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Ezekiel 21-24
Complete Jewish Bible
Ezekiel 21-24
Complete Jewish Bible
21 (20:45) The word of Adonai came to me: 2 (20:46) “Human being, turn your face southward, preach to the south and prophesy to the scrublands of the Negev; 3 (20:47) say to the Negev forest: ‘Hear the word of Adonai. Adonai Elohim says, “I will light a fire in you; it will devour every tree in you, green and dry alike; a blazing, unquenchable flame that will scorch every face from the Negev to the north. 4 (20:48) All humanity will see that I, Adonai, lit it; it will not be put out.”’” 5 (20:49) I said, “Oh, Adonai Elohim! They complain that I speak only in parables.”
6 (1) Then the word of Adonai came to me: 7 (2) “Human being, turn your face toward Yerushalayim, preach to the sanctuaries and prophesy to the land of Isra’el; 8 (3) tell the land of Isra’el that Adonai Elohim says, ‘I am against you. I will draw my sword from its scabbard and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. 9 (4) Since I am going to rid you of both righteous and evildoers, my sword will also go out of its scabbard against everyone, from the Negev to the north. 10 (5) Everyone alive will know that I, Adonai, drew my sword from its scabbard; it will not be sheathed again.’
11 (6) “Therefore, human being, groan! Groan bitterly, as if your heart would break, as they watch. 12 (7) Then, when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you will answer, ‘Because of the news, because it’s coming. All hearts will melt, all hands hang limp, all spirits faint and all knees turn to water; here, it’s coming, it will happen,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
13 (8) The word of Adonai came to me: 14 (9) “Human being, prophesy. Say that Adonai Elohim says to say this:
‘A sword, a sword has been sharpened and polished,
15 (10) sharpened in order to slaughter and slaughter,
polished to flash like lightning.
But how can we rejoice?
My son rejects the rod
and every other stick.
16 (11) The sword was given to be polished,
so that it could be wielded;
it was sharpened and polished
to be placed in the slaughterer’s hand.’
17 (12) “Shout and wail, human being, because it’s coming upon my people, upon all the leaders of Isra’el — they will be victims of the sword along with my people. Strike your thigh in remorse! 18 (13) For a test is coming, and what if he rejects the rod again then? He will cease to exist,” says Adonai Elohim.
19 (14) “Therefore, human being, prophesy and clap your hands together. Then the sword will strike twice, three times, the sword for victims, the sword for a great slaughter, coming from every direction. 20 (15) So that their hearts will melt, and many will stumble and fall, I have posted the point of the sword at every one of their gates. See how it flashes, sharpened for the kill!
21 (16) “Sword!
Slash to the right; destroy to the left,
whichever way your edge is aimed!
22 (17) I too will clap my hands together
and satisfy my fury.
I, Adonai, have spoken.”
23 (18) The word of Adonai came to me: 24 (19) “Now, human being, designate two roads for the sword of the king of Bavel to follow, both coming out of one country. Put up a signpost at the start of the road leading to the city. 25 (20) Make a road, so that the sword can come to Rabbah of the people of ‘Amon and to Y’hudah in fortified Yerushalayim. 26 (21) For the king of Bavel is standing at the fork in the road, where the two roads separate, about to use divination — he is shaking the arrows, consulting the household gods, examining the liver. 27 (22) Into his right hand comes the lot for Yerushalayim, to set up battering rams, give the order for slaughter, raise a shout, set battering rams against the gates, build siege ramps and erect watchtowers. 28 (23) The inhabitants will believe this is a false divination because of the oaths upon oaths [that their false prophets have sworn to the contrary]. But it will cause [God] to remember their guilt and thus insure their capture.
29 (24) “Therefore this is what Adonai Elohim says: ‘Because you have caused your guilt to be remembered, with your misdeeds revealed and the sins in all your actions evident — since you have been remembered, you will be captured.’ 30 (25) As for you, you wicked prince of Isra’el, due to be killed, whose day has come, at the time of final punishment, 31 (26) here is what Adonai Elohim says:
‘Remove the turban, take off the crown!
Everything is being changed.
What was low will be raised up,
and what was high will be brought down.
