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Ezekiel 7-9
Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel 7-9
Contemporary English Version
Disaster Is Near
7 The Lord God said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, tell the people of Israel that I am saying:
Israel will soon come to an end! Your whole country is about to be destroyed 3 as punishment for your disgusting sins. I, the Lord, am so angry 4 that I will show no pity. I will punish you for the evil you've done, and you will know that I am the Lord.
5 There's never been anything like the coming disaster.[a] 6 And when it comes, your life will be over. 7 You people of Israel are doomed! Soon there will be panic on the mountaintops instead of celebration.[b] 8 I will let loose my anger and punish you for the evil things you've done. You'll get what you deserve. 9 Your sins are so terrible, that you'll get no mercy from me. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have punished you.
10 Disaster is near! Injustice and arrogance are everywhere, 11 and violent criminals run free. None of you will survive the disaster, and everything you own and value will be shattered.[c] 12 The time is coming when everyone will be ruined. Buying and selling will stop, 13 and people who sell property will never get it back, because all of you must be punished for your sins. And I won't change my mind![d]
14 A signal has been blown on the trumpet, and weapons are prepared for battle. But no one goes to war, because in my anger I will strike down everyone in Israel.
Israel Is Surrounded
The Lord said to the people of Israel:
15 War, disease, and starvation are everywhere! People who live in the countryside will be killed in battle, and those who live in towns will die from starvation or deadly diseases. 16 Anyone who survives will escape into the hills, like doves who leave the valleys to find safety.
All of you will moan[e] because of your sins. 17 Your hands will tremble, and your knees go limp. 18 You will put on sackcloth[f] to show your sorrow, but terror will overpower you. Shame will be written all over your faces, and you will shave your heads in despair. 19 Your silver and gold will be thrown into the streets like garbage, because those are the two things that led you into sin, and now they cannot save you from my anger. They are not even worth enough to buy food. 20 You took great pride in using your beautiful jewelry to make disgusting idols of foreign gods. So I will make your jewelry worthless.
21 Wicked foreigners will rob and disgrace you. 22 They will break into my temple[g] and leave it unfit as a place to worship me, but I will look away and let it happen.
23 Your whole country is in confusion![h] Murder and violence are everywhere in Israel, 24 so I will tell the most wicked nations to come and take over your homes. They will put an end to the pride you have in your strong army, and they will make your places of worship unfit to use. 25 You will be terrified and will desperately look for peace—but there will be no peace. 26 One tragedy will follow another, and you'll hear only bad news. People will beg prophets to give them a message from me. Priests will stop teaching my Law, and wise leaders won't be able to give advice. 27 Even your king and his officials will lose hope and cry in despair. Your hands will tremble with fear.
I will punish you for your sins and treat you the same way you have treated others. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel Sees the Terrible Sins of Jerusalem
8 Six years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the leaders of Judah were meeting with me in my house. On the fifth day of the sixth month,[i] the Lord God suddenly took control of me, 2 (A) and I saw something in the shape of a human.[j] This figure was like fire from the waist down, and it was bright as polished metal from the waist up. 3 It reached out what seemed to be a hand and grabbed my hair. Then in my vision the Lord's Spirit lifted me into the sky and carried me to Jerusalem.
The Spirit took me to the north gate of the temple's inner courtyard, where there was an idol that disgusted the Lord and made him furious. 4 (B) Then I saw the brightness of the glory of the God of Israel, just as I had seen it near the Chebar River.
5 God said to me, “Ezekiel, son of man, look north.” And when I did, I saw that repulsive idol by the altar near the gate.
6 God then said, “Do you see the terrible sins of the people of Israel? Their sins are making my holy temple unfit as a place to worship me. Yet you will see even worse things than this.”
7 Next, I was taken to the entrance of the courtyard, where I saw a hole in the wall.
8 God said, “Make this hole bigger.” And when I did, I realized it was a doorway. 9 “Go in,” God said, “and see what horrible and evil things the people are doing.”
10 Inside, I saw that the walls were covered with pictures of reptiles and disgusting, unclean animals,[k] as well as with idols that the Israelites were worshiping. 11 Seventy Israelite leaders were standing there, including Jaazaniah son of Shaphan. Each of these leaders was holding an incense burner, and the smell of incense filled the room.
12 God said, “Ezekiel, do you see what horrible things Israel's leaders are doing in secret? They have filled their rooms with idols. And they say I can't see them, because they think I have already deserted Israel. 13 But I will show you something even worse than this.”
14 He took me to the north gate of the temple, where I saw women mourning for the god Tammuz.[l] 15 God asked me, “Can you believe what these women are doing? But now I want to show you something even worse.”
16 I was then led into the temple's inner courtyard, where I saw about 25 men standing near the entrance, between the porch and the altar. Their backs were to the Lord's temple, and they were bowing down to the rising sun.
17 God said, “Ezekiel, it's bad enough that the people of Judah are doing these disgusting things. But they have also spread violence and injustice everywhere in Israel and have made me very angry. They have disgraced and insulted me in the worst possible way.[m] 18 So in my fierce anger, I will punish them without mercy and refuse to help them when they cry out to me.”
