Open English Translation EZE Chapter 22

22 Then Yahweh gave me another message: 2 “Now you, humanity’s child, will you judge the city of blood? Will you judge Yerushalem? Make her understand all her disgusting behaviour. 3 Tell them that the master Yahweh says this: You’re a city that sheds blood right there in her centre, forcing her time of judgement to come—a city that makes idols to defile herself. 4 You’ve become guilty by the blood that you’ve poured out, and you’ve become defiled by the idols that you’ve made. You’ve drawn your days to a close, and the end of your years has come, so I’ll allow the other nations to laugh at you and mock you. 5 You unclean city full of confusion, those who’re both near and far will deride you.

6 Listen, each of Yisrael’s rulers has used their own resources to go to you, Yerushalem, to shed blood. 7 They’ve dishonoured the fathers and mothers within you, and they’ve oppressed the foreigners there among you. They’ve mistreated the orphans and the widows within you.[ref] 8 You’ve despised my sacred things and disrespected my rest days.[ref] 9 Slanderous men have come within you in order to pour out blood, and they eat at the hilltop shrines. They do wicked things right there in your centre. 10 Within you men uncover the nakedness of their father. Within you they have violated women during their ‘unclean’ menstrual period.[ref] 11 Men who sleep with their neighbours’ wives, and men who sleep with their own daughters-in-law, even men who abuse their own sisters or half-sisters. All these are done within you. 12 Those men are involved in paid assassinations within you, plus you’ve taken interest and gained too much profit, and you’ve damaged your neighbours through oppression, and you’ve forgotten me. That is the master Yahweh’s declaration.[ref]

13 Listen, Yerushalem. I’ve reached out and taken away the dishonest gain that you’ve made, and the bloodshed that’s done in your centre. 14 Will your heart keep beating when I deal with you myself? Will your hands be be able to resist trembling? I, Yahweh, am declaring this, and I will do it. 15 I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you through the lands—that’s how I’ll purge your uncleanness from you, 16 and you’ll become unclean in the eyes of the nations. Then you’ll know that I am Yahweh.’ ”

17 Then Yahweh gave me another message: 18 “Humanity’s child, the Israeli people have become like dross to me. All of them are the leftovers of bronze and tin, and iron and lead among you—they’ll be like the dross from silver in your furnace. 19 Therefore the master Yahweh says this, ‘Because all of you have become like dross, then listen: I’m about to gather you into the centre of Yerushalem. 20 Just like men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin, and put it inside a furnace to melt it then blast the fire onto it in order to melt it, so too I’ll gather you in my anger and my rage, and I’ll put you in there and melt you. 21 Yes, I’ll gather you and blow my fire of fury onto you, and you’ll be melted in the middle of it. 22 As silver is melted in a furnace, you will be melted in it, and you will know that I, Yahweh, have poured my wrath out onto you!’ ”

23 Then Yahweh gave me another message: 24 “Humanity’s child, tell her, ‘You’re a land that hasn’t been cleansed. When you’re judged, there won’t be any rain. 25 There’s a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst, like a roaring lion tearing apart a victim. They consume life and take precious wealth—making many widows within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law, and they profane my sacred things. They don’t distinguish between sacred and profane things, and don’t teach the difference between what God approved and what he didn’t. They ignore my rest days so I end up getting mocked among them.[ref] 27 Her leaders within her are like wolves tearing apart their victims. They pour out blood and destroy life, just to make a dishonest profit, 28 but her prophets have painted them over with whitewash. They see false visions and predict falsehoods to them, saying ‘The master Yahweh says this’ when Yahweh hasn’t spoken. 29 The people of the land have oppressed others through extortion and robbery, they mistreat the poor and needy, and they oppress foreigners without any justice. 30 Then I searched for an advocate from them who would build up a wall of righteousness and who would admit the breaches made by the country and make an appeal on their behalf so I wouldn’t destroy it, but I didn’t find anyone. 31 So I’ll pour my indignation out onto them. I will finish them off with the fire of my indignation and their own deeds will seal their fate. That is the master Yahweh’s declaration.’ ”