And he said, "Behold, thou son of man: I will send thee to the children of Israel, to those renegades and obstinate people - for they have taken part against me, and are run away from me: both they and their forefathers unto this day.

After this said he unto me, "Thou son of man, eat that, whatsoever it be: Yea, eat that closed book, and go thy way, and speak unto the children of Israel."

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.

For I send thee not to a people that hath a strange, unknown, or hard speech, but unto the house of Israel;

But the house of Israel will not follow thee, for they will not follow me. Yea, all the house of Israel have stiff foreheads, and hard hearts.

"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.

Moreover, take an iron pan, and set it betwixt thee and the city instead of an iron wall. Then set thy face toward it, besiege it, and lay ordinance against it, to win it. This shall be a token unto the house of Israel.

But thou shalt sleep upon thy left side, and lay the sin of the house of Israel upon thee. Certain days appointed, thou shalt sleep upon that side, and bear their sins.

Nevertheless, I will appoint thee a time to put out their sins and the number of the days: Three hundred and ninety days must thou bear the wickedness of the house of Israel.

And with that said the LORD, "Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread in the midst of the Gentiles, among whom I will scatter them."

Then take a courtesy of it, and cast it in the midst of the fire: and burn it in the fire. Out of the same fire shall there go a flame upon the whole house of Israel."

"Thou son of man, turn thy face to the mountains of Israel, that thou mayest prophesy unto them,

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.

And the dead carcasses of the children of Israel will I cast before their images, your bones will I straw round about your altars and dwelling places.

The LORD said moreover unto me, "Smite thy hands together, and stamp with thy feet, and say, 'Woe worth all the abominations and wickednesses of the house of Israel, for because of them they shall perish with the sword, with hunger and with pestilence.

"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.

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 he said furthermore unto me, "Thou son of man, seest thou what these do? Seest thou the great abominations that the house of Israel commit in this place? Which ought not to be done in my sanctuary: But turn thee about, and thou shalt see yet greater abominations."

So I went in, and saw: and behold, there were all manner of images of worms and beasts, all Idols and abominations of the house of Israel painted every which one round about the wall.

There stood also before the images: Seventy lords of the counsel of the house of Israel; and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. And every one of them had a censor in his hand, and out of the incense there went a smoke, as it had been a cloud.

Then said he unto me, "Thou son of man, hast thou seen what the Senators of the house of Israel do secretly, everyone in his chamber? For they say, 'Tush, the LORD seeth us not, the LORD regardeth not the world.'"

And he said unto me, "Hast thou seen this thou son of man? Thinketh the house of Israel that it is but a trifle to do these abominations here? Should they fill the land full of wickedness, and undertake to provoke me unto anger? Yea, and purposely to cast up their noses upon me?

Now when they had done the slaughter, and I yet escaped: I fell down upon my face, and cried saying, "O LORD, wilt thou then destroy all the residue of Israel, in thy sore displeasure, that thou hast poured upon Jerusalem?"

Then said he unto me, "The wickedness of the house of Israel and Judah is very great: so that the land is full of blood, and the city full of unfaithfulness. For they say, 'Tush, the LORD regardeth not the earth, he seeth us not.'

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.

And with that fell the spirit of the LORD upon me, and said unto me, "Speak, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: On this manner have ye spoken, O ye house of Israel, and I know the imaginations of your hearts.

Ye shall be slain in all the coasts of Israel. I will be avenged of you: to learn you for to know that I am the LORD.

This city shall not be your cauldron, neither shall ye be the flesh therein: but in the coasts of Israel will I punish you,

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?"

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:

As for thyself, thou shalt go forth in the dark. Hide thy face that thou see not the earth, for I have made thee a show-token unto the house of Israel."

"Thou son of man, if Israel, that froward household, ask thee and say, 'What doest thou there?'

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.

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.

"Thou son of man, what manner of byword is that, which ye use in the land of Israel? Saying, 'Tush, seeing that the days are so slack in coming, all the visions are of none effect.'

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.

There shall no vision be in vain, neither any prophecy fail among the children of Israel:

"Behold, thou son of man: The house of Israel say in this manner, 'Tush, as for the vision that he hath seen, it will be many a day or it come to pass: It is far off yet, the thing that he prophesieth.'

"Thou son of man, speak prophecy against those prophets that preach in Israel: and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, 'Hear ye the word of the LORD.

O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes upon the dry field:

For they stand not in the gaps, neither made they a hedge for the house of Israel, that men might abide the peril in the day of 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.

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.'

There resorted unto me certain of the elders of Israel, and sat down by me.

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:

that the house of Israel may be snared in their own hearts, because they be clean gone from me, for their Idols' sakes.'

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

For every man, whether he be of the house of Israel, or a stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which departeth from me, and carrieth idols in his heart, purposing to go still stumbling in his own wickedness, and cometh to a Prophet, for to ask counsel at me through him: unto that man will I the LORD give answer, by mine own self.

And if that Prophet be deceived, when he telleth him a word: then I the LORD myself have deceived that Prophet, and will stretch forth mine hand upon him, to root him out of my people of Israel:

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.'"

"Thou son of man, put forth a dark speaking and a parable unto the house of Israel,

"What mean ye by this common proverb, that ye use in the land of Israel, saying, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'?