The Lord Gives the Command To Punish Jerusalem
9 After that, I heard the Lord shout, “Come to Jerusalem, you men chosen to destroy the city. And bring your weapons!”
2 I saw six men come through the north gate of the temple, each one holding a deadly weapon. A seventh man dressed in a linen robe was with them, and he was carrying things to write with. The men went into the temple and stood by the bronze altar.
3 The brightness of God's glory then left its place above the statues of the winged creatures[n] inside the temple and moved to the entrance. The Lord said to the man in the linen robe, 4 (C) “Walk through the city of Jerusalem and mark the forehead of anyone who is truly upset and sad about the terrible things that are being done here.”
5-6 He turned to the other six men and said, “Follow him and put to death everyone who doesn't have a mark on their forehead. Show no mercy or pity! Kill men and women, parents and children. Begin here at my temple, but be sure not to harm those who are marked.”
The men immediately killed the leaders who were standing there.
7 Then the Lord said, “Pollute the temple by piling the dead bodies in the courtyards. Now get busy!” They left and started killing the people of Jerusalem.
8 I was then alone, so I bowed down and cried out to the Lord, “Why are you doing this? Are you so angry with the people of Jerusalem that everyone must die?”
9 The Lord answered, “The people of Israel and Judah have done horrible things. Their country is filled with murderers, and Jerusalem itself is filled with violence. They think that I have deserted them, and that I can't see what they are doing. 10 And so I will not have pity on them or forgive them. They will be punished for what they have done.”
11 Just then, the man in the linen robe returned and said, “I have done what you commanded.”
Footnotes
- 7.5 disaster: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 5.
- 7.7 celebration: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 7.
- 7.11 shattered: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verses 10,11.
- 7.13 mind: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 13.
- 7.16 will moan: Hebrew; two ancient translations “will die.”
- 7.18 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat or camel hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.
- 7.22 my temple: The Hebrew text has “my treasure,” which may refer to the temple, to Jerusalem, or to Israel itself.
- 7.23 Your whole country is in confusion: One ancient translation; Hebrew “Get chains ready to drag away the dead bodies of your people.”
- 8.1 Six years … sixth month: Probably September of 592 b.c.
- 8.2 a human: One ancient translation; Hebrew “a fiery figure.”
- 8.10 disgusting, unclean animals: See, for example, Leviticus 11.9-19.
- 8.14 the god Tammuz: A god of vegetation who was thought to die in the dry season. During the Hebrew month of Tammuz (from about mid-June to mid-July), women mourned the death of this god, hoping to bring him back to life.
- 8.17 disgraced and insulted me … way: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 9.3 the statues of the winged creatures: These were symbols of the Lord's throne on earth (see Exodus 25.18-22; 1 Kings 6.23-28).
Ezekiel 7-9
New International Version
Ezekiel 7-9
New International Version
The End Has Come
7 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to the land of Israel:
“‘The end!(A) The end has come
upon the four corners(B) of the land!
3 The end is now upon you,
and I will unleash my anger against you.
I will judge you according to your conduct(C)
and repay you for all your detestable practices.(D)
4 I will not look on you with pity;(E)
I will not spare you.
I will surely repay you for your conduct
and for the detestable practices among you.
“‘Then you will know that I am the Lord.’(F)
5 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Disaster!(G) Unheard-of[a] disaster!
See, it comes!
6 The end(H) has come!
The end has come!
It has roused itself against you.
See, it comes!
7 Doom has come upon you,
upon you who dwell in the land.
The time has come! The day(I) is near!(J)
There is panic, not joy, on the mountains.
8 I am about to pour out my wrath(K) on you
and spend my anger against you.
I will judge you according to your conduct
and repay you for all your detestable practices.(L)
9 I will not look on you with pity;
I will not spare you.(M)
I will repay you for your conduct
and for the detestable practices among you.(N)
“‘Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes you.(O)
10 “‘See, the day!
See, it comes!
Doom has burst forth,
the rod(P) has budded,
arrogance has blossomed!
11 Violence(Q) has arisen,[b]
a rod to punish the wicked.
None of the people will be left,
none of that crowd—
none of their wealth,
nothing of value.(R)
12 The time has come!
The day has arrived!
Let not the buyer(S) rejoice
nor the seller grieve,
for my wrath is on the whole crowd.(T)
13 The seller will not recover
the property that was sold—
as long as both buyer and seller live.
For the vision concerning the whole crowd
will not be reversed.
Because of their sins, not one of them
will preserve their life.(U)
14 “‘They have blown the trumpet,(V)
they have made all things ready,
but no one will go into battle,
for my wrath(W) is on the whole crowd.
15 Outside is the sword;
inside are plague and famine.
Those in the country
will die by the sword;
those in the city
will be devoured by famine and plague.(X)
16 The fugitives(Y) who escape
will flee to the mountains.
