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

2 Yahweh told me, “Son of humanity, 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, son of humanity, start prophesying.”

5 Then Yahweh’s spirit came on me and told me to say: This is what Yahweh says, “That’s what you Israeli people are saying, 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’ve laid in the middle of Yerushalem (Jerusalem), are the meat, and this city is the pot. But you people are going to be brought out from the centre of this city. 8 You’ve feared the sword, so I’m bringing the sword against 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 judgement against you people. 10 You’ll be killed by the sword. I’ll judge you within Yisrael’s (Israel) borders so that you people will know that I am Yahweh. 11 This city won’t be your cooking pot, nor will you be the meat inside it. I’ll judge you people within Yisrael’s borders. 12 Then you’ll know that I am Yahweh, the one whose instructions you haven’t obeyed and whose regulations you haven’t followed. Instead, you people have imitated the wicked customs of the nations that surround you.”

13 Then as I was prophesying, Benayah’s son Pelatyah 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?”