32 (27) Ruin! Ruin!
I will leave it a ruin
such as there has never been,
and it will stay that way
until the rightful ruler comes,
and I give it to him.’
33 (28) “You, human being, prophesy! Say that Adonai Elohim says this about the people of ‘Amon and their insults:
‘A sword, a sword, is drawn for slaughter,
polished to the utmost, to flash like lightning —
34 (29) while [your prophets] produce false visions for you,
while they divine lies for you —
to lay you out upon the necks
of the wicked who are to be killed,
whose day has come,
at the time of final punishment.
35 (30) Cause it to return to its scabbard!
I will judge you in the place
where you were created,
in the land of your origin.
36 (31) I will pour my fury out on you,
breathe on you with the fire of my rage,
and hand you over to barbarous men
highly skilled in destruction.
37 (32) You will be fuel for the fire,
your blood will flow through the land,
you will be remembered no more;
for I, Adonai, have spoken.’”
22 The word of Adonai came to me: 2 “Now, human being, are you prepared to judge? Are you prepared to judge the city drenched in blood? Then make her realize how disgusting all her practices are! 3 Say that Adonai Elohim says, ‘City that sheds blood within yourself, thus speeding your own doom, and that makes idols for yourself that defile you: 4 you are guilty because of the blood you have shed, you are defiled by your idols that you have made. You have shortened your days, you have completed your years; therefore I have made you an object of scorn for the nations and a laughingstock for every country. 5 Those close by and those far off will taunt you, you who have such a defiled reputation and such great disorder.
6 “‘The leaders of Isra’el in you all use their power in order to shed blood. 7 In you, they make light of fathers and mothers, they oppress foreigners, they wrong orphans and widows. 8 You treat my holy things with contempt, you profane my shabbats. 9 In you, people gossip to the point of inciting bloodshed; in you are those who go to eat on the mountains; in you, they commit lewd acts; 10 in you, they commit incest; in you, they force themselves on women during their menstrual impurity. 11 In you, one commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another commits some lewd act defiling his daughter-in-law; still another humbles his sister, his own father’s daughter. 12 In you, people take bribes to shed blood; you demand and accept interest on loans; in greed you make profits off your neighbors by extorting them; and you have forgotten me,’ says Adonai Elohim.
13 “‘Therefore, I am clapping my hands together because of your ill-gotten gains and the blood shed in you. 14 Can your courage last, can your strength continue during the days when I deal with you? I, Adonai, have spoken it; and I will do it. 15 I will scatter you among the Goyim and disperse you throughout the countries; thus I will remove your defilement from you, 16 and you will cause yourselves to be profaned in full view of the Goyim. Then you will know that I am Adonai.’”
17 The word of Adonai came to me: 18 “Human being, the house of Isra’el has become an alloy of base metals for me; they are all copper, tin, iron and lead mixed together in the crucible, the dross left over from the silver. 19 Therefore Adonai Elohim says this: ‘Because you have all become dross, I will collect all of you inside Yerushalayim. 20 Then, just as they collect silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a crucible and blow fire on it to melt it down; so likewise I will collect you in my anger and fury, throw you in there, and melt you down. 21 Yes, I will collect you and blow on you with the fire of my rage, and you will be melted down in it. 22 As silver is melted down in a crucible, so will you be melted down in [Yerushalayim]. Then you will know that it is I, Adonai, who have poured out my fury on you.’”
23 The word of Adonai came to me: 24 “Human being, tell her this: ‘You are a land that is neither cleansed nor rained on in the day of fury. 25 There is a conspiracy of prophets in it like a roaring lion tearing up the prey; they have devoured people, seized wealth and valuables, and widowed many in it. 26 Her cohanim have done violence to my Torah, profaned my holy things, made no difference between the holy and the common, not distinguished between unclean and clean, hidden their eyes from my shabbats, and profaned me among themselves. 27 Her leaders in it are like wolves tearing up the prey to shed blood and destroy people, in order to benefit unjustly. 28 Her prophets have “plastered” for them with whitewash, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, “Thus says Adonai Elohim,” when Adonai has not spoken. 29 The people of the land have extorted, robbed, wronged the poor and needy and unjustly oppressed foreigners.
