Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision

In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles(A) by the Kebar River,(B) the heavens were opened(C) and I saw visions(D) of God.

On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin(E) the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel(F) the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.[a] There the hand of the Lord was on him.(G)

I looked, and I saw a windstorm(H) coming out of the north(I)—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,(J) and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures.(K) In appearance their form was human,(L) but each of them had four faces(M) and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze.(N) Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands.(O) All four of them had faces and wings, and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.(P)

10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.(Q) 11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings(R) spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. 12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.(S) 13 The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals(T) of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning(U) flashed out of it. 14 The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning.(V)

15 As I looked at the living creatures,(W) I saw a wheel(X) on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16 This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz,(Y) and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 17 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction(Z) as the creatures went. 18 Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes(AA) all around.

19 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go,(AB) and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.(AC)

22 Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault,(AD) sparkling like crystal, and awesome. 23 Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. 24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing(AE) waters, like the voice(AF) of the Almighty,[b] like the tumult of an army.(AG) When they stood still, they lowered their wings.

25 Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne(AH) of lapis lazuli,(AI) and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.(AJ) 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.(AK) 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow(AL) in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.(AM)

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory(AN) of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown,(AO) and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel’s Call to Be a Prophet

He said to me, “Son of man,[c](AP) stand(AQ) up on your feet and I will speak to you.(AR) As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me(AS) to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.(AT) The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.(AU) Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’(AV) And whether they listen or fail to listen(AW)—for they are a rebellious people(AX)—they will know that a prophet has been among them.(AY) And you, son of man, do not be afraid(AZ) of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns(BA) are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.(BB) You must speak(BC) my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.(BD) But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel(BE) like that rebellious people;(BF) open your mouth and eat(BG) what I give you.”

Then I looked, and I saw a hand(BH) stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,(BI) 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.(BJ)

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate(BK) it, and it tasted as sweet as honey(BL) in my mouth.

He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them.(BM) You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language,(BN) but to the people of Israel— not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.(BO) But the people of Israel are not willing to listen(BP) to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate.(BQ) But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are.(BR) I will make your forehead(BS) like the hardest stone, harder than flint.(BT) Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.(BU)

10 And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart(BV) all the words I speak to you. 11 Go(BW) now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’(BX) whether they listen or fail to listen.(BY)

12 Then the Spirit lifted me up,(BZ) and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound as the glory of the Lord rose from the place where it was standing.[d] 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures(CA) brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound.(CB) 14 The Spirit(CC) then lifted me up(CD) and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord(CE) on me. 15 I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar River.(CF) And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days(CG)—deeply distressed.

Ezekiel’s Task as Watchman

16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me:(CH) 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman(CI) for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.(CJ) 18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,(CK)’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for[e] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.(CL) 19 But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn(CM) from their wickedness(CN) or from their evil ways, they will die(CO) for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.(CP)

20 “Again, when a righteous person turns(CQ) from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block(CR) before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.(CS) 21 But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning, and you will have saved yourself.(CT)

22 The hand of the Lord(CU) was on me there, and he said to me, “Get up and go(CV) out to the plain,(CW) and there I will speak to you.” 23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River,(CX) and I fell facedown.(CY)

24 Then the Spirit came into me and raised me(CZ) to my feet. He spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house.(DA) 25 And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.(DB) 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof(DC) of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people.(DD) 27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’(DE) Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.(DF)

Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized

“Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp(DG) up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it.(DH) Then take an iron pan,(DI) place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward(DJ) it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign(DK) to the people of Israel.(DL)

“Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself.[f] You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the people of Israel.

“After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin(DM) of the people of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year.(DN) Turn your face(DO) toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her. I will tie you up with ropes so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have finished the days of your siege.(DP)

“Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt;(DQ) put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. 10 Weigh out twenty shekels[g](DR) of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. 11 Also measure out a sixth of a hin[h] of water and drink it at set times.(DS) 12 Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement(DT) for fuel.” 13 The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.”(DU)

14 Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord!(DV) I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead(DW) or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.(DX)

15 “Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.”

16 He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off(DY) the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair,(DZ) 17 for food and water will be scarce.(EA) They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of[i] their sin.(EB)

God’s Razor of Judgment

“Now, son of man, take a sharp sword and use it as a barber’s razor(EC) to shave(ED) your head and your beard.(EE) Then take a set of scales and divide up the hair. When the days of your siege come to an end, burn(EF) a third(EG) of the hair inside the city. Take a third and strike it with the sword all around the city. And scatter a third to the wind.(EH) For I will pursue them with drawn sword.(EI) But take a few hairs and tuck them away in the folds of your garment.(EJ) Again, take a few of these and throw them into the fire(EK) and burn them up. A fire will spread from there to all Israel.

