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Ezekiel 13-16
GOD’S WORD Translation
Ezekiel 13-16
GOD’S WORD Translation
False Prophets Condemned
13 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel. Tell those who make up their prophecies, ‘Listen to the Lord’s word.
3 “ ‘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. 4 Israel, your prophets are like foxes among the ruins ⌞of a city⌟. 5 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. 6 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. 7 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?
8 “ ‘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. 9 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. 2 Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 3 “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?
4 “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. 5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the nation of Israel. They have deserted me because of their disgusting idols.’
6 “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. 7 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. 8 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.
9 “ ‘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, 2 “Son of man, what good is the wood from a vine? Is it better than the wood from a tree in the forest? 3 Do people use it to make something? Do they make a peg from it to hang things on? 4 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? 5 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?
6 “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. 7 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. 8 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, 2 “Son of man, make known to the people of Jerusalem the disgusting things they have done. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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.
6 “ ‘Then I went by you and saw you kicking around in your own blood. I said to you, “Live.” 7 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.
8 “ ‘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.
9 “ ‘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.’ ”
Ezekiel 13-16
New International Version
Ezekiel 13-16
New International Version
False Prophets Condemned
13 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets(A) of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination:(B) ‘Hear the word of the Lord!(C) 3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish[a] prophets(D) who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!(E) 4 Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair(F) it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.(G) 6 Their visions are false(H) and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent(I) them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words.(J) 7 Have you not seen false visions(K) and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken?
8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you,(L) declares the Sovereign Lord. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying(M) divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records(N) of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(O)
10 “‘Because they lead my people astray,(P) saying, “Peace,”(Q) when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,(R) 11 therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones(S) hurtling down,(T) and violent winds will burst forth.(U) 12 When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”
13 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones(V) and torrents of rain(W) will fall with destructive fury.(X) 14 I will tear down the wall(Y) you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation(Z) will be laid bare. When it[b] falls,(AA) you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. 15 So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, 16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AB)”’
17 “Now, son of man, set your face(AC) against the daughters(AD) of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them(AE) 18 and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? 19 You have profaned(AF) me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread.(AG) By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live.(AH)
20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.(AI) 21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(AJ) 22 Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies,(AK) when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives,(AL) 23 therefore you will no longer see false visions(AM) or practice divination.(AN) I will save(AO) my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the Lord.(AP)’”
Idolaters Condemned
14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.(AQ) 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts(AR) and put wicked stumbling blocks(AS) before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?(AT) 4 Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. 5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted(AU) me for their idols.’(AV)
6 “Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent!(AW) Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!(AX)
7 “‘When any of the Israelites or any foreigner(AY) residing in Israel separate themselves from me and set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block(AZ) before their faces and then go to a prophet to inquire(BA) of me, I the Lord will answer them myself. 8 I will set my face against(BB) them and make them an example(BC) and a byword.(BD) I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(BE)
9 “‘And if the prophet(BF) is enticed(BG) to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.(BH) 10 They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer stray(BI) from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people,(BJ) and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BK)’”
Jerusalem’s Judgment Inescapable
12 The word of the Lord came to me: 13 “Son of man, if a country sins(BL) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply(BM) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,(BN) 14 even if these three men—Noah,(BO) Daniel[c](BP) and Job(BQ)—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,(BR) declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 “Or if I send wild beasts(BS) through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,(BT) 16 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.(BU)
17 “Or if I bring a sword(BV) against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,(BW) 18 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.
19 “Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath(BX) on it through bloodshed,(BY) killing its people and their animals,(BZ) 20 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.(CA)
21 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments(CB)—sword(CC) and famine(CD) and wild beasts and plague(CE)—to kill its men and their animals!(CF) 22 Yet there will be some survivors(CG)—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it.(CH) They will come to you, and when you see their conduct(CI) and their actions, you will be consoled(CJ) regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. 23 You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CK)”
Jerusalem as a Useless Vine
15 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine(CL) different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? 3 Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful?(CM) Do they make pegs(CN) from it to hang things on? 4 And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything?(CO) 5 If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?
6 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. 7 I will set my face against(CP) them. Although they have come out of the fire(CQ), the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord.(CR) 8 I will make the land desolate(CS) because they have been unfaithful,(CT) declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Jerusalem as an Adulterous Wife
16 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, confront(CU) Jerusalem with her detestable practices(CV) 3 and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry(CW) and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father(CX) was an Amorite(CY) and your mother a Hittite.(CZ) 4 On the day you were born(DA) your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. 5 No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.
