# verses

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Runners run to meet runners. Messengers follow messengers. They inform the king of Babylon that his entire city is captured.


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The river crossings have been taken. The enemy has burned its marshes, and its soldiers are terrified.


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This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: The people of Babylon are like a threshing floor at the time it is trampled. Their harvest time will come soon.


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King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has devoured us. He has thrown us into confusion. He has turned us into empty jars. He has swallowed us like a monster. He has filled his belly with our delicacies. Then he spit us out.


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The people who live in Zion say, "May the violence done to us be done to Babylon." Jerusalem says, "May the people of Babylon be held responsible for our deaths."


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This is what the Lord says: I am going to take up your cause and get revenge for you. I will dry up Babylon's sea and make its springs dry.


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Babylon will become piles of rubble. It will become a dwelling place for jackals, something horrible, and an object of contempt, where no one lives.


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When they are excited, I will prepare a feast for them and make them drunk so that they will shout and laugh. They will fall into a deep sleep and never wake up again, declares the Lord.


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"Sheshach has been captured. Babylon, the city that the whole world praised, has been taken captive.


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What a horrifying sight Babylon will be to the nations! The sea will rise over Babylon, and its roaring waves will cover it.


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Its cities will be ruined. It will become a desert, a land where no one lives and where no human travels.


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I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will make Bel spit out everything that it has swallowed. Nations will no longer stream to Babylon, and its walls will fall.


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Don't lose courage or be afraid when rumors are heard in the land. One rumor comes one year; another rumor comes the next year. Rumors of violence are in the land. Rumors that one ruler will fight against another are in the land.


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That is why the days are coming when I will punish Babylon's idols. The whole country will be put to shame, and all its soldiers will lie dead.


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Then heaven and earth and everything in them will rejoice over Babylon, because destroyers from the north will attack it," declares the Lord.


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Because the people of Babylon have killed many Israelites and because they have killed many people throughout the earth, Babylon must fall.


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You people who escaped from the sword, leave! Don't just stand there. Remember the Lord in a distant land, and think about Jerusalem.


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We have been put to shame, and we have been disgraced. Shame covers our faces, because foreigners have gone into the holy places of the Lord's temple.


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"That is why the days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will punish their idols, and those who are wounded will moan everywhere in the land.


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The people of Babylon might go up to heaven. They might fortify their strongholds. But destroyers will still come from me against them," declares the Lord.


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Cries of agony are heard from Babylon. Sounds of terrible destruction are heard from the land of the Babylonians.


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The Lord will destroy Babylon. He will silence the loud noise coming from it. Waves of enemies will come roaring in like raging water. The noise will be heard everywhere.


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A destroyer will attack Babylon, its soldiers will be captured, and their bows and arrows will be broken. "I, the Lord, am a God who punishes evil. I will certainly punish them.


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I will make their officials and wise men drunk, along with their governors, officers, and soldiers. They will fall into a deep sleep and never wake up," declares the king, whose name is the Lord of Armies.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: The thick walls of Babylon will be leveled, and its high gates will be set on fire. People exhaust themselves for nothing. The nations wear themselves out only to have a fire.


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This is the message that the prophet Jeremiah gave to Seraiah, son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah, when Seraiah went to Babylon with King Zedekiah of Judah in the fourth year of Zedekiah's rule. (Seraiah was the quartermaster.)


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Jeremiah wrote on a scroll all the disasters that would happen to Babylon. He wrote all these things that have been written about Babylon.


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Then say, 'Lord, you have threatened to destroy this place so that no person or animal will live here, and it will become a permanent ruin.'


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When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates River.


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Say, 'Babylon will sink like this scroll. It will never rise again because of the disasters that I will bring on it.' " The words of Jeremiah end here.


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Zedekiah was 21 years old when he began to rule, and he ruled for 11 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.


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The enemy broke through the city walls, and all Judah's soldiers fled. They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls beside the king's garden. While the Babylonians were attacking the city from all sides, they took the road to the plain {of Jericho}.


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The Babylonians captured the king and brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah in Hamath, where the king of Babylon passed sentence on him.


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The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons as Zedekiah watched. He also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah.


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Then he blinded Zedekiah and put him in bronze shackles. The king of Babylon took him to Babylon and put him in a prison, where he stayed until he died.


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On the tenth day of the fifth month of Nebuchadnezzar's nineteenth year as king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, who was the captain of the guard and an officer of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.


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But Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, left some of the poorest people in the land to work in the vineyards and on the farms.


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The Babylonians broke apart the bronze pillars of the Lord's temple, the stands, and the bronze pool in the Lord's temple. They shipped all the bronze to Babylon.


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They took the pots, shovels, snuffers, bowls, dishes, and all the bronze utensils used in the temple service.


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The captain of the guard also took pans, incense burners, bowls, pots, lamp stands, dishes, and the bowls used for wine offerings. The captain of the guard took all of the trays and bowls that were made of gold or silver.


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The bronze from the 2 pillars, the pool, and the 12 bronze bulls under the stands that King Solomon had made for the Lord's temple couldn't be weighed.


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The capital that was on it was 7 1/2 feet high with a filigree and pomegranates around it. They were all made of bronze. The second pillar was the same. It also had pomegranates.


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There were 96 pomegranates on the sides. The total number of pomegranates on the surrounding filigree was 100.


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From the city he also took an army commander, 7 men who had access to the king whom he found in the city, the scribe who was in charge of the militia, and 60 common people whom he found in the city.


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The king of Babylon executed them at Riblah in the territory of Hamath. So the people of Judah were captives as they left their land.


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In Nebuchadnezzar's twenty-third year as king, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took away 745 Jews. In all, 4,600 people were taken away.


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On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the thirty-seventh year of the imprisonment of King Jehoiakin of Judah, King Evil Merodach of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, freed King Jehoiakin of Judah and released him from prison.


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"Look how deserted Jerusalem is! Once the city was crowded with people. Once it was important among the nations. Now it is a widow. Once it was a princess among the provinces. Now it does forced labor.


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Jerusalem cries bitterly at night with tears running down its cheeks. Out of all those who love the city, no one offers it comfort. All of Jerusalem's friends have betrayed it and become its enemies.


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"Judah has been exiled after {much} suffering and harsh treatment. Its {people} live among the nations; they find no rest. Those who chased them caught up with them in places where there was no way out.


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"The roads to Zion are deserted. No one comes to the annual festivals. No one passes through any of its gates. Its priests are groaning. Its young women are made to suffer. Zion is bitter.


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Its opponents are now in control. Its enemies have no worries. The Lord made Zion suffer for its many rebellious acts. Its children go ahead of their opponents into captivity.


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All splendor has abandoned the people of Zion. Its influential people were like deer that couldn't find any pasture. They ran without any strength ahead of the hunters.


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"Now, during its suffering and oppression, Jerusalem remembers all the treasures it had from ancient times, when its people fell into the power of their enemies with no one to help them. Their opponents looked on, and they laughed at Jerusalem's downfall.


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Jerusalem has sinned so much that it has become a filthy thing. Everyone who used to honor it now despises it. They've seen it naked. Jerusalem groans and turns away.


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Jerusalem's own filth {covers} its clothes. It gave no thought to its future. Its downfall was shocking. No one offers it comfort. 'O Lord, look at my suffering, because my enemies have triumphed.'


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The enemies laid their hands on all of the city's treasures. Jerusalem has seen the nations enter the holy place. 'O Lord, they are the same people you have forbidden to enter your congregation.'


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All the people are groaning as they beg for bread. They trade their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. 'O Lord, look and see how despised I am!' "


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"Doesn't this affect all of you who pass by? Look and see if there's any pain like the pain that the Lord has caused me, like the pain that he has made me suffer on the day of his fierce anger.


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He sent fire from above. He made it go deep into my bones. He spread a net for my feet. He made me turn back. He has left me devastated. He has made me sick all day long.


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My rebellious acts are a heavy burden for me. They were tied together by God's own hands. They were tied around my neck. He has weakened me {with them}. The Lord has handed me over to people I cannot oppose.


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The Lord has treated all the warriors inside my {walls} with contempt. He called an army to defeat my young men. The Lord trampled the people of Judah in a winepress.


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I'm crying because of {all} these things. My eyes—my eyes flow with tears. No one can give me the comfort I need to keep me alive. Everyone is too far away from me. My children are devastated because my enemies have won."


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Zion holds out its hands. No one offers it comfort. The Lord has given this order about Jacob: His own neighbors will become his opponents. Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.


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"The Lord is right in what he did, because I rebelled against his word. Please listen, all you people, and look at my pain. My young women and young men have gone into captivity.


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I called for those who love me, but they betrayed me. My priests and leaders breathed their last breath in the city, looking for food to keep themselves alive.


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"O Lord, see the distress I'm in! My stomach is churning. My heart is pounding because I've been very bitter. In the streets swords kill my children. Inside the houses it's like death.


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"All my enemies have heard that I am groaning. No one offers me comfort. All my enemies have heard about my disaster. They are happy that you did it. You have allowed the day to come, the one that you had announced. Let my enemies be like me now.


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Recall all of their wickedness. Then deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my rebellious acts. I groan so much and feel so sick at heart."


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"Look how the Lord has covered the people of Zion with the cloud of his anger! He has thrown down Israel's beauty from heaven to earth. He didn't {even} remember his footstool on the day of his anger.


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The Lord swallowed up all of Jacob's pastures without any pity. He tore down the fortified cities of Judah in his fury. He brought the kingdom {of Judah} and its leaders down to the ground in dishonor.


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In his burning anger he cut off all of Israel's strength. He withdrew his right hand when they faced their enemy. He burned like a raging fire in {the land of} Jacob, destroying everything around him.


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Like an enemy he bent his bow. Like an opponent his right hand held the arrow steady. He killed all the beautiful people. He poured out his fury like fire on the tent of Zion's people.


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The Lord became an enemy. He swallowed up Israel. He swallowed up all of its palaces. He destroyed its strongholds. He made the people of Judah mourn and moan.


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He stripped his own booth as if it were a garden and destroyed his own festivals. The Lord wiped out the memory of festivals and days of worship in Zion. He expelled kings and priests because of his fierce anger.


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The Lord rejected his altar and disowned his holy place. He handed the walls of Zion's palaces over to its enemies. The enemies made noise in the Lord's temple as though it were a festival day.


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The Lord planned to destroy the wall of Zion's people. He marked it off with a line. He didn't take his hand away until he had swallowed it up. He made the towers and walls mourn. They are completely dejected.


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"{Zion's} gates have sunk into the ground. {The Lord} destroyed and shattered the bars across its {gates}. Its king and influential people are {scattered} among the nations. There is no longer any instruction {from Moses' Teachings}. Its prophets can find no visions from the Lord.


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The respected leaders of Zion's people sit silently on the ground. They throw dirt on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem bow their heads to the ground.


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My eyes are worn out with tears. My stomach is churning. My heart is poured out on the ground because of the destruction of my people. Little children and infants faint in the city streets.


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They're asking their mothers for some bread and wine as they faint like wounded people in the city streets. Their lives dwindle away in their mothers' arms.


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"What example can I give you? What parallel can I show you, people of Jerusalem? What comparison can I make that will comfort you, beloved people of Zion? Your wounds are as deep as the sea. Who can heal you?


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Your prophets saw misleading visions about you. They painted a good picture of you. They didn't expose your guilt in order to make things better again. They gave you false prophecies that misled you.


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Everyone who walks along the road shakes a fist at you. They hiss and shake their heads at Jerusalem's people: 'Is this the city they used to call absolutely beautiful, the joy of the whole world?'


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All your enemies gawk at you. They hiss and grit their teeth. They say, 'We've swallowed it up. Yes, this is the day we've been waiting for. At last we have seen it!'


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The Lord has accomplished what he had planned to do. He carried out the threat he announced long ago. He tore you down without any pity, {Jerusalem}. He made your enemies gloat over you. He raised the weapons of your opponents.


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The hearts of Jerusalem's people cried out to the Lord, the wall of Zion's people. Let your tears run down like a river day and night. Don't let them stop. Don't let your eyes rest.


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Get up! Cry out at night, every hour on the hour. Pour your heart out like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him {in prayer} for the life of your little children who faint from hunger at every street corner."


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"O Lord, look and consider: Have you ever treated anyone like this? Should women eat their own children, the children they have nursed? Should priests and prophets be killed in the Lord's holy place?


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Young and old lie on the ground in the streets. My young women and men are cut down by swords. You killed them on the day of your anger. You slaughtered them without any pity.


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You have invited those who terrorize me on every side, as though they were invited to a festival. No one escaped or survived on the day of the Lord's anger. My enemy has murdered the children I nursed and raised."


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I have become a laughingstock to all my people. All day long {they make fun of me} with their songs.


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"Look how the gold has become tarnished! The fine gold has changed! The sacred stones are scattered at every street corner.


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"Zion's precious children, who are worth their weight in fine gold, are now treated like clay pots, like those made by a potter's hands.


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Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the women of my people are as cruel as wild ostriches.


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The tongues of nursing infants stick to the roofs of their mouths because of their thirst. Little children beg for bread, but no one will break off a piece for them.


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Those who used to eat delicacies are now destitute in the streets. Those who used to wear expensive clothes now pick through piles of garbage.


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The punishment for my people's wickedness has been more severe than the punishment for the sins of Sodom. Sodom was destroyed instantly, without one human hand touching it.


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Zion's princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk. Their bodies were more pink than coral. Their hair was like sapphires.


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Their faces are {now} blacker than soot. No one recognizes them on the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones. It has become as dry as bark.


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Those who were killed with swords are better off than those who are dying from starvation. Those who were stabbed bled to death. The others are dying because there is nothing in the fields to eat.


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The hands of loving mothers cooked their own children. The children were used for food by my people when they were being destroyed {by a blockade}.


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The Lord's fury has accomplished his purpose. He unleashed his burning anger. He started a fire in Zion that even burned its foundations.


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Neither the kings of the earth nor anyone living on earth could believe that enemies or invaders would ever get through the gates of Jerusalem.


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{They got through} because of the sins of Jerusalem's prophets and the crimes of its priests, who spilled the blood of righteous people within it.


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My people staggered blindly through the streets. They were so contaminated with bloodstains that no one would touch their clothes.


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'Get away! You're unclean,' people yelled at them. 'Get away! Get away! Don't touch anyone.' When they fled and wandered around, the people of the nations said, 'They can't stay here any longer.'


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The Lord himself has scattered them. He will no longer look favorably on them. They no longer respected the priests, nor did they honor their older leaders."


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"We are still straining our eyes, trying in vain to find help. We waited and waited for a nation that didn't save us.


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{The enemy} kept tracking us down, so we couldn't even go out into the streets. Our end was near. Our time was up. Our end had come.


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Those who were hunting us were faster than eagles in the sky. They chased us in the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.


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The person the Lord anointed {as king}, who is the breath of our life, was caught in their pits. We had thought that we would live in our king's shadow among the nations."


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"Rejoice and be glad, people of Edom, inhabitants of the country of Uz. The cup {of the Lord's fury} will be passed to you next. You'll get drunk and take off all your clothes.


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People of Zion, the punishment for your wickedness will end. The Lord will not let you remain in exile. People of Edom, he will punish you for your wickedness. He will expose your sins."


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"The land we inherited has been turned over to strangers. Our homes have been turned over to foreigners.


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{Our} older leaders have stopped meeting at the city gate, and {our} young men no longer play their music.


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On the fifth day of the fourth month in the thirtieth year, while I was living among the exiles by the Chebar River, the sky opened, and I saw visions from God.


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the Lord spoke his word to the priest Ezekiel, son of Buzi, in Babylon by the Chebar River. The power of the Lord came over Ezekiel.


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As I looked, I saw a storm coming from the north. There was an immense cloud with flashing lightning surrounded by a bright light. The middle of the lightning looked like glowing metal.


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In the center of the cloud I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were shaped like humans,


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Their legs were straight, their feet were like those of calves, and they glittered like polished bronze.


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They had human hands under their wings on each of their four sides. All four of them had faces and wings.


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Their wings touched each other. The creatures went straight ahead, and they did not turn as they moved.


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Their faces looked like this: From the front, each creature had the face of a human. From the right, each one had the face of a lion. From the left, each one had the face of a bull. And from the back, each one had the face of an eagle.


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That is what their faces looked like. Their wings were spread out, pointing upward. Each creature had two wings with which they touched each other. The other two wings covered their bodies.


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Each of the creatures went straight ahead. They went wherever their spirit wanted to go, and they didn't turn as they moved.


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The living creatures looked like burning coals and torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning came out of the fire.


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This is how the wheels looked and how they were made: They looked like beryl. All four wheels looked the same. They looked like a wheel within a wheel.


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When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved with them. When the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose.


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Wherever their spirit wanted to go, the creatures went. The wheels rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.


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So whenever the creatures moved, the wheels moved. Whenever the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still. And whenever the creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.


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Something like a dome was spread over the heads of the living creatures. It looked like dazzling crystal.


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Under the dome, each creature had two wings that were stretched out straight, touching one another. Each creature had two wings that covered its body.


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When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings. The sound was like the noise of rushing water, like the thunder of the Almighty, like the commotion in an army camp. When the creatures stood still, they lowered their wings.


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Above the dome over their heads was something that looked like a throne made of sapphire. On the throne was a figure that looked like a human.


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Then I saw what he looked like from the waist up. He looked like glowing bronze with fire all around it. From the waist down, he looked like fire. A bright light surrounded him.


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The brightness all around him looked like a rainbow in the clouds. It was like the Lord's glory. When I saw it, I immediately bowed down, and I heard someone speaking.


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He said to me, "Son of man, I am sending you to the people of Israel. They are people from a nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have rebelled against me to this day.


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I am sending you to these defiant and stubborn children. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says.'


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Whether these rebellious people listen or not, they will realize that a prophet has been among them.


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Son of man, don't be afraid of them or the things they say. Don't be afraid, even though thorns and thistles are around you and you live among scorpions. Don't let the things they say frighten you. Don't be terrified in their presence, even though they are rebellious people.


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But you, son of man, listen to what I say. Don't be rebellious like those rebellious people. Open your mouth, and eat what I am giving to you."


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He spread the scroll in front of me. There was writing on the front and back. There were funeral songs, songs of mourning, and horrible things written on it.


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The Lord said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find. Eat this scroll. Then speak to the people of Israel."


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He said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I'm giving you, and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.


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I am not sending you to people whose language is hard to understand or difficult to speak. I am sending you to Israel.


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I am not sending you to nations whose language is hard to understand, difficult to speak, or whose words you cannot understand. If I send you to those nations, they will certainly listen to you.


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But the people of Israel will refuse to listen to you because they refuse to listen to me. All the people of Israel are very stubborn and hardheaded.


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I will make you as hard as a diamond, harder than stone. Don't be afraid of them. Don't be terrified in their presence, even though they are rebellious people."


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Go to the exiles, to your people. Whether they listen or not, tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says.' "


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Then the Spirit lifted me, and behind me I heard a loud thundering voice say, "Blessed is the Lord's glory, which left this place."


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I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures touching one another and the noise of the wheels beside them as well as a loud rumbling.


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Then the Spirit lifted me and took me away. I went away feeling bitter and angry. The strong power of the Lord came over me.


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I went to Tel Abib, to the exiles who lived by the Chebar River. I sat there among them for seven days. I was stunned.


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"Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me.


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Suppose I tell you that wicked people will surely die, but you don't warn them or speak out so that they can change their wicked ways in order to save their lives. Then these wicked people will die because of their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths.


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But suppose you warn the wicked people, and they don't turn from their wicked ways. Then they will die because of their sin, but you will save yourself.


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If righteous people turn from living the right way and do wrong, I will make them stumble, and they will die. If you don't warn them, they will die because of their sin, and the right things they did will not be remembered. I will hold you responsible for their deaths.


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But if you warn righteous people not to sin, and they don't sin, they will certainly live because they listened to the warning. You will save yourself."


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The power of the Lord came over me. He said, "Get up, and go to the plain. I will speak to you there."


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I got up and went to the plain. The Lord's glory was standing there like the glory I saw by the Chebar River, and I immediately bowed down.


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Then the Spirit entered me and stood me on my feet. He talked to me. He said, "Go into your home, and shut yourself inside.


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I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you can't talk or criticize them, even though they are rebellious people.


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But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth. You will tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says.' Some will listen, and some will refuse to listen. They are rebellious people."


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Set up a blockade against it, build attack walls around it, put up dirt ramps around it, have troops ready to attack it, and place battering rams all around it.


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Then take an iron pan, and set it up as a wall between you and the city. Turn your face toward the city as if you were going to attack it, and then attack it. This is a sign for the people of Israel.


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"Then lie on your left side and take the punishment of the nation of Israel yourself. You will bear its punishment as many days as you lie on that side.


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I have assigned to you one day for each year its punishment will last. So for 390 days, you will bear the punishment for the sins of the nation of Israel.


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When you finish this, you will lie down again, this time on your right side. You will bear the punishment for the sins of the nation of Judah for 40 days, one day for each year I have assigned to you.


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I will tie you up with ropes so that you will not be able to turn from one side to the other until you have finished attacking {Jerusalem}.


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"Then take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and winter wheat. Put them in a container, and use them to make bread for yourself. Eat it during the 390 days that you are lying on your side.


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Eat the bread as you would eat barley loaves. Bake the bread in front of people, using human excrement for fuel."


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Then the Lord said, "In the same way, the people of Israel will eat unclean bread among the nations where I scatter them."


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I answered, "Almighty Lord, I have never dishonored myself. From the time I was young until now, I have never eaten an animal that died by itself or was killed by other wild animals. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth."


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He said to me, "I will let you use cow manure in place of human excrement. Bake your bread over it."


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He also said to me, "Son of man, I am going to cut off the bread supply in Jerusalem. People will anxiously eat rationed bread and fearfully drink rationed water.


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They will be shocked at the sight of each other because of the lack of food and water. They will waste away because of their sin."


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{The Lord said,} "Son of man, take a sharp blade, and use it as a barber's razor to shave your head and beard. Take scales to weigh your hair and divide it {into three even parts}.


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When the blockade is over, burn one-third of your hair in a fire in the middle of the city. Take another third, and cut it up with a blade around the city. Then scatter the remaining third to the wind, and I will draw a sword and go after it.


