you in the presence of many women. I will put an end to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay others. 42 Then I will rest from my fury against you, and I will stop being angry. I will be at peace. I will no longer be angry.

43 “ ‘You didn’t remember the time when you were young, and you made me very angry with all these things. So I will pay you back for what you have done, declares the Almighty Lord. Didn’t you make wicked plans in addition to all your disgusting practices?

44 “ ‘Everyone who uses proverbs will speak the following saying against you: Like mother, like daughter. 45 You are your mother’s daughter. She rejected her husband and her children. You are exactly like your sisters. They rejected their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite, and your father was an Amorite.

46 “ ‘Your older sister was Samaria. She and her daughters lived north of you. Your younger sister is Sodom. She lives south of you with her daughters. 47 You didn’t follow their ways. You didn’t do the same disgusting things that they did. It only took you a little time to be more corrupt than they ever were. 48 As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. 49 This is what your sister Sodom has done wrong. She and her daughters were proud that they had plenty of food and had peace and security. They didn’t help the poor and the needy. 50 They were arrogant and did disgusting things in front of me. So I did away with them when I saw this.

51 “ ‘Samaria didn’t commit half the sins you did. You have done many more disgusting things than they ever did. Because of all the disgusting things that you have done, you make your sisters look innocent. 52 You will have to suffer disgrace because you accused your sisters. Yet, your sins are more disgusting than theirs. They look like they are innocent compared to you. Be ashamed of yourself and suffer disgrace, because you have made your sisters look like they are innocent.

53 “ ‘I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and Samaria and her daughters. I will also restore your fortune along with theirs. 54 You will have to suffer disgrace and be ashamed of everything you have done, including comforting them. 55 When Sodom and her daughters and Samaria and her daughters return to what they once were, you and your daughters will return to what you once were. 56 You didn’t mention your sister Sodom when you were arrogant. 57 You didn’t mention her before your wickedness was revealed. Now the daughters of Aram [a] and their neighbors despise you. The daughters of the Philistines also despise you. Those around you hate you. 58 You must suffer because of all the crude and disgusting things you have done, declares the Lord.

59 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will give you what you deserve. You despised your marriage vows and rejected my promise.[b] 60 I will remember the promise that I made with you when you were young, and I will make it a promise that will last forever. 61 Then you will remember what you have done. You will be ashamed when I return your older and younger sisters to you. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of my promise with you. 62 Then I will make my promise with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. 63 You will remember and be ashamed. You will never again open your mouth because of your disgrace when I forgive you for everything you did, declares the Almighty Lord.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. 16:57 Some Hebrew manuscripts; other Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac “Edom.”
  2. 16:59 Or “covenant.”

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