It chanced, in the thirtieth year, the fifth day of the fourth Month, that I was among the prisoners by the river of Chebar: where the heavens opened, and I saw a vision of God.

And when they went forth I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as it had been the voice of the great God, and a rushing together as it were of a host of men. And when they stood still, they let down their wings.

Yea, I will send thee unto a people that have rough visages and stiff stomachs: unto whom thou shalt say on this manner, 'This the LORD God himself hath spoken,'

And he said unto me, "Thou son of man, get thee soon unto the house of Israel, and show them the words that I command thee.

and go to the prisoners of thy people. Speak unto them, and say on this manner, 'Thus the LORD God hath spoken: Whether ye hear, or hear not.'"

"Thou son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore take good heed to the words, and give them warning at my commandment.

But when I speak unto thee, then open thy mouth, and say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: whoso heareth, let him hear; who so will not, let him leave.' For it is an obstinate household."

Then said I, "O LORD God: Behold, my soul was yet never stained, for from my youth up to this hour. I did never eat of a dead carcass, or that which was slain of wild beasts, neither came there ever any unclean flesh in my mouth."

And burn the third part thereof in the fire in the midst of the city, and cut the other third part in pieces with a knife. As for the third part that remaineth, cast it in the wind, and then show the bare knife.

Yet afterward take a little of the same, and bind it in thy coat lap.

Moreover, thus said the LORD God, "This same is Jerusalem. I set her in the midst of the Heathen and nations that are round about her:

Therefore, thus sayeth the LORD God: Forsomuch as ye with your wickedness far exceed the Heathen that dwell round about you - For ye have not walked in my laws, neither have ye kept mine ordinances -

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God: I will also come upon thee, for in the midst of thee will I sit in judgment, in the sight of the Heathen,

Wherefore as truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, seeing thou hast defiled my Sanctuary with all manner of abominations and with all thy shameful offenses: For this cause will I also destroy thee. Mine eye shall not oversee thee, neither will I spare thee.

and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD God, O ye mountains of Israel: Thus hath the LORD God spoken to the mountains, hills, rivers, valleys and dales. Behold, I will bring a sword over you, and destroy your high places.

"Thee I call, O thou son of man. Thus sayeth the LORD God unto the land of Israel: The end cometh: yea, verily the end cometh upon all the four corners of the land.

"Thus sayeth the LORD God: Behold, one misery and plague shall come after another.

It happened that in the sixth year, the fifth day of the sixth Month, I sat in my house, and the lords of the counsel of Judah with me. And the hand of the LORD God fell even there upon me.

This similitude stretched out a hand, and took me by the hairy locks of my head, and the spirit lift me up betwixt heaven and earth: And God brought me in a vision to Jerusalem, into the court of the inward port that lieth toward the north. There stood an image, with whom he that hath all things in his power was very wroth.

And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was in the same place: even as I had seen it afore in the field.

And with that brought he me to the court gate: and when I looked, behold, there was a hole in the wall.

for the glory of God was gone away from the Cherub, and was come down to the threshold of the house. And he called the man that had the linen raiment upon him, and the writer's inkhorn by his side,

Yea and the sound of the Cherubims' wings was heard into the fore court, like as it had been the voice of the almighty God when he speaketh.

This is the beast that I saw under the God of Israel, by the water of Chebar. And I perceived, that it was the Cherubims.

Therefore, thus sayeth the LORD God: The slain men that ye have laid on the ground in this city, are the flesh, and this city is the cauldron: But I will bring you out of it.

Ye have drawn out the sword, even so will I also bring a sword over you, sayeth the LORD God.

Now when I preached, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, "O LORD God, wilt thou then utterly destroy all the remnant in Israel?"

Therefore tell them, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: I will send you far off among the Gentiles, and scatter you among the nations, and I will hallow you but a little, in the lands where ye shall come.'

Tell them also, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: I will gather you again out of the nations, and bring you from the countries where ye be scattered, and will give you the land of Israel again:

that ye may walk in my commandments, and keep mine ordinances, and do them. That ye may be my people, and I your God.

But look, whose hearts are disposed to follow their abominations and wicked livings: those men's deeds will I bring upon their own heads, sayeth the LORD God.'"

After this did the Cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels went with them, and the glory of God was upon them.

But the wind took me up, and in a vision which came by the spirit of God it brought me again into Chaldea among the prisoners. Then the vision that I had seen vanished away from me.

Then tell them, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: This punishment toucheth the chief rulers at Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel, that dwell among them.

The chiefest that is among you, shall lade his shoulders in the dark, and get him away. He shall break down the wall, to carry stuff therethrough: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.