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Later, take some of them, and throw them in a fire and burn them up. From there a fire will spread throughout the whole nation of Israel.


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"This is what the Almighty Lord says: This is Jerusalem! I have placed it in the center of the nations with countries all around it.


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The people of Jerusalem have rebelled against my rules and my laws more than the surrounding nations. They have rejected my rules, and they don't live by my laws.


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"So this is what the Almighty Lord says: {People of Jerusalem,} you have caused more trouble than the nations around you. You haven't lived by my laws or obeyed my rules. You haven't even lived up to the standards of the nations around you.


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"So this is what the Almighty Lord says: I, too, am against you, and I will punish you in front of the nations.


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Because of all the detestable things that you do, I will do things to you that I have never done before and will never do again.


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That is why parents will eat their children, and children will eat their parents. I will punish you and scatter whoever is left to the wind.


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"As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, because you have dishonored my holy worship place with all your disgusting and detestable things, I will have you killed. I will not have compassion for you or feel sorry for you.


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One-third of you will die in plagues and be devoured in famines. Another third will die in battles against those around you. I will scatter the remaining third to the wind, and I will pursue them with a sword.


text:
"I will unleash my anger. I will use my fury against you, and I will get revenge. When my fury is unleashed against you, you will know that I, the Lord, spoke to you while I was angry.


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I will turn you into a wasteland and an object of ridicule among the nations around you and in the presence of everyone who passes by you.


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The nations that are around you will ridicule you and laugh at you. When I punish you because of my anger, fury, and fierce revenge, you will become something ridiculed and something horrible. I, the Lord, have spoken.


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When I shoot my destructive arrows of famine at you, I will shoot to kill you. I will bring more and more famines into your land, and I will cut off your food supply.


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I will send famines and wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children. I will send plagues, violence, and wars to kill you. I, the Lord, have spoken."


text:
Say this, 'You mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Almighty Lord! This is what the Almighty Lord says to the mountains and hills and to the ravines and valleys: I am going to attack you with a sword and destroy your worship sites.


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Your altars will be destroyed, and your incense burners will be smashed. I will kill people in front of your idols.


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I will lay the dead bodies of the people of Israel in front of your idols, and I will scatter their bones around your altars.


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Wherever people live, the cities will be ruined, and the worship sites will be wrecked. Your altars will be ruined and demolished. Your idols will be smashed and completely destroyed. Your incense burners will be cut down, and everything you have done will be wiped out.


text:
"'But I will let some people live. Some people will escape the battle among the nations and be scattered throughout the countries.


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Then those who escape will remember me among the nations where they are taken captive. I was hurt by their adulterous hearts, which turned away from me, and by their eyes, which lusted after idols. They will hate themselves for the evil and disgusting things that they have done.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and say, "Oh no!" because the people of Israel have done evil and disgusting things. So they will die in wars, famines, and plagues.


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Plagues will kill those who are far away. Those who are near will die in wars, and anyone who is left and has escaped will die in famines. This is how I will unleash my anger.


text:
Then you will know that I am the Lord. "'Those who are killed will lie beside the idols around their altars. They will lie on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, and under every large tree and every leafy oak. These are the places where they made offerings to their disgusting idols.


text:
I will use my power against them and destroy the land, from the desert to Diblah. Then they will know that I am the Lord.' "


text:
"Son of man, this is what the Almighty Lord says to {the people in} the land of Israel: The end is coming! The end is coming to the four corners of the earth.


text:
Now the end is coming for you. I will send my anger against you. I will judge you for the way you have lived, and I will punish you for all the detestable things that you have done.


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I will not have compassion for you or feel sorry for you. I will pay you back for the way you have lived and for the detestable things you have done. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


text:
Destruction is coming to you, inhabitants of the land. The time is coming. The day is near. There will be confusion. There will be no joy in the mountains.


text:
Soon I will pour out my fury on you and unleash my anger on you. I will judge you for the way you have lived, and I will punish you for all the detestable things that you have done.


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I will not have compassion or feel sorry. I will pay you back for the way you have lived and for the detestable things that you are still doing. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that I am the one attacking {you}.


text:
"The day is near! It is coming! Destruction is coming! Wrongdoing has blossomed. Arrogance has flourished.


text:
Violence has grown into a weapon for punishing wickedness. None of the people will be left. None of that crowd, none of their wealth, and nothing of value will be left.


text:
The time is coming. The day is near. Buyers will not rejoice, and sellers will not mourn, because {my} fury will be against the whole crowd.


text:
Sellers will not live long enough to buy back what they have sold. The visions against that crowd will not change. Because of their sins, none of the people will live.


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They have blown a ram's horn, and everything is ready. But no one will go into battle, because my fury is against their whole crowd.


text:
"Outside are swords, and inside are plagues and famines. Whoever is in a field will die in battle. Whoever is in the city will be devoured by famines and plagues.


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Those who survive will escape to the mountains. They will moan like doves in the valleys. They will moan because of their sins.


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They will put on sackcloth, and horror will cover them. All their faces will be covered with shame, and every head will be shaved.


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They will throw their silver and gold into the streets like garbage. Their silver and gold won't be able to rescue them on the day of the Lord's anger. It will no longer satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs. Their silver and gold caused them to fall into sin.


text:
They were proud of their beautiful jewels and used them to make disgusting and detestable statues {of false gods}. That is why I will make their jewels disgusting.


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I will hand their jewels over to foreigners as loot and to the most evil people on earth as prizes. These foreigners will dishonor the people of Israel.


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I will turn my face away from the people of Israel, and foreigners will dishonor my treasured place. Robbers will go in and dishonor it.


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So I will send the most evil nation, and it will take possession of people's houses. I will stop those who are strong from feeling proud, and their holy places will be dishonored.


text:
One disaster will happen after another. One rumor will follow another. People will ask for a vision from a prophet. The teachings of priests and the advice of leaders will disappear.


text:
Kings will mourn, and princes will give up hope. The common people will lose their courage. I will give them what they deserve and judge them as they have judged others. Then they will know that I am the Lord."


text:
On the fifth day of the sixth month in the sixth year, I was sitting in my home. Judah's leaders were sitting in front of me. The power of the Almighty Lord came over me.


text:
As I looked, I saw something that looked like a human. From the waist down its body looked like fire, and from the waist up its body looked like glowing metal.


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It stretched out what looked like a hand and grabbed me by the hair on my head. In these visions from God, the Spirit carried me between heaven and earth. He took me to Jerusalem, to the entrance to the north gate of the inner courtyard of the temple. That was where an idol that stirs up {God's} anger was located.


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God said to me, "Son of man, look toward the north." So I looked toward the north, and there in the entrance to the north gate beside the altar, I saw the idol that stirs up {God's} anger.


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He asked me, "Son of man, do you see what the people of Israel are doing? The people of Israel are doing very disgusting things here, things that will force me to go far away from my holy place. But you will see even more disgusting things."


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He said to me, "Go in, and see the wicked, disgusting things that the people of Israel are doing here."


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So I went in and looked. I saw that the walls were covered with drawings of every kind of crawling creature, every kind of disgusting animal, and all the idols in the nation of Israel.


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In front of these drawings stood 70 of Israel's leaders. Jaazaniah, son of Shaphan, was standing with the leaders. Each of them was holding an incense burner in his hand, and a cloud of incense went up.


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God asked me, "Son of man, do you see what the leaders of the nation of Israel are doing in secret? Each of them is in the room where his god is, and each one of them is thinking, 'The Lord doesn't see me. The Lord has abandoned this land.' "


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He brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the Lord's temple. Women were sitting there and crying for the god Tammuz.


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Then he brought me into the inner courtyard of the Lord's temple. There at the entrance to the Lord's temple, between the entrance and the altar, were about 25 men who had their backs turned to the Lord's temple. They were facing east and worshiping the rising sun.


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He asked me, "Son of man, do you see this? Isn't it bad enough that the people of Judah have done these disgusting things that you have seen here? Yet, they also fill the land with violence and continue to provoke me even more. Look how they insult me in the worst possible way.


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So I will take action because I'm angry, and I won't have compassion for them or feel sorry for them. Even if they shout in my ears, I won't listen to them."


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Then I heard the Lord call out with a loud voice. He said, "Come here, those who are going to punish this city. Each of you should bring your weapon with you."


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So six men came from the upper north gate. Each one brought a deadly weapon with him. Among them was a person dressed in linen who was carrying paper and pen. The men came in and stood by the bronze altar.


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Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the angels, where it had been, to the temple's entrance. The Lord called to the person dressed in linen who was carrying paper and pen.


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The Lord said to that person, "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of those who sigh and groan about all the disgusting things that are being done in the city."


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Then he said to the others as I was listening, "Follow him throughout the city and kill. Don't have any compassion, and don't feel sorry.


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Kill old men, young men, old women, young women, and children. But don't come near anyone who has a mark on him. Start with my holy place." So they started with the old men in front of the temple.


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He said to them, "Dishonor the temple! Fill its courtyards with dead people, and then leave." So they went out and killed the people in the city.


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As they were killing people, I was left alone. So I immediately bowed down. I cried, "Almighty Lord, will you destroy everyone who is left in Israel while you pour out your anger on Jerusalem?"


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He answered me, "The wickedness of the nations of Israel and Judah is terrible. The land is filled with murder, and the city is filled with wrongdoing. They think that the Lord has abandoned the land and that he doesn't see.


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Then the person dressed in linen who was carrying paper and pen reported, "I did everything you commanded."


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As I looked at the dome over the heads of the angels, I saw something that looked like a throne made of sapphire.


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The Lord said to the person dressed in linen, "Go between the wheels under the angels, and fill your hands with burning coals. Then scatter them over the city." So he went between the wheels as I watched.


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The angels were standing on the south side of the temple as the person went. A cloud filled the inner courtyard.


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The Lord's glory rose from the angels to the entrance of the temple, the cloud filled the temple, and the brightness of the Lord's glory filled the courtyard.


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The sound of the angels' wings was heard as far as the outer courtyard. It was like the sound of the Almighty God when he speaks.


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After the Lord had commanded the person dressed in linen to take burning coals from between the wheels beside the angels, the person went in and stood beside one of the wheels.


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One of the angels reached into the fire that was between the angels and took out some coals. This angel put them in the hands of the person dressed in linen. The person took them and left.


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As I looked, I saw four wheels beside the angels, one wheel beside each of the angels. The wheels looked like beryl.


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Whenever the angels moved, they moved in any of the four directions without turning as they moved. They always moved in the direction they faced without turning as they moved.


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Their entire bodies, their backs, hands, wings, and wheels were covered with eyes. Each of the angels had a wheel.


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Each of the angels had four faces. The first was the face of an angel, the second was the face of a human, the third was the face of a lion, and the fourth was the face of an eagle.


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When the angels moved, the wheels moved beside them. When the angels lifted their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels didn't leave their side.


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When the angels stood still, the wheels stood still. When the angels rose, the wheels rose with them. The spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.


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The angels lifted their wings and rose from the ground. I was watching them as they left with the wheels beside them. The angels stood at the door to the east gate of the Lord's temple, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.


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These are the living creatures that I saw under the God of Israel at the Chebar River. I realized that they were angels.


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Their faces looked exactly like the faces that I saw by the Chebar River. Each one went straight ahead.


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Then the Spirit lifted me and took me to the east gate of the Lord's temple. (It's the gate that faces east.) Twenty-five men were at the entrance of the gate. I saw among them Azzur's son Jaazaniah and Benaiah's son Pelatiah. They were leaders of the people.


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Then the Lord said to me, "Son of man, these are the men who plan evil and give bad advice in this city.


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The Lord's Spirit came to me and told me to say, "This is what the Lord says: You are saying these things, nation of Israel. But I know what's going through your mind.


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"So this is what the Almighty Lord says: The corpses that you put in the middle of the city are the meat, and the city is the cooking pot. I will force you out of the city.


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You will die in battle. I will judge you at Israel's borders. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


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The city will not be your cooking pot, and you will not be the meat in it. I will judge you at Israel's borders.


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Then you will know that I am the Lord. You haven't lived by my laws, and you haven't obeyed my rules. You have followed the standards set by the nations around you."


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While I was prophesying, Benaiah's son Pelatiah died. I immediately bowed down and cried out, "Almighty Lord, will you completely destroy all the remaining people in Israel?"


text:
"Son of man, the people who live in Jerusalem are talking about your own relatives and about the entire nation of Israel. The people who live in Jerusalem say, 'They are far away from the Lord. This land has been given to us as our own property.'


text:
"So tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, I have been their sanctuary for a little while among the countries where they've gone.'


text:
"So tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will bring them together from the nations and gather them from the countries where I've scattered them. I will give them the land of Israel.


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I will give them a single purpose and put a new spirit in them. I will remove their stubborn hearts and give them obedient hearts.


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But as for those whose minds are set on following detestable and disgusting idols, I will pay them back for what they have done, declares the Almighty Lord.' "


text:
Then the angels raised their wings, with the wheels beside them. The glory of the God of Israel was above them.


text:
In this vision from God's Spirit, the Spirit lifted me and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia. Then the vision I saw left me.


text:
"Son of man, you are living among rebellious people. They have eyes, but they can't see. They have ears, but they can't hear because they are rebellious people.


text:
"Son of man, pack your bags as if you were going into exile. Let the people see you leave in the daylight. March like a captive from your place to another place as they watch. Maybe they will understand, even though they are rebellious people.


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Let them see you in the daylight. Bring out your bags as if you were going into exile. In the evening let them see you leave like a captive going into exile.


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Let them see you put your bags on your shoulders and carry them out in the dark. Cover your face so that you won't see the land. I've made you a sign to warn the nation of Israel."


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I did what I was ordered to do. During the day I brought out bags as if I were going into exile. In the evening I dug a hole through the wall. I brought out my bags in the dark. I let the people see me as I carried my bags on my shoulders.


text:
"Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: This is the divine revelation about the prince from Jerusalem and about all the people of Israel who live there.'


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"Tell them, 'I am your warning sign. What I have done will happen to you. You will go into exile and into captivity.


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The prince who is among you will put his bags on his shoulders in the dark and leave. People will dig holes in the wall to go through. The prince will cover his face so that he cannot see the land.


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I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my net. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Babylonians, but he will not see it. And that's where he'll die.


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I will scatter in every direction all those who are around him—his staff and all his troops. I will pursue them with my sword.


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Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will scatter them among the nations and force them into other countries.


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However, I will spare a few of them from wars, famines, and plagues. Wherever they go among the nations, they will realize that everything they did was disgusting. Then they will know that I am the Lord.' "


text:
"Tell the people of this land, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says about the people who live in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: They will be worried as they eat their food and terrified as they drink their water. Their country will be stripped of everything because everyone who lives there is violent.


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The cities where people live will be destroyed, and the country will become a wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.' "


text:
"Son of man, what is this proverb you have in Israel: 'Days go by, and every vision comes to nothing'?


text:
"Tell the people, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will put a stop to the use of this proverb. You will no longer quote it in Israel.' Instead, tell them, 'The time is near when every vision will come true.


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I, the Lord, will speak. Everything that I say will happen without any more delay. I will say something, and it will happen during your lifetime, you rebellious people, declares the Almighty Lord.' "


text:
"Son of man, the people of Israel are saying, 'The vision that Ezekiel sees won't happen for a long time. What he prophecies will happen in the distant future.'


text:
"Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Everything that I say will no longer be delayed. Whatever I say will happen, declares the Almighty Lord.' "


text:
"Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel. Tell those who make up their prophecies, 'Listen to the word of the Lord.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for the foolish prophets. They follow their own ideas, and they have seen nothing.


text:
They haven't repaired the gaps in the wall or rebuilt the wall for the nation of Israel. So Israel will not be protected in battle on the day of the Lord.


text:
These foolish prophets see false visions, and their predictions don't come true. They say, "The Lord said this." But the Lord hasn't sent them. Then they hope that their message will come true.


text:
Prophets of Israel, haven't you seen false visions and predicted things that don't come true? Don't you say, "The Lord said this," even though I haven't said anything?


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Your predictions are false, and your visions are lies. That is why I'm against you, declares the Almighty Lord.


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I will use my power against the prophets who see false visions and predict things that don't come true. They will not help my people make decisions or be recorded in the records of the nation of Israel. They won't even enter Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


text:
"'They have deceived my people by saying that everything is alright, but it's not alright. When someone builds a flimsy wall, the prophets cover it up with paint.


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Tell those who cover up the wall with paint that their wall will fall down. Rain will pour down, hailstones will fall on it, and stormy winds will break it to pieces.


text:
When the wall falls down, people will ask them, "Where's the paint that you used to cover the wall?"


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: In my fury I'll cause a storm to break out. In my anger rain will pour down, and hailstones will destroy the wall.


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I will tear down the wall that the prophets covered up with paint. I will level it and expose its foundation. When the wall falls, they will be destroyed by it. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


text:
I will unleash my fury on the wall and on those who covered it up with paint. "'Then I will say to you, "The wall is gone, and so are those who painted it.


text:
The prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem are gone. Those who said that everything was alright, when it wasn't alright, are gone, declares the Almighty Lord." '


text:
"Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for women who sew magic charms for people's wrists and make magic veils of every size for people's heads. You want to trap people. You want to control the lives of my people for your own profit.


text:
You dishonor me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You kill people who shouldn't die, and you spare the lives of people who shouldn't live. You lie to my people who are willing to listen.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm against the magic charms that you use to trap people like birds. I will tear them from your arms and free the people that you have trapped.


text:
I will tear off your magic veils and rescue my people from your power so that they will no longer be under your control. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


text:
You have discouraged righteous people with your lies, even though I hadn't brought them any grief. You encouraged wicked people not to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives.


text:
That is why you will no longer see false visions or make predictions. I will rescue my people from your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.' "


text:
"Son of man, these people are devoted to their idols, and they are allowing themselves to fall into sin. Should they be allowed to ask me for help?


text:
"So speak to them. Tell them, 'This is what the Lord says: Suppose an Israelite is devoted to idols and allows himself to fall into sin. Suppose he goes to a prophet {to ask for my help}. I, the Lord, will give that Israelite an answer, the answer that his many idols deserve.


text:
I will do this to recapture the hearts of the nation of Israel. They have deserted me because of their disgusting idols.'


text:
"So tell the nation of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Change the way you think and act! Turn away from your idols, and don't return to any of your disgusting things.


text:
Suppose an Israelite or a foreigner who lives in Israel deserts me by devoting himself to idols and by allowing himself to fall into sin. If he goes to a prophet to ask for my help, I, the Lord, will give him an answer.


text:
I will reject him, and I will make an example of him. I will exclude him from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


text:
"'If a prophet is tricked into giving a prophecy, it is I, the Lord, who tricked the prophet. I will use my power against you and destroy you from among my people Israel.


text:
Both of you will suffer for your sins. The prophet will be as guilty as you are when you ask for his help.


text:
Then the people of Israel will no longer wander away from me. They will no longer dishonor me with all their sins. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Almighty Lord.' "


text:
"Son of man, suppose a country sins against me by being unfaithful to me. I will use my power against it, cut off its food supply, send a famine to it, and destroy its people and animals.


text:
Even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in that country, they would, by their righteousness, rescue only themselves," declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
"Suppose I send wild animals through that country and they make it childless and turn it into such a wasteland that no one travels through it because of the animals.


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As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could rescue their own sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves. And the country would become a wasteland.


text:
"Suppose I bring a war against that country by saying, 'I will let a war go throughout this country.' Suppose I destroy the people and the animals in it.


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As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could rescue their sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves.


text:
"Suppose I send a plague into that country or pour out my fury on it by killing people and destroying animals.


text:
As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, not even Noah, Daniel, and Job could, by their righteousness, rescue their sons or daughters. They could rescue only themselves.


text:
"This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will surely send four terrible punishments against Jerusalem. I will send wars, famines, wild animals, and plagues. They will destroy people and animals.


text:
But some people will survive. Some of your sons and daughters will be brought out. When they come out to you, you will see how they live. Then you will be comforted after the disasters that I will bring on Jerusalem, after every disaster that I will bring against it.


text:
You will be comforted when you see how they live. Then you will know that everything I have done was done for a reason," declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
"Son of man, what good is the wood from a vine? Is it better than the wood from a tree in the forest?


text:
No! It is only thrown into the fire as fuel. The fire burns up both its ends and chars its middle. Then can it be used to make anything?


text:
When the vine was in perfect condition, it couldn't be made into anything. How can it be used to make anything after the fire has burned and charred it?


text:
"So this is what the Almighty Lord says: As a vine is taken from among the trees in the forest to be used to feed the fire, so I will take the people who live in Jerusalem to punish them.


text:
I will turn against the people of Jerusalem. Even though they have escaped one fire, another fire will burn them. Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will turn against them.


text:
I will turn the country into a wasteland because they have been unfaithful," declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says to the people of Jerusalem: Your birthplace and your ancestors were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite.


text:
When you were born, your umbilical cord wasn't cut. You weren't washed with water to make you clean. You weren't rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloth.


text:
No one who saw you felt sorry enough for you to do any of these things. But you were thrown into an open field. You were rejected when you were born.


text:
I made you grow like a plant in the field. You grew up, matured, and became a young woman. Your breasts developed, and your hair grew. Yet, you were naked and bare.


text:
"'I went by you again and looked at you. You were old enough to make love to. So I spread my robe over you, and covered your naked body. I promised to love you, and I exchanged marriage vows with you. You became mine, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
I put an embroidered dress on you and fine leather sandals on your feet. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with silk.


text:
So you wore gold and silver jewelry. You were dressed in fine linen, silk, and embroidered clothes. Your food was flour, honey, and olive oil. You were very beautiful, and eventually you became a queen.


text:
You became famous in every nation because of your beauty. Your beauty was perfect because I gave you my glory, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
"'But you trusted your beauty, and you used your fame to become a prostitute. You had sex with everyone who walked by.


text:
You took some of your clothes and made your worship sites colorful. This is where you acted like a prostitute. Such things shouldn't happen. They shouldn't occur.


text:
You took your beautiful gold and silver jewelry that I had given you and made male idols for yourself. Then you committed adultery with them.


text:
You took off your embroidered clothes and covered the idols with them. You offered my olive oil and incense in their presence.


text:
You also offered them sweet and fragrant sacrifices. You gave flour, olive oil, and honey—all the food that I gave you to eat. This is what happened, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
"'You took your sons and daughters, who belonged to me, and you sacrificed them as food to idols. Wasn't your prostitution enough?


text:
With all the disgusting things that you did and all your acts of prostitution, you didn't remember the time when you were young. You didn't remember when you were naked and bare, kicking around in your own blood.


text:
"'How horrible! How horrible it will be for you! declares the Almighty Lord. After all your wickedness,


text:
You also built worship sites at the head of every street. You used your beauty to seduce people there. You offered your body to everyone who passed by. You increased your acts of prostitution.


text:
You had sex with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians. You used your prostitution to make me angry.


text:
"'So I used my power against you. I took away some of your land, and I handed you over to your greedy enemies, the Philistines, who were ashamed of what you had done.


text:
So you increased your acts of prostitution to include the land of the merchants, the Babylonians. Even after that, you weren't satisfied.


text:
"'You have no will power! declares the Almighty Lord. You do everything a shameless prostitute does.


text:
You build your platforms at the head of every street and place your illegal worship sites in every square. Yet, you aren't like other prostitutes, because you don't want to be paid.


text:
All prostitutes get paid. But you give gifts to all your lovers and bribe them to come to you from all directions to have sex with you.


text:
You are a different kind of prostitute. No one goes after you for favors. You are the opposite. You pay them, and you don't accept payment.


text:
This is what the Almighty Lord says: You exposed yourself and uncovered your naked body when you gave yourself to your lovers and to all your disgusting idols. You also killed your children and sacrificed their blood to these idols.


