eng_aiv Amundson Interpretive Version Ezekiel Ezekiel Ezekiel Ezek Ezekiel id=eng_aiv name=Amundson Interpretive Version (AIV) status=draft spec=USFM-USX 3.1.1 export=2026-11-02 char:add=translator-addition-italic char:wj=words-of-Jesus-as-received-unmapped note:f=footnotes para:r=parallel-passage-references para:d=psalm-superscriptions Ezekiel’s Vision by the River Kebar (Psalm 137:1–9) And it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, as I was in the midst of the captivity by the River Kebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.1.1 Or from God On the fifth of the month—it was the fifth year of the captivity of king Jehoiachin— the word of YHWH came directly to Ezekiel son of Buzi the priest in the land of the Chaldeans1.3 That is, the Babylonians by the River Kebar; And there the hand of YHWH was upon him. The Four Living Creatures And I looked, and behold, a wind of a tempest was coming from the north, and a great cloud and fire taking hold of it, and a brightness to it all around, and in the midst of it was like the color of amber, from the midst of the fire.1.4 Or and the center of the fire looked like glowing metal; similarly in verse 27 And in the midst of it was the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: The likeness of a man was unto them, with four faces for each one, and four wings for each one unto them. And their feet were straight feet, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of the foot of a calf, and they sparkled like an eye of polished bronze. And the hands of a man were under their wings on four of their sides. And the faces and wings were unto the four of them, joining each one to her sister; their wings did not turn in their going, each man went to straight ahead. And the likeness of their faces, was the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side was unto the four of them; and the face of an ox on the left side was unto the four of them, and the face of an eagle was unto the four of them. And such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above each one; unto each one were two touching one, and two were covering their bodies. And each one went toward straight ahead of its face; to the direction that there the spirit was to go, they would go, and they did not turn in their going. And the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like coals of fire burning, like the appearance of torches; it was going about among the living creatures, and brightness was unto the fire, and from the fire was going forth lightning. And the living creatures were running and returning like the appearance of the lightning. The Four Wheels And I looked at the living creatures, and behold, a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like an eye of beryl, and a single likeness unto four of them; and their appearance and of their workings was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. Upon their four sides, in their going they went, and they did not turn aside in their going. And unto their rims was height to them and fearsomeness to them, and their rims were full of eyes all around for the four of them. And in the going of the living creatures, the wheels went beside them; and in the lifting up of the living creatures from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Upon which the spirit was to go, there they would go; there the spirit was to go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. In their going they go, and in their standing they stand; and in their being lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. The Divine Glory And the likeness over the heads of the living creatures was the firmament, like an eye of awe-inspiring crystal, stretched out over their heads above. And under the firmament their wings were straight, each one toward its sister; for each one were two as a covering for them, and for each one were two covering for them their body. And I heard the voice of their wings, like the voice of many waters, like the voice of Shaddai,1.24 Shaddai means the Almighty in their going—the voice of a tumult like the voice of an army—and in their standing, they would slacken their wings. And there was a voice from over the firmament that was over their heads; in their standing they would slacken their wings. And from above the firmament that was over their heads, in appearance like a stone of sapphire, was the likeness of a throne, and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness like the appearance of a man over it from above. And I saw as an eye of amber, like the appearance of fire, a house for it all around, from the appearance of His loins and above; and from the appearance of His loins and downward, I saw as the appearance of fire and brightness to it all around. As the appearance of a rainbow that comes to be in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness surrounding. It was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of YHWH. And I saw it, and I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice speaking. Ezekiel’s Call And He said to me: “Son of man,2.1 Or Son of Adam; here and throughout Ezekiel stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.” And the Spirit came into me as He spoke to me and set me on my feet, and I heard the One speaking to me. And He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me until this very day. And the sons are hard of face and strong of heart; to them I am sending you, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH.’ And they, whether they hear, or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been in their midst. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or of their words; do not be afraid—if briers and thorns are with you and among you scorpions are sitting!—Of their words, and do not be afraid of their faces, and do not be dismayed, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are rebellious. And you, son of man, you must hear what I am going to say to you: Do not come to be rebellious like this house of rebellion! Open your mouth and eat what I am giving to you.” And I looked, and behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, in it was a scroll of a book. And He spread it out before my face, and it was written on the face and on the back; and written on it were lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Ezekiel Eats the Scroll (Revelation 10:1–11) And He said to me, “Son of man, what you find, you must eat. Eat this scroll, and go speak to the house of Israel!” And I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat this scroll. And He said to me: “Son of man, feed your belly and fill your bowels with this scroll that I am giving to you!” And I ate, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. And He said to me, “Son of man, go, come into the house of Israel, and speak with My words to them. For not to a people of unfathomable speech and heavy tongue are you being sent, but to the house of Israel— not to many peoples of unfathomable speech and heavy tongue, whose words you cannot understand. If I had not sent you to them, they would have listened to you. And the house of Israel are not willing to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to Me! For all the house of Israel, they are strong of forehead and hard of heart. Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. I have made your forehead like a diamond stronger than flint. Do not be afraid of them, and do not be dismayed at their faces, for they are a house of rebellion.” And He said to me: “Son of man, all My words that I speak to you, take into your heart, and hear with your ears. And go, come to the captivity, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH!’—Whether they hear or whether they refuse.” And the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great quaking: ‘Blessed is the glory of YHWH from His place!3.12 Or the wind; also in verse 14’ 3.12 Or behind me a voice as the glory of YHWH rose from its place! And the voice of the wings of the living creatures, touching each one to her sister, and the voice of the wheels beside them, and the a voice of a great quaking. And the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit. And the hand of YHWH upon me was strong. And I came to the captivity at Tel-abib, those dwelling by the River Kebar, and I sat there where they were sitting, and I sat there seven days being desolate in their midst. A Watchman for Israel And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; and hear a word from My mouth, and give them a warning from Me. In My saying to the wicked, ‘You will surely die!’ And you do not warn him, and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life, that wicked one will die in his iniquity,3.18 Or for his iniquity; also in verse 19 and his blood I will require from your hand. And you, if you warn the wicked and he does not turn back from his wickedness and from his wicked way, he will die in his iniquity and you will have delivered your own soul. And in the turning away of a righteous one from his righteousness so that he does iniquity, and I set a stumbling block before him, he will die because you did not give him warning—in his sin3.20 Or for his sin he will die—and his righteousness that he did will not be remembered, and his blood I will require from your hand. And you, if you warn the righteous not to sin—the righteous one—and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he was warned and you will have delivered your own soul.” And the hand of YHWH was upon me there, and He said to me: “Rise, go out into the plain, and there I will speak with you.” And I arose and went out into the plain, and behold, there the glory of YHWH was standing, like the glory that I saw by the River Kebar. And I fell upon my face. And the Spirit came into me and set me upon my feet, and He spoke with me and said to me: “Go, shut yourself up in the midst of your house. And you, son of man, behold, they will place around you ropes, and they will bind you with them so that you cannot go out in their midst. And your tongue I will make cling to the roof of your mouth, and you will be mute, and you will be for them as a man unable to rebuke, for they are a house of rebellion. And in My speaking with you, I will open your mouth, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH!’—The one hearing, let him hear, and the one refusing, let him refuse. For they are a house of rebellion. A Sign of Jerusalem’s Siege “ And You, son of man, take for yourself a clay tablet, and place it before your face; and engrave upon it a city, Jerusalem. And you shall place against it a siege, and build against it a siege wall, and heap up against it a mound, and set against it camps, and set against it battering rams all around. And you, take for yourself a plate of iron and set it up as a wall of iron between you and between the city, and set firm your face against it; and it shall come to be under siege, and you shall lay siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel. And you, lie down upon your left side, and set the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it—for the number of the days that you lay down on it, you shall bear their iniquity. For I have given to you the years of their iniquity according to the number of the days—three hundred and ninety days. And you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And you shall complete these, and you shall lie down on your right side this second time, and you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days—a day for a year. A day for a year I have given for you. And toward the siege of Jerusalem you shall set firm your face, and with your arm uncovered, and you shall prophesy against it. And behold, I will lay upon you cords so that you cannot turn yourself over from one side to another, until your completing the days of your siege. The Defiled Bread And you, take for yourself wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and give them into a single vessel, and make from them for yourself bread. The number of the days that you are laying down on your side—three hundred and ninety days—you shall eat it. And your food that you eat is by weight twenty shekels4.10 20 shekels is approximately 8 ounces or 228 grams of food. for a day; from time until time you shall eat it. And you shall drink water by measure, a sixth of a hin;4.11 A sixth of a hin is approximately 0.65 quarts or 0.61 liters of water. from time until time you shall drink it. And a cake of barley you shall eat it, and with the dung of the excrement of a human you shall bake it before their eyes.” And YHWH said: “So the sons of Israel shall eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, to which I will drive them there.” And I said, “Ah, Lord YHWH! Behold, never has my soul been defiled. And carcass and torn thing I have not eaten from my youth until now, and unclean flesh has not come into my mouth.” And He said to me: “See, I am giving to you dung of a cow instead of dung of human, and you shall make your bread over it.” And He said to me: “Son of man, behold, I am going to cut off the staff4.16 Or supply of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they will drink water by measure and with dread, so that they lack bread and water, and they be dismayed, a man and his brother, and waste away in their iniquity! The Razor of Judgment “ And you, son of man, take for yourself a sharp sword; the razor of a barber take it to yourself and pass it over your head and over your beard; take for yourself scales of weighing, and you shall divide the hair. A third with fire you shall burn in the midst of the city at the completion of the days of the siege; and you shall take a third and strike it with the sword around it; and a third you shall scatter to the wind; and I will unsheathe a sword after them. And you shall take from them a few in number, and you shall bind them in your skirts. And some of them you shall take again and cast them into the midst of the fire, and you shall burn them in the fire; from there will go out a fire into all the house of Israel! Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘This is Jerusalem; in the midst of the nations I have set her, and all around her the countries. And she has rebelled against My ordinances for wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are around her—for My ordinances they have refused, and My statutes, they have not walked in them!’ Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because of your⁺ turbulence above the nations that are around you⁺, in My statutes you⁺ have not walked, and My ordinances you⁺ have not done—nor have you⁺ done5.7 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac you have even done’ according to the ordinances of the nations that are around you⁺! Therefore thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am against you—even I! And I will do in your midst judgments in the eyes of the nations; and I will do among you what I have not done, and that which I will do not like it again, because of all your abominations! Therefore fathers shall eat the sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute on you judgments, and I will scatter all your remnant to every wind.’ Famine, Sword, and Dispersion Therefore, by the life of Me—a declaration of the Lord YHWH—surely because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, My eye will not at all show pity, and I also will not have pity, and I—I will diminish you! A third of you—they will die by pestilence and they will be consumed by famine in your midst; and a third will fall by the sword all around you; and a third I will scatter to all the winds and I will unsheath a sword after them! And My nose shall be completed and My fury I will cause to rest upon them, and I will be avenged; and they will know that I, YHWH, have spoken it in My zeal, in my completing My fury against them! And I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations that are around you, before the eyes of everyone passing by. And you will be5.15 DSS, LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate; MT And it will be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror to the nations that are around you, in my making against you judgments in anger and in fury and with rebukes of fury—I, YHWH, have spoken— in my sending against them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for destruction, which I will send to destroy you⁺; and the famine I am adding upon you⁺, and I will cut off unto you⁺ the staff5.16 Or supply of bread. And I will send against you⁺ famine and evil beasts, and they will bereave you; and pestilence and blood will pass through you, and the sword I will bring upon you!—I, YHWH, have spoken.” Judgment against Idolatry (Deuteronomy 4:15–31; Deuteronomy 12:29–32) And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, and say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord YHWH! Thus says the Lord YHWH to the mountains, and to the hills, to the ravines, and to the valleys: Behold, I—I am bringing against you⁺ a sword, and I will destroy your⁺ high places. And your⁺ altars will be desolate, and your⁺ incense altars will be broken; and your⁺ slain I will cast down before your⁺ idols. And I will lay the corpses of the sons of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your⁺ bones all around your⁺ altars. In all your⁺ dwelling places the cities will be laid waste, and the high places will be made desolate, so that your⁺ altars may be destroyed and made desolate, and your⁺ idols may be broken and made to cease, and your⁺ incense altars may be cut down, and your⁺ works may be blotted out! And the slain will fall in your⁺ midst, and you⁺ will know that I am YHWH. A Remnant to Be Blessed And I will leave a remnant, in their being unto you⁺ escapees of the sword among the nations, in your⁺ being scattered in the lands. And your⁺ escapees will remember Me in the nations to which they are carried captive there, how I was broken by their prostituting heart that turned away from Me, and by their eyes seeking prostitution after their idols; and they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they did by all their abominations. And they will know that I am YHWH. Not in vain have I spoken that I would bring upon them this evil! Thus says the Lord YHWH: Strike with your hand, and stomp with your foot, and say, “Ah!” For all the evils of the abominations of the house of Israel! For by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence they will fall! The one far off will die by the pestilence, and the one near will fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged will die by the famine. And I will complete My fury upon them. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH, in the coming of their slain into the midst of their idols, all around their altars, at every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak—each place that they gave there a pleasing aroma to all their idols. And I will stretch out My hand against them, and I will make the land a desolation and a wasteland, from the wilderness to Diblah,6.14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; Vulgate and a few Hebrew manuscripts Riblah in all their dwelling places. And they will know that I am YHWH!’” The Hour of Doom And came to be the word of YHWH to me, saying: “And you, son of man, thus says the Lord YHWH to the land of Israel, ‘An end has come, the end upon the four corners of the land! Now the end is upon you— and I will send My nose against you, and I will judge you according to your ways, and I will recompense upon you all your abominations! And My eye will not have pity on you, and I will not have pity; for your ways I will recompense against you, and for your abominations that are in your midst. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH.’ Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Disaster! A unique disaster!7.5 Or An unprecedented disaster, as in most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Disaster after disaster Behold, it is coming! An end has come; the end has come! It has roused itself against you. Behold, it is coming. Doom has come to you, O dweller of the land; the time has come, the day is near— of tumult, and not of rejoicing in the mountains! Now soon I will pour out My fury upon you, and will complete My anger My anger; and I will judge you according to your ways, and I will recompense upon you for all your abominations. And My eye will not have pity, and I will not have pity; according to your ways I will recompense upon you, and your abominations will be in your midst. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH, the One striking. Behold, the day! Behold, it is coming! The doom has gone forth, the rod has blossomed, the arrogance has budded. Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness— none of them, and none of their multitude, and none of their wealth, and nothing of eminence among them. The time has come, the day has drawn near! Let the buyer not rejoice, and let the seller not mourn; for wrath is upon all their multitude. For the one selling will not return to what has been sold while they live their life; for the vision is to the whole multitude, and it will not turn back; and a man cannot by his iniquity strengthen his life. The Desolation of Israel They have blown on the trumpet, and made ready everything; and there is not one going to the battle, for My wrath is against all their multitude. The sword is outside, and pestilence and famine inside the house. The one who is in the field will die by the sword, and the one who is in the city, famine and pestilence will devour him. And their fugatives will escape, and they will be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, each one for his iniquity. Every hand will go limp, and every knee will go as waters. And they will be girded with sackcloth, and shuddering will cover them; and on every face is shame, and on all their heads baldness. Their silver they will throw into the streets, and their gold will become like refuse; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of YHWH. Their souls they cannot satisfy, and their stomachs they cannot fill, for a stumbling block their iniquity has become. And the beauty of His ornament, in majesty he set it, and the images of their abominations, their detestable things they made with it. Upon thus I have made it for them like refuse. And I will give it into the hands of strangers as plunder, and to the wicked of the earth as spoil, and they will defile it. And I will turn away My face from them, and they will defile My treasured place— and robbers will come into it, and they will defile it! Make a chain! For the land is filled with the judgment of blood, and the city is full of violence. And I will bring the evil of the nations, and they will possess their houses; and I will cause to cease the pride of the strong, and their holy places will be defiled. Anguish comes, and they will seek peace and there is none. Disaster upon disaster will come, and rumor will be upon rumor; and they will seek a vision from a prophet, and the law will perish from the priest, and counsel from the elders. The king will mourn, and the prince will be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble; according to their own way I will deal with them, and by their own judgment I will judge them; and they will know that I am YHWH.’” The Vision of Idolatry in the Temple And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, that I was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting before me, and fell upon me there the hand of the Lord YHWH. And I looked, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of His loins and downward was fire, and from His loins and above was like the appearance of brightness, like the color of amber.8.2 Or as glowing metal And He sent out the form of a hand, and He took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit lifted up me between the earth and between the heavens, and brought me to Jerusalem in visions of God, to the door of the inner gate facing north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy which provokes to jealousy. And behold, there was the glory of the God of Israel, according to the vision that I had seen in the plain. And He said to me: “Son of man, lift up now your eyes to the way northward.” And I lifted my eyes to the way northward, and behold! From the north of the Gate of the Altar8.5 Or the gate of the altar was this image of jealousy in the entrance. And He said to me: “Son of man, are you seeing what they are doing? The great abominations that the house of Israel is doing here to keep Me far off from My sanctuary? And still you will turn and you will see greater abominations!” And He brought me to the door of the court; and I looked, and behold, one hole in the wall. And He said to me: “Son of man, dig now into the wall.” And I dug into the wall, and behold, one opening. And He said to me: “Go in and see the evil abominations that they are doing here!” And I went in and saw. And behold, every manner of creeping thing and detestable beast, and all the idols of the house of Israel were engraved on the walls all around, and seventy men from the elders of the house of Israel—and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing in their midst—standing before them; and each man his censer in his hand, and the fragrance of a cloud of incense was rising up. And He said to me: “Have you seen, Son of man, that which the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each man in the inner chambers of his imagery? For they say, ‘YHWH is not seeing us, for YHWH has forsaken the land.’” And He said to me: “Again you will turn and will see greater abominations that they are doing!” And He brought me to the entrance of the gate of the house of YHWH that was toward the north, and behold, there the women were sitting and weeping for Tammuz.8.14 Tammuz, meaning Sprout of Life, was a Sumerian god of fertility. And He said to me: “Have you seen, son of man? Again you will turn and will see greater abominations than these!” And He brought me into the inner court of the house of YHWH, and behold, at the opening of the temple of YHWH, between the porch and between the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of YHWH and with their faces toward the east; and they were worshiping eastward to the sun. And He said to me: “Have you seen, son of man? Is it a light thing for the house of Judah to do the abominations that they do here, that they should fill the land with violence and turn back to provoke Me to anger? For behold, they are sending the branch to their nose! I also will act in fury. My eye will not show pity, and I will not have pity, and though they cry into My ears in a great voice, not at all will I hear them!” Execution of the Idolaters And He called out in my ears in a great voice, saying: “Let come near those appointed to deal with the city, and each man with a weapon of destruction in his hand.” And behold, six men, each man coming from the way of the upper gate that is facing to the north, and a man with the weapon of slaughter in his hand; and one in their midst clothed with linen, and the inkhorn of a scribe at his side. And they went in and stood beside the altar of bronze. And the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been upon it, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn of a scribe at his side; and YHWH said to him: “Pass over in the midst of the city, in the midst of Jerusalem, and mark a mark upon the foreheads of the men, those sighing and those groaning over all the abominations that are being done in its midst.” And to these others He said in my ears: “Pass over in the city after him, and strike! Do not let your⁺ eye show pity, and you⁺ shall not have pity. Aged, young man, and maidens, and little children, and women you⁺ will slay to destruction; and upon every man, upon him who has the mark, you⁺ will not come near. And at My sanctuary you⁺ will begin!” And they began with the elder men who were before the face of the house. And He said to them: “Defile the house and fill the courts with the slain! Go forth!” And they went forth, and they struck in the city. And it came to pass in their striking, that I was left, and I fell on my face and cried out and said: “Ah, Lord YHWH! Are You going to destroy all the remnant of Israel in Your pouring out Your fury upon Jerusalem?” And He said to me: “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is great exceedingly greatly, and the land is full of blood, and the city is full of perversity; for they say, ‘YHWH has forsaken the land, and YHWH is not seeing!’ And I also—My eye will not show pity, and I will not have pity, their deeds on their own head I have put!” And, behold, the man clothed in linen, who had at his side the inkhorn, was returning word, saying: “I have done according to that which You commanded me.” God’s Glory Exits the Temple And I looked, and behold, at the firmament that was over the head of the cherubim was like a stone of sapphire, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne, was seen above them. And He spoke to the man clothed in linen, and He said: “Go to the midst of the wheel, to beneath the cherub, and fill your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city!” And he went in before my eyes. And the cherubim were standing on the south side of the house, at the going in of the man, and the cloud filled the inner court. And the glory of YHWH went up from the cherub, over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of YHWH. And the voice of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of El-Shaddai10.5 El-Shaddai means God Almighty in His speaking. And it came to pass in His commanding the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubim,” that he went in and stood beside a wheel. And the cherub sent forth his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and he took and put it into the hands of the one clothed in linen, and he took it and went out. (And was seen unto the cherubim the form of the hand of a man under their wings.) And I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside the one cherub, and one wheel beside the one cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like the eye of a stone of beryl. And their appearance was one likeness unto four of them, as if it were a wheel in the midst of the wheel. In their going toward four directions, they did go; they did not turn aside in their going; for the place where the head turned, toward it they would go; they did not turn aside In their going. And all of their body—their rims, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, wheels as their four. The wheels, unto them it was called in my ears, “The whirling wheels.” And four faces were unto each one: The face of the first was the face of a cherub, and the face of the second was the face of a man, and the face of the third a lion, and the face of the fourth an eagle. And the cherubim rose upward. This was the living creature that I saw by the River Chebar. And in the going of the cherubim, the wheels went beside them; and the cherubim, in the lifting up of their wings, rose up from the earth, and the wheels did not turn, also they were beside them. In their standing still and in their rising up they were raised up with them, for the spirit of the living creature was in them. And went out the glory of YHWH from upon the threshold of the house, and it stood over the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and they were raised up from the earth before my eyes; and in their going out, also were the wheels beside them. And they stood at the entrance of the gate of the house of YHWH in the east, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them from above. This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the River Kebar; and I knew that they were cherubim. Four—four faces were unto each one, and four wings unto each one, and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. And the likeness of their faces, they were the faces that I had seen by the River Kebar, their appearances and themselves. Each one to straight ahead of its face they would go. Evil in High Places And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the house of YHWH, facing eastward. And behold, at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw in their midst Jaazaniah son of Azzur, and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, princes of the people. And He said to me: “Son of man, these are the men devising iniquity and counseling evil counsel in this city, those saying, ‘It is not near for building houses? She is the pot,11.3 Or cauldron and we are the meat!’ Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, O son of man.” And fell upon me the Spirit of YHWH, and He said to me, “Say, thus says YHWH: Thus you⁺ have said, O house of Israel—and the things coming upon your⁺ spirit I know. You⁺ have multiplied your⁺ slain in this city, and its streets you⁺ have filled with the slain. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: Your⁺ slain that you⁺ have set in its midst, they are the flesh, and she is the pot; and you⁺ will be brought out from her midst. The sword you⁺ have feared, and the sword I will bring upon you⁺, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And I will bring you⁺ out from her midst, and I will give you⁺ into the hands of strangers, and I will execute judgments against you⁺. By the sword you⁺ will fall, and at the border of Israel I will judge you⁺. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH. She will not be a pot for you⁺, nor will you⁺ be in her midst as meat; at the border of Israel I will judge you⁺, and you⁺ will know that I am YHWH. For in My statutes you⁺ have not walked, and My ordinances you⁺ have not done, and according to the ordinances of the nations that are around you⁺ you⁺ have done.” A Promise of Restoration (Jeremiah 32:36–44) And it came to pass in my prophesying that Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. And I fell on my face and cried out in a great voice, and said: “Ah, Lord YHWH! Are You going to make to a complete end of the remnant of Israel?” And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, your brothers, your relatives, the men of your kindred, and all the house of Israel—all of it, are those whom those dwelling in Jerusalem have said to them, ‘Get far away from YHWH; this land has been given to us as a possession.’ Therefore say, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Although I have set them far away among the nations, and although I have scattered them among the lands, I have been for them for a little while a sanctuary in the lands to which they have gone there.’ Therefore say, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘And I will gather you⁺ from the peoples, and will assemble you⁺ from the lands to which you⁺ have been scattered in them, and I will give to you⁺ the land of Israel.’ And they will go there, and they will turn aside all her detestable things and all her abominations from her. And I will give to them a single heart, and I will give a new spirit within them; and I will turn away the heart of stone from their flesh, and I will give to them a heart of flesh, so that they may walk in My statutes and they may keep My ordinances and may do them; and they will be unto Me for a people, and I will be unto them God. And to those whose heart their detestable things and whose heart their abominations is going after, their deeds I will recompense upon their own heads! An utterance of the Lord YHWH.” God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem And the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the wheels were beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them from above. And the glory of YHWH went up from the midst of the city, and it stood on the mountain that is on the east of the city. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to Chaldea,11.24 Or Babylonia to the captivity, in a vision by the Spirit of God; and went up from me the vision that I had seen. And I spoke to the captivity all the words of YHWH that He had shown to me. Signs of the Coming Captivity And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, you are dwelling in the midst of the house of rebellion, which has eyes unto them to see, and they do not see, and ears unto them to hear, and they do not hear; for they are a house of rebellion! And you, son of man, take up for yourself vessels for exile, and go into exile by day before their eyes; and you will go into exile from your place to another place before their eyes. Perhaps they will see, though they are a house of rebellion. And you shall bring out your vessels like vessels for exile by day before their eyes, and you shall go out in the evening before their eyes, like those going into captivity. Before their eyes you shall dig for yourself through the wall, and go out through it. Before their eyes, you shall bear them on your shoulders in the darkness and carry them out; you shall cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have given you as a sign for the house of Israel.” And I did just as I was commanded. My vessels I brought out as vessels for captivity by day, and in the evening I dug for myself through the wall with my hand; in the darkness I brought them out on my shoulder, I bore them before their eyes. And the word of YHWH came to me in the morning, saying: “Son of man, have they not said to you—the house of Israel, this house of rebellion, ‘What are you doing?’ Say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel who are in their midst.’ Say, ‘I am a sign to you⁺.’ As I have done, so will it be done to them—into exile, into captivity, they will go! 12.11 Some translators close the quotation at the end of the verse. And the prince who is in their midst, on his shoulder he will bear it in the darkness, and he will go out; they will dig through the wall to bring them out through it; he will cover his face so that he might not see with his eyes, he, the land. And I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare; and I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chaldeans; and he will not see it, and there he will die. And all who are around him as his help, and all his troops, I will scatter to every wind, and I will unsheath the sword after them. And they will know that I am YHWH, in My dispersing them among the nations and scattering them throughout the lands. I will spare from their people a few—from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence—so that they may recount all their abominations among the nations to which they go there. And they will know that I am YHWH.” And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and with anxiety! And say to the people of the land, thus says the Lord YHWH to those dwelling in Jerusalem, and to the land of Israel: ‘They will eat their bread with anxiety, and they will drink their water with dread, so that her land may be emptied of all her fullness, because of the violence of all those dwelling in her. And the cities that were inhabited will be dried up, and the land will become a desolation; and you⁺ will know that I am YHWH!’” The Presumptuous Proverb And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, what is this proverb for you⁺ over the land of Israel, saying, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision perishes’? Therefore say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘To this proverb I will put an end, and will they use it as a proverb no more in Israel. But rather speak to them: ‘The days are near, and the word of every vision!’ For there will be no longer any vision of emptiness, or of smooth divination, in the midst of the house of Israel. For I am YHWH! I speak, and the word that I speak will come to pass; it will not drag out any longer, but in your⁺ days, O house of rebellion, I will speak the word and will do it! An utterance of the Lord YHWH.’” And the word came of YHWH to me, saying: “Son of man, behold, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days, and times far off he is prophesying.’ Therefore say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Not any of My words will be drawn out anymore; the word that I speak, it will be done! An utterance of the Lord YHWH.’” Reproof of False Prophets (Micah 2:6–11) And the word came of YHWH to me, saying: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, those prophesying, and say to the prophets of their own heart, hear the word of YHWH! Thus says the Lord YHWH: Woe upon the foolish prophets, who are walking after their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Like jackals among the ruins, your prophets, O Israel, have become. You⁺ have not gone up into the breaches, and walled up the wall around the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of YHWH. They have seen emptiness and lying divination, saying, ‘Thus says YWHW…,’ and YHWH has not sent them; and they hope to establish their word. Have you⁺ not seen a vision of emptiness and spoken a lying divination? You say, ‘An utterance of YHWH…,’ and I have not spoken. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: Because you⁺ have spoken emptiness, and seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you⁺! An utterance of the Lord YHWH. And My hand will be against the prophets who are seeing emptiness, and who divine a lie; they will not belong in the assembly of My people, and in the register of the house of Israel they will not be written, and into the land of Israel they will not come. And you⁺ will know that I am the Lord YHWH. Because, even because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace!’ When there is no peace, and one is building a wall, and behold them, they plaster it with whitewash, you will say to those plastering with whitewash that it will fall! There will be an overflowing rain, and you⁺, O stones of hail, will fall, and a wind of tempests will tear it down. And behold, when the wall has fallen, it will not be said to you⁺, ‘Where is the whitewash with which you⁺ plastered it?’ Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: And I will cause to break forth a wind of tempests in My fury, and an overflowing rain there will be in My anger, and stones of hail in My fury to consume! And I will break down the wall that you⁺ have plastered with whitewash, and I will make it touch to the ground, and its foundation will be uncovered, and it will fall, and you⁺ will be finished off in the midst of it. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH. And will I accomplish My wrath against the wall, and against those plastering it with whitewash; and I will say to you⁺: ‘The wall is no more, and those plastering it are no more— the prophets of Israel are prophesying concerning Jerusalem, and seeing for her visions of peace, and there is no peace! An utterance of the Lord YHWH.’ Reproof of False Prophetesses And you, O son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, those prophesying from their own heart, and prophesy against them, and say, thus says the Lord YHWH: Woe to those sowing charms on all the wrists of their hands, and making veils for the heads of every height, to hunt for souls! Will you⁺ hunt the souls of My people, and the souls of yourselves keep alive? And you⁺ profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley, and for pieces of bread, by putting to death people who should not die, and keeping alive people who should not live, by your⁺ lying to My people who listen to a lie. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am against your⁺ charms, by which you⁺ hunt there souls like birds; and I will tear them from your⁺ arms, and I will send away the souls that you⁺ hunt like the souls of birds. And I will tear off your⁺ veils, and I will deliver My people from your⁺ hands, and they will be no longer in your⁺ hands as prey! And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH. Because you have disheartened the righteous heart with a lie (when I had not grieved him) and strengthened the hands of the wicked, so as not to turn aside from his evil way to save his life, therefore emptiness you⁺ will not see, and divination you⁺ will not divine any longer. And I will deliver My people from your⁺ hands, and you⁺ will know that I am YHWH.” Idolatrous Elders Condemned (Romans 14:13–23; 1 Corinthians 8:1–13) And there came to me some men from the elders of Israel, and they sat before me. And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, these men have set up their idols upon their hearts, and a stumbling block for their iniquity they have put before their faces. Can I be sought out in any way by them? Therefore you must speak to them and say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Every man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart and puts a stumbling block for his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet, I, YHWH, will give answer to him in this, according to the abundance of his idolatry, so as to capture the house of Israel by their heart, in that they are estranged from Me by all their idols.’ Therefore say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Turn back and turn away from your⁺ idols, and from all your⁺ abominations turn back your⁺ faces! For every man of the house of Israel, or from the foreigners who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart, and puts a stumbling block for his iniquity before his face, and who comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I, YHWH, will answer him Myself. And I will set My face against that man, and I will set him as a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH. And a prophet, if he is led astray and has spoken a word, I, YHWH, have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him, and I will destroy him from the midst of My people Israel. And they will bear their guilt. As the guilt of the one inquiring, will be the guilt of the prophet, so that the house of Israel they will lead astray no longer from Me, and they will not profane themselves anymore with all their transgressions. And they will be unto Me as a people, and I will be unto them God! An utterance of the Lord YHWH.’” Four Dire Judgments And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, when a land sins against Me to act unfaithfully—an unfaithfulness—and I stretch out My hand against it and cut off for it the staff14.13 Or supply of bread, and I send on it famine and I cut off from it man and beast, even if these three men were in its midst—Noah, Daniel, and Job—only they by their righteousness would deliver their own soul! An utterance of the Lord YHWH. Or if I cause a wild beast to pass through the land and make it barren and it becomes a desolation, with no one passing through before the face of the beast, even if these three men were in its midst—as I live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH—neither the sons or daughters they could deliver! They alone would be delivered, and the land would become a desolation. Or if I should bring the sword against that land and say, ‘Sword, pass through the land!’ And I cut off from it man and beast, even if these three men were in the midst of it—as I live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH—they could not deliver the sons and daughters, but they themselves alone would be delivered. Or if I should send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the midst of it—as I live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH—neither the son nor daughter they could deliver! They by their righteousness would deliver only their own soul. For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘How much more when these four of My severe judgments—the sword, and famine, and the wild beast, and the pestilence—I send against Jerusalem, to cut off from it man and beast? And behold—there will be left in it a remnant, those being brought out, sons and daughters; behold, they will be coming out to you⁺, and you⁺ will see their ways and their deeds, and you⁺ will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem—all that I have brought upon it. And they will comfort you⁺ when you⁺ see their ways and their deeds, and you⁺ will know that I have not without cause done all that I have done in it!’ An utterance of the Lord YHWH.” Jerusalem the Useless Vine And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, how is the wood of the vine more than any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to use for work? Or do they make from it a peg to hang any vessel on it? Behold, it is given to the fire for food; the two of its ends the fire devours, and the middle of it is burned. Is it useful for work? Behold, in its being complete, it could not be made for work; how much less when the fire has devoured it and it is burned, can it even be made yet for work! Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Just like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for food, so I have given those dwelling in Jerusalem. And I will set My face against them; from the fire they will come out, and the fire will devour them! And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH, in My setting My face against them. And I will make the land a desolation, because they have acted unfaithfully—an unfaithfulness’—a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” Jerusalem’s Unfaithfulness And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations, and say, thus says the Lord YHWH to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are from the land of the Canaanite; your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite. And of your birth, on the day you were born, your cord was not cut, and you were not washed in water for cleansing, and you were not rubbed with salt, and you were not wrapped in swaddling cloths. No eye showed pity to you, to do for you one of these things to have compassion on you, and you were thrown out into the face of the field in the loathing of your soul on the day you were born. And I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your own blood, and I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ And I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I made you a myriad like a plant in the field, and you increased and grew and came into the adornment of adornments. Your breasts were established, and your hair sprouted, and you were naked and bare. And I passed by you and I saw you, and behold, your time was the time for love! And I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness, and I swore an oath to you and came into a covenant with you—a declaration of the Lord YHWH—and you came to be unto Me. And I washed you with water, and I rinsed off your blood from you, and I anointed you with the oil. And I clothed you in embroidered cloth, and gave you sandals of badger skin, and I tied you in fine linen, and I covered you with silk; and I adorned you with ornaments, and I put bracelets on your hands and a chain on your neck. And I put a ring upon your nose, and earrings upon your ears, and a crown of beauty upon your head. And you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, and silk, and embroidered cloth. Fine flour and honey and oil did you eat. You were exceedingly greatly beautiful, and you advanced to royalty. And a name for you went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect in My splendor that I had set upon you, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And you trusted in your own beauty, and acted as a prostitute upon your name, and you poured out your prostitution on everyone passing by—it was unto him! And you took from your garments and made for yourself multicolored high places, and you prostituted yourself on them—things that should not have happened and should not have come to be! And you have taken the articles of your beauty from My gold and from My silver that I had given to you, and you made for yourself images of a male and prostituted yourself with them! And you took the garments of your embroidery and covered them, and you set My oil and My incense before their faces; and My food that I gave to you—the fine flour, and oil, and honey I fed you—and you set it before their face for a pleasing aroma; and it came to pass! An utterance of the Lord YHWH. And you took your sons and your daughters, those whom you bore to Me, and you sacrificed them to them to be devoured! Was your prostitution too little? And you have slain My children, and have given them by causing them to pass through to them! And in all your abominations and your prostitutions, you did not remember the days of your youth, in your being naked and bare; you were wallowing in your own blood. And it came to pass after all your evil—Woe, woe to you, a declaration of the Lord YHWH— that you built for yourself a mound and you set for yourself a high place in every public square! At every head of the road you built your high places, and you made abhorrent your beauty by your opening your feet to all passing by, and you multiplied your prostitutions! And you prostituted yourself with the sons of Egypt, your neighbors, greatly fleshly, and you multiplied your prostitutions to provoke Me to anger. And behold, I stretched out My hand against you, and I diminished your portion, and I gave you over to the appetite of those hating you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your way of prostitution. And you prostituted yourself with the sons of Assyria from your lack of being satisfied, and you prostituted yourself with them, and still you were not satisfied! And you multiplied your prostitutions into the land of the merchants of Chaldea,16.29 Or Babylonia and even in this you were not satisfied. How weak is your heart,16.30 Or How feverish is your heart, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, in your doing all these deeds of an imperious prostitute woman, in your building your mounds at the head of every road, and your high place you made in every public square. And you were not even like a prostitute because of your scorning of a prostitute’s payment. You are the woman committing adultery, who in place of her husband does receive strangers! To all prostitutes they give a gift, and you—you gave your gifts to all your lovers and bribed them to come to you from all around in your prostitutions. And it is the opposite from other women with you in your prostitution; and no one was after you to be a prostitute, and you gave a wage and a wage was not given to you—you are the opposite! Judgment on Jerusalem Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of YHWH! Thus says the Lord YHWH: Because your lust was poured out, and your nakedness was uncovered in your prostitutions with your lovers and with all the idols of your abominations, and because of the blood of your children, which you gave to them, therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you took pleasure, and all those whom you loved, along with all those you hated, and I will gather them against you from all around. And I will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. And I will judge you with the judgments of those committing adultery and shedding blood, and I will bring upon you the blood of rage and jealousy. And I will give you into their hands, and they will overthrow your shrines, and they will break down your high places, and they will strip you of your clothes and take away the articles of your beauty, and they will leave you naked and bare. And they will bring up an assembly against you, and they will stone you with stones, and they will cut you up with their swords. And they will burn your houses with fire, and they will execute judgment against you before the eyes of many women. And I will put an end to your prostitution, and even a single lover you will not pay again! And I will lay to rest My fury against you, and My jealousy will turn aside from you; and I will be quiet, and I will not be angry anymore. Because that you did not remember the days of your youth, and you caused enragement to Me with all these things, behold, I also, will recompense your way on your head! An utterance of the Lord YHWH. And have you not done this wickedness in addition to all your abominations? Behold everyone quoting proverbs will use this proverb against you, saying, ‘Like her mother is her daughter.’ You are the daughter of your mother, loathing her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, those who loathed their husbands and children! Your⁺ mother was a Hittite and your⁺ father an Amorite. And your elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters, dwelling to the north of you; and your younger sister, dwelling toyour south, is Sodom and her daughters. And not only in their ways did you walk, and according to their abominations you acted—as if too little—and you became more corrupt than they in all your ways! As I live—a declaration of the Lord YHWH—Sodom your sister has not done, she and her daughters, as you have done—you and your daughters! Behold, this was the guilt of Sodom your sister: Pride, fullness of bread, and the ease of idleness was unto her and unto her daughters, and the hand of the poor and needy she did not strengthen. And they were haughty, and they did an abomination before My face, and I turned them aside as you have seen.16.50 A few Hebrew manuscripts and LXX; MT as I have seen And Samaria, according to the half of your sins, did not sin; and you have multiplied your abominations beyond theirs, and you have justified your sisters in all the abominations that you have done. So also you, lift up your own shame, that you have brought justification for your sisters in your sins that you made abhorrent beyond theirs. They are more righteous than you, so you too be disgraced and lift up your own shame in your justifying of your sisters. And I will turn back their captivity—the captives of Sodom and her daughters,16.53 Or And I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and the captives of Samaria and her daughters—and the captivity of your captives in their midst, so that you may bear your shame and be disgraced by all that you did, in your giving comfort to them. And your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, will return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters will return to their former state, and you and your daughters will return to your⁺ former state. Has not your sister Sodom come to be as a byword in your mouth in the days of your pride, before your wickedness was uncovered? It is like the time of scorn by the daughters of Edom,16.57 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts, LXX, and Vulgate Aram and all those around her, and the daughters of the Philistines—those despising you from all around. Your wickedness and your abominations you will bear, a declaration of YHWH. The Covenant Remembered For thus says the Lord YHWH: I will do with you as you have done—those having despised the oath by breaking the covenant. And I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish with you a covenant forever. And you will remember your ways, and you will be ashamed, in your taking your sisters, those older than you to those younger than you, when I give them to you as daughters, and not by your covenant. And I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know that I am YHWH, so that you may remember and be ashamed, and there will come to be for you no more an opening of your mouth from the face of your shame, in My making atonement toward you for all that you have done! An utterance of the Lord YHWH.” The Parable of Two Eagles and a Vine (Matthew 13:24–30) And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, pose a riddle and present a parable to the house of Israel, and say, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘A great eagle, great of wings and long of pinions,17.3 Pinions are the outer parts of a bird’s wings, including the flight feathers. full of feathers that are unto it of many colors, came to Lebanon, and took from the treetop of the cedar. The topmost of its shoots he plucked off and he brought it in to a land of trade. In a city of merchants he set it. And he took from the seed of the land, and he put it in a field of seed; he took it next to abundant waters; as a willow tree he set it. And it grew and became a spreading vine, low of height, turning its branches toward him, and its roots were under it, and it became as a vine and made branches and sent out shoots. And there was one great eagle, great of wings and abundant of feathers, and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and its branches it stretched out toward him, to water it from the beds of its planting. In a good field, next to many waters, it was planted, to make branches and to bear fruit, to become as a vine of magnificence.’ Say, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Will it prosper? Will he not its roots pull up and strip off its fruit, so it withers— all of the fresh sproutings of its branch wither? And not a great arm or many people to lift it up by its roots. And behold, being planted, will it prosper? At the touching of it by the wind from the east, Will it not it will completely wither— will it wither on the beds of its planting?’” The Parable Explained And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Say now to the house of rebellion, ‘Do you⁺ not know what these are?’ Say, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and he took her king and her princes, and he brought them with him to Babylon. And he took from the seed of the king, and he cut with him a covenant, and he brought him in under oath—for the mighty ones of the land he had taken away— that the kingdom would be brought low and not lift itself up by keeping his covenant that it may stand. And he rebelled against him by sending his messengers to Egypt, to give to him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he escape, the one doing these things? And can he break a covenant, and escape?’ ‘As I live,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH, ‘Will he not—in the place of the king causing him to reign, of whom his oath he despised, and of whom his covenant he broke with him—die in the midst of Babylon. And not with his mighty army and his great assembly, will Pharaoh maintain him in the war, in the piling up of a siege mound, and with the building of a wall, to cut off many souls. And he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and behold, he gave his hand, and all these things he did—he will not escape!’ Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘As I live, surely My oath that he despised, and My covenant that he broke, will I not recompense upon his head? And I will spread over him My net, and he will be captured in My snare; and I will bring him to Babylon, and I will execute judgment upon him there for the unfaithfulness with which he was unfaithful against Me. And all his choice troops17.21 Many Hebrew manuscripts; MT And all his fugatives with all his troops will fall by the sword, and those remaining will be scattered to every wind! And you⁺ will know that I, YHWH, have spoken.’ Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘I will take from the treetop of the highest cedar, and I will set it out; from the topmost of its shoots, a tender one I will pluck off, and I will plant it on a mountain high and exalted. On a mountain in the height of Israel I will plant it, and it will bear boughs and it will yield fruit, and it will be majestic as a cedar; and will dwell under it every bird of every wing; in the shade of its branches they will dwell. And all the trees of the field will know that I, YHWH, have brought low the high tree, and have raised high the low tree; I dried up the green tree and I made bud the dry tree. I, YHWH, have spoken, and I have done it.’” The Soul Who Sins Will Die And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “What is it to you⁺ that you⁺ are quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers eat sour grapes, and the teeth of the sons are set on edge’? As I live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, it will not be for you⁺ to quote this proverb any longer in Israel, behold, all souls, they are unto Me—as the soul of the father, also the soul of the son—they are unto Me: The soul that is sinning, it will die. And a man, if he is righteous and does justice and righteousness; if on the mountains he has not eaten, and his eyes he has not lifted up to the idols of the house of Israel, and the wife of his neighbor he has not defiled, and toward a woman in her impurity he has not come near; he does not and a man oppressed, he does return his pledge to the debtor; with violence he has not robbed; he gives his bread to the hungry and he covers the naked with clothing; in usury he does not give, and an increase he does not take; he turns back his hand from iniquity; he does true judgment between man and man. In My statutes, he walks and he keeps My ordinances, to act in faithfulness; he is righteous, and he will surely live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And if he begets a violent son, one shedding blood, or who does to a brother one of these things— and he has not done all of these things— for even on the mountains he has eaten, and the wife of his neighbor he has defiled; he has oppressed the poor and needy; by violence he has plundered; the pledge he does not return, and to the idols he has lifted up his eyes; an abomination he has done, in usury he has given, and increase he has taken. Will he live? He will not live! He has done all these abominations; he will surely die, and his blood will be upon him! And behold, If he begets a son, and he sees all the sins of his father that he has done—and he sees and does not do likewise— on the mountains he has not eaten; and his eyes he has not lifted to the idols of the house of Israel; the wife of his neighbor he has not defiled, and he has not oppressed a man; he has not withheld a pledge with violence he has not robbed; he has given his bread to the hungry and the naked he has covered with clothing; he has turned back his hand from the poor;18.17 Hebrew; LXX he withholds his hand from iniquity usury and increase he has not taken, My ordinances he has done, and in My statutes has walked. He will not die for the iniquity of his father; he will surely live. His father, because he pressed with oppression, he robbed his brother by violence, and what is not good he has done in the midst of his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity. And you⁺ may say, ‘Why should not the son bear the guilt of the father?’ And the son has done justice and righteousness, all My statutes he has kept and he has done them; he will surely live. The soul sinning, it will die. The son will not bear the guilt of the father, and the father will not bear the guilt of the son; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. And a wicked one, if he should turn away from all his sins that he has done, and should keep all My statutes, and do justice and righteousness, he will surely live; he will not die. All the transgressions that he has done will not be remembered against him; because of the righteousness that he has done, he will live. Do I take any delight in the death of the wicked? An utterance of the Lord YHWH. No, in his turning aside from his ways, and he lives? And in the turning away of a righteous man from his righteousness, and he has done iniquity according to all the abominations that the wicked one does, he does, then will he live? All the righteousness that he has done will not be remembered because of the unfaithfulness with which he was unfaithful and the sin that he has sinned; in them he will die. And you⁺ have said, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is not just? Is it not your⁺ ways that are not just? In the turning away of a righteous one from his righteousness, when he does iniquity and dies in it, because of the iniquity that he has done, he dies. And in the turning away of the wicked from the wickedness that he has done, when he does justice and righteousness, he will keep alive his soul. And he considers and turns away from all the transgressions that he had done; he will surely live; he will not die. And the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are My ways not just, O house of Israel? Is it not your⁺ ways that are not just? Therefore each man, according to his ways, I will judge you⁺, O house of Israel, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. Turn away and turn away from all your⁺ transgressions, and iniquity will not be unto you⁺ as a stumbling block. Cast away from you⁺ all the transgressions that you⁺ have transgressed by them, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why should you⁺ die, O house of Israel? For I do not delight in the death of the one dying, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, turn back and live! A Lament for the Princes of Israel “ And you, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, and say: ‘What was your mother? A lioness among the lions! She stretched out in the midst of young lions; she reared her cubs. And she brought up one of her cubs; he became a young lion, and he learned to tear prey; he devoured men. And the nations heard of him; he was caught in their pit, and they brought him with the hooks to the land of Egypt. And she saw that she had waited; her hope had perished, and she took one of her cubs; she has made it a young lion. And he went about in the midst of the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch prey; he devoured men. And he broke down their strongholds,19.7 Or He knew their widows or He seized their widows and their cities he laid waste, and the land was devastated and all its fullness by the voice of his roaring. And set out against him the nations all around from the provinces, and they spread over him their net; he was caught in their pit. And they put him in the cage with the hooks, and they brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him in the nets so that his voice was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel. Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard;19.10 Some Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts in your bloodline by the waters she was planted; she was fruitful and full of branches from the many waters. And there were unto her branches of strength for scepters of rulers, and she towered in height over among the thick branches, and it was seen in its height, in the abundance of its branches. And she was uprooted in fury; she was cast down to the ground, and the wind from the east dried up her fruit; the branches of her strength were broken and withered; fire consumed them. And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of dryness and thirst. And fire has gone out from a staff of her branches; it devoured her fruit, so that there should not be in her a staff of strength, a scepter for ruling.’ This is a lamentation, and it is for lamentation.” Israel’s Rebellion in Egypt And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth, on the tenth of the month, that came men from the elders of Israel to inquire of YHWH, and they sat before me. And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: Have you⁺ come to inquire of Me? As I live, I will not be inquired of by you⁺, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Make known to them the abominations of their fathers, and say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: On the day of my choosing Israel, I lifted My hand to the seed of the house of Jacob, and I made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt. And I lifted My hand to them, saying, ‘I am YHWH your⁺ God.’ On that day I lifted My hand to them to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey—the glory it is of all the lands! And I said to them, ‘Each man must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and with the idols of Egypt you⁺ shall not defile yourselves! I am YHWH your⁺ God.’ And they rebelled against Me, and they were not willing to listen to Me. Each man, the abominations of their eyes, they did not cast away, and the idols of Egypt they did not forsake. And I said, I will pour out My fury upon them, to complete My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt! And I acted for the sake of My name, for it not to be profaned before the eyes of the nations, in the midst of whom they were, who before their eyes I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt. Israel’s Rebellion in the Wilderness And I brought them out from the land of Egypt, and I brought them into the wilderness. And I gave to them My statutes, and I made known to them My judgments, which the man shall do them, and he will live by them. 20.11 See Leviticus 18:5; also in Ezekiel 20:13 and 21. And also My Sabbaths I gave to them to be as a sign between Me and between them, that they might know that I am YHWH, the One sanctifying them. And the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. In My statutes they did not walk, and My judgments they rejected, which the man shall do them, and he will live by them. And My Sabbaths they defiled greatly. And I said to pour out My fury on them in the wilderness to put an end to them! And I acted for the sake of My name, for it not to be profaned before the eyes of the nations, who before their eyes I had brought them out. And also I lifted My hand to them in the wilderness not to bring them into the land that I had given, flowing with milk and honey—the glory it is of all the lands, because My ordinances they rejected, and My statutes they did not walk in them, and My Sabbaths they profaned, for their heart was walking after their idols. And My eye showed pity to them from destroying them, and I did not make a complete end of them in the wilderness. And I said to their sons in the wilderness, ‘In the statutes of your⁺ fathers you⁺ shall not walk, and their ordinances you⁺ shall not keep, and with their idols you⁺ shall not defile yourselves. I am YHWH your⁺ God; in My statutes you must walk, and My ordinances you must keep and do them, and My Sabbaths keep holy, that they may be as a sign between Me and between you⁺, to know that I am YHWH your⁺ God.’ And the sons also rebelled against Me. In My statutes they did not walk, and My judgments they did not keep to do them, which a man shall do them, and he will live by them. My Sabbaths they profaned, and I said to pour out My fury on them to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness. And I turned back My hand, and I acted for the sake of My name not to be profaned in the eyes of the nations who before their eyes I had brought them out. I also, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness to scatter them among the nations and to scatter them among the lands, because My ordinances they had not done, and My statutes they had rejected, and My Sabbaths they had profaned, and their eyes were after the idols of their fathers. And also I gave to them statutes not good, and ordinances by which they could not live. And I made them unclean through their gifts, in making pass through all their firstborn, so that I might make them desolate, so that they would know that I am YHWH. Israel’s Rebellion in the Land Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: Also in this your⁺ fathers, in their being unfaithful to Me, blasphemed Me in unfaithfulness. And I brought them into the land that I had lifted up My hand to give it to them, and they saw all the high hills and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices, and there was provocation by their offerings, and there they sent up their pleasing aroma, and there they poured out their drink offerings. And I said to them, ‘What is this high place to which you⁺ are going there?’ And its name is called Bamah to this day. 20.29 Bamah means high place. Therefore say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: In the way of your⁺ fathers will you⁺ be defiling yourselves and prostituting yourselves after their abominations? For in your lifting up your⁺ gifts, and making your⁺ sons pass through the fire, you⁺ are defiling yourselves with all your⁺ idols, even to this day. And shall I be consulted by you⁺, O house of Israel? As I live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, I will not be consulted by you⁺! And the thing coming up upon your⁺ mind, not at all shall come to pass—that you⁺ say, let us become like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, ministering to wood and stone!’ Judgment and Restoration As I live—a declaration of the Lord YHWH—if not with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with fury poured out I will rule over you⁺! And I will bring out you⁺ from the peoples, and I will gather you⁺ from the lands to which you⁺ have been scattered in them, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with fury poured out. 20.34 LXX receive you; see also 2 Corinthians 6:17. And I will bring you⁺ into the wilderness of the peoples, and I will enter into judgment with you⁺ there, face to face! As I entered into judgment with your⁺ fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt,20.36 Or in the wilderness after bringing them out of Egypt so I will enter into judgment with you⁺, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And I will make you⁺ pass under the rod, and I will bring you⁺ into the bond of the covenant. And I will purge from among you⁺ those rebelling and those transgressing against Me; from the land of their sojourning I will bring out them, and into the land of Israel they will not come. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH. And you⁺, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: Let each man go and serve his idols, and afterward, if you⁺ are not listening to Me; and the name of My holiness you⁺ will profane no more with your⁺ gifts and with your⁺ idols! For on the mountain of My holiness, on the mountain of the height of Israel, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, there they will serve Me—all the house of Israel, all of them in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will seek out your⁺ contributions and the firstfruits of your⁺ sacrifices with all your⁺ holy things. With a pleasing aroma I will accept you⁺, in My bringing you⁺ out from the peoples and in My gathering you⁺ from the lands to which you⁺ have been scattered in them; and I will show My holiness in you⁺ before the eyes of the nations. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH, in My bringing you⁺ to the land of Israel, to the land that I lifted My hand to give it to your⁺ fathers. And you⁺ will remember there your⁺ ways, and all your⁺ deeds with which you⁺ defiled yourselves in them, and you⁺ will be loathsome in your⁺ own sight for all the evils that you⁺ have done. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH, in my dealing with you⁺ for the sake of My name, not according to your⁺ evil ways and your⁺ corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” A Prophecy against the South And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, set your face to the way of Teman,20.46 Or of the south and preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest of the land of the Negev. And say to the forest of the Negev, Hear the word of YHWH, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am going to kindle in you a fire, and it will devour in you every moist tree and every dry tree; the blazing flame will not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north will be scorched by it! And all flesh will see that I, YHWH, have kindled it l it will not be quenched.” And I said: “Ah, Lord YHWH! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not one telling parables?’” God’s Sword of Judgment And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and preach against the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel, and say to the land of Israel, thus says YHWH: ‘Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword from its sheath and I will cut off from you the righteous one and the wicked one! Because that I will cut off from you the righteous one and the wicked one, therefore My sword will go forth from its sheath against all flesh, from south to north. And all flesh will know that I, YHWH, have drawn My sword from its sheath; it will not return anymore!’ And you, son of man, groan with the breaking of loins, and with bitterness groan before their eyes. And it will come to pass when they say to you, ‘For what are you sighing?’ That you will answer, ‘Because of the news that is coming; and every heart will melt, and all hands will become feeble, and every spirit will faint, and all knees will turn to water.’ Behold, it is coming, and it will come to pass! An utterance of the Lord YHWH.” And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, prophesy and say, thus says the Lord: Say, ‘A sword, a sword is sharpened, also polished, it is sharpened in order to slaughter a slaughter; it is polished in order that it may become lightning. Or should we rejoice in the scepter of My son? It is despising every such stick? And He has given it to be polished, to grasp it in the palm; the sword is sharpened and it is polished, to be given it into the hand of the one slaying. Cry and wail, O son of man! For it shall be upon my people; it is against all the princes of Israel! They are cast to the sword they will be upon My people! Therefore strike upon your thigh.21.12 Or beat your breast For there is a testing; and what if even the scepter it is despising does not continue!’ An utterance of the Lord YHWH. ‘And you, son of man, prophesy and strike together the palm, and let the sword come twice— a third time— the sword of the slain! It is the sword of great slaughter that is surrounding them, in order to melt the heart and to increase those stumbling. Against all their gates I have appointed a sword for slaughter. Ah, it is made as lightning; it is grasped for slaughter! Slash, thrust right, set it, thrust left, wherever your face is appointed! And I also will strike My palm to My palm, and My fury I will cause to rest.’ I, YHWH, have spoken.” And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “And you, son of man, set for yourself two ways to go for the sword of the king of Babylon! From one land they will come forth, the two of them, and create a signpost—at the head of the way to the city create it. Appoint a way for the coming of the sword to Rabbah of the sons of Ammon and to Judah, into fortified Jerusalem. For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to divine with divination; he shakes the arrows, he inquires of the teraphim, he looks at the liver. In his right hand is the divination for Jerusalem, to set up battering rams, to open the mouth with shattering, to lift high the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to heap up a mound, and to build a wall. And it will be to them like an empty divination in their eyes, those having sworn oaths with them; and he will call to remembrance their guilt, to take them captive. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because you⁺ have made your⁺ iniquity to be remembered, in your⁺ transgressions being uncovered, to cause your⁺ sins to be seen in all your⁺ deeds—because of your⁺ being remembered, you⁺ shall be taken in hand. And you, O profane and wicked prince of Israel, for whom his day has come, in the time of your punishment at the end— thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Turn aside the turban and lift off the crown; this will no longer be the same! The low make high, and the high make low. A ruin, a ruin, I will make it a ruin! And it will not be until He comes whose it is; to Him I have assigned the judgment.21.27 Or until He comes whose it is, to whom I have given it. And you, son of man, prophesy and say, thus says the Lord YHWH concerning the sons of Ammon and concerning their scorn; and you shall say: ‘A sword, a sword is opened for slaughter! Polished for consuming, in order to be like lightning. In seeing falsehood for you, in divining to you a lie, to put you on the necks of the wounded of the wicked, whose day has come, in the time of the iniquity of the end. Return it to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you. And I will pour out on you My anger; with the fire of My wrath I will blow against you, and I will give you into the hands of brutish men, craftsmen of destruction. For the fire you will be as food; your blood will be in the midst of the land; you will not be remembered! Indeed I, YHWH, have spoken.’” The Sins of Jerusalem And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge this city of blood? Then make known to her all her abominations, and say, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘O city, pouring out blood in her midst, so that her time may come, and she makes idols upon herself to defile herself! By the blood that you have poured out, you have become guilty, and by the idols that you have made, you have defiled yourself; and your days you have brought near, and you have come to your years! Upon thus I have made you a reproach for the nations, and of derision for all the lands. Those near and those far from you will mock you, O unclean of name, full of turmoil. Behold, the princes of Israel, each man to his arm, have come to be among you in order to pour out blood! The father and mother they have belittled among you; against the sojourner they have acted with oppression in your midst; the fatherless and the widow they have mistreated among you. My holy things you have despised, and My Sabbaths you have profaned. Men of slander are among you in order to pour out blood, and on the mountains they eat among you, and wickedness they do in your midst. The nakedness of their fathers they uncover among you; the impurity of the women they violate among you. And a man with the wife of his neighbor commits an abomination, and another man his daughter-in-law defiles in wickedness; and a man violates his sister, the daughter of his father, among you. They take Bribes among you in order to pour out blood; usury and increase you take, and you cut off your neighbors by extortion, and Me you have forgotten, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. So behold, I strike My hands against your dishonest gain that you have made, and over the bloodshed that has come to be in your midst! Can your heart stand or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I will be dealing with you? I, YHWH, have spoken, and I will act. And I will disperse you among the nations, and I will scatter you among the lands, and I will finish off your uncleanness from you. And you will profane yourself22.16 Or And I have allotted you your inheritance before the eyes of the nations, and you will know that I am YHWH.’” The Refining Furnace And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, the house of Israel has become to Me as dross; they are all bronze, and tin, and iron, and lead in the midst of a furnace; they have become the dross of silver. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because all of you⁺ have become as dross, therefore, behold, I am going to gather you⁺ into the midst of Jerusalem. The gathering of silver, and bronze, and iron, and lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow on it fire to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you and I will melt you⁺! And I will gather you⁺ and will blow on you⁺ with the fire of My wrath, and you⁺ will be melted in its midst. As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so will you⁺ be melted in its midst. And you⁺ will know that I, YHWH, have poured out My fury upon you⁺.’” Israel’s Wicked Leaders And the word of YHWH came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed, nor is rain on her, in the day of anger.’ The conspiracy of her princes22.25 LXX; Hebrew of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured the soul; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have done violence to My law, and have profaned My holy things; between the holy and the profane they do not separate, and between the unclean and the clean they do not discern; and from My Sabbaths they have hidden their eyes, and I am profaned in their midst! Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy souls, and to break off dishonest gain. And her prophets have covered them with whitewash, seeing falsehood and divining for them a lie, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH,’ and YHWH has not spoken. The people of the land with oppression have oppressed, and with robbery have robbed, and the poor and the needy they have mistreated; and the sojourner they oppress without justice. And I sought from them a man walling up the wall and standing in the breach before Me, on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it, and no one did I find. And I have poured out on them My anger; with the fire of My wrath I have consumed them; their deeds have I recompensed on their own heads! An utterance of the Lord YHWH.” The Two Adulterous Sisters And the word came of YHWH to me, saying: “Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. And they acted as prostitutes in Egypt; in their youth they were prostitutes; there were squeezed their breasts, and there were pressed the nipples of their virginity. And their names were Oholah23.4 Oholah means her own tent or she worships at a tent shrine, a metaphor for Samaria as an adulteress with Assyria. the elder, and Oholibah23.4 Oholibah means the tent is in her or she is a tent shrine, a metaphor for Jerusalem as an adulterous wife. her sister. And they were unto Me, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. And their names—Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah. And Oholah prostituted herself under Me, and she lusted over her lovers, toward Assyria, warriors clothed in purple, governors and commanders, young men of desire all of them, horsemen riding on horses. And she gave her prostitutions with them, choice men of Assyria, all of them; and with all for whom she lusted, with all their idols she defiled herself. And her prostitutions from Egypt she has not left behind; for they had lain with her in her youth, and they pressed the nipples of her virginity, and poured out their lust upon her. Therefore I have given her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the sons of Assyria, for whom she lusted. They have uncovered her nakedness; her sons and daughters they took away, and with the sword they slew her. And she has become a byword among the women, and they executed when judgment against her. And her sister Oholibah saw this, and in her lust she became corrupt above her, and her prostitutions were more than the prostitution of her sister. She lusted after the sons of Assyria—governors and commanders, warriors clothed in perfection, horsemen riding on horses, young men of desire all of them. And I saw that she was defiled; one way is unto the two of them, and she had added to her prostitutions, and she looked at men portrayed on the wall, images of Chaldeans23.14 That is, the Babylonians portrayed in vermilion, girded with belts around their loins, turbans flowing on their heads, with the appearance of officers all of them, in the likeness of the sons of Babylon, Chaldea23.15 Or Babylonia; also in verse 16 the land of their origin. And she lusted for them at the seeing of her eyes, and she sent messengers to them in Chaldea. And the sons of Babylon came to her, into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their lust; and she was defiled by them, and she dislocated her soul from them. And she uncovered her prostitutions, and she uncovered her nakedness, and I dislocated My soul from her, as I had dislocated My soul from her sister. And she multiplied her prostitutions, to remember the days of her youth, when she had prostituted herself in the land of Egypt, and lusted after their lovers, for whom the flesh of donkeys is the flesh, and the emission of stallions was their emission. And you revisited the wickedness of your youth, in the pressing by the Egyptians of your nipples, on account of the breasts of your youth. Oholibah to Be Plagued Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am stirring up your lovers against you, from whom you have dislocated your soul, and I will bring them against you from all around: The sons of Babylon and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, all the sons of Assyria with them—young men of desire, governors and commanders all of them, officers and renowned ones, all of them riding on horses. And they will come against you with weapons,23.24 LXX And they will all come against you from the north chariots, and wagons, and with a horde of people; buckler and shield and helmet they will array against you all around; and I will give to them judgment, and they will judge you by their own judgments. And I will set My jealousy against you, and they will deal with you in anger; your nose and your ears they will turn aside, and your survivors will fall by the sword; they will take your sons and your daughters, and your remnant will be devoured by the fire! And they will strip you of your clothes, and they will take away the articles of your beauty. And your wickedness I will make cease from you, and your prostitution from the land of Egypt, and you will not lift up your eyes to them, and Egypt you will not remember anymore.’ For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am giving you into the hand of those whom you hate, into the hand of those whom you had alienated your soul from. And they will deal with you in hate, and they will take away all your labor, and they will leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your prostitutions will be uncovered, and your wickedness, and your prostitutions! I will do these things to you upon your prostituting yourself after the nations, upon that you have defiled yourself with their idols. You have walked in the way of your sister, and I have given her cup into your hand.’ Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘The cup of your sister you will drink, deep and wide; it will be for laughter and derision, in its containing a great amount. With drunkenness and sorrow you will be filled— the cup of horror and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria— and you will drink it and drain it, and its shards you will dash and tear at your breasts! For I have spoken,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because you have forgotten Me, and you have cast Me behind your back, you also will bear your wickedness and your prostitutions.’” Judgment on Both Sisters And YHWH said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? You must make known to them their abominations. For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands; with their idols they have committed adultery, and even their sons whom they bore to Me, they made pass through the fire for them as food. Moreover this they have done to Me: They have defiled My sanctuary on that day, and My Sabbaths have profaned. For in their slaughtering their children to their idols, they came into My sanctuary on that day to profane it; and behold, thus they have done in the midst of My house, and also that they sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent, and behold—they came, those for whom you washed yourself and painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments. And you sat on a glorious couch, with a table arranged before it, and My incense and My oil you had set on it. And the voice of a crowd at ease was with her, and to men from the multitude of mankind were brought drunkards23.42 Or Sabeans from the wilderness,23.42 Or from the desert and they gave bracelets to their wrists and crowns of beauty upon their heads. And I said of her who was worn out in adulteries, ‘Now will they commit prostitutions with her—and she also!’ And they have come in to her as the coming in to a woman, a prostitute. Thus they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, women of wickedness! And righteous men, they will pass judgment on them with the judgment of adulteresses, and with the judgment of those shedding blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands! For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Bring up against them an assembly, and give them to terror and plunder! And the assembly will stone them with stones and will cut down them with their swords; their sons and their daughters they will slay, they will burn and their houses with the fire. And this wickedness I will make cease from the land, and all the women will be admonished and they will not act according to your⁺ wickedness. And they will put your⁺ wickedness upon you⁺, and the sins of your⁺ idols you⁺ will bear. And you⁺ will know that I am the Lord YHWH.’” The Parable of the Cooking Pot And the word of YHWH came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying: “Son of man, write down for yourself the name of the day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege against Jerusalem on this very day. And utter to house the rebellious a parable, and say to them—thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Put on a pot; put it on, and also pour water into it. To gather its pieces to it, every good piece— thigh and shoulder; fill it with the choicest of limbs. Take the choicest of the flock, and pile up the bones under it; bring to a boil the boiling of it, and let seethe the limbs in the midst of it.’ Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Woe to the city of blood, the pot that has rust in it, and its corrosion has not gone out from it! Piece after piece bring out from it; a lot has not fallen on it.24.6 Or let no lot fall upon it For her blood is in her midst; upon a clear place of a rock she set it; she has not poured it out on the ground to cover over it with dust. To cause fury to come up, to avenge with vengeance, I have given her blood upon a clear place of a rock, that it should not be covered.’ Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Woe to the city of blood! Even I will make great the pyre! Heap on the wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and mix in the spices, and let the bones be burned up. And set it on its coals empty, so that it may become hot and its bronze may burn, it will be melted in the midst of its impurity, its corrosion consumed. With toiling she has grown weary, and the abundance of her corrosion has not gone out from her— into the fire with her corrosion! In your uncleanness is wickedness, because I have cleansed you and you would not be cleansed from your uncleanness, you will not be cleansed anymore, until I have caused to rest My fury on you. I, YHWH, have spoken it— it is coming, and I will do it! I will not hold back, and I will not show pity, and I will not relent. According to your ways, and according to your deeds they will judge you,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” Ezekiel’s Wife Dies And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, behold—I am taking away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke, and you will not mourn and you will not weep, and your tears will not run down. Groan, keep silent, you shall make no mourning for the dead. Bind your turban on you, and place your sandals on your feet; do not put a wrap over the lip, and the bread of men do not eat.” And I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening, and in the morning I did as I was commanded. And the people said to me: “Will you not declare to us what these things are to us, that you are doing this?” And I gave the answer to them: “The word of YHWH came to me, saying: Speak to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am going to profane My sanctuary, the pride of your⁺ strength, the desire of your⁺ eyes, and the delight of your⁺ soul; and your⁺ sons and daughters, whom you⁺ left behind, will fall by the sword.’ And you⁺ will do as I have done: Upon the lip you⁺ shall not put a wrap, and bread of men you⁺ shall not eat; and your⁺ turbans will be on your⁺ heads, and your⁺ sandals on your⁺ feet. You⁺ will not mourn nor weep; and you⁺ will waste away in your⁺ iniquities, and a man will groan toward his brother. And Ezekiel will be to you⁺ as a sign; according to all that he has done, you⁺ will do. And in its coming to pass, you⁺ will know that I am the Lord YHWH.’ And you, son of man, is it not in the day of My taking from them their stronghold, their joy, their glory, the desire of their eyes, and the burden of their soul—their sons and their daughters— on that day will come one who escapes to you as a cause to hear the ears? On that day your mouth will be opened to the one who has escaped, and you will speak, and you will not be mute any longer; and you will be for them as a sign, and they will know that I am YHWH.” A Prophecy against Ammon And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, set your face against the sons of Ammon, and prophesy against them. And say to the sons of Ammon, hear the word of the Lord YHWH, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because you said, “Aha!” Against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it became desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went, into captivity; therefore behold, I am giving you to the sons of the East as a possession, and they will settle their encampments among you, and they will put their tents among you; they will eat your fruit, and they will drink your milk. And I will give Rabbah as a habitation of camels, and the sons of Ammon as a resting place for the flock. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH.’ For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because of your clapping hands and your stomping with feet, and you rejoiced with all contempt of heart against the land of Israel, therefore behold, I am stretching out My hand against you, and will give you as plunder to the nations, and I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish from the lands; I will destroy you, and you will know that I am YHWH!’ A Prophecy against Moab Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because of the saying of Moab and Seir,25.8 LXX does not include and Seir. “Behold, like all the nations is the house of Judah,” therefore behold, I am going to lay open the shoulder of Moab from the cities, from its cities on its frontier, the glory of the land—Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim— to the sons of the East, along with the sons of Ammon, and I will give it as a possession, so that the sons of Ammon may not be remembered among the nations. And against Moab I will make judgments, and they will know that I am YHWH.’ A Prophecy against Edom Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because Edom acted by taking vengeance against the house of Judah, so they incurred grievous guilt in the avenging themselves on them. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: I will stretch out My hand against Edom, and will cut off from it man and beast, and I will give it as a desolation; from Teman and to Dedan they will fall by the sword. And I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they will act in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury, and they will know My vengeance, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.’ A Prophecy against the Philistines Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because the Philistines acted with vengeance and took vengeance with scorn in the soul, to destroy with ancient hostility, therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am stretching out My hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and I will destroy the remnant of the coast of the sea. And I will execute against them great vengeance, with rebukes of fury, and they will know that I am YHWH when I lay My vengeance upon them!’” A Prophecy against Tyre (Isaiah 23:1–18) And it came to pass in the eleventh month of the twelfth year,26.1 Likely reading of the original Hebrew text; MT And it came to pass in the eleventh year on the first of the month, that came the word of YHWH to me, saying: “Son of man, because that Tyre has said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, she is broken, the gate of the peoples—she is turned over to me; I will be filled; she is destroyed,’ therefore thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring up against you many nations, as the sea brings up its waves. And they will destroy the walls of Tyre, and they will throw down her towers; and I will scrape her dust from her, and will give her as a clear place of a rock. She will be a spreading place of nets in the midst of the sea—for I have spoken, says the Lord YHWH—and she will become as plunder for the nations, and her daughters who are on her mainland will be slain by the sword, and they will know that I am YHWH.’ For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am bringing against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar26.7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant of Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon). The latter spelling is used throughout Ezekiel for consistency. king of Babylon from the north, the king of kings, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, even an assembly, and a numerous people. Your daughters on the mainland he will slay with the sword, and he will set against you a siege mound, and he will build against you a wall and raise against you a buckler; and the blow of his battering ram he will place against your walls, and your towers he will tear down with his swords. From the abundance of his horses will cover you their dust, and from the noise of the horsemen, and the wagons, and the chariots, your walls will shake in his coming in your gates, like those entering a city having been breached. With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets; your people he will slay with the sword, and the pillars of your strength will come down to the ground. And they will plunder your riches, and they will seize your merchandise; they will throw down your walls, and the houses of your desire they will tear down; and your stones and your timber and your soil they will put in the midst of the waters. And the roar of your songs I will make cease, and the sound of your harps will be heard no more. And I will give you as a clear place of a rock; you will be a spreading place of nets; you will not be rebuilt anymore! For I, YHWH, have spoken,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH. Thus says the Lord YHWH to Tyre: ‘Will not—at the sound of your downfall, with the groaning of the wounded, with the great slaughter in your midst—the coastlands quake? And will come down from upon their thrones all the princes of the sea, and they will lay aside their robes, and the garments of their embroidery they will strip off; with trembling they will clothe themselves, and upon the ground they will sit and tremble at every moment, and they will be appalled over you. And they will take up over you a lamentation, and they will say to you: “How you have perished, one inhabited from the seas, O city renowned, who was strong on the sea—she and those dwelling in her, who gave out their terror to all those dwelling by her! Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your downfall, and are dismayed the islands that are in the sea, at your going out.”’ For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘In My making you a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited, in bringing up upon you the deep, that the great waters should cover you, I will bring you down with those going down to the Pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell within the earth, in the places below, like the ruins of old—with those going down to the Pit, so that you will not be inhabited or set in splendor26.20 LXX or take your place in the land of the living. I will make you a terror, and you will be no more; and you will be sought, and you will not be found anymore forever,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” A Lament for Tyre And the word came of YHWH to me, saying: “And you, son of man, take up concerning Tyre a lamentation, and to Tyre, the one dwelling at the entrances of the sea, being merchant of the peoples on many coasts, say, thus says the Lord YHWH: O Tyre, you have said: ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ In the midst of the seas are your borders, and your builders have perfected your beauty. With cypress27.5 Or pine or juniper or fir from Senir27.5 That is, Mount Hermon they have built for you all your planks; a cedar from Lebanon they took to make a mast for you. Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; your boards they have made with ivory, of the daughter of the Ashurites from the coasts of Kittim.27.6 That is, Cyprus Of fine linen with embroidery from Egypt was your sail, to be for you a banner; blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was your awning. Those dwelling in Sidon and Arvad were the rowers for you; your wise men, O Tyre, were in you—they were your pilots. Elders of Gebal and her wise men were in you, strengthening your breaches; all the ships of the sea and their sailors were in you, to offer merchandise to you. Persia and Lydia and Libya were in your force, as men of war for you; shield and helmet they hung within you— they gave splendor to you. The sons of Arvad and Helech were on your walls round about, and the Gammadites were on your towers; their shields they hung on your walls round about— they perfected your beauty. Tarshish was your merchant, from the abundance of all wealth—in silver, iron, tin, and lead—they gave for your wares. Javan,27.13 That is, Greece Tubal, and Meshech, they traded in souls of man and vessels of bronze—they gave for your merchandise. From the house of Togarmah, horses and steeds and mules they gave for your wares. The sons of Dedan27.15 Hebrew; LXX Rhodes were your traders, many coastlands were your market of your hand; horns of ivory and ebony they returned as your payment. Aram27.16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom was your merchant, from the abundance of your works in turquoise, purple, and embroidery, and fine linen, and corals, and rubies—they gave for your wares. Judah and the land of Israel they traded with you in wheat of Minnith, and meal, and honey, and oil, and balm—they gave for your merchandise. Damascus traded with you for the abundance of your works, from the abundance of all your wealth—with wine of Helbon and with wool of Sahar. And casks of wine from Izal they gave for your wares;27.19 Probable reading; MT And Dan and Javan from Uzal gave for your wares smoothed iron, cassia,27.19 Or calamus and cane were among your merchandise.27.19 Or were for your merchandise Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding. Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they were trading with you in lambs, and rams, and goats—in these they were your merchants. The traders of Sheba and Raamah, they traded with you in the choicest of all spice, and in every of precious stone, and gold—they gave for your wares. Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, were traders of Sheba, Assyria, and Chilmad traded with you; they traded with you—in fine, garments of blue, embroidered work, rugs and multicolored, with cords tightly twisted and knotted—for your marketplace. The ships of Tarshish27.25 Or A fleet of trading ships were the transporters of your merchandise, and you were full and very heavy in the midst of the seas. Into many waters they have brought you, those rowing for you; a wind from the east has broken you in the midst of the seas. Your riches, and your wares, your merchandise, your mariners, and your pilots, the repairers of your breaches, and those offering your merchandise, and all your men of war who are in you, and all your assembled force which is in your midst, will fall into the midst of the seas on the day of your downfall! At the sound of the cry of your sailors the common lands will shake, and they will come down from their ships— all those handling the oar, the mariners and all the sailors of the sea will stand at the shore. And they will make heard over you their voice, and they will cry out bitterly, and they will bring up dust upon their heads; they will roll about in ashes. And they will shave themselves bald because of you, and they will gird themselves with sackcloth and weep for you with bitterness of heart— bitter wailing. And they will lift up a lamentation for you in their wailing, and they will lament over you: ‘Who was like Tyre, silenced in the midst of the sea? In the going forth of your wares from the sea, you satisfied many people; with the abundance of your wealth and your merchandise, you enriched the kings of the earth. In time you are broken by the seas, in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and all your assembly have fallen in your midst. All those dwelling in the coasts are appalled over you, and their kings bristle with bristling; the faces trembled. The traders among the nations hiss at you; you have become a horror, and you will be no more, even to forever!’” A Prophecy against the Ruler of Tyre And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, thus says the Lord YHWH: Because your heart is lifted up, and you say, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods, in the midst of the seas,’ and you are a man and not a god, and you give your heart as the heart of a god, behold, you are wiser than Daniel— anything hidden is not in the dark for you! With your wisdom and with your understanding you have made for yourself wealth, and you have made gold and silver in your treasuries. By the abundance of your wisdom in trading you have increased your wealth, and your heart is lifted high in your wealth. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: Because you have given your heart as the heart of a god, therefore, behold, I am bringing upon you strangers, the ruthless of the nations! And they will draw out their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they will defile your splendor. They bring you down into the Pit, and you will die the death of the slain in the midst of the seas! Will you really say, ‘I am a god,’ before the face of the One slaying you and you are a man and not a god in the hand of the One slaying you? You will die the death of the uncircumcised, by the hand of strangers. For I have spoken, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” A Lament for the King of Tyre And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty! You were in Eden, the garden of God, with every precious stone your covering—28.13 The precise identification of some of these gemstones is uncertain. ruby, topaz, and diamond; beryl, onyx, and jasper; sapphire,28.13 Or lapis lazuli turquoise, and emerald; and of gold was the workmanship of your timbrels and pipes, established for you on the day of your creation. You were a cherub anointed as a guardian, and I set you on the mountain of the holiness of God; you were in the midst of the stones of fire; you walked about. Perfect you were in your ways from the day you were created, until iniquity was found in you. With the abundance of your trading, your midst became filled with violence, and you sinned; and I drove you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and I made you depart, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up in your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor! Upon the ground I cast you; before the faces of kings I set you that they might gaze at you. By the multitude of your iniquities, with the injustice of your trading, you have profaned your holy places. And I have brought forth fire from your midst; it has devoured you, and I have given you to ashes upon the earth, before the eyes of all those looking at you! All knowing you among the peoples are appalled over you; you have become a horror, and you will be no more, even to forever!’” A Prophecy against Sidon And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her. And say, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, and I will be glorified in your midst; and they will know that I am YHWH, in my making judgments against her, and I display My holiness against her. For I will send against her pestilence, and blood in her streets; and the slain will fall in her midst, by the sword against her on every side— and they will know that I am YHWH! And there will be no longer for the house of Israel a brier bringing malice or a thorn giving pain from all those around them who despise them; and they will know that I am the Lord YHWH.’ The Restoration of Israel (Jeremiah 30:1–17) Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘In My gathering the house of Israel from the peoples, among whom they are scattered, and I will show Myself holy among them before the eyes of the nations, and they will dwell in their own land that I gave to My servant Jacob. And they will dwell upon it in safety, and they will build houses and plant vineyards, and they will dwell in safety, with My making judgments against all those despising them from around them. And they will know that I am YHWH their God.’” A Prophecy against Pharaoh In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. Speak and say, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster stretching out in the midst of his rivers, who has said, ‘Unto me is my River, and I—have made it for myself!’ And I will put hooks in your jaws, and the fish of your rivers I will cause to cling on your scales; and I will bring you up from the midst of your rivers, and all the fish of your rivers to your scales will cling. And I will leave you in the desert— you and all the fish of your rivers; you will fall on the face of the ground, and you will not be gathered up and you will not be gathered together, for the beasts of the land and for the birds of the heavens I will give you as food! And all those dwelling in Egypt will know that I am YHWH, because they have been a staff of a reed to the house of Israel. In their grabbing hold of you with the hand, you broke and would tear every shoulder of theirs; and in their leaning on you, you broke and wrenched all their backs.29.7 Syriac (see also LXX and Vulgate); Hebrew and you caused their loins to shake. The Desolation of Egypt Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am bringing upon you a sword, and I will cut off from you man and beast. And the land of Egypt will become a desolation and a ruin, and they will know that I am YHWH. Because he said, ‘The River is unto me, and I have made it,’ therefore, behold, I am against you and against your rivers, and I will give the land of Egypt as a ruin, a desolate wasteland, from Migdol to Syene and to the border of Cush.29.10 That is, the upper Nile region The foot of man will not pass through it, and the foot of beast will not pass through it, and it will not be inhabited forty years. And I will give the land of Egypt to be a desolation in the midst of desolate lands, and her cities, in the midst of the cities laid waste, will be a desolation forty years; and I will disperse Egypt among the nations, and I will scatter them among the lands. For thus says the Lord YHWH: At the end of forty years I will gather Egypt from the peoples among whom they were scattered there, and I will turn back the captivity of Egypt,29.14 Or and I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and will return them to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin; and there they will be a lowly kingdom. It will be the lowest of the kingdoms, and it will not lift itself again over the nations—and I will diminish them; they will no longer rule over the nations. And it will be no longer the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing to mind the iniquity in their turning after them; and they will know that I am the Lord YHWH.” Egypt the Reward of Nebuchadnezzar And it came to pass, in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first of the month, that the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused to labor his army with great labor against Tyre—every head having been made bald and every shoulder rubbed bare. And wages did not were unto him and unto his army from Tyre for the labor with which they labored over it. Therefore thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am giving to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the land of Egypt; and he will carry away her wealth, and he will draw out her plunder, and he will spoil her loot—and it will be the wages for his army. As his wage that he has labored over, I have given to him the land of Egypt, because they worked for Me, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. On that day I will cause to spring forth a horn for the house of Israel, and unto you I will give an opening of your mouth in their midst, and they will know that I am YHWH.” A Lament for Egypt And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, prophesy and say, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Wail, alas, for the day!’ For near is the day, near is the day of YHWH— a day of clouds, a time of the nations it will be! And a sword will come against Egypt, and there will be anguish in Cush30.4 That is, the upper Nile region; also in verses 5 and 9 at the falling of the slain in Egypt, and they will take away her wealth, and they will tear down her foundations. Cush, and Put, and Lud,30.5 Or Lydia and all the mixture, and libya, and the sons of the land of the covenant, they will fall with them by the sword. Thus says YHWH: And will fall those upholding Egypt, and will come down the pride of her strength; from Migdol to Syene,30.6 That is, Aswan; see Isaiah 49:12 they will fall by the sword within her, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And they will be desolate in the midst of desolate lands, and her cities will be in the midst of the cities laid waste. And they will know that I am YHWH, in My giving forth a fire in Egypt, so that are broken all her helpers. On that day messengers will go forth from before My face in ships, to make tremble the confident Cush, and there will be anguish among them, as on the day of Egypt, for behold, it is coming! Thus says the Lord YHWH: The wealth of Egypt I will bring to an end by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He and his people with him, the most ruthless of the nations, will be brought to destroy the land; and they will draw out their swords against Egypt, and they will fill the land with the slain. I will make the rivers into dry ground, and will sell the land into the hand of the wicked; I will make desolate the land and its fullness by the hand of strangers. I, YHWH, have spoken. Thus says the Lord YHWH: And I will destroy the idols, and I will put end to the images from Memphis;30.13 LXX; Hebrew Noph; also in verse 16 and a prince from the land of Egypt will be no more, and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. And Pathros I will make desolate, and I will give forth fire against Zoan, and I will make judgments on Thebes.30.14 Hebrew No; also in verses 15 and 16 And I will pour out My fury on Pelusium,30.15 Hebrew Sin; also in verse 16 the strength of Egypt; and I will cut off the crowd of Thebes. And I will give forth a fire in Egypt, Pelusium will writhe in anguish, and Thebes will be split open, and Memphis has daily distress. The young men of On and Pi-Beseth30.17 That is, Heliopolis and Bubastis, as in LXX; Hebrew Aven and Pi-beseth will fall by the sword, and they will go into captivity. And at Tahpanhes will be held back the day, in my breaking there the yoke of Egypt, and will cease in her the pride of her strength; as for her, a cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity. And I will make judgments against Egypt, and they will know that I am YHWH.” Pharaoh’s Power Broken And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh of the month, that the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and behold, it has not been bound up to give healing, to put a bandage to bind it, for strength to hold the sword. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and I will break his arms, the strong one and the broken one, and I will make the sword fall from his hand. And I will disperse Egypt among the nations, and I will scatter them among the lands. And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and I will put My sword in his hand. And I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan the groans of a wounded one before him. And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh will fall down. And they will know that I am YHWH in My putting My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will stretch it out against the land of Egypt. And I will disperse Egypt among the nations, and will scatter them among the lands, and they will know that I am YHWH.” Egypt Will Fall like Assyria And it came to pass, in the eleventh year, in the third month, on the first of the month, that the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: ‘To whom do you compare your greatness? Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, beautiful of branches and giving shade to the forest and high of stature, and among the clouds was its top. The waters made it grow, the deep gave it height with her rivers running around the place of her planting, and her conduits she sent out to all the trees of the field. Upon thus its height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches became long from the abundant waters in its sending forth. In its boughs made their nests all the birds of the heavens, and under its branches gave birth all the beasts of the field, and in its shade dwelt all the great nations. And it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches, because its root was to abundant waters. The cedars could not darken it in the garden of God; the fir trees31.8 Or pines or junipers or firs were not like unto its boughs, and the plane trees31.8 Possibly chestnut or juniper were not like its branches; there was no tree in the garden of God, not any like it in its beauty. Beautiful I made it with an abundance of branches, and envied all the trees of Eden that were in the garden of God.’ Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because that you became great in height, and it set its top to among the thick boughs,31.10 Or among the clouds and was lifted up its heart in its height, so I will give it into the hand of the mighty one of the nations, and he will deal severely with it according to its wickedness! I have driven it out, and foreigners have cut it down, the most ruthless of the nations. And they have left it on the mountains, and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs lie broken by all the rivers of the land. And all the peoples of the earth have gone out from its shade, and they have left it. On its carcass will dwell all the birds of the heavens, and on its branches will be all the beasts of the field, in order that not any trees by the waters will exalt in their height, and they will not give their tops to among the thick boughs. All those drinking from the waters should not reach their oaks to their height, for they all have been given to death, to the land far below, in the midst of the sons of men, with those going down to the Pit.’ Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘On the day of its going down to Sheol, I caused mourning; I covered over it the deep, and I held back its rivers, and were cut off the great waters; and Lebanon I caused to mourn over it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it. At the sound of its fall, I made the nations quake, in My casting it down to Sheol together with those going down to the Pit. And were comforted in the land below all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all those drinking the waters. They also went down with it to Sheol, with those slain by the sword—and its arm who had dwelt in its shade in the midst of nations. To whom, then, will you be compared, in glory and in greatness, among the trees in Eden? You also will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the land below; in the midst of the uncircumcised you will lie, with those slain by the sword. That is Pharaoh and all his multitude, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.’” A Lament for Pharaoh King of Egypt And it came to pass, in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month, that the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: ‘To a young lion of the nations you may be compared, and you are like the monster in the seas. You burst forth in your rivers and you stir up the waters with your feet, and you muddy their rivers.’ Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘And I will spread over you My net with a throng of many peoples, and they will draw you up in My net. And I will leave you on the land; upon the face of the field I will throw you, and I will make dwell upon you all the birds of the heavens, and I will give the fill of you to the beasts of all the earth. And I will lay your flesh upon the mountains, and I will fill the valleys with your remains.32.5 Or with your lofty stature And I will water the land with the flow of your blood, up to the mountains, and the ravines will be full of you. And in My quenching of you I will cover the heavens, and I will make dark their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not radiate her light. All luminaries of light in the heavens I will make dark because of you, and I will put darkness over your land,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH. ‘And I will trouble the hearts of many peoples, in My bringing your destruction among the nations, over lands32.9 Hebrew; LXX when I lead you into captivity among the nations, into countries that you have not known. And many peoples I will cause to be appalled over you, and their kings will shudder over you with shuddering, in My making fly My sword in front of their faces; and they will tremble at every moment, each man for his soul, on the day of your fall!’ For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you. By the swords of mighty ones your multitude I will cause to fall— the most ruthless of nations, all of them. And they will plunder the pride of Egypt, and all will be destroyed her multitude. And I will destroy all her animals from beside her great waters; and no foot of man will stir them up anymore, and the hooves of animals will not stir them up. Then their waters I will let settle, and their rivers I will make run like oil,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH. ‘In My making the land of Egypt a desolation, and the land being desolate of its fullness, in My striking all those dwelling in it, they will know that I am YHWH!’ It is a lamentation they will lament her; the daughters of the nations will lament her, over Egypt and over all her multitude, they will lament her, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” Egypt Cast into the Pit And it came to pass, in the twelfth year, on the fifteenth of the month,32.17 Presumably the fifteenth day of the twelfth month (see verse 1); LXX on the fifteenth day of the first month. that the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and send it down—her and the daughters of the mighty nations—to the land below, with those going down to the Pit. Whom are you pleasing? Go down, and lie down with the uncircumcised! In the midst of those slain by the sword they will fall; to the sword she is given— let her be dragged away and all her multitudes. The chiefs of the mighty ones will speak concerning him from the midst of Sheol, with his helpers: ‘They have gone down, they have lain down with the uncircumcised, those slain by the sword.’ There is Assyria and all her throng surrounding it with its graves, all of them slain, having fallen by the sword, of whom her graves are appointed in the far sides of the Pit; and her assembly is all around her grave, all of them slain, having fallen by the sword, those who gave forth terror in the land of the living. There is Elam and all her multitude, surrounding her grave, all of them slain, having fallen by the sword, those who have gone down uncircumcised to the land below, those who gave forth their terror in the land of the living; and they bear their shame with those going down to the Pit. In the midst of the slain they set a bed for her, with all her multitude all around it with her graves, all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword. Though their terror was given forth in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those going down to the Pit; in the midst of the slain they are placed. There are Meshech and Tubal, and all her multitude around it with her graves, all of them uncircumcised slain by the sword, though they gave forth their terror in the land of the living. And they lie down, not with the mighty ones, those having fallen of old,32.27 LXX; Hebrew those having fallen of the uncircumcised who have gone down to Sheol with their weapons of war; and they have laid their swords under their heads, and their shields32.27 Likely reading of the original Hebrew text; MT iniquities will be upon their bones, for the terror of the mighty ones in the land of the living. And you, in the midst of the uncircumcised, you will be broken, and you will lie with those slain by the sword. There is Edom— her kings, and all her princes, who were given in their strength among those slain by the sword; they will lie down with the uncircumcised, and with those going down to the Pit. There are the princes of the north, all of them and every Sidonian, those who have gone down ashamed with the slain, with their terror by their might; they lie uncircumcised with those slain by the sword, and they must bear their shame with those going down to the Pit. Them Pharaoh will see, and he will be comforted over all his multitude slain by the sword— Pharaoh and all his force— a declaration of the Lord YHWH. For I give forth My terror in the land of the living, and he will be made to lie down in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword— Pharaoh and all his throng— a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” Ezekiel the Watchman for Israel And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people, and say to them: ‘A land, when I bring upon it the sword, and the people of the land take a single man from their borders and set him to them as watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land, and he blows on the shofar and warns the people, then if anyone at all hears the voice of the shofar and has not heeded the warning, when the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his head. He heard the voice of the shofar and he did not heed the warning; his blood will be upon himself. And he who has heeded the warning has saved his soul. And the watchman, if he sees the sword coming and does not blow on the shofar, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes from among them a soul, he will be taken away in his iniquity, and I will seek his blood from the hand of the watchman.’ And you, O son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel, and you will hear a word from My mouth, and you will give a warning to them from Me. In My saying to the wicked, ‘O wicked one, you will surely die,’ if you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, then that wicked one will die in his iniquity, and I will seek his blood from your hand. And you, if you warn the wicked from his way, to turn from it, and he does not turn from his way, then he will die in his iniquity, and you will have delivered your soul. 33.9 See Acts 20:25–26 The Message of the Watchman Now you, son of man, say to the house of Israel: Thus you⁺ have spoken, saying, ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and in them we rot away! How then can we live?’ Say to them: ‘As I live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, I have no delight in the death of the wicked, but only in turning the wicked from his way that he should live. Turn back, turn back from your⁺ evil ways! For why should you⁺ die, O house of Israel?’ And you, son of man, say to the sons of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not snatch him up in the day of his transgression, and the wickedness of the wicked will not cause him to stumble because of it in the day of his turning from his wickedness. And the righteous one will not be able to live by it in the day of his sinning.’ In My saying to the righteous, ‘He will surely live,’ and he trusts in his righteousness and does iniquity, all his righteousnesses will not be remembered; and because of the iniquity that he did, by it he will die. And in My saying to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, if a wicked one restores a pledge for what he has stolen, makes restitution in the statutes of life, and he walks without doing iniquity, he will surely live; he will not die. All his sins that he had sinned, they will not be remembered for him; what is just and right he has done; he will surely live. And the sons of your people may say, ‘The way of the Lord is not balanced.’ And they—their way is not balanced. In the turning of the righteous from his righteousness, and he has done iniquity, he will die because of it. And in the turning of the wicked from his wickedness, and he has done what is just and righteous, because of it he will live. And you⁺ say, ‘The way of the Lord is not balanced!’ Each man—according to his ways will I judge you⁺, O house of Israel.” Word of Jerusalem’s Fall And it came to pass, in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth of the month, that an escapee came to me from Jerusalem, and he said, “The city has been struck!” And the hand of YHWH had been upon me in the evening, before the coming of the escapee, and He had opened my mouth until his coming to me in the morning, and my mouth was opened, and I was not mute any longer. And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, those dwelling in these ruins in the land of Israel are speaking, saying: ‘Abraham was one, and he possessed the land; and we are many—to us the land has been given as a possession!’ Therefore say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘You⁺ eat that with the blood, and you⁺ lift up your⁺ eyes toward your⁺ idols, and you⁺ pour out blood—and you⁺ would possess the land? You⁺ rely on your⁺ sword, you⁺ commit abominations, and each man defiles the wife of his neighbor—and you⁺ would possess the land?’ Thus you shall say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘As I live, surely those who are in the ruins will fall by the sword, and the one who is upon the face of the field I will give to the beasts to eat him, and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves will die by the pestilence. And I will give the land as a desolation and a horror, and will cease the pride of its strength, and the mountains of Israel will be desolate, with no one passing through! And they will know that I am YHWH, in My giving the land as a desolation and a horror, because of all their abominations that they have done.’ And you, son of man, the sons of your people are speaking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses, and they speak one to another, a man to his brother, saying: ‘Come, now, and hear what is the word coming forth from YHWH.’ And they come to you, like the coming of people, and they sit before you—My people, and they hear your words, and they will not do them; for they do loves with their mouth; their heart is pursuing after dishonest gain. And behold, you are to them as a song of loves, one beautiful of voice, and playing well on a stringed instrument; for they hear your words, and nthey do ot do them. And in the coming of this—and behold, it is coming—they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.” A Prophecy against Israel’s Shepherds And the word came of YHWH to me, saying: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them—to the shepherds—thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves. Should it not be that the shepherds shepherd the flock? You⁺ eat the fat and in wool you⁺ clothe yourselves; you⁺ slaughter the fatlings; you⁺ do not feed the flock. Those being weak you⁺ have not strengthened, and those being sick you⁺ have not healed, and those being broken you⁺ have not bandaged, and those driven off you⁺ have not returned, and those being lost you⁺ have not sought, and you⁺ have ruled them with force and with harshness. And they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became as food for all the beasts of the field; indeed, they were scattered. My flock went astray through all the mountains, and on every high hill; and My flock was scattered over all the face of the earth, and there was not one searching or seeking them.’ Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of YHWH! ‘As I live—a declaration of the Lord YHWH—surely because My flock became as prey, and My flock became as food for every beast of the field, for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, and the shepherds shepherded themselves, and My flock they did not feed. Therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of YHWH: Thus says the Lord YHWH, ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock from their hands, and I will make them cease from shepherding the sheep, and the shepherds no longer will shepherd themselves; for I will snatch My flock from their mouths, and they will not be for them as food.’ The Good Shepherd (Psalm 23:1–6; John 10:1–21) For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I—I Myself—will search for My flock, and I will seek them. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day of his being in the midst of his sheep that are scattered, so will I seek out My flock, and I will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered there on the day of cloud and darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples, and I will gather them from the lands, and I will bring them to their own land, and I will let them graze on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all the inhabited places of the land. I will feed them in good pasture, and on the mountains of the height of Israel will be their grazing land; there they will lie down in good grazing land, and they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. The one being lost I will seek, and the one driven away I will return, and the broken I will bind up, and the one being sick I will strengthen, and the fat one and the strong one I will destroy; I will shepherd her with justice.’ And you⁺, My flock, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am going to judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the goats. Is it a little thing for you⁺ to feed on the good pasture, that the remainder of your⁺ pasture-land you⁺ would trample with your⁺ feet? And the clear waters you⁺ drink, that the remainder you⁺ would muddy with your⁺ feet? And My flock, they feed on what you have trampled with your⁺ feet, and they drink what you have muddied with your⁺ feet!’ Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH to them: ‘Behold, I—I Myself—will judge between the fat of the flock and between the lean of the flock. Because you⁺ have pushed with flank and shoulder, and you⁺ have thrust with your⁺ horns all the weak ones, until that you⁺ have scattered them to the outside, I will bring salvation to My flock, and will they be no longer for prey; and I will judge between a sheep and a sheep. And I will raise up over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them—He will feed them and he will be unto them as shepherd. And I, YHWH, will be unto them God, and My servant David a prince in their midst. I, YHWH, have spoken. The Covenant of Peace And I will cut with them a covenant of peace, and the evil beast I will make cease from the land, and they will dwell in the wilderness in safety, and they will sleep in the forests. And I will make them and the places around My hill to be a blessing, and I will send down showers in their season; there will be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field will give forth their fruit, and the earth will give forth her produce, and they will be upon their land in safety; and they will know that I am YHWH, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those enslaving them. And they will be no longer as prey for the nations, and the beasts of the land will not devour them; and they will dwell in safety, and no one will frighten them. And I will raise up for them a planting of renown, and will they be no longer consumed by hunger in the land, and they will bear no more the shame of the nations! And they will know that I, YHWH their God, am with them, and they are the house of Israel, My people,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH. ‘And you⁺ are My flock, the flock of My pasture. You⁺ are men, I am your⁺ God,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” A Prophecy against Mount Seir And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it. And say to it, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am against you, O Mount Seir, and I will stretch out My hand against you, and I will make you a desolation and a waste. I will make your cities a ruin, and you will become a desolation. And you will know that I am YHWH. Because there has been for you an ancient hatred and you have poured out the sons of Israel upon the hands of the sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of the iniquity of the end, therefore, as I live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, now unto blood I appoint you, and blood will pursue you; since you did not hate blood, blood will pursue you. And I will make Mount Seir into an utter desolation, and I will cut off from it the one passing by and the one returning. And I will fill its mountains with the slain. On your hills, and in your valleys, and in all your ravines, those slain by the sword will fall in them. I will make you a desolation forever, and your cities will not be inhabited. You⁺ will know that I am YHWH. Because you have said, ‘The two nations and the two lands will be unto me, and we will possess them,’ and YHWH has been there, therefore, as I live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, I will do according to your anger, and according to the jealousy with which you acted in your hatred against them, and I will make Myself known among them when I judge you. And you will know that I am YHWH. I have heard all your despisings that you have said about the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are desolate; they are given to us for food.’ Thus you⁺ have boasted against Me with your⁺ mouth, and you⁺ have multiplied against Me your⁺ words—I have heard it Myself. Thus says the Lord YHWH: According to the rejoicing of all the earth, I will make for you a desolation. According to your rejoicing at the inheritance of the house of Israel, upon that it has become desolate, so will I do to you! You will become a desolation, O Mount Seir, and all of Edom—all of it—and they will know that I am YHWH. A Prophecy to the Mountains of Israel “ And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of YHWH! Thus says the Lord YHWH: Because the enemy has said of you⁺, ‘Aha, the heights of old have become as a possession unto us,’ therefore prophesy and say, thus says the Lord YHWH: Because, even because of making you⁺ desolate and swallowing you⁺ up from all around for your⁺ being the possession of the rest of the nations, and you⁺ were taken up on the lip of the tongue in slander of the people, therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord YHWH, thus says the Lord YHWH to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, and to the desolate ruins, and to the abandoned cities that became as plunder and as derision to the rest of the nations that are all around, therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: Surely in the burning of My jealousy that I have spoken against the rest of the nations and against Edom—all those who gave My land to themselves as a possession, with joy in all of the heart, and with scorn in the soul, in order to graze upon it as prey. Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I, in My jealousy and in My fury, have spoken, because you⁺ have carried the shame of the nations. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: I—I have lifted up My hand that surely the nations that are surrounding you⁺, they will bear their own shame! And you⁺, O mountains of Israel, your⁺ branches you⁺ will give forth, and your⁺ fruit you⁺ will bear for My people Israel, for they are soon to come in! For behold, I am toward you⁺, and I will turn to you⁺, and you⁺ will be tilled and sown. And I will multiply upon you⁺ man—all the house of Israel, all of it—and the cities will be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt. And I will multiply upon you⁺ man and beast, and they will multiply and will be fruitful; and I will make you⁺ inhabited as of old, and I will make you⁺ prosper more than before, and you⁺ will know that I am YHWH. And I will cause man to walk over you⁺—My people Israel—they will possess you, and you will be unto them as an inheritance, and you will no more bereave them. Thus says the Lord YHWH: Because of their saying to you⁺, ‘You are devouring man, and you are bereaving your nations!’ Therefore man you will devour no more, and your nations you will not bereave any longer, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And I will not let you hear anymore the taunt of the nations, and the reproach of the peoples you will bear no more, and your nation will be made to stumble no longer, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” A New Heart and a New Spirit (Romans 8:9–11; Galatians 5:16–26) And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “Son of man, the house of Israel were dwelling in their own land, and they defiled it by their ways and by their deeds; like the uncleanness of a woman’s impurity was their way before My face. And I poured out My fury upon them for the blood that they had poured out upon the land and because they had defiled her with their idols. And I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered among the lands; according to their ways and according to their deeds I judged them. And they came to the nations, to which they came there, and they profaned name of My holiness by saying to them, ‘These are the people of YHWH, and from His land they have gone out!’ And I had pity for the name of My holiness, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they had gone in there. Therefore say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: It is not for your⁺ sake that I am doing this, O house of Israel, for but the name of My holiness, which you⁺ have profaned among the nations to which you⁺ have gone in there. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you⁺ have profaned in their midst, and the nations will know that I am YHWH, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, in My showing My holiness in you⁺ before their eyes. For I will take you⁺ from the nations, and I will gather you⁺ from all of the lands, and I will bring you⁺ into your⁺ own land. And I will sprinkle on you⁺ pure water, and you⁺ will be pure from all your⁺ uncleannesses, and from all your⁺ idols I will purify you⁺. And I will give to you⁺ a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you⁺; and I will take away the heart of stone from your⁺ flesh, and I will give to you⁺ a heart of flesh. And My Spirit I will put within you⁺, and I will make it that you⁺ will walk in My statutes and My ordinances you⁺ will keep and you⁺ will do them. And you⁺ will dwell in the land that I gave to your⁺ fathers and you⁺ will be unto Me a people, and I will be unto you⁺ God. And I will deliver you⁺ from all your⁺ uncleannesses, and I will call for the grain, and I will multiply it, and I will not put famine upon you⁺. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you⁺ will no longer receive the reproach of famine among the nations. And you⁺ will remember your⁺ evil ways and your⁺ deeds that were not good, and you⁺ will loathe in your⁺ faces over your⁺ iniquities and over your⁺ abominations. It is not for your⁺ sake that I am doing this, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, let it be known to you⁺. Be ashamed and disgraced for your⁺ ways, O house of Israel! Thus says the Lord YHWH: On the day of My cleansing you⁺ from all your⁺ iniquities, I will make you dwell in the cities, and the ruins will be rebuilt. And the land that was desolate will be tilled, instead of that it has been a desolation before the eyes of all passing by. And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the ruined cities, desolate and overthrown, are fortified and they are inhabited.’ And the nations that remain all around you⁺ will know that I, YHWH, have rebuilt the ruins, and I have replanted what was desolate. I, YHWH, have spoken, and I will do it. Thus says the Lord YHWH: Again in this I will be sought out by the house of Israel, to do this for them; I will increase them like a flock of people. Like a flock of consecration, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast s, so the ruined cities will be filled with a flock of people. And they will know that I am YHWH.” The Valley of Dry Bones And the hand of YHWH came upon me, and He brought me out in the Spirit of YHWH, and He set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. And He caused me to pass among them all around, and behold, very many were upon the face of the valley; and behold, they were very dry. And He said to me: “Son of man, Can these bones live?” And I said, “O Lord YHWH, You know.” And He said to me: “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of YHWH! Thus says the Lord YHWH to these bones: Behold, I am causing to enter into you⁺ breath,37.5 Or spirit; also in verses 6, 9, and 10 and you⁺ will live. And I will put upon you⁺ sinews, and I will bring up flesh over you⁺, and I will cover over you⁺ with skin; and I will put within you⁺ breath, and you⁺ will live. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH.’” And I prophesied as I had been commanded. And there was a noise at my prophesying, and behold, a shaking, and the bones drew together, bone to bone. And I looked, and behold, upon them were sinews, and flesh came up and skin covered over them above it, and there was no breath in them. And He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, thus says the Lord YHWH: From the four winds come, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” And I prophesied as He had commanded me. And the breath came into them, and they lived; and they stood on their feet—an exceedingly greatly great army. And He said to me, “Son of man, these bones, they are the whole the house of Israel. Behold, they are saying, ‘Our bones have dried up and our hope has perished; we have been cut off by ourselves.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am opening your⁺ graves, and I will bring you⁺ up from your⁺ graves, O My people, and I will bring you⁺ into the land of Israel. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH, in My opening your⁺ graves, and in My bringing you⁺ up from your⁺ graves, O My people. And I will put My Spirit in you⁺, and you⁺ will live; and I will settle you⁺ in your⁺ own land. And you⁺ will know that I, YHWH, have spoken, and I have done it, a declaration of YHWH.’” One Nation with One King And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: “And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick,37.16 Or branch; three times in this verse; also in verses 17, 19, and 20 and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions.’ And take one stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions.’ And join them one to one for yourself into one stick, and they will become as one in your hand. And when the sons of your people speak to you, saying, ‘Will you not show to us what these are to you?’ Say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am taking the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions, and I will join them upon it with the stick of Judah, and I will make them one stick; and they will become one in My hand.’ And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes. And you shall say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am taking the sons of Israel from the nations to which they have gone there, and I will gather them from all around, and I will bring them into their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will be over them all as king; and will they be no longer as two nations, and they will not be divided anymore as two kingdoms again. And they will not defile themselves anymore with their idols, and with their abominations, and with all their transgressions; and I will save them from all their apostasies37.23 Many Hebrew manuscripts (see also LXX); most Hebrew manuscripts their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and I will cleanse them; and they will be unto Me as a people, and I will be unto them as God. And My servant David shall be king over them, and there will be one shepherd over them all; and in My ordinances they will walk, and My statutes they will keep, and they will do them. And they will dwell in the land that I have given to My servant, to Jacob, where your⁺ fathers dwelt in it; and they will dwell upon it, they and their children, and the children of their children, even to forever; and David My servant shall be the prince for them forever. And I will cut with them a covenant of peace; it will be covenant with them forever; and I will establish them, and I will multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. And My dwelling place will be with them, and I will be unto them God, and they will be unto Me for a people.37.27 Or My tabernacle 37.27 Cited in 2 Corinthians 6:16 And the nations will know that I, YHWH, am sanctifying Israel, when My sanctuary comes to be in their midst forever.’” A Prophecy against Gog And the word came of YHWH to me, saying: “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal,38.2 Or of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal and prophesy against him, and say, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal!38.3 Or Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal And I will turn you around, and I will put hooks in your jaws, and I will bring you out and all your army—horses and horsemen, all clothed in perfection, a great company, with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Cush,38.5 That is, the upper Nile region and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet. Gomer and all her troops, the house of Togarmah from the extremities of the north, and all his troops—many peoples are with you. Ready yourself, and be ready yourself—you and all your company gathered around you—and be unto them as a guard. After many days you will be mustered; in the latter years, you will come into a land having returned from the sword, having been gathered from many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel, which had been continually as a desolation. From the nations it has been brought out, and they will dwell in safety, all of them. And you will come up, like a storm you will come in, like a cloud to cover the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you. Thus says the Lord YHWH: And it will come to pass on that day, that will come up thoughts upon your heart, and you will devise an evil plan. And you will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages, I will go in to those living quietly, dwelling in security—all of them dwelling with no walls, and bars and gates not unto them— to draw out the plunder and to prey on the prey, to stretch out my hand against the desolate places now inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, having gained livestock and possessions, dwelling in the center of the land.’ Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, and all her villages,38.13 Or young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to draw out the plunder? Is it to prey on prey that you have assembled your company—to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to draw out great plunder?’ Therefore, prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog—thus says the Lord YHWH: On that day, with the dwelling of My people Israel in safety, will you not know it?38.14 LXX will you not rouse yourself? And you will come from your place, from the extremities of the north, you and many peoples with you, riding on horses all of them, a great company, and a numerous army. And you will come up against My people Israel, like a cloud to cover the land. In the latter days it will come to pass that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, in My showing My holiness in you before their eyes, O Gog! Thus says the Lord YHWH: Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants, the prophets of Israel, those having prophesied in those days, for years, of My bringing you against them? And it will come to pass in that day that in the day of the coming of Gog against the land of Israel, says the Lord YHWH, My fury of My nose will rise up. And in My zeal and in the fire of My wrath, I have spoken: Surely in that day that there will be a great shaking upon the land of Israel, and they will shake before My face—the fish of the sea, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, and every man who is on the face of the earth. And the mountains will be thrown down, and the steep places will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground. And I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, and the sword of each man will be against his brother. And I will bring judgment on him with pestilence and with blood, and flooding rain and stones of hail. I will rain down fire and brimstone on him, and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him. And I will magnify Myself, and will sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known before the eyes of many nations, and they will know that I am YHWH. The Slaughter of Gog’s Armies “ And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.39.1 Or Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal And I will turn you around, and will lead you on, and I will bring you up from the extremities of the north, and I will bring you against the mountains of Israel. And I will strike the bow from your left hand, and the arrows from your right hand I will make fall. You will fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the nations who are with you, to be the prey of birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field I will give you as food. You will fall upon the face of the field, for I have spoken, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And I will send fire on Magog, and on those dwelling in the islands in security, and they will know that I am YHWH. And My holy name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let the name of My holiness be profaned anymore; and the nations will know that I am YHWH, the Holy One in Israel. Behold, it is coming, and it will come to pass, a declaration of the Lord YHWH; it is the day of which I have spoken! And those dwelling in the cities of Israel will go out, and they will set on fire and will burn the weapons—the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, and the javelins and spears—and they will burn them with fire seven years; and they will not carry wood from the field, and they will not cut down from the forests, because they will burn the weapons with fire. And they will plunder those who plundered them, and they will pillage those who pillaged them, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And it will come to pass on that day, that I will give for Gog a place there for burial in Israel, the valley of those passing by east of the sea;39.11 That is, the Dead Sea and it will block those passing by, and for they will bury there Gog and all his multitude. And they will call it the Valley of Hamon-gog.39.11 Hamon-gog means multitude of Gog. And the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land, seven months. All the people of the land will be burying, and they will be unto them for renown on the day of My being glorified,39.13 Or and the day I display My glory will be a day of renown a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And they will set apart men to continually pass through the land, burying the passers-by remaining on the face of the ground, to cleanse it; at the end of seven months they will make a search. And those passing by will pass through the land, and having seen a bone of a man, he will construct beside it a sign, until those burying have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-gog. (Also the name of the city is Hamonah.)39.16 Hamonah means multitude or horde. And they will cleanse the land. And you, son of man, thus says the Lord YHWH: Say to the bird of every wing, and to every beast of the field, ‘Gather yourselves, and come; gather together from all around to My sacrifice that I am sacrificing for you⁺, a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you⁺ may eat flesh and drink blood! The flesh of the mighty ones you⁺ will eat, and the blood of the princes of the earth you⁺ will drink—rams, lambs, and goats, and bulls, fatlings of Bashan—all of them! And you⁺ will eat fat to fullness, and you⁺ will drink blood to drunkenness, at My sacrifice that I am sacrificing for you⁺. And you⁺ will be filled at My table with horses and riders, with mighty ones, and with all the men of war,’ a declaration of the Lord YHWH. Israel to Be Restored And I will give forth My glory among the nations, and all the nations will see My judgment that I have made, and My hand that I have set upon them. And the house of Israel will know that I am YHWH their God, from that day and forward. And the nations will know that for their iniquity the house of Israel went into captivity, upon that they were unfaithful to Me; and I hid My face from them, and I gave them into the hand of their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I have dealt with them, and I have hidden My face from them. Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH: Now I will turn back the captivity of Jacob,39.25 Or I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and I will have compassion on all the house of Israel, and I will be jealous for My holy name. And they will forget39.26 A few Hebrew manuscripts; MT They will bear their shame, and all their unfaithfulness by which they were unfaithful with Me in their dwelling upon their own land in safety, and there will not be one to frighten them. In My returning them from the peoples, I have gathered them from the lands of their enemies, and I will show My holiness in them before the eyes of the many nations. And they will know that I am YHWH their God, in My sending them into captivity among the nations. And I will gather them upon their land, and no longer will I leave them to remain there. And I will not hide My face anymore from them, when I pour out My Spirit on the house of Israel, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.” The Man with a Measuring Rod (Zechariah 2:1–5) In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was captured, on this very day, the hand of YHWH was upon me, and He took me there. In visions of God, He brought me to the land of Israel, and made me rest on a very high mountain; and on it was like the structure of a city on the south. And He brought me there, and behold, a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, and He had a cord of flax in his hand, and a rod for measuring, and he was standing in the gateway. And the man said to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, and with your ears hear, and set your heart to all that I am going to show you; for that I might show it to you, you were brought here. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel!” The East Gate And behold, a wall on the outside of the temple all around, and in the hand of the man was a rod measuring six cubits,40.5 6 long cubits, the length of the reed used for measuring, is approximately 10.5 feet or 3.2 meters; similarly in verses 6, 7, and 12. The long cubit of about 21 inches or 53.3 centimeters is the basic unit of length throughout Ezekiel 40 to 48. by a cubit and a handbreadth. And he measured the width of the structure, one rod, and the height, one rod. And he went to the gateway of which its face was toward the east, and he went up on its steps and measured the threshold of the gateway, one rod deep, even one threshold, one rod deep. And the gate chamber was one rod long, and one rod wide; and between the gate chambers five cubits;40.7 5 (long) cubits is approximately 8.75 feet or 2.7 meters; also in verses 30 and 48. and the threshold of the gateway by the porch of the gate inside was one rod. And He measured the porch of the gate inside, one rod. And he measured the porch of the gate, eight cubits;40.9 8 (long) cubits is approximately 14 feet or 4.3 meters. and the gateposts, two cubits;40.9 2 (long) cubits is approximately 3.5 feet or 1.1 meters. and the porch of the gateway was on the inside. And the chambers of the gateway toward the east were three on this side, and three on this side; a single measure unto the three, and a single measure was unto the gateposts on this side and on this side. And He measured the width of the entrance of the gateway, ten cubits,40.11 10 (long) cubits is approximately 17.5 feet or 5.3 meters. and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.40.11 13 (long) cubits is approximately 22.75 feet or 6.9 meters. And there was a space before the face of the gate chambers, one cubit and one cubit on this side, and the chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on this side. And he measured the gateway from the roof of the one chamber to the roof of the, and the width was twenty-five cubits,40.13 25 (long) cubits is approximately 43.75 feet or 13.3 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 30, 33, and 36. door over against door. And He measured the porticos,40.14 Hebrew jambs sixty cubits high,40.14 60 (long) cubits is approximately 105 feet or 32 meters. and to the gatepost of the court was the gateway all around. And from the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the porch of the inner gate was fifty cubits.40.15 50 (long) cubits is approximately 87.5 feet or 26.7 meters; also in verses 21, 25, 29, 33, and 36. And were beveled windows in the gate chambers,40.16 Or gateposts or jambs or projecting walls; here and throughout Ezekiel 40 and 41. and in their side pillars on the inside of the gateway all around, and likewise in the porticos; and were windows all around on the inside, and on each side pillar were palm trees. The Outer Court And he brought me into the outer court, and behold, chambers, and a pavement made for the court all around; thirty chambers were toward the pavement. And the pavement was by the side of the gateways corresponding to the length of the gateways; this was the lower pavement. And he measured the width from the front of the lower gateway to the front of the inner court on the outside, a hundred cubits40.19 100 (long) cubits is approximately 175 feet or 53.3 meters; also in verses 23, 27, and 47. toward the east and the north. The North Gate And the gateway of the outer court that had its face toward the north, he also measured its length and its width. And its chambers were three on this side and three on this side; and for its side pillars and its porticos it was according to the measure of the first gate—fifty cubits its length, and its width five and twenty by the cubit. And its windows, and its porticos, and its palm trees, were according to the measure of the gateway that had its face toward the east; and with seven steps they ascend on it, and its portico was opposite them. And a gate was for the inner court opposite the gateway to the north, like that to the east; and he measured from gateway to gateway a hundred cubits. The South Gate And he brought me toward the south, and behold, a gateway toward the south, and he measured its side pillars and its porticos according to these measurements. And windows were for it and for its porticos all around, like these windows—fifty cubits was its length, and its width five and twenty cubits. And seven steps were its ascent, and its portico was in front of them; and palm trees were unto it, one on this side, and one on this side, on its side pillars. And a gateway was for the inner court toward the south, and he measured from gateway to gateway toward the south, a hundred cubits. The Gates of the Inner Court And he brought me to the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate according to these measurements. And its gate chambers and its side pillars and its porticos were also according to these measurements. Windows were for it and for its porticos all around—fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits wide. And porticos were all around, five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits wide.40.30 The porticoes were approximately 43.75 feet long and 8.75 feet deep (13.3 meters long and 2.7 meters deep). And its porticos were toward the outer court; palm trees were on its side pillars, and eight steps were its ascent. And he brought me into the inner court toward the east, and he measured the gateway according to these measurements. And its gate chambers and its side pillars and its porticos were also according to these measurements. And windows were for it and for its porticos all around, fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits wide. And its porticos were toward the outer court; palm trees were on its side pillars on this side and on this side, and eight steps were its ascent. And he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it according to these measurements— its gate chambers its side pillars and its porticos. And windows were for it all around; its length was fifty cubits, and its width five and twenty cubits. And its porticos40.37 LXX and Vulgate (see also verses 26, 31, and 34); Hebrew jambs or dividing wall were toward the outer court; palm trees were on its side pillars on this side and on this side, and eight steps were its ascent. Eight Tables for Sacrifices And a chamber and its entrance were by the porticos40.38 Hebrew by the jambs; see verse 14 of the gateways, where they washed the burnt offering. And in the portico of the gateway were two tables on this side and two tables on this side, to slaughter on them the burnt offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering. And at the shoulder on the outside, as one goes up to the entrance of the north gateway, were two tables; and on the other side of the portico of the gateway were two tables. Four tables were on this side, and four tables on this side, by the side of the gateway—eight tables, and on them they slaughtered. And four tables were for the burnt offering, hewn stones one cubit and a half long, and one cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high;40.42 The tables were approximately 2.6 feet in length and width, and 1.75 feet high (79.2 centimeters in length and width, and 53.3 centimeters high). and on them they laid the instruments with which they slaughtered the burnt offering and the sacrifice. And hooks,40.43 Or shelves one handbreadth,40.43 A handbreadth is approximately 2.9 inches or 7.4 centimeters long. were fastened on the inside all around; and on the tables was the flesh of the sacrifices. Chambers for Ministry And on the outside of the inner gate were two chambers in the inner court,40.44 LXX; Hebrew within the inner court were chambers for the singers at the side of the gateway to the north; and their faces were toward the south, one at the side of the south40.44 LXX; Hebrew the east gate were facing toward the north. And he said to me, “This chamber that faces toward the south is for the priests keeping guard of the temple. And the chamber that faces toward the north is for the priests keeping guard of the altar; they are the sons of Zadok, those coming near from all the sons of Levi, unto YHWH to minister to Him.” The Inner Court And he measured the court, a hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits wide, being square; and the altar was before the face of the temple. And he brought me to the portico of the temple, and he measured the doorposts of the portico, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on this side; and the width of the gateway was fourteen cubits and its sidewalls were three cubits on this side, and three cubits on this side.40.48 LXX; the gateway was approximately 24.5 feet or 7.5 meters wide, with sidewalls approximately 5.25 feet or 1.6 meters wide on either side. Hebrew and the width of the gateway was three cubits on either side. The length of the portico was twenty cubits,40.49 20 (long) cubits is approximately 35 feet or 10.7 meters. and the width was twelve cubits,40.49 LXX; 12 (long) cubits is approximately 21 feet or 6.4 meters; Hebrew eleven cubits deep; that is, approximately 19.25 feet or 5.9 meters. and by the ten steps that they went up to it;40.49 LXX; Hebrew and by the steps that went up to it and pillars were by the doorposts, one on this side, and one on this side. inside the Temple And he brought me into the sanctuary and measured the doorposts, six cubits wide41.1 6 (long) cubits is approximately 10.5 feet or 3.2 meters; also in verses 3, 5, and 8. on each side.41.1 One Hebrew manuscript and LXX; most Hebrew manuscripts on each side—the width of the tent And the width of the entryway was ten cubits;41.2 10 (long) cubits is approximately 17.5 feet or 5.3 meters. and the side walls of the entrance were five cubits41.2 5 (long) cubits is approximately 8.75 feet or 2.7 meters; also in verses 9, 11, and 12. on this side, and five cubits on this side. And he measured its length, forty cubits, and its width, twenty cubits.41.2 The outer sanctuary was approximately 70 feet long and 35 feet wide (21.3 meters long and 10.7 meters wide). And he went inside and measured the post for the door, two cubits;41.3 2 (long) cubits is approximately 3.5 feet or 1.1 meters. and the entrance, was six cubits; and the width of the entrance was seven cubits.41.3 7 (long) cubits is approximately 12.25 feet or 3.7 meters. And he measured the length,41.4 Or the length of the inner sanctuary twenty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits,41.4 The room was approximately 35 feet long and 35 feet wide (10.7 meters long and 10.7 meters wide). to beyond the sanctuary. And he said to me: “This is the Holy of Holies.41.4 Or the Most Holy Place” Outside the Temple And he measured the wall of the temple, six cubits; and the width of each side chamber was four cubits,41.5 4 (long) cubits is approximately 7 feet or 2.1 meters. all around the temple on every side. And the side chambers were side chamber above side chamber in three stories, thirty per level; and they rested on the ledges that were unto the house for the side chambers all around, to be supports; they were not fastened to the wall of the temple. And it became wider, and went around above and above to the side chambers, because the turning round of the house went above and above round and round the house; upon thus the width of the structure was above, and the lowest went up to the highest through the middle. And I saw for the temple an elevation round and round; the foundation of the side chambers was a full rod, six great cubits. The thickness of the wall of the side chambers to the outside was five cubits, and also the open area between the side rooms that were of the house and between the chambers was a width of twenty cubits all around the house, round and round. And the doors of the side chambers were toward the open area, one door toward the north, and one door toward the south; and the width of the space that was open was five cubits all around. And the building that was toward the face of the separating courtyard at the end toward the west was seventy cubits wide;41.12 70 (long) cubits is approximately 122.5 feet or 37.3 meters. and the wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length was ninety cubits.41.12 90 (long) cubits is approximately 157.5 feet or 48 meters. And he measured the temple, a hundred cubits long;41.13 100 (long) cubits is approximately 175 feet or 53.3 meters; similarly in verses 14 and 15. and the separating courtyard, and the building, and its walls, a hundred cubits long. And the width of the face of the temple, and the separating courtyard to the east, was a hundred cubits. The Interior Structures And he measured the length of the building to the face of the separating courtyard that was at its back, with its galleries on this side and on this side, a hundred cubits; the outer sanctuary, the inner, and the porches of the court, their doorposts, and the beveled windows, and the galleries all around for the three of them, opposite the threshold, were paneled with wood round about, from the ground to the windows, and the windows were covered, from above the door, and to the inner room, and on the outside; and on every wall round about, on the inside and on the outside, were measured patterns. And it was made with cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between a cherub and a cherub; and two faces were unto each cherub: And the face of a man was toward the palm tree on this side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on this side; so it was made throughout all the temple round and round. From the floor to the space above the door, the cherubim and the palm trees were made, and the wall of the sanctuary. The temple doorframe was square, and at the face of the sanctuary, the appearance was as the appearance. An altar was of wood, three cubits high, and its length was two cubits;41.22 The altar was approximately 5.25 feet high and 3.5 feet square (1.6 meters high and 1.1 meters square) and its corners for it, and its length, and its sides were of wood. And he said to me, “This is the table that is before the face of YHWH.” And two doors were for the temple and for the sanctuary. And two door-panels were for the doors, two turning door-panels—two for the one door, and two door-panels for the other. And were made onto them, onto the doors of the temple, cherubim and palm trees, as they were made on the walls; and a canopy of wood was at the face of the portico on the outside. And beveled windows and palm trees were on this side and on this side, on the sides of the portico, and on the side chambers of the temple, and the canopies. Chambers for the Priests And he brought me out into the outer court, the way toward the north; and he brought me into the chamber that was opposite the separating courtyard, and that opposite the building toward the north. Toward the face of its length was a hundred cubits, with the door to the north, and the width was fifty cubits.42.2 The building was approximately 175 feet long and 87.5 feet wide (53.3 meters long and 26.7 meters wide). Opposite the twenty cubits42.3 20 (long) cubits is approximately 35 feet or 10.7 meters. that were for the inner court, and opposite the pavement for the outer court, was a gallery to the face of a gallery in three parts. And before the face of the chambers was a walkway, ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits long;42.4 LXX. The walkway was approximately 17.5 feet wide and 175 feet long (5.3 meters wide and 53.3 meters long). Hebrew ten cubits wide and a way of one cubit. and their doors were to the north. And the upper chambers were shorter, for the galleries took away from them, on the lower and middle of the building. For they were in three parts, and there was not unto them pillars like the pillars of the courts; upon thus it was shortened from the ground more than the lower and middle. And a wall that was on the outside was over against the chambers, toward the outer court, toward the face of the chambers; its length was fifty cubits. For the length of the chambers that were toward the outer court was fifty cubits, and, behold, upon those facing the temple was a hundred cubits. And below these chambers was the entry on the east, as one enters them from the outer court. Along the length of the wall of the court toward the south,42.10 LXX; Hebrew east toward the face of the separating courtyard, and toward the face of the building, were chambers and a pathway before them, the appearance of the chambers that were toward the north, like their length so their width, and all their exits and according to their doors and according to their fashions, and according to their doors of the chambers that were toward the south. A door was at the head of the walkway, directly at the face of the wall toward the east in entering them. And he said to me: “The chambers to the north and the chambers to the south, which are toward the face of the separating courtyard, they are the holy chambers in which the priests, those who nearest to YHWH, will eat there the holy of holies;42.13 Or the most holy; twice in this verse they will lay the holy of holies there—the grain offering, and the sin offering, and the guilt offering—for the place is holy. With the entering of the priests, they will not go out the holy area into the outer court, and there they will leave their garments in which they minister—for they are holy—and they will put on other garments, they may come near to that which is for the people.” The Outer Measurements And he had completed the measurements of the inner temple, and he brought me out through the gateway that has its face toward the east, and he measured it round about. He measured the side to the east with a measuring rod, five hundred cubits,42.16 See LXX; five hundred cubits from verse 17 LXX and implied in verses 16, 18, 19, and 20 is approximately 875 feet or 266.7 meters in length. Hebrew five hundred rods, that is approximately 5,250 feet or 1,600 meters; similarly in verses 17, 18, 19, and 20. by the measuring rod, all around. He measured the side to the north, five hundred cubits, by the measuring rod, all around. The side to the south he measured, five hundred cubits, by the measuring rod. He came around to the side to the west; he measured five hundred cubits, by the measuring rod. At the four sides he measured it. A wall was unto it round about, a length of five hundred cubits, and a width of five hundred, to separate between the holy and the common. The Glory of Yahweh Returns to the Temple And he brought me to the gate—the gate that is facing toward the east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and His voice was like the voice of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision that I had seen, like the vision that I had seen when He came43.3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw at the River Kebar. And I fell on my face. And the glory of YHWH came into the temple by the way of the gate that has its face toward the east. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and behold, the glory of YHWH filled the temple. And I heard one speaking to me from the temple, and the man was standing beside me. And He said to me: “Son of man, the place of My throne, and the place for the soles of My feet, in which I will dwell there in the midst of the sons of Israel forever; and the house of Israel will defile no more My holy name, they and their kings with their prostitution, and the corpses43.7 Or the monuments; also in verse 9 of their kings at their deaths,43.7 Or or their kings on their high places by their giving their threshold next to My threshold, and their doorpost beside My doorpost, and the wall between Me and between them. And they have defiled My holy name by the abominations that they did, and I finished them off in My anger. Now let them remove their prostitution, and the corpses of their kings, away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever. You, son of man, describe to the house of Israel the temple, so that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they are ashamed43.11 Hebrew; LXX and Vulgate And they will be ashamed of all that they have done, the design of the temple, and its arrangement, and its exits, and its entrances, and all its design, and all its statutes, and all its forms, and all its laws, make known to them. And write it before their eyes, so that they may keep all its design and all its ordinances, and do them. This is the law of the temple: On the top of the mountain, all its border round about, is the holy of holies.43.12 Or the most holy Behold, this is the law of the temple. The Altar of Sacrifice And these are the measurements of the altar in cubits43.13 The long cubit, about 21 inches or 53.3 centimeters, is the basic unit for linear measurement throughout Ezekiel 40–48. (a cubit is a cubit and a handbreadth): The base shall be one cubit high and one cubit wide, and its rim to its edge all around a span of one;43.13 One span is approximately 9 inches or 22.9 centimeters. and this is the height of the altar. And from the base on the ground up to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the width one cubit;43.14 The space was to be approximately 3.5 feet (1.1 meters), and the ledge was to be approximately 1.75 feet wide (53.3 centimeters wide). and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits, and the width a cubit.43.14 The space was to be approximately 7 feet (2.1 meters), and the ledge was to be approximately 1.75 feet wide (53.3 centimeters wide). And the altar hearth shall be four cubits high, and from the hearth and upward are four horns. And the altar hearth shall be twelve long by twelve wide,43.16 12 (long) cubits is approximately 21 feet or 6.4 meters. being square at the four of its corners. And the ledge shall be fourteen long,43.17 14 (long) cubits is approximately 24.5 feet or 7.5 meters. and fourteen wide, on the four of its sides, with a rim around it half a cubit,43.17 A half cubit is approximately 10.5 inches or 26.7 centimeters. and the base for it a cubit all around; and its steps shall face toward the east.” And he said to me: “Son of man, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘These are the ordinances for the altar on the day of its being made to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, and to sprinkle blood on it. And you shall give to the priests, the Levites, those who are of the seed of Zadok, who are near to Me, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, to minister to Me, a bull, a son of the herd, as a sin offering. And you shall take from its blood and put it upon the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim around it; and you will cleanse it from sin and make atonement for it. And you shall take the bull of the sin offering and burn it in the appointed place of the temple, outside of the sanctuary. And on the second day, you shall offer a kid of the goats, unblemished, for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse from sin the altar, as they cleansed it from sin with the bull. When you have finished cleansing from sin, you shall bring near a bull, a son of the herd, unblemished, and a ram from the flock, unblemished. And you shall present them before YHWH, and the priests shall throw on them salt, and they shall offer them up as a burnt offering to YHWH. Seven days you shall prepare a goat for a sin offering, day by day, and a bull, a son of the herd and a ram from the flock, unblemished, they shall prepare. Seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it, and they shall fill its hands. And are completed these days, and it shall come to pass on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall make upon the altar your⁺ burnt offerings and your⁺ peace offerings, and will I accept you⁺, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.’” The East Gate Assigned to the Prince And He brought me back the way of the gate of the outer sanctuary that faced east, and it was shut. And YHWH said to me: “This gate will be kept shut; it shall not be opened, and no man will enter by it, because YHWH, God of Israel has entered by it; and it will be kept shut. The prince—the prince himself—he may sit in it to eat bread before YHWH; by way of the portico of the gateway he will enter, and by its way he will go out.” And He brought me by way of the north gate toward the face of the temple. And I looked, and behold, the glory of YHWH filled the house of YHWH, and I fell on my face. And YHWH said to me: “Son of man, set your heart, and see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I am saying to you concerning all the statutes of the house of YHWH, and concerning all its laws; and set your heart concerning those entering the house and all those going out of the sanctuary. Reproof of the Levites And say to the rebellious one, to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Enough for you⁺ from all your⁺ abominations, O house of Israel— your⁺ bringing in the sons of a foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary, to defile My house in your⁺ offering My food, the fat and the blood. And they have broken My covenant because of all your⁺ abominations. And you⁺ have not kept guard over My holy things, and you⁺ set them to keep guard over My sanctuary for you⁺!’ Thus says the Lord YHWH: Any son of a foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, will not come into My sanctuary—any son of a foreigner who is in the midst of the sons of Israel. Oh how the Levites who went far from Me in the straying of Israel, who went astray from Me after their idols, will indeed bear their iniquity! And they shall be in My sanctuary, ministering as attendants at the gates of the house, and ministering in the house; they shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them. Because that they ministered to them before their idols, and they became for the house of Israel a stumbling block of iniquity, upon thus I have lifted My hand concerning them, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, that they shall bear their iniquity. And they will not come near to Me to minister as priest to Me, or come near to any of My holy things, to the holies of the holies, and they shall bear their shame and their abominations which they have done. And I will give them to keep charge of the temple, for all its service and for all that is done in it. The Duties of the Priests And the Levite priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept guard over My sanctuary in the wandering away of the sons of Israel from Me, they will come near to Me to minister to Me, and they will stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge. And it will come to pass, in their going into the gates of the inner court, that they will put on garments of linen and no wool will come up upon them in their ministering within the gates of the inner court, and within it. Turbans of linen will be on their heads, and undergarments of linen will be on their bodies; they will not gird themselves with sweat. And in their going out to the outer court, to the outer court unto the people, they shall take off their garments which they have ministered in them, and they shall leave them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments, so that they do not sanctify the people with their garments. And their head, they shall not shave it; their hair they shall not grow long; they must carefully trim their heads. And no priest shall drink any wine in their coming into the inner court. And a widow or a divorced woman they shall not take to themselves as wife, but only virgins from the seed of the house of Israel, or the widow who is a widow of a priest, they may take. And they will teach My people between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean they shall make them know. And in a dispute they will stand in judgment; according to My ordinances they shall judge it, and My laws and My statutes in all My appointed feasts they shall keep, and My Sabbaths they shall sanctify. And unto a dead person they shall not come to defile themselves, but only for a father or for a mother, for a son or for a daughter, or for a brother or for a sister who has not been unto a man, may they defile themselves. And after he is cleansed, they shall count for him seven days. And on the day of his coming into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he must offer his sin offering, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance. You⁺ shall give to them no possession in Israel; I am their possession. The grain offering, and the sin offering, and the guilt offering they shall eat, and every devoted thing in Israel shall be unto them. And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every contribution of all things from all your⁺ contributions, it will be for the priests. And the first of your⁺ dough you⁺ shall give to the priest, to cause to rest a blessing on your house. Every carcass and torn thing from the bird or from the beast, the priests shall not eat. Or the most holy Consecration of the Land “ And in your⁺ allotting the land as an inheritance, you⁺ shall set apart a contribution to YHWH, a holy portion of the land; its length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the width twenty thousand.45.1 LXX; the holy portion was to be approximately 8.3 miles long and 6.6 miles wide (13.3 kilometers long and 10.7 kilometers wide). Hebrew 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 wide. See also verses 3 and 5 and Ezekiel 48:9. It is holy in all its borders all around. There shall be from this for the sanctuary five hundred by five hundred,45.2 500 (long) cubits is approximately 875 feet or 266.7 meters. a square plot, around, with fifty cubits45.2 50 (long) cubits is approximately 87.5 feet or 26.7 meters. open space for it all around. And from this measure, you shall measure a length of five and twenty thousand, and a width of ten thousand;45.3 The portion was to be approximately 8.3 miles long and 3.3 miles wide (13.3 kilometers long and 5.3 kilometers wide); similarly in verse 5. and in it will be the sanctuary, the Holy of Holies.45.3 Or the Most Holy Place It is a holy portion of the land; it is for the priests ministering in the sanctuary, who draw near to minister to YHWH; and it shall be unto them a place for houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. And five and twenty thousand long, and ten thousand wide, shall be unto the Levites ministering in the temple, as a possession for them, twenty towns in which to live.45.5 LXX; Hebrew their possession, twenty chambers And as the possession of the city you⁺ shall give five thousand wide, with a length of five and twenty thousand,45.6 The property of the city was to be approximately 1.7 miles wide and 8.3 miles long (2.7 kilometers wide and 13.3 kilometers long). adjacent to the portion of the holy portion; it shall be unto all of the house of Israel. The Prince’s Portion And for the prince, on this side and on this side of the portion of the holy area, and of the possession of the city, toward the faces of the portion of the holy area, and toward the faces of the property of the city, from the west side westward, from the east side eastward; and the length is parallel to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border of the land. It will be unto him as a possession in Israel. And My princes will not oppress My people anymore, and the land they will give to the house of Israel according to their tribes. Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Enough to you⁺, O princes of Israel, turn aside violence and destruction and do justice and righteousness. Stop your⁺ evictions upon My people, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.’ Honest Scales (Deuteronomy 25:13–16; Proverbs 11:1–3) Righteous scales and a righteous ephah45.10 An ephah is a dry measure of approximately 20 dry quarts or 22 liters. and a righteous bath45.10 A bath was a liquid measure of approximately 5.8 gallons or 22 liters. shall be unto you⁺. The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, the bath to bear a tenth of a homer, and the ephah a tenth of a homer. Their measure will be according to the homer.45.11 A homer was a dry measure of approximately 6.24 bushels or 220 liters; also in verses 13 and 14. And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs;45.12 20 gerahs is equivalent to one shekel (approximately 0.4 ounces or 11.4 grams). twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, ten and five shekels,45.12 That is, 60 shekels total; elsewhere, the common mina was 50 shekels. Sixty shekels weighed approximately 1.5 pounds or 683.8 grams. will be unto you⁺ the mina. Offerings and Feasts This is the contribution that you⁺ shall lift up: A sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and a sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley.45.13 That is, a sixtieth of the harvest of wheat and of barley; a sixth of an ephah was approximately 3.3 dry quarts or 3.7 liters. And the ordinance for the oil, the bath of oil, is a tenth of a bath from each kor45.14 That is, one percent of one’s oil; a tenth of a bath was approximately 2.3 quarts or 2.2 liters. (a homer is ten baths, for ten baths are a homer); and will be one lamb from the flock, from two hundred, from the watering places of Israel, for each grain offering, and burnt offering, and peace offering, to make atonement upon them, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. All the people of the land shall be toward this contribution for the prince in Israel. And concerning the prince, it shall be the burnt offerings and the grain offering and the drink offering, at the feasts and the New Moons and the Sabbaths and at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel; he shall prepare the sin offering,45.17 Or purification offering; also in verses 19, 22, 23, and 25 and the grain offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘In the first month, on the first of the month, you shall take a bull, a son of the herd, unblemished, and you shall cleanse from sin the sanctuary. And the priest shall take from the blood of the sin offering, and put it onto the doorposts of the temple, and onto the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and onto the doorposts of the gate of the inner court. And so you shall do on the seventh of the month, for each man who errs45.20 Or sins unintentionally and is ignorant, and you⁺ will make atonement for the temple. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, will be for you⁺ the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. And the prince shall prepare on that day, for himself and for all the people of the land, a bull as a sin offering. And on the seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to YHWH, seven bulls and seven rams unblemished day by day—seven days—and a sin offering, a kid of the goats, day by day. And a grain offering of one ephah for each bull, and one ephah for each ram he shall prepare, and a hin of oil for each ephah.45.24 A hin of oil for each ephah is approximately 0.97 gallons or 3.67 liters of oil for each ephah of grain In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, during the feast,45.25 That is, Sukkot, the autumn feast of pilgrimage to Jerusalem; also translated as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Shelters and originally called the Feast of Ingathering (see Exodus 23:16 and Exodus 34:22). he shall do like these seven days, for the sin offering, for the burnt offering, and the grain offering, and the oil.’ The Prince’s Offerings “ Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘The gateway of the inner court facing the east shall be shut for the six days of work; and on the day of the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened. And the prince shall enter by way of the portico of the gateway from the outside, and stand by the doorpost of the gate; and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate and go out, and the gate shall not be shut until the evening. And the people of the land will bow down at the entrance to that gateway, on the Sabbaths and the New Moons, before YHWH. And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer to YHWH on the day of the Sabbath is six lambs unblemished, and a ram unblemished. And the grain offering is an ephah46.5 An ephah is approximately 20 dry quarts or 22 liters (probably about 38.3 pounds or 17.4 kilograms of grain); also in verses 7 and 11. for a ram, and for the lambs the grain offering is a gift of his hand, and a hin of oil for the ephah. And on the day of the New Moon it is a bull, a son of the herd, unblemished, and six lambs and a ram—they shall be unblemished. And an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, he shall prepare as a grain offering, and for the lambs as that his hand can take, and a hin of oil to an ephah. And in the coming in of the prince, he shall come in by way of the portico of the gateway, and the same way he shall go out. And in the coming in of the people of the land before YHWH at the appointed feasts, the one coming in by way of the north gate to worship will go out by way of the south gate, and the one coming in by way of the south gate will go out by way of the north gate; he will not return by way of the gate by that he entered, but he will go out straight ahead of him. And the prince will be in their midst; at their coming in, he will go in, and at their going out, he will go out. And at the festivals, and the appointed feasts the grain offering will be an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs a gift of his hand, and a hin of oil to an ephah. When the prince makes a freewill offering—a burnt offering or peace offerings—a freewill offering to YHWH, then shall be opened for him the gate facing the east, and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he did on the day of the Sabbath; and he will go out, and the gate will be shut after his going out. And a lamb, a son of a year, unblemished, you shall make as a burnt offering day by day to YHWH; morning by morning you shall make it. And a grain offering you shall prepare with it, morning by morning, a sixth of an ephah,46.14 A sixth of an ephah is approximately 3.3 dry quarts or 3.7 liters (probably about 4.2 pounds or 1.9 kilograms of flour). and a third of a hin of oil46.14 Or a third of a hin of olive oil; that is, approximately 1.3 quarts or 1.2 liters to moisten the fine flour, as a grain offering to YHWH. This is a statute forever, in perpetuity. They shall prepare the lamb, and the grain offering, and the oil, morning by morning, as a continual burnt offering.’ Thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘If the prince gives a gift to man of his sons as his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance. And if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will be unto him until the year of liberty; then it will return to the prince; surely it is his inheritance for his sons; unto them it shall be. And the prince shall not take from inheritance of the people by evicting them from their property; from his own property he shall provide an inheritance for his sons, so that My people will not be scattered, a man from his property.’” The Courts for Boiling and Baking And he brought me through the entrance that was at the side of the gate, into the chambers of holiness for the priests, facing toward the north; and behold, there was a place at the extremities of the west. And he said to me: “This is the place where the priests shall boil there the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, so as not to bring them out into the outer court to sanctify the people.” And he brought me out into the outer court, and he caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and behold, a court in each corner of the court, a court in the corner of the court. In the four corners of the court were courts enclosed, forty long and thirty wide,46.22 The enclosed courts were approximately 70 feet long and 52.5 feet wide (21.3 meters long and 16 meters wide). a single measure for their four corners. And a row was all around in them, all around the four of them, and cooking hearths were made under the rows all around. And he said to me, “These are the kitchens of those boiling, where the ministers of the temple will boil there the sacrifices of the people.” Waters from under the Temple And he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, waters were flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the face of the temple is eastward), and the waters were flowing from under the side of the temple on the right, at the south of the altar. And he brought me out by way of the north gate, and he led me around the way on the outside to the outer gateway, the way facing east, and behold, waters were flowing on the right side. At the going out of the man to the east, and the line in his hand, he measured a thousand by the cubit;47.3 1,000 (long) cubits is approximately 1,750 feet or 533.4 meters. and he brought me through the waters—waters to the ankles. And he measured a thousand, and he brought me through the waters—waters to the knees; and again he measured a thousand, and he brought me through waters to the loins. And he measured a thousand—a river that I was not able to cross; for the waters had risen—waters for swimming, a river that could not be crossed. And he said to me, “Have you seen, son of man?” And he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. In my returning, behold, along the bank of the river were very many trees, on this side and on this side. And He said to me: “These waters are flowing toward the eastern border, and they go down upon the Arabah and enter the Sea;47.8 That is, the Dead Sea and having gone out into the sea, its waters are healed.47.8 Or become fresh; similarly in verses 9 and 11 And it will come to pass that every soul living that moves, at every place where the rivers should come there, will live. And there will be a great abundance of fish, because these waters come there, and they will be healed. And will live everything wherever the river comes there. And it will come to pass that fishermen will stand upon it. From En-gedi unto En-eglaim will be a spreading place of nets; their fish will be according to their kind as the fish of the Great Sea,47.10 That is, the Mediterranean Sea; also in verses 15, 19, and 20 exceedingly many. And its swamps and marshes will still not be healed; they will be given to salt. And alongside the river will come up along the bank, on this side and on this side, every of tree for food; its leaf will not wither, and its fruit will not fail. According to its months it will bear fruit, because its waters, they are flowing from the sanctuary, and its fruit will be for food, and its leaf for healing.” The Borders of the Land Thus says the Lord YHWH: “These are the borders by which you⁺ shall divide as an inheritance the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have portions,47.13 Since Levi had no portion, Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh received land as two tribes. and you⁺ shall divide it one with another, for I lifted up My hand to give it to your⁺ fathers, and this land will fall to you⁺ as an inheritance. And this is the border of the land on the side of the north, from the Great Sea, by the way of Hethlon, through Lebo-hamath to Zedad, Berothah, and Sibraim,47.16 LXX; MT 15 …at the coming in to Zedad, 16 Hamath, Berothah, and Sibraim which is between the border of Damascus and between the border of Hamath; Hazar-Hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. And will be the boundary from the Sea to Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus and to the north, to the north, and the border of Hamath. And this is the side to the north. And on the side of the east from between Hauran, and between Damascus, and between Gilead, and between the land of Israel, along the Jordan; from this border to the Eastern Sea47.18 That is, the Dead Sea as far as Tamar.47.18 See Syriac; Hebrew to Eastern Sea you shall mark out. And this is the side of the east. And the side of the Negev toward the south: From Tamar unto the waters of Meribah Kadesh, along the brook of Egypt47.19 Hebrew does not include of Egypt. to the Great Sea. And this is the side of the Negev toward the south. And on the side of the west, the Great Sea, from the border until over against the coming in Hamath. This is the side of the west. And you⁺ shall divide this land among yourselves, according to the tribes of Israel. And it will come to pass that you⁺ will allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who are sojourning in your⁺ midst who give birth to sons in your⁺ midst, and they will be unto you⁺ as a native among the sons of Israel; with you⁺ they shall be allotted an inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Israel. And it will come to pass in the tribe with which the sojourner sojourned, that there you⁺ will give his inheritance,” a declaration of the Lord YHWH. The Portions for the Tribes “And these are the names of the tribes: From the border of the north, along the coast of the way of Hethlon, at the entrance of Hamath, unto Hazar-enan, on the border of Damascus northward, toward the hand of Hamath, there will be from the side of the east to the west for Dan one portion. And along the border of Dan, from the side of the east to the side of the west, for Asher one portion. And along the border of Asher, from the side of the east to the side of the west, for Naphtali one portion. And along the border of Naphtali, from the side of the east to the side of the west, for Manasseh one portion. And along the border of Manasseh, from the side of the east to the side of the west, for Ephraim one portion. And along the border of Ephraim, from the side of the east to the side of the west, for Reuben one portion. And along the border of Reuben, from the side of the east to the side of the west, for Judah one portion. The Portions for the Priests and Levites And along the border of Judah, from the side of the east to the side of the west, will be the portion that you⁺ will lift up—five and twenty thousand in width,48.8 25,000 (long) cubits is approximately 8.3 miles or 13.3 kilometers; also in verses 9, 10, 13, 15, 20, and 21. and in length as one of the portions, from the side of the east to the side of the west, with the sanctuary in the middle of it. The portion that you⁺ shall lift up for YHWH shall be five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in width. 48.9 10,000 (long) cubits is approximately 3.3 miles or 5.3 kilometers; also in verses 10, 13, and 18. And to these will be the holy portion for the priests: To the north five and twenty thousand, and to the west ten thousand in width, and to the east ten thousand in width, and to the south five and twenty thousand in length; and the sanctuary of YHWH will be in the middle of it for the priests who are sanctified from the sons of Zadok, those who have kept My charge, who did not go astray in the straying of the sons of Israel, as the Levites went astray. And a special portion will be for them from the portion of the land, a holy of holies,48.12 Or a Most Holy Place toward the border of the Levites. And the Levites shall be next to the border of the priests, five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in width; all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the width ten thousand. And they shall not sell of it, and not exchange it; and they must not cause to pass through the firstfruit of the land, for it is holy to YHWH. The Common Portion And the five thousand48.15 5,000 (long) cubits is approximately 1.7 miles or 2.7 kilometers. that are remaining in width, along the edge of the five and twenty thousand, is for common use; it is for the city, for dwellings, and for pastureland; and the city will be in the middle of it. And these shall be its measurements: The side of the north, five hundred and four thousand; and the side of the south, five and five hundred and four thousand;48.16 4,500 (long) cubits is approximately 1.5 miles or 2.4 kilometers; also in verses 30, 32, 33, and 34. and the side of the east, five hundred and four thousand; and the side of the west, five hundred and four thousand. And the pastureland for the city will be to the north fifty and two hundred, and to the south fifty and two hundred,48.17 250 (long) cubits is approximately 437.5 feet or 133.4 meters. and to the east fifty and two hundred, and to the west fifty and two hundred. And the remainder of the length alongside the holy portion shall be ten thousand to the east, and ten thousand to the west; and it will be adjacent to the holy portion, and its produce will be for food for the workers of the city. And the workers of the city will work it from all the tribes of Israel. All the portion shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand, foursquare; you⁺ shall lift up the holy portion along with the property of the city. The Portion for the Prince And the remainder is unto the prince, on this side and on this side of the holy portion and the property of the city; toward the faces of the five and twenty thousand portion alongside the border of the east, and westward alongside the faces of the five and twenty thousand along the border of the west, adjacent to the allotments, is unto the prince. The holy portion and the sanctuary of the temple will be in the midst of it. And apart from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, in the midst of what will be unto the prince, between the border of Judah and between the border of Benjamin, will be unto the prince. The Portions for the Remaining Tribes And the rest of the tribes: From the side of the east to the side of the west, Benjamin has one portion. And along the border of Benjamin, from the side of the east to the side of the west, Simeon has one portion. And along the border of Simeon, from the side of the east to the side of the west, Issachar has one portion. And along the border of Issachar, from the side of the east to the side of the west, Zebulun has one portion. And along the border of Zebulun, from the side of the east to the side of the west, Gad has one portion. And along the border of Gad, on the side of the Negev, toward the south, the border will be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, along the brook of Egypt48.28 Hebrew does not include of Egypt. to the Great Sea.48.28 That is, the Mediterranean Sea This is the land that you⁺ shall allot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions,” a declaration of the Lord YHWH. The City Gates and Dimensions “And these are the exits of the city: On the side of the north, which is five hundred and four thousand by measure, and these gates of the city are according to the names of the tribes of Israel: Three gates to the north—one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi. And on the side of the east, five hundred and four thousand, also three gates—one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan. And on the side of the south, five hundred and four thousand by measure, also three gates—one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun. On the side of the west, five hundred and four thousand, their three gates—one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali. All around it eighteen thousand.48.35 18,000 (long) cubits is approximately 6 miles or 9.6 kilometers. And the name of the city from that day is: 48.35 YHWH Shammah means YHWH IS THERE