And unto the people of the land, speak thou on this manner: 'Thus sayeth the LORD God to them that dwell in Jerusalem, and to the land of Israel: Ye shall eat your bread with sorrow, and drink your water with heaviness. Yea, the land with the fullness thereof shall be laid waste, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

Tell them therefore, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: I will make that byword to cease, so that it shall no more be commonly used in Israel.' But say this unto them, 'The days are at hand, that everything which hath been prophesied, shall be fulfilled.

For it is I, the LORD, that speak it: and whatsoever I, the LORD, speak, it shall be performed, and not be slacken in coming. Yea even in your days, O ye froward household, will I devise something and bring it to pass, sayeth the LORD God.'"

Thus sayeth the LORD God: Woe be unto those foolish prophets that follow their own spirit, and speak where they see nothing.

Therefore, thus sayeth the LORD God. Because your words be vain, and ye seek out lies: Behold, I will upon you, sayeth the LORD.

Mine hands shall come upon the prophets that look out vain things and preach lies: they shall not be in the council of my people, nor written in the book of the house of Israel, neither shall they come in the land of Israel: that ye may know how that I am the LORD God.

Therefore, thus sayeth the LORD God: I will break out in my wrathful displeasure with a stormy wind, so that in mine anger there shall come a mighty shower of rain and hailstones in my wrath, to destroy withal.

These are the prophets of Israel, which prophesy unto the city of Jerusalem, and look out visions of peace for them, whereas no peace is, sayeth the LORD God.'

and say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Woe be unto you, that sew pillows under all armholes, and bolsters under the heads both of young and old, to catch souls withal. For when ye have gotten the souls of my people in your captivity, ye promise them life,

Wherefore thus sayeth the LORD God: Behold, I will also upon the pillows, wherewith ye catch the souls in flying: them will I take from your arms, and let the souls go, that ye catch in flying.

Therefore speak unto them, and say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Every man of the house of Israel that beareth his Idols in his heart, purposing to stumble in his own wickedness, and cometh to a prophet, to enquire anything at me by him: unto that man will I the LORD myself give answer, according to the multitude of his idols:

Wherefore, tell the house of Israel, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Be converted, forsake your idols, and turn your faces from all your abominations.

that the house of Israel be led no more from me through error, and be no more defiled in their wickedness: but that they may be my people, and I their God, sayeth the LORD God.'"

And though Noah, Daniel and Job these three men were among them, yet shall they in their righteousness deliver but their own souls, sayeth the LORD God.

if these three men also were in the land, as truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, they shall save neither sons nor daughters, but be only delivered themselves: and as for the land, it shall be waste.

and if these three men were therein: As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only be saved themselves.

and if Noah, Daniel and Job were therein: as truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but save their own souls in their righteousness.

Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD God: Though I send my four troublous plagues upon Jerusalem - the sword, hunger, perilous beasts, and pestilence, to destroy man and beast out of it -

They shall comfort you, when ye see their way and works: and ye shall know how that it is not without a cause, that I have done so against Jerusalem, as I did, sayeth the LORD God.

And therefore thus sayeth the LORD God: Like as I cast the vine into the fire for to be burnt, as other trees of the wood: Even so will I do with them that dwell in Jerusalem,

and make the Land waste, because they have sore offended, sayeth the LORD God.

and say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God unto Jerusalem: Thy progeny and kindred came out of the land of Canaan, thy father was an Amorite, thy mother a Hittite.

In the day of thy birth when thou wast born, the string of thy navel was not cut off; thou wast not bathed in water to make thee clean; thou wast neither rubbed with salt, nor swaddled in clouts;

Now when I went by thee, and looked upon thee: behold, thy time was come; yea, even the time to vow thee. Then spread I my clothes over thee, to cover thy dishonesty: Yea, I made an oath unto thee, and married myself with thee, sayeth the LORD God; and so thou becamest mine own.

Insomuch, that thy beauty was spoken of among the Heathen, for thou wast excellent in my beauty, which I put upon thee, sayeth the LORD God.

My meat which I gave thee, as simnels, oil and honey to feed thee withal, that hast thou set before them, for a sweet savour. And this came also to pass, sayeth the LORD God.

How should I circumcise thine heart, sayeth the LORD God, seeing thou doest all these things, thou precious whore?

Thus sayeth the LORD God: Forsomuch as thou hast spent thy money, and discovered thy shame - through thy whoredom with all thy lovers, and with all the Idols of thy abominations, in the blood of thy children whom thou hast given them -

Seeing thou rememberest not the days of thy youth, but hast provoked me to wrath in all these things? Behold therefore, I will bring thine own ways upon thine head, sayeth the LORD God: howbeit, I never did unto thee, according to thy wickedness and all thy abominations.

As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, Sodom thy sister with her daughters hath not done so evil as thou and thy daughters.

