Ezekiel 11

1 [Then God’s] Spirit lifted me up and took me to the gate on the east side of the temple area. There at the gate were 25 men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, who were leaders of the people.

2 Yahweh said to me, “You human, these are the [new leaders in Jerusalem] who are planning to do evil things and who are giving wicked advice [to people] in this city.

3 They say, ‘[Everything will go well for us, so] it will surely soon be [RHQ] time to build houses. [We are like] [MET] fine/choice pieces of meat that are carefully stored in covered pots, and we are protected [from the bad things that will happen to others].’

4 So, you human, prophesy [the terrible things that will happen to] them.”

5 Then the Spirit of Yahweh came upon me and told me to [to the people], “This is what Yahweh says: You Israeli people [MTY] are saying those things, but I know what you are thinking.

6 You have killed many people in this city and filled the streets with their corpses.

7 Therefore this is what Yahweh the Lord says: The corpses of the people whom you have killed here are [like] the meat [MET], and this city is [like] the pot [MET], but I will expel you from this city.

8 You are afraid [being killed by enemies’] swords, and that is what I will cause to happen to you.

9 I will expel you from this city and enable foreigners to capture you and punish you.

10 They will kill [EUP] you with their swords; you will be punished [right here] in Israel. Then people will realize that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].

11 This city will not be [a place were you will be protected like] [MET] meat in a covered pot. I will punish you wherever you are in Israel.

12 And you will know that I, Yahweh, [have predicted that would happen], because you have not obeyed my commands and decrees; instead, you have imitated [wicked] behavior [of the people] of the nearby nations.”

13 While I was prophesying that, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah [suddenly] died. Then I prostrated myself on the ground and cried out loudly, “Yahweh my Lord, are you going [similarly] get rid of all the Israeli people who are still alive?”

14 Then Yahweh gave me this message:

15 “You human, the people who are still in Jerusalem are talking about you and your own relatives and about all the other people who were (exiled/forced to go to other countries), saying, ‘They [in Babylonia], far from Yahweh. They have left their [here in Israel, so] their property now belongs to us!’”

16 So tell [them], “This is what Yahweh the Lord says: Although I caused them to be taken far [from Israel] and scattered them among other nations, for a short time I will (be like a refuge for/protect) them in the countries to which they have been taken.”

17 So also tell them, “This is what Yahweh the Lord says: [Some day] I will gather you from the [to which you have been taken] and bring you back to Israel, and you will live in your country/land [again].

18 When you return to your country, you will get rid of all the vile statues of gods and detestable idols.

19 I will put a new way of thinking [IDM] within you. I will cause you to no longer be stubborn [IDM], and I will enable you to obey me completely [IDM].

20 When I do that, you will carefully obey all my laws [DOU]. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

21 But as for those who are devoted [worshiping] their vile statues and detestable idols, I will punish them as they deserve for the evil things that they have done.’”

22 Then the winged creatures, with their wheels beside them, spread their [and flew up into the air], and the dazzling brightness of Yahweh was above them.

23 That light went up away from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east of the city.

24 In the vision [that I had been seeing, God’s] Spirit lifted me up and brought me [back] to the (exiles in/people who had been forced to go to) Babylonia. Then the vision ended,

25 and I told the exiles everything that Yahweh had shown [in the vision].