Study Desk

God's Sure Judgment on Jerusalem

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 of the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah^(a) son of Benaiah, leaders^(b) of the people.^(c)

The Lord said to me, "Son of man, these are the men who are plotting evil^(d) and giving wicked advice in this city.^(e)

They say, ‘Haven't our houses been recently rebuilt? This city is a pot,^(f) and we are the meat in it.'^(g)

Therefore prophesy^(h) against them; prophesy, son of man."

Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and he told me to say: "This is what the Lord says: That is what you are saying, you leaders in Israel, but I know what is going through your mind.⁽ⁱ⁾

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

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

You fear the sword,^(m) and the sword is what I will bring against you, declares the Sovereign Lord .⁽ⁿ⁾

I will drive you out of the city and deliver you into the hands^(o) of foreigners and inflict punishment on you.^(p)

You will fall by the sword, and I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel.^(q) Then you will know that I am the Lord .

This city will not be a pot^(r) 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 ,^(s) for you have not followed my decrees^(t) or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you.^(u)"

Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah^(v) son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, "Alas, Sovereign Lord ! Will you completely destroy the remnant of Israel?^(w)"

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have said of your fellow exiles and all the other Israelites, ‘They are far away from the Lord ; this land was given to us as our possession.'^(x)

"Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary^(y) for them in the countries where they have gone.'

"Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.'^(z)

"They will return to it and remove all its vile images^(aa) and detestable idols.^(ab)

I will give them an undivided heart^(ac) and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone^(ad) and give them a heart of flesh.^(ae)

Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.^(af) They will be my people,^(ag) and I will be their God.^(ah)

But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols,^(ai) I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord .^(aj)"

Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory^(ak) of the God of Israel was above them.^(al)

The glory^(am) of the Lord went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain^(an) east of it.

The Spirit^(ao) lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia^[a] in the vision^(ap) given by the Spirit of God. Then the vision I had seen went up from me,

and I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.^(aq)

The Exile Symbolized

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people.^(a) They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.^(b)

"Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place. Perhaps^(c) they will understand,^(d) though they are a rebellious people.^(e)

During the daytime, while they watch, bring out your belongings packed for exile. Then in the evening, while they are watching, go out like those who go into exile.^(f)

While they watch, dig through the wall^(g) and take your belongings out through it.

Put them on your shoulder as they are watching and carry them out at dusk. Cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have made you a sign^(h) to the Israelites."

So I did as I was commanded.⁽ⁱ⁾ During the day I brought out my things packed for exile. Then in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulders while they watched.

In the morning the word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, did not the Israelites, that rebellious people, ask you, ‘What are you doing?'^(j)

"Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This prophecy concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the Israelites who are there.'

Say to them, ‘I am a sign^(k) to you.' "As I have done, so it will be done to them. They will go into exile as captives.^(l)

"The prince among them will put his things on his shoulder at dusk^(m) and leave, and a hole will be dug in the wall for him to go through. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land.⁽ⁿ⁾

I will spread my net^(o) for him, and he will be caught in my snare;^(p) I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans,^(q) but he will not see^(r) it, and there he will die.^(s)

I will scatter to the winds all those around him—his staff and all his troops—and I will pursue them with drawn sword.^(t)

"They will know that I am the Lord , when I disperse them among the nations^(u) and scatter them through the countries.

But I will spare a few of them from the sword, famine and plague, so that in the nations where they go they may acknowledge all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the Lord .^(v)"

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, tremble as you eat your food,^(w) and shudder in fear as you drink your water.

Say to the people of the land: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: They will eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in despair, for their land will be stripped of everything^(x) in it because of the violence of all who live there.^(y)

The inhabited towns will be laid waste and the land will be desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord .^(z)'"

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, what is this proverb^(aa) you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing'?^(ab)

Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.' Say to them, ‘The days are near^(ac) when every vision will be fulfilled.^(ad)

For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations^(ae) among the people of Israel.

But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay.^(af) For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill^(ag) whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord .^(ah)'"

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, the Israelites are saying, ‘The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.'^(ai)

"Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord .'"