Vision of Israel’s Corrupt Leaders

11 The Spirit then lifted me up c and brought me to the eastern gate of the Lord’s house, which faces east, and at the gate’s entrance were 25 men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur, and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, leaders of the people. 2 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plan evil d and give wicked advice in this city. 3 They are saying, ‘Isn’t the time near to build houses? e f The city is the pot, g and we are the meat.’ 4 Therefore, prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man!”

5 Then 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. h 6 You have multiplied your slain in this city, i filling its streets with the dead.

7 “Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: The slain you have put within it are the meat, j and the city is the pot, but I k will remove you from it. l 8 You fear the sword, m so I will bring the sword against you.” n This is the declaration of the Lord God. 9 “I will bring you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners; I will execute judgments against you. o 10 You will fall by the sword, p and I will judge you at the border of Israel. q Then you will know that I am * Yahweh. 11 The city will not be a pot for you, r and you will not be the meat within it. I will judge you at the border of Israel, 12 so you will know that I am Yahweh, 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.” s

13 Now while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. t Then I fell facedown and cried out with a loud voice: “Oh, Lord God! u Will You bring to an end the remnant of Israel?”

Promise of Israel’s Restoration

14 The word of the Lord came to me again: 15 “Son of man, your own relatives, those who have the right to redeem you, v w and the entire house of Israel, all of them, are those that the residents of Jerusalem have said this to, ‘Stay away from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.’

16 “Therefore say: This is what the Lord God says: Though I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them x in the countries where they have gone.

17 “Therefore say: This is what the Lord God says: I will gather you from the peoples y and assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.

18 “When they arrive there, they will remove all its z detestable things a and practices from it. 19 And I will give them one heart b and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone c from their bodies d and give them a heart of flesh, e 20 so they may follow My statutes, f keep My ordinances, and practice them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God. g 21 But as for those whose hearts pursue their desire for detestable things and practices, I will bring their actions down on their own heads.” h This is the declaration of the Lord God.

God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem

22 Then the * cherubim, with the wheels beside them, lifted their wings, i and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23 The glory of the Lord j rose up from within the city and stood on the mountain k east of the city. l m 24 The Spirit lifted me up n and brought me to Chaldea and to the exiles in a vision from the Spirit of God. After the vision I had seen left me, 25 I spoke to the exiles about all the things the Lord had shown me.