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This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

EZK - Open English Translation—Readers’ Version (OET-RV) v0.0.13

ESFM v0.6 EZE

WORDTABLE OET-LV_OT_word_table.tsv

Yehezkel

(Ezekiel)

Introduction

Yehezkel priest long ago there to Yerushalem and one he of captured exiled there to Babylon of not yet snatched the Yerushalem, until snatched this of year(s) 586, of not yet born the messiah. Therefore there he nekeugpe of Babylon and became he prophet of fifth year(s) from capture he/his. The speech he/his for of that people captured there of Babylon and of that there to Yerushalem. The document of Yehezkel divided of hen‑em: 1.) The calling of God to Yehezkel as prophet; 2.) the warnings there to people concerning the punishment of God them, and of coming demolition of Yerushalem; 3.) the speeches of God concerning the punishment igpasalerep he/his of various nation migdeeg-deeg and victory of Israelis of sinning; 4.) the rooms comforting for of Israel of snatched e of enemies the Yerushalem, and the promise concerning the coming good living; 5.) the defeat of all enemy of Israel; 6.) the pegpahunsiling of Yehezkel of temple and of nation returned of living long ago here.

Large very the faith of Yehezkel, and malantip the his thoughts. Most of his thoughts, arrived by means of revelation. And/Now most of speeches he/his, shown by means of work there is/are meaning, and saw this of all. shown of Yehezkel the keimpurtanti of peg-new of heart and of spirit, and it’s necessary repent the each person of sins he/his himself. telling again Yehezkel concerning the hope of new living of Israel. And/Now as prophet and priest, there is/are large kabagget he/his for of temple, and of roomskeilanganen so that egkabecome_holy.

Main components of this document

The calling to Yehezkel as prophet 1:1-3:27

The speeches concerning the demolition of Yerushalem 4:1-24:27

God’s judgement of nations 25:1-32:32

God’s promise to his people 33:1-37:27

The bad prophecies concerning Gog 38:1-39:29

The revelation concerning the coming temple and nation 40:1-48:35

This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Yehezkel’s calling to be a prophet

1 (1:1–3:27)

1:1 Yahweh reveals himself

1 When I was thirty years old, on July 5th as I was living with the other captives by the Kevar Canal, the skies opened and I saw visions from God.[ref]

2 That was the fifth year since King Yoyakin (Jehoiachin) had been taken captive.[ref] 3 Yahweh’s message came to me, the priest Yehezkel (son of Buzi) in the land of the Chaldeans (often known better as Babylonians) by the Kevar Canal, and Yahweh revealed his strength to me there. 4 Then I looked, and there was a windstorm coming from the north—a huge cloud with lightning flashing inside it and brilliant light inside it and surrounding it, and fire inside the cloud made it appear as an amber colour. 5 In the middle was what seemed to be four living creatures resembling humans,[ref] 6 but each of them had four faces and four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, but they had hooves like calves that gleamed like polished bronze. 8 They had human hands under their wings on each of their four sides. For each of the four of them, 9 their wings were touching the wings of the next creature, and they didn’t turn as they went—rather each one went straight forward.

10 Their faces at the front were like a man’s face, then they each had a lion’s face on the right, a calf’s face on the left, and the fourth was an eagle’s face.[ref] 11 Their faces were like that, and their wings were spread out above, so that each creature had a pair of wings that touched another creature’s wing, and also a pair that covered their bodies. 12 Each went straight forward, so that wherever the spirit directed them to go, they went without turning.

13 The living creatures resembled burning coals or torches. Bright fire also moved around among the creatures, and there were flashes of lightning.[ref] 14 The living creatures moved rapidly swiftly back and forth, and they looked a bit like lightning.

15 Then I looked more closely and then I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of the living creatures with its four faces.[ref] 16 Each of the wheels was the same, and they all shone like chrysolite. Each wheel seemed to have one wheel inside the other wheel. 17 When they moved, they didn’t have to turn to change direction. 18 The rims of the wheels were awesomely tall, and all four of them were full of eyes around the rim.[ref] 19 Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the living creatures went upwards, the wheels also went up. 20 Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels went up beside them, because the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. 21 Whenever the creatures moved, the wheels also moved, and when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still. When the creatures went upwards, the wheels went up beside them, because the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

22 Above the living creatures was something like an awesome crystal dome stretched out over their heads.[ref] 23 Beneath the dome, each of the creatures’ wings stretched out straight and touched another creature’s wings. Each one also had a pair to cover his own body with. 24 Then I heard the sound of their wings which was like the noise of a lot of water. When they moved, it was ike the voice of the powerful one—like the sound of a rainstorm or an army. Whenever they stood still, they lowered their wings.[ref] 25 A voice came from under the dome that was above their heads, whenever they stopped and lowered their wings.

