Evil in High Places

1Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the east gate of Yahweh's house, which looks eastward: and see, at the door of the gate twenty-five men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people. 2He said to me, Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity, and who give wicked counsel in this city; 3who say, [The time] is not near to build houses: this [city] is the caldron, and we are the flesh. 4Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man.

5The Spirit of Yahweh fell on me, and he said to me, Speak, Thus says Yahweh: Thus you have said, house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind. 6You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain. 7Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are the flesh, and this [city] is the caldron; but you shall be brought forth out of its midst. 8You have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword on you, says the Lord Yahweh. 9I will bring you forth out of its midst, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you. 10You shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and you shall know that I am Yahweh. 11This [city] shall not be your caldron, neither shall you be the flesh in its midst; I will judge you in the border of Israel; 12and you shall know that I am Yahweh: for you have not walked in my statutes, neither have you executed my ordinances, but have done after the ordinances of the nations that are around you.

A Promise of Restoration

13It happened, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down on my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord Yahweh! will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?

14The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 15Son of man, your brothers, even your brothers, the men of your relatives, and all the house of Israel, all of them, [are they] to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Go far away from Yahweh. This land has been given to us for a possession. 16Therefore say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they are come. 17Therefore say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. 18They shall come there, and they shall take away all the detestable things of it and all its abominations from there. 19I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh; 20that they may walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21But as for them whose heart walks after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way on their own heads, says the Lord Yahweh.

God's Glory Leaves Jerusalem

22Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. 23The glory of Yahweh went up from the midst of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city. 24The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me. 25Then I spoke to them of the captivity all the things that Yahweh had shown me.