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That is why I will gather all your lovers with whom you found pleasure. I will have all those who love you and hate you gather around. I will uncover your body for them, and they will see you naked.


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I will punish you the same way that those who are guilty of prostitution and murder are punished. I will give you the death penalty in my fury and burning anger.


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I will hand you over to your lovers. They will destroy your platforms and tear down your illegal worship sites. They will tear off your clothes, take away your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare.


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They will also bring a mob against you. They will stone you and cut you into pieces with their swords.


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They will burn your houses and punish you in the presence of many women. I will put an end to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay others.


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Then I will rest from my fury against you, and I will stop being angry. I will be at peace. I will no longer be angry.


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"'You didn't remember the time when you were young, and you made me very angry with all these things. So I will pay you back for what you have done, declares the Almighty Lord. Didn't you make wicked plans in addition to all your disgusting practices?


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"'Everyone who uses proverbs will speak the following saying against you: Like mother, like daughter.


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You are your mother's daughter. She rejected her husband and her children. You are exactly like your sisters. They rejected their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite, and your father was an Amorite.


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"'Your older sister was Samaria. She and her daughters lived north of you. Your younger sister is Sodom. She lives south of you with her daughters.


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You didn't follow their ways. You didn't do the same disgusting things that they did. It only took you a little time to be more corrupt than they ever were.


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As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.


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This is what your sister Sodom has done wrong. She and her daughters were proud that they had plenty of food and had peace and security. They didn't help the poor and the needy.


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They were arrogant and did disgusting things in front of me. So I did away with them when I saw this.


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"'Samaria didn't commit half the sins you did. You have done many more disgusting things than they ever did. Because of all the disgusting things that you have done, you make your sisters look innocent.


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You will have to suffer disgrace because you accused your sisters. Yet, your sins are more disgusting than theirs. They look like they are innocent compared to you. Be ashamed of yourself and suffer disgrace, because you have made your sisters look like they are innocent.


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"'I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and Samaria and her daughters. I will also restore your fortune along with theirs.


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You will have to suffer disgrace and be ashamed of everything you have done, including comforting them.


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When Sodom and her daughters and Samaria and her daughters return to what they once were, you and your daughters will return to what you once were.


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You didn't mention her before your wickedness was revealed. Now the daughters of Aram and their neighbors despise you. The daughters of the Philistines also despise you. Those around you hate you.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will give you what you deserve. You despised your marriage vows and rejected my promise.


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I will remember the promise that I made with you when you were young, and I will make it a promise that will last forever.


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Then you will remember what you have done. You will be ashamed when I return your older and younger sisters to you. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of my promise with you.


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You will remember and be ashamed. You will never again open your mouth because of your disgrace when I forgive you for everything you did, declares the Almighty Lord.' "


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Say, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: A large eagle came to Lebanon. It had large wings with long, colorful feathers. It took hold of the top of a cedar tree.


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It broke off the highest twig and carried it to a country of merchants. It planted the twig in a city of merchants.


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"'Then it took a seedling from that country and planted the seedling in fertile soil. The eagle planted the seedling like a willow where there was plenty of water.


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The plant sprouted and grew into a low vine that spread over the ground. Its branches turned upward toward the eagle, but its roots grew downward. So it became a vine, producing branches and growing shoots.


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"'There was another large eagle with large wings and many feathers. Now, the vine stretched its roots toward this eagle and sent its branches toward the eagle so that the eagle could water it. The vine turned away from the garden where it was planted.


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It was planted in good soil beside plenty of water so that it could grow branches, bear fruit, and become a wonderful vine.'


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"Tell the nation of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Will this vine live and grow? Won't the first eagle uproot it and tear off its fruit? Then it will wither. All the leaves on its branches will wither. It won't take much strength or many people to pull the vine up by its roots.


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It might be planted again, but will it live and grow? It will wither completely when the east wind blows on it. It will certainly wither in the garden where it is growing.' "


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"Ask these rebellious people, 'Don't you know what this means?' Tell them, 'The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and captured its king and its leaders. He brought them home with him to Babylon.


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Then he took someone from the royal family, made a treaty with him, and made him promise to be loyal. He took away the leading citizens from Judah


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so that it would remain a humiliated country and be unable to regain its power. The country could only survive by keeping the treaty.


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But the king of Judah rebelled against the king of Babylon by sending his messengers to Egypt to get horses and many soldiers. Will the king of Judah succeed? Will anyone who does such things escape? He can't break a treaty and go unpunished.


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"'As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, the king of Judah will die in Babylonia. He will die in the country of the king who appointed him king of Judah. The king of Judah broke his promise and his treaty with the king of Babylon.


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Even with a large army and many people, Pharaoh will not be able to help him in battle when the Babylonians put up dirt ramps and set up blockades to kill many people.


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The king of Judah broke the promise and the treaty that he pledged to keep. He did all these things, and he can't go unpunished.


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"'So this is what the Almighty Lord says: As I live, I will certainly punish you for rejecting my promise and hating my treaty.


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I will spread my net over you to catch you in my trap. I will take you to Babylon and judge you there for rebelling against me.


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The best of your troops will die in battle. Anyone who remains will be scattered in every direction that the wind blows. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I, too, will take hold of the top of a cedar tree. I will break off the highest twig and plant it on a high and lofty mountain.


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I will plant it on a high mountain in Israel. It will grow branches and produce fruit. It will become a magnificent cedar tree. Every kind of bird will nest in it and find a home in the shelter of its branches.


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Then all the trees in the field will know that I am the Lord. I cut down tall trees, and I make small trees grow tall. I dry up green trees, and I make dry trees grow. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.' "


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"What do you mean when you use this proverb about the land of Israel: 'Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and their children's teeth are set on edge'?


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The life of every person belongs to me. Fathers and their children belong to me. The person who sins will die.


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He doesn't eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He doesn't dishonor his neighbor's wife or have sexual intercourse with a woman while she is having her period.


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He doesn't oppress anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security for a loan. He doesn't rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked.


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He doesn't lend money for interest or make an excessive profit. He refuses to do evil things, and he judges everyone fairly.


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He lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully. This person is righteous. He will certainly live," declares the Almighty Lord.


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that his father never did. He eats at the illegal mountain worship sites. He dishonors his neighbor's wife.


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He oppresses the poor and needy. He robs. He doesn't return the security for a loan. He looks to idols for help. He does disgusting things.


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He lends money for interest and makes excessive profits. Will this person live? He will not live. He has done all these disgusting things. So he must die, and he will be responsible for his own death.


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"But suppose this person has a son. The son sees all the sins that his father does. He is afraid, so he doesn't do such things.


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He doesn't eat at the illegal mountain worship sites or look for help from the idols of the nation of Israel. He doesn't dishonor his neighbor's wife.


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He doesn't oppress anyone. He doesn't keep the security for a loan. He doesn't rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked.


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He refuses to hurt the poor. He doesn't charge interest or make excessive profits. He obeys my rules and lives by my laws. He won't die for his father's sins. He will certainly live.


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But his father has oppressed others, robbed his relative, and done what is wrong among his people. So the father will die because of his sin.


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"But you ask, 'Why isn't the son punished for his father's sin?' It is because the son has done what is fair and right. He obeyed my rules and followed them. He will certainly live.


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The person who sins will die. A son will not be punished for his father's sins, and a father will not be punished for his son's sins. The righteousness of the righteous person will be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be his own.


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"But suppose a wicked person turns away from all the sins that he has done. He obeys all my laws and does what is fair and right. He will certainly live. He will not die.


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All the rebellious things that he did will not be remembered. He will live because of the right things that he did.


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I don't want wicked people to die." declares the Almighty Lord. "I want them to turn from their evil ways and live.


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"But suppose a righteous person turns away from doing right and he does evil things. He does all the disgusting things that the wicked person did. Will he live? All the right things that he has done will not be remembered because of his unfaithfulness and because of his sin. He will die because of them.


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"But you say, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' Listen, nation of Israel, isn't my way fair? Isn't it your ways that are unfair?


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When a righteous person turns away from doing right and does evil things, he will die. He will die because of the evil things he has done.


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When a wicked person turns away from the wicked things that he has done and does what is fair and right, he will live.


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He realized what he was doing and turned away from all the rebellious things that he had done. He will certainly live. He will not die.


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"But the nation of Israel says, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' Isn't my way fair, nation of Israel? Isn't it your ways that are unfair?


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"That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel," declares the Almighty Lord. "Change the way you think and act. Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin.


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Stop all the rebellious things that you are doing. Get yourselves new hearts and new spirits. Why do you want to die, nation of Israel?


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One of the cubs she raised became a young lion. He learned to tear apart the animals he hunted. He ate people.


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The lioness waited until she saw that there was no more hope. Then she took another one of her cubs and raised him into a young lion.


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He became a young lion, and he prowled among the lions. He learned to tear apart the animals he hunted. He ate people.


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He destroyed fortresses and turned cities into wastelands. The land and everyone living in it were terrified by the sound of his roar.


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The nations from every region came together against him. They spread their net over him and caught him in their pit.


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With hooks they put him in a cage and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison so that his roar wouldn't be heard anymore on the mountains of Israel.


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Your mother was like a grapevine that was planted near water. It had a lot of fruit and many branches because there was plenty of water.


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Its branches were strong. They were used to make scepters for kings. It grew to be tall with many branches around it, and everyone saw it because of its many branches.


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But in anger it was uprooted and thrown to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong branches broke off. They withered and were burned.


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Fire has spread from the vine's main branch. Fire has destroyed its fruit. It no longer has any strong branches that could be used as a king's scepter. This is a funeral song. It is to be used as a funeral song.


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On the tenth day of the fifth month in the seventh year, some of the leaders of Israel came to ask for the Lord's help. They sat in front of me.


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"Son of man, speak to the leaders of Israel. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Are you coming to ask me for help? As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, you will not be allowed to ask me for help.'


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"Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Tell them about the disgusting things their ancestors did.


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Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: When I chose Israel, I raised my hand and swore an oath to the descendants of Jacob's family. I made myself known to them in Egypt. I made a promise to them and said, "I am the Lord your God."


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At that time I promised to bring them out of Egypt to a land that I had chosen for them. This land is the most beautiful land, a land flowing with milk and honey.


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I said to them, "Get rid of the detestable idols that you look to for help. Don't dishonor yourselves with the disgusting idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God."


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"'But they rebelled against me and refused to listen to me. Not one of them got rid of the detestable idols that they looked to for help. They didn't abandon the disgusting idols of Egypt. So I was going to pour out my fury on them and unleash my anger on them in Egypt.


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But I acted so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations where they were living. While other nations were watching, I made myself known to them by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.


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I also gave them certain days to worship me as a sign between us so that they would know that I, the Lord, made them holy.


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"'But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They didn't live by my laws, and they rejected my rules. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them in the desert and completely wipe them out.


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But I acted so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations who had watched me bring the Israelites out {of Egypt}.


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I also swore an oath to them in the desert. I swore that I would not bring them into the land that I had promised to give them. This land is the most beautiful land, a land flowing with milk and honey.


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They rejected my rules, and they didn't live by my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, because their hearts chased disgusting idols.


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I said to their children in the desert, "Don't live by the laws of your ancestors. Don't obey their rules or dishonor yourselves with their disgusting idols.


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Set apart certain holy days to worship me. This will be a sign between me and you so that you will know that I am the Lord your God."


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"'But they rebelled against me. They didn't live by my laws, and they didn't obey my rules and follow them. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them and unleash my anger on them in the desert.


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But I didn't use my power so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations who had watched me bring the Israelites out {of Egypt}.


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I raised my hand and swore an oath to them in the desert. I promised to scatter them among the nations and force them into other countries.


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They didn't follow my rules, and they rejected my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, and they looked to their ancestors' disgusting idols for help.


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I let them dishonor themselves when they sacrificed all their firstborn sons as gifts {to their false gods}. I terrified them so that they would know that I am the Lord.'


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"Speak to the nation of Israel, son of man. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Your ancestors insulted me again because they were unfaithful to me.


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I brought them to the land that I promised to give them. When they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, they made sacrifices and brought offerings there to make me angry. There they offered their sacrifices and poured out their wine offerings.


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Then I asked them, "What is this worship site you're going to?" ' (So it is still called 'worship site' today.)


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"Tell the nation of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Will you dishonor yourselves the way your ancestors did? Will you chase their detestable idols like a prostitute?


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You offer your children as sacrifices by burning them alive. You dishonor yourselves with all your disgusting idols to this day. Should you be allowed to ask me for help, nation of Israel? "'As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, you won't be allowed to ask me for help.


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What you have in mind will never happen. You think that you want to be like other nations, like the different people in other countries. You want to serve wood and stone.


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"'As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, I will rule you with a mighty hand and a powerful arm, and I will pour out my fury.


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I will bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where I have scattered you with my mighty hand and powerful arm. I will pour out my fury.


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I will put you on trial as I put your ancestors on trial in the desert of Egypt, declares the Almighty Lord.


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I will get rid of rebels and those who do wrong against me. I will bring you out of the land where you are living. You will never enter Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


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"'Nation of Israel, this is what the Almighty Lord says: Serve your disgusting idols. But afterwards, you will listen to me. You will no longer dishonor my holy name with your gifts and your disgusting idols.


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"'The entire nation of Israel, everyone in the land, will worship me on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Almighty Lord. There I will accept you. There I will look for your offerings, your best gifts, and all your holy gifts.


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When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, I will accept you as if you were a pleasing sacrifice. Through you I will reveal myself as holy to the nations that are watching.


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Then you will know that I am the Lord, because I will bring you to the land of Israel, the land that I promised to give your ancestors.


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There you will remember the way you lived and everything you did to dishonor yourselves. You will be disgusted by every wrong thing that you did.


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Then you will know that I am the Lord, because I will deal with you for the sake of my name. I will not deal with you based on the evil and corrupt things that you have done, nation of Israel, declares the Almighty Lord.' "


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"Son of man, turn to the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest in the Negev.


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Tell the forest in the Negev, 'Listen to the word of the Lord. This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am about to set fire to you to destroy all your green trees and all your dry trees. The blazing fire will not be put out. It will burn the whole land from the south to the north.


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"Son of man, turn to Jerusalem, preach against the holy places. Prophesy against the land of Israel.


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Tell the land of Israel, 'This is what the Lord says: I am against you. I will take my sword out of its scabbard and kill the righteous people and the wicked people among you.


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I'm going to kill the righteous people and the wicked people among you. That is why my sword will come out of its scabbard to be used against everyone from the south to the north.


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Then everyone will know that I, the Lord, have taken my sword from its scabbard, and I will not put it back again.'


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When they ask you why you are groaning, say, 'News has come that will discourage everyone. People's hands will hang limp, their hearts will lose courage, and their knees will become as weak as water. It's coming! It will surely take place!' declares the Almighty Lord.' "


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"Son of man, prophesy. Tell them, 'This is what the Lord says: A sword, a sword is sharpened and polished,


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It's sharpened to kill and polished to flash like lightning. How can we rejoice? My son has refused to be disciplined or punished.


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The sword has been handed over to be polished, to be placed in the hand. The sword is being sharpened and polished to be placed in the hands of killers.


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"'Cry and mourn, son of man, because the sword will be used against my people and against all the princes of Israel. I will throw the princes and my people on the sword. So beat your breast, and grieve.


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Testing will surely come. What if you refuse to be disciplined again? Won't you be tested? declares the Almighty Lord.


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So prophesy, son of man. Clap your hands! Let the sword strike again and again. It's the sword for killing. It's the sword for killing many people. It's the sword that surrounds them.


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I have appointed my sword to slaughter people at all their gates so that their hearts will sink and many will die. Yes! It's ready to flash like lightning. It's polished to kill.


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"Son of man, mark two roads that the king of Babylon and his sword can take. Both of these roads should start from the same country. Make a sign, and put it where the roads start to fork toward the cities.


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Mark the road that the king and his sword can take to the Ammonite city of Rabbah, and mark the road that leads to Judah and the fortified city of Jerusalem.


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The king of Babylon will stop where the roads branch off, where there is a fork in the road. Then he will look for omens. He will shake some arrows, ask his household gods for help, and examine animal livers.


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The omens will indicate that he should go to the right, to Jerusalem. So he will set up his battering rams there, give the order to kill, raise a battle cry, aim the battering rams against the city gates, put up ramps, and set up blockades.


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The people won't believe this because they have made treaties with other nations. But the king of Babylon will remind them of their sins, and they will be captured.


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"This is what the Almighty Lord says: You make people remember how sinful you are because you openly do wrong. You show your sins in everything you do. So you will be taken captive.


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This is what the Almighty Lord says: Take off your turban, and get rid of your crown. Things are going to change. Those who are unimportant will become important, and those who are important will become unimportant.


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Ruins! Ruins! I will turn this place into ruins! It will not be restored until its rightful owner comes. Then I will give it to him.


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"Son of man, prophesy. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says about the Ammonites and their insults: A sword, a sword is drawn ready to kill. It's polished to destroy and flash like lightning.


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People see false visions about you and prophesy lies about you. The sword will be placed on the necks of dishonest, wicked people, for whom the time of final punishment has come.


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"'Return your sword to its scabbard. In the place where you were created, in the land where you were born, there I will judge you.


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I will pour out my fury on you and breathe on you with my fiery anger. I will hand you over to cruel people who are skilled in destruction.


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You will be fuel for the fire. You will die in the land. You will no longer be remembered. I, the Lord, have spoken.' "


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"Will you judge, son of man? Will you judge the city of murderers? Then tell it about all the disgusting things that it has done.


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Tell it, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: {Jerusalem,} you are the city that murders people who live in you. Your time has come. You dishonor yourself with disgusting idols.


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You are guilty because of the people you have killed. You are dishonored because of the disgusting idols you have made. You have brought an end to your days, and you have come to the end of your years. That is why I will make you a disgrace to the nations and a joke in every land.


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Those near and those far away will mock you. Your name will be dishonored, and you will be filled with confusion.


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People in you hate their fathers and mothers. They oppress foreigners in you. They oppress orphans and widows in you.


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Some of your people slander. They want to kill people. People who live in you eat food sacrificed to idols at the worship sites on the hills, and they sin sexually.


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Men have sex with their father's wives. They have sex with women when the women are having their periods and are unclean.


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Men do disgusting things with their neighbors' wives. Some men sexually dishonor their daughters-in-law. Other men who live in you have sex with their sisters, their father's daughters.


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Other people take bribes to murder people. You collect interest and make excessive profits. You make profits by mistreating your neighbors. You have forgotten me, declares the Almighty Lord.


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"'I will use my power against you because of the excessive profits you have made and the murders you have committed.


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Will you still be brave? Will you remain strong when I deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.


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I will scatter you among the nations and force you into other countries. I will put an end to your uncleanness.


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"Son of man, the people of Israel have become worthless to me. All of them are like copper, tin, iron, and lead in a smelting furnace. They are like the impurities left from silver.


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This is what the Almighty Lord says: All of you have become worthless. That is why I'm going to gather you in Jerusalem.


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People gather silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin together in a smelting furnace to melt them with a fiery blast. In the same way, in my anger and fury I will gather you and put you in the city. I will melt you there.


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You will be melted in the city like silver that is melted in a furnace. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have poured out my fury on you."


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"Son of man, tell the city, 'You are an unclean land that has not had rain during the day of my anger. You have not been made clean.


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Your princes are like roaring lions who tear their prey into pieces. They eat people and take their treasures and precious belongings. They turn many women into widows.


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Your priests violate my teachings and dishonor my holy things. They don't distinguish between what is holy and what is unholy. They don't teach the difference between what is clean and what is unclean. They ignore the days to worship me. So I am dishonored among the people.


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Your leaders are like wolves that tear their prey into pieces. They murder and destroy people to make excessive profits.


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Your prophets cover up these things by seeing false visions and by prophesying lies. They say, "This is what the Almighty Lord says." Yet, the Lord hasn't spoken.


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The common people oppress and rob others. They do wrong to humble people and to poor people. They oppress foreigners for no reason.


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"'I looked for someone among you who could build walls or stand in front of me by the gaps in the walls to defend the land and keep it from being destroyed. But I couldn't find anyone.


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So I will pour out my anger on you, and with my fiery anger I will consume you. This is because of all the things you have done,' " declares the Almighty Lord.


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They became prostitutes in Egypt when they were young. There men fondled and caressed their breasts.


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"The older girl was named Oholah, and the younger girl was named Oholibah. I married them, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah represents Samaria, and Oholibah represents Jerusalem.


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Oholah acted like a prostitute, although she was my wife. She lusted after her Assyrian lovers who lived nearby.


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They were governors and commanders clothed in purple. They were all handsome young men who rode on horses.