Neither hath Samaria done half of thy sins. Yea, thou hast exceeded them in wickedness: Insomuch that in comparison of all the abominations which thou hast done, thou hast made thy sisters good women.

For thus sayeth the LORD God: I should, by right, deal with thee, as thou hast done. Thou hast despised the oath, and broken the covenant.

That thou mayest think upon it, be ashamed, and excuse thine own confusion no more: when I have forgiven thee all that thou hast done, sayeth the LORD God.'"

and say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: There came a great Eagle with great wings; yea, with mighty long wings, full of feathers of divers colours; upon the mount of Lebanon, and took a branch from a Cedar tree,

Nevertheless it was planted upon a good ground beside great waters: so that by reason it should have brought out branches and fruit, and have been a goodly vine.'

Speak thou therefore, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Shall this vine prosper? Shall not his roots be plucked out, his fruit be broken off, his green branches wither and fade away? Yea without either strong armies or many people, shall it be plucked up by the roots.

As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, he shall die at Babylon: in the place where the king dwelleth, that made him king, whose oath he hath despised, and whose covenant he hath broken.

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God: As truly as I live, I will bring mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, upon his own head.

"'Thus sayeth the LORD God: I will also take a branch from a high Cedar tree, and will set it, and take the uppermost twig, that yet is but tender, and plant it upon a high hill:

As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, ye shall use this byword no more in Israel.

he walketh in my commandments, and keepeth my laws, and performeth them faithfully: This is a righteous man, he shall surly live, sayeth the LORD God.

"If he now get a son, that is a murderer, a shedder of blood: if he do one of these things

Now if this man get a son also, that seeth all his father's sins, which he hath done, and feareth, neither doth such like:

"As for me, I will judge every man, according to his ways, O ye house of Israel, sayeth the LORD God. Wherefore be converted, and turn you clean from all your wickedness, so shall there no sin do you harm.

Seeing I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, sayeth the LORD God; Turn you then, and ye shall live."

"Thou son of man: speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Are ye come hither to ask anything at me? As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God,

I will give you no answer.' Wilt thou not reprove them, thou son of man? Wilt thou not reprove them? Show them the abominations of their forefathers, and tell them: 'Thus sayeth the LORD God:

"'In the day when I chose Israel, and lift up mine hand upon the seed of the house of Jacob, and showed myself unto them in the land of Egypt; Yea, when I lift up mine hand over them, and said, 'I am the LORD your God,'

Then said I unto them, 'Cast away every man the abominations that he hath before him, and defile not yourselves with the Idols of Egypt, for I am the LORD your God.'

for I am the LORD your God. But walk in my statutes; keep my laws and do them;

Wherefore I gave them also commandments that were not good, and laws through the which they should not live,

"Therefore, O thou son of man, tell the house of Israel, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Beside all this, your forefathers have yet blasphemed me more, and greatly offended against me.

Wherefore, speak unto the house of Israel, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Ye are even as unclean as your forefathers, and commit whoredom also with their abominations.

In all your idols, whereunto ye bring your oblations, and to whose honour ye burn your children: ye defile yourselves, even unto this day. How dare ye then come, and ask any question at me? O ye household of Israel: As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, ye get no answer of me.

"'As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, I myself will rule you with a mighty hand, with a stretched out arm, and with indignation poured out over you;

Like as I punished your forefathers in the wilderness, so will I punish you also, sayeth the LORD God.

Go now then, sayeth the LORD God: ye house of Israel, cast away, and destroy every man his Idols. Then shall ye hear me, and no more blaspheme my holy name with your offerings and Idols.

and say to the wood toward the south, 'Hear the word of the LORD, thus sayeth the LORD God: Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, that shall consume thee green trees with the dry. No man shall be able to quench his flame, but all that looketh from the south to the north shall be burnt therein.

'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Behold, I will upon thee, and will draw my sword out of the sheath, and root out of thee both the righteous and the wicked.

And if they say, 'Wherefore mournest thou?' Then tell them, 'For the tidings that cometh, at the which all hearts shall melt, all hands shall be letten down, all stomachs shall faint, and all knees shall wax feeble.' Behold, it cometh, and shall be fulfilled, sayeth the LORD God.'"

"Thou son of man, prophesy and speak, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: speak, the sword is sharpened and well scoured.

He hath put his sword to the dighting, that good hold may be taken of it. This sword is sharpened and dight, that it may be given into the hand of the manslayer.'

And what a trial shall this be, when even my scepter shall be reproved? That shall not be, sayeth the LORD God.

Get thee to some place alone, either upon the righthand or on the left, whithersoever thy face turneth.

Therefore sayeth the LORD God: Forsomuch as ye yourselves show your offense, and have opened your wickedness, so that in all your works men may see your sins: Yea in so much, I say, that ye yourselves have made mention thereof, ye shall be taken by violence.