Study Desk

Now ^(C1)in the ^(C2)twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth of the tenth month, the survivor from Jerusalem came to me, saying, "^(C3)The city has been ^(F1)taken."

Now the ^(C1)hand of the LORD had been upon me in the evening, before the survivors came. And He ^(C2)opened my mouth ^(F1)at the time they came to me in the morning; so my mouth was ^(C3)opened and I was no longer ^(F2)speechless.

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

"Son of man, they who ^(C1)live in these ruins in the land of Israel are saying, '^(C2)Abraham was only one, yet he possessed the land; so to ^(C3)us who are many the land has been given as a possession.'

"Therefore say to them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "You eat meat with the ^(C1)blood in it, raise your eyes to your idols as you shed blood. ^(C2)Should you then possess the land?

"You ^(F1)(C1)rely on your sword, you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife. Should you then possess the land?"'

"You shall say this to them: 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "As I live, those who are in the places of ruins certainly will ^(C1)fall by the sword, and whoever is in the ^(F1)open field I will give to the animals to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and in the ^(C2)caves will die of plague.

"And I will ^(C1)make the land a desolation and a waste, and the ^(C2)pride of her power will be brought to an end; and the mountains of Israel will be deserted so that no one will pass through.

"Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I make the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations which they have committed."'