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She became a prostitute for all the important men in Assyria. She dishonored herself with the idols of all those with whom she fell in love.


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She continued the prostitution that she started in Egypt. When she was young, men went to bed with her, caressed her breasts, and treated her like a prostitute.


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They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters, and killed her with a sword. Women gossiped about how she was punished.


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"Even though her younger sister Oholibah saw this, Oholibah lusted after men more than her sister did. Oholibah's prostitution became worse than her sister's prostitution.


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She lusted after the Assyrians who were nearby. They were governors and commanders in full dress. They were mounted horsemen, all of them desirable young men.


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Yet, she carried her prostitution even further. She saw pictures of men carved on walls. They were figures of Babylonian men, painted in bright red.


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The men had belts around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads. All of them looked like Babylonian officers who were born in Babylon.


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So these men came from Babylon, went to bed with her, and dishonored her with their lust. After they had dishonored her, she turned away from them in disgust.


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"She carried out her prostitution openly, and she lay around naked. I turned away from her in disgust as I had turned away from her sister.


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She remembered how she had been a prostitute in Egypt when she was young. So she took part in even more prostitution.


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She lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose semen was like that of horses.


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So she longed to do the sinful things she did when she was young in Egypt, when young men caressed and fondled her breasts.


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"Oholibah, this is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm going to stir up your lovers against you. They are the lovers you turned away from in disgust. I will bring them against you from every side.


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I will bring men from Babylon and from all Babylonia, men from Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, as well as all the Assyrians. They are desirable young men, governors and commanders, military officers and important men. All of them ride on horses.


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They will attack you from the north, with chariots and wagons and with a large number of troops. They will attack you from all around with small and large shields and with helmets. I have handed you over to them for punishment. They will punish you with their own kind of punishment.


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I will direct my burning anger against you so that they will deal with you in anger. They will cut off your nose and ears and kill everyone who remains. They will take your sons and your daughters and burn down whatever is left.


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I will put a stop to your sinning and to your prostitution, which you began in Egypt. You won't desire these things anymore or remember Egypt anymore.


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"This is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm going to hand you over to those you hate and to those you turned away from in disgust.


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They will treat you hatefully and take away everything that you have worked for. They will leave you naked and bare. The shame of your prostitution will be revealed.


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Your sinning and your prostitution have done this to you, because you lusted after the nations and dishonored yourself with their idols.


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This is what the Almighty Lord says: You will drink from your sister's cup, a cup that is deep and wide. You will be scorned and mocked, because this cup holds so much.


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You will drink from it and drain it. You will break it into pieces and tear your breasts off your body. I have spoken, declares the Almighty Lord.


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"This is what the Almighty Lord says: You have forgotten me and turned your back on me. So you will be punished for your sinning and prostitution."


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The Lord said to me, "Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah and tell them about their disgusting practices?


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They have committed adultery. Their hands are covered with blood. They commit adultery with their idols. They have sacrificed the children they gave birth to for me as burnt offerings to idols.


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They have also done this to me: They have polluted my holy places when they do these things and dishonored the days to worship me.


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When they sacrificed their children to their idols, they came into my holy place and dishonored it. That is what they've done in my temple.


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"They even sent messengers to invite men to come from far away. When the men arrived, they washed themselves for the men, painted their eyes, and put on their jewels.


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They sat on their fine couches with tables in front of them. They put my incense and my olive oil on their tables.


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"I heard the noise from a carefree crowd. A large number of people came from the desert, and they put bracelets on the women's wrists and beautiful crowns on their heads.


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Men slept with her. They slept with those sinful women, Oholah and Oholibah just as they slept with a prostitute.


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Righteous people will punish these women for adultery and for murder, because these women have committed adultery and their hands are covered with blood.


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"This is what the Almighty Lord says: Bring together a mob {against the people of Samaria and Jerusalem}. Hand them over to terror and looting.


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Then the mob will stone them and kill them with swords. The mob will kill their sons and daughters and burn their homes.


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So I will put a stop to the sinning in the land, and all the women will be warned not to sin as they do.


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They will be punished for their sins, and they will pay for their sin of idolatry. Then they will know that I am the Almighty Lord."


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Tell these rebellious people a story. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Put the pot on the fire; put it on. Pour water in it.


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Cut the meat into pieces, all the best pieces, the thigh and shoulder. Fill the pot with the meatiest bones


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selected from the best sheep. Pile wood under the pot. Bring the mixture in the pot to a boil. Cook the bones that are in it well.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for that city of murderers, for that tarnished pot. Its tarnish will not come off. Empty the meat out of it piece by piece without choosing any particular piece.


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Blood is still in that city. The blood was poured on a bare rock. It wasn't poured on the ground where dust would cover it.


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In order to stir up my fury so that I would pay that city back, I put the blood of its victims on a bare rock. Now that blood can't be covered.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for that city of murderers. I, too, will pile the wood high.


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Pile it high, and light the fire. Cook the meat thoroughly, stir the mixture, and let the bones burn.


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Then set the empty pot on the coals so that it gets hot and its copper glows. Its impurities will melt away, and its tarnish will burn off.


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I tried to clean you of your filthy lust, but you wouldn't clean yourself from your filth. You will never be clean until I unleash my fury on you.


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I, the Lord, have spoken. It will happen, and I will do it. I will not ignore you, pity you, or change my plans. I will punish you because of the way you lived and because of everything you have done,' " declares the Almighty Lord.


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"Son of man, with one blow I'm going to take away from you the person you love the most. But you must not mourn, cry, or let tears run down your face.


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Groan silently. Don't grieve for the person who dies. Tie on your turban, and put on your sandals. Don't cover your face or eat the food that mourners eat."


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So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I was ordered.


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'Tell the nation of Israel, "This is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm going to dishonor my holy place. You brag that my holy place gives you strength. It's the thing you love the most. It's your hearts' desire. So the sons and daughters that you left behind will die in battle.


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Leave your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. Don't grieve or cry! You will waste away because of your guilt and groan to one another.


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Ezekiel is a sign to you. You will do everything he has done. Then you will know that I am the Almighty Lord." '


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"Son of man, on that day I will take their stronghold away from them. It makes them happy and proud. It is their hearts' desire and the thing they love the most. I will also take away their sons and daughters.


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On that very day your mouth will be opened, and you will talk to the refugee. You will speak and not be silent anymore. You will be a sign to them. Then they will know that I am the Lord."


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Tell the Ammonites, 'Listen to the word of the Almighty Lord. This is what the Almighty Lord says: You were glad when my holy place was dishonored, when the land of Israel was ruined, and when the nation of Judah went into exile.


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That is why I'm going to hand you over to the people in the east. They will possess your land. They will set up their camps and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your crops and drink your milk.


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I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels, and I will turn Ammon into a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: You clapped your hands and stomped your feet. You rejoiced and felt contempt for the land of Israel.


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That is why I will use my power against you and hand you over to the nations as loot. I will wipe you out from among the nations, make you disappear, and destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Moab and Seir said, "The nation of Judah is like all the other nations."


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That is why I'm going to open up the cities that protect Moab's borders. They are the beautiful cities of Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim.


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I will hand the Moabites and the Ammonites over to the people in the east. So the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Edom took revenge on the nation of Judah and became guilty because of it.


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So this is what the Almighty Lord says: I will use my power against Edom. I will wipe out people and animals. I will turn the land into ruins from Teman to Dedan. People will die in battle.


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I will use my people Israel to take revenge on Edom. My people will deal with Edom based on my anger and my fury. Then the Edomites will know my revenge, declares the Almighty Lord.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: The Philistines have taken revenge with spiteful hearts. They have tried to destroy their long-time enemies.


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So this is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm going to use my power against the Philistines, cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the people that are left on the coast.


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I will take fierce revenge on them and punish them with fury. I will take revenge on them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.' "


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"Son of man, Tyre said this about Jerusalem: 'The city that was the gateway for the nations is destroyed, and its doors are swung open to me. I'll get rich now that it's ruined.'


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So this is what the Almighty Lord says: I am against you, Tyre. I will bring many nations against you as the waves on the sea rise.


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They will destroy the walls of Tyre and tear down its towers. Then I will sweep up the dust and turn Tyre into a bare rock.


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It will become a place by the sea where people spread their fishing nets. I have spoken, declares the Almighty Lord. It will become a prize for the nations.


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The people in the villages and on the mainland will die in battle. Then they will know that I am the Lord.


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"This is what the Almighty Lord says: From the north I'm going to bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon against you, Tyre. He is the greatest king. He will bring horses, chariots, war horses, many people, and many troops.


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He will destroy the villages on your mainland. He will set up blockades, put up dirt ramps, and raise his shields against you.


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He will direct his battering rams against your walls, and he will cut down your towers with his axes.


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He will have so many horses that their dust will cover you. The noise from the war horses, wagon wheels, and chariots will shake your walls when he enters your gates. He will enter as people enter a conquered city.


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With his horses' hoofs he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people in battle, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground.


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His troops will loot your riches and take your goods as prizes. They will destroy your walls and tear down your delightful homes. They will throw your stones, wood, and soil into the water.


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I will turn you into bare rock. You will become a place to spread fishing nets. You will never be rebuilt. I, the Lord, have spoken, declares the Almighty Lord.


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"This is what the Almighty Lord says to Tyre: The people who live on the coast will shake with fear when they hear about your defeat. They will groan when your people are wounded and slaughtered.


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Then the princes from the coast will come down from their thrones. They will remove their robes and take off their embroidered clothes. Dressed in terror, they will sit on the ground. They will tremble constantly and be shocked at you.


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Then they will sing this funeral song for you: Tyre, you famous city, you have been destroyed. You have been shattered by the sea. You and your people ruled the sea. All your people terrified those who lived by the coast.


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Your defeat will make the people who live by the coast tremble. Your end will terrify the islands in the sea.


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"This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will turn your city into ruins like cities that have no one living in them. I will bring the deep ocean over you, and the Mediterranean Sea will cover you.


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I will bring you down with those who descend to the grave to join the people of long ago. I will make you live below the earth among the ancient ruins with those who go down to the grave. You will never return or take your place in the land of the living.


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I will turn you into a terror, and you will no longer exist. People will look for you, but they will never see you again," declares the Almighty Lord.


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Tyre is the city at the entrance to the sea. It is the merchant to the nations. Say to Tyre, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Tyre, you used to brag about your perfect beauty.


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Your builders made all your boards from pine trees on Mount Hermon. They took cedar trees from Lebanon to make a mast for you.


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They made your oars from oaks in Bashan. They made your deck from pine trees on the shores of Cyprus. It had ivory set in it.


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Your sails were made out of fine embroidered linen from Egypt. They were like your flags. Your awnings were violet and purple. They came from the coasts of Elishah.


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Master shipbuilders from Gebal went inside you to caulk your seams. All the ships on the sea and their sailors docked alongside you to trade with you.


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People from Persia, Lud, and Put were soldiers in your army. They hung their shields and helmets inside you. Their victories made you look good.


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"'People from Arvad and Helech were guards all around your walls. People from Gammad guarded your towers. They hung their shields all around your walls, making your beauty perfect.


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"'People from Tarshish traded with you because you were so very rich. They exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise.


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People from Greece, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you. They exchanged slaves and bronze items for your goods.


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People from Dedan traded goods with you. You traded with many people on the coasts, and they brought you ivory and ebony as payment.


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"'People from Syria traded with you because you had so many products. They exchanged emeralds, purple cloth, richly woven cloth, linen, coral, and rubies for your merchandise.


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Judah and Israel traded with you. They exchanged wheat from Minnith, baked goods, honey, olive oil, and balsam for your goods.


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People from Damascus traded with you because you had so many products. They exchanged wine from Helbon and wool from Sahar.


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"'Danites and Greeks from Uzal traded for your merchandise. They exchanged wrought iron, cassia, and sugar cane for your goods.


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The merchants from Sheba and Raamah traded with you. They traded the finest spices, precious stones, and gold for your merchandise.


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In your marketplace they traded for beautiful clothes, purple robes, embroidered cloth, and many multicolored rugs with woven and twisted cords.


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Your wealth, your merchandise, and the goods you sell, your mariners and your sailors, your caulkers and your merchants, your soldiers and everyone else on board sank into the sea when your ship was wrecked.


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All the rowers, the sailors, and all the mariners came down from their ships and stood on the shore.


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They cried loudly and bitterly over you. They put dust on their heads and covered themselves with ashes.


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They shaved their heads because of you and put on sackcloth. They cried over you with bitterness and with bitter mourning.


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They sang a funeral song for you with loud crying: "Who is like Tyre, the city destroyed in the sea?"


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Your merchandise was sent overseas. You filled many people with your great wealth and your goods. You made the kings of the earth rich.


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Now you are wrecked in the sea, at the bottom of the sea. Your goods and your whole crew sank with you.


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All those who live on the coasts are horrified because of you. Their kings are terribly afraid. Their faces show their fear.


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The merchants among the nations laugh at you. You have come to a terrible end, and you will never exist again.' "


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"Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: In your arrogance you say, "I'm a god. I sit on God's throne in the sea." But you're only human and not a god, although you think you are a god.


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Because you are wise and understanding, you've made yourself rich. You saved gold and silver in your treasuries.


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Because of your great skill in trading, you've made yourself very wealthy. You have become arrogant because of your wealth.


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That is why I am going to bring foreigners against you, the most ruthless foreigners among the nations. They will draw their swords against your fine wisdom and dishonor your greatness.


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You will no longer say that you are a god when you face those who kill you. You will be a human, not a god, in the hands of those who kill you.


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"Son of man, sing a funeral song for the ruler of Tyre. Tell him, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: You were the perfect example, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.


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You were in Eden, God's garden. You were covered with every kind of precious stone: red quartz, topaz, crystal, beryl, onyx, gray quartz, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your settings and your sockets were made of gold when you were created.


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You traded far and wide. You learned to be violent, and you sinned. So I threw you down from God's mountain in disgrace. The guardian angel forced you out from the fiery stones.


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You became too proud because of your beauty. You wasted your wisdom because of your greatness. So I threw you to the ground and left you in front of the kings so that they could see you.


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You dishonored your own holy places because of your many sins and dishonest trade. So I set fire to you to burn you up. I turned you into ashes on the ground in the presence of all who saw you.


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All the nations who knew you are horrified because of you. You have come to a terrible end, and you will never exist again.' "


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Tell it, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm against you, Sidon. I will show my greatness through you. Then people will know that I am the Lord, because I will punish you and show you how holy I am.


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I will send a plague against you and make blood flow in your streets. Your people will fall dead. People with swords will attack you from every side. Then they will know that I am the Lord.


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The nation of Israel will no longer be hurt by prickly thorns or sharp briars from everyone around them. Then they will know that I am the Almighty Lord.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they were scattered, I will show that I am holy as the nations watch. The people of Israel will live in their own land, the land I gave to my servant Jacob.


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They will live there in safety. They will build homes and plant vineyards. They will live in safety when I punish all the surrounding people who treat them with scorn. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.' "


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Tell him, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt. You are like a monster crocodile lying in the Nile River. You say, "The Nile River is mine. I made it for myself."


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"'I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish in the Nile River stick to your scales. I will pull you out of your river with all the fish in the Nile sticking to your scales.


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I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish from the Nile. You will fall in an open field. No one will pick you up or bury you. I will feed you to wild animals and birds.


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Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord. Egypt, you have become like a {broken} walking stick to the nation of Israel.


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When Israel grabbed you, you splintered and tore up their shoulders. When they leaned on you, you broke, and they wrenched their backs.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am going to attack you with a sword. I will kill people and animals.


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Egypt will become a wasteland and a pile of rubble. Then you will know that I am the Lord. You said, "The Nile River is mine. I made it."


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That is why I'm against you and the Nile River. I will turn Egypt into a pile of rubble. It will become a wasteland, from Migdol to Syene, all the way to the border of Sudan.


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I will make Egypt the most desolate country in the world. For 40 years Egypt's cities will lie in ruins. They will be ruined more than any other city. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and force them into other countries.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: After 40 years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they have been scattered.


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I will bring back the Egyptian captives and return them to Pathros, the land they came from. There they will be a weak kingdom.


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They will be the weakest kingdom, and they will never rule the nations again. I will make them so weak that they will never rule the nations again.


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The nation of Israel will never trust Egypt again. The people of Israel will remember how wrong they were whenever they turned to Egypt {for help}. Then they will know that I am the Almighty Lord.' "


text:
On the first day of the first month in the twenty-seventh year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said,


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"Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army fight hard against Tyre. Every soldier's head was worn bald, and every soldier's shoulder was rubbed raw. Yet, he and his army got no reward for their hard-fought battle against Tyre.


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This is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm going to give Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He will carry off its wealth, take its prized possessions, and loot it. That will be the pay for his army.


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I have given him Egypt as pay for what he has done. Nebuchadnezzar and his army worked for me, declares the Almighty Lord.


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"On that day I will make the people of Israel strong again, and I will give you, Ezekiel, something to say among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord."


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The day is near. The day of the Lord is near. It will be a gloomy day, a time of trouble for the nations.


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There will be war in Egypt and anguish in Ethiopia. Many Egyptians will fall dead. People will take away Egypt's wealth, and its foundations will be torn down.


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"'This is what the Lord says: All Egypt's allies will die. Egypt's strength will disappear. People will die in war from Migdol to Syene, declares the Almighty Lord.


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"'Egypt will become the most desolate country in the world, and Egypt's cities will lie in ruins. They will be ruined more than other cities.


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Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will set fire to Egypt and all her defenders will be killed.


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On that day I will send messengers in ships to terrify those who live in safety in Sudan. The people of Sudan will be in anguish when Egypt is in trouble. That day is coming!


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will use King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to bring an end to Egypt.


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He and his troops, the most ruthless troops among the nations, will be brought to destroy the land. They will draw their swords to attack Egypt and fill the land with dead bodies.


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I will dry up the Nile River and sell the land to wicked people. I will have foreigners destroy the land and everything in it. I, the Lord, have spoken.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will destroy the statues and put an end to the idols in Memphis. A prince will never rise again in Egypt. I will spread fear throughout Egypt.


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I will set fire to Egypt. Sin will be in much pain. Thebes will be broken into pieces, and Memphis will be in trouble every day.


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The young men from Heliopolis and Bubastis will die in battle, and people from these cities will go into exile.


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At Tahpanhes the day will turn dark when I break Egypt's power. Egypt's strong army will be defeated. Clouds will cover Egypt, and people from its villages will go into exile.


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"Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. His arm isn't bandaged, so it can't heal and be strong enough to hold a sword.


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"This is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the healthy one and the broken one. I will make the sword fall from his hand.


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I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break Pharaoh's arms. Pharaoh will groan like a person who is dying.


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I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but Pharaoh's arms will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. He will strike Egypt with it.


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I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and force them into other countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord."


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"Son of man, say to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and his many people, 'Was there ever anyone as great as you?


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What about Assyria? It was a cedar in Lebanon with fine branches that shaded the forest. It was very tall. Its top was among the clouds.


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Water made the tree grow, and underground springs made it tall. Rivers flowed around the place where the tree was planted. Streams ran beside all the other trees around it.


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That is why it grew taller than all the other trees in the field. Its branches became large and long because of so much water.


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All the birds made their nests in its branches. All the wild animals gave birth to their young under it. All the powerful nations lived in its shade.


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So the tree was big and beautiful with its long branches. Its roots reached down to many sources of water.


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The cedar trees in God's garden couldn't compare to it. The pine trees couldn't equal its branches. The plane trees couldn't measure up to its branches. All the trees in God's garden couldn't match its beauty.


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I was the one who made it beautiful with its many branches. This tree was the envy of all the trees in Eden, in God's garden.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: The tree grew very tall, and its top reached the clouds. It became arrogant because it was so tall.


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So I handed it over to a mighty ruler among the nations, and he surely dealt with it. I forced it out because of its wickedness.


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Foreigners from the most ruthless nation cut it down and threw it away. Its branches fell on the mountains and in every valley. Its broken branches fell in every ravine in the land. All the nations in the world came out from under its shade and left.


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Then all the other trees growing by the water were kept from becoming arrogant because of their height, and their tops were no longer allowed to reach the clouds. So no tree, even if it is well-watered, will ever stand that tall. Every tree is going to die and go below the earth to join those who have died and gone down to the pit.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: When the tree went down to the grave, I made people mourn. I covered the underground springs and held back the rivers. The many water sources stopped flowing. I made Lebanon mourn for the tree, and all the trees in the field fainted as they grieved over it.


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I made the nations tremble in fear at the sound of the tree's crash. I brought the tree down to the grave to join those who had gone down to the pit. Then all the trees in Eden, the choicest and best trees of Lebanon, and all the trees that were well-watered were comforted below the earth.


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They had gone down with the tree in the grave to join others killed in battle. All who lived in its shadow were scattered among the nations.


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"'This tree is you, Pharaoh, and all your many people. No tree in Eden has ever been as honorable and as great as you. But you will be brought down below the earth with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the godless people who were killed in battle, declares the Almighty Lord.' "


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"Son of man, sing a funeral song for Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Tell him, 'You think you are like a lion among the nations. Instead, you are like a crocodile in the water. You splash around in the water. You stir up the water with your feet. You make the streams muddy.


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"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: When many nations gather together, I will spread my net over you, and they will haul you up in a net.


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I will throw you on the ground and toss you into an open field. I will make birds perch on you, and wild animals from all over the earth will feed on you.


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I will drench the earth with your flowing blood all the way to the mountains. Ravines will be filled with your dead body.


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"'When I put out your light, I will cover the sky and darken the stars. I will cover the sun with clouds, and the moon won't shine anymore.


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I will darken all the lights shining in the sky above you. I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Almighty Lord.


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"'I will make many people troubled when I spread the news of your destruction among the nations to countries that you haven't heard of.


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Many people will be shocked by what I will do to you. Their kings will shudder when I swing my sword in their faces. When you die, all of them will tremble in fear for their own lives.


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I will cut down your people with the swords of warriors. All of them will be the most ruthless warriors among the nations. They will shatter the pride of Egypt and destroy its many people.


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I will also destroy all the animals beside its many water sources. The feet of humans and the hoofs of animals won't stir up the water anymore.


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I will turn Egypt into a wasteland. I will take everything in the land, and I will kill all the people who live there. Then they will know that I am the Lord.'


text:
"This is a funeral song. The people from the nations will sing this song. They will sing it as they mourn for Egypt and its many people," declares the Almighty Lord.