30 “‘I sought for a man among them who could build a barricade or stand in the break to oppose me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. 31 Therefore I am pouring out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my rage, bringing their own ways on their own heads,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
23 The word of Adonai came to me: 2 “Human being! There were two women, daughters of the same mother, 3 who were whores in Egypt — even as young girls they were whores. There they let their breasts be caressed, and there their virgin nipples were fondled. 4 Their names were Oholah, the older one, and Oholivah, her sister. They belonged to me, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their names, Shomron is Oholah, and Yerushalayim is Oholivah.
5 “Even when she belonged to me, Oholah prostituted herself; she lusted after her lovers from Ashur — warriors 6 dressed in blue, governors, rulers, all of them good-looking young men riding on horseback. 7 She gave herself as a whore to them, all of them the elite of Ashur; and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after. 8 She did not give up the whoring she had begun in Egypt, where men had sex with her, fondled her virgin nipples and flooded her with their fornication.
9 “So I handed her over to her lovers, the men of Ashur she lusted after. 10 They exposed her private parts, took her sons and daughters, and put her to death with the sword; so that she became notorious among women for the judgments executed against her.
11 “Her sister Oholivah saw this; nevertheless she was worse than her sister in lusting and likewise in whoring. 12 She lusted after the men from Ashur, governors and rulers, warriors dressed to perfection, skilled horsemen, all of them good-looking young men. 13 I saw that she had defiled herself; both sisters had gone down the same path. 14 She prostituted herself more than ever; because she saw wall-carvings of men, depicting the Kasdim in vermilion, 15 with sashes wrapped around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like military men, the very image of men of Bavel born in the land of the Kasdim. 16 The moment she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in the land of the Kasdim; 17 and the men of Bavel climbed into her “love bed” and defiled her with their lust. She was defiled by them, and then filled with revulsion at them. 18 Thus did she reveal her fornication and expose her private parts. When this happened, I was filled with revulsion at her, just as I had been filled with revulsion at her sister. 19 Still she kept increasing her whoring, remembering the days when she was young, fornicating in the land of Egypt. 20 Yes, she lusted after their male prostitutes, whose members are like those of donkeys and who ejaculate like stallions. 21 You yearned for the lewdness of your girlhood, when the Egyptians used to fondle your nipples and caress your young breasts.
22 “Therefore, Oholivah, here is what Adonai Elohim says: ‘I will raise up your lovers against you, the ones who fill you with revulsion, and bring them against you from every side — 23 the men of Bavel and all the Kasdim, P’kod, Shoa and Koa, and with them all the men of Ashur, good-looking young men, all of them governors and rulers, commanders and officers, all on horseback. 24 They will advance on you armed with chariots, wagons and with an army drawn from many peoples; they will array themselves against you from every side with breastplates, shields and helmets. I will give them the authority to judge, and they will judge you as they see fit. 25 I will direct my jealousy against you, so that they will deal with you in fury — they will cut off your nose and ears, and what is left of you will die by the sword; they will seize your sons and daughters, and those who remain of you will be consumed by the fire. 26 They will strip you of your clothes and seize your fine jewels. 27 Thus I will put an end to your lewdness and your fornication brought from the land of Egypt, so that you will no longer raise your eyes toward them or remember Egypt any more.’ 28 For this is what Adonai Elohim says: ‘I am about to hand you over to those you hate, to those who fill you with revulsion; 29 and they will deal with you in hatred, seize everything you have worked for, and leave you naked and exposed — the full shame of your whoring will be exposed, your lewdness and your fornicating. 30 These things will be done to you because you have gone fornicating with the Goyim, and because you are defiled with their idols. 31 You walked down your sister’s path, so I will put her cup in your hand.’ 32 Adonai Elohim says:
‘You will drink from your sister’s cup,
a cup both deep and wide,
full right up to the brim
with scorn and derision,
33 filling you with drunkenness and sorrow,
a cup of horror and devastation —
the cup of your sister Shomron.
34 You will drink it, you will drain it,
and then you will gnaw it to shreds
and tear out your own breasts!
