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Ezekiel 10-11
Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel 10-11
Contemporary English Version
The Lord's Glory Leaves the Temple
10 (A) I saw the dome that was above the four winged creatures,[a] and on it was the sapphire[b] throne.[c] 2 (B) The Lord said to the man in the linen robe, “Walk among the four wheels beside the creatures and pick up as many hot coals as you can carry. Then scatter them over the city of Jerusalem.” I watched him as he followed the Lord's instructions.
3 The winged creatures were standing south of the temple when the man walked among them. A cloud filled the inner courtyard, 4 and the brightness of the Lord's glory moved from above the creatures and stopped at the entrance of the temple. The entire temple was filled with his glory, and the courtyard was dazzling bright. 5 The sound of the creatures' wings was as loud as the voice of God All-Powerful and could even be heard in the outer courtyard.
6 The man in the robe was now standing beside a wheel. 7 One of the four creatures reached its hand into the fire among them and gave him some of the hot coals. The man took the coals and left.
8 I noticed again that each of the four winged creatures had what looked like human hands under their wings, 9 (C) and I saw the four wheels near the creatures. These wheels were shining like chrysolite.[d] 10 Each wheel was exactly the same and had a second wheel that cut through the middle of it,[e] 11 so that they could move in any direction without turning. The wheels moved together whenever the creatures moved. 12 (D) I also noticed that the wheels and the creatures' bodies, including their backs, their hands, and their wings, were covered with eyes. 13 And I heard a voice calling these “the wheels that spin.”
14 (E) Each of the winged creatures had four faces: the face of a bull,[f] the face of a human, the face of a lion, and the face of an eagle. 15-17 These were the same creatures I had seen near the Chebar River. They controlled when and where the wheels moved—the wheels went wherever the creatures went and stopped whenever they stopped. Even when the creatures flew in the air, the wheels stayed beside them.
18 Then I watched the brightness of the Lord's glory move from the entrance of the temple and stop above the winged creatures. 19 They spread their wings and flew into the air with the wheels at their side. They stopped at the east gate of the temple, and the Lord's glory was above them.
20 I knew for sure that these were the same creatures I had seen beneath the Lord's glory near the Chebar River. 21-22 They had four wings with hands beneath them, and they had the same four faces as those near the River. Each creature moved straight ahead without turning.
Ezekiel Condemns Jerusalem's Wicked Leaders
11 The Lord's Spirit[g] lifted me up and took me to the east gate of the temple, where I saw 25 men, including the two leaders, Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah. 2 The Lord said, “Ezekiel, son of man, these men are making evil plans and giving dangerous advice to the people of Jerusalem. 3 They say things like, ‘Let's build more houses.[h] This city is like a cooking pot over a fire, and we are the meat, but at least the pot keeps us from being burned in the fire.’[i] 4 So, Ezekiel, condemn them!”
5 The Lord's Spirit took control of me and told me to tell these leaders:
I, the Lord God, know what you leaders are saying. 6 You have murdered so many people that the city is filled with dead bodies! 7 This city is indeed a cooking pot, but the bodies of those you killed are the meat. And so I will force you to leave Jerusalem, 8 and I'll send armies to attack you, just as you fear. 9 Then you will be captured and punished by foreign enemies.[j] 10 You will be killed in your own country, but not before you realize that I, the Lord, have done these things.
11 You leaders claim to be meat in a cooking pot, but you won't be protected by this city. No, you will die at the border of Israel. 12 You will realize that while you were following the laws of nearby nations, you were disobeying my laws and teachings. And I am the Lord!
13 Before I finished speaking, Pelatiah dropped dead. I bowed down and cried out, “Please, Lord God, don't kill everyone left in Israel.”
A Promise of Hope
14 The Lord replied:
15 Ezekiel, son of man, the people living in Jerusalem claim that you and the other Israelites who were taken to Babylonia are too far away to worship me. They also claim that the land of Israel now belongs only to them. 16 But here is what I want you to tell the Israelites in Babylonia:
It's true that I, the Lord God, have forced you out of your own country and made you live among foreign nations. But for now, I will be with you wherever you are, so that you can worship me. 17 And someday, I will gather you from the nations where you are scattered and let you live in Israel again. 18 When that happens, I want you to clear the land of all those idols I hate so much. 19 (F) Then I will take away your stubbornness and make you eager to be completely faithful to me. You will want to obey me 20 and all my laws and teachings. You will be my people, and I will be your God. 21 But those who worship idols will be punished and get what they deserve. I, the Lord God, have spoken.
The Lord's Glory Leaves Jerusalem
22 (G) After the Lord had finished speaking, the winged creatures spread their wings and flew into the air, and the wheels were beside them. The brightness of the Lord's glory above them 23 left Jerusalem and stopped at a hill east of the city.
24 Then in my vision, the Lord's Spirit[k] lifted me up and carried me back to the other exiles in Babylonia. The vision faded away, 25 and I told them everything the Lord had shown me.
Footnotes
- 10.1 winged creatures: See the note at 9.3.
