Ezekiel 24:1 – Ezekiel 26:21
Summary Verses
24:1 God shows Ezekiel the destruction of Jerusalem by the parable of the seething pot. 24:16 The parable of Ezekiel’s wife being dead. 25:2 The word of the Lord against Ammon who rejoiced in the fall of Jerusalem. 25:8 The word of the Lord against Moab, Seir, Idumea and the Philistines. 26:1 God gives Ezekiel a prophecy of the overthrow of Tyre, because they rejoiced at the destruction of Jerusalem. 26:15 The destruction of Tyre will be great and it will astonish the merchants who buy and trade with her.
Ezekiel Chapter 24
24:1 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
24:2 “Son of man, write down the name of the day, this very day-the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem this very day.
24:3 “And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Put on a pot, set it on, And also pour water into it.
24:4 Gather pieces of meat in it, Every good piece, The thigh and the shoulder. Fill it with choice cuts;
24:5 Take the choice of the flock. Also pile fuel bones under it, Make it boil well, And let the cuts simmer in it.”
24:6 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the bloody city, To the pot whose scum is in it, And whose scum is not gone from it Bring it out piece by piece, On which no lot has fallen.
24:7 For her blood is in her midst; She set it on top of a rock; She did not pour it on the ground, To cover it with dust.
24:8 That it may raise up fury and take vengeance, I have set her blood on top of a rock, That it may not be covered.”
24:9 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the bloody city I too will make the pyre great.
24:10 Heap on the wood, Kindle the fire; Cook the meat well, Mix in the spices, And let the cuts be burned up.
24:11 “Then set the pot empty on the coals, That it may become hot and its bronze may burn, That its filthiness may be melted in it, That its scum may be consumed.
24:12 She has grown weary with lies, And her great scum has not gone from her. Let her scum be in the fire
24:13 In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed, You will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore, Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you.
24:14 I, the Lord, have spoken it; It shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not hold back, Nor will I spare, Nor will I relent; According to your ways And according to your deeds They will judge you,” Says the Lord God.'”
24:15 Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
24:16 “Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down.
24:17 “Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.”
24:18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died; and the next morning I did as I was commanded.
24:19 And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things signify to us, that you behave so?”
24:20 Then I answered them, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
24:21 ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, your arrogant boast, the desire of your eyes, the delight of your soul; and your sons and daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword.
24:22 ‘And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips nor eat man’s bread of sorrow.
24:23 ‘Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you shall neither mourn nor weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and mourn with one another.
24:24 ‘Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you; according to all that he has done you shall do; and when this comes, you shall know that I am the Lord God.'”
24:25 ‘And you, son of man-will it not be in the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters:
24:26 ‘on that day one who escapes will come to you to let you hear it with your ears;
24:27 ‘on that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you shall speak and no longer be mute. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.'”
Ezekiel Chapter 25
25:1 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
25:2 “Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them.
25:3 “Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God Thus says the Lord God: “Because you said, ‘Aha’ against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity,
25:4 “indeed, therefore, I will deliver you as a possession to the men of the East, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings among you; they shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk.
25:5 “And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels and Ammon a resting place for flocks. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”
25:6 ‘For thus says the Lord God: “Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced in heart with all your disdain for the land of Israel,
25:7 “indeed, therefore, I will stretch out My hand against you, and give you as plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish from the countries; I will destroy you, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
25:8 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Look The house of Judah is like all the nations,’
25:9 “therefore, behold, I will clear the territory of Moab of cities, of the cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kirjathaim.
25:10 “To the men of the East I will give it as a possession, together with the Ammonites, that the Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations.
25:11 “And I will execute judgments upon Moab, and they shall know that I am the Lord.”
25:12 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because of what Edom did against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended by avenging itself on them,”
25:13 ‘therefore thus says the Lord God: “I will also stretch out My hand against Edom, cut off man and beast from it, and make it desolate from Teman; Dedan shall fall by the sword.
25:14 “I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance,” says the Lord God.
25:15 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because the Philistines dealt vengefully and took vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy because of the old hatred,”
25:16 ‘therefore thus says the Lord God: “I will stretch out My hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant of the seacoast.
25:17 “I will execute great vengeance on them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I lay My vengeance upon them.” ‘”
Ezekiel Chapter 26
26:1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
26:2 “Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, ‘Aha She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples; now she is turned over to me; I shall be filled; she is laid waste.’
26:3 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up.
26:4 ‘And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock.
26:5 ‘It shall be a place for spreading nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,’ says the Lord God; ‘it shall become plunder for the nations.
26:6 ‘Also her daughter villages which are in the fields shall be slain by the sword. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.’
