Ezekiel

Ezekiel

Introduction

¹ I am the priest, Ezekiel son of Buzzi. I was in exile by the Kebar Canal in Babylonia when the skies opened up, and I saw visions of God. This was on the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year.+ 1:1-3 fifth day … year If the year refers to Ezekiel’s age, this is the same as the fifth year of exile, that is, July 31, 593 B.C. (This was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile. The word of the LORD came to Ezekiel. The power of the LORD came over him at that place.)

The Chariot of the Lord—God’s Throne

⁴ I was watching a big storm come in from the north. It was a big cloud with a strong wind, and there was fire flashing from it. Light was shining out all around it. It looked like hot metal+ 1:4 hot metal The Hebrew word might mean “melted copper,” “an alloy of gold and silver,” or “amber.” Also in verse 27. glowing in a fire. ⁵ Inside the cloud, there were four living beings that looked like people. ⁶ But each one of them had four faces and four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight. Their feet looked like calves’ feet, and they sparkled like polished brass. ⁸ Under their wings were human arms. There were four living beings. Each living being had four faces and four wings. ⁹ The wings touched each other. The living beings did not turn when they moved. They went in the direction they were looking.

¹⁰ Each living being had four faces. In the front they each had a man’s face. There was a lion’s face on the right side and a bull’s face on the left side. There was an eagle’s face on the back. ¹¹ Their wings were spread out over them. With two of the wings each living being reached out to touch the one near it, and with the other two wings it covered its body. ¹² Each living being went in the direction it was looking. They went wherever the spirit+ 1:12 spirit Or “wind.” Also in verse 20. caused them to go, but they did not turn when they moved. ¹³ That is what the living beings looked like.

Inside the area between the living beings, there was something that looked like burning coals of fire. This fire was like small torches that kept moving around among the living beings. The fire glowed brightly and lightning flashed from it. ¹⁴ The living beings ran back and forth—as fast as lightning.+ 1:14 Or “And there was something like lighting shooting back and forth among the living beings.”

¹⁵ I was looking at the living beings when I noticed four wheels that touched the ground. There was one wheel by each living being. All the wheels looked the same. The wheels looked as if they were made from a clear, yellow jewel. They looked like there was a wheel inside a wheel. ¹⁷ They could turn to move in any direction. But the living beings did not turn when they moved.+ 1:17 The wheels … moved Or “The wheels could move in any four directions, but they did not turn when they moved.”

¹⁸ The rims of the wheels were tall and frightening. There were eyes all over the rims of all four wheels.

¹⁹ The wheels always moved with the living beings. If the living beings went up into the air, the wheels went with them. ²⁰ They went wherever the spirit wanted them to go, and the wheels went with them, because the power that moved the living being was in the wheels. ²¹ So if the living beings moved, the wheels moved. If the living beings stopped, the wheels stopped. If the wheels went into the air, the living beings went with them, because the spirit was in the wheels.

²² There was an amazing thing over the heads of the living beings. It was like a bowl+ 1:22 bowl This Hebrew word is the same word used in Genesis 1:6-7 to describe the dome of the sky. turned upside down, and the bowl was clear like crystal. ²³ Under this bowl, each living being had wings reaching out to the one next to it. Two wings spread out one way and two wings spread out the other way, covering its body.

²⁴ Then I heard the wings. Every time the living beings moved, their wings made a very loud noise like a lot of water rushing by. They were loud like the Lord All-Powerful. They were as loud as an army or a crowd of people. When the living beings stopped moving, they put their wings down by their side.

²⁵ The living beings stopped moving and lowered their wings. Then there was another loud sound that came from above the bowl over their heads. ²⁶ There was something that looked like a throne on top of the bowl. It was blue like sapphire. There was also something that looked like a man sitting on the throne. ²⁷ I looked at him from his waist up. He looked like hot metal with fire all around him. I looked at him from his waist down. It looked like fire with a glow that was shining all around him. ²⁸ The light shining around him was like a rainbow in a cloud. It was the Glory of the LORD. As soon as I saw that, I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face to the ground, and then I heard a voice speaking to me.

The Lord Speaks to Ezekiel

¹ The voice said, “ Son of man,+ 2:1 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel, as one the Lord chose to be his prophet. It is used in this sense throughout this book. stand up and I will speak with you.”

² Then the Spirit came into me+ 2:2 the Spirit came into me Or “a wind came.” and lifted me up on my feet, and I listened to the one who spoke to me. ³ He said, “ Son of man, I am sending you to speak to the family of Israel. Those people and their ancestors turned against me many times. They have sinned against me many times— and they are still sinning against me today. ⁴ I am sending you to speak to them, but they are very stubborn. They are very hardheaded, but you must speak to them. You must say, ‘ This is what the Lord GOD says.’ ⁵ They are people who refuse to obey, so they may not listen to you. But even if they don’t stop sinning, at least they will know that there is a prophet living among them.

⁶ “ Son of man, don’t be afraid of the people or what they say. It is true: they will turn against you and try to hurt you. Their words will be sharp like thorns and will sting like scorpions. But don’t be afraid of what they say. They are people who refuse to obey, but don’t be afraid of them. ⁷ You must tell them what I say, whether they listen or not. They are people who usually refuse to listen!

⁸ “ Son of man, listen to what I am telling you. Don’t turn against me like those people who refuse to obey. Now open your mouth to receive the words I will give you to speak.”

