"Now as for you, Son of Man, you are to go find a sharp sword and use it like a barber's razor. You are to cut your hair and beard. Then you are to take a weighing scale and divide your shaved hair into three parts.

I'm also going to turn you into a waste and an object of insult among the nations that surround you and in front of every person who passes by.

"Violence has matured into a branch that is wicked. No one will survive from that vast crowd, from their wealthy people, or from the famous among them.

They'll fling their silver into the streets, and their gold will be cast away as impure. Their silver and gold won't be able to deliver them during the time of the LORD's wrath. They won't be able to satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs, because their iniquity has tripped them up."

I'll give it as plunder into the control of strangers and as the spoils of war to the wicked who will invade the land to profane it.

Then he told me, "Son of Man, dig through the wall!" So I dug into the wall. That's when I uncovered an entrance!

"I'm bringing you out from the middle of it and I'm going to deliver you into the hands of strangers, because I'm going to carry out my sentence against you.

"So now, Son of Man, you are to prepare your luggage for a trip into exile, and then you are to leave during the daytime so they see you leaving. Leave from your place to another while they're watching. Then perhaps they'll realize that they're a rebellious house.

"Bring out your luggage, like you're packing to go into exile, and do this during the daytime while they're watching you. Later that evening, leave while they're watching you like someone heading into exile.

Tell them, "I'm a sign for you. Just as I enacted it, it's going to happen to them. They'll go into exile and captivity.

My hand will oppose the prophets who see false visions and speak deceptive divinations. They won't be included with the council of my people, nor will they be entered into the registry of Israel's house or enter Israel's land. Then you'll know that I am the Lord GOD,

"Son of Man, these men have taken idols into their hearts. They've placed the stumbling block that is their own iniquity right in front of their faces. Should I be consulted by them at all?

This is what the Lord GOD says, "I'm sending four of my most destructive judgments military invasion, famine, wild animals, and pestilence into Jerusalem to destroy both human beings and livestock in it.

Is wood ever taken from it to make anything practical? Can it even be made into a peg to hang something on?

"When I passed by you again, I looked at you, and noticed that it was your proper time for love. I spread my cloak over you to cover your nakedness. I made a solemn promise to you and entered into a covenant with you," declares the Lord GOD. "You belong to me.

"I'll also deliver you into their control, and they'll break down your mounds, tear down your high places, strip off your clothes, remove your fine jewels, and then they'll leave you stark naked!

They'll bring a mob against you to stone you to death and cut you into pieces with their swords.

It was transplanted into good soil near abundant water, and it produced branches and bore fruit, becoming a magnificent vine."'

When she learned that her plans had been frustrated and that her hopes were dashed, she took another of her cubs and turned him into a fierce lion.

I'll bring you into the wilderness of the nations. I'll judge you right there, face to face.

"I'll cause you to pass under the rod until I will have brought you into the bond of the covenant.

It's intended to be polished so it can be grasped in the hand. The sword is sharpened. It's polished for placement into the hand of the executioner."

I'm going to pour out my indignation all over you. I'll blow my fierce wrath against you and deliver you into the control of brutal men who are skilled at destruction.

Therefore, I turned her over to the control of her lovers, that is, into the control of the Assyrians for whom she lusted.

Tell the Ammonites: "Listen to a message from the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says: "Because you have said, "Aha!' about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it became desolate, and about the households of Judah when they went into exile,

I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels, and Ammon will become a resting place for flocks of sheep. That's how they'll learn that I am the LORD."'"

therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: "I'm going to raise my clenched fist in Edom's direction and eliminate every single human being and animal from Edom! I'm going to turn everything into a wasteland, starting with Teman, and Dedan will fall by violence!

They will plunder your riches and loot your businesses. They'll tear down your walls and demolish your luxurious homes. They'll grab the stones, wood, and rubble from the destruction and dump it all into the Mediterranean Sea.

I'll turn you into bare rock, and your city will become a place to spread nets. You will never be built again, because I the LORD have decreed this,' declares the Lord GOD."

"This is what the Lord GOD says: "When I turn your city into a ghost town, when I flood you with deep water that covers you completely,

I'll make sure that you go straight to the Pit, into the lowest part of the earth, where you'll be with people who lived in ancient times. You'll keep company there with the dead, who have gone into the Pit. As a result, your city won't be inhabited. Meanwhile, I will display my glory in the land of the living.

trading garments made into the finest blue and embroidered mantels, and also multi-colored carpets, ropes, and other merchandise.

But your rowers have brought you into dangerous waters. The east wind has broken you in the heart of the ocean!

Your wealth, your products, your merchandise your sailors, your pilots, your tailors, your salesmen, all your mercenaries with you your entire company with you will fall into the midst of the sea on the day when you're overthrown!

Your wisdom and understanding brought you phenomenal wealth. You've brought gold and silver into your treasuries.

I'm going to send disease into that city and blood into her streets. People will drop dead in her midst from the violence done to her from every side. Then they'll learn that I am the Lord GOD."

Then I'll fling you out into the desert, you and all those fish in your waterways. You'll fall out in the open fields; you'll never be reunited. I'm giving you to the wild beasts of the earth and to the birds of the sky, and they will dine on you!

and the land of Egypt will be turned into a desolate ruin. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Because Egypt said, "The Nile is mine. I made it!"

I'm going to turn Pathros into a desolation, set fire to Zoan, and judge Thebes.

It will be a dark day for Tahpanhes when I break the yokes of Egypt. That's when her arrogant power will come to an end. She'll be covered by a cloud, and her citizens will go into captivity.

"Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: "Because of its towering height, with its summit reaching into the clouds, and because it was haughty in its position,

"This is what the Lord GOD says: "On the day that it descended into Sheol, I shut down its water supplies, covered over its deep water, and shut down its rivers. As a result its abundant water sources dried up, and I caused Lebanon to mourn for it. All the trees of the field wilted because of it.

I made the nations tremble when they heard that Assyria was falling, descending into Sheol to join those who go down into the Pit. Then all of the trees of Eden in the world below were comforted, including the choicest and best of Lebanon, all of whom were well-watered.

They also went down with it into Sheol, to those who had been killed violently and to those who had trusted in its strength by living in its shadow among the nations.

I'll fling you up onto the land; I'll haul you into the field, I'll make every carrion-eating bird come to dine on you, and I'll make all the scavenging animals gorge themselves on you.

"When I turn the land of Egypt into a desolation, and the land is emptied of everything that used to fill it, when I strike everyone who lives there, they will learn that I am the LORD.'

"Elam will be there. Its hordes will surround Elam's grave. All of them have been killed. They died violently, and they have descended uncircumcised into the world below after having spread terror throughout the land of the living. They will bear the shame of those who descend to the Pit.

"Edom will be there, along with its kings and princes who despite all their power have been killed violently. They, too, are lying dead, along with the uncircumcised; that is, with those who descend into the Pit.

"All of the princes from the North are there, along with the Sidonians, who have gone down in shame to join those who have been killed because of all the terror they caused by their military might. They lie dead, uncircumcised, with those who have been killed violently. They will bear their shame, along with those who descend into the Pit.

Then I'll turn the land into a desolate ruin and her arrogant strength will come to an abrupt end. The mountains of Israel will become so desolate that no one will be able to travel over them."

"Then they'll learn that I am the LORD, when I've turned their land into a desolate wasteland because of all of the loathsome deeds that they've committed.'"

As far as they are concerned, you sing romantic songs with a beautiful voice and play a musical instrument well. They'll listen to what you have to say, but they won't put it into practice!

"I'm going to enter into a covenant with them, one of peace, and I'll eliminate wild beasts from the land so they can live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forests.

Tell them, "This is what the Lord GOD says: "Watch out! I'm coming to get you, Mount Seir! I'm stretching out my hand to strike you, and I'm going to turn you into a desolate wasteland.

I'm going to turn your cities into ghost towns, and you will become a ruin. Then you will learn that I am the LORD.

I will turn you into an everlasting wasteland, and your cities will never be inhabited. Then you'll learn that I am the LORD!

"So this is what the Lord GOD says: "Just as the earth rejoices, I'm going to turn you into a desolate wasteland.

"Therefore this is what you are to prophesy: "Here's what the Lord GOD says, "You've been turned into a desolate wasteland and crushed by everyone who surrounds you for a very, very good reason. You've become the property of all the other nations and you've become the object of gossip and whispering campaigns of the nations."'"

This is what the Lord GOD says to you dry bones! "Pay attention! I'm bringing my Spirit into you right now, and you're going to live!

Then he ordered me, "Prophesy to the Spirit, Son of Man. Tell the Spirit, "This is what the Lord GOD says: "Come from the four winds, you Spirit, and breathe into these people who have been killed, so they will live."'"

"Therefore prophesy to them, and tell them, "Watch me! I'm going to open your graves, lift you out of those graves, and bring my people back into the land of Israel.

I'm going to place my Spirit in you all, and you will live. I'll place you all into your land, and you'll learn that I, the LORD, have been speaking and doing this,' declares the LORD.'"

Then tell them, "This is what the Lord GOD says: "Watch me take the Israelis out of the nations where they've gone and return them from every direction. I'm going to bring them back into their own land.

I'm going to make them a united people in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and I'll set a single king to rule over them. They'll never again be two separate people. They'll never again be divided into two kingdoms.

I'm going to turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out you and your whole army along with your horses and cavalry riders, all of them richly attired, a magnificent company replete with buckler and shield, and all of them wielding battle swords.

The nations will also learn that because of Israel's sin the house of Israel went into captivity, since they were unfaithful in their behavior toward me. As a result, I hid my presence from them, turned them over to the control of their enemies, and they died by violence.

and they will learn that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into exile and who gathered them back to their land. I will not leave any of them remaining in exile.

Next, he brought me into the outer court, where chambers and a paved area had been constructed all around the courtyard, with 30 chambers facing the pavement.

Then he brought me into the inner east-facing courtyard, where he measured the gate, identical to the others.

From outside leading into the inner gate there were chambers for the choir. One was beside the north gate facing the south, and another was at the south gate facing the north.

The side chambers consisted of three stories, each above the other, with 30 chambers in each story. The side chambers extended out from the wall that faced the inside of the chambers where the chambers were fastened together, but the chamber walls were not fastened directly into the Temple walls themselves.

Then he brought me to the outer, north-facing courtyard into the chamber that stood opposite the structure that was facing north.

There were chambers built into the thick part of the wall of the court facing the east; that is, facing the separate area toward the front of the building,

Just then, the Spirit lifted me up and carried me into the inner courtyard, where the glory of the LORD was filling the Temple!

When the people who live in the land come into the LORD's presence during the festivals, whoever enters through the northern gate is to leave through the southern gate, and whoever enters through the southern gate is to leave through the northern gate. No one is to leave by the same route that he enters, but instead is to go straight out.

Then the angel brought me in through an entrance beside the gate into the north-facing chambers dedicated to the priests. As I looked toward the rear of the far western end, I saw a place

He told me, "This river flows toward the eastern territories all the way down into the Arabah, and from there its water flows toward the Dead Sea, where the sea water turns fresh.