1:26 God’s throne

26 Above the dome over their heads was what looked like a sapphire stone that had been made into a throne, and on the thing like a throne was a something that appeared to be a man.[ref] 27 I saw a figure that appeared to have glowing metal with fire in it from his hips upwards, and looking downwards from his hips, I saw the appearance of fire and brightness all around.[ref] 28 The bright light surrounding the throne was like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day—tt was the appearance of the likeness of Yahweh’s splendour. When I saw it, I quickly knelt down and bowed my head to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking.

2:1 The making to Yehezkel prophet

2 He said to me, “Humanity’s child, stand up and then I’ll speak to you.” 2 Then as he spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and stood me up, and I heard him speaking to me. 3 He told me, “Humanity’s child, I’m sending you to Yisra’el’s people—two rebellious nations that have rebelled against me. Both they and their ancestors have been sinning against me right until this moment. 4 Their descendants are very stubborn and hard headed. I’m sending you to them, and you’ll tell them that this is what the master Yahweh is saying to them. 5 They might listen or might not. They’re a rebellious bunch, but they’ll at least know that a prophet has been among them.

6 And you, humanity’s child, don’t be afraid of them or their words. Don’t be afraid, even though you’re with briers and thorns and although you live with scorpions. Don’t fear their words or be dismayed by their faces, since they’re a rebellious bunch. 7 Pass my messages onto them, whether they listen or not, because they’re quite rebellious. 8 But you, humanity’s child, listen to what I am telling you. Don’t become rebellious like that rebellious bunch. Open your mouth and eat what I’m about to give to you.” 9 Then I looked and saw a hand extended out to me and it was holding a scroll with writing on it.[ref] 10 He spread it out in front of me—it had been written on both the front and the back, the contents were full of messages about grief, mourning, and sad endings.

3 He said to me, “Humanity’s child, what you’ve found, eat. Eat this scroll, then go speak to the Israeli people.”[ref] 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

3 He told me, “Humanity’s child, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll that I’ve given you.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey.

4 Then he told me, “Humanity’s child, go to the house of Israel and pass my messages on to them 5 because you aren’t being sent to a people who speak a strange or difficult language, but to the Israeli people—6 not to many peoples who speak strange or difficult languages whose words you wouldn’t be able to understand. I’m sure that if it was them that I sent you to, they would have listened to you. 7 But the Israeli people won’t be willing to listen to you, because they’re not willing to listen to me. So all the Israeli people are hard-headed and hard-hearted. 8 Listen, I’ll enable you to be as stubborn and tough as they are. 9 I’ll make you hard like a diamond—harder than flint Don’t be scared by them or discouraged by the looks they give you, because they’re rebellious people.”

10 He also told me, “Humanity’s child, listen very carefully to what I say, and keep thinking about it. 11 Then go to any of your people who were brought here as captives, and tell them, ‘This is what the master Yahweh says,’ whether they’ll listen or not.”

12 Then the spirit lifted me up, and I heard rumbling like a large earthquake behind me. (Blessed be Yahweh’s honour in his place.) 13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels that were with them, and the sound of a large earthquake. 14 Then the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went with bitterness in my spirit’s rage, because Yahweh’s hand was pressing down firmly on me. 15 Then I went to the captives at Tel-Abib who lived along the Kebar Canal, and I stayed among them there for seven days, overwhelmed in amazement.

16 After those seven days were over, Yahweh gave me this message:[fn] 17 “Humanity’s child, I’ve made you a guard over the Israeli people, so listen to this message of mine and give them my warning. 18 When I tell the wicked, ‘You’ll certainly die’ and you don’t warn them about that or give them a warning about their evil deeds so they might live—the wicked will die for their sin, but I’ll hold you responsible for their death. 19 But if you do warn the wicked, and they don’t turn from their wickedness or from their wicked deeds, then they’ll die for their sin, but you will have saved your own life.