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"Son of man, cry for the many people of Egypt. Bring them down along with the other mighty nations. Send them down below the earth to be with those who have gone down to the pit.


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"The Egyptians will lie among those who were killed in battle. A sword has been drawn. Drag Egypt and all its people away.


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The mightiest warriors will say to Pharaoh from the grave, 'You and your defenders have come down, and you now lie with the godless people who were killed in battle.'


text:
"Assyria is there with its whole army, and the graves of its soldiers are all around it. All of its soldiers are dead. They have been killed in battle.


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Their graves are in the deepest parts of the pit. Assyria's army lies around its grave. All of its soldiers are dead. They have been killed in battle. They once terrified people in the land of the living.


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"Elam is there with all its soldiers, and the graves of its soldiers are all around it. All of its soldiers are dead. They have been killed in battle. They went down below the earth as godless people. They once terrified people in the land of the living. Now they suffer disgrace with those who have gone down to the pit.


text:
A bed has been made for Elam among the dead. The graves of its soldiers are all around it. The soldiers were godless people. They were killed in battle because they terrified others in the land of the living. Now they suffer disgrace with those who have gone down to the pit. They lie among the dead.


text:
"Meshech and Tubal are there with all their soldiers, and the graves of their soldiers are all around them. Their soldiers were all godless people. They were killed in battle because they terrified others in the land of the living.


text:
They don't lie with the godless warriors who died and went down to the grave with their weapons of war. Their swords were placed under their heads. Their shields were placed on their bones because they terrified others in the land of the living.


text:
"You Egyptians will be crushed with the godless people, and you will lie with those who were killed in battle.


text:
"Edom is there with its kings and its princes. They used to be powerful, but now they lie with those who were killed in battle. They lie there with the godless people and with those who have gone down to the pit.


text:
"All the rulers from the north and all the people from Sidon are there. They, too, went down with the dead. They are disgraced because they terrified people with their power. They were godless people. Now they lie with those who were killed in battle. They suffer disgrace with those who went down to the pit.


text:
"Pharaoh and his army will see these things and be comforted over all the soldiers who have been killed in battle, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
I terrified people in the land of the living. Pharaoh and all his soldiers will be laid among the godless people who were killed in battle," declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
"Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, 'Suppose I bring war on this country, and the people of this country choose one of their men and make him their watchman.


text:
If the people hear the horn and ignore the warning and the enemy comes and takes them, they will be responsible for their own deaths.


text:
They heard the sound of the horn but ignored its warning. So they are responsible for their own deaths. If they had taken the warning, they would have saved themselves.


text:
"'But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn't blow his horn to warn the people and the enemy comes and kills someone, that watchman must die because of his sin. I will hold him responsible for their deaths.'


text:
"Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the people of Israel. Listen to what I say, and warn them for me.


text:
Suppose I say to a wicked person, 'You wicked person, you will certainly die,' and you say nothing to warn him to change his ways. That wicked person will die because of his sin, and I will hold you responsible for his death.


text:
But if you warn a wicked person to turn from his ways and he doesn't turn from them, then he will die because of his sin. However, you will save yourself.


text:
"Son of man, say to the people of Israel, 'You have said this, "Our wickedness and our sins weigh us down, and we are rotting away because of them. How can we live?" '


text:
"Tell them, 'As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, I don't want wicked people to die. Rather, I want them to turn from their ways and live. Change the way you think and act! Turn from your wicked ways! Do you want to die, people of Israel?'


text:
"Son of man, say to your people, 'The right things that a righteous person has done will not save him when he rebels. The wicked things that a wicked person has done will not make him stumble when he turns from his wickedness. The righteous person will not live when he sins.'


text:
I may promise the righteous person that he will certainly live. But if he trusts in the right things that he has done and he does evil, none of the right things that he has done will be remembered. He will die because of the evil things he has done.


text:
I may warn the wicked person that he will certainly die. But suppose he turns from his sin and does what is fair and right.


text:
He returns the security for a loan, pays back everything he stole, lives by the rules of life, and does nothing evil. Then he will certainly live. He will not die.


text:
None of the sins that he has done will be remembered. He has done what is fair and right. He will certainly live.


text:
If the righteous person turns from the right things that he has done and does evil, he will die because of it.


text:
If the wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is fair and right, he will live because of it.


text:
Yet, the people of Israel say, 'The Lord's way is unfair.' I will judge each of you by your own ways, people of Israel."


text:
On the fifth day of the tenth month in the twelfth year of our captivity, a refugee from Jerusalem came to me. He said, "The city has been captured."


text:
The evening before the refugee arrived, the power of the Lord came over me. On the morning the refugee arrived, the Lord made me speak. So I spoke, and I was no longer quiet.


text:
"Son of man, those who live in the ruined cities in Israel are saying, 'Abraham was only one person, and he was given the land. But we are many. Certainly the land has been given to us.'


text:
So tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: You eat meat with blood in it. You look to your idols for help. You murder people. Should the land be given to you?


text:
You rely on your swords. You do disgusting things. You dishonor your neighbor's wife. Should the land be given to you?'


text:
"Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: As I live, whoever is in the ruined cities will be killed in battle. Whoever is in the open field will become food for wild animals. Whoever is in fortified places and caves will die from plagues.


text:
I will turn the land into a barren wasteland. People will no longer brag about its power. The mountains of Israel will become so ruined that no one will travel through them.


text:
Then people will know that I am the Lord, when I make the land a barren wasteland because of all the disgusting things that they have done.'


text:
"Son of man, your people are talking about you by the walls and in the doorways of their homes. They are saying to each other, 'Let's go and hear the word that has come from the Lord.'


text:
Then they come to you, as if they are still my people, and they sit down in front of you. They listen to what you say, but they don't do it. They say that they love me, but in their hearts they chase dishonest profits.


text:
To them you are nothing more than a singer with a beautiful voice who sings love songs or a musician who plays an instrument. They listen to your words, but they don't do them.


text:
When all your words come true—and they certainly will come true—these people will know that a prophet has been among them."


text:
"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy to these shepherds. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for the shepherds of Israel who have been taking care of only themselves. Shouldn't shepherds take care of the sheep?


text:
You eat the best parts of the sheep, dress in the wool, and butcher the finest sheep. Yet, you don't take care of the sheep.


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You have not strengthened those that were weak, healed those that were sick, or bandaged those that were injured. You have not brought back those that strayed away or looked for those that were lost. You have ruled them harshly and violently.


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So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. When they were scattered, they became food for every wild animal.


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My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered throughout the whole earth. No one searched or looked for them.


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As I live, declares the Almighty Lord, because there is no shepherd, my sheep have become prey. My sheep have become food for every wild animal. My shepherds haven't searched for my sheep. They have taken care of only themselves, not my sheep.


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This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am against the shepherds. I will demand that they hand over my sheep. I won't let them take care of my sheep anymore, and they will no longer take care of only themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, and my sheep will no longer be their food.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will search for my sheep myself, and I will look after them.


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As a shepherd looks after his flock when he is with his scattered sheep, so I will look after my sheep. I will rescue them on a cloudy and gloomy day from every place where they have been scattered.


text:
I will bring them out from the nations, gather them from the countries, and bring them to their own land. I will take care of them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.


text:
I will feed them in good pasture, and they will graze on the mountains of Israel. They will rest on the good land where they graze, and they will feed on the best pastures in the mountains of Israel.


text:
I will look for those that are lost, bring back those that have strayed away, bandage those that are injured, and strengthen those that are sick. I will destroy those that are fat and strong. I will take care of my sheep fairly.


text:
"'As for you, my sheep, this is what the Almighty Lord says: I will judge disputes between one sheep and another, between rams and male goats.


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Isn't it enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? You drink clean water. Must you muddy the rest of the water with your feet?


text:
"'So this is what the Almighty Lord says to them: I will judge disputes between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.


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You fat sheep push the skinny sheep with your sides and shoulders, and you knock down all the sick sheep with your horns. You have scattered them all over.


text:
So I will rescue my sheep, and they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another.


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Then I will place one shepherd over them, my servant David, and he will take care of them. He will take care of them and be their shepherd.


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I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be their prince. I, the Lord, have spoken.


text:
"'I will promise them peace. I will remove the wild animals from the land so that my sheep can live safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.


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I will bless them and the places around my hill. I will send rain at the right time. These showers will be a blessing to them.


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Then the trees in the field will produce fruit, the land will yield crops, and my sheep will live safely in their land. Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will break off the bars on their yokes and rescue them from the people who made them slaves.


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They will no longer be prey to the nations, and the wild animals will no longer eat them. They will live safely, and no one will frighten them.


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I will give them a place that is known for its good crops. They will no longer experience hunger in the land, and they will no longer suffer the insults of other nations.


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Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them and that they, the people of Israel, are my people, declares the Almighty Lord.


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You, my sheep, are the sheep in my pasture. You are mortal, and I am your God, declares the Almighty Lord.' "


text:
Tell it, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I'm against you, Mount Seir. I will use my power against you, and you will become a wasteland.


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I will turn your cities into ruins, and you will become a wasteland. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


text:
"'You have always been an enemy of Israel. You deserted the people of Israel in battle when they were in trouble during their final punishment.


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That is why, as I live, declares the Almighty Lord, I will let you be murdered. Murderers will pursue you. Since you don't hate murdering people, murder will pursue you.


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I will turn Mount Seir into a barren wasteland, and I will destroy everyone who comes or goes from there.


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I will fill your mountains with those who have been killed. Those killed in battle will fall on your hills and in your valleys and ravines.


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I will turn you into a permanent wasteland. Your cities will not be lived in. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


text:
"'You said, "These two nations, Israel and Judah, along with their land, belong to us. We will take possession of them." But the Lord was there.


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That is why, as I live, declares the Almighty Lord, I will do to you what you did to them. When you were angry and jealous, you acted hatefully toward them.


text:
Then you will know that I, the Lord, heard all the insults that you spoke about the mountains of Israel. You said, "They have been deserted and handed over to us to use up."


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: The whole earth will be glad when I turn you into a wasteland.


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You were happy when the land of Israel became a wasteland. I will do the same thing to you. You will become a wasteland, Mount Seir, and so will all of Edom. Then you will know that I am the Lord.' "


text:
{The Lord said,} "Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel. Tell them, 'Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord.


text:
This is what the Almighty Lord says: Your enemies said this about you, "Aha! The ancient worship sites now belong to us." '


text:
"So prophesy. Say, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Your enemies turned you into ruins and crushed you from every side. You became the possession of the rest of the nations, and people began to talk and gossip about you.


text:
"'Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Almighty Lord. This is what the Almighty Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, and to the empty ruins and abandoned cities that have become prey and are mocked by the rest of the surrounding nations:


text:
In my fiery anger I have spoken against the rest of the nations and against all of Edom. The Edomites have taken possession of my land with wholehearted joy and with complete scorn. They forced out the people and took their land.'


text:
"So prophesy about Israel. Tell the mountains and hills and the ravines and valleys, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am speaking in my anger and fury because you have been insulted by the nations.


text:
So this is what the Almighty Lord says: I raise my hand and swear that the nations which surround you will be insulted.


text:
"'But you, mountains of Israel, will grow branches and bear fruit for my people Israel. My people will come home soon.


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I will increase the number of people who live on you. All the people of Israel, all of them, will live on you. The cities will be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt.


text:
I will increase the number of people and animals that live on you. They will grow and become many. I will let people live on you as in the past, and I will make you better off than ever before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.


text:
I will bring people, my people Israel, to you. They will take possession of you, and you will be their inheritance. You will no longer take their children away from them.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: People say that you devour your people and take the children away from your nation.


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So you will no longer devour your people or take the children away from your nation, declares the Almighty Lord.


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I will no longer let you hear the insults from the nations. You will no longer suffer the disgrace of the people. You will never again take the children away from your own nation, declares the Almighty Lord.' "


text:
"Son of man, when the people of Israel lived in their land, they dishonored it by the way they lived and by everything they did. Their ways were as unclean as a woman's menstrual period.


text:
So I poured out my fury on them because they poured out blood on the land and they dishonored the land with their idols.


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I forced them into other nations, and they became scattered among the nations. I judged them based on the way that they lived and based on everything that they had done.


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But wherever they went among the nations, they dishonored my holy name. People said about them, 'These are the Lord's people, yet they had to leave his land.'


text:
I became concerned about my holy name because my people dishonored it among the nations wherever they went.


text:
"So tell the people of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am about to do something, people of Israel. I will not do this for your sake but for the sake of my holy name, which you have dishonored among the nations wherever you have gone.


text:
I will reveal the holiness of my great name, which has been dishonored by the nations, {the name} that you have dishonored among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, because I will reveal my holiness among you as they watch, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
"'I will take you from the nations and gather you from every country. I will bring you back to your own land.


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I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean instead of unclean. Then I will cleanse you from all your idols.


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I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove your stubborn hearts and give you obedient hearts.


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Then you will live in the land that I gave your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.


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I will rescue you from all your uncleanness. I will make the grain grow so that you will never again have famines.


text:
I will make fruit grow on the trees and crops grow in the fields so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famines.


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Then you will remember your evil ways and the bad things that you did, and you will hate yourselves for all these wicked and disgusting things.


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I want you to know that I'm not doing this for your sake, declares the Almighty Lord. Be ashamed and disgraced because of your ways, people of Israel.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: On the day that I cleanse you from all your wickedness, I will cause your cities to be lived in again, and your ruins will be rebuilt.


text:
People will say, "This wasteland has become like the garden of Eden. The cities were destroyed. They were empty and ruined, but now they are fortified and have people living in them."


text:
The surrounding nations that are left will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted crops in the land that was empty. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.'


text:
"This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will also let the people of Israel ask me to make them as numerous as sheep.


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They will be like the sheep for sacrifices, like the sheep in Jerusalem during the appointed festivals. Their ruined cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord."


text:
The power of the Lord came over me. The Lord brought me out by his Spirit and put me down in the middle of a valley. The valley was filled with bones.


text:
He led me all around them. I saw that there were very many bones at the bottom of the valley, and they were very dry.


text:
Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones. Tell them, 'Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord.


text:
This is what the Almighty Lord says to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you will live.


text:
I will put ligaments on you, place muscles on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you, and you will live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.' "


text:
So I prophesied as I was commanded. While I was prophesying, suddenly there was a rattling noise, and the bones came together, one bone {attaching itself} to another.


text:
As I looked, I saw that ligaments were on them, muscles were on them, and skin covered them. Yet, there was no breath in them.


text:
Then the Lord said to me, "Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Come from the four winds, Breath, and breathe on these people who were killed so that they will live.' "


text:
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath entered them. Then they came to life and stood on their feet. There were enough of them to form a very large army.


text:
The Lord also said to me, "Son of man, all the people of Israel are like these bones. The people say, 'Our bones are dry, and our hope has vanished. We are completely destroyed.'


text:
So prophesy. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: My people, I will open your graves and take you out of them. I will bring you to Israel.


text:
Then, my people, you will know that I am the Lord, because I will open your graves and bring you out of your graves.


text:
I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live. I will place you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.' "


text:
"Son of man, take a stick and write on it: 'For Judah and for the Israelites who are associated with it.' Then take another stick and write on it, 'The stick of Ephraim, for Joseph and for all the people of Israel associated with it.'


text:
Then say to them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will take Joseph's stick, which is in Ephraim's hand, and the tribes of Israel associated with it, and I will put them with Judah's stick. I will make them into one stick. They will be one in my hand.'


text:
"Then tell them, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they've gone. I will gather them from everywhere and bring them to their own land.


text:
I will form them into one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule all of them. They will no longer be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.


text:
They will no longer dishonor themselves with their idols, with their detestable things, or with their rebellious acts. I will forgive them for all the times they turned away from me and sinned. I will cleanse them so that they will be my people, and I will be their God.


text:
"'My servant David will be their king, and all of them will have one shepherd. They will live by my rules, and they will obey my laws.


text:
They will live in the land that I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They, their children, and their grandchildren will live in it permanently. My servant David will always be their prince.


text:
I will promise them peace. This promise will last forever. I will establish them, make them increase in number, and put my holy place among them permanently.


text:
Then the nations will know that I, the Lord, have set Israel apart as holy, because my holy place will be among them permanently.' "


text:
"Son of man, turn to Gog from the land of Magog. He is the chief prince of {the nations of} Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him.


text:
Tell him, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.


text:
I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws. I will lead you out with all your military forces, with horses and riders. Your soldiers will be fully armed. They will carry large and small shields and be able to use swords.


text:
Gomer will come with all its troops and with the nation of Togarmah from the far north. There will be many armies with you.


text:
"'Be prepared! Be prepared, you and all the soldiers assembled around you. You will be their leader.


text:
After a long time you will be called to service. In the years to come, you will attack a land that has been rebuilt after a war. Its people have been gathered from many nations and brought to the mountains of Israel, mountains that have been ruined for a long time. These people were brought there from the nations, and all of them live there safely.


text:
You will attack like a storm and cover the land like a cloud. Your troops and the many armies will be with you.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: At that time ideas will enter your head, and you will make wicked plans.


text:
You will say, "I'll attack a land with unwalled villages. I will attack peaceful people who live safely. All of them live without walls, locks, or gates.


text:
I will come to rob them and loot them. I will use my power against the ruins that people are living in again. I will use it against the people who were gathered from the nations. These people have cattle and property, and they live in the world."


text:
"'Sheba, Dedan, the merchants from Tarshish, and all their villages will ask you, "Did you come to rob these people of their possessions? Did you assemble all these soldiers to carry away large amounts of silver and gold and to take cattle and property?" '


text:
"So prophesy, son of man. Tell Gog, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: At that time my people Israel will live safely, and you will know it.


text:
You will come from your place in the far north and many armies will be with you. All of you will ride on horses. You will be a large crowd and a mighty army.


text:
You will attack my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In the days to come, I will let you attack my land so that nations will know me. I will use you for my holy purpose as they watch.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: You are the one I spoke about long ago through my servants the prophets of Israel. They prophesied in those days that I would bring you to attack them.


text:
On the day that Gog attacks the land of Israel, I will be filled with burning anger, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
In my fiery anger I tell you this. On that day there will be a large earthquake in the land of Israel.


text:
Fish, birds, wild animals, everything that crawls on the ground, and every person on earth will tremble in my presence. The mountains will be torn down, the cliffs will crumble, and every wall will fall to the ground.


text:
I will declare war against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Almighty Lord. Each person will use his sword against his relative.


text:
I will punish Gog with plagues and death. I will send rainstorms, large hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur on his troops and on the many armies with him.


text:
I will show my greatness and my holiness. I will reveal myself to many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.' "


text:
{The Lord said,} "Son of man, prophesy against Gog. Tell it, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am against you, Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.


text:
I will turn you around and lead you. I will bring you from the far north and have you attack the mountains of Israel.


text:
You will die on the mountains of Israel with your troops and the armies that are with you. I will let you become food for every bird of prey and for every wild animal.


text:
I will send fire on Magog and on those who live safely on the coasts. Then they will know that I am the Lord.


text:
I will make my holy name known among my people Israel, and I will never let them dishonor my holy name again. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.


text:
Those living in the cities of Israel will go out. They will set fire to weapons and burn them. They will burn small and large shields, bows and arrows, and war clubs and spears. They will burn them for seven years.


text:
They will not need to get wood from the field or cut down trees in the woods. They will make fires with the weapons. They will loot those who looted them, and they will grab things back from those who grabbed their things, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
"'When that day comes, I will give Gog a burial place in Israel. It will be in Travelers Valley, east of the Dead Sea. It will block those who travel {through the valley}. Gog and his whole army will be buried there. So it will be called the valley of Gog's troops.


text:
All the common people will be burying them. The people of Israel will be honored on the day of my victory, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
"'People will be chosen to go through the land and make it clean. With the help of others they will bury the dead soldiers that are still on the ground. At the end of seven months they will begin their search.


text:
Whenever they go through the land and see a human bone, they will set up a marker beside it until the grave diggers have buried that bone in the valley of Gog's troops.


text:
"Son of man, this is what the Almighty Lord says: Tell every kind of bird and every wild animal, 'Assemble, and come together from all around for the sacrifice that I'm preparing for you. It will be a huge feast on the mountains of Israel. You can eat meat and drink blood there.


text:
You can eat the meat of warriors and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. All of them will be killed like rams, lambs, goats, bulls and all the best animals of Bashan.


text:
You can eat the best meat until you are full and drink blood until you are drunk at the sacrifice that I am preparing for you.


text:
At my table you will be filled with horses and riders, warriors, and soldiers of every kind, declares the Almighty Lord.'


text:
"I will show my greatness among the nations. All the nations will see how I will turn my power against them to punish them.


text:
Then the nations will know that the people of Israel went into captivity because they did wrong and rebelled against me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies. They were killed in battle.


text:
"So this is what the Almighty Lord says: Now I will bring back Jacob's captives and have compassion for the whole nation of Israel. I will stand up for my holy name.


text:
When they live safely in a land where no one will frighten them, they will forget their shame and all the unfaithful things they have done against me.


text:
I will bring them back from the other nations and gather them from the countries of their enemies. Many nations will see that I am holy.


text:
Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God. I sent them into captivity among the nations, and I brought them back again to their land. I left none of them behind.


text:
I will no longer hide my face from them, because I will pour out my Spirit on the nation of Israel, declares the Almighty Lord."


text:
It was the tenth day of the month in the beginning of the twenty-fifth year of our captivity and fourteen years after Jerusalem was captured. At that time the Lord's power came over me, and he brought me to Jerusalem.


text:
In visions, God brought me to Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. On the south side of the mountain were some buildings that looked like those in a city.


text:
He brought me closer. I saw a man who looked like he was covered with bronze. The man was holding a linen tape measure and a measuring stick, and he stood in a gateway.


text:
He said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes, and listen with your ears. Pay close attention to everything I'm going to show you. You were brought here to be shown these things. Tell the nation of Israel everything that you see."


text:
I saw a wall that surrounded the temple. The man had a measuring stick that was 10 1/2 feet long. He measured the wall. It was 10 1/2 feet thick and 10 1/2 feet high.


text:
Then the man went to the gateway that faced east. He went up its steps and measured the entrance to the gateway. It was 10 1/2 feet wide.


text:
There were also guardrooms. Each guardroom was 10 1/2 feet long and 10 1/2 feet wide. The space between the guardrooms was 9 feet thick. And the entrance to the gateway by the entrance hall of the temple was 10 1/2 feet wide.


text:
It extended 14 feet from the temple. Its recessed walls were 3 1/2 feet thick. The gateway's entrance hall faced the temple.


text:
Now, there were three guardrooms on each side of the eastern gateway. All three rooms on each side were the same size, and the recessed walls on each side were the same size.


text:
Then the man measured the width of the entrance to the gateway. It was 17 1/2 feet wide, and the gateway was 23 feet long.