6 “‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”[d](DB) 7 I made you grow(DC) like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.(DD)
8 “‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment(DE) over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant(DF) with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.(DG)
9 “‘I bathed you with water and washed(DH) the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10 I clothed you with an embroidered(DI) dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen(DJ) and covered you with costly garments.(DK) 11 I adorned you with jewelry:(DL) I put bracelets(DM) on your arms and a necklace(DN) around your neck, 12 and I put a ring on your nose,(DO) earrings(DP) on your ears and a beautiful crown(DQ) on your head.(DR) 13 So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes(DS) were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil(DT) and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.(DU) 14 And your fame(DV) spread among the nations on account of your beauty,(DW) because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.(DX)
15 “‘But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by(DY) and your beauty became his.(DZ) 16 You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places,(EA) where you carried on your prostitution.(EB) You went to him, and he possessed your beauty.[e] 17 You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.(EC) 18 And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense(ED) before them. 19 Also the food I provided for you—the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat—you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord.(EE)
20 “‘And you took your sons and daughters(EF) whom you bore to me(EG) and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough?(EH) 21 You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.(EI) 22 In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth,(EJ) when you were naked and bare,(EK) kicking about in your blood.(EL)
23 “‘Woe!(EM) Woe to you, declares the Sovereign Lord. In addition to all your other wickedness, 24 you built a mound for yourself and made a lofty shrine(EN) in every public square.(EO) 25 At every street corner(EP) you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, spreading your legs with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by.(EQ) 26 You engaged in prostitution(ER) with the Egyptians,(ES) your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger(ET) with your increasing promiscuity.(EU) 27 So I stretched out my hand(EV) against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over(EW) to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines,(EX) who were shocked by your lewd conduct. 28 You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians(EY) too, because you were insatiable; and even after that, you still were not satisfied.(EZ) 29 Then you increased your promiscuity to include Babylonia,[f](FA) a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied.(FB)
30 “‘I am filled with fury against you,[g] declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute!(FC) 31 When you built your mounds at every street corner and made your lofty shrines(FD) in every public square, you were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment.
32 “‘You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband! 33 All prostitutes receive gifts,(FE) but you give gifts(FF) to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors.(FG) 34 So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you.
35 “‘Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the Lord! 36 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you poured out your lust and exposed your naked body in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children’s blood,(FH) 37 therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip(FI) you in front of them, and they will see you stark naked.(FJ) 38 I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood;(FK) I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger.(FL) 39 Then I will deliver you into the hands(FM) of your lovers, and they will tear down your mounds and destroy your lofty shrines. They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you stark naked.(FN) 40 They will bring a mob against you, who will stone(FO) you and hack you to pieces with their swords. 41 They will burn down(FP) your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women.(FQ) I will put a stop(FR) to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers. 42 Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry.(FS)
43 “‘Because you did not remember(FT) the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down(FU) on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?(FV)
44 “‘Everyone who quotes proverbs(FW) will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” 45 You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised(FX) her husband(FY) and her children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.(FZ) 46 Your older sister(GA) was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom.(GB) 47 You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they.(GC) 48 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign(GD) Lord, your sister Sodom(GE) and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.(GF)
49 “‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom:(GG) She and her daughters were arrogant,(GH) overfed and unconcerned;(GI) they did not help the poor and needy.(GJ) 50 They were haughty(GK) and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.(GL) 51 Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done.(GM) 52 Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous(GN) than you. So then, be ashamed and bear(GO) your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
53 “‘However, I will restore(GP) the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them,(GQ) 54 so that you may bear your disgrace(GR) and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. 55 And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before.(GS) 56 You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned(GT) by the daughters of Edom[h](GU) and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you. 58 You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord.(GV)
59 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant.(GW) 60 Yet I will remember the covenant(GX) I made with you in the days of your youth,(GY) and I will establish an everlasting covenant(GZ) with you. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed(HA) when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters,(HB) but not on the basis of my covenant with you. 62 So I will establish my covenant(HC) with you, and you will know that I am the Lord.(HD) 63 Then, when I make atonement(HE) for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed(HF) and never again open your mouth(HG) because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.(HH)’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 13:3 Or wicked
- Ezekiel 13:14 Or the city
- Ezekiel 14:14 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature; also in verse 20
- Ezekiel 16:6 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts repeat and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”
- Ezekiel 16:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 16:29 Or Chaldea
- Ezekiel 16:30 Or How feverish is your heart,
- Ezekiel 16:57 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate Aram
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