20 If a godly person turns from their righteousness and acts unjustly, and I set a stumbling block in front of that person, they will die. Because you did not warn them, they’ll die in their sin, and I won’t consider the righteous deeds that they performed, but I’ll hold you responsible for their death. 21 But if you warn the godly person to stop sinning so that they no longer sin, that person will surely live since they were warned; and you will have saved your own life.”

3:22 Yehezkel’s calling

22 Then Yahweh’s hand was on me there, and he told me, “Get ready and go out into the plain, and I’ll speak with you there.”

23 I got up and went out into the plain where Yahweh’s glory was staying, like the glory that I had seen beside the Kebar Canal, so I fell to my knees and bowed low to the ground. 24 Then the spirit entered me and stood me up on my feet, and spoke with me, telling me: Go and shut yourself up in your house. 25 Humanity’s child, people will tie you up with ropes so that you’ll be unable to go outside. 26 Then I’ll make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, so you’ll become mute, and although they’re rebellious people, you won’t be able to tell them off. 27 But when I speak to you, I’ll open your mouth so you’ll be able to tell them, ‘This is what the master Yahweh says.’ The ones who will hear will hear but the ones who won’t listen will not listen, because they’re a rebellious people.

Messages about Yerushalem’s destruction

4 (4:1–24:27)

4:1 Yehezkel models Yerushalem’s invasion

4 But you, humanity’s child, get yourself a brick and place it in front of you and carve Yerushalem City on it. 2 Then lay siege against it, and build forts against it. Build an assault ramp up against it and make camps around it. Place battering rams all around it. 3 After that, get yourself an iron pan and use it as an iron wall between yourself and your representation of the city and keep looking in that direction, because it will be under siege and you’re to put the siege against it. That will be a sign to the Israeli people.

4 Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel on it; you will carry their sin for the number of the days that you lie down against the house of Israel. 5 I myself am assigning to you one day to represent each year of their punishment: 390 days lying on your left side. In that way, you’ll carry the Israeli people’s sin. 6 When that period is over, then lie down a second time on your right side, because you’ll carry the sin of Yehudah’s people for forty days. I am assigning one day to you for each year.

7 Keep looking towards Yerushalem that’s under siege, and with your arm bared like a warrior, prophesy against it. 8 Listen, I’ll have you tied with ropes so you won’t be able to turn from one side to the other until the days representing the years of your siege are over.

9 Take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt for yourself, and put them into a single container and make bread for yourself according to the number of the days that you’ll lie upon your side—yes, you’ll eat it for 390 days. 10 You’ll measure 250g by weight to eat each day, and you’ll eat it during the day at set times. 11 Then you’ll measure out half a litre of water to drink each day, and you’ll drink it at set times. 12 You’ll cook and eat that bread as barley cakes, but burn sun-dried human excrement to bake it over while they’re watching.

13 Yahweh says that that means that the bread that the Israeli people will eat there among the other nations that I’ll banish them to will be ceremonially unclean. 14 But I protested, “Oh no, master Yahweh. I’ve never broken our dietary laws. I’ve never eaten either anything that died or anything killed by animals since I was young until now, and foul meat has never entered my mouth.”

15 So Yahweh answered me, “Listen, I’ll give you cow manure instead of human excrement so you can bake your bread over that.”

16 Then he told me, “Humanity’s child, listen. I’m breaking the supply of food in Yerushalem, and they’ll eat bread while rationing it in anxiety, and drink water while rationing it in trembling. 17 because they’ll lack both food and water, and everyone will be appalled by the actions of their neighbours and they’ll waste away because they disobeyed God.

5:1 Yehezkel’s Yerushalem model

5 Then you, humanity’s child, take a sharp sword as a barber’s razor for yourself, and use it to shave your head and beard, then get some scales so you can weigh your hair and divide it equally into three piles. 2 Burn a third of it in the middle of the city when the days of the siege are completed, and take the second pile of hair and hit it with the sword all around the city. Then scatter the final third to the wind, and I’ll draw out a sword to chase after the people. 3 But take a few hairs from them and tie them into the folds of your robe. 4 Then take a bit more of the hair and throw it into the middle of the fire to be burnt up—from there a fire will spread out to all the Israeli people.”