26:7 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, with chariots, and with horsemen, and an army with many people.
26:8 ‘He will slay with the sword your daughter villages in the fields; he will heap up a siege mound against you, build a wall against you, and raise a defense against you.
26:9 ‘He will direct his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers.
26:10 ‘Because of the abundance of his horses, their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen, the wagons, and the chariots, when he enters your gates, as men enter a city that has been breached.
26:11 ‘With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets; he will slay your people by the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground.
26:12 ‘They will plunder your riches and pillage your merchandise; they will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses; they will lay your stones, your timber, and your soil in the midst of the water.
26:13 ‘I will put an end to the sound of your songs, and the sound of your harps shall be heard no more.
26:14 ‘I will make you like the top of a rock; you shall be a place for spreading nets, and you shall never be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken,’ says the Lord God.
26:15 “Thus says the Lord God to Tyre: ‘Will the coastlands not shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded cry, when slaughter is made in the midst of you?
26:16 ‘Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones, lay aside their robes, and take off their embroidered garments; they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble every moment, and be astonished at you.
26:17 ‘And they will take up a lamentation for you, and say to you: “How you have perished, O one inhabited by seafaring men, O renowned city, Who was strong at sea, She and her inhabitants, Who caused their terror to be on all her inhabitants
26:18 Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall; Yes, the coastlands by the sea are troubled at your departure.” ‘
26:19 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘When I make you a desolate city, like cities that are not inhabited, when I bring the deep upon you, and great waters cover you,
26:20 ‘then I will bring you down with those who descend into the Pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell in the lowest part of the earth, in places desolate from antiquity, with those who go down to the Pit, so that you may never be inhabited; and I shall establish glory in the land of the living.
26:21 ‘I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more; though you are sought for, you will never be found again,’ says the Lord God.”
Ezekiel 22:1 – Ezekiel 23:49
Summary Verses
22:1 Jerusalem is reproved by God because of the cruelty of the people. 22:25 God reproves the people and their false prophets for the wickedness and insatiable covetousness. 22:26 God has also reproved the leaders of the people for their wickedness and tyranny. 22:29 God reproves the people for their cruelty toward one another. 23:1 God reproves Samaria (northern kingdom) and Jerusalem (southern kingdom) for their idolatry. God gives both cities the names of Egyptian woman tells the story of their spiritual adultery.
Ezekiel Chapter 22
22:1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
22:2 “Now, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations
22:3 “Then say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “The city sheds blood in her own midst, that her time may come; and she makes idols within herself to defile herself.
22:4 “You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries.
22:5 “Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult.
22:6 “Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you.
22:7 “In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow.
22:8 “You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths.
22:9 “In you are men who slander to cause bloodshed; in you are those who eat on the mountains; in your midst they commit lewdness.
22:10 “In you men uncover their fathers’ nakedness; in you they violate women who are set apart during their impurity.
22:11 “One commits abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; and another in you violates his sister, his father’s daughter.
22:12 “In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord God.
22:13 “Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst.
22:14 “Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and will do it.
22:15 “I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you.
22:16 “You shall defile yourself in the sight of the nations; then you shall know that I am the Lord.” ‘”
22:17 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
22:18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver.
22:19 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
22:20 ‘As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you.
22:21 ‘Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst.
22:22 ‘As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.'”
22:23 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
22:24 “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’
22:25 “The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.
22:26 “Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
22:27 “Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain.
22:28 “Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken.
22:29 “The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger.
22:30 “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
22:31 “Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.
Ezekiel Chapter 23
23:1 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying:
23:2 “Son of man, there were two women, The daughters of one mother.
23:3 They committed harlotry in Egypt, They committed harlotry in their youth; Their breasts were there embraced, Their virgin bosom was there pressed.
23:4 Their names: Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister; They were Mine, And they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.
23:5 “Oholah played the harlot even though she was Mine; And she lusted for her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians,
23:6 Who were clothed in purple, Captains and rulers, All of them desirable young men, Horsemen riding on horses.
23:7 Thus she committed her harlotry with them, All of them choice men of Assyria; And with all for whom she lusted, With all their idols, she defiled herself.
23:8 She has never given up her harlotry brought from Egypt, For in her youth they had lain with her, Pressed her virgin bosom, And poured out their immorality upon her.
23:9 “Therefore I have delivered her Into the hand of her lovers, Into the hand of the Assyrians, For whom she lusted.
23:10 They uncovered her nakedness, Took away her sons and daughters, And slew her with the sword; She became a byword among women, For they had executed judgment on her.
23:11 “Now although her sister Oholibah saw this, she became more corrupt in her lust than she, and in her harlotry more corrupt than her sister’s harlotry.
