יְחֶזְקֵאל 22

1 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

2 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם הֲתִשְׁפֹּ֥ט הֲתִשְׁפֹּ֖ט אֶת־עִ֣יר הַדָּמִ֑ים וְהֹ֣ודַעְתָּ֔הּ אֵ֖ת כָּל־תֹּועֲבֹותֶֽיהָ׃

“So, son of man, are you ready to judge them? Are you ready to judge the people of this city that have caused so much bloodshed? Make them face all the disgusting things they've done,

3 וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה עִ֣יר שֹׁפֶ֥כֶת דָּ֛ם בְּתֹוכָ֖הּ לָבֹ֣וא עִתָּ֑הּ וְעָשְׂתָ֧ה גִלּוּלִ֛ים עָלֶ֖יהָ לְטָמְאָֽה׃

and tell them that this is what the Lord God says: You are a city who has caused your own doom by murdering people within your walls, and by making idols to worship that made you unclean.

4 בְּדָמֵ֨ךְ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפַ֜כְתְּ אָשַׁ֗מְתְּ וּבְגִלּוּלַ֤יִךְ אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂית֙ טָמֵ֔את וַתַּקְרִ֣יבִי יָמַ֔יִךְ וַתָּבֹ֖וא עַד־שְׁנֹותָ֑יִךְ עַל־כֵּ֗ן נְתַתִּ֤יךְ חֶרְפָּה֙ לַגֹּויִ֔ם וְקַלָּסָ֖ה לְכָל־הָאֲרָצֹֽות׃

You are guilty of murder, and you have made yourself unclean by the idols you've made. You have shortened your lives—your time is up! That's why other people taunt you—everyone mocks you.

5 הַקְּרֹבֹ֛ות וְהָרְחֹקֹ֥ות מִמֵּ֖ךְ יִתְקַלְּסוּ־בָ֑ךְ טְמֵאַ֣ת הַשֵּׁ֔ם רַבַּ֖ת הַמְּהוּמָֽה׃

People far and near will laugh at you, you corrupt city full of confusion!

6 הִנֵּה֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֥ישׁ לִזְרֹעֹ֖ו הָ֣יוּ בָ֑ךְ לְמַ֖עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּֽם׃

Look at how all of your leaders in Israel use their power to murder.

7 אָ֤ב וָאֵם֙ הֵקַ֣לּוּ בָ֔ךְ לַגֵּ֛ר עָשׂ֥וּ בַעֹ֖שֶׁק בְּתֹוכֵ֑ךְ יָתֹ֥ום וְאַלְמָנָ֖ה הֹ֥ונוּ בָֽךְ׃

You despise your parents. You exploit the foreigners who live with you, and you mistreat orphans and widows.

8 קָדָשַׁ֖י בָּזִ֑ית וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י חִלָּֽלְתְּ׃

You detest my holy things and violate my Sabbaths.

9 אַנְשֵׁ֥י רָכִ֛יל הָ֥יוּ בָ֖ךְ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֑ם וְאֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ אָ֣כְלוּ בָ֔ךְ זִמָּ֖ה עָשׂ֥וּ בְתֹוכֵֽךְ׃

Living among you are people who falsely accuse others in order to put them to death. You also have those who eat religious meals at pagan shrines in the mountains, and commit immoral acts within the city.

10 עֶרְוַת־אָ֖ב גִּלָּה־בָ֑ךְ טְמֵאַ֥ת הַנִּדָּ֖ה עִנּוּ־בָֽךְ׃

Some of those living in the city have sex with their father's wives or with women during their period.

11 וְאִ֣ישׁ ׀ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֗הוּ עָשָׂה֙ תֹּֽועֵבָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־כַּלָּתֹ֖ו טִמֵּ֣א בְזִמָּ֑ה וְאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־אֲחֹתֹ֥ו בַת־אָבִ֖יו עִנָּה־בָֽךְ׃

You're home to evil men. One does disgusting things with someone else's wife. Another seduces his daughter-in-law, while another rapes his sister, the daughter of his own father.

