Study Desk

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God . Turn, then, and live.

Mortal, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them: Thus says the Lord God : Why are you coming? To consult me? As I live, says the Lord God , I will not be consulted by you.

and say to them: Thus says the Lord God : On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob—making myself known to them in the land of Egypt—I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God.

And I said to them, Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

I the Lord am your God; follow my statutes, and be careful to observe my ordinances,

and hallow my sabbaths that they may be a sign between me and you, so that you may know that I the Lord am your God.

Therefore, mortal, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God : In this again your ancestors blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me.

Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God : Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your ancestors and go astray after their detestable things?

When you offer your gifts and make your children pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord God , I will not be consulted by you.

As I live, says the Lord God , surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you.

As I entered into judgment with your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, says the Lord God .

As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God : Go serve your idols, every one of you now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.

For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord God , there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land; there I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred things.

And you shall know that I am the Lord , when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, or corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, says the Lord God .

say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the Lord : Thus says the Lord God , I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it.

Then I said, "Ah Lord God ! they are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of allegories?'"

The Drawn Sword of God The word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, set your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries; prophesy against the land of Israel and say to the land of Israel, Thus says the Lord : I am coming against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you both righteous and wicked. Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord have drawn my sword out of its sheath; it shall not be sheathed again. Moan therefore, mortal; moan with breaking heart and bitter grief before their eyes.

And when they say to you, "Why do you moan?" you shall say, "Because of the news that has come. Every heart will melt and all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint and all knees will turn to water. See, it comes and it will be fulfilled," says the Lord God .

For consider: What! If you despise the rod, will it not happen? says the Lord God .

Therefore thus says the Lord God : Because you have brought your guilt to remembrance, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins appear—because you have come to remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.