⁹ Then I saw an arm reach out toward me. It was holding a scroll with words written on it. ¹⁰ It rolled the scroll open in front of me. Words were on the front and on the back of the scroll. There were all kinds of sad songs, sad stories, and warnings.

¹ God said to me, “ Son of man,+ 3:1 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verses 3, 4, 10, 17, 25. eat what you see. Eat this scroll, and then go tell these things to the family of Israel.”

² So I opened my mouth and he put the scroll into my mouth. ³ Then God said, “ Son of man, I am giving you this scroll. Swallow it! Let that scroll fill your body.”

So I ate the scroll. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

⁴ Then God said to me, “ Son of man, go to the family of Israel. Speak my words to them. ⁵ I am not sending you to some foreigners you cannot understand. You don’t have to learn another language. I am sending you to the family of Israel. ⁶ I am not sending you to many different countries where people speak languages you cannot understand. If you went to those people and spoke to them, they would listen to you. But you will not have to learn those hard languages. ⁷ No, I am sending you to the family of Israel. Only, these people have hard heads— they are very stubborn! And the people of Israel will refuse to listen to you. They don’t want to listen to me. ⁸ But I will make you just as stubborn as they are, and your head just as hard. ⁹ A diamond is harder than flint rock. In the same way you will be more stubborn than they are, and your head will be harder. Then you will not be afraid of them or those who always turn against me.”

¹⁰ Then God said to me, “ Son of man, listen to every word I say to you and remember them. ¹¹ Then go to all of your people in exile and tell them, ‘ This is what the Lord GOD says ….’ They will not listen, and they will not stop sinning, but you must still tell them my message.”

¹² Then the Spirit+ 3:12 Spirit Or “wind.” Also in verse 24. lifted me up, and I heard a voice behind me. It was very loud, like thunder. It said, “ Blessed is the Glory of the LORD!” ¹³ Then the wings of the living beings began moving. The wings made a very loud noise as they touched each other, and the wheels in front of them began making a noise as loud as thunder. ¹⁴ The Spirit lifted me and took me away. I was very sad and upset in my spirit, but I felt the LORD’S power in me. ¹⁵ I went to the people of Israel who were forced to live in Tel Aviv+ 3:15 Tel Aviv This was a place outside of Israel. The name means “Spring Hill.” by the Kebar Canal. I sat there among them for seven days, shocked and silent.

The Watchman of Israel

¹⁶ After seven days, the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ¹⁷ “ Son of man, I am making you a watchman for Israel. I will tell you about bad things that will happen to them, and you must warn Israel. ¹⁸ If I say, ‘ These evil people will die!’ Then you must warn them. You must tell them to change their lives and stop doing evil. If you don’t warn them, they will die because they sinned. But I will also make you responsible for their death, because you did not go to them and save their lives.

¹⁹ “ If you warn them and tell them to change their lives and stop doing evil, but they refuse to listen, they will die because they sinned. But since you warned them, you will have saved your own life.

²⁰ “ If good people stop being good and begin to do evil, and I send something that makes them stumble and sin, they will die because they sinned. But since you did not warn them and remind them of the good things they had done, I will make you responsible for their death.

²¹ “ But if you warn good people and tell them to stop sinning, and they listen to your warning and stop sinning, they will not die. In that way you will have saved your own life.”

²² The LORD’S power came to me. He said to me, “ Get up and go to the valley.+ 3:22 the valley Possibly, Jezreel Valley, a fertile area where many battles were fought. It is often called simply “The Valley.” I will speak to you in that place.”

²³ So I got up and went out to the valley. The Glory of the LORD was there— as I had seen it by the Kebar Canal. So I bowed with my face to the ground. ²⁴ But the Spirit came into me and lifted me up on my feet. He said to me, “ Go home and lock yourself in your house. ²⁵ Son of man, people will come with ropes and tie you up. They will not let you go out among the people. ²⁶ I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth— you will not be able to talk. So they will not have anyone to teach them that they are doing wrong, because they are always turning against me. ²⁷ But I will talk to you, and then I will allow you to speak. But you must say to them, ‘ This is what the Lord GOD says.’ If a person wants to listen, fine. If a person refuses to listen, fine. But those people always turn against me.

Warnings About the Attack of Jerusalem

¹ “ Son of man,+ 4:1 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verse 16. take a brick and scratch a picture on it. Draw a picture of a city— the city of Jerusalem. ² And then pretend you are an army surrounding the city. Build a dirt wall around the city to help you attack it. Build a dirt road leading up to the city wall. Bring battering rams+ 4:2 battering rams Heavy logs that soldiers used to break holes into the gates or walls around a city. and set up army camps around the city. ³ And then take an iron pan and put it between you and the city. It will be like an iron wall separating you and the city. In this way you will show that you are against it. You will surround the city and attack it. This is an example for the family of Israel to show that I will destroy Jerusalem.

⁴ “ Then you must lie down on your left side. You must do this thing that shows that you are taking the sins of the people of Israel on yourself. You will carry the guilt for as many days as you lie on your left side. ⁵ You must bear the guilt of Israel for 390 days.+ 4:5 390 days The ancient Greek version has “190 days.” In this way I am telling you how long Israel will be punished; one day equals one year.

⁶ “ After that time, you will lie on your right side for 40 days. This time you will bear the guilt of Judah for 40 days. One day equals one year. I am telling you how long Judah must be punished.

