Ezekiel 11:1–13

VISION OF ISRAEL’S CORRUPT LEADERS

11The Spirit then lifted me up^j and brought me to the eastern gate of the Lord’s house, which faces east, and at the gate’s entrance were twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur, and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. ²The Lord^A said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil^k and give wicked advice in this city. ³They are saying, ‘Isn’t the time near to build houses?^Bl The city is the pot,^m and we are the meat.’ ⁴Therefore, prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man!”

⁵Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and he told me, “You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord says: That is what you are thinking, house of Israel; and I know the thoughts that arise in your mind.^{n 6}You have multiplied your slain in this city,^o filling its streets with them.

⁷“ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: The slain you have put within it are the meat,^p and the city is the pot, but I^A will take you out of it.^{q 8}You fear the sword,^r so I will bring the sword against you.^s This is the declaration of the Lord God. ⁹I will take you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners; I will execute judgments against you.^{t 10}You will fall by the sword,^u and I will judge you at the border of Israel.^v Then you will know that I am the Lord. ¹¹The city will not be a pot for you,^w and you will not be the meat within it. I will judge you at the border of Israel, ¹²so you will know that I am the Lord, whose statutes you have not followed and whose ordinances you have not practiced. Instead, you have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you.’ ”^x

¹³Now while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died.^y Then I fell facedown and cried out loudly, “Oh, Lord God!^z You are bringing the remnant of Israel to an end!”