5 My master Yahweh says, “That brick model is Yerushalem where I’ve placed her in the middle of the nations, and where I have surrounded her with other countries. 6 But due to her wickedness, she’s rejected my decrees more than other nations have, and avoided my regulations more than the countries that surround her. Her people have rejected my judgements and haven’t followed my regulations.” 7 Therefore my master` Yahweh says this, “Because you are more troublesome than the nations that surround you, and haven’t followed my statutes or acted according to my regulations, or even acted according to the decrees of the nations that surround you,” 8 therefore my master Yahweh says this, “Listen, I myself will work against you. I’ll execute judgements in the middle of you for the other nations to see. 9 Because of your detestable actions, I’ll do things to you that I’ve never done before, and which I’ll never do again: 10 Fathers will eat the children among you, and sons will eat their fathers, since I’ll execute judgement on you and scatter all of you who’re left in every direction.[ref]

11 This is my master Yahweh’s declaration: As I live, it’s certainly because you’ve defiled my sanctuary with all your hateful things and with all the disgusting things you’ve done, that I myself will reduce you in number—I won’t have pity on you, and I won’t spare you. 12 A third of you will die by plague, plus they’ll be consumed by a famine that affects you. A third will fall by the sword surrounding you. Then I’ll scatter a third in every direction, and draw out a sword to chase after them as well.

13 Then my rage will be over, and I’ll relax my fury at them. I’ll be satisfied, and they’ll know that I, Yahweh, have spoken in my rage and I’ve completed my furious punishment of them. 14 I’ll make you into a city of ruins so that those from other nations will mock you as they pass by. 15 So Yerushalem will become something for other people to condemn and to mock—a warning and a horror to the nations that surround you. I’ll execute judgments against you in rage and fury, and with an angry rebuke. I, Yahweh have declared that. 16 I’ll send out harsh arrows of famine against you that will become the means with which I will destroy you, because I’ll make the famine more severe and destroy your food supply. 17 I’ll send a famine and disasters against you so you’ll be childless. Plague and bloodshed will pass through you, and I will bring a sword against you. I, Yahweh, have declared that.[ref]

6:1 Yahweh’s judgement on false gods

6 Yahweh message came to me, saying: 2 “Humanity’s child, look towards Yisra’el’s mountains and prophesy to them. 3 Say, ‘Mountains of Yisra’el, listen to this message from the master Yahweh. My master Yahweh says this to the mountains and to the hills, to the streambeds, and to the valleys: Listen, I’m bringing a sword against you all, and I’ll destroy your hilltop shrines. 4 Then your altars will become desolate and your pillars will be destroyed, and I’ll throw your dead down in front of their idols. 5 I’ll lay the dead bodies of Yisra’el’s people right there in front of their idols, and scatter your bones around your altars. 6 Everywhere you all live, cities will be turned to rubble and the hilltop shrines ruined, so that your altars will be broken down and left idle. Then they’ll be broken and disappear, your pillars will be cut down and everything you all have built will be wiped away. 7 The dead will fall down right there among you all and you’ll know that I am Yahweh.

8 But I’ll preserve a remnant among you, and there’ll be some who escape the sword among the nations, when you’re scattered throughout the countries. 9 Then those who escape will think about me among the nations where they’ll be held captive. They’ll remember that I was grieved by their promiscuous heart that turned away from me, and by their eyes that lusted after their idols. Then the loathing for the wickedness that they’ve committed with all their disgusting activites will show on their faces 10 and they’ll know that I am Yahweh. It was for a reason that I said I’d bring this evil onto them.

6:11 Yahweh’s punishment of the Israelis

11 My master Yahweh says this: Clap your hands and stamp your feet. Say, ‘Oh dear,’ because of all the disgustly evil things done by the Israeli people, because now they’ll fall by sword, famine, and plague. 12 Those who are far from Yerushalem will die by plague, and those who are near will fall by the sword. Those who remain and survive will die by famine. That’s the way that I’ll put my fury against them into action. 13 Then you’ll know that I am Yahweh, when their dead lie among their idols, around their altars, on every high hill—on all the mountain peaks, and under every flourishing tree and thick oak—the places where they burned incense to all their idols. 14 I’ll strike the land with my hand and make it bare and deserted from the wilderness to Diblah, throughout all the places where they live. Then they’ll know that I am Yahweh.”