⁷ “Now, roll up your sleeve and raise your arm over the brick. Act like you are attacking the city of Jerusalem. Do this to show that you are speaking as my messenger to the people. ⁸ Now look, I am tying ropes on you. You will not be able to roll over from one side to the other until your attack against the city+ 4:8 your attack against the city This is a wordplay. The Hebrew word can mean “famine,” “time of trouble,” or “attack against a city.” is finished.

⁹ “ You must get some grain to make bread. Get some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt. Mix all these things together in one bowl and grind them to make flour. You will use this flour to make bread. You will eat only this bread during the 390 days that you lie on your side. ¹⁰ You will be allowed to use only 1 cup+ 4:10 1 cup Literally, “20 shekels” (230 g). of that flour each day to make bread. You will eat that bread from time to time throughout the day. ¹¹ You can drink only 3 cups+ 4:11 3 cups Literally, “1/6 hin” (.5 l). of water each day. You can drink it from time to time throughout the day. ¹² You must make your bread each day. You must get dry human dung and burn it. Then you must cook the bread over this burning dung. You must eat this bread in front of the people.” ¹³ Then the LORD said, “ This will show that the family of Israel will eat unclean bread in foreign countries and that I am the one who forced them to leave Israel and go to those countries!”

¹⁴ Then I said, “ Oh, but Lord GOD, I have never eaten any unclean food. I have never eaten meat from an animal that died from a disease or from an animal that was killed by a wild animal. I have never eaten unclean meat— not from the time that I was a little baby until now. None of that bad meat ever entered my mouth.”

¹⁵ Then God said to me, “Very well, I will let you use dry cow dung to cook your bread. You don’t have to use dry human dung.”

¹⁶ Then God said to me, “ Son of man, I am destroying Jerusalem’s supply of bread. People will have only a little bread to eat. They will be very worried about their food supply, and they will have only a little water to drink. Every time they take a drink, they will feel more afraid. ¹⁷ That is because there will not be enough food and water for everyone. They will be terrified as they watch each other wasting away because of their sins.

People of Jerusalem Scattered

¹ “Son of man,+ 5:1-2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. after your famine+ 5:1-2 your famine Or “your attack on the city.” See Ezekiel 4:8. you must do this: Take a sharp sword and use it like a barber’s razor. Shave off your hair and beard. Put the hair on a scale and weigh it. Separate it into three equal parts. Put a third of your hair on the brick that has the picture of the city on it. Burn that hair in that ‘city.’ Then use the sword and cut a third of your hair into small pieces all around the outside of the ‘city.’ Next, throw a third of your hair into the air and let the wind blow it away. This will show that I will pull out my sword and chase some of the people into faraway countries. ³ But then you must get a few of those hairs and wrap them up in your robe. ⁴ Take some of those hairs and throw them into the fire. This will show that a fire will start there and burn throughout the whole house of Israel.+ 5:4 house of Israel This probably means the people of the northern ten tribes of Israel.”

⁵ Then the Lord GOD said to me, “ The brick is a picture of Jerusalem. I put Jerusalem in the middle of other nations with countries all around her. ⁶ The people rebelled against my commands. They were worse than any of the other nations! They broke more of my laws than any of the people in the countries around them. They refused to listen to my commands. They did not obey my laws.”

⁷ So the Lord GOD says, “ I will do this because you did not obey my laws and commands. You broke more of my laws than the people who lived around you, and you did what even they know is wrong!” ⁸ So the Lord GOD says, “ So now, even I am against you! I will punish you while those other people watch. ⁹ I will do things to you that I have never done before. And I will never do those terrible things again, because you did so many terrible things. ¹⁰ People in Jerusalem will be so hungry that parents will eat their own children, and children will eat their own parents. I will punish you in many ways, and those who are left alive, I will scatter to the winds.”

¹¹ The Lord GOD says, “Jerusalem, I promise by my life that I will punish you! I promise that I will punish you, because you did terrible things to my Holy Place. You did horrible things that made it dirty. I will punish you. I will not show any mercy or feel sorry for you. ¹² A third of your people will die inside the city from diseases and hunger. Another third will die in battle outside the city. And then I will pull out my sword and chase the last third of your people into faraway countries. ¹³ Only then will I stop being angry with your people. I will know that they have been punished for the bad things they did to me. They will know that I am the LORD and that I spoke to them because of my strong love+ 5:13 strong love The Hebrew word means strong feelings like love, hate, anger, zeal, or jealousy. for them!”

¹⁴ God said, “Jerusalem, I will destroy you— you will be nothing but a pile of rocks. The people around you will make fun of you. Everyone who walks by will make fun of you. ¹⁵ People around you will make fun of you, but you will also be a lesson for them. They will see that I was angry and punished you. I was very angry and I warned you. I, the LORD, told you what I would do. ¹⁶ I told you I would send you terrible times of hunger. I told you I would send you things that would destroy you. I told you that I would take away your supply of food and that those times of hunger would come again and again. ¹⁷ I told you I would send hunger and wild animals against you that would kill your children. I told you there would be disease and death everywhere in the city. I told you I would bring enemy soldiers to fight against you. I, the LORD, told you all these things would happen!”

