Study Desk

You leaders claim to be meat in a cooking pot, but you won't be protected by this city. No, you will die at the border of Israel.

But here is what I want you to tell the Israelites in Babylonia: It's true that I, the Lord God, have forced you out of your own country and made you live among foreign nations. But for now, I will be with you wherever you are, so that you can worship me.

But those who worship idols will be punished and get what they deserve. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

Ezekiel, son of man, you are living among rebellious people. They have eyes, but refuse to see; they have ears, but refuse to listen.

The Lord will spread out a net and trap him as he leaves Jerusalem. He will then be led away to the city of Babylon, but will never see that place, even though he will die there.

Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the prophets of Israel who say they speak in my name, but who preach messages that come from their own imagination. Tell them it's time to hear my message.

Those prophets lie by claiming they speak for me, but I have not even chosen them to be my prophets. And they still think their words will come true.

They say they're preaching my messages, but they are full of lies—I did not speak to them!

But when I send rainstorms, hailstones, and strong winds, the wall will surely collapse.

The lying prophets have tried to cover up the evil in Jerusalem, but I will tear down the city, all the way to its foundations. And when it collapses, those prophets will be killed, and everyone will know that I have done these things.

If a prophet gives a false message, I am the one who caused that prophet to lie. But I will still reject him and cut him off from my people,

Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were living in that nation, their faithfulness would not save anyone but themselves.

As surely as I live, I promise that even if these three men lived in that nation, their own children would not be spared. The three men would live, but the land would be an empty desert.

It can only be used as firewood. But after its ends are burnt and its middle is charred, it can't be used for anything.

I will punish the people of Jerusalem with fire. Some of them have escaped one destruction, but soon they will be completely burned. And when that happens, you, Ezekiel, will know that I am the Lord .

I took care of you, like someone caring for a tender, young plant. You grew up to be a beautiful young woman with perfect breasts and long hair, but you were still naked.

I supplied you with fine flour, olive oil, and honey, but you sacrificed it all as offerings to please those idols. I, the Lord God, watched this happen.

But you did something even worse than that—you sacrificed your own children to those idols!

but you also built places on every street corner

So I punished you by letting those greedy Philistine enemies take over some of your territory. But even they were offended by your disgusting behavior.