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There was a barrier about 21 inches in front of each guardroom. The guardrooms were 10 1/2 feet square.


text:
He measured the gateway from the top of one guardroom to the top of the opposite guardroom. It was 44 feet wide from one door to the opposite door.


text:
He also measured the entrance hall. It was 35 feet wide. In front of the entrance hall to the gateway was a courtyard on all sides.


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The total length of the gateway from the front of the outer part to the front of the inner part of the entrance hall was 87 1/2 feet.


text:
The guardrooms and recessed walls inside the gateway had small windows all around. The entrance hall also had windows all around on the inside. Pictures of palm trees were carved on the recessed walls.


text:
Then the man brought me into the outer courtyard. I saw rooms there and pavement all around the courtyard. There were 30 rooms along the edge of the pavement.


text:
The man measured the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner courtyard. It was 175 feet from east to north.


text:
Then the man measured the length and width of the gateway, leading to the outer courtyard. This was the gateway that faced north.


text:
Its three guardrooms, its recessed walls, and its entrance hall were the same size as those in the east gateway. The gateway was 87 1/2 feet long and 44 feet wide.


text:
Its windows, recessed walls, and palm tree pictures were the same size as those in the east gateway. Seven steps went up to it and led to its entrance hall.


text:
The inner courtyard had a gateway opposite the north gate just like the east gateway. The man measured the distance from one gate to the other gate. It was 175 feet.


text:
Then the man led me to the south side, and I saw a gateway that faced south. He measured its recessed walls and its entrance hall. They were the same size as those of the other gateways.


text:
The gateway and its entrance hall had windows on all sides like the windows in the other gateways. It was 87 1/2 feet long and 44 feet wide.


text:
Seven steps went up to it and led to its entrance hall. Pictures of palm trees were carved on the recessed walls, one picture on each side.


text:
The inner courtyard had a gateway facing south. The man measured the distance from the gateway on the south side to its opposite gateway. It was 175 feet.


text:
Then the man brought me to the inner courtyard through the south gateway. He measured the south gateway. It was the same size as the others.


text:
Its guardrooms, recessed walls, and entrance hall were the same size as the other gateways. The guardrooms and the entrance hall had windows all around. The gateway was 87 1/2 feet long and 44 feet wide.


text:
There were entrance halls all around the inner courtyard. They were all 44 feet long and 9 feet wide.


text:
The entrance halls faced the outer courtyard. Pictures of palm trees were carved on the recessed walls, and eight steps led up to each gateway.


text:
Then the man brought me to the east side of the inner courtyard. He measured the gateway. It was the same size as the others.


text:
Its guardrooms, recessed walls, and entrance halls were the same size as those of the other gateways. Its guardrooms and entrance hall had windows all around. The gateway was 87 1/2 feet long and 44 feet wide.


text:
Its entrance hall faced the outer courtyard. Pictures of palm trees were carved on the recessed walls, and eight steps led up to the gateway.


text:
Its guardrooms, recessed walls, and entrance hall had windows all around. The gateway was 87 1/2 feet long and 44 feet wide.


text:
Its recessed walls faced the outer courtyard. Pictures of palm trees were carved on the recessed walls, and eight steps led up to the gateway.


text:
There was a room with a door that opened toward the entrance hall of the gateway. This is the room where the priests washed the animals for the burnt offerings.


text:
In the entrance hall of the gateway there were two tables on each side of the room. On these tables the animals were slaughtered for burnt offerings, offerings for sin, and guilt offerings.


text:
On each side of the entrance to the north gateway there were two tables, and on the other side of the entrance hall of the gateway there were two tables.


text:
So there were four tables on each side of the gateway, eight tables in all, on which they slaughtered animals.


text:
There were four tables made of cut stone for burnt offerings. They were 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 21 inches high. On these tables the priests laid the utensils that were used to slaughter animals for burnt offerings and sacrifices.


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Double-pronged hooks, three inches long, were attached to the wall all around the room, and the tables were for the meat of the animals.


text:
Outside the gateways to the inner courtyard were the rooms for the singers in the inner courtyards. One room was at the side of the north gateway. It faced south. The other room was at the side of the south gateway. It faced north.


text:
The room that faces north is for the priests who serve at the altar. These priests are Zadok's descendants. They are the only Levites who are able to come near the Lord and serve him."


text:
The man measured the courtyard. It was a perfect square—175 feet long and 175 feet wide. And the altar was in front of the temple.


text:
Then the man brought me to the entrance hall of the temple and measured its recessed walls. They were 9 feet on each side. The gateway was 24 1/2 feet wide, and the walls on each side were 5 feet wide.


text:
The entrance hall was 35 feet long and 21 feet wide. Steps led up to it. Pillars stood by the recessed walls, one on each side of the entrance hall.


text:
Then the man brought me into the holy place in the temple and measured the recessed walls. They were 10 1/2 feet wide on each side.


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The entrance was 17 1/2 feet wide, and on each side of the entrance the walls were 9 feet wide. Then he measured the length of the holy place. It was 70 feet long and 35 feet wide.


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Then the man went inside and measured the passageway. It was 3 1/2 feet thick. The entrance was 10 1/2 feet high and 12 feet wide.


text:
Then he measured the room at the end of the holy place. It was 35 feet long and 35 feet wide. The man said to me, "This is the most holy place."


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Next, the man measured the temple wall. It was 10 1/2 feet wide. The width of each side room around the temple was 7 feet.


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The rooms were arranged on three different stories. There were 30 rooms on each story. These rooms had supports all the way around the temple wall, but these supports were not fastened to the temple wall.


text:
The side rooms grew wider all the way around as they went up, story after story. The surrounding structure went from story to story all around the temple. The structure grew wider as it went higher. A stairway went from the first story through the second story to the third story.


text:
I also saw a raised base all around the temple. This base was the foundation for the side rooms. It measured the full length of the measuring rod, 10 1/2 feet.


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The outer wall of the side rooms was 9 feet thick. There was an open area between the side rooms connected to the temple


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The doors in the side rooms were entrances into the open area. There was one door to the north and another to the south. The base of the open area was 9 feet wide all the way around.


text:
At the far end of the open area, on the west side of the temple, was a building 122 1/2 feet wide. The wall of the building was 9 feet thick all the way around, and it was 157 1/2 feet long.


text:
Then the man measured the temple. It was 175 feet long. This included the open area with the building and its walls. All together it was 175 feet long.


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He also measured the length of the building facing the courtyard on the west side along with its corridors on both sides. It was 175 feet long. The holy place and the most holy place were paneled.


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The doorposts, the small windows, and the corridors of all three stories were paneled. The walls, from the floor up to the windows, were paneled.


text:
there were pictures of angels and palm trees. Palm trees were positioned between each of the angels, and each angel had two faces:


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the face of a man, which was turned toward a palm tree on one side, and the face of a lion, which was turned toward a palm tree on the other side. These pictures were carved all around the temple.


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Pictures of angels and palm trees were carved on the walls from the floor to the space above the door.


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The doorframes in the holy place were square. In front of the most holy place was something similar.


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There was a wooden altar, 5 feet high and 3 1/2 feet wide. Its corners, its base, and its sides were made of wood. Then the man told me, "This is the table that is in the presence of the Lord."


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Pictures of angels and palm trees were carved on the doors of the holy place as on the walls. There was a wooden roof hanging over the outer entrance hall.


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There were small windows and palm trees on both sides of the entrance hall, on the side rooms of the temple, and on the roofs.


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Then the man led me out toward the north to the outer courtyard. He brought me to the side rooms opposite both the open area and the northern building.


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Opposite the inner courtyard was an area that was 35 feet wide, and opposite the pavement of the outer courtyard were corridors facing corridors on all three stories.


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In front of the side rooms was a walkway, 17 1/2 feet wide and 175 feet long. The doors of these side rooms faced north.


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The side rooms on the third story were narrower than those on the first or second stories of the building because the corridors took space away from them.


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The rooms were in three stories. They didn't have pillars like the pillars in the courtyards. That is why the rooms on the third story were set farther back than those on the first and second stories.


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There was a wall which ran parallel to the side rooms and the outer courtyard. It ran alongside the side rooms for 87 1/2 feet.


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The row of rooms in the outer courtyard was 87 1/2 feet long. The rooms that faced the temple were 175 feet long.


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These lower side rooms had an entrance on the east side. A person was able to enter the outer courtyard through them.


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There were side rooms parallel to the wall of the courtyard on the south side. They faced the open area and the building.


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There was a walkway in front of them like the one that was in front of the side rooms on the north side. These side rooms were as long and as wide as the northern rooms. They had the same exits, dimensions, and doors.


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The doors to the south rooms were the same as the doors to the north rooms. There was a doorway at the other end of the walkway that was parallel to the corresponding wall that ran eastward. People entered through that doorway.


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Then the man said to me, "The northern and southern side rooms that face the open area are holy rooms. These rooms are where the priests who come near the Lord eat the holiest offerings. Because these rooms are holy, the priests keep the holiest offerings there: the grain offerings, the offerings for sin, and the guilt offerings.


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Once the priests enter the holy place, they must not go out of the holy place into the outer courtyard until they leave behind the clothes that they wore as they served. These clothes are holy. The priests must put on other clothes. Then they can go into the area that is for the people."


text:
When the man had finished measuring the inner part of the temple area, he led me out through the east gate. Then he measured all the way around the outer area.


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He measured the east side with a measuring stick. It was 875 feet long according to the measuring stick.


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He came around to the west side and measured it. It was 875 feet long according to the measuring stick.


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So he measured all four sides. There was a wall all around it. The wall was 875 feet long and 875 feet wide. It separated what was holy from what was unholy.


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I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the sound of rushing water, and the earth was shining because of his glory.


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This vision was like the one I saw when he came to destroy Jerusalem and like the one I saw by the Chebar River. I immediately bowed down.


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The Spirit lifted me and brought me into the inner courtyard. I saw the Lord's glory fill the temple.


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The voice said to me, "Son of man, this is the place where my throne is and the place where my feet rest. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. Then the people of Israel and their kings will no longer dishonor my holy name by acting like prostitutes, nor will they dishonor it with the dead bodies of their kings.


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They put their doorway by my doorway and their doorposts by my doorposts. Only a wall separated me from them. They dishonored my holy name because of the disgusting things that they have done. So I destroyed them in my anger.


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Now they must stop acting like prostitutes and take the dead bodies of their kings far away from me. Then I will live among them forever.


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"Son of man, describe this temple to the people of Israel. Then they will be ashamed because of their sins. Let them study the plans.


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Suppose they are ashamed of everything that they have done. Then show them the design of the temple, its arrangements, its exits and entrances—its entire design. Tell them about all its rules and regulations. Then write these things down for them so that they can remember its design and follow all its rules.


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"This is a regulation of the temple: The whole area all the way around the top of the mountain is most holy. Yes, this is a regulation of the temple."


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These are the measurements of the altar, using royal measurements. (The royal measuring stick was 21 inches long.) The base of the altar was 21 inches high and 21 inches wide. All around the edge of the altar was a rim measuring 9 inches wide. This was the height of the altar:


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From the base on the ground to the lower ledge it was 3 1/2 feet high, and from the lower ledge to the upper ledge it was 7 feet high and 21 inches wide.


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The upper ledge was also square. It was 24 1/2 feet long and 24 1/2 feet wide. It had a rim all the way around that was 10 1/2 inches wide. Its base was 21 inches. The steps to the altar faced east.


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Then the man said to me, "Son of man, this is what the Almighty Lord says: These are the rules for sacrificing burnt offerings and for sprinkling blood on the altar after the altar is built.


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Give a young bull to the priests as an offering for sin. These priests are Zadok's descendants, men from the tribe of Levi, who can come near me and serve me.


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Take some of the bull's blood, and put it on the altar's four horns, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim all the way around the altar. When you do this, you will remove sin from the altar and make peace with the Lord.


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Then take a young bull as an offering for sin, and burn it in the place appointed near the temple, outside the holy place.


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"On the second day bring a male goat that has no defects as an offering for sin. Remove sin from the altar as you did with the young bull.


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Offer them to the Lord. The priests must throw salt on them and offer them as burnt offerings to the Lord.


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Every day for seven days you must sacrifice a goat, a young bull, and a ram from the flock as an offering for sin. They must be animals that have no defects.


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For seven days the priests should make peace with the Lord at the altar, purify it, and consecrate it.


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When those days are over, on the eighth day, the priests must sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept them, declares the Almighty Lord."


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The Lord said to me, "This gate will stay shut and will not be opened. No one may enter through it because the Lord God of Israel entered through it. It must be kept shut.


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Only the prince may sit there and eat food in the presence of the Lord. He will enter through the entrance hall of the gateway and leave the same way."


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The man brought me through the north gate in front of the temple. When I looked, I saw the Lord's glory fill the Lord's temple. I immediately bowed down.


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The Lord said to me, "Son of man, pay close attention. Look, and listen to everything I'm going to tell you. Listen to all the rules and regulations for the Lord's temple. Pay close attention to everyone who enters the temple and leaves from the holy place.


text:
Tell the rebellious people of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I've had enough of all the disgusting things that you have done, people of Israel.


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You brought godless foreigners into my holy place. You dishonored my temple when you offered fat and blood to me. You rejected my promise so that you could do all your disgusting things.


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So this is what the Almighty Lord says: Any godless foreigner who lives among the Israelites may not enter my holy place.


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"'Some Levites went far away from me when Israel wandered off to follow their idols. They must be punished for their sins.


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They could have served in my holy place. They could have guarded the gates of the temple. They could have served in the temple by slaughtering the animals for the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people. They could have stood in front of the people and served them.


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But they served the people by standing in front of their idols and by making Israel fall into sin. So I raised my hand and swore that they would be punished for their sins, declares the Lord.


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They must not come near me and serve me as priests. They must not come near any of my holy things or my most holy things. They must suffer disgrace because of the disgusting things that they have done.


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"'But the priests who are Levites and descendants of Zadok took care of my holy place when the Israelites wandered away from me. They may come near me and serve me, and they may stand in my presence. They may bring fat and blood to me, declares the Almighty Lord.


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They may enter my holy place, come near my table to serve me, and take care of everything I gave them.


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When they enter the gateways to the inner courtyard, they must wear linen clothes. They must have no wool on them while they serve in the gateways to the inner courtyard and in the temple.


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They must wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments. They must not wear anything that makes them sweat.


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When they go out among the people in the outer courtyard, they must take off the clothes that they wore as they served. They must leave their clothes in the side rooms of the holy place and put on other clothes so that they do not transfer the holiness from their clothes to the people.


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"'They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long. They must keep the hair on their heads trimmed.


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They must not marry widows or women who have been divorced. They may marry only virgins from the nation of Israel or widows of priests.


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They must teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is unholy. They must show the people how to tell the difference between what is clean and what is unclean.


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In all disputes the priests must act as judges and make decisions based on my laws. They must obey my rules and my regulations at all my festivals. They must observe holy days to worship me.


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"'A priest must not make himself unclean by going near a dead body. But a priest may become unclean if the dead person is his father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or unmarried sister.


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When he enters the inner courtyard of the holy place to serve in the holy place, he must bring his offering for sin, declares the Almighty Lord.


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"'The priests will have no inheritance. I am their inheritance. Don't give them any possessions in Israel. The priests belong to me.


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They will eat grain offerings, offerings for sin, and guilt offerings. Everything in Israel that is devoted to the Lord will belong to them.


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The priests should have the best of all the first ripened fruits. The best of every gift from all your contributions must go to the priests. The best of your dough must go to the priests. This will cause a blessing to rest on your home.


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The priests must never eat any bird or animal that has died naturally or was killed by other wild animals.


text:
"'Divide the land by drawing lots for the property you will inherit. Set aside an area 43,750 feet long and 35,000 feet wide for the Lord. The entire area will be holy.


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Measure off an area 43,750 feet long and 17,500 feet wide. The holy place, that is, the most holy place, will be in this area.


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This holy part of the land will belong to the priests who serve in the holy place, the priests who come near to serve the Lord. They will use this place for their homes, and it will be the location for the holy place.


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An area 43,750 feet long and 17,500 feet wide will belong to the Levites who serve in the temple. It will be given to them so that they have cities to live in.


text:
"'You must designate an area 8,750 feet wide and 43,750 feet long as the city's property. It will be located alongside the holy area. It will belong to all the people of Israel.


text:
"'The prince will have all the land on both sides of the holy area and on both sides of the property belonging to the city. From the western boundary of the holy area, his land will extend to the Mediterranean Sea. From the eastern boundary of the holy area, his land will extend to the eastern border {of the country}. His territory will be as large as the territory of one of the tribes.


text:
This land will belong to the prince in Israel. Then my princes will no longer oppress my people. They will give land to each tribe of the nation of Israel.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: I've had enough of you, you princes of Israel. Stop your violence and looting, and do what is fair and right. Stop evicting my people, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
The dry and liquid measures must always be the same: The ephah and the bath should hold the same as one-tenth of a homer. The homer must be the standard measure.


text:
"'This is the contribution you must give to the Lord: seventeen percent of your wheat and seventeen percent of your barley.


text:
You must take one sheep out of every 200 from the well-watered pastures of Israel. You must sacrifice them with grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings to make peace with the Lord, declares the Almighty Lord.


text:
Then the prince is responsible to provide burnt offerings, grain offerings, and wine offerings at the annual festivals, the New Moon Festivals, the weekly days of worship, and all the other appointed festivals of the nation of Israel. He must prepare offerings for sin, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings to make peace with the Lord for the nation of Israel.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: On the first day of the first month, take a young bull that has no defects and remove sin from the holy place.


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The priest must take some blood from the offering for sin and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the doorposts of the gateways of the inner courtyard.


text:
You must do the same on the seventh day of the month for everyone who unintentionally does something wrong and is unaware of it. So you must make peace with the Lord for the temple.


text:
"'On the fourteenth day of the first month, you will celebrate the Passover, a festival lasting seven days when unleavened bread is eaten.


text:
At that time the prince must prepare for himself and for all the common people a young bull as an offering for sin.


text:
Every day during the seven days of the festival, he must prepare burnt offerings for the Lord: seven young bulls that have no defects, seven rams that have no defects, and one male goat as an offering for sin.


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He must also give as a grain offering a half-bushel for each young bull and a half-bushel for each ram. He must also give one gallon of olive oil for every half-bushel of grain.


text:
On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, at the Festival of Booths, he must do the same as on those seven days. He must prepare the same offerings for sin, burnt offerings, grain offerings, and olive oil.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: The east gate of the inner courtyard must be closed during the six working days, but it must be opened on the weekly day of worship. It must also be opened on the New Moon Festival.


text:
The prince must enter from the outside through the entrance hall of the gateway. He must stand by the doorposts of the gateway. Then the priests must prepare the prince's burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He must worship at the entrance of the gateway and then leave. The gate must not be closed until evening.


text:
The common people must worship at the door of the gateway in the presence of the Lord on the weekly days of worship and on New Moon Festivals.


text:
The prince must offer to the Lord six lambs that have no defects and one ram that has no defects as a burnt offering on the day of worship.


text:
The grain offering that is to be brought with the ram must be a half-bushel, and the grain offering that is to be brought with the lambs must be whatever the prince can bring. One gallon of olive oil must be brought with each half-bushel of grain.


text:
On the first day of the month, the burnt offering must be one young bull, six lambs, and one ram—all animals that have no defects.


text:
With each young bull and each ram the offering must include a half-bushel of grain, and with each lamb the offering must be whatever the prince wants to bring. One gallon of olive oil must be offered with each half-bushel of grain.


text:
When the prince enters, he must enter through the entrance hall of the gateway. He must enter and leave the same way.


text:
"'The people will enter the Lord's presence at the time of the appointed festivals. Those entering through the north gate to worship must leave through the south gate. Those entering through the south gate must leave through the north gate. They must not leave through the same gate they entered. They must leave through the opposite gate.


text:
"'On festival days and at appointed festivals, a grain offering of a half-bushel must be brought with each young bull, and a half-bushel must be brought with each ram. But with the lambs, the prince may bring whatever he wants to bring. One gallon of olive oil must be brought with each half-bushel of grain.


text:
When the prince prepares a freewill burnt offering, either a burnt offering or a fellowship offering to the Lord, the east gate must be opened for him. He must sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings as he does on the day of worship. When he leaves, the gate must be shut after him.


text:
"'Prepare a year-old lamb that has no defects every day as a burnt offering to the Lord. Do this every morning.


text:
Also, prepare a grain offering with it every morning: three-and-a-third quarts of grain and one-and-a-third quarts of olive oil to moisten the flour. It will be a grain offering dedicated to the Lord. These rules are to be followed always.


text:
"'This is what the Almighty Lord says: Suppose the prince offers one of his sons a gift from his property. The gift will belong to his descendants because it is their inheritance.


text:
But suppose the prince offers a gift from his property to one of his servants. The gift will belong to the servant only until the year of freedom. Then the gift will go back to the prince. Only his sons can inherit his property.


text:
The prince must not take any of the people's property. He must not force them to give up their property. He must give his own property as an inheritance to his sons so that none of my people will be separated from their property.' "


text:
The man brought me through a passage beside the gateway to the side rooms that faced north. These rooms were reserved for the priests. He showed me a place on the west side of the rooms.


text:
He said to me, "This is the place where the priests must boil the meat for the guilt offering and the offering for sin. This is the place where they must bake grain offerings so that they don't have to bring the offerings into the outer courtyard. This way they won't transfer holiness to the people."


text:
Then the man led me to the outer courtyard and took me past the four corners of the courtyard. I saw that in each corner of the courtyard there was a smaller courtyard.


text:
The smaller courtyards that were in each of the four corners of the courtyard were 60 feet long and 45 feet wide. All four of the smaller courtyards in the corners of the courtyard were the same size.


text:
Then the man said to me, "These are the kitchens where the temple servants must boil the people's sacrifices."


text:
Then the man took me back to the door of the temple. I saw water flowing from under the entrance of the temple toward the east. (The temple faced east.) The water was flowing under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.


text:
Then he led me through the north gate and around to the outer east gate. The water was flowing down the south side of the gate.


text:
With a measuring line in his hand, the man went eastward. He measured off 1,500 feet and led me through the water. The water came up to my ankles.


text:
Then he measured off another 1,500 feet and led me through the water. The water came up to my knees. He measured off another 1,500 feet and led me through the water. The water came up to my waist.


text:
Then he measured another 1,500 feet. But the water had risen so much that it became a river which I couldn't cross. The river was too deep to cross except by swimming.


text:
Then the man led me back along the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw many trees on both sides of the river.


text:
Then the man said to me, "This water flows through the land to the east, down into the Jordan Valley, and into the Dead Sea. When the water flows into the Dead Sea, it will replace the salt water there with fresh water.


text:
Wherever the river flows, there will be many fish and animals. The river will make the water in the Dead Sea fresh. Wherever the river flows, it will bring life.


text:
From En Gedi to En Eglaim people will be standing on the shore of the sea with their fishing nets spread out. As many kinds of fish will be there as there are in the Mediterranean Sea.


text:
All kinds of fruit trees will grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves won't wither, and they won't fail to produce fruit. Each month they will produce fresh fruit because this water flows from the holy place. The fruit will be good food, and the leaves will be used for healing."


text:
This is what the Almighty Lord says: These are the borders of the land that is to be divided among the 12 tribes of Israel. Joseph gets two parts.


text:
Divide the land equally. I raised my hand and swore that I would give the land to your ancestors. So this land will be your inheritance.


text:
This is the northern border for the land: On the north side the border will run from the Mediterranean Sea all the way to Hethlon and Hamath Pass. It will run through the city of Zedad and through


text:
Berothah and Sibraim, which are between the borders of Damascus and Hamath. It will run to Hazer Hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran.


text:
So the border will run from the Mediterranean Sea to Hazar Enon on the border of Damascus. The border of Hamath will lie to the north. This is the north side.


text:
On the east side the border will run between Hauran and Damascus. The Jordan River will serve as the border between Gilead and the land of Israel. The border will continue from the Dead Sea down to Tamar. This is the east side.


