Revised Version 1885 (RV1885)

1 The word of theLordalso came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of the rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not, which have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house.

3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.

4 And thou shalt bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth thyself at even in their sight, as when men go forth into exile.

5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.

6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulder, and carry it forth in the dark; thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for removing, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the dark, and bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.

8 And in the morning came the word of theLordunto me, saying,

9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?

10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the LordGODThis burdenconcerneththe prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel among whom they are.

11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall go into exile, into captivity.

12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, because he shall not see the ground with his eyes.

13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.

14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are round about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

15 And they shall know that I am theLord, when I shall disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through the countries.

16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations whither they come; and they shall know that I am theLord.

17 Moreover the word of theLordcame to me, saying,

18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;

19 and say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the LordGODconcerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and ye shall know that I am theLord.

21 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

22 Son of man, what is this proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?

23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the LordGODI will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.

24 For there shall be no more any vain vision, nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.

25 For I am theLord; I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed; it shall be no more deferred: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I speak the word, and will perform it, saith the LordGOD

26 Again the word of theLordcame to me, saying,

27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of times that are far off.

28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the LordGODThere shall none of my words be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, saith the LordGOD

1 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own heart, Hear ye the word of theLord;

3 Thus saith the LordGODWoe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

4 O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in the waste places.

5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the fence for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of theLord.

6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, that say, TheLordsaith; and theLordhath not sent them: and they have made men to hope that the word should be confirmed.

7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, TheLordsaith; albeit I have not spoken?

8 Therefore thus saith the LordGODBecause ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the LordGOD

9 And mine hand shall be against the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the council of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the LordGOD

10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and when one buildeth up a wall, behold, they daub it with untemperedmortar:

11 say unto them which daub it with untemperedmortar, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.

12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?

13 Therefore thus saith the LordGODI will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it.

14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untemperedmortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered: and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I am theLord.

15 Thus will I accomplish my fury upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untemperedmortar; and I will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it;

16 to wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the LordGOD

17 And thou, son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them,

18 and say, Thus saith the LordGODWoe to the women that sew pillows upon all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head ofpersons ofevery stature to hunt souls! will ye hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves?

19 And ye have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hearken unto lies.

20 Wherefore thus saith the LordGODBehold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to makethemfly, and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to makethemfly.

21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am theLord.

22 Because with lies ye have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive:

23 therefore ye shall no more see vanity, nor divine divinations: and I will deliver my people out of your hand; and ye shall know that I am theLord.

1 Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.

2 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

3 Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?

4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the LordGODEvery man of the house of Israel that taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I theLordwill answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols;

5 that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the LordGODReturn ye, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet to inquire for himself of me; I theLordwill answer him by myself:

8 and I will set my face against that man, and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am theLord.

9 And if the prophet be deceived and speaketh a word, I theLordhave deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

10 And they shall bear their iniquity: the iniquity of the prophet shall be even as the iniquity of him that seekethunto him;

11 that the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the LordGOD

12 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

13 Son of man, when a land sinneth against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out mine hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast;

14 though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the LordGOD

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 LordGODthey 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 from it man and beast;

18 though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the LordGODthey 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 LordGODthey shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

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

22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be carried 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 way and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the LordGOD

1 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?

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

4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel: the fire hath devoured both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned; is it profitable for any work?

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

6 Therefore thus saith the LordGODAs 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.

7 And I will set my face against them; they shall go forth from the fire, but the fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am theLord, when I set my face against them.

8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the LordGOD

1 Again the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,

3 and say, Thus saith the LordGODunto Jerusalem: Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of the Canaanite; the Amorite was thy father, and thy mother was an Hittite.

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

5 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, for that thy person was abhorred, in the day that thou wast born.

6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee weltering in thy blood, I said unto thee,Though thou artin thy blood, live; yea, I said unto thee,Though thou artin thy blood, live.

7 I caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou didst increase and wax great, and thou attainedst to excellent ornament; thy breasts were fashioned, and thine hair was grown; yet thou wast naked and bare.

8 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 LordGODand thou becamest mine.

9 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 sealskin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and 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 ring upon thy nose, 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 unto royal estate.

14 And thy renown went forth among the nations for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my majesty which I had put upon thee, saith the LordGOD

15 But thou didst trust in thy beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy whoredoms on every one that passed by; his it was.

16 And thou didst take of thy garments, and madest for thee high places decked with divers colours, and playedst the harlot upon them:the like thingsshall not come, neither shall it be so.

17 Thou didst also take thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest for thee images of men, and didst play the harlot with them;

18 and thou tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them, and didst set mine oil and mine incense before them.

19 My bread also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou didst even set it before them for a sweet savour, andthusit was; saith the LordGOD

20 Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Were thy whoredoms a small matter,

21 that thou hast slain my children, and delivered them up, in causing them to pass throughthe fireunto them?

22 And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast weltering in thy blood.

23 And it is come to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the LordGOD)

24 that thou hast built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee a lofty place in every street.