Prophecies Against Israel

¹ Then the word of the LORD came to me again. ² He said, “ Son of man,+ 6:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in 7:2. turn toward the mountains of Israel and speak against them for me. ³ Tell them this: ‘ Mountains of Israel, listen to this message from the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says to the hills and mountains and to the ravines and valleys: Look! I am bringing the enemy to fight against you. I will destroy your high places. ⁴ Your altars will be broken into pieces. Your incense altars will be smashed, and I will throw down your dead bodies in front of your filthy idols. ⁵ I will put the dead bodies of the people of Israel in front of their filthy idols. I will scatter your bones around your altars. ⁶ Bad things will happen wherever your people live. Their cities will become piles of rock. Their high places will be destroyed so that those places of worship will never be used again. The altars will all be destroyed. People will never worship those filthy idols again. The incense altars will be smashed. Everything you made will be destroyed completely. ⁷ Your people will be killed, and then you will know that I am the LORD!’”

⁸ God said, “ But I will let a few of your people escape. They will live in other countries for a short time. I will scatter them and force them to live in other countries. ⁹ Then the survivors will be taken as prisoners. They will be forced to live in other countries, but they will remember me. I broke their spirit.+ 6:9 spirit Literally, “heart.” They will hate themselves for the evil things they did. In the past, they turned away from me and left me. They chased after their filthy idols. They were like a woman leaving her husband and running off with another man. They did many terrible things, ¹⁰ but they will learn that I am the LORD. Then they will know that if I say that I will do something, I will do it! They will know that I caused all the troubles that happened to them.”

¹¹ Then the Lord GOD said to me, “ Clap your hands and stamp your feet. Speak against all the terrible things that the people of Israel have done. Warn them that they will be killed by disease and hunger. Tell them they will be killed in war. ¹² People far away will die from disease. People near this place will be killed with swords, and those who are left in the city will starve to death. Only then will I stop being angry. ¹³ Only then will you know that I am the LORD. You will know this when you see your dead bodies in front of your filthy idols and around their altars. Those bodies will be near every one of your places for worship,+ 6:13 places for worship Or “high places.” See “high place” in the Word List. on every high hill and mountain, under every green tree and every oak tree with leaves. You offered your sacrifices everywhere. They were a sweet smell for your filthy idols. ¹⁴ But I will raise my arm over you and punish you and your people, wherever they live! I will destroy your country! It will be completely empty from the desert in the south to Riblah+ 6:14 Riblah Most Hebrew copies have “Diblah.” in the north. Then they will know that I am the LORD!”

Disaster Is Coming to Jerusalem

¹ Then the word of the LORD came to me. ² He said, “ Now, son of man, here is a message from the Lord GOD. This message is for the land of Israel:

“ The end!

The end is coming.

The whole country will be destroyed.

³ Your end is coming now!

I will show how angry I am with you.

I will punish you for the evil things you did.

I will make you pay for all the terrible things you did.

⁴ I will not show you any mercy or feel sorry for you.

I am punishing you for the evil things you did.

You have done such terrible things.

Now, you will know that I am the LORD.”

⁵ This is what the Lord GOD said: “ There will be one disaster after another! ⁶ The end is coming, and it will come quickly! ⁷ You people living in Israel, disaster is coming. It is time for punishment. Those are not shouts of joy in the mountains. Those are cries of panic. ⁸ Very soon now, I will show you how angry I am. I will show all of my anger against you. I will punish you for the evil things you did. I will make you pay for all the terrible things you did. ⁹ I will not show you any mercy or feel sorry for you. I am punishing you for the evil things you did. You have done such terrible things. Now, you will know that I am the LORD.

¹⁰ “ That time of punishment has come like a plant sprouting, budding, and flowering. God has given the signal, the enemy is prepared, and their proud king is ready. ¹¹ This violent man is ready to punish the evil people. There are many people in Israel— but he is not one of them. He is not a person in that crowd. He is not some important leader from them.

¹² “ The time of punishment has come. The day is here. Those who buy things will not be happy, and those who sell things will not feel bad about selling them because that terrible punishment will happen to everyone. ¹³ The people who sold their property+ 7:13 sold their property In ancient Israel property did not belong to a person, it belonged to a family. People might sell their property, but at the time of Jubilee, their family would get the land back. Here, Ezekiel says the people will never get their property again. will never go back to it. Even if some people escape alive, they will never go back to their property, because this vision is for the whole crowd. So even if some people escape alive, it will not make everyone feel better.

¹⁴ “ They will blow the trumpet to warn the people. The people will get ready for battle, but they will not go out to fight because I will show the whole crowd how angry I am. ¹⁵ The enemy with his sword is outside the city. Disease and hunger is inside the city. If some people go out into the fields, enemy soldiers will kill them. If they stay in the city, hunger and disease will destroy them.

¹⁶ “ But some people will escape. The survivors will run to the mountains, but they will not be happy. They will be sad for all their sins. They will cry and make sad noises like doves. ¹⁷ They will be too tired and sad to raise their arms. Their legs will be like water. ¹⁸ They will wear sackcloth and be covered with fear. You will see the shame on every face. They will shave their heads to show their sadness. ¹⁹ They will throw their silver idols into the streets. They will treat their gold statues like dirty rags, because those things will not be able to save them when the LORD shows his anger. Those things were nothing but a trap that caused the people to fall. They will not give food to the people or put food in their bellies.

²⁰ “ They used their beautiful jewelry and made an idol. They were proud of that statue. They made their terrible statues. They made those filthy things, so I will throw them away like a dirty rag. ²¹ I will let strangers take them. Those strangers will make fun of them. They will kill some of the people and take others away as prisoners. ²² I will turn my head away from them— I will not look at them. The strangers will ruin my Temple— they will go into the secret parts of that holy building and make it unfit for worship.