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On the south side the border will run from Tamar to the oasis at Meribah in Kadesh along the ravine to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the southern border.


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On the west side the Mediterranean Sea is the border up to a point opposite Hamath Pass. This is the west side.


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Divide it by drawing lots. This land will be for you. It will also be for the foreign residents who live among you and have given birth to children while they lived with you. Think of them as Israelites. They will draw lots with you for their inheritance among the tribes of Israel.


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Foreign residents will receive their share of the inheritance with the people of the tribe among whom they are living, declares the Almighty Lord.


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These are the names of the tribes. Beginning at the northern border, Dan will have one part of the land. It will extend from the road to Hethlon to Hamath Pass and Hazar Enon, on the northern border of Damascus near Hamath, from the eastern border to the western border.


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Asher will have one part of the land and border Dan on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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Naphtali will have one part of the land and border Asher on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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Manasseh will have one part of the land and border Naphtali on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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Ephraim will have one part of the land and border Manasseh on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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Reuben will have one part of the land and border Ephraim on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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Judah will have one part of the land and border Reuben on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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The land that you set aside as a special gift for the Lord will border Judah on the south. It will be 43,750 feet wide, and it will be as long as one of the sections of the tribes. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border, and the holy place will be in the middle of it.


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This holy area will belong to the priests. On the north side it will be 43,750 feet long. On the west side it will be 17,500 feet wide. On the east side it will be 17,500 feet wide. On the south side it will be 43,750 feet long. The Lord's holy place will be in the middle of it.


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This land that has been set apart will belong to the priests who are descendants of Zadok. They took care of my holy place. They didn't wander away with the Israelites as the Levites did.


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So they will have a special portion from the land. It will be the holiest part of land, next to the land belonging to the Levites.


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Alongside the land belonging to the priests will be the land belonging to the Levites. It will be 43,750 feet long and 17,500 feet wide.


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They must not sell any of it or trade any of it. They must not let others have the best part of the land, because the land is the Lord's and it is holy.


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A strip of land, 8,750 feet wide by 43,750 feet long, will be left for cities, homes, and pastures. The city will be in the middle of it.


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These will be the measurements for the city: On the north side it will be 7,875 feet long. On the south side it will be 7,875 feet long. On the east side it will be 7,875 feet wide. And on the west side it will be 7,875 feet wide.


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The city's pastureland will be 4,375 feet on the north, 4,375 feet on the south, 4,375 feet on the east, and 4,375 feet on the west.


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The rest of the land borders the holy area and runs lengthwise. This land will be 17,500 feet on its east side and 17,500 feet on its west side. It will be used to provide food for the city workers.


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The whole area will be 43,750 feet square. You must give this land as a special gift to the Lord along with the city property.


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Whatever is left on the east side and west side of the holy area and the city property will belong to the prince. This land will extend eastward from the holy area to the eastern border, and it will extend westward to the western border. Both of these areas are as long as one of the sections of the tribes. These areas belong to the prince, and the holy area with the holy place of the temple will be between them.


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So the Levites' property and the city's property will be between the prince's part of the land. What is between Judah's and Benjamin's boundaries will belong to the prince.


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This is what the rest of the tribes will receive: Benjamin will have one part of the land. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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Simeon will have one part of the land and border Benjamin on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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Issachar will have one part of the land and border Simeon on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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Zebulun will have one part of the land and border Issachar on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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Gad will have one part of the land and border Zebulun on the south. It will extend from the eastern border to the western border.


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The southern border of Gad will run south from Tamar to the oasis at Meribah in Kadesh, and it will run along the Brook of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.


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This is the land you will divide as your inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their areas, declares the Almighty Lord.


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The gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. The three gates on the north side will be Reuben Gate, Judah Gate, and Levi Gate.


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The east side will be 7,875 feet long. The three gates on the east side will be Joseph Gate, Benjamin Gate, and Dan Gate.


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The south side will be 7,875 feet long. The three gates on the south side will be Simeon Gate, Issachar Gate, and Zebulun Gate.


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The west side will be 7,875 feet long. The three gates on the west side will be Gad Gate, Asher Gate, and Naphtali Gate.


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The city will measure about 31,500 feet all the way around. From then on the city's name will be: The Lord Is There.


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In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and attacked it.


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The Lord handed King Jehoiakim of Judah and some utensils from God's temple over to Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar took the utensils to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put them in the temple treasury.


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The king told Ashpenaz, the chief-of-staff, to bring some of the Israelites, the royal family, and the nobility.


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They were to be young men who were healthy, good-looking, knowledgeable in all subjects, well-informed, intelligent, and able to serve in the king's palace. They were to be taught the language and literature of the Babylonians.


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The king arranged for them to get a daily allowance of the king's rich food and wine. They were to be trained for three years. After that, they were to serve the king.


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The chief-of-staff gave them {Babylonian} names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar. To Hananiah he gave the name Shadrach. To Mishael he gave the name Meshach. And to Azariah he gave the name Abednego.


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Daniel made up his mind not to harm himself by eating the king's rich food and drinking the king's wine. So he asked the chief-of-staff for permission not to harm himself in this way.


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The chief-of-staff told Daniel, "I'm afraid of my master, the king. The king determined what you should eat and drink. If he sees that you look worse than the other young men your age, he would have my head cut off."


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The chief-of-staff put a supervisor in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel said to the supervisor,


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Then compare us to the young men who are eating the king's rich food. Decide how to treat us on the basis of how we look."


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After ten days they looked healthier and stronger than the young men who had been eating the king's rich food.


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God gave these four men knowledge, wisdom, and the ability to understand all kinds of literature. Daniel could also understand all kinds of visions and dreams.


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At the end of the three-year training period, the chief-of-staff brought all the young men to Nebuchadnezzar.


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The king talked to them and found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah among all of them. So these four men served the king.


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Whenever the king asked them about things that required wisdom and insight, he found that they knew ten times more than all the magicians and psychics in his whole kingdom.


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During the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he had some dreams. He was troubled, but he stayed asleep.


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The king sent for the magicians, psychics, sorcerers, and astrologers so that they could tell him what he had dreamed. So they came to the king.


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The astrologers spoke to the king in Aramaic, "Your Majesty, may you live forever! Tell us the dream, and we'll interpret it for you."


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The king answered the astrologers, "I meant what I said! If you don't tell me the dream and its meaning, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into piles of rubble.


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But if you tell me the dream and its meaning, I will give you gifts, awards, and high honors. Now tell me the dream and its meaning."


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The king replied, "I'm sure you're trying to buy some time because you know that I meant what I said.


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If you don't tell me the dream, you'll all receive the same punishment. You have agreed among yourselves to make up a phony explanation to give me, hoping that things will change. So tell me the dream. Then I'll know that you can explain its meaning to me."


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The astrologers answered the king, "No one on earth can tell the king what he asks. No other king, no matter how great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, psychic, or astrologer.


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What you ask is difficult, Your Majesty. No one can tell what you dreamed except the gods, and they don't live with humans."


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This made the king so angry and furious that he gave an order to destroy all the wise advisers in Babylon.


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So a decree was issued that the wise advisers were to be killed, and some men were sent to find Daniel and his friends and kill them.


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While Arioch, the captain of the royal guard, was leaving to kill the wise advisers in Babylon, Daniel spoke to him using shrewd judgment.


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He asked Arioch, the royal official, "Why is the king's decree so harsh?" So Arioch explained everything to Daniel.


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He told them to ask the God of heaven to be merciful and to explain this secret to them so that they would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise advisers in Babylon.


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The secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision during the night. So Daniel praised the God of heaven.


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He changes times and periods of history. He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to those who are wise and knowledge to those who have insight.


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God of my ancestors, I thank and praise you. You gave me wisdom and power. You told me the answer to our question. You told us what the king wants to know."


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Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy Babylon's wise advisers. Daniel told him, "Don't destroy Babylon's wise advisers. Take me to the king, and I'll explain the dream's meaning to him."


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Arioch immediately took Daniel to the king. He told the king, "I've found one of the captives from Judah who can explain the dream's meaning to you, Your Majesty."


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The king asked Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar), "Can you tell me the dream I had and its meaning?"


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Daniel answered the king, "No wise adviser, psychic, magician, or fortuneteller can tell the king this secret.


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But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets. He will tell King Nebuchadnezzar what is going to happen in the days to come. This is your dream, the vision you had while you were asleep:


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Your Majesty, while you were lying in bed, thoughts about what would happen in the future came to you. The one who reveals secrets told you what is going to happen.


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This secret wasn't revealed to me because I'm wiser than anyone else. It was revealed so that you could be told the meaning and so that you would know your innermost thoughts.


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"Your Majesty, you had a vision. You saw a large statue. This statue was very bright. It stood in front of you, and it looked terrifying.


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The head of this statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were made of silver. Its stomach and hips were made of bronze.


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While you were watching, a stone was cut out, but not by humans. It struck the statue's iron-and-clay feet and smashed them.


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Then all at once, the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were smashed. They became like husks on a threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a large mountain which filled the whole world.


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"Your Majesty, you are the greatest king. The God of heaven has given you a kingdom. He has given you power, strength, and honor.


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He has given you control over people, wild animals, and birds, wherever they live. He has made you ruler of them all. You are the head of gold.


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Another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to power after you. Then there will be a third kingdom, a kingdom of bronze, that will rule the whole world.


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There will also be a fourth kingdom. It will be as strong as iron. (Iron smashes and shatters everything.) As iron crushes things, this fourth kingdom will smash and crush all the other kingdoms.


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You also saw the feet and toes. They were partly potters' clay and partly iron. This means that there will be a divided kingdom which has some of the firmness of iron. As you saw, iron was mixed with clay.


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The toes were partly iron and partly clay. Part of the kingdom will be strong, and part will be brittle.


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As you saw, iron was mixed with clay. So the two parts of the kingdom will mix by intermarrying, but they will not hold together any more than iron can mix with clay.


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"At the time of those kings, the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed. No other people will be permitted to rule it. It will smash all the other kingdoms and put an end to them. But it will be established forever.


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This is the stone that you saw cut out from a mountain, but not by humans. It smashed the iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God has told you what will happen in the future, Your Majesty. The dream is true, and you can trust that this is its meaning."


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King Nebuchadnezzar immediately bowed down on the ground in front of Daniel. He ordered that gifts and offerings be given to Daniel.


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The king said to Daniel, "Your God is truly the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings. He can reveal secrets because you were able to reveal this secret."


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Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many wonderful gifts. Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel governor of the whole province of Babylon and head of all Babylon's wise advisers.


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With the king's permission, Daniel appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to govern the province of Babylon. But Daniel stayed at the king's court.


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King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue 90 feet high and 9 feet wide. He set it up in a recessed area in the wall in the province of Babylon.


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King Nebuchadnezzar sent messengers to assemble the satraps, governors, mayors, military advisers, treasurers, judges, officers, and all the other provincial officials to dedicate the statue he had set up.


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Then the satraps, governors, mayors, military advisers, treasurers, judges, officers, and all the other provincial officials assembled to dedicate the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood in front of the statue.


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When you hear the sound of rams' horns, flutes, lyres, harps, and three-stringed harps playing at the same time with all other kinds of instruments, bow down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.


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As soon as they heard the sound of rams' horns, flutes, lyres, harps, and three-stringed harps with all other kinds of instruments, all the people from every province, nation, and language bowed down and worshiped the gold statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.


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Your Majesty, you gave an order that everyone who hears the sound of rams' horns, flutes, lyres, harps, and three-stringed harps playing at the same time with all other kinds of instruments should bow down and worship the gold statue.


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There are certain Jews whom you appointed to govern the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men didn't obey your order, Your Majesty. They don't honor your gods or worship the statue that you set up."


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Then, in a fit of rage and anger, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Immediately, they were brought to the king.


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Nebuchadnezzar asked them, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don't honor my gods or worship the gold statue that I set up?


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When you hear the sound of the rams' horns, flutes, lyres, harps, and three-stringed harps playing at the same time with all other kinds of instruments, will you bow down and worship the gold statue I made? If you don't worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. What god can save you from my power then?"


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Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "We don't need to answer your last question.


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If our God, whom we honor, can save us from a blazing furnace and from your power, he will, Your Majesty.


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But if he doesn't, you should know, Your Majesty, we'll never honor your gods or worship the gold statue that you set up."


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Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with anger toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face turned red. He ordered that the furnace should be heated seven times hotter than normal.


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He told some soldiers from his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego so that they could be thrown into the blazing furnace.


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Then the three men were thrown into the blazing furnace. They were wearing their clothes, hats, and other clothing.


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The king's order was so urgent and the furnace was so extremely hot that the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were killed by the flames from the fire.


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So these three men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—fell into the blazing furnace. They were still tied up.


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Then Nebuchadnezzar was startled. He sprang to his feet. He asked his advisers, "Didn't we throw three men into the fire?" "That's true, Your Majesty," they answered.


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The king replied, "But look, I see four men. They're untied, walking in the middle of the fire, and unharmed. The fourth one looks like a son of the gods."


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Then Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the blazing furnace and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—servants of the Most High God—come out here." Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.


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The king's satraps, governors, mayors, and advisers gathered around the three men. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies. The hair on their heads wasn't singed, their clothes weren't burned, and they didn't smell of smoke.


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Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He sent his angel and saved his servants, who trusted him. They disobeyed the king and risked their lives so that they would not have to honor or worship any god except their own God.


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So I order that people from every province, nation, or language who say anything slanderous about the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb. Their houses will be turned into piles of rubble. No other god can rescue like this."


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Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to higher positions in the province of Babylon.


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From King Nebuchadnezzar. To the people of every province, nation, and language in the world. I wish you peace and prosperity.


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I am pleased to write to you about the miraculous signs and amazing things the Most High God did for me.


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His miraculous signs are impressive. He uses his power to do amazing things. His kingdom is an eternal kingdom. His power lasts from one generation to the next.


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The magicians, psychics, astrologers, and fortunetellers came to me. I told them the dream, but they couldn't tell me its meaning.


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Finally, Daniel came to me. (He had been renamed Belteshazzar after my god {Bel}.) The spirit of the holy gods is in him. I told him the dream:


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"Belteshazzar, head of the magicians, I know the spirit of the holy gods is in you. No secret is too hard for you {to uncover}. Tell me the meaning of the visions I had in my dream.


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These are the visions I had while I was asleep: I was looking, and I saw an oak tree in the middle of the earth. It was very tall.


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The tree grew, and it became strong enough and tall enough to reach the sky. It could be seen everywhere on earth.


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It had beautiful leaves and plenty of fruit, enough to feed everyone. Wild animals found shade under it. Birds came to live in its branches. It fed every living creature.


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He shouted loudly, 'Cut down the oak tree! Cut off its branches! Strip off its leaves! Scatter its fruit! Make the animals under it run away, and make the birds fly from its branches.


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But leave the stump and its roots in the ground. Secure it with an iron and bronze chain in the grass in the field. Let it get wet with the dew from the sky. And let it get its share of the plants on the ground with the animals.


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Let its human mind be changed, and give it the mind of an animal. Let it remain like this for seven time periods.


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The guardians have announced this decision. The holy ones have announced this so that every living creature will know that the Most High has power over human kingdoms. He gives them to whomever he wishes. He can place the lowest of people in charge of them.' "


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{I said,} "This is the dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning because the wise advisers in my kingdom can't tell it to me. However, you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you."


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Then Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar) was momentarily stunned. What he was thinking frightened him. I told him, "Belteshazzar, don't let the dream and its meaning frighten you." Belteshazzar answered, "Sir, I wish that the dream were about those who hate you and its meaning were about your enemies.


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You saw an oak tree grow and become strong enough and tall enough to reach the sky. It could be seen everywhere on earth.


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It had beautiful leaves and plenty of fruit, enough to feed everyone. Wild animals lived under it, and birds made their homes in its branches.


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You are that tree, Your Majesty. You grew and became strong and mighty until you reached the sky. Your power reaches the most distant part of the world.


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You saw a guardian, a holy being, come down from heaven. He said, 'Cut down the oak tree! Destroy it! But leave the stump and its roots in the ground. Secure it with an iron and bronze chain in the grass in the field. Let it get wet with the dew from the sky. Let it get its share of the plants on the ground with the wild animals for seven time periods.'


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You will be forced away from people and live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle. The dew from the sky will make you wet. And seven time periods will pass until you realize that the Most High has power over human kingdoms and that he gives them to whomever he wishes.


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Since I said that the stump and the tree's roots were to be left, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you realize that heaven rules.


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"That is why, Your Majesty, my best advice is that you stop sinning, and do what is right. Stop committing the same errors, and have pity on the poor. Maybe you can prolong your prosperity."


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The king thought, "Look how great Babylon is! I built the royal palace by my own impressive power and for my glorious honor."


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Before the words came out of his mouth, a voice said from heaven, "King Nebuchadnezzar, listen to this: The kingdom has been taken from you.


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You will be forced away from people and live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle. And seven time periods will pass until you realize that the Most High has power over human kingdoms and that he gives them to whomever he wishes."


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Just then the prediction about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was forced away from people and ate grass like cattle. Dew from the sky made his body wet until his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers and his nails grew as long as birds' claws.


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At the end of the seven time periods, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my mind came back to me. I thanked the Most High, and I praised and honored the one who lives forever, because his power lasts forever and his kingdom lasts from one generation to the next.


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Everyone who lives on earth is nothing compared to him. He does whatever he wishes with the army of heaven and with those who live on earth. There is no one who can oppose him or ask him, "What are you doing?"


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Just then my mind came back to me. My royal honor and glory were also given back to me. My advisers and nobles wanted to meet with me {again}. I was given back my kingdom and made extraordinarily great.


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Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, will praise, honor, and give glory to the King of Heaven. Everything he does is true, his ways are right, and he can humiliate those who act arrogantly.


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As they were tasting the wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver utensils which his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem be brought to him. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.


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So the servants brought the gold utensils that had been taken from God's temple in Jerusalem. The king, his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them.


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Suddenly, the fingers of a person's hand appeared and wrote on the plaster wall opposite the lamp stand of the royal palace. The king watched as the hand wrote.


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Then the king turned pale, and his thoughts frightened him. His hip joints became loose, and his knees knocked against each other.


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The king screamed for the psychics, astrologers, and fortunetellers to be brought to him. He told these wise advisers of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing and tells me its meaning will be dressed in purple, wear a gold chain on his neck, and become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom."


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The discussion between the king and his nobles brought the queen herself into the banquet hall. The queen said, "Your Majesty, may you live forever! Don't let your thoughts frighten you, and don't turn pale.


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There's a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your grandfather, he was found to have insight, good judgment, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him head of the magicians, psychics, astrologers, and fortunetellers.


text:
This Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar) was found to have knowledge, judgment, and an extraordinary spirit. He has the ability to interpret dreams, solve riddles, and untangle problems. Now, call Daniel, and he will tell {you} what it means."


text:
So Daniel was taken to the king. The king asked him, "Are you Daniel, one of the captives that my grandfather brought from Judah?


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I've heard that you have the spirit of the gods and that you have insight, good judgment, and extraordinary wisdom.


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The wise advisers and the psychics were brought to me to read this writing and tell me its meaning. But they couldn't tell me its meaning.


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I have heard that you can interpret such things and untangle problems. If you can read the writing and tell {me} its meaning, you will be dressed in purple, wear a gold chain on your neck, and become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom."


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Daniel told the king, "Keep your gifts. Give your gifts and awards to someone else. I'll still read the writing for you and tell you its meaning.


text:
"Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, might, honor, and glory.


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People from every province, nation, and language trembled and were terrified by him, because God gave him power. Nebuchadnezzar killed whomever he wanted to kill, and he kept alive whomever he wanted to keep alive. He promoted whomever he wanted to promote, and he demoted whomever he wanted to demote.