25 Thou hast built thy lofty place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty an abomination, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredom.

26 Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians, thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast multiplied thy whoredom, to provoke me to anger.

27 Behold therefore, I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinaryfood, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way.

28 Thou hast played the harlot also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet thou wast not satisfied.

29 Thou hast moreover multiplied thy whoredom in the land of Canaan, unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith.

30 How weak is thine heart, saith the LordGODseeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman;

31 in that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thy lofty place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire.

32 A wife that committeth adultery! that taketh strangers instead of her husband!

33 They give gifts to all harlots: but thou gavest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and bribest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredoms.

34 And the contrary is in thee fromotherwomen in thy whoredoms, in that none followeth thee to commit whoredom: and whereas thou givest hire, and no hire is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary.

35 Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of theLord:

36 Thus saith the LordGODBecause thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers; and because of all the idols of thy abominations, and for the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

37 therefore behold, I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them against thee on every side, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

38 And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring upon thee the blood of fury and jealousy.

39 I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and break down thy lofty places; and they shall strip thee of thy clothes, and take thy fair jewels: and they shall leave thee naked and bare.

40 They shall also bring up an assembly against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

41 And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women; and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou shalt also give no hire any more.

42 So will I satisfy my fury upon thee, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.

43 Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; therefore behold, I also will bring thy way upon thine head, saith the LordGODand thou shalt not committhislewdness above all thine abominations.

44 Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall usethisproverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.

45 Thou art thy mother’s daughter, that loatheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which loathed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

46 And thine elder sister is Samaria, that dwelleth at thy left hand, she and her daughters: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

47 Yet hast thou not walked in their ways, nor done after their abominations; but, asif that werea very littlething, thou wast more corrupt than they in all thy ways.

48 As I live, saith the LordGODSodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.

49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom; pride, fulness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I sawgood.

51 Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters by all thine abominations which thou hast done.

52 Thou also, bear thine own shame, in that thou hast given judgment for thy sisters; through thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they, they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou also confounded, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.

53 And I will turn again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:

54 that thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be ashamed because of all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.

55 And thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, and thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.

56 For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride;

57 before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which do despite unto thee round about.

58 Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith theLord.

59 For thus saith the LordGODI will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.

61 Then shalt thou remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine eldersistersand thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.

62 And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am theLord:

63 that thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame; when I have forgiven thee all that thou hast done, saith the LordGOD

1 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

3 and say, Thus saith the LordGODA great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar:

4 he cropped off the topmost of the young twigs thereof, and carried it into a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.

5 He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil; he placed it beside many waters; he set it as a willow tree.

6 And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.

7 There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend its roots toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him, from the beds of its plantation, that he might water it.

8 It was planted in a good soil by many waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.

9 Say thou, Thus saith the LordGODShall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it may wither; that all its fresh springing leaves may wither; even without great power or much people to pluck it up by the roots thereof?

10 Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither; when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the beds where it grew.

11 Moreover the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

12 Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and brought them to him to Babylon;

13 and he took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him; he also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land:

14 that the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.

15 But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? shall he break the covenant, and yet escape?

16 As I live, saith the LordGODsurely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.

17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, when they cast up mounts and build forts, to cut off many persons.

18 For he hath despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet hath done all these things; he shall not escape.

19 Therefore thus saith the LordGODAs I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, I will even bring it upon his own head.

20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.

21 And all his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward every wind: and ye shall know that I theLordhave spoken it.

22 Thus saith the LordGODI will also take of the lofty top of the cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the topmost of his young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:

23 in the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I theLordhave brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I theLordhave spoken and have done it.

1 The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,

2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?

3 As I live, saith the LordGODye shall not haveoccasionany more to use this proverb in Israel.

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

6 and hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a woman in her separation;

7 and hath not wronged any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

8 he that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

9 hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the LordGOD

10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth any one of these things,

11 and that doeth not any of thoseduties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife,

12 hath wronged the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

13 hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations: he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins, which he hath done, and feareth, and doth not such like,

15 that hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife,

16 neither hath wronged any, hath not taken aught to pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,

17 that hath withdrawn his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity.

19 Yet say ye, Wherefore doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

21 But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 None of his transgressions that he hath committed shall be remembered against him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? saith the LordGODand not rather that he should return from his way, and live?

24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he hath done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

26 When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth therein; in his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the LordGODReturn ye, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereto ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the LordGODwherefore turn yourselves, and live.

1 Moreover, take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

2 and say, What was thy mother? A lioness: she couched among lions, in the midst of the young lions she nourished her whelps.

3 And she brought up one of her whelps; he became a young lion: and he learned to catch the prey, he devoured men.

4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit: and they brought him with hooks unto the land of Egypt.

5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.

6 And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion: and he learned to catch the prey, he devoured men.

7 And he knew their palaces, and laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, because of the noise of his roaring.