²³ “ Make chains for the prisoners, because many people will be punished for killing other people. There will be violence every place in the city. ²⁴ I will bring evil people from other nations, and they will get all the houses of the people of Israel. I will stop all you powerful people from being so proud. Those people from other nations will get all your places of worship.

²⁵ “ You will shake with fear. You will look for peace, but there will be none. ²⁶ You will hear one sad story after another. You will hear nothing but bad news. You will look for a prophet and ask him for a vision. The priests will have nothing to teach you, and the elders will not have any good advice to give you. ²⁷ Your king will be crying for the people who died. The leaders will wear sackcloth. The common people will be very afraid, because I will pay them back for what they did. I will decide their punishment, and I will punish them. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Sinful Things Done at the Temple

¹ One day I, Ezekiel, was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting there in front of me. This was on the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of exile.+ 8:1 sixth year of exile This is the fall of 592 B.C. Suddenly, the power of the Lord GOD came on me. ² I saw something that looked like fire, like a man’s body. From the waist down, he was like fire. From the waist up, he was bright and shining like hot metal+ 8:2 hot metal The Hebrew word might mean “melted copper,” “an alloy of gold and silver,” or “amber.” in a fire. ³ Then I saw something that looked like an arm. The arm reached out and grabbed me by the hair on my head. Then the Spirit+ 8:3 Spirit Or “wind.” lifted me into the air, and in a vision from God he took me to Jerusalem. He took me to the inner gate— the gate that is on the north side. The statue that makes God jealous is by that gate. ⁴ But the Glory of the God of Israel was there. The Glory looked just like the vision I saw in the valley by the Kebar Canal .

⁵ God spoke to me. He said, “ Son of man,+ 8:5 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verses 6, 7, 12, 15, 17. look toward the north.” So I looked, and there, north of the Altar Gate by the entrance, was that statue that made God jealous.

⁶ Then God said to me, “ Son of man, do you see what terrible things the people of Israel are doing? They built that thing here, right next to my Temple! And if you come with me, you will see even more terrible things!”

⁷ So I went to the entrance to the courtyard, and I saw a hole in the wall. ⁸ God said to me, “ Son of man, make a hole in the wall.” So I made a hole in the wall, and there I saw a door.

⁹ Then God said to me, “ Go in and look at the terrible, evil things that the people are doing here.” ¹⁰ So I went in and looked. I saw statues of all kinds of reptiles+ 8:10 reptiles The Hebrew word can mean “lizards,” “snakes,” and “all kinds of bugs and insects.” and animals that you hate to think about. The statues were the filthy idols that the people of Israel worshiped. There were pictures of those animals carved all around on every wall!

¹¹ Then I noticed that Jaazaniah son of Shapham and the 70 elders of Israel were there with the people worshiping in that place. There they were, right at the front of the people, and each leader had his own incense dish in his hand. The smoke from the burning incense was rising into the air. ¹² Then God said to me, “ Son of man, do you see what the elders of Israel do in the dark? Each man has a special room for his own false god. They say to themselves, ‘ The LORD cannot see us. The LORD left this country.’” ¹³ Then he said to me, “ If you come with me, you will see these men doing even more terrible things!”

¹⁴ Then God led me to the entrance to the LORD’S Temple. This gate was on the north side. I saw women sitting there and crying. They were sad about the false god Tammuz+ 8:14 Tammuz People thought this false god died and his wife Ishtar asked everyone to be sad and cry with her. Ishtar hoped this would bring him back to life. This ceremony was on the 2nd day of the fourth month (June/July). This month was named Tammuz because of this ceremony.!

¹⁵ God said to me, “ Son of man, do you see these terrible things? Come with me and you will see things that are even worse than this!” ¹⁶ Then he led me to the inner courtyard of the LORD’S Temple area. There I saw 25 men bowing down and worshiping. They were at the entrance to the LORD’S Temple between the porch and the altar— but they were facing the wrong way. Their backs were to the Holy Place. They were bowing down to worship the sun!

¹⁷ Then God said, “ Son of man, do you see this? The people of Judah think my Temple is so unimportant that they will do these terrible things here in my Temple! This country is filled with violence, and they constantly do things to make me angry. Look, they are wearing rings in their noses to honor the moon as a false god!+ 8:17 Look … god Or “Look at them putting that cut branch in their noses.”¹⁸ I will show them my anger! I will not show them any mercy or feel sorry for them! They will shout to me— but I refuse to listen to them!”

God’s Messengers Punish Jerusalem

¹ Then God shouted to the leaders in charge of punishing the city. Each leader had his own destructive weapon in his hand.+ 9:1 Each … hand In Hebrew this is like Ezekiel 8:11.² Then I saw six men walking on the road from the upper gate. This gate is on the north side. Each man had his own deadly weapon in his hand. One of the men wore linen clothes.+ 9:2 linen clothes Priests usually wore these clothes. He wore a scribe’s pen and ink set+ 9:2 scribe’s pen and ink set A scribe was a person who copied official documents and counted supplies and things. Scribes often carried a small board with dry ink in it and a pen. They could put water on the ink and then write with it. Also in verse 11. at his waist. Those men went to the bronze altar in the Temple and stood there. ³ Then the Glory of the God of Israel rose from above the Cherub angels where he had been. Then the Glory went to the door of the Temple and stopped when he was over the threshold. Then he called to the man wearing the linen clothes and the scribe’s pen and ink set.

