and as it were the likeness of four beasts: which were fashioned like a man,

Their legs were straight; But their feet were like bullock's feet, and they glistered, as it had been fair scoured metal.

And the similitude of the beasts and the fashion of them was as burning coals of fire and as fire brands, walking between the beasts. And the fire did shine, and out of the fire proceeded lightning.

The fashion and the work of the wheels was like the sea. The four wheels were joined and made, to look upon, as it had been one wheel in another.

Above over the heads of the beasts there was a firmament, which was fashioned as it had been of the most pure Crystal, and that was spread out above upon their heads:

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.

Above the firmament that was over their heads, there was the fashion of a seat, as it had been made of Sapphire. Upon the seat there sat one like a man.

I beheld him, and he was like a clear light, as it had been all of fire within from his loins upward. And beneath when I looked upon him under the loins, methought he was like a shining fire, that giveth light on every side.

And as he was communing with me, the spirit came in to me, and set me up upon my feet: so that I marked the thing, that he said unto me.

that whether they be obedient or no - for it is a froward household - they may know yet that there hath been a Prophet among them.

"Therefore, thou son of man, fear them not; neither be afraid of their words: for they shall rebel against thee, and despise thee. Yea, thou shalt dwell among scorpions. But fear not their words, be not abashed at their looks: for it is a froward household.

Therefore, thou son of man, obey thou all things, that I say unto thee, and be not thou stiffnecked, like as they are a stiffnecked household. Open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee."

So as I was looking up, behold, there was sent unto me a hand, wherein was a closed book:

Not to many nations which have divers speeches and hard languages, whose words thou understandest not. Nevertheless, if I sent thee to those people, they would follow thee:

"Now if a righteous man go from his righteousness, and do the thing that is evil: I will lay a stumbling block before him, and he shall die, because thou hast not given him warning - Yea, die shall he in his own sin, so that the virtue which he did before shall not be thought upon, but his blood will I require of thine hand.

So when I had risen up, and gone forth into the field: Behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, like as I saw it afore, by the waters of Chebar. Then fell I down upon my face,

And I will make thy tongue cleave so to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and not be as a chider with them: for it is an obstinate household.

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."

how it is besieged, how bulwarks and strong ditches are graven on every side of it. Describe also the tents, and a host of men round about it.

And he said unto me, "Behold thou son of man, I will minish all the provision of bread in Jerusalem, so that they shall weigh their bread, and eat it with scarceness. But as for water, they shall have a very little measure thereof, to drink.

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.

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 -

and will handle thee of such a fashion as I never did before, and as I never will do from that time forth, and that because of all thine abominations.

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 they that escape from you, shall think upon me among the Heathen, where they shall be in captivity. As for that whorish and unfaithful heart of theirs, wherewith they run away from me, I will break it: Yea, and put out those eyes of theirs, that committed fornication with their idols. Then shall they be ashamed, and displeased with their selves, for the wickedness and abominations, which they have done:

and shall learn to know how that it is not in vain, that I, the LORD, spake to bring such misery upon them.'"

Whoso is far off, shall die of the pestilence; he that is nigh at hand shall perish with the sword; and the others that are besieged shall die of hunger. Thus will I satisfy my wrathful displeasure upon them.

The end is here: The end, I say, that waiteth for thee is come already.

The hour is come against thee that dwellest in the land. The time is at hand; the day of sedition is hard by: and no glad tidings upon the mountains.

Behold: the day is here, the day is come, the hour is run out, the rod flourisheth, willfulness waxeth green,

malicious violence is grown up, and the ungodly waxen to a staff. None of them shall remain over, none of their riches, not one of their seed: and no lamentation shall be made for them.

The time cometh, the day draweth nigh. Whoso buyeth, let him not rejoice: he that selleth, let him not be sorry. For why? Trouble shall come in the midst of all rest:

The sword shall be without; pestilence and hunger within: so that whoso is in the field shall be slain with the sword; and he that is in the city shall perish with hunger and pestilence.

"And such as escape and flee from among them, shall be upon the hills, like as the doves in the field: every one shall be afraid, because of his own wickedness.

All hands shall be let down, and all knees shall be weak as the water;

their silver shall lie in the streets, and their gold shall be despised. Yea, their silver and gold may not deliver them in the day of the fearful wrath of the LORD. They shall not satisfy their hungry souls, neither fill their empty bellies therewith: For it is become their own decay through their wickedness:

"I will make clean riddance, for the land is whole defiled with unrighteous judgment of innocent blood, and the city is full of abominations.

And as I looked up, I saw as it were a likeness of fire from his loins downward, and from his loins upward it shined marvelous clear.

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

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?

kill and destroy both old man and young, maidens, children and wives. But as for those, that have the mark upon them: see that ye touch them not. And begin at my Sanctuary." Then they began at the elders, which were in the temple,

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.'

And behold, the man that had the linen raiment upon him, and the writer's inkhorn by his side, told all the matter how it happened, and said, "LORD, as thou hast commanded me, so have I done."

