Ezekiel 11

1 Then the Spirit picked me up and took me to the eastern entrance of the Lord's Temple. Twenty-five men were gathered there at the entrance. I recognized among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people.

Moreover the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the LORD’s house, which looks eastward. Behold, twenty-five men were at the door of the gate; and I saw amongst them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.

2 The Lord told me, “Son of man, it's these men who are making evil plans and giving bad advice to the people in this city.

He said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and who give wicked counsel in this city;

3 They're saying, ‘Is this the time for us to be building houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat inside it.’

who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’

4 So prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man!”

Therefore prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man.”

5 The Spirit of the Lord came upon me and told me to say: This is what the Lord says: “People of Israel, that's what you're saying! I know what you're thinking inside!

The LORD’s Spirit fell on me, and he said to me, “Speak, ‘The LORD says: “Thus you have said, house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.

6 You murder more and more people in this city. You've filled its streets with the dead!

You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain.”

7 So this is what the Lord God says: Those you've killed in this city are the meat, and the city is the pot; but I'm going to take you out of it.

“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Your slain whom you have laid in the middle of it, they are the meat, and this is the cauldron; but you will be brought out of the middle of it.

8 You're afraid of being killed by the sword, so I will bring invaders with swords to attack you, declares the Lord God.

You have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword on you,” says the Lord GOD.

9 I'm going to take you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners, and I'm going to carry out my sentence against you.

“I will bring you out of the middle of it, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgements amongst you.

10 You will be killed by the sword, and I will punish you right up to the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

You will fall by the sword. I will judge you in the border of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

11 The city won't be like a pot for you, and you won't be the meat inside it either. I will punish you right up to the borders of Israel.

This will not be your cauldron, neither will you be the meat in the middle of it. I will judge you in the border of Israel.

12 Then you will know that I am the Lord. For you didn't follow my rules and you didn't keep my laws. Instead you kept the laws of the nations around you.”

You will know that I am the LORD, for you have not walked in my statutes. You have not executed my ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are around you.”’”

13 While I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. I fell facedown on the ground and shouted loudly, “Lord God, are you going to completely destroy what's left of the people of Israel?”

When I prophesied, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down on my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah Lord GOD! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”

14 A message from Lord came to me, saying,

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

15 “Son of man, your brothers, including your relatives, your fellow exiles, and all the other Israelites, are those the people of Jerusalem were referring to when they said, ‘They are far away from the Lord. This country was given to us and we are to own it.’

“Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, the men of your relatives, and all the house of Israel, all of them, are the ones to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘Go far away from the LORD. This land has been given to us for a possession.’

16 So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Even though I sent them far away to live among the foreign nations, scattering them among the different countries, I have been taking care of them for a while in the countries where they went.

“Therefore say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Whereas I have removed them far off amongst the nations, and whereas I have scattered them amongst the countries, yet I will be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they have come.”’

17 Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: I'm going to gather you from the other nations and bring you back from the countries where you've been scattered, and I will return the country of Israel to you.

“Therefore say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”

18 When they come back, they are going to get rid of all its offensive idols and disgusting practices from the country.

“‘They will come there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there.

19 I will give them single-minded commitment and a whole new spirit. I will take away their hard-hearted attitude and replace it with one that is loving.

I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them. I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh,

20 This way they can follow my rules, keep my regulations, and do what I say. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

21 But for those who still choose to worship offensive idols and engage in disgusting practices, I will let them experience the consequences of their own actions, declares the Lord God.”

But as for them whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way on their own heads,’ says the Lord GOD.”

22 Then the cherubim opened their wings and took off, with the wheels alongside them, and with the glory of the God of Israel above them.

Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the wheels were beside them. The glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

23 The glory of the Lord rose from inside the city and went over to the mountain to the east of the city.

The LORD’s glory went up from the middle of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city.

24 In the vision given to me by the Spirit of God, the Spirit picked me up and carried me back to Babylonia to where the exiles were. After the vision left me,

The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the captives. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.

25 I explained to the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.

Then I spoke to the captives all the things that the LORD had shown me.