Ezekiel 22

The Sins of Jerusalem

1Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 2“As for youH859, sonH1121 of manH120, will you judge herH8199? Will you pass judgmentH8199 on the cityH5892 of bloodshedH1818? Then confront herH3045 with allH3605 her abominationsH8441 3and tell herH559 that this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘O cityH5892 who brings her own doomH6256H935 by sheddingH8210 bloodH1818 within her wallsH8432 and makingH6213 idolsH1544 to defile herselfH5921H2930, 4you are guiltyH816 of the bloodH1818 you have shedH8210, and you are defiledH2930 by the idolsH1544 you have madeH6213. You have brought your daysH3117 to a closeH7126 and have comeH935 toH5704 the end of your yearsH8141. ThereforeH5921H3651 I have made youH5414 a reproachH2781 to the nationsH1471 and a mockeryH7048 to allH3605 the landsH776. 5Those nearH7138 and farH7350 will mockH7046 you, O infamousH2931H8034 city, fullH7227 of turmoilH4103.

6See howH2009 everyH376 princeH5387 of IsraelH3478 within you has usedH1961 his powerH2220 toH4616 shedH8210 bloodH1818. 7FatherH1 and motherH517 are treated with contemptH7043. Within your walls the foreign residentH1616 is exploitedH6213H6233, the fatherlessH3490 and the widowH490 are oppressedH3238.

8You have despisedH959 My holy thingsH6944 andH853 profanedH2490 My SabbathsH7676. 9Among you areH1961 slanderousH7400 menH582 bent onH4616 bloodshedH1818; within you are those who eatH398 onH413 the mountainH2022 shrines and commitH6213 acts of indecencyH2154.

10In you they have uncoveredH1540 the nakednessH6172 of their fathersH1; in you they violateH6031 women during their menstrual impurityH2931H5079. 11One manH376 commitsH6213 an abominationH8441 withH854 his neighbor’sH7453 wifeH802; anotherH376 wickedlyH2154 defilesH2930 his daughter-in-lawH3618; and yet anotherH376 violatesH6031 his sisterH269, his own father’sH1 daughterH1323.

12In you they takeH3947 bribesH7810 toH4616 shedH8210 bloodH1818. You engageH3947 in usuryH5392, takeH1214 excess interestH8636, and extortH6233 your neighborsH7453. But MeH853 you have forgottenH7911, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069.

13Now lookH2009, I strikeH5221 My handsH3709 together againstH413 your unjust gainH1215 and againstH5921 the blood you have shedH1818 in your midstH8432. 14Will your courageH3820 endureH5975 orH518 your handsH3027 be strongH2388 in the dayH3117 IH589 dealH6213 with youH854? IH589, the LORDH3068, have spokenH1696, and I will actH6213. 15I will disperseH6327 you among the nationsH1471 and scatter youH2219 throughout the landsH776; I will purgeH8552 your uncleannessH2932H4480. 16And when you have defiledH2490 yourself1 in the eyesH5869 of the nationsH1471, then you will knowH3045 thatH3588 IH589 am the LORDH3068.’”

The Refining Furnace

17Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 18“SonH1121 of manH120, the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 has becomeH1961 drossH5509 to Me. AllH3605 of them are copperH5178, tinH913, ironH1270, and leadH5777 insideH8432 the furnaceH3564; they are butH1961 the drossH5509 of silverH3701.

19ThereforeH3651 this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘BecauseH3282 allH3605 of you have becomeH1961 drossH5509, beholdH3651H2005, I will gatherH6908 youH853 intoH413H8432 JerusalemH3389. 20Just as one gathersH6910 silverH3701, copperH5178, ironH1270, leadH5777, and tinH913 intoH413H8432 the furnaceH3564 to meltH5413 with a fieryH784 blastH5301H5921, soH3651 I will gatherH6908 you in My angerH639 and wrathH2534, leave youH5117 there, and meltH5413 youH853.

21Yes, I will gather you togetherH3664 and blowH5301 on youH5921 with the fireH784 of My wrathH5678, and you will be meltedH5413 within the cityH8432. 22As silverH3701 is meltedH2046 inH8432 a furnaceH3564, soH3651 you will be meltedH5413 within the cityH8432. Then you will knowH3045 thatH3588 IH589, the LORDH3068, have poured outH8210 My wrathH2534 upon youH5921.’”

Israel’s Wicked Leaders

23And the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 24“SonH1121 of manH120, sayH559 to her, ‘In the dayH3117 of indignationH2195, youH859 are a landH776 that has notH3808 been cleansedH2891, upon whichH1931H3808 no rain has fallenH1656.’

25The conspiracyH7195 of the princesH50302 in her midstH8432 is like a roaringH7580 lionH738 tearingH2963 its preyH2964. They devourH398 the peopleH5315, seizeH3947 the treasuresH2633 and precious thingsH3366, and multiplyH7235 the widowsH490 within herH8432.

26Her priestsH3548 do violence toH2554 My lawH8451 and profaneH2490 My holy thingsH6944. They make noH3808 distinctionH914 betweenH996 the holyH6944 and the commonH2455, and they failH3808 to distinguishH3045 betweenH996 the cleanH2889 and the uncleanH2931. They disregardH5956H5869 My SabbathsH7676, so that I am profanedH2490 among themH8432.

27Her officialsH8269 within herH7130 are like wolvesH2061 tearingH2963 their preyH2964, sheddingH8210 bloodH1818, and destroyingH6 livesH5315 forH4616 dishonest gainH1214H1215.

28Her prophetsH5030 whitewashH2902H8602 these deeds by falseH7723 visionsH2372 and lyingH3577 divinationsH7080, sayingH559, ‘This is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559,’ when the LORDH3068 has notH3808 spokenH1696.

29The peopleH5971 of the landH776 have practicedH6231 extortionH6233 and committed robberyH1497H1498. They have oppressedH3238 the poorH6041 and needyH34 and have exploitedH6231 the foreign residentH1616 withoutH3808 justiceH4941.

30I searched forH1245 a manH376 among them to repairH1443 the wallH1447 and standH5975 in the gapH6556 before MeH6440 on behalf ofH1157 the landH776, so that I should notH1115 destroy itH7843. But I foundH4672 no oneH3808. 31So I have poured outH8210 My indignationH2195 upon themH5921 and consumed themH3615 with the fireH784 of My furyH5678. I have broughtH5414 their waysH1870 down upon their own headsH7218, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069.”