8 Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces: and they spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit.

9 And they put him in a cage with hooks, and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into strong holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

10 Thy mother was like a vine, in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

11 And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and their stature was exalted among the thick boughs, and they were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.

12 But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken off and withered; the fire consumed them.

13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.

14 And fire is gone out of the rods of her branches, it hath devoured her fruit, so that there is in her no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.

1 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifthmonth, the tenthdayof the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of theLord, and sat before me.

2 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the LordGODAre ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith the LordGODI will not be inquired of by you.

4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;

5 and say unto them, Thus saith the LordGODIn the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, Saying, I am theLordyour God;

6 in that day I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

7 And I said unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am theLordyour God.

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me; they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

10 So I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them.

12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am theLordthat sanctify them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they rejected my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned: then I said I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.

15 Moreover also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

16 because they rejected my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.

18 And I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

19 I am theLordyour God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them:

20 and hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am theLordyour God.

21 But the children rebelled against me; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my sabbaths: then I said I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not he profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.

23 Moreover I lifted up mine hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries,

24 because they had not executed my judgments, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.

25 Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and judgments wherein they should not live;

26 and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass throughthe fireall that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am theLord.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the LordGODIn this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

28 For when I had brought them into the land, which I lifted up mine hand to give unto them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering, there also they made their sweet savour, and they poured out there their drink offerings.

29 Then I said unto them, What meaneth the high place whereunto ye go? So the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.

30 Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the LordGODDo ye pollute yourselves after the manner of your fathers? and go ye a whoring after their abominations?

31 and when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, do ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, unto this day? and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the LordGODI will not be inquired of by you:

32 and that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all; in that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

33 As I live, saith the LordGODsurely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I be king over you:

34 and I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out,

35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I plead with you face to face.

36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the LordGOD

37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;

38 and I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me; I will bring them forth out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am theLord.

39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the LordGODGo ye, serve every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but my holy name shall ye no more profane with your gifts, and with your idols.

40 For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the LordGODthere shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

41 As a sweet savour will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.

42 And ye shall know that I am theLord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I lifted up mine hand to give unto your fathers.

43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have polluted yourselves; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

44 And ye shall know that I am theLord, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the LordGOD

45 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

46 Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and dropthy wordtoward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South;

47 and say to the forest of the South, Hear the word of theLord; Thus saith the LordGODBehold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burnt thereby.

48 And all flesh shall see that I theLordhave kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

49 Then said I, Ah LordGODthey say of me, Is he not a speaker of parables?

1 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and dropthy wordtoward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel;

3 and say to the land of Israel, Thus saith theLord: Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.

4 Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:

5 and all flesh shall know that I theLordhave drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.

6 Sigh therefore, thou son of man; with the breaking of thy loins and with bitterness shalt thou sigh before their eyes.

7 And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt say, Because of the tidings, for it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the LordGOD

8 And the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,

9 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith theLord: Say, A sword, a sword, it is sharpened, and also furbished:

10 it is sharpened that it may make a slaughter; it is furbished that it may be as lightning: shall we then make mirth? the rod of my son, it contemneth every tree.

11 And it is given to be furbished, that it may be handled: the sword, it is sharpened, yea, it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

12 Cry and howl, son of man: for it is upon my people, it is upon all the princes of Israel: they are delivered over to the sword with my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.

13 For there is a trial; and what if even the rod that contemneth shall be no more? saith the LordGOD

14 Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one that is deadly wounded, which entereth into their chambers.

15 I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may melt, and their stumblings be multiplied: ah! it is made as lightning, it is pointed for slaughter.

16 Gather thee together, go to the right; set thyself in array, go to the left; whithersoever thy face is set.

17 I will also smite mine hands together, and I will satisfy my fury: I theLordhave spoken it.

18 The word of theLordcame unto me again, saying,

19 Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come; they twain shall come forth out of one land: and mark out a place, mark it out at the head of the way to the city.

20 Thou shalt appoint a way, for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.

21 For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he shook the arrows to and fro, he consulted the teraphim, he looked in the liver.

22 In his right hand was the divinationforJerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounts, to build forts.

23 And it shall be unto them as a vain divination in their sight, which have sworn oaths unto them: but he bringeth iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.

24 Therefore thus saith the LordGODBecause ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.

25 And thou, O deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day is come, in the time of the iniquity of the end;

26 thus saith the LordGODRemove the mitre, and take off the crown: thisshall beno more the same: exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high.

27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: this also shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give ithim.

28 And thou, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LordGODconcerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach; and say thou, A sword, a sword is drawn, for the slaughter it is furbished, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning:

29 whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine lies unto thee, to lay thee upon the necks of the wicked that are deadly wounded, whose day is come, in the time of the iniquity of the end.

30 Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy birth, will I judge thee.

31 And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee; I will blow upon thee with the fire of my wrath: and I will deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, skilful to destroy.

32 Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I theLordhave spoken it.