23:12 “She lusted for the neighboring Assyrians, Captains and rulers, Clothed most gorgeously, Horsemen riding on horses, All of them desirable young men.
23:13 Then I saw that she was defiled; Both took the same way.
23:14 But she increased her harlotry; She looked at men portrayed on the wall, Images of Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion,
23:15 Girded with belts around their waists, Flowing turbans on their heads, All of them looking like captains, In the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, The land of their nativity.
23:16 As soon as her eyes saw them, She lusted for them And sent messengers to them in Chaldea.
23:17 “Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love, And they defiled her with their immorality; So she was defiled by them, and alienated herself from them.
23:18 She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness. Then I alienated Myself from her, As I had alienated Myself from her sister.
23:19 “Yet she multiplied her harlotry In calling to remembrance the days of her youth, When she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
23:20 For she lusted for her paramours, Whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys, And whose issue is like the issue of horses.
23:21 Thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth, When the Egyptians pressed your bosom Because of your youthful breasts.
23:22 “Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I will stir up your lovers against you, From whom you have alienated yourself, And I will bring them against you from every side:
23:23 The Babylonians, All the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, Koa, All the Assyrians with them, All of them desirable young men, Governors and rulers, Captains and men of renown, All of them riding on horses.
23:24 And they shall come against you With chariots, wagons, and war-horses, With a horde of people. They shall array against you Buckler, shield, and helmet all around.’I will delegate judgment to them, And they shall judge you according to their judgments.
23:25 I will set My jealousy against you, And they shall deal furiously with you; They shall remove your nose and your ears, And your remnant shall fall by the sword; They shall take your sons and your daughters, And your remnant shall be devoured by fire.
23:26 They shall also strip you of your clothes And take away your beautiful jewelry.
23:27 ‘Thus I will make you cease your lewdness and your harlotry Brought from the land of Egypt, So that you will not lift your eyes to them, Nor remember Egypt anymore.’
23:28 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will deliver you into the hand of those you hate, into the hand of those from whom you alienated yourself.
23:29 ‘They will deal hatefully with you, take away all you have worked for, and leave you naked and bare. The nakedness of your harlotry shall be uncovered, both your lewdness and your harlotry.
23:30 ‘I will do these things to you because you have gone as a harlot after the Gentiles, because you have become defiled by their idols.
23:31 ‘You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will put her cup in your hand.’
23:32 “Thus says the Lord God: ‘You shall drink of your sister’s cup, The deep and wide one; You shall be laughed to scorn And held in derision; It contains much.
23:33 You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, The cup of horror and desolation, The cup of your sister Samaria.
23:34 You shall drink and drain it, You shall break its shards, And tear at your own breasts; For I have spoken,’ Says the Lord God.
23:35 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, Therefore you shall bear the penalty Of your lewdness and your harlotry.'”
23:36 The Lord also said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.
23:37 “For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire, to devour them.
23:38 “Moreover they have done this to Me: They have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and profaned My Sabbaths.
23:39 “For after they had slain their children for their idols, on the same day they came into My sanctuary to profane it; and indeed thus they have done in the midst of My house.
23:40 “Furthermore you sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and there they came. And you washed yourself for them, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments.
23:41 “You sat on a stately couch, with a table prepared before it, on which you had set My incense and My oil.
23:42 “The sound of a carefree multitude was with her, and Sabeans were brought from the wilderness with men of the common sort, who put bracelets on their wrists and beautiful crowns on their heads.
23:43 “Then I said concerning her who had grown old in adulteries, ‘Will they commit harlotry with her now, and she with them?’
23:44 “Yet they went in to her, as men go in to a woman who plays the harlot; thus they went in to Oholah and Oholibah, the lewd women.
23:45 “But righteous men will judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.
23:46 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘Bring up an assembly against them, give them up to trouble and plunder.
23:47 ‘The assembly shall stone them with stones and execute them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn their houses with fire.
23:48 ‘Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land, that all women may be taught not to practice your lewdness.
23:49 ‘They shall repay you for your lewdness, and you shall pay for your idolatrous sins. Then you shall know that I am the Lord God.'”
Ezekiel 20:1 – Ezekiel 21:32
Summary Verses
20:3 Because of their wickedness the Lord will no longer hear their prayers. 20:33 The Lord promises that when their captivity is finished He will return them to the land. 20:46 Like a destroying fire the Lord will bring disaster to Jerusalem as a judgment for the people’s sins against the Lord. 21:3 The Lord will also bring the sword against Jerusalem as judgment. 21:25 The Lord showed Ezekiel the fall of king Zedekiah. 21:29 The Lord commanded Ezekiel to prophesize regarding the destruction of Ammon. 21:30 The Lord shall also bring judgment against Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon.