⁴ Then the LORD said to him, “ Go through the city of Jerusalem. Put a mark on the forehead of everyone who feels sad and upset about all the terrible things people are doing in this city.”

⁵ Then I heard God say to the other men, “I want you to follow the first man. You must kill all those who do not have the mark on their foreheads. It doesn’t matter if they are elders, young men or young women, children or mothers—you must use your weapon and kill everyone who does not have the mark on their forehead. Don’t show any mercy. Don’t feel sorry for anyone. Start here at my Temple.” So they started with the elders in front of the Temple.

⁷ He said to them, “ Make this Temple unclean— fill this courtyard with dead bodies! Now go!” So they went and killed the people in the city.

⁸ I stayed there while the men went to kill the people. I bowed with my face to the ground and said, “ Oh, Lord GOD, in showing your anger against Jerusalem, are you killing all the survivors in Israel?”

⁹ He said, “ The family of Israel and Judah has committed many terrible sins! People are being murdered everywhere in this country, and the city is filled with crime. That is because the people say to themselves, ‘ The LORD has left this country. The LORD cannot see what we are doing.’ ¹⁰ So I will not show any mercy or feel sorry for them. They brought it on themselves. I am only giving them the punishment they deserve!”

¹¹ Then the man wearing linen clothes and a scribe’s pen and ink set spoke up. He said, “ I have done what you commanded.”

The Glory of the Lord Leaves the Temple

¹ Then I looked up at the bowl+ 10:1 bowl This Hebrew word is the same word used in Genesis 1:6-7 to describe the dome of the sky. over the heads of the Cherub angels. The bowl looked clear blue like sapphire, and there was something that looked like a throne over it. ² Then the one sitting on the throne said to the man dressed in linen clothes,+ 10:2 linen clothes Priests usually wore these clothes. “Step into the area between the wheels+ 10:2 area between the wheels The Hebrew word can mean “chariot wheel,” “whirling (spinning) wheel,” or “tumbling weed.” See chapter 1 for Ezekiel’s full description. Also in verse 6. under the Cherub angels. Take a handful of the burning coals from between the Cherub angels and go throw them over the city of Jerusalem.”

The man walked past me. ³ The Cherub angels were standing in the area south+ 10:3 south Literally, “right.” of the Temple as the man walked to them. The cloud filled the inner courtyard. ⁴ Then the Glory of the LORD rose up off the Cherub angels near the threshold of the door of the Temple. Then the cloud filled the Temple, and the bright light from the Glory of the LORD filled the whole courtyard. ⁵ The noise from the wings of the Cherub angels could be heard all the way out into the outer courtyard. The sound was very loud— like the thundering voice when God All-Powerful speaks.

⁶ God had given the man dressed in linen clothes a command. He had told him to go into the area between the wheels among the Cherub angels and get some hot coals. So the man went there and stood by the wheel. ⁷ One of the Cherub angels reached out his hand and took some of the hot coals from the area between the Cherub angels. He poured the coals into the man’s hands, and the man left. ⁸ ( The Cherub angels had what looked like human arms under their wings.)

⁹ Then I noticed that there were four wheels. There was one wheel by each Cherub angel, and the wheels looked like a clear yellow jewel. ¹⁰ There were four wheels, and they all looked the same. They looked like there was a wheel in a wheel. ¹¹ They could go in any direction when they moved, but the Cherub angels did not turn around when they moved. They went in the direction that the head was looking. They did not turn around when they moved. ¹² There were eyes all over their bodies. There were eyes on their backs, on their arms, on their wings, and on their wheels— on all four wheels! ¹³ These wheels were what I heard called, “ the area between the wheels.”

¹⁴ Each Cherub angel had four faces. The first was the face of a Cherub,+ 10:14-15 face of a Cherub This is the bull’s face mentioned in Ezekiel 1:10. See Ezekiel 10:22. the second was the face of a man, the third was a lion’s face, and the fourth was an eagle’s face. (These Cherub angels were the living beings I saw in the vision by the Kebar Canal.+ 10:14-15 vision by the Kebar Canal See Ezekiel 1.)

Then the Cherub angels rose into the air, ¹⁶ and the wheels rose with them. When the Cherub angels raised their wings and flew into the air, not even the wheels turned around. ¹⁷ If they flew into the air, the wheels went with them. If they stood still, so did the wheels, because the spirit+ 10:17 spirit Or “wind.” of the living being was in them.

¹⁸ Then the Glory of the LORD rose from the threshold of the Temple, moved to the place over the Cherub angels, and stopped there. ¹⁹ Then the Cherub angels raised their wings and flew into the air. I saw them leave. The wheels went with them. Then they stopped at the East Gate of the LORD’S Temple. The Glory of the God of Israel was in the air above them.

²⁰ These were the living beings under the Glory of the God of Israel in the vision at the Kebar Canal, and now I realized that they were Cherub angels. ²¹ Each living being had four faces, four wings, and something that looked like human arms under their wings. ²² The faces of the Cherub angels were the same as the four faces on the living beings in the vision by the Kebar Canal. They all looked straight ahead in the direction they were going.

