I am the LORD your God: walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them;

and make my Sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.'

Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should not live;

"Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

"Therefore tell the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? And do you play the prostitute after their abominations?

And when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? And shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you;

As I live," says the Lord GOD, "surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you:

Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you," says the Lord GOD.

"'As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: "Go, serve everyone his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts, and with your idols.

For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel," says the Lord GOD, "there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things.

You shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel," says the Lord GOD.'"

and tell the forest of the South, 'Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burnt thereby.

Then I said, "Ah Lord GOD. They say of me, 'Isn't he a speaker of parables?'"

and tell the land of Israel, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am against you, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.

Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the Negev to the north:

It shall be, when they tell you, 'Why do you sigh?' that you shall say, 'Because of the news, for it comes; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord GOD.'"

For there is a trial; and what if even the rod that condemns shall be no more?" says the Lord GOD.

"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear; because you have come to memory, you shall be taken with the hand.

thus says the Lord GOD: "Remove the turban, and take off the crown; this shall be no more the same; exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high."

"You, son of man, prophesy, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach; and say, "A sword, a sword is drawn, for the slaughter it is furbished, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning;

You shall say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "A city that sheds blood in the midst of her, that her time may come, and that makes idols against herself to defile her.

In you have they taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,' says the Lord GOD.

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.

Her officials in its midst are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.

Her prophets have plastered for them with whitewash, seeing false visions, and divining lies to them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' when the LORD has not spoken.

Therefore have I poured out my indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I brought on their heads, says the Lord GOD."

"Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side:

"'For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will deliver you into the hand of them whom you hate, into the hand of them from whom your soul is alienated;

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'You will drink of your sister's cup, which is deep and large; you will be ridiculed and held in derision; it contains much.

You shall even drink it and drain it out, and you shall gnaw the broken pieces of it, and shall tear your breasts; for I have spoken it,' says the Lord GOD.

"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have forgotten me, and cast me behind your back, therefore you also bear your lewdness and your prostitution.'"

"For thus says the Lord GOD: 'I will bring up a company against them, and will give them to be tossed back and forth and robbed.

They shall recompense your lewdness on you, and you shall bear the sins of your idols; and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.'"

Utter a parable to the rebellious house, and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Set on the caldron, set it on, and also pour water into it:

gather its pieces into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Woe to the bloody city, to the caldron whose rust is therein, and whose rust is not gone out of it. Take out of it piece after piece; No lot is fallen on it.

"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Woe to the bloody city. I also will make the pile great.

I, the LORD, have spoken it: it shall happen, and I will do it: I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to your ways, and according to your doings, shall they judge you,' says the Lord GOD."

'Speak to the house of Israel, "Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind shall fall by the sword.

Thus Ezekiel shall be a sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD."'"

and tell the children of Ammon, 'Hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus says the Lord GOD, "Because you said, 'Aha,' against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was made desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity:

For thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have clapped your hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced with all the despite of your soul against the land of Israel;

therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand on you, and will deliver you for a spoil to the nations; and I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish out of the countries: I will destroy you; and you shall know that I am the LORD."'"

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because Moab and Seir say, "Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations";

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended, and revenged himself on them';

therefore thus says the Lord GOD, 'I will stretch out my hand on Edom, and will cut off man and animal from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; even to Dedan shall they fall by the sword.

I will lay my vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel; and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath; and they shall know my vengeance, says the Lord GOD.'"

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with despite of soul to destroy with perpetual enmity;

therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will stretch out my hand on the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.

"Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, 'Aha, she is broken: the gate of the peoples; she is turned to me; I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste':

therefore thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I am against you, Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up.'

She shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea; for I have spoken it," says the Lord GOD; "and she shall become a spoil to the nations.

"For thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will bring on Tyre Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and a company, and many people.

I will make you a bare rock; you shall be a place for the spreading of nets; you shall be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it,' says the Lord GOD.

"Thus says the Lord GOD to Tyre: 'Shall not the islands shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when the slaughter is made in the midst of you?

"For thus says the Lord GOD: 'When I shall make you a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep on you, and the great waters shall cover you;

I will make you a terror, and you shall no more have any being; though you are sought for, yet you will never be found again,' says the Lord GOD."

and tell Tyre, 'You who dwell at the entry of the sea, who are the merchant of the peoples to many islands, thus says the Lord GOD: "You, Tyre, have said, 'I am perfect in beauty.'

"Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, 'I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas'; yet you are man, and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God?

therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have set your heart as the heart of God,

Will you yet say before him who kills you, 'I am God?' But you are man, and not God, in the hand of him who wounds you.

You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it," says the Lord GOD.'"

"Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and tell him, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "You seal up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, emerald, chrysolite, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and beryl. Gold work of tambourines and of pipes was in you. In the day that you were created they were prepared.

You were the anointed cherub who covers: and I set you, so that you were on the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

By the abundance of your traffic they filled the midst of you with violence, and you have sinned: therefore I have cast you as profane out of the mountain of God; and I have destroyed you, covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against you, Sidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of you;" and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.

"'There shall be no more a pricking brier to the house of Israel, nor a hurting thorn of any that are around them, that scorned them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.'

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then shall they dwell in their own land which I gave to my servant Jacob.

They shall dwell securely therein; yes, they shall build houses, and plant vineyards, and shall dwell securely, when I have executed judgments on all those who do them despite all around them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.'"

Speak and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster that lies in the midst of his rivers, that has said, 'My river is my own, and I have made it for myself.'

"'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I will bring a sword on you, and will cut off man and animal from you.

"'For thus says the Lord GOD: "At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were scattered;

It shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing iniquity to memory, when they turn to look after them: and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD."'"

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.

I have given him the land of Egypt as his recompense for which he served, because they worked for me,' says the Lord GOD.

"Son of man, prophesy, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Wail, 'Alas for the day.'

"Thus says the LORD: 'They also who uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Seveneh shall they fall in it by the sword,' says the Lord GOD.

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease, by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease from Memphis; and there shall be no more a prince from the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.

I will pour my wrath on Sin, the stronghold of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No.

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong arm, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.

The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it; the fir trees were not like its boughs, and the plane trees were not as its branches; nor was any tree in the garden of God like it in its beauty.

I made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied it.'

"Therefore thus said the Lord GOD: 'Because you are exalted in stature, and he has set his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;

Strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: on the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the watercourses of the land; and all the peoples of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him.

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'In the day when he went down to Sheol I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained its rivers; and the great waters were stayed; and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.

To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth: you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,' says the Lord GOD."

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'I will spread out my net on you with a company of many peoples; and they shall bring you up in my net.

All the bright lights of the sky will I make dark over you, and set darkness on your land, says the Lord GOD.

"For thus says the Lord GOD: 'The sword of the king of Babylon shall come on you.

Then will I make their waters clear, and cause their rivers to run like oil,' says the Lord GOD.

This is the lamentation with which they shall lament; the daughters of the nations shall lament therewith; over Egypt, and over all her multitude, shall they lament therewith,' says the Lord GOD."

"Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword," says the Lord GOD.

"For I have put his terror in the land of the living; and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude," says the Lord GOD.

Tell them, 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?'

Therefore tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood: and shall you possess the land?

"You shall tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him who is in the open field will I give to the animals to be devoured; and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and tell them, even to the shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves. Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep?

'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely because my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn't feed my sheep';