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

he eateth not upon the hills; he lifteth not his eyes up to the Idols of Israel; he defileth not his neighbour's wife; he meddleth with no menstruous woman;

Namely, he eateth not upon the mountains; he lifteth not his eyes up to the Idols of Israel; he defileth not his neighbour's wife;

But you will say, 'The way of the Lord is not equal.' Here I pray you, ye house of Israel. Is not my way equal?

And yet sayeth the house of Israel, 'Tush, the way of the LORD is not equal.' Are my ways unright, O ye house of Israel? Are not your ways rather unequal?

"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.

Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done: make you new hearts and a new spirit. Wherefore will ye die, O ye house of Israel?

But mourn thou for the princes of Israel,

So they bound him with chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: which put him in prison, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

In the seventh year, the tenth day of the fifth Month, it happened that certain of the elders of Israel came unto me, for to ask counsel at the LORD, and sat them down by me.

"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,

"'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,'

And yet the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They would not walk in my commandments; they have cast away my laws, which whoso keepeth should live in them; and my Sabbath days have they greatly unhallowed. Then I made me to pour out my indignation upon them, and to consume them in the wilderness.

"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.

The forsakers also and the transgressors will I take from among you, and bring them out of the land of your habitations: As for the land of Israel, they shall not come in it: that they may know how that I am the LORD.

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.

But upon my holy hill, even upon the high hill of Israel shall all the house of Israel and all that is in the land worship me: and in the same place will I favour them, and there will I require your heave offerings, and the firstlings of your oblations, with all your holy things.

And that ye may know, that I am the LORD, which have brought you into the land of Israel. Yea, into the same land that I swore to give unto your forefathers.

And ye shall know that I am the LORD: when I entreat you after my name, not after your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt works: O ye house of Israel, sayeth the LORD.'"

"Thou son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, speak against the Sanctuary, and prophesy against the land of Israel, say to the land of Israel,

Cry, O thou son of man, and howl: for this sword shall smite my people, and all the rulers in Israel, which with my people shall be slain down to the ground through this sword. Smite therefore thou upon thy thigh, for it is gone forth to make a trial.

O thou shameful wicked guide of Israel whose day is come, even the time that wickedness shall have an end:

Behold, the rulers of Israel have brought every man his power, to shed blood in thee.

"Thou son of man, the house of Israel is turned to dross. All they that should be brass, tin, iron and lead, are in the fire become dross.

'Tell the house of Israel, thus sayeth the LORD God: Behold, I will suspend my sanctuary: even the glory of your power, that pleasure of your eyes, and the thing that ye love: your sons and daughters whom ye have left, shall fall through the sword.

and say unto the Ammonites, 'Hear the word of the LORD God. Thus sayeth the LORD God: Forsomuch as thou speakest over my Sanctuary, 'Aha,' I trow it be now suspended; and over the land of Israel, I trow it be now desolate; yea, and over the house of Judah, I trow they be now led away prisoners.

For thus sayeth the LORD God: Insomuch as thou hast clapped with thine hands, and stamped with thy feet; yea, rejoiced in thine heart over the land of Israel with despite;

Through my people of Israel will I avenge me again upon Edom: they shall handle him, according to my wrath and indignation, so that they shall know my vengeance, sayeth the LORD God.

Judah and the land of Israel occupied with thee, and brought unto thy markets, wheat, balm, honey, oil and treacle.

She shall no more be a pricking thorn, and a hurting brier unto the house of Israel, nor unto them that lie round about her and hate her: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Thus sayeth the LORD God: When I gather the household of Israel together again from the nations among whom they be scattered: then shall I be sanctified in them in the sight of the Gentiles, and they shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob.

that all they which dwell in Egypt, may know, that I am the LORD: because thou hast been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.

that they shall no more rule the Heathen. They shall no more be a hope unto the house of Israel, neither provoke them any more to wickedness, to cause them turn back, and follow them: and they shall know, that I am the LORD God.'"

At the same time will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to grow forth, and open thy mouth again among them: that they may know how that I am the LORD."

And now, O thou son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: that whereas thou hearest anything out of my mouth, thou mayest warn them on my behalf.

"Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel. Yea, say thus, 'Our offenses and sins lie upon us, and we be corrupt in them: how should we then be restored unto life?'

Tell them, 'As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but much rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn you, turn you from your ungodly ways, O ye of the house of Israel. Oh, wherefore will ye die?'

Yet ye say, 'The way of the LORD is not equal.' O ye house of Israel, I will judge every one of you after his ways!'"

"Thou son of man, these that dwell in the wasted land of Israel say, 'Abraham was but one man, and he had the land in possession: now are we many, and the land is given us to possess also.'

For I will make the land desolate and waste, and the pomp of her strength shall come to an end. The mountains in Israel shall be so waste that no man shall travel thereby.

"Thou son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and speak unto them, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Woe be unto the shepherds of Israel, that feed themselves. Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

I will bring them out from all people, and gather them together out of all lands, I will bring them into their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the places of the country.

I will feed them in right good pastures, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their folds be. There shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed: even upon the mountains of Israel.

Thus shall they understand, that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, sayeth the LORD God.

Forsomuch as thou bearest an old enemy against the children of Israel, and with a cruel hand hast made them afraid, what time as they were troubled and punished for their sin:

Yea, and that thou also mayest be sure, that I the LORD have heard all thy despiteful words, which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, 'Lo, they are made waste, and given us to devour.'