Ezekiel Chapter 20
20:1 It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me.
20:2 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
20:3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ‘
20:4 “Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers.
20:5 “Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God.’
20:6 “On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands.
20:7 “Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’
20:8 “But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, ‘I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’
20:9 “But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
20:10 “Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.
20:11 “And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’
20:12 “Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
20:13 “Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.
20:14 “But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out.
20:15 “So I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands,
20:16 “because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
20:17 “Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.
20:18 “But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
20:19 ‘I am the Lord your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them;
20:20 ‘hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’
20:21 “Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness.
20:22 “Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out.
20:23 “Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries,
20:24 “because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.
20:25 “Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live;
20:26 “and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate and that they might know that I am the Lord.” ‘
20:27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me.
20:28 “When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings.
20:29 “Then I said to them, ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.” ‘
20:30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations?
20:31 “For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.
20:32 “What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’
20:33 “As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you.
20:34 “I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.
20:35 “And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face.
20:36 “Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,” says the Lord God.
20:37 “I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;
20:38 “I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
20:39 “As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the Lord God: “Go, serve every one of you his idols-and hereafter-if you will not obey me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols.
20:40 “For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel,” says the Lord God, “there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things.
20:41 “I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles.
20:42 “Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers.
20:43 “And there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed.
20:44 “Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel,” says the Lord God.'”
20:45 Furthermore the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
20:46 “Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South,
20:47 “and say to the forest of the South, ‘Hear the word of the Lord Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it.
20:48 “All flesh shall see that I, the Lord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” ‘”
20:49 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God They say of me, ‘Does he not speak parables?'”
Ezekiel Chapter 21
21:1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
21:2 “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, preach against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel;
21:3 “and say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off both righteous and wicked from you.
21:4 “Because I will cut off both righteous and wicked from you, therefore My sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north,
21:5 “that all flesh may know that I, the Lord, have drawn My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return anymore.” ‘
21:6 “Sigh therefore, son of man, with a breaking heart, and sigh with bitterness before their eyes.
21:7 “And it shall be when they say to you, ‘Why are you sighing?’ that you shall answer, ‘Because of the news; when it comes, every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall be brought to pass,’ says the Lord God.”
21:8 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
21:9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord’ Say: ‘A sword, a sword is sharpened And also polished
21:10 Sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning Should we then make mirth? It despises the scepter of My Son, As it does all wood.
21:11 And He has given it to be polished, That it may be handled; This sword is sharpened, and it is polished To be given into the hand of the slayer.’
21:12 “Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh.
21:13 “Because it is a testing, And what if the sword despises even the scepter? The scepter shall be no more,” says the Lord God.
21:14 “You therefore, son of man, prophesy, And strike your hands together. The third time let the sword do double damage. It is the sword that slays, The sword that slays the great men, That enters their private chambers.
21:15 I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, That the heart may melt and many may stumble. Ah It is made bright; It is grasped for slaughter:
21:16 “Swords at the ready Thrust right Set your blade Thrust left-Wherever your edge is ordered
21:17 “I also will beat My fists together, And I will cause My fury to rest; I, the Lord, have spoken.”
21:18 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying:
21:19 “And son of man, appoint for yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to go; both of them shall go from the same land. Make a sign; put it at the head of the road to the city.
21:20 “Appoint a road for the sword to go to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and to Judah, into fortified Jerusalem.
21:21 “For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver.
21:22 “In his right hand is the divination for Jerusalem: to set up battering rams, to call for a slaughter, to lift the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to heap up a siege mound, and to build a wall.
21:23 “And it will be to them like a false divination in the eyes of those who have sworn oaths with them; but he will bring their iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.
21:24 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear-because you have come to remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.
21:25 ‘Now to you, O profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose iniquity shall end,
21:26 ‘thus says the Lord God: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown; Nothing shall remain the same. Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted.
21:27 Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him.” ‘
21:28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach,’ and say: ‘A sword, a sword is drawn, Polished for slaughter, For consuming, for flashing
21:29 While they see false visions for you, While they divine a lie to you, To bring you on the necks of the wicked, the slain Whose day has come, Whose iniquity shall end.
21:30 ‘Return it to its sheath. I will judge you In the place where you were created, In the land of your nativity.
21:31 I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow against you with the fire of My wrath, And deliver you into the hands of brutal men who are skillful to destroy.
21:32 You shall be fuel for the fire; Your blood shall be in the midst of the land. You shall not be remembered, For I the Lord have spoken.'”