Like doves(Z) of the valleys,
they will all moan,
each for their own sins.(AA)
17 Every hand will go limp;(AB)
every leg will be wet with urine.(AC)
18 They will put on sackcloth(AD)
and be clothed with terror.(AE)
Every face will be covered with shame,
and every head will be shaved.(AF)
19 “‘They will throw their silver into the streets,(AG)
and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean.
Their silver and gold
will not be able to deliver them
in the day of the Lord’s wrath.(AH)
It will not satisfy(AI) their hunger
or fill their stomachs,
for it has caused them to stumble(AJ) into sin.(AK)
20 They took pride in their beautiful jewelry
and used it to make(AL) their detestable idols.
They made it into vile images;(AM)
therefore I will make it a thing unclean for them.(AN)
21 I will give their wealth as plunder(AO) to foreigners
and as loot to the wicked of the earth,
who will defile it.(AP)
22 I will turn my face(AQ) away from the people,
and robbers will desecrate the place I treasure.
They will enter it
and will defile it.(AR)
23 “‘Prepare chains!
For the land is full of bloodshed,(AS)
and the city is full of violence.(AT)
24 I will bring the most wicked of nations
to take possession of their houses.
I will put an end to the pride of the mighty,
and their sanctuaries(AU) will be desecrated.(AV)
25 When terror comes,
they will seek peace in vain.(AW)
26 Calamity upon calamity(AX) will come,
and rumor upon rumor.
They will go searching for a vision from the prophet,(AY)
priestly instruction in the law will cease,
the counsel of the elders will come to an end.(AZ)
27 The king will mourn,
the prince will be clothed with despair,(BA)
and the hands of the people of the land will tremble.
I will deal with them according to their conduct,(BB)
and by their own standards I will judge them.
“‘Then they will know that I am the Lord.(BC)’”
Idolatry in the Temple
8 In the sixth year, in the sixth month on the fifth day, while I was sitting in my house and the elders(BD) of Judah were sitting before(BE) me, the hand of the Sovereign Lord came on me there.(BF) 2 I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man.[c] From what appeared to be his waist down he was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright as glowing metal.(BG) 3 He stretched out what looked like a hand(BH) and took me by the hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up(BI) between earth and heaven and in visions(BJ) of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court,(BK) where the idol that provokes to jealousy(BL) stood. 4 And there before me was the glory(BM) of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain.(BN)
5 Then he said to me, “Son of man, look toward the north.” So I looked, and in the entrance north of the gate of the altar I saw this idol(BO) of jealousy.
6 And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing—the utterly detestable(BP) things the Israelites are doing here, things that will drive me far from my sanctuary?(BQ) But you will see things that are even more detestable.”
7 Then he brought me to the entrance to the court. I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall. 8 He said to me, “Son of man, now dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and saw a doorway there.
9 And he said to me, “Go in and see the wicked and detestable things they are doing here.” 10 So I went in and looked, and I saw portrayed all over the walls(BR) all kinds of crawling things and unclean(BS) animals and all the idols of Israel.(BT) 11 In front of them stood seventy elders(BU) of Israel, and Jaazaniah son of Shaphan was standing among them. Each had a censer(BV) in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense(BW) was rising.(BX)
12 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness,(BY) each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see(BZ) us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’” 13 Again, he said, “You will see them doing things that are even more detestable.”
14 Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord, and I saw women sitting there, mourning the god Tammuz.(CA) 15 He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this.”
16 He then brought me into the inner court(CB) of the house of the Lord, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar,(CC) were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun(CD) in the east.(CE)
17 He said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the people of Judah to do the detestable things(CF) they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence(CG) and continually arouse my anger?(CH) Look at them putting the branch to their nose! 18 Therefore I will deal with them in anger;(CI) I will not look on them with pity(CJ) or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen(CK) to them.”
Judgment on the Idolaters
9 Then I heard him call out in a loud voice, “Bring near those who are appointed to execute judgment on the city, each with a weapon in his hand.” 2 And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen(CL) who had a writing kit at his side. They came in and stood beside the bronze altar.
3 Now the glory(CM) of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim,(CN) where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the Lord called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side 4 and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem(CO) and put a mark(CP) on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament(CQ) over all the detestable things that are done in it.(CR)”
5 As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity(CS) or compassion.(CT) 6 Slaughter(CU) the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children,(CV) but do not touch anyone who has the mark.(CW) Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the old men(CX) who were in front of the temple.(CY)
7 Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain.(CZ) Go!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city. 8 While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell facedown,(DA) crying out, “Alas, Sovereign Lord!(DB) Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath(DC) on Jerusalem?(DD)”
9 He answered me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice.(DE) They say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see.’(DF) 10 So I will not look on them with pity(DG) or spare them, but I will bring down on their own heads what they have done.(DH)”
11 Then the man in linen with the writing kit at his side brought back word, saying, “I have done as you commanded.”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 7:5 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Disaster after
- Ezekiel 7:11 Or The violent one has become
- Ezekiel 8:2 Or saw a fiery figure
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