For I have spoken it’
says Adonai Elohim.
35 “Therefore this is what Adonai Elohim says: ‘Because you forgot me and flung me behind your back, you will bear the guilt of your lewdness and whoring.’”
36 Then Adonai said to me, “Human being, are you ready to judge Oholah and Oholivah? Then confront them with their disgusting practices. 37 For they committed adultery, and their hands are dripping with blood. They committed adultery with their idols; and they offered their sons, whom they bore to me, for these idols to eat. 38 Moreover, they have done this to me as well: they defiled my sanctuary on the same day, and they profaned my shabbats. 39 For after killing their children for their idols, they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; this they did in my house.
40 “Worse still, you sent a messenger summoning men to come from a distance; and they came. For them you washed yourself, painted your eyes, decked yourself with your finery, 41 and sat on a sumptuous bed, with a table arranged before it, on which you put my incense and my olive oil. 42 The noise of a carefree crowd could be heard there; many of the men were brought in drunk from the desert. They put bracelets on their hands and magnificent crowns on their heads. 43 I thought, ‘That woman! She’s worn out from all her adulteries, but they still go to fornicate with her!’ 44 For every one went in to her; just as men go in to a prostitute, so they went in to Oholah and Oholivah, those debauched women. 45 Nevertheless, there are righteous men who will judge them as adulterers and murderers are supposed to be judged; because they are adulterers, and blood is dripping from their hands. 46 For here is what Adonai Elohim says:
‘Summon an assembly to punish them;
give them over to terror and plunder.
47 Let the assembly stone them to death,
dispatch them with their swords,
kill their sons and daughters
and burn their houses to the ground.
48 “‘Thus I will put an end to lewdness in the land, so that all women may be taught not to imitate your lewdness. 49 You will receive the punishment your lewdness deserves, and you will pay the penalty for your idolatries. Then you will know that I am Adonai Elohim.’”
24 The word of Adonai came to me on the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year: 2 “Human being, write down today’s date; because on this very day the king of Bavel has begun his attack on Yerushalayim. 3 And tell this allegory to these rebels; say that Adonai Elohim says:
‘Put a pot on the fire;
put it there, pour water in it;
4 Put in it pieces of meat,
all the best parts — the thigh, the shoulder;
fill it with the choicest cuts,
5 taken from the pick of the flock,
and pile the bones underneath.
Bring it to a rolling boil,
till it’s all cooked, even the bones.’
6 “Therefore Adonai Elohim says:
‘Woe to the city drenched with blood,
to the pot whose scum is in it,
and whose scum has not been removed.
Empty it piece by piece,
without troubling to draw lots.
7 For her blood is still in her;
she poured it on bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
to cover it with dust.
8 So in order to rouse my fury
and excite my vengeance,
I have fixed her blood there on the bare rock,
where it will not be covered.’
9 “Therefore Adonai Elohim says this:
‘Woe to the city drenched with blood!
I myself will make a huge bonfire,
10 heap on the wood, light it,
cook the meat and add the spices —
the bones can just be burned.
11 Put the empty pot on the coals,
heat it till its copper bottom glows,
till its impurity melts inside it,
and its scum is burned away.
12 But the effort is in vain:
its layers of scum will not leave it;
so into the fire with its scum!
13 Because of your filthy lewdness,
because you refused to be purified
when I wanted to purify you;
now you will not be purified from your filth
until I have satisfied my fury on you.
14 “‘I, Adonai, have spoken it, and it will happen. I will do it, I will not turn back, I will not refrain or spare or relent. They will judge you as your ways and deeds deserve,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
15 The word of Adonai came to me: 16 “Human being, with a single blow I am about to deprive you of the delight of your eyes. But you are not to lament, weep or let your tears run down. 17 Sigh silently, don’t observe mourning for the dead, bind your turban on your head, put your sandals on your feet, don’t cover your upper lip, and don’t eat the food people prepare for mourners.” 18 I spoke to the people in the morning, and that evening my wife died. So I did the following morning as I had been ordered. 19 The people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these actions of yours mean for us?” 20 I answered them, “The word of Adonai came to me, telling me 21 to speak to the house of Isra’el and say that this is what Adonai Elohim says: ‘I am about to profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes and your heart’s desire. Your sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword. 22 But you are to do as I have done — not cover your upper lips, not eat the food people prepare for mourners, 23 put your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet, and neither observe mourning nor cry. Rather, because of your crimes you will pine away and groan to one another. 24 Thus Yechezk’el will be a sign for you; you will do just what he has done; and when this happens, you will know that I am Adonai Elohim.’
