Study Desk

They are stubborn and do not respect me, so I am sending you to tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord , am saying to them.

"Mortal man, listen to what I tell you. Don't be rebellious like them. Open your mouth and eat what I am going to give you."

I am not sending you to a nation that speaks a difficult foreign language, but to the Israelites.

Then go to the people of your nation who are in exile and tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord , am saying to them, whether they pay attention to you or not."

"Mortal man," he said, "I am making you a lookout for the nation of Israel. You will pass on to them the warnings I give you.

Then, when I speak to you again and give you back the power of speech, you will tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord , am saying. Some of them will listen, but some will ignore you, for they are a nation of rebels."

And he added, "Mortal man, I am going to cut off the supply of bread for Jerusalem. The people there will be distressed and anxious as they measure out the food they eat and the water they drink.

Now listen, Jerusalem, to what I, the Sovereign Lord , am saying. By not obeying my laws or keeping my commands, you have caused more trouble than the nations around you. You have followed the customs of other nations.

And so I, the Sovereign Lord , am telling you that I am your enemy. I will pass judgment on you where all the nations can see it.

"Therefore, as I am the living God—this is the word of the Sovereign Lord —because you defiled my Temple with all the evil, disgusting things you did, I will cut you down without mercy.

"You will feel all the force of my anger and rage until I am satisfied. When all this happens, you will be convinced that I, the Lord , have spoken to you because I am outraged at your unfaithfulness.

"When I am angry and furious with you and punish you, all the nations around you will be terrified. They will look at you with disgust and make fun of you.

Tell the mountains of Israel to hear the Sovereign Lord 's word—to hear what I, the Sovereign Lord , am telling the mountains, the hills, the gorges, and the valleys: I will send a sword to destroy the places where people worship idols.

People will be killed everywhere, and those who survive will acknowledge that I am the Lord .

They will know that I am the Lord and that my warnings were not empty threats."

Corpses will be scattered among the idols and around the altars, scattered on every high hill, on the top of every mountain, under every green tree and every large oak, in every place where they burned sacrifices to their idols. Then everyone will know that I am the Lord .

Yes, I will reach out and destroy their country. I will make it a wasteland from the southern desert to the city of Riblah in the north, not sparing any place where the Israelites live. Then everyone will know that I am the Lord ."

"Mortal man," he said, "this is what I, the Sovereign Lord , am saying to the land of Israel: This is the end for the whole land!

"Israel, the end has come. You will feel my anger, because I am judging you for what you have done. I will pay you back for all your disgusting conduct.

I will not spare you or show you any mercy. I am going to punish you for the disgusting things you have done, so that you will know that I am the Lord ."