Study Desk

Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the LORD that faces east. There at the entrance to the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.

The LORD said to me, "Son of man, these are the men who are plotting evil and giving wicked advice in this city.

They say, 'Will it not soon be time to build houses? ^(F20) This city is a cooking pot, and we are the meat.'

Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, son of man."

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon me, and he told me to say: "This is what the LORD says: That is what you are saying, O house of Israel, but I know what is going through your mind.

You have killed many people in this city and filled its streets with the dead.

"Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: The bodies you have thrown there are the meat and this city is the pot, but I will drive you out of it.

You fear the sword, and the sword is what I will bring against you, declares the Sovereign LORD .

I will drive you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners and inflict punishment on you.

You will fall by the sword, and I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD .

This city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be the meat in it; I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel.

And you will know that I am the LORD , for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you."

Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, "Ah, Sovereign LORD ! Will you completely destroy the remnant of Israel?"