7:1 Yisra’el’s end is coming

7 Yahweh’s message came to me, saying, 2 “You, humanity’s child, the master Yahweh says this to the country of Israel.”

‘An end. An end has come to the four borders of the country.

3 Now the end has come to you, because I’m sending out my rage onto you, and I’ll judge you according to your behaviour,

then I will bring all your disgusting habits back upon you. 4 I won’t pity you, and I won’t spare you. Instead, I’ll bring your ways back upon you,

and your disgusting actions will come back on you so you’ll know that I am Yahweh.

5 My master Yahweh says this:

Disaster. A unique disaster. Listen, it’s coming. 6 An end of an era is definitely coming. The end has woken up and is starting to work against you—yes it’s coming. 7 Your doom is coming to you who inhabit the land. The time has come. The day of destruction is near, and the mountains will no longer be cheerful.

8 Now before long I’ll pour out my fury against you and fill up my rage upon you when I judge you according to your ways and bring all your disgusting actions back on you 9 because I won’t look compassionately and I won’t spare you. Whatever you’ve done in the past, I’ll do to you now, and your disgusting actions will bounce back on you so you’ll know that I it’s me, Yahweh, who’s punishing you. 10 Look here, the day—yes, it’s coming. Doom has gone out. The rod has blossomed. Arrogance has budded. 11 Violence has grown up into a rod of wickedness, but none of them (even though there’s many of them), and none of their wealth, and none of their importance will continue.

12 The time is coming—the day has come close. Don’t let a buyer be happy or any seller be sad, because my anger is directed at the entire large group. 13 No, the seller won’t return to the land he sold as long as they both live, because the vision concerning the entire group won’t be reversed, and because of their disobedience, none of them will be able to save themselves. 14 They’ve blown the trumpet and gotten everything ready, but there’s no one marching to battle because since my anger is on the entire large group.

15 The sword is on the outside, and plague and famine are inside the building. Those who’re in the countryside will die by the sword, while famine and plague will consume those in the city. 16 But some survivors will escape from among them, and will go up into the hills. Like the doves that live in the valleys, all of them will moan—each man for his own disobedience. 17 They won’t be able to use their trembling hands and their knees will feel like liquid. 18 They’ll wear sackcloth, but will be covered in terror. Their faces will display their shame, and they’ll shave their heads as a sign of sorrow. 19 They’ll throw their silver into the streets and their gold will be like rubbish. Their silver and their gold won’t be able to rescue them in the day of Yahweh’s rage. Their lives won’t be saved, and their hunger will not be satisfied, because their disobedience has become a stumbling block. 20 In their pride they had take his beautiful jewelled ornaments and made them into their idolatrous figures and their detestable things. Therefore, I’m going to defile those things. 21 I’ll hand those things over to strangers as plunder and to the wicked of the earth as plunder, and they’ll defile them. 22 Then I’ll put my hand over my eyes when they defile my cherished place—bandits will enter it and defile it.

23 Make a chain, because the country is filled with judgement for those who’d been killed, and now the city is full of violence. 24 I’ll bring the most wicked of the nations here, and they’ll take over the people’s houses, and I’ll bring the pride of the powerful people to an end because their sacred places will be defiled. 25 Anguish will be the order of the day and they’ll wish for peace, but there won’t be any. 26 Disaster will follow disaster and there’ll be rumour after rumour. Then they’ll be wanting a vision from the prophet, but the priest will no longer teach God’s instructions and advice from the elders will be useless. 27 The king will mourn and the prince will be overcome by despair, while the hands of the country’s people will tremble in fear. I’ll do that do them just like they did to others. I’ll judge them by their own standards until they know that I am Yahweh.

Yahweh’s second revelation to Yehezkel (8:1–10:22)

8:1 Yerushalem’s disgusting idol worship

8 Then in the middle of the sixth year[fn] as I sat in my house and Yehudah’s elders sat in front of me, my master Yahweh’s hands fell upon me there again. 2 I looked, and wow—there was something that looked a bit like a man. From the appearance of his hips downward there was fire, and from his hips upward there was the appearance of something shining like glowing metal.[ref] 3 Then he reached out the form of a hand and took me by my hair—the Spirit lifted me up between earth and the heavens, and in visions from God, he took me to Yerushalem, to the entrance of the inner northern gate where the idol was that made Yahweh very jealous.