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.(EL) Yet in her wickedness she has rebelled against my laws and decrees more than the nations and countries around her. She has rejected my laws and has not followed my decrees.(EM)

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: You have been more unruly than the nations around you and have not followed my decrees or kept my laws. You have not even[j] conformed to the standards of the nations around you.(EN)

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will inflict punishment on you in the sight of the nations.(EO) Because of all your detestable idols, I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again.(EP) 10 Therefore in your midst parents will eat their children, and children will eat their parents.(EQ) I will inflict punishment on you and will scatter all your survivors to the winds.(ER) 11 Therefore as surely as I live,(ES) declares the Sovereign(ET) Lord, because you have defiled my sanctuary(EU) with all your vile images(EV) and detestable practices,(EW) I myself will shave you; I will not look on you with pity or spare you.(EX) 12 A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine inside you; a third will fall by the sword outside your walls; and a third I will scatter to the winds(EY) and pursue with drawn sword.(EZ)

13 “Then my anger will cease and my wrath(FA) against them will subside, and I will be avenged.(FB) And when I have spent my wrath on them, they will know that I the Lord have spoken in my zeal.(FC)

14 “I will make you a ruin and a reproach among the nations around you, in the sight of all who pass by.(FD) 15 You will be a reproach(FE) and a taunt, a warning(FF) and an object of horror to the nations around you when I inflict punishment on you in anger and in wrath and with stinging rebuke.(FG) I the Lord have spoken.(FH) 16 When I shoot at you with my deadly and destructive arrows of famine, I will shoot to destroy you. I will bring more and more famine upon you and cut off your supply of food.(FI) 17 I will send famine and wild beasts(FJ) against you, and they will leave you childless. Plague and bloodshed(FK) will sweep through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I the Lord have spoken.(FL)

Doom for the Mountains of Israel

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face(FM) against the mountains(FN) of Israel; prophesy against them(FO) and say: ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys:(FP) I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.(FQ) Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars(FR) will be smashed; and I will slay your people in front of your idols.(FS) I will lay the dead bodies of the Israelites in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones(FT) around your altars.(FU) Wherever you live,(FV) the towns will be laid waste and the high places(FW) demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and devastated, your idols(FX) smashed and ruined, your incense altars(FY) broken down, and what you have made wiped out.(FZ) Your people will fall slain(GA) among you, and you will know that I am the Lord.(GB)

“‘But I will spare some, for some of you will escape(GC) the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations.(GD) Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember(GE) me—how I have been grieved(GF) by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols.(GG) They will loathe themselves for the evil(GH) they have done and for all their detestable practices.(GI) 10 And they will know that I am the Lord;(GJ) I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on them.(GK)

11 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Strike your hands together and stamp your feet and cry out “Alas!” because of all the wicked and detestable practices of the people of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine and plague.(GL) 12 One who is far away will die of the plague, and one who is near will fall by the sword, and anyone who survives and is spared will die of famine. So will I pour out my wrath(GM) on them.(GN) 13 And they will know that I am the Lord, when their people lie slain among their idols(GO) around their altars, on every high hill and on all the mountaintops, under every spreading tree and every leafy oak(GP)—places where they offered fragrant incense to all their idols.(GQ) 14 And I will stretch out my hand(GR) against them and make the land a desolate waste from the desert to Diblah[k]—wherever they live. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(GS)’”

The End Has Come

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel:

“‘The end!(GT) The end has come
    upon the four corners(GU) of the land!
The end is now upon you,
    and I will unleash my anger against you.
I will judge you according to your conduct(GV)
    and repay you for all your detestable practices.(GW)
I will not look on you with pity;(GX)
    I will not spare you.
I will surely repay you for your conduct
    and for the detestable practices among you.

“‘Then you will know that I am the Lord.’(GY)

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Disaster!(GZ) Unheard-of[l] disaster!
    See, it comes!
The end(HA) has come!
    The end has come!
It has roused itself against you.
    See, it comes!
Doom has come upon you,
    upon you who dwell in the land.
The time has come! The day(HB) is near!(HC)
    There is panic, not joy, on the mountains.
I am about to pour out my wrath(HD) on you
    and spend my anger against you.
I will judge you according to your conduct
    and repay you for all your detestable practices.(HE)
I will not look on you with pity;
    I will not spare you.(HF)
I will repay you for your conduct
    and for the detestable practices among you.(HG)

“‘Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes you.(HH)

10 “‘See, the day!
    See, it comes!
Doom has burst forth,
    the rod(HI) has budded,
    arrogance has blossomed!
11 Violence(HJ) has arisen,[m]
    a rod to punish the wicked.
None of the people will be left,
    none of that crowd—
none of their wealth,
    nothing of value.(HK)
12 The time has come!
    The day has arrived!
Let not the buyer(HL) rejoice
    nor the seller grieve,
    for my wrath is on the whole crowd.(HM)
13 The seller will not recover
    the property that was sold—
    as long as both buyer and seller live.
For the vision concerning the whole crowd
    will not be reversed.
Because of their sins, not one of them
    will preserve their life.(HN)

