Ezekiel 10-13

1And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire.

2And the LORD said to the man clothed in linen, “Go inside the wheelwork beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.

3Now when the man went in, the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple, and a cloud filled the inner court.

4Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and stood over the threshold of the temple. The temple was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD.

5The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almighty when He speaks.

6When the LORD commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, “Take fire from within the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel.

7Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand and took some of the fire that was among them. And he put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who received it and went out.

8(The cherubim appeared to have the form of human hands under their wings.)

9Then I looked and saw four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub. And the wheels gleamed like a beryl stone.

10As for their appearance, all four had the same form, like a wheel within a wheel.

11When they moved, they would go in any of the four directions, without turning as they moved. For wherever the head faced, the cherubim would go in that direction, without turning as they moved.

12Their entire bodies, including their backs, hands, and wings, were full of eyes all around, as were their four wheels.

13I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.”

14Each of the cherubim had four faces: the first face was that of a cherub, the second that of a man, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

15Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the River Kebar.

16When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them, and even when they spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not veer away from their side.

17When the cherubim stood still, the wheels also stood still, and when they ascended, the wheels ascended with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

18Then the glory of the LORD moved away from the threshold of the temple and stood above the cherubim.

19As I watched, the cherubim lifted their wings and rose up from the ground, with the wheels beside them as they went. And they stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the LORD, with the glory of the God of Israel above them.

20These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the River Kebar, and I knew that they were cherubim.

21Each had four faces and four wings, with what looked like human hands under their wings.

22Their faces looked like the faces I had seen by the River Kebar. Each creature went straight ahead.

1Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the LORD that faces east. And there at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, who were leaders of the people.

2And the LORD said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked counsel in this city.

3They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’

4Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, O son of man!”

5And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me and told me to declare that this is what the LORD says: “That is what you are thinking, O house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your minds.

6You have multiplied those you killed in this city and filled its streets with the dead.

7Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: The slain you have laid within this city are the meat, and the city is the pot; but I will remove you from it.

8You fear the sword, so I will bring the sword against you, declares the Lord GOD.

9I will bring you out of the city and deliver you into the hands of foreigners, and I will execute judgments against you.

10You will fall by the sword, and I will judge you even to the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

11The city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be the meat within it. I will judge you even to the borders of Israel.

12Then you will know that I am the LORD. For you have neither followed My statutes nor practiced My ordinances, but you have conformed to the ordinances of the nations around you.”

13Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Oh, Lord GOD, will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end?”

14Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

15“Son of man, your brothers—your relatives, your fellow exiles, and the whole house of Israel—are those of whom the people of Jerusalem have said, ‘They are far away from the LORD; this land has been given to us as a possession.’

16Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.’

17Therefore declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries to which you have been scattered, and I will give back to you the land of Israel.’

18When they return to it, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations.

19And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,

20so that they may follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.

21But as for those whose hearts pursue detestable things and abominations, I will bring their conduct down upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD.”

22Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

23And the glory of the LORD rose up from within the city and stood over the mountain east of the city.

24And the Spirit lifted me up and carried me back to Chaldea, to the exiles in the vision given by the Spirit of God. After the vision had gone up from me,

25I told the exiles everything the LORD had shown me.

1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

3Therefore, son of man, pack your bags for exile. In broad daylight, set out from your place and go to another as they watch. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.

4Bring out your baggage for exile by day, as they watch. Then in the evening, as they watch, go out like those who go into exile.

5As they watch, dig through the wall and carry your belongings out through it.

6And as they watch, lift your bags to your shoulder and take them out at dusk; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”

7So I did as I was commanded. I brought out my bags for exile by day, and in the evening I dug through the wall by hand. I took my belongings out at dusk, carrying them on my shoulder as they watched.

8And in the morning the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

9“Son of man, hasn’t the rebellious house of Israel asked you, ‘What are you doing?’

10Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are there.’

11You are to say, ‘I am a sign to you.’ Just as it happened here, so will it be done to them; they will go into exile as captives.

12And at dusk the prince among them will lift his bags to his shoulder and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out. He will cover his face so he cannot see the land.

13But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and there he will die.

14And I will scatter to every wind all the attendants around him and all his troops, and I will draw a sword to chase after them.

15And they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the countries.

16But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

17Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

18“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety.

19Then tell the people of the land that this is what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: ‘They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who dwell in it.

20The inhabited cities will be laid waste, and the land will become desolate. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

21Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

22“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?

23Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will put an end to this proverb, and in Israel they will no longer recite it.’ But say to them: ‘The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled.

24For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations within the house of Israel,

25because I, the LORD, will speak whatever word I speak, and it will be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak a message and bring it to pass, declares the Lord GOD.’”

26Furthermore, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

27“Son of man, take note that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years from now; he prophesies about the distant future.’

28Therefore tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘None of My words will be delayed any longer. The message I speak will be fulfilled, declares the Lord GOD.’”

1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Tell those who prophesy out of their own imagination: Hear the word of the LORD!

3This is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit yet have seen nothing.

4Your prophets, O Israel, are like foxes among the ruins.

5You did not go up to the gaps or restore the wall around the house of Israel so that it would stand in the battle on the Day of the LORD.

6They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message.

7Haven’t you seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken?

8Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you have uttered vain words and seen false visions, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD.

9My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and speak lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of My people or be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.

10Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and whitewashing any flimsy wall that is built,

11tell those whitewashing the wall that it will fall. Rain will come in torrents, I will send hailstones plunging down, and a windstorm will burst forth.

12Surely when the wall has fallen, you will not be asked, ‘Where is the whitewash with which you covered it?’

13Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: In My wrath I will release a windstorm, and in My anger torrents of rain and hail will fall with destructive fury.

14I will tear down the wall you whitewashed and level it to the ground, so that its foundation is exposed. The city will fall, and you will be destroyed within it. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

15And after I have vented My wrath against the wall and against those who whitewashed it, I will say to you: ‘The wall is gone, and so are those who whitewashed it—

16those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw a vision of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Lord GOD.’

17Now, O son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own imagination. Prophesy against them

18and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their wrists and make veils for the heads of people of every height, in order to ensnare their souls. Will you ensnare the souls of My people but preserve your own?

19You have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to My people who would listen, you have killed those who should not have died and spared those who should not have lived.

20Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: See, I am against the magic charms with which you ensnare souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. So I will free the souls you have ensnared like birds.

21I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands, so that they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

22Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies, even though I have caused them no grief, and because you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways to save their lives,

23therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will deliver My people from your hands. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”