4 Then wow, the brilliant light of Yisra’el’s God was there, just like the vision that I’d seen on the plain.[ref] 5 Then he told me, “Humanity’s child, look towards the north.” So I looked towards the north and to the north of the gate leading to the altar—there in the entrance, was the idol that caused the jealousy.

6 So he told me, “Humanity’s child, do you see what they’re doing? Those are horribly disgusting things that the Israeli people are doing here to drive me far from my own sanctuary. But you’ll see even more disgusting things soon.”

7 Then he took me to the courtyard doorway, and I looked and was a hole in the wall. 8 He told me, “Humanity’s child, dig into this wall.” So I dug into the wall, and discovered a doorway. 9 Then he told me, “Go and see the disgustingly wicked things that they’re doing there.” 10 So I went through and looked, and oh dear, there was every form of creeping thing and detestable creature. Drawings of every idol from the Israeli people were carved into the wall all around. 11 Seventy elders from the Israeli people were there, and Shafan’s son Yaazanyah was standing in the middle of them. They were standing in front of the images, and each man was holding his incense burner so that the smell of the cloud of incense went up. 12 Then he asked me, “Humanity’s child, do you see what the Israeli elders are doing in the dark? Each one does this in the hidden chamber of his idol, because they say, ‘Yahweh doesn’t even notice us. Yahweh has abandoned this country.’ ”

13 Then he told me, “Turn again and see the other terribly digusting things that they’re doing,” 14 and he took me to the gate at the northern entrance of Yahweh’s, and oh dear—there were some women sitting there mourning for the Babylonian Tammuz deity. 15 Then he said to me, “Humanity’s child, do you see that? Turn again, and you’ll see even more disgusting things than those.”

16 Then he took me into the inner courtyard of Yahweh’s house, and oh no—at the entrance of Yahweh’s temple between the portico and the altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple and their faces toward the east where they were worshiping the sun.

17 He asked me, “Humanity’s child, do you see that? Is it a little thing for the people of Yehudah to do those disgusting things that they’re doing here? They’ve filled the land with violence and have turned again to provoke me to anger and to make mockery of me. 18 So I will also act among them—I won’t have compassion and I won’t spare them. Even if they cry loudly in my ears, I won’t hear them.”

9:1 Yehezkel is shown Yerushalem’s coming punishment

9 Then I heard Yahweh call out with a loud voice, saying, “Let the guards come up to the city, each one carrying his destructive weapon.” 2 Then wow, six men came out from the pathway of the upper gate that faces north, each carrying his weapon of slaughter. There was a man among them dressed in linen with a wrter’s equipment at his side. Then they went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

3 Then the bright light representing Yisrael’s God went from the winged creature where it had been, up to the threshold of the house. Yahweh called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing equipment at his side. 4 Yahweh told him, “Go through the middle of Yerushalem City, and make a mark on the foreheads of those who complain and despair about all the disgusting things being done there in the middle of the city.”[ref]

5 Then he spoke to the others within my hearing, “Go through the city after him and kill. Don’t let yourselves have compassion, and don’t show any pity. 6 Slaughter all the old men, young men and women, little children and women, but don’t approach anyone who has the mark on their head. Begin at my sacred place.” So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple.

7 Yahweh told them, “Defile the temple, and fill its courtyards with the dead. Now go.” So they went out and started attacking the city.

8 As they were attacking it, I found myself alone and I fell to my knees with my head bowed down to the ground and cried out and said, “Ah, master Yahweh, will you destroy the entire remnant of Yisrael in the outpouring of your rage on Yerushalem?”

9 “The disobedience of the people of Yisrael and Yehudah has been extremely bad,” he answered. “The land is full of blood and the city full of perversions, since they say, ‘Yahweh has forgotten this country,’ and ‘Yahweh won’t take any notice.’ 10 So then, I won’t show compassion, and I won’t spare them, rather I’ll bring it all on their heads.”

11 Then wow, the man dressed in linen who had the writing equipment by his side came back to report, saying, “I’ve done everything you commanded.”