25 “As for you, human being, on the day when I take away from them their stronghold, their crowning joy, the delight of their eyes, their heart’s desire, their sons and daughters — 26 on that day a fugitive will come and bring you the news; 27 and on that day your mouth will be opened for you to speak to the survivor and no longer be silent. In this way you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am Adonai.”
Ezekiel 21-24
New International Version
Ezekiel 21-24
New International Version
Babylon as God’s Sword of Judgment
21 [a]The word of the Lord came to me:(A) 2 “Son of man, set your face against(B) Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary.(C) Prophesy against(D) the land of Israel 3 and say to her: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you.(E) I will draw my sword(F) from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.(G) 4 Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword(H) will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.(I) 5 Then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn my sword(J) from its sheath; it will not return(K) again.’(L)
6 “Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief.(M) 7 And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?(N)’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear(O) and every hand go limp;(P) every spirit will become faint(Q) and every leg will be wet with urine.’(R) It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
8 The word of the Lord came to me: 9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘A sword, a sword,
sharpened and polished—
10 sharpened for the slaughter,(S)
polished to flash like lightning!
“‘Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick.(T)
11 “‘The sword is appointed to be polished,(U)
to be grasped with the hand;
it is sharpened and polished,
made ready for the hand of the slayer.
12 Cry out and wail, son of man,
for it is against my people;
it is against all the princes of Israel.
They are thrown to the sword
along with my people.
Therefore beat your breast.(V)
13 “‘Testing will surely come. And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue? declares the Sovereign Lord.’
14 “So then, son of man, prophesy
and strike your hands(W) together.
Let the sword strike twice,
even three times.
It is a sword for slaughter—
a sword for great slaughter,
closing in on them from every side.(X)
15 So that hearts may melt with fear(Y)
and the fallen be many,
I have stationed the sword for slaughter[b]
at all their gates.
Look! It is forged to strike like lightning,
it is grasped for slaughter.(Z)
16 Slash to the right, you sword,
then to the left,
wherever your blade is turned.
17 I too will strike my hands(AA) together,
and my wrath(AB) will subside.
I the Lord have spoken.(AC)”
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 19 “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword(AD) of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost(AE) where the road branches off to the city. 20 Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites(AF) and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. 21 For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots(AG) with arrows, he will consult his idols,(AH) he will examine the liver.(AI) 22 Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry,(AJ) to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp(AK) and to erect siege works.(AL) 23 It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind(AM) them of their guilt(AN) and take them captive.
24 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.
25 “‘You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come,(AO) whose time of punishment has reached its climax,(AP) 26 this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown.(AQ) It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.(AR) 27 A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come;(AS) to him I will give it.’(AT)
28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites(AU) and their insults:
“‘A sword,(AV) a sword,
drawn for the slaughter,
polished to consume
and to flash like lightning!
29 Despite false visions concerning you
and lying divinations(AW) about you,
it will be laid on the necks
of the wicked who are to be slain,
whose day has come,
whose time of punishment has reached its climax.(AX)
30 “‘Let the sword return to its sheath.(AY)
In the place where you were created,
in the land of your ancestry,(AZ)
I will judge you.
31 I will pour out my wrath on you
and breathe(BA) out my fiery anger(BB) against you;
I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men,
men skilled in destruction.(BC)
32 You will be fuel for the fire,(BD)
your blood will be shed in your land,
you will be remembered(BE) no more;
for I the Lord have spoken.’”