Prophecies Against the Leaders

¹ Then the Spirit+ 11:1 Spirit Or “wind.” carried me to the East Gate of the LORD’S Temple. This gate faces the east, where the sun comes up. I saw 25 men there at the entrance of this gate. Some of the leaders were among them, including Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah.

² Then God spoke to me and said, “ Son of man,+ 11:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verses 4, 15. these are the men who make evil plans for this city. They always tell the people to do evil things. ³ These men say, ‘ We will be building our houses again very soon. We are as safe in this city as meat in a pot!’ ⁴ So you must speak to the people for me. Son of man, prophesy against the people.”

⁵ Then the Spirit of the LORD came on me. He said to me, “ Tell them that this is what the LORD said: House of Israel, you are planning big things. But I know what you are thinking. ⁶ You have killed many people in this city. You have filled the streets with dead bodies. ⁷ Now, the Lord GOD says this: ‘ The dead bodies are the meat, and the city is the pot. But someone will come and take you out of this safe pot. ⁸ You are afraid of the sword, but I am bringing the sword against you!’” This is what the Lord GOD said.

⁹ He also said, “ I will take you out of this city and give you to strangers. I will punish you. ¹⁰ You will die by the sword. I will punish you here in Israel, so you will know that I am the LORD. ¹¹ Yes, this place will be the cooking pot, and you will be the meat cooking in it. I will punish you here in Israel. ¹² Then you will know that I am the LORD. It was my law that you broke. You did not obey my commands. You decided to live like the nations around you.”

¹³ As soon as I finished speaking for God, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died! I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face touching the ground and said, “ Oh, Lord GOD, you are going to completely destroy all the survivors of Israel!”

Prophecies Against Survivors in Jerusalem

¹⁴ But then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ¹⁵ “ Son of man, remember your brothers, the family of Israel. They were forced to leave their country, but I will bring them back.+ 11:15 They were … back This is a wordplay. The word meaning “redeemed” sounds like the word meaning “exiled.” But now, the people living in Jerusalem are saying, ‘ Stay far away from the LORD. This land was given to us— it is ours!’

¹⁶ “ So tell them this: The Lord GOD says, ‘ It is true, I forced my people to go far away to other nations. I did scatter them among many countries. But I will be their temple for a short time while they are in those other countries. ¹⁷ But you must tell those people that the Lord GOD will bring them back. I have scattered you among many nations, but I will gather you together and bring you back from those nations. I will give the land of Israel back to you. ¹⁸ When my people come back, they will destroy all the terrible, filthy idols that are here now. ¹⁹ I will bring them together and make them like one person. I will put a new spirit+ 11:19 Spirit Or “wind.” in them. I will take away that heart of stone, and I will put a real heart in its place. ²⁰ Then they will obey my laws and my commands. They will do the things I tell them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.’”

The Glory of the Lord Leaves Jerusalem

²¹ Then God said, “ But now, their hearts belong to those terrible, filthy idols, and I must punish those people for the bad things they have done.” This is what the Lord GOD said. ²² Then the Cherub angels raised their wings and flew into the air. The wheels went with them. The Glory of the God of Israel was above them. ²³ The Glory of the LORD rose into the air and left the city and stopped on the hill east of Jerusalem.+ 11:23 hill east of Jerusalem This is the Mount of Olives.²⁴ Then the Spirit+ 11:24 spirit Or “wind.” lifted me into the air and brought me back to Babylonia. It brought me back to the people who were forced to leave Israel. I saw all this in the vision from God. Then the one I saw in the vision rose into the air and left me. ²⁵ Then I spoke to the people in exile. I told them about everything the LORD showed me.

Ezekiel Leaves Like a Captive

¹ Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ² “ Son of man,+ 12:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verses 3, 9, 18, 22, 27. you live among people who refuse to obey me. They have eyes to see what I have done for them, but they don’t see those things. They have ears to hear what I told them to do, but they don’t hear my commands, because they are a rebellious people. ³ So, son of man, pack some things as if you are leaving on a trip. Pretend that you are a prisoner being taken far away. Do this during the day so that everyone can see you. Even though these people refuse to listen to me, maybe when they see you going away, they will understand what I have been trying to tell them.

⁴ “During the day, take your bags outside so that the people can see you. Then in the evening, pretend you are going away. Act as if you are a prisoner going to a faraway country. ⁵ While the people are watching, make a hole in the wall and go out through that hole in the wall. ⁶ At night, put your bag on your shoulder and leave. Cover your face so that you cannot see where you are going. You must do these things so that the people can see you, because I am using you as an example to the family of Israel.”

⁷ So I did as I was commanded. During the day, I took my bags and acted as if I were going to a faraway country. That evening, I used my hands and made a hole in the wall. During the night, I put my bag on my shoulder and left. I did this so that all the people could see me.

⁸ The next morning, the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ⁹ “ Son of man, did the people of Israel— those people who always refuse to obey— ask you what you were doing? ¹⁰ Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD said. This sad message is about the leader of Jerusalem and all the people of Israel who live there. ¹¹ Tell them, ‘ I am an example for all of you. What I have done will happen to you.’ You will be forced to go to a faraway country as prisoners. ¹² And your leader will make a hole in the wall and sneak out at night. He will cover his face so that people will not recognize him. His eyes will not be able to see where he is going. ¹³ He will try to escape, but I will catch him! He will be caught in my trap. Then I will bring him to Babylonia— the land of the Chaldeans. But he will not be able to see where he is going.+ 12:13 But he … is going The enemy will poke out his eyes and make him blind.¹⁴ I will force the king’s people to live in the foreign countries around Israel, and I will scatter his army to the winds. The enemy soldiers will chase after them. ¹⁵ Then they will know that I am the LORD. They will know that I scattered them among the nations. They will know that I forced them to go to other countries.