10:1 God’s splendour leaves the temple

10 As I looked toward the dome that was over the heads of the winged creatures, something appeared above them that looked like a sapphire stone that had been made into a throne.[ref] 2 Then Yahweh spoke to the man dressed in linen and said, “Go between the wheels underneath the winged creatures, and fill both your hands with fiery coals from between the winged creatures and scatter them over the city.”[ref]

Then the man went in as I watched. 3 The winged creatures stood on the right side of the temple when the man went in, and a cloud filled the inner courtyard. 4 Yahweh’s brilliant light rose up from the winged creature and stood over the threshold of the house. It filled the house with the cloud, and the courtyard was full of the brightness of Yahweh’s splendour. 5 The sound of the creatures’ wings could be heard as far as the outer courtyard, like the voice of the powerful God when he speaks.

6 When Yahweh had commanded the man dressed in linen, “Take fire from between the wheels that are between the winged creatures,” the man went in and stood beside a wheel. 7 A winged creature reached out his hand between the winged creatures to the fire that was among them, and lifted it up and placed it into the hands of the one dressed in linen. The man took it and went back out.

8 I noticed that the winged creatures had something like a human hand under their wings, 9 then I looked, and wow, four wheels were beside the winged creatures—one wheel beside each one—and the wheels seemed like shining chrysolite.[ref] 10 They all appeared to be the same, like having a wheel within a wheel. 11 When they moved, they went in any of their four directions, without turning as they went, because whatever direction the head faced, they went in that direction without turning as they went. 12 Their whole body (including their backs, their hands, and their wings) was covered with eyes, and eyes covered all around the four wheels as well.[ref] 13 I heard someone call them ‘the whirling wheels’.

14 Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a winged creature, the second was a man’s face, the third was a lion’s face, and the fourth was an eagle’s face.[ref] 15 Then the living creatures (they were the same ones that I had seen by the Kebar channel) rose up in the air. 16 Whenever the winged creatures moved, the wheels would go beside them, and whenever the winged creatures lifted up their wings to go up from the earth, the wheels didn’t turn—they still stayed beside them. 17 When the winged creatures stood still, the wheels stood still, and when they went up, the wheels went up with them, because the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

18 Then Yahweh’s brilliant light went out over the temple threshold and stayed over the winged creatures. 19 The winged creatures lifted up their wings and rose from the ground in my sight when they went out, and the wheels did the same beside them. They stood at the eastern entrance to Yahweh’s residence, and the brilliant light of Yisrael’s God came onto them from above. 20 Those were the living creatures that I had seen below the Yisrael’s God by the Kebar Canal, so I knew that they were winged creatures.

21 They each had four faces and four wings, and had something like human hands under their wings, 22 and their faces resembled the faces that I’d seen in the vision at the Kebar Canal, and each of them went straight ahead.

11:1 Yahweh’s punishment for Yerushalem

11 Then the spirit lifted me up and brought me to the eastern gate of Yahweh’s temple, facing east, and behold, in the doorway of the gate there were twenty-five men. Among them I saw Azzur’s son Yaazanyah and Benayah’s son Felatyah who were leaders of the people.

2 Yahweh told me, “Humanity’s child, these are the men who plan to do evil things and who make wicked plans in this city. 3 They’re saying, ‘This isn’t yet the time to build houses. This city is like a cooking pot, and we’re the meat.’ 4 So, prophesy against them, humanity’s child, start prophesying.”

5 Then Yahweh’s spirit came on me and told me to say: This is what Yahweh says, “That is what you’re all saying, people of Israel, because I know what goes through your mind. 6 You’ve killed many people in this city, and filled its streets with them.

7 Therefore the master Yahweh says: The people you’ve killed, whose bodies you have laid in the middle of Yerushalem, are the meat, and this city is the pot. But you’re all going to be brought out from the centre of this city. 8 You’ve feared the sword, so I am bringing the sword upon you. That’s my master Yahweh’s declaration. 9 I’ll bring you out from the city, and put you into the hands of foreigners, because I’ll bring judgment against you all. 10 You’ll all fall by the sword. I will judge you within Yisrael’s border so that you’ll all know that I am Yahweh. 11 This city won’t be your cooking pot, nor will you be the meat within her. I’ll judge you all within Yisrael’s borders. 12 Then you’ll all know that I’m Yahweh, the one whose instructions you haven’t obeyed and whose regulations you haven’t followed. Instead, you all have imitated the wicked ways of the nations that surround you.”

13 Then as I was prophesying, Benayah’s son Felatyah died. So I fell to my knees with my face bowed low to the ground and cried out with a loud voice, “Oh no, my master Yahweh, will you completely eliminate the Israeli people?”