Judgment on Jerusalem’s Sins
22 The word of the Lord came to me:
2 “Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed?(BF) Then confront her with all her detestable practices(BG) 3 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood(BH) in her midst and defiles herself by making idols, 4 you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed(BI) and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come.(BJ) Therefore I will make you an object of scorn(BK) to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries.(BL) 5 Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, you infamous city, full of turmoil.(BM)
6 “‘See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.(BN) 7 In you they have treated father and mother with contempt;(BO) in you they have oppressed the foreigner(BP) and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.(BQ) 8 You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.(BR) 9 In you are slanderers(BS) who are bent on shedding blood;(BT) in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines(BU) and commit lewd acts.(BV) 10 In you are those who dishonor their father’s bed;(BW) in you are those who violate women during their period,(BX) when they are ceremonially unclean.(BY) 11 In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife,(BZ) another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law,(CA) and another violates his sister,(CB) his own father’s daughter.(CC) 12 In you are people who accept bribes(CD) to shed blood; you take interest(CE) and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors.(CF) And you have forgotten(CG) me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CH)
13 “‘I will surely strike my hands(CI) together at the unjust gain(CJ) you have made and at the blood(CK) you have shed in your midst.(CL) 14 Will your courage endure(CM) or your hands(CN) be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken,(CO) and I will do it.(CP) 15 I will disperse you among the nations and scatter(CQ) you through the countries; and I will put an end to(CR) your uncleanness.(CS) 16 When you have been defiled[c] in the eyes of the nations, you will know that I am the Lord.’”
17 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross(CT) to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace.(CU) They are but the dross of silver.(CV) 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross,(CW) I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20 As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.(CX) 21 I will gather you and I will blow(CY) on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her.(CZ) 22 As silver is melted(DA) in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath(DB) on you.’”(DC)
23 Again the word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has not been cleansed or rained on in the day of wrath.’(DD) 25 There is a conspiracy(DE) of her princes[d] within her like a roaring lion(DF) tearing its prey; they devour people,(DG) take treasures and precious things and make many widows(DH) within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law(DI) and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common;(DJ) they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean;(DK) and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned(DL) among them.(DM) 27 Her officials(DN) within her are like wolves(DO) tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people(DP) to make unjust gain.(DQ) 28 Her prophets whitewash(DR) these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations.(DS) They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.(DT) 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery;(DU) they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner,(DV) denying them justice.(DW)
30 “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall(DX) and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.(DY) 31 So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger,(DZ) bringing down(EA) on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.(EB)”
Two Adulterous Sisters
23 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.(EC) 3 They became prostitutes in Egypt,(ED) engaging in prostitution(EE) from their youth.(EF) In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed.(EG) 4 The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.(EH)
5 “Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians(EI)—warriors(EJ) 6 clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. 7 She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.(EK) 8 She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt,(EL) when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.(EM)
9 “Therefore I delivered her into the hands(EN) of her lovers,(EO) the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.(EP) 10 They stripped(EQ) her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women,(ER) and punishment was inflicted(ES) on her.(ET)
11 “Her sister Oholibah saw this,(EU) yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.(EV) 12 She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men.(EW) 13 I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.(EX)
14 “But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall,(EY) figures of Chaldeans[e] portrayed in red,(EZ) 15 with belts(FA) around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea.[f] 16 As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers(FB) to them in Chaldea.(FC) 17 Then the Babylonians(FD) came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust.(FE) 18 When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body,(FF) I turned away(FG) from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.(FH) 19 Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. 21 So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.[g](FI)
22 “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers(FJ) against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side(FK)— 23 the Babylonians(FL) and all the Chaldeans,(FM) the men of Pekod(FN) and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses.(FO) 24 They will come against you with weapons,[h] chariots and wagons(FP) and with a throng of people; they will take up positions against you on every side with large and small shields and with helmets. I will turn you over to them for punishment,(FQ) and they will punish you according to their standards. 25 I will direct my jealous anger(FR) against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and daughters,(FS) and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire.(FT) 26 They will also strip(FU) you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry.(FV) 27 So I will put a stop(FW) to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore.