¹⁶ “ But I will let a few of the people live. They will not die from the disease, hunger, and war. I will let them live so that they can tell other people about the terrible things they did against me. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Shake With Fear

¹⁷ Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ¹⁸ “ Son of man, you must act as if you are very frightened. You must shake when you eat your food. You must act worried and afraid when you drink your water. ¹⁹ You must say this to the common people: ‘ This is what the Lord GOD says to the people living in Jerusalem and in the other parts of Israel. You will be very worried while you eat your food. You will be terrified while you drink your water, because everything in your country will be destroyed! This will happen because the people living there are so violent. ²⁰ Many people live in your cities now, but those cities will be ruined. Your whole country will be destroyed! Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

Disaster Will Come

²¹ Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ²² “ Son of man, why do people quote this saying about the land of Israel:

‘ Trouble will not come soon;

what is seen in visions will not come’?

²³ “ Tell the people that the Lord GOD will end that saying. They will not say that about Israel anymore. Now they will quote this saying:

‘ Trouble will come soon;

what is seen in visions will happen.’

²⁴ “ There will not be any more false visions in Israel. There will not be any more magicians telling things that don’t come true. ²⁵ That’s because I am the LORD, and if I say something will happen, it will happen! I will not wait any longer. Those troubles are coming soon— in your own lifetime. Hear me, you people who always refuse to obey! When I say something, I make it happen.” This is what the Lord GOD said.

²⁶ Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ²⁷ “ Son of man, the people of Israel think that the visions I give you are for a time far in the future. They think you are talking about things that will happen many years from now. ²⁸ So you must tell them this: ‘ The Lord GOD says, I will not delay any longer. If I say something will happen, it will happen!’” This is what the Lord GOD said.

Warnings Against False Prophets

¹ Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, ² “ Son of man,+ 13:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verse 17. you must speak to the prophets of Israel for me. They are only saying what they want to say. You must speak to them. Tell them this: ‘ Listen to this message from the LORD! ³ This is what the Lord GOD says. Bad things will happen to you foolish prophets. You are following your own spirits. You are not telling people what you really see in visions.

⁴ “‘ Israel, your prophets are false prophets. They are like jackals hunting for food among the ruins of a city. ⁵ You have not put soldiers near the broken walls of the city. You have not built walls to protect the family of Israel. So when the day comes for the LORD to punish you, you will lose the war!

⁶ “‘ Your prophets say they have seen visions. They did their magic to see what will happen next. But everything they said would happen is a lie. They claim to speak for the LORD, but the LORD did not send them. And they still think that what they said is what will happen.

⁷ “‘If you prophets saw visions, they were not true. And all you got from your magic was lies! So how can you say that the LORD told you those things? I did not speak to you!’”

⁸ So now, the Lord GOD really will speak. He says, “ You told lies. You saw visions that were not true. So now I am against you!” This is what the Lord GOD said. ⁹ “ I will punish those prophets whose visions are false and who lie about the future. I will remove them from my people. Their names will not be in the list of the family of Israel. They will never again come to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD!

¹⁰ “Again and again those false prophets lied to my people. They said there would be peace, but there is no peace. The people need to fix the walls and prepare for war. But they only slap a thin coat of plaster+ 13:10 plaster A type of mud or cement that people used to cover a wall and make it smooth. This is also a wordplay. The Hebrew word is like the word meaning “It will fall.” Also in verse 14. over the broken walls. ¹¹ Tell them that I will send hail and a strong rain. The wind will blow hard, and a tornado will come. Then the wall will fall down. ¹² When the wall falls down, the people will ask the prophets, ‘ What happened to the plaster you put on the wall?’” ¹³ The Lord GOD says, “ I am angry and I will send a storm against you. I am angry and I will send a strong rain. I am angry and I will make hail fall from the sky and completely destroy you! ¹⁴ You put plaster on the wall, but I will destroy the whole wall. I will pull it to the ground. The wall will fall on you, and then you will know that I am the LORD. ¹⁵ I will finish showing my anger against the wall and those who put plaster on it. Then I will say, ‘ There is no wall, and there are no workers to put plaster on it.’

¹⁶ “All these things will happen to the false prophets of Israel. They speak to the people of Jerusalem and say there will be peace, but there is no peace.” This is what the Lord GOD said.

¹⁷ God said, “ Son of man, look at the women prophets in Israel. They say the things they want to say, so you must speak against them for me. You must say this to them: ¹⁸ ‘ This is what the Lord GOD says: Bad things will happen to you women. You sew cloth bracelets for people to wear on their arms. You make special scarves for people to wear on their heads. You say those things have magic powers to control people’s lives. You trap the people only to keep yourselves alive! ¹⁹ You make them think I am not important. You turn them against me for a few handfuls of barley and a few scraps of bread. You tell lies to my people. They love to listen to lies. You kill those who should live, and you let people live who should die. ²⁰ So this is what the Lord GOD says to you: You make those cloth bracelets to trap people, but I will set them free. I will tear those bracelets off your arms, and the people will be free from you. They will be like birds flying from a trap. ²¹ And I will tear up those scarves and save my people from your power. They will escape from your trap, and you will know that I am the LORD.