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But when he became so arrogant and conceited that he became overconfident, he was removed from the royal throne. His honor was taken away from him.


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He was chased away from people, and his mind was changed into an animal's mind. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body became wet with dew from the sky. This happened until he realized that the Most High God has power over human kingdoms. God puts whomever he wishes in charge of them.


text:
"Belshazzar, you are one of Nebuchadnezzar's successors. You didn't remain humble, even though you knew all this.


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But you made yourself greater than the Lord of heaven. You had the utensils from his temple brought to you. You, your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them. You praised your gods made of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, or stone. These gods can't see, hear, or know anything. You didn't honor God, who has power over your life and everything you do.


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This is its meaning: Numbered—God has numbered the days of your kingdom and will bring it to an end.


text:
Then Belshazzar ordered that Daniel be dressed in purple and wear a gold chain on his neck. He made Daniel the third-highest ruler in the kingdom.


text:
Over these satraps were three officials. Daniel was one of these officials. The satraps were to report to these three officials so that the king wouldn't be cheated.


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This man, Daniel, distinguished himself among the other officials and satraps because there was an extraordinary spirit in him. The king thought about putting him in charge of the whole kingdom.


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So the other officials and satraps tried to find something to accuse Daniel of in his duties for the kingdom. But they couldn't find anything wrong because he was trustworthy. No error or fault could be found.


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These men said, "We won't find anything to accuse this man, Daniel, unless we find it in his religious practices."


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So these officials and satraps went to the king as a group. They said to him, "May King Darius live forever!


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All the officials, governors, satraps, advisers, and mayors agree that the king should make a statute and enforce a decree. The decree should state that for the next 30 days whoever asks for anything from any god or person except you, Your Majesty, will be thrown into a lions' den.


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Your Majesty, issue this decree, and sign it. According to the law of the Medes and Persians no one could change it or repeal it."


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When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. An upper room in his house had windows that opened in the direction of Jerusalem. Three times each day he got down on his knees and prayed to his God. He had always praised God this way.


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Then they went and spoke to the king about his decree. {They asked,} "Didn't you sign a decree which stated that for 30 days whoever asks for anything from any god or person except you, Your Majesty, will be thrown into a lions' den?" The king answered, "That's true. According to the law of the Medes and Persians the decree can't be repealed."


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They replied, "Your Majesty, Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, refuses to obey your order or the decree that you signed. He prays three times each day."


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The king was very displeased when he heard this. He tried every way he could think of to save Daniel. Until sundown he did everything he could to rescue him.


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Then Daniel's accusers gathered in front of the king. They said to him, "Remember, Your Majesty, the Medes and Persians have a law that no decree or statute the king makes can be changed."


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So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought to him and thrown into the lions' den. The king told Daniel, "May your God, whom you always worship, save you!"


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A stone was brought and placed over the opening of the den. The king put his seal on the stone, using his ring and the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation could not be changed.


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Then the king went to his palace and spent the night without food or company. He couldn't get to sleep.


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As he came near the den where Daniel was, the king called to Daniel with anguish in his voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God! Was God, whom you always worship, able to save you from the lions?"


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My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they couldn't hurt me. He did this because he considered me innocent. Your Majesty, I haven't committed any crime."


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The king was overjoyed and had Daniel taken out of the den. When Daniel was taken out of the den, people saw that he was completely unharmed because he trusted his God.


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The king ordered those men who had brought charges against Daniel to be brought to him. They, their wives, and their children were thrown into the lions' den. Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions attacked them and crushed all their bones.


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Then King Darius wrote to the people of every province, nation, and language all over the world: I wish you peace and prosperity.


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I decree that in every part of my kingdom people should tremble with terror in front of Daniel's God, the living God who continues forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed. His power lasts to the end {of time}.


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He saves, rescues, and does miraculous signs and amazing things in heaven and on earth. He saved Daniel from the lions.


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In Belshazzar's first year as king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream. He saw a vision while he was asleep. He wrote down the main parts of the dream.


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The first animal was like a lion, but it had wings like an eagle. I watched until its wings were plucked off and it was lifted off the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human and was given a human mind.


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I saw a second animal. It looked like a bear. It was raised on one side and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, "Get up, and eat as much meat as you want."


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After this, I saw another animal. It looked like a leopard. On its back it had four wings, like the wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads. It was given power to rule.


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After this, I saw a fourth animal in my vision during the night. It was terrifying, dreadful, extraordinarily strong, and had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed its victims and trampled whatever was left. It acted differently from all the other animals that I had seen before. It had ten horns.


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While I was thinking about the horns, another horn, a little horn, came up among them. It uprooted three of the other horns. This horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that spoke impressive things.


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I watched until thrones were set up and the Ancient One, who has lived for endless years, sat down. His clothes were as white as snow and the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire.


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A river of fire flowed. It came from him. Thousands and thousands served him. Ten thousand times ten thousand were stationed in front of him. The court convened, and the books were opened.


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I continued to watch because of the impressive words that the horn was speaking. I watched until the animal was killed. Its body was destroyed and put into a raging fire.


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The power of the rest of the animals was taken away, but they were allowed to live for a period of time.


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In my visions during the night, I saw among the clouds in heaven someone like the Son of Man. He came to the Ancient One, who has lived for endless years, and was presented to him.


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He was given power, honor, and a kingdom. People from every province, nation, and language were to serve him. His power is an eternal power that will not be taken away. His kingdom will never be destroyed.


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I went to someone who was standing there and asked him to tell me the truth about all this. So he told me what all this meant.


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But the holy people of the Most High will take possession of the kingdom and keep it forever and ever."


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Then I wanted to know the truth about the fourth animal, which was so different from all the others. It was very terrifying and had iron teeth and bronze claws. It devoured and crushed its victims, and trampled whatever was left.


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I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that had come up and made three of the horns fall out. That horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke impressive things. It appeared to be bigger than the others.


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It did this until the Ancient One, who has lived for endless years, came and judged in favor of the holy people of the Most High. The time came when the holy people took possession of the kingdom.


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He said, "The fourth animal will be the fourth of these kingdoms on earth. It will be different from all other kingdoms. It will devour, trample, and crush the whole world.


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The ten horns are ten kings that will rise to power from that kingdom. Another king will rise to power after them. He will be different from the kings who came before him, and he will humble three kings.


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He will speak against the Most High God, oppress the holy people of the Most High, and plan to change the appointed times and laws. The holy people will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half of a time.


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But judgment will be handed down, his power will be taken away, and he will be completely and permanently destroyed.


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The kingdom, along with the power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven, will be given to the holy people of the Most High. Their kingdom is eternal. All other powers will serve and obey them."


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Here is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was terrified by my thoughts, and I turned pale. I kept this to myself.


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In Belshazzar's third year as king, I, Daniel, saw a vision. This vision came after the one I saw earlier.


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In my vision I saw myself in the fortress of Susa in the province of Elam. In my vision I saw myself at Ulai Gate.


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I looked up and saw a single ram standing beside the gate. The ram had two long horns, one longer than the other, though the longer one had grown up later.


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I saw the ram charging west, north, and south. No other animal could stand in front of it, and no one could escape from its power. It did anything it pleased and continued to grow.


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As I was watching closely, I saw a male goat coming from the west. It crossed the whole earth without touching it. This goat had a prominent horn between its eyes.


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The goat was coming toward the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the gate. It furiously ran at the ram.


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I saw it come closer to the ram. The goat was extremely angry with the ram, so it attacked the ram. It broke both of the ram's horns. The ram didn't have the strength to stand up against the goat. So the ram was thrown down on the ground and trampled. No one could rescue the ram from the goat's power.


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The male goat became very important. But when the goat became powerful, his large horn broke off. In its place grew four horns. They corresponded to the four winds of heaven.


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Out of one of the horns came a small horn. It gained power over the south, the east, and the beautiful land.


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It continued to gain power until it reached the army of heaven. It threw some of the army of heaven, the stars, down on the ground and trampled them.


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Then it attacked the commander of the army so that it took the daily burnt offering from him and wrecked his holy place.


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In its rebelliousness it was given an army to put a stop to the daily burnt offering. It threw truth on the ground. The horn was successful in everything it did.


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Then I heard a holy one speaking. Another holy one said to the one who was speaking, "How long will the things in this vision—the daily burnt offering, the destructive rebellion, the surrender of the holy place, and the trampling of the army—take place?"


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Now as I, Daniel, watched the vision and tried to understand it, I saw someone who looked like a man standing in front of me.


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Gabriel came up beside me, and when he came, I was terrified and immediately knelt down. He said to me, "Son of man, understand that the vision is about the end times."


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He said, "I will tell you what will happen in the last days, {the time of God's} anger, because the end time has been determined.


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The hairy male goat is the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is its first king.


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The horn broke off, and four horns replaced it. Four kingdoms will come out of that nation, but they won't be as strong as the first king was.


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"In the last days of those kingdoms, when rebellions are finished, a stern-looking king who understands mysterious things will rise to power.


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He will become very strong, but not by his own strength. He will cause astounding destruction and will be successful in everything he does. He will destroy those who are powerful along with some holy people.


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He will cleverly use his power to deceive others successfully. He will consider himself to be great and destroy many people when they don't expect it. He will oppose the Commander of Commanders, but he will be defeated, though not by any human power.


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The vision about the {2,300} evenings and mornings that was explained to you is true. Seal the vision, because it is about things that will happen in the distant future."


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I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up and worked for the king. The vision horrified me because I couldn't understand it.


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In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, learned from the Scriptures the number of years that Jerusalem would remain in ruins. The Lord had told the prophet Jeremiah that Jerusalem would remain in ruins for 70 years.


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So I turned to the Lord God and looked to him for help. I prayed, pleaded, and fasted in sackcloth and ashes.


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I prayed to the Lord my God. I confessed and said, "Lord, you are great and deserve respect as the only God. You keep your promise and show mercy to those who love you and obey your commandments.


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We have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commandments and laws.


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We haven't listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, leaders, ancestors, and all the common people.


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You, Lord, are righteous. But we—the men of Judah, the citizens of Jerusalem, and all the Israelites whom you scattered in countries near and far—are still ashamed because we have been unfaithful to you.


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All Israel has ignored your teachings and refused to listen to you. So you brought on us the curses you swore in an oath, the curses written in the Teachings of your servant Moses. We sinned against you.


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So you did what you said you would do to us and our rulers by bringing a great disaster on us. Nowhere in the world has anything ever happened like what has happened to Jerusalem.


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This entire disaster happened to us, exactly as it was written in Moses' Teachings. Lord our God, we never tried to gain your favor by turning from our wrongs and dedicating ourselves to your truth.


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So you were prepared to bring this disaster on us. Lord our God, you are righteous in everything you do. But we never listened to you.


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"Lord our God, you brought your people out of Egypt with your strong hand and made yourself famous even today. We have sinned and done evil things.


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Lord, since you are very righteous, turn your anger and fury away from your city, Jerusalem, your holy mountain. Jerusalem and your people are insulted by everyone around us because of our sins and the wicked things our ancestors did.


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"Our God, listen to my prayer and request. For your own sake, Lord, look favorably on your holy place, which is lying in ruins.


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Open your ears and listen, my God. Open your eyes and look at our ruins and at the city called by your name. We are not requesting this from you because we are righteous, but because you are very compassionate.


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Listen to us, Lord. Forgive us, Lord. Pay attention, and act. Don't delay! Do this for your sake, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name."


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I continued to pray, confessing my sins and the sins of my people Israel. I humbly placed my request about my God's holy mountain in front of the Lord my God.


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While I was praying, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the first vision, came to me about the time of the evening sacrifice. He was exhausted.


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As soon as you began to make your request, a reply was sent. I have come to give you the reply because you are highly respected. So study the message, and understand the vision.


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"Seventy sets of seven time periods have been assigned for your people and your holy city. These time periods will serve to bring an end to rebellion, to stop sin, to forgive wrongs, to usher in everlasting righteousness, to put a seal on a prophet's vision, and to anoint the Most Holy One.


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Learn, then, and understand that from the time the command is given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the anointed prince comes, seven sets of seven time periods and sixty-two sets of seven time periods will pass. Jerusalem will be restored and rebuilt with a city square and a moat during the troubles of those times.


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But after the sixty-two sets of seven time periods, the Anointed One will be cut off and have nothing. The city and the holy place will be destroyed with the prince who is to come. His end will come with a flood until the end of the destructive war that has been determined.


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He will confirm his promise with many for one set of seven time periods. In the middle of the seven time periods, he will stop the sacrifices and food offerings. This will happen along with disgusting things that cause destruction until {those time periods} come to an end. It has been determined that this will happen to those who destroy {the city}."


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In Cyrus' third year as king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar). The message was true. It was about a great war. Daniel understood the message because he was given insight during the vision.


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I didn't eat any good-tasting food. No meat or wine entered my mouth. I didn't wash myself until the entire three weeks were over.


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When I looked up, I saw a man dressed in linen, and he had a belt made of gold from Uphaz around his waist.


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His body was like beryl. His face looked like lightning. His eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and legs looked like polished bronze. When he spoke, his voice sounded like the roar of a crowd.


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I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision. The men with me didn't see the vision. Yet, they started to tremble violently, and they quickly hid themselves.


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So I was left alone to see this grand vision. I had no strength left in me. My face turned deathly pale, and I was helpless.


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The man said to me, "Daniel, you are highly respected. Pay attention to my words. Stand up, because I've been sent to you." When he said this to me, I stood up, trembling.


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He told me, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. God has heard everything that you said ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in front of your God so that you could learn to understand things. I have come in response to your prayer.


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The commander of the Persian kingdom opposed me for 21 days. But then Michael, one of the chief commanders, came to help me because I was left alone with the kings of Persia.


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I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the last days, because the vision is about times still to come."


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Then someone who looked like a human touched my lips. I opened my mouth and began to talk. I said to the person standing in front of me, "Sir, because of this vision, pain has overwhelmed me, and I'm helpless.


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He said, "Don't be afraid. You are highly respected. Everything is alright! Be strong! Be strong!" As he talked to me, I became stronger. I said, "Sir, tell me what you came to say. You have strengthened me."


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He asked, "Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will return to fight the commander of Persia. When I go, the commander of Greece will come.


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However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the true writings. No one will support me when I fight these commanders except your commander, Michael.


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{The person who looked like a human continued,} "What I am about to tell you is the truth. Three more kings will rule Persia. Then there will be a fourth, who will become much richer than all the others. As he becomes strong through his wealth, he will turn everyone against the kingdom of Greece.


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But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken into pieces and divided in the directions of the four winds of heaven. The empire will not be given to his descendants. It will no longer be like his empire, since it will be uprooted and given to others.


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"The southern king will be strong, but one of his officers will become stronger than he is and rule a vast empire.


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After a few years the southern and northern kings will make an alliance. The southern king's daughter will go to the northern king to make peace. She won't hold on to her power, and the alliance won't last. She, those who came with her, and the one who fathered and protected her will be given away.


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"At that time a shoot will grow from her roots to replace her father. He will attack the northern army, enter the stronghold of the northern king, fight against them, and be victorious.


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He will take the metal statues of their gods and their precious utensils of silver and gold back to Egypt. He will rule for more years than the northern king.


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"Then his sons will prepare for war. They will assemble a large number of forces so that they can overwhelm {the enemy} and pass through its land. They will return and wage war all the way to the stronghold.


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The southern king will be outraged. He will go to fight the northern king, who will raise a large army that will fall into the southern king's hands.


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When that army is captured, the southern king will become conceited. Although he will dominate tens of thousands of people, he will not always be strong.


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"The northern king will return and raise an army larger than the first one. After a few years he will invade with a large army and a lot of equipment.


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In those times many people will rebel against the southern king, and violent men from your own people will rebel in keeping with this vision, but they will be defeated.


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Then the northern king will come, build dirt attack ramps, and capture a fortified city. The southern forces will not be able to withstand him. Even their best troops will not be strong enough.


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The invader will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand his attack. He will rise to power in the beautiful land and it will be completely under his control.


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"Then the northern king will decide to invade with the power of his entire kingdom, and some decent men will invade with him. He will give the southern king his daughter as a wife in order to destroy the southern kingdom. But this will not succeed or help him.


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Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and capture many of them. But a commander will silence the insults that the northern king makes and even insult him.


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He will turn back toward the fortresses in his own country, but he will stumble, fall, and disappear.


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"Another king will take his place. He will have a cruel official go out in royal splendor. But in a few days the king will be destroyed, although not in anger or war.


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"A contemptible person will take his place. He will not be given royal splendor. He will invade when people are feeling secure, and he will seize the kingdom using false promises.


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After an alliance has been made with him, he will act deceitfully and rise to power with only a few people.


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When people feel secure, he will invade the richest parts of the provinces and do something that none of his predecessors ever did. He will distribute loot and wealth to his followers. He will invent new ways of attacking fortifications. But this will last only for a little while.


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"With a large army he will summon his power and courage against the southern king, who will prepare for war with a large, strong army. But the southern king won't be able to withstand him because of the schemes devised against him.


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People who eat the king's rich food will ruin him. His army will be overwhelmed, and many will die in battle.


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The two kings will both plan to do evil. They will sit at the same table and tell lies. But they will not succeed, because the end must wait until the appointed time.


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The northern king will return to his country with a lot of wealth. He will be determined to fight against the holy promise. He will take action and return to his own country.


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"At the appointed time he will again invade the south, but this time will be different from the first.


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Ships will come from the west to attack him, and he will be discouraged and turn back. Angry at the holy promise, he will return, take action, and favor those who abandon the holy promise.


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His forces will dishonor the holy place (the fortress), take away the daily burnt offering, and set up the disgusting thing that causes destruction.


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With flattery he will corrupt those who abandon the promise. But the people who know their God will be strong and take action.


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"People who are wise will help many to understand. But for some time they will be defeated by swords and flames. They will be captured and looted.


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As they are being defeated, they will get a little help, but many who are not sincere will join them.


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Some of the wise people will be defeated in order to refine, purify, and make them white until the end times. But the appointed time is still to come.


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"The king will do as he pleases. He will highly honor himself above every god. He will say amazing things against the God of gods. He will succeed until God's anger is over, because what has been decided must be done.


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He will have no interest in the gods of his ancestors or desire for women. He will have no interest in any god, because he will make himself greater than anyone else.


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Instead, he will honor the god of fortresses. With gold, silver, precious stones, and other expensive things he will honor a god his ancestors never heard of.


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With the help of a foreign god, he will deal with strong fortresses. He will give high honors to those who acknowledge him, make them rulers over many people, and distribute land for a price.


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"In the end times the southern king will attack him. The northern king will rush at him like a storm with chariots, horses, and many ships. He will invade countries, overwhelm them, and pass through their land.


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He will invade the beautiful land, and tens of thousands will be defeated. But Edom, Moab, and the leaders of the Ammonites will escape from his power.


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He will control gold and silver treasures and all Egypt's treasuries. Libya and Sudan will surrender to him.


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But news from the east and the north will frighten him. He will leave very angry to destroy and exterminate many.


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He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at a beautiful holy mountain. When he comes to his end, there will be no one to help him."


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{The person who looked like a human continued,} "At that time Michael, the great commander, will stand up on behalf of the descendants of your people. It will be a time of trouble unlike any that has existed from the time there have been nations until that time. But at that time your people, everyone written in the book, will be rescued.


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Many sleeping in the ground will wake up. Some will wake up to live forever, but others will wake up to be ashamed and disgraced forever.


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Those who are wise will shine like the brightness on the horizon. Those who lead many people to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.


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"But you, Daniel, keep these words secret, and seal the book until the end times. Many will travel everywhere, and knowledge will grow."


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When I, Daniel, looked up, I saw two men standing there. One man stood on one side of the river, and the other one stood on the other side.


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One of them asked the man dressed in linen clothes who was above the river, "How long will it be until these miracles are over?"


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I heard the man dressed in linen clothes who was above the river. He raised his right hand and left hand to heaven and swore an oath by the one who lives forever. He said, "It will be for a time, times, and half of a time. When the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, then all these things will be finished."


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Many will be purified, made white, and refined. But wicked people will do wicked things, and none of them will understand. Only wise people will understand.


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From the time the daily burnt offering is taken away and the disgusting thing that causes destruction is set up, there will be 1,290 days.


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The Lord spoke his word to Hosea, son of Beeri, when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah and when Jeroboam, son of Joash, was king of Israel.


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When the Lord first spoke to Hosea, the Lord told him, "Marry a prostitute, and have children with that prostitute. The people in this land have acted like prostitutes and abandoned the Lord."


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The Lord told Hosea, "Name him Jezreel. In a little while I will punish Jehu's family for the people they slaughtered at Jezreel. Then I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.


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Gomer became pregnant again and had a daughter. The Lord told Hosea, "Name her Lo Ruhamah Unloved. I will no longer love the nation of Israel. I will no longer forgive them.


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Yet, I will love the descendants of Judah. I will rescue them because I am the Lord their God. I won't use bows, swords, wars, horses, or horsemen to rescue them."


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The Lord said, "Name him Lo Ammi Not My People. You are no longer my people, and I am no longer your God.,


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"Yet, the Israelites will become as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one will be able to measure them or count them. Wherever they were told, 'You are not my people,' they will be told, 'You are the children of the living God.'


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The people of Judah and Israel will be gathered together. They will appoint one leader for themselves, and they will grow in the land. The day of Jezreel will be a great day.


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"Plead with your mother; plead with her. She no longer acts like my wife. She no longer treats me like her husband. Tell her to stop acting like a prostitute. Tell her to remove the lovers from between her breasts.


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If she refuses, I will strip her. I will leave her as naked as the day she was born. I will turn her into a dry and barren land, and she will die of thirst.


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Their mother acted like a prostitute. The woman who became pregnant with them did shameful things. She said, 'I'll chase after my lovers. They will give me food and water, wool and linen, olive oil and wine.'


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She will run after her lovers, but she won't catch them. She will search for them, but she won't find them. Then she will say, 'I'll go back to my first husband. Things were better for me than they are now.'


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"She doesn't believe that I gave her grain, new wine, and olive oil. I gave her plenty of silver and gold, but she used it to make statues of Baal.


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That is why I will take back my grain when it has ripened and my new wine when it's in season. I will take away the wool and the linen that I gave her to cover her naked body.


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I will put