Study Desk

I said to their children in the wilderness, "Do not follow the statutes of your parents^(ao) or keep their laws or defile yourselves^(ap) with their idols.

I am the Lord your God;^(aq) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.^(ar)

Keep my Sabbaths^(as) holy, that they may be a sign^(at) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.^(au)"

"‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws,^(av) of which I said, "The person who obeys them will live by them," and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger^(aw) against them in the wilderness.^(ax)

But I withheld^(ay) my hand, and for the sake of my name^(az) I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter^(ba) them through the countries,

because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees^(bb) and desecrated my Sabbaths,^(bc) and their eyes lusted after^(bd) their parents' idols.^(be)

So I gave^(bf) them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;^(bg)

I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice^(bh) of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord .^(bi)'

"Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors^(bj) blasphemed^(bk) me by being unfaithful to me:^(bl)

When I brought them into the land^(bm) I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.^(bn)

Then I said to them: What is this high place^(bo) you go to?'" (It is called Bamah^[a] to this day.)

"Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves^(bp) the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?^(bq)

When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children^(br) in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord , I will not let you inquire of me.^(bs)

"‘You say, "We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone." But what you have in mind will never happen.

As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord , I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm^(bt) and with outpoured wrath.^(bu)

I will bring you from the nations^(bv) and gather^(bw) you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand^(bx) and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.^(by)

I will bring you into the wilderness^(bz) of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment^(ca) upon you.

As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord .^(cb)

I will take note of you as you pass under my rod,^(cc) and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.^(cd)

I will purge^(ce) you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord .^(cf)

"‘As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols,^(cg) every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name^(ch) with your gifts and idols.^(ci)

For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel,^(cj) declares the Sovereign Lord , there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings^(ck) and your choice gifts,^[b] along with all your holy sacrifices.^(cl)

I will accept you as fragrant incense^(cm) when I bring you out from the nations and gather^(cn) you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy^(co) through you in the sight of the nations.^(cp)

Then you will know that I am the Lord ,^(cq) when I bring you into the land of Israel,^(cr) the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.^(cs)

There you will remember your conduct^(ct) and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves^(cu) for all the evil you have done.^(cv)

You will know that I am the Lord , when I deal with you for my name's sake^(cw) and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord .^(cx)'"

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, set your face toward^(cy) the south; preach against the south and prophesy against^(cz) the forest of the southland.^(da)

Say to the southern forest:^(db) ‘Hear the word of the Lord . This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume^(dc) all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north^(dd) will be scorched by it.^(de)

Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it; it will not be quenched.^(df)'"

Then I said, "Sovereign Lord ,^(dg) they are saying of me, ‘Isn't he just telling parables?^(dh)'"^[c]

Babylon as God's Sword of Judgment

^[a]The word of the Lord came to me:^(a)

"Son of man, set your face against^(b) Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary.^(c) Prophesy against^(d) the land of Israel

and say to her: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you.^(e) I will draw my sword^(f) from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.^(g)

Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword^(h) will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.⁽ⁱ⁾

Then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn my sword^(j) from its sheath; it will not return^(k) again.'^(l)

"Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief.^(m)

And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?⁽ⁿ⁾' you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear^(o) and every hand go limp;^(p) every spirit will become faint^(q) and every leg will be wet with urine.'^(r) It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord ."

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: "‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—

sharpened for the slaughter,^(s) polished to flash like lightning! "‘Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick.^(t)

"‘The sword is appointed to be polished,^(u) to be grasped with the hand; it is sharpened and polished, made ready for the hand of the slayer.

Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people; it is against all the princes of Israel. They are thrown to the sword along with my people. Therefore beat your breast.^(v)

"‘Testing will surely come. And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue? declares the Sovereign Lord .'

"So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands^(w) together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times. It is a sword for slaughter— a sword for great slaughter, closing in on them from every side.^(x)

So that hearts may melt with fear^(y) and the fallen be many, I have stationed the sword for slaughter^[b] at all their gates. Look! It is forged to strike like lightning, it is grasped for slaughter.^(z)

Slash to the right, you sword, then to the left, wherever your blade is turned.

I too will strike my hands^(aa) together, and my wrath^(ab) will subside. I the Lord have spoken.^(ac)"

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword^(ad) of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost^(ae) where the road branches off to the city.

Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites^(af) and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem.

For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots^(ag) with arrows, he will consult his idols,^(ah) he will examine the liver.^(ai)

Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry,^(aj) to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp^(ak) and to erect siege works.^(al)

It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind^(am) them of their guilt^(an) and take them captive.

"Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.

"‘You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come,^(ao) whose time of punishment has reached its climax,^(ap)

this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown.^(aq) It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.^(ar)

A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come;^(as) to him I will give it.'^(at)

"And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites^(au) and their insults: "‘A sword,^(av) a sword, drawn for the slaughter, polished to consume and to flash like lightning!

Despite false visions concerning you and lying divinations^(aw) about you, it will be laid on the necks of the wicked who are to be slain, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax.^(ax)

"‘Let the sword return to its sheath.^(ay) In the place where you were created, in the land of your ancestry,^(az) I will judge you.

I will pour out my wrath on you and breathe^(ba) out my fiery anger^(bb) against you; I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men, men skilled in destruction.^(bc)

You will be fuel for the fire,^(bd) your blood will be shed in your land, you will be remembered^(be) no more; for I the Lord have spoken.'"

Judgment on Jerusalem's Sins

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed?^(a) Then confront her with all her detestable practices^(b)

and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood^(c) in her midst and defiles herself by making idols,

you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed^(d) and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come.^(e) Therefore I will make you an object of scorn^(f) to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries.^(g)

Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, you infamous city, full of turmoil.^(h)

"‘See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.⁽ⁱ⁾

In you they have treated father and mother with contempt;^(j) in you they have oppressed the foreigner^(k) and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.^(l)

You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.^(m)

In you are slanderers⁽ⁿ⁾ who are bent on shedding blood;^(o) in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines^(p) and commit lewd acts.^(q)

In you are those who dishonor their father's bed;^(r) in you are those who violate women during their period,^(s) when they are ceremonially unclean.^(t)

In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor's wife,^(u) another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law,^(v) and another violates his sister,^(w) his own father's daughter.^(x)

In you are people who accept bribes^(y) to shed blood; you take interest^(z) and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors.^(aa) And you have forgotten^(ab) me, declares the Sovereign Lord .^(ac)