And as I looked, behold, in the firmament that was above the cherubims there appeared the similitude of a stool of sapphire upon them.

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.

yet unto the sight were they fashioned and like, as if one wheel had been in another.

and they were lifted up above. This is the beast, that I saw at the water of Chebar.

And the Cherubims flickered with their wings, and lift themselves up from the earth: so that I saw when they went, and the wheels with them. And they stood at the east side of the port that is in the house of the LORD. So the glory of the LORD was upon them.

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.

Every one had four faces, and every one four wings, and under their wings, as it were men's hands.

Now the figure of their faces was even as I had seen them, by the water of Chebar, and so was the countenance of them: Every one in his going went straight forward.

saying, 'Tush, there is no destruction at hand, let us build houses: this Jerusalem is the cauldron, and we be the flesh.'

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.

that ye may know that I am the LORD, in whose commandments ye have not walked, nor kept his laws: but have done after the customs of the Heathen, that lie round about you.'"

"Thou son of man: thy brethren, thy kinsfolk, and the whole house of Judah which dwell at Jerusalem, say, 'They be gone far from the LORD, but the land is given us in possession.'

And thither shall ye come. And as for all impediments, and all your abominations: I will take them away.

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.'"

Thy gear that thou hast made ready to flit withal, shalt thou bear out by fair daylight, that they may see: and thou thyself shalt go forth also at even in their sight, as a man doth when he goeth forth to flight.

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."

Now as the Lord commanded me, so I did: the gear that I had made ready, brought I out by day. At even I brake down a hole through the wall with my hand: and when it was dark, I took the gear upon my shoulders and bare them out in their sight.

Tell them I am your show-token: like as I have done, so shall it happen unto you. Flit shall ye also, and go into captivity.

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.

As for all his helpers, and all his Hosts that be about him, I will scatter them toward all the winds, and draw out a sword after them.

"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.'

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.'"

"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.'

So shall the wall come down. Shall it not then be said unto you, 'Where is now the mortar, that ye daubed it withal?'

As for the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, I will break it down: make it even with the ground, so the foundation thereof shall remove, and it shall fall. Yea, and ye yourselves shall perish in the midst thereof: to learn you for to know, that I am the LORD.

Thus will I perform my wrath upon this wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered mortar, and then will I say unto you: The wall is gone, and the daubers are away.

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.'

Seeing that with your lies ye discomfort the heart of the righteous, whom I have not discomforted: Again, forsomuch as ye courage the hand of the wicked, so that he may not turn from his wicked way, and live:

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.

yet shall there be a remnant saved therein, which shall bring forth their sons and daughters. Behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way, and what they take in hand, and ye shall be comforted, as touching all the plagues that I have brought upon Jerusalem.

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.

Behold, it is cast into the fire to be burnt; the fire consumeth both the ends of it, the midst is burnt to ashes. Is it mete then for any work? No.

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,

No man regarded that so much, as to do any of these things for thee, or to show thee such favour, but thou wast utterly cast out upon the field: yea, despised wast thou in the day of thy birth.

So I planted thee, as the blossom of the field. Thou art grown up, and waxen great: thou hast gotten a marvelous pleasant beauty, thy breasts are come up, thy hair is goodly grown; whereas thou wast naked and bare afore.

Yea, thou hast taken thy garments of divers colors, and decked thine altars therewith, whereupon thou mightest fulfill thine whoredom, of such a fashion as never was done, nor shall be.

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.

Thou hast taken thine own sons and daughters, whom thou hast begotten unto me: and these hast thou offered up to them, to be their meat. Is this but a small whoredom of thine, thinkest thou,

Building thy stews at the head of every street, and thy brothel houses in all places? Thou hast not been as another whore, that maketh boast of her winning;

but as a wife that breaketh wedlock, and taketh other instead of her husband.

It is come to pass with thee in thy whoredoms, contrary to the use of other women: yea, there hath no such fornication been committed after thee, seeing that thou profferest gifts unto other, and no regard is given thee. This is a contrary thing.

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 -

Moreover, I will judge thee as a breaker of wedlock and a murderer, and recompense thee thine own blood in wrath and jealousy.

"'Behold, all they that use common proverbs, shall use this proverb also against thee: 'Like mother, like daughter.'

Thou art even thy mother's own daughter, that hath cast off her husband and her children. Yea, thou art the sister of thy sisters, which forsook their husbands and their children. Your mother is a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.

Thine eldest sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell upon thy left hand. But thy youngest sister that dwelleth on thy righthand, is Sodom and her daughters.

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.

As for their captivity, namely the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, the captivity of Samaria and her daughters: I will bring them again. So will I also bring again thy captivity among them:

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.

He took also a branch of the land, and planted it in a fruitful ground, he brought it unto great waters, and set it as a willow tree thereby.

Behold, it was planted: shall it prosper therefore? Shall it not be dried up and withered, yea even in the shooting out of his blossoms, as soon as the east wind bloweth?'"

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.