Jerusalem’s judgment inescapable

12 The word of the Lord came to me: 13 ‘Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, 14 even if these three men – Noah, Daniel[a] and Job – were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord.

15 ‘Or if I send wild beasts through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts, 16 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.

17 ‘Or if I bring a sword against that country and say, “Let the sword pass throughout the land,” and I kill its people and their animals, 18 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

19 ‘Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath on it through bloodshed, killing its people and their animals, 20 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.

21 ‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: how much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments – sword and famine and wild beasts and plague – to kill its men and their animals! 22 Yet there will be some survivors – sons and daughters who will be brought out of it. They will come to you, and when you see their conduct and their actions, you will be consoled regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem – every disaster I have brought on it. 23 You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.’

Jerusalem as a useless vine

15 The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on? And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything? If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?

‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: as I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. I will set my face against them. Although they have come out of the fire, the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord. I will make the land desolate because they have been unfaithful, declares the Sovereign Lord.’

Jerusalem as an adulterous wife

16 The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices and say, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.

‘“Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’[b] I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.

‘“Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.

‘“I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10 I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. 11 I adorned you with jewellery: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace round your neck, 12 and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. 14 And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendour I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 14:14 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature; also in verse 20
  2. Ezekiel 16:6 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts repeat and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’

Jerusalem’s Judgment Inescapable

12 The word of the Lord came to me: 13 “Son of man, if a country sins(A) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply(B) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,(C) 14 even if these three men—Noah,(D) Daniel[a](E) and Job(F)—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,(G) declares the Sovereign Lord.

15 “Or if I send wild beasts(H) through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,(I) 16 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.(J)

17 “Or if I bring a sword(K) against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,(L) 18 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

19 “Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath(M) on it through bloodshed,(N) killing its people and their animals,(O) 20 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.(P)

21 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments(Q)—sword(R) and famine(S) and wild beasts and plague(T)—to kill its men and their animals!(U) 22 Yet there will be some survivors(V)—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it.(W) They will come to you, and when you see their conduct(X) and their actions, you will be consoled(Y) regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. 23 You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.(Z)

Jerusalem as a Useless Vine

15 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine(AA) different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful?(AB) Do they make pegs(AC) from it to hang things on? And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything?(AD) If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. I will set my face against(AE) them. Although they have come out of the fire(AF), the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord.(AG) I will make the land desolate(AH) because they have been unfaithful,(AI) declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Jerusalem as an Adulterous Wife

16 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, confront(AJ) Jerusalem with her detestable practices(AK) and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry(AL) and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father(AM) was an Amorite(AN) and your mother a Hittite.(AO) On the day you were born(AP) your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.

“‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”[b](AQ) I made you grow(AR) like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.(AS)

“‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment(AT) over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant(AU) with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.(AV)

“‘I bathed you with water and washed(AW) the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10 I clothed you with an embroidered(AX) dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen(AY) and covered you with costly garments.(AZ) 11 I adorned you with jewelry:(BA) I put bracelets(BB) on your arms and a necklace(BC) around your neck, 12 and I put a ring on your nose,(BD) earrings(BE) on your ears and a beautiful crown(BF) on your head.(BG) 13 So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes(BH) were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil(BI) and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.(BJ) 14 And your fame(BK) spread among the nations on account of your beauty,(BL) because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BM)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 14:14 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature; also in verse 20
  2. Ezekiel 16:6 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts repeat and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”

12 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying,

13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God.

15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:

16 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.

17 Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:

18 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.

19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:

20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

21 For thus saith the Lord God; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.

23 And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord God.

15 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?

Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?

Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them.

And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord God.

16 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,

And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.

And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.

I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare.

Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.

Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.

11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.

12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.

14 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God.

Judgment on Persistent Unfaithfulness

12 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying: 13 “Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its (A)supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. 14 (B)Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves (C)by their righteousness,” says the Lord God.

15 “If I cause (D)wild beasts to pass through the land, and they [a]empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, 16 even (E)though these three men were [b]in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be (F)desolate.

17 “Or if (G)I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I (H)cut off man and beast from it, 18 even (I)though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.

19 “Or if I send (J)a pestilence into that land and (K)pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, 20 even (L)though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”

21 For thus says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when (M)I send My four [c]severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it? 22 (N)Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be (O)brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and (P)you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it. 23 And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing (Q)without cause that I have done in it,” says the Lord God.

The Outcast Vine

15 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make any object? Or can men make a peg from it to hang any vessel on? Instead, (R)it is thrown into the fire for fuel; the fire devours both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work? Indeed, when it was whole, no object could be made from it. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned?

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and (S)I will set My face against them. (T)They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. (U)Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them. Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have persisted in unfaithfulness,’ says the Lord God.”

God’s Love for Jerusalem

16 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, (V)cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem: “Your [d]birth (W)and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; (X)your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. As for your nativity, (Y)on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were [e]loathed on the day you were born.

“And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ (Z)I made you [f]thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare.

“When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; (AA)so I spread [g]My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I (AB)swore an oath to you and entered into a (AC)covenant with you, and (AD)you became Mine,” says the Lord God.

“Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil. 10 I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of [h]badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 I adorned you with ornaments, (AE)put bracelets on your wrists, (AF)and a chain on your neck. 12 And I put a [i]jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. (AG)You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly (AH)beautiful, and succeeded to royalty. 14 (AI)Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord God.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 14:15 Lit. bereave it of children
  2. Ezekiel 14:16 Lit. in the midst of it
  3. Ezekiel 14:21 Lit. evil
  4. Ezekiel 16:3 origin and your birth
  5. Ezekiel 16:5 abhorred
  6. Ezekiel 16:7 Lit. a myriad
  7. Ezekiel 16:8 Or the corner of My garment
  8. Ezekiel 16:10 Or dolphin or dugong
  9. Ezekiel 16:12 Lit. ring