Judgment On Evil Rulers

11 And the Spirit lifted me up, and it brought me to the eastern gate, the one facing east, of the templea of Yahweh. And look, there were twenty-five men in the doorway of the gate, and I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur in the midst of them, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, the commanders of the people. 2 And he said to me, “Son of man,b these are the men ⌊who devise mischief⌋,c and who are offering bad counsel in this city, 3 who are saying, ‘The building of houses is not near; the city is the pot, and we are the flesh.’ 4 Therefore prophesy against them! Prophesy, son of man!”d

5 And the Spirit of Yahweh fell on me, and he said to me, “Say, ‘thus says Yahweh: “This is what you think, house of Israel, and I myself know them,e the thoughts of your spirit. 6 You made your slain ones numerous in this city, and you have filled its streets with slain ones.” ’f 7 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Your slain ones whom you put in its midst, they are the flesh, and it is the pot, and Ig will bring you out from its midst. 8 The sword you have feared, and the sword I will bring against you!” ⌊declares⌋h the Lord Yahweh. 9 “And I will bring you out from its midst, and I will give you into the hand of strangers, and I will execute judgments against you. 10 By the sword you will fall at the border of Israel; I will judge you, and you will know that I am Yahweh. 11 It will not be as a pot to you, and so you would bei in the midst of it as flesh, for at the border of Israel I will judge you. 12 And you will know that I am Yahweh, whosej rules you did not follow, and whosek regulations you did not do, but according to the regulations of the nations that are around you, you acted.” ’l

13 And it happened that ⌊as I was prophesying⌋,m Pelatiahu the son of Benaiahu died! And I fell on my face, and I cried with a loud voice, and I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh, you are making a complete destruction of the remnant of Israel!”