12 שֹׁ֥חַד לָֽקְחוּ־בָ֖ךְ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֑ם נֶ֧שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֣ית לָקַ֗חַתְּ וַתְּבַצְּעִ֤י רֵעַ֙יִךְ֙ בַּעֹ֔שֶׁק וְאֹתִ֣י שָׁכַ֔חַתְּ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃

Your people take money to murder others. You charge interest and make a profit on loans, and use extortion to get money from your neighbors. You have forgotten all about me, declares the Lord God.

13 וְהִנֵּה֙ הִכֵּ֣יתִי כַפִּ֔י אֶל־בִּצְעֵ֖ךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑ית וְעַ֨ל־דָּמֵ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ בְּתֹוכֵֽךְ׃

So watch out! I clap my hands in condemnation at your dishonest profiteering and at all your murders.

14 הֲיַעֲמֹ֤ד לִבֵּךְ֙ אִם־תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה יָדַ֔יִךְ לַיָּמִ֕ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י עֹשֶׂ֣ה אֹותָ֑ךְ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִֽׂיתִי׃

Are you going to be so brave, and will you be strong enough to defend yourselves when it comes time for me to deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and I'm going to act.

15 וַהֲפִיצֹותִ֤י אֹותָךְ֙ בַּגֹּויִ֔ם וְזֵרִיתִ֖יךְ בָּאֲרָצֹ֑ות וַהֲתִמֹּתִ֥י טֻמְאָתֵ֖ךְ מִמֵּֽךְ׃

I'm going to scatter you among the nations and the different countries. I will put a stop to your unclean acts.

16 וְנִחַ֥לְתְּ בָּ֖ךְ לְעֵינֵ֣י גֹויִ֑ם וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ

For when everyone else sees how you've made yourselves unclean, then you will acknowledge that I am the Lord.”

17 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

18 בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הָיוּ־לִ֥י בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְסוּג (לְסִ֑יג) כֻּלָּ֡ם נְ֠חֹשֶׁת וּבְדִ֨יל וּבַרְזֶ֤ל וְעֹופֶ֙רֶת֙ בְּתֹ֣וךְ כּ֔וּר סִגִ֥ים כֶּ֖סֶף הָיֽוּ׃ ס

“Son of man, the people of Israel have ended up like the impurities left over from refining metal. They're all like copper, tin, iron, and lead in the furnace—they are just the impurities left from refining silver.

19 לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יַ֛עַן הֱיֹ֥ות כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם לְסִגִ֑ים לָכֵן֙ הִנְנִ֣י קֹבֵ֣ץ אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־תֹּ֖וךְ יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

So this is what the Lord God says: Because all of you have ended up like impurities, watch as I collect you together in Jerusalem.

20 קְבֻ֣צַת כֶּ֡סֶף וּ֠נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶ֨ל וְעֹופֶ֤רֶת וּבְדִיל֙ אֶל־תֹּ֣וךְ כּ֔וּר לָפַֽחַת־עָלָ֥יו אֵ֖שׁ לְהַנְתִּ֑יךְ כֵּ֤ן אֶקְבֹּץ֙ בְּאַפִּ֣י וּבַחֲמָתִ֔י וְהִנַּחְתִּ֥י וְהִתַּכְתִּ֖י אֶתְכֶֽם׃

In the same way a refiner collects silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin and puts them in the blast furnace to melt them with fire, I'm going to collect you in my burning anger, and keep you there until I melt you.

21 וְכִנַּסְתִּ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְנָפַחְתִּ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּאֵ֣שׁ עֶבְרָתִ֑י וְנִתַּכְתֶּ֖ם בְּתֹוכָֽהּ׃

I'm going to collect you all together and blast you with the fire of my anger, and you'll be melted there in the city.

22 כְּהִתּ֥וּךְ כֶּ֙סֶף֙ בְּתֹ֣וךְ כּ֔וּר כֵּ֖ן תֻּתְּכ֣וּ בְתֹוכָ֑הּ וִֽידַעְתֶּם֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה שָׁפַ֥כְתִּי חֲמָתִ֖י עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ פ

Just as silver is melted in a furnace, so you'll be melted in the city. Then you will realize that I, the Lord, have made you experience my anger.”