28 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to deliver you into the hands(FX) of those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust. 29 They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you stark naked,(FY) and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed.(FZ) Your lewdness(GA) and promiscuity(GB) 30 have brought this on you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.(GC) 31 You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup(GD) into your hand.(GE)
32 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“You will drink your sister’s cup,
a cup large and deep;
it will bring scorn and derision,(GF)
for it holds so much.(GG)
33 You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
the cup of ruin and desolation,
the cup of your sister Samaria.(GH)
34 You will drink it(GI) and drain it dry
and chew on its pieces—
and you will tear your breasts.
I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.(GJ)
35 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten(GK) me and turned your back on me,(GL) you must bear(GM) the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution.”
36 The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront(GN) them with their detestable practices,(GO) 37 for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.(GP) 38 They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary(GQ) and desecrated my Sabbaths.(GR) 39 On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated(GS) it. That is what they did in my house.(GT)
40 “They even sent messengers for men who came from far away,(GU) and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup(GV) and put on your jewelry.(GW) 41 You sat on an elegant couch,(GX) with a table(GY) spread before it on which you had placed the incense(GZ) and olive oil that belonged to me.(HA)
42 “The noise of a carefree(HB) crowd was around her; drunkards(HC) were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets(HD) on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads.(HE) 43 Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute,(HF) for that is all she is.’ 44 And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah. 45 But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood,(HG) because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.(HH)
46 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob(HI) against them and give them over to terror and plunder.(HJ) 47 The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters(HK) and burn(HL) down their houses.(HM)
48 “So I will put an end(HN) to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.(HO) 49 You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry.(HP) Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(HQ)”
Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot
24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the Lord came to me:(HR) 2 “Son of man, record(HS) this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.(HT) 3 Tell this rebellious people(HU) a parable(HV) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Put on the cooking pot;(HW) put it on
and pour water into it.
4 Put into it the pieces of meat,
all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;(HX)
5 take the pick of the flock.(HY)
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
bring it to a boil
and cook the bones in it.(HZ)
6 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Woe(IA) to the city of bloodshed,(IB)
to the pot now encrusted,
whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
in whatever order(IC) it comes.(ID)
7 “‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
where the dust would cover it.(IE)
8 To stir up wrath and take revenge
I put her blood on the bare rock,
so that it would not be covered.
9 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
I, too, will pile the wood high.
10 So heap on the wood
and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
mixing in the spices;
and let the bones be charred.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals
till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
and its deposit burned away.(IF)
12 It has frustrated all efforts;
its heavy deposit has not been removed,
not even by fire.
13 “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed(IG) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.(IH)
14 “‘I the Lord have spoken.(II) The time has come for me to act.(IJ) I will not hold back; I will not have pity,(IK) nor will I relent.(IL) You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,(IM) declares the Sovereign Lord.(IN)’”
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, with one blow(IO) I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.(IP) Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.(IQ) 17 Groan quietly;(IR) do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban(IS) fastened and your sandals(IT) on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard(IU) or eat the customary food of mourners.(IV)”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.(IW)
19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?(IX) Why are you acting like this?”
20 So I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: 21 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary(IY)—the stronghold in which you take pride,(IZ) the delight of your eyes,(JA) the object of your affection. The sons and daughters(JB) you left behind will fall by the sword.(JC) 22 And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard(JD) or eat the customary food of mourners.(JE) 23 You will keep your turbans(JF) on your heads and your sandals(JG) on your feet. You will not mourn(JH) or weep but will waste away(JI) because of[i] your sins and groan among yourselves.(JJ) 24 Ezekiel(JK) will be a sign(JL) to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’
25 “And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes,(JM) their heart’s desire,(JN) and their sons and daughters(JO) as well— 26 on that day a fugitive will come to tell you(JP) the news. 27 At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.(JQ) So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.(JR)”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-32 is numbered 21:6-37.
- Ezekiel 21:15 Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 22:16 Or When I have allotted you your inheritance
- Ezekiel 22:25 Septuagint; Hebrew prophets
- Ezekiel 23:14 Or Babylonians
- Ezekiel 23:15 Or Babylonia; also in verse 16
- Ezekiel 23:21 Syriac (see also verse 3); Hebrew caressed because of your young breasts
- Ezekiel 23:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 24:23 Or away in
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