- 10.1 sapphire: See the note at 1.26.
- 10.1 dome … creatures … throne: See 1.22-26.
- 10.9 chrysolite: See the note at 1.16.
- 10.10 a second wheel that cut through the middle of it: See the note at 1.16.
- 10.14 a bull: The Hebrew text has “a winged creature,” but see 1.10.
- 11.1 The Lord's Spirit: Or “A wind.”
- 11.3 Let's … houses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 11.3 the pot keeps us from being burned in the fire: These leaders were trying to convince the people of Jerusalem that they were secure, and that their future was bright.
- 11.9 foreign enemies: That is, the Babylonians.
- 11.24 the Lord's Spirit: See the note at 11.1.
Ezekiel 10-11
New International Version
Ezekiel 10-11
New International Version
God’s Glory Departs From the Temple
10 I looked, and I saw the likeness of a throne(A) of lapis lazuli(B) above the vault(C) that was over the heads of the cherubim.(D) 2 The Lord said to the man clothed in linen,(E) “Go in among the wheels(F) beneath the cherubim. Fill(G) your hands with burning coals(H) from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And as I watched, he went in.
3 Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner court. 4 Then the glory of the Lord(I) rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the Lord. 5 The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, like the voice(J) of God Almighty[a] when he speaks.(K)
6 When the Lord commanded the man in linen, “Take fire from among the wheels,(L) from among the cherubim,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel. 7 Then one of the cherubim reached out his hand to the fire(M) that was among them. He took up some of it and put it into the hands of the man in linen, who took it and went out. 8 (Under the wings of the cherubim could be seen what looked like human hands.)(N)
9 I looked, and I saw beside the cherubim four wheels, one beside each of the cherubim; the wheels sparkled like topaz.(O) 10 As for their appearance, the four of them looked alike; each was like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 11 As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the cherubim faced; the wheels did not turn about[b] as the cherubim went. The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went. 12 Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes,(P) as were their four wheels.(Q) 13 I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.” 14 Each of the cherubim(R) had four faces:(S) One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion,(T) and the fourth the face of an eagle.(U)
15 Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures(V) I had seen by the Kebar River.(W) 16 When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side. 17 When the cherubim stood still, they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.(X)
18 Then the glory(Y) of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.(Z) 19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them.(AA) They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory(AB) of the God of Israel was above them.
20 These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the Kebar River,(AC) and I realized that they were cherubim. 21 Each had four faces(AD) and four wings,(AE) and under their wings was what looked like human hands. 22 Their faces had the same appearance as those I had seen by the Kebar River.(AF) Each one went straight ahead.
God’s Sure Judgment on Jerusalem
11 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate of the house of the Lord that faces east. There at the entrance of the gate were twenty-five men, and I saw among them Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah(AG) son of Benaiah, leaders(AH) of the people.(AI) 2 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who are plotting evil(AJ) and giving wicked advice in this city.(AK) 3 They say, ‘Haven’t our houses been recently rebuilt? This city is a pot,(AL) and we are the meat in it.’(AM) 4 Therefore prophesy(AN) against them; prophesy, son of man.”
5 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and he told me to say: “This is what the Lord says: That is what you are saying, you leaders in Israel, but I know what is going through your mind.(AO) 6 You have killed many people in this city and filled its streets with the dead.(AP)
7 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: The bodies you have thrown there are the meat and this city is the pot,(AQ) but I will drive you out of it.(AR) 8 You fear the sword,(AS) and the sword is what I will bring against you, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AT) 9 I will drive you out of the city and deliver you into the hands(AU) of foreigners and inflict punishment on you.(AV) 10 You will fall by the sword, and I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel.(AW) Then you will know that I am the Lord. 11 This city will not be a pot(AX) for you, nor will you be the meat in it; I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel. 12 And you will know that I am the Lord,(AY) for you have not followed my decrees(AZ) or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you.(BA)”
13 Now as I was prophesying, Pelatiah(BB) son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out in a loud voice, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! Will you completely destroy the remnant of Israel?(BC)”
The Promise of Israel’s Return
14 The word of the Lord came to me: 15 “Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have said of your fellow exiles and all the other Israelites, ‘They are far away from the Lord; this land was given to us as our possession.’(BD)
16 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord 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(BE) for them in the countries where they have gone.’
17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’(BF)
18 “They will return to it and remove all its vile images(BG) and detestable idols.(BH) 19 I will give them an undivided heart(BI) and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone(BJ) and give them a heart of flesh.(BK) 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.(BL) They will be my people,(BM) and I will be their God.(BN) 21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols,(BO) I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BP)”
22 Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory(BQ) of the God of Israel was above them.(BR) 23 The glory(BS) of the Lord went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain(BT) east of it. 24 The Spirit(BU) lifted me up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia[c] in the vision(BV) given by the Spirit of God.
Then the vision I had seen went up from me, 25 and I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.(BW)
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 10:5 Hebrew El-Shaddai
- Ezekiel 10:11 Or aside
- Ezekiel 11:24 Or Chaldea
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