Vision of Israel’s Corrupt Leaders
1The Spirit then lifted me up and brought me to the eastern gate of the Lord’s house, which faces east, and at the gate’s entrance were twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur, and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. 2The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked advice in this city. 3They are saying, ‘Isn’t the time near to build houses? The city is the pot, and we are the meat.’ 4Therefore, prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man!”
5Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and he told me, “You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord says: That is what you are thinking, house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your mind. 6You have multiplied your slain in this city, filling its streets with them.
7“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: The slain you have put within it are the meat, and the city is the pot, but I will take you out of it. 8You fear the sword, so I will bring the sword against you. This is the declaration of the Lord God. 9I will take you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners; I will execute judgments against you. 10You will fall by the sword, and I will judge you at the border of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 11The city will not be a pot for you, and you will not be the meat within it. I will judge you at the border of Israel, 12so you will know that I am the Lord, whose statutes you have not followed and whose ordinances you have not practiced. Instead, you have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you.’”
13Now while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell facedown and cried out loudly, “Oh, Lord God! You are bringing the remnant of Israel to an end!”
Promise of Israel’s Restoration
14The word of the Lord came to me again: 15“Son of man, your own relatives, those who have the right to redeem your property, along with the entire house of Israel — all of them — are those to whom the residents of Jerusalem have said, ‘You are far from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’
16“Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Though I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’
17“Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’
18“When they arrive there, they will remove all its abhorrent acts and detestable practices from it. 19I will give them integrity of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone from their bodies and give them a heart of flesh, 20so that they will follow my statutes, keep my ordinances, and practice them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21But as for those whose hearts pursue their desire for abhorrent acts and detestable practices, I will bring their conduct down on their own heads.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.
God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem
22Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, lifted their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23The glory of the Lord rose up from within the city and stopped on the mountain east of the city. 24The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to Chaldea and to the exiles in a vision from the Spirit of God. After the vision I had seen left me, 25I spoke to the exiles about all the things the Lord had shown me.