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?

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

Should I make my wrath to be still, take my jealousy from thee, be content, and no more to be displeased?

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.

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.'

But he fell from him, and sent his Ambassadors into Egypt that he might have horses and much people. Should that prosper? Should he be kept safe, that doth such things? Or should he escape, that breaketh his covenant?

And yet say ye, 'Wherefore then should not this son bear his father's sin?' Therefore, because the son hath done equity and right, hath kept all my commandments and done them: therefore shall he live indeed.

For I desire not the death of a sinner, saith the Lord Jehovah, but rather that he should turn from his way, and live.

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.

But I would not do it, for my name's sake: that it should not be unhallowed before the Heathen, among whom they dwelt, and among whom I showed myself unto them, that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt.

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.

Yet I would not do it, for my name's sake: lest it should be dishonored before the Heathen, from the which I had carried them away.

Nevertheless, I withdrew my hand for my name's sake, lest it should be unhallowed among the Heathen, before whom I had brought them forth.

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

"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.

And I sought in the land for a man, that would make up the hedge, and set himself in the gap before me in the lands behalf, that I should not utterly destroy it: but I could find none.

And therefore have I letten her pour her blood upon a plain dry stony rock, because it should not be hid, and that I might bring my wrathful indignation and vengeance upon her.

Should not they then lie also among the worthies, and uncircumcised Giants which with their weapons are gone down to hell? Whose swords are laid under their heads, whose wickedness is upon their bones, because that as worthies they have brought fear in to the land of the living.

"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?'

"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?

Thus sayeth the LORD God: Thou art he, of whom I have spoken afore time by my servants the prophets of Israel; which prophesied, in those days and years, that I should bring thee upon them.

His sight to look upon was like the first, that I saw, when I went in, what time as the city should have been destroyed: and like the vision that I saw by the water of Chebar. Then fell I upon my face,

Should they be set and ordained to minister under the doors of the house of my Sanctuary? And to do service in the house: to slay burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people; to stand before them, and to serve them;

Should I use them to be porters of the house, and to all the service that is done therein?

Part it indifferently unto one as unto another: of the which land I swore unto your fathers, that it should fall to your inheritance.