14 “‘They have blown the trumpet,(HO)
    they have made all things ready,
but no one will go into battle,
    for my wrath(HP) is on the whole crowd.
15 Outside is the sword;
    inside are plague and famine.
Those in the country
    will die by the sword;
those in the city
    will be devoured by famine and plague.(HQ)
16 The fugitives(HR) who escape
    will flee to the mountains.
Like doves(HS) of the valleys,
    they will all moan,
    each for their own sins.(HT)
17 Every hand will go limp;(HU)
    every leg will be wet with urine.(HV)
18 They will put on sackcloth(HW)
    and be clothed with terror.(HX)
Every face will be covered with shame,
    and every head will be shaved.(HY)

19 “‘They will throw their silver into the streets,(HZ)
    and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean.
Their silver and gold
    will not be able to deliver them
    in the day of the Lord’s wrath.(IA)
It will not satisfy(IB) their hunger
    or fill their stomachs,
    for it has caused them to stumble(IC) into sin.(ID)
20 They took pride in their beautiful jewelry
    and used it to make(IE) their detestable idols.
They made it into vile images;(IF)
    therefore I will make it a thing unclean for them.(IG)
21 I will give their wealth as plunder(IH) to foreigners
    and as loot to the wicked of the earth,
    who will defile it.(II)
22 I will turn my face(IJ) away from the people,
    and robbers will desecrate the place I treasure.
They will enter it
    and will defile it.(IK)

23 “‘Prepare chains!
    For the land is full of bloodshed,(IL)
    and the city is full of violence.(IM)
24 I will bring the most wicked of nations
    to take possession of their houses.
I will put an end to the pride of the mighty,
    and their sanctuaries(IN) will be desecrated.(IO)
25 When terror comes,
    they will seek peace in vain.(IP)
26 Calamity upon calamity(IQ) will come,
    and rumor upon rumor.
They will go searching for a vision from the prophet,(IR)
    priestly instruction in the law will cease,
    the counsel of the elders will come to an end.(IS)
27 The king will mourn,
    the prince will be clothed with despair,(IT)
    and the hands of the people of the land will tremble.
I will deal with them according to their conduct,(IU)
    and by their own standards I will judge them.

“‘Then they will know that I am the Lord.(IV)’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 1:3 Or Chaldeans
  2. Ezekiel 1:24 Hebrew Shaddai
  3. Ezekiel 2:1 The Hebrew phrase ben adam means human being. The phrase son of man is retained as a form of address here and throughout Ezekiel because of its possible association with “Son of Man” in the New Testament.
  4. Ezekiel 3:12 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text sound—may the glory of the Lord be praised from his place
  5. Ezekiel 3:18 Or in; also in verses 19 and 20
  6. Ezekiel 4:4 Or upon your side
  7. Ezekiel 4:10 That is, about 8 ounces or about 230 grams
  8. Ezekiel 4:11 That is, about 2/3 quart or about 0.6 liter
  9. Ezekiel 4:17 Or away in
  10. Ezekiel 5:7 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac You have
  11. Ezekiel 6:14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts Riblah
  12. Ezekiel 7:5 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Disaster after
  13. Ezekiel 7:11 Or The violent one has become

Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,

The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.

And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.

And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.

And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.

10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.

12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.

14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.

18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.

24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.

And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.

But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.

And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;

10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.

So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.

And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.

For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;

Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.

But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.

Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.

As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

10 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.

11 And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

12 Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place.

13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.

14 So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.

15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.

16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

22 And the hand of the Lord was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.

23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.

24 Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.

25 But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:

26 And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.

27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:

And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.

Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.

Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.

For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.

And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.

Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.

And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.

Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.

10 And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.

11 Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.

12 And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.

13 And the Lord said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.

14 Then said I, Ah Lord God! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.

15 Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.

16 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:

17 That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.

And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.

Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.

Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

Thus saith the Lord God; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.

And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you;

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.

And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.

10 Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.

11 Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord God; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

12 A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

13 Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the Lord have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

14 Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the Lord have spoken it.

16 When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:

17 So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee: and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it.

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,

And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.

And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.

And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.

In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.

And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries.

And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

10 And they shall know that I am the Lord, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.

11 Thus saith the Lord God; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

12 He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them.

13 Then shall ye know that I am the Lord, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.

14 So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land.

Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations.

And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord God; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come.

An end is come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it is come.

The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the mountains.

Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.

And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth.

10 Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.

11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of any of their's: neither shall there be wailing for them.

12 The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.

13 For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.

14 They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.

15 The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.

16 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.

17 All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water.

18 They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads.

19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.

20 As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.

21 And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.

22 My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it.

23 Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.

24 Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled.

25 Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.

26 Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.

27 The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.