23 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

Another message from the Lord came to me, saying,

24 בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֱמָר־לָ֕הּ אַ֣תְּ אֶ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א מְטֹהָרָ֖ה הִ֑יא לֹ֥א גֻשְׁמָ֖הּ בְּיֹ֥ום זָֽעַם׃

“Son of man, tell the city of Jerusalem, at the time of punishment, you are a country that has not been made clean, a place where no rain has fallen,

25 קֶ֤שֶׁר נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ בְּתֹוכָ֔הּ כַּאֲרִ֥י שֹׁואֵ֖ג טֹ֣רֵֽף טָ֑רֶף נֶ֣פֶשׁ אָכָ֗לוּ חֹ֤סֶן וִיקָר֙ יִקָּ֔חוּ אַלְמְנֹותֶ֖יהָ הִרְבּ֥וּ בְתֹוכָֽהּ׃

Her leaders conspire together and it's like watching a roaring lion ripping up its prey. They destroy the people, grab everything that's valuable, and make many more widows in the city.

26 כֹּהֲנֶ֜יהָ חָמְס֣וּ תֹורָתִי֮ וַיְחַלְּל֣וּ קָדָשַׁי֒ בֵּֽין־קֹ֤דֶשׁ לְחֹל֙ לֹ֣א הִבְדִּ֔ילוּ וּבֵין־הַטָּמֵ֥א לְטָהֹ֖ור לֹ֣א הֹודִ֑יעוּ וּמִשַׁבְּתֹותַי֙ הֶעְלִ֣ימוּ עֵֽינֵיהֶ֔ם וָאֵחַ֖ל בְּתֹוכָֽם׃

Her priests pervert my law and make my holy things unclean. They don't distinguish between what is holy and what is ordinary, and they don't separate the clean from the unclean. They forget about my Sabbaths, and they lead people to treat me with no respect.

27 שָׂרֶ֣יהָ בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ כִּזְאֵבִ֖ים טֹ֣רְפֵי טָ֑רֶף לִשְׁפָּךְ־דָּם֙ לְאַבֵּ֣ד נְפָשֹׁ֔ות לְמַ֖עַן בְּצֹ֥עַ בָּֽצַע׃

Her city officials are like wolves ripping up their prey, killing people, destroying lives so they can profit through fraud.

28 וּנְבִיאֶ֗יהָ טָח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ תָּפֵ֔ל חֹזִ֣ים שָׁ֔וְא וְקֹסְמִ֥ים לָהֶ֖ם כָּזָ֑ב אֹמְרִ֗ים כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וַֽיהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א דִבֵּֽר׃

Her prophets cover up what they do, using false visions as whitewash and prophecies that are lies, saying, ‘This is what the Lord God says,’ when the Lord hasn't said anything.

29 עַ֤ם הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ עָ֣שְׁקוּ עֹ֔שֶׁק וְגָזְל֖וּ גָּזֵ֑ל וְעָנִ֤י וְאֶבְיֹון֙ הֹונ֔וּ וְאֶת־הַגֵּ֥ר עָשְׁק֖וּ בְּלֹ֥א מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

The people of this country are extortioners and robbers. They mistreat the poor and those in need and exploit the foreigners, treating them totally unfairly.

30 וָאֲבַקֵּ֣שׁ מֵהֶ֡ם אִ֣ישׁ גֹּֽדֵר־גָּדֵר֩ וְעֹמֵ֨ד בַּפֶּ֧רֶץ לְפָנַ֛י בְּעַ֥ד הָאָ֖רֶץ לְבִלְתִּ֣י שַׁחֲתָ֑הּ וְלֹ֖א מָצָֽאתִי׃

I tried to find one of them repair the wall and defend the gap so when I came I wouldn't destroy it—but I couldn't find anyone.

31 וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֤ךְ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ זַעְמִ֔י בְּאֵ֥שׁ עֶבְרָתִ֖י כִּלִּיתִ֑ים דַּרְכָּם֙ בְּרֹאשָׁ֣ם נָתַ֔תִּי נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה׃ פ

So I have let them experience my hostility, burning them up with the fire of my anger. I have made sure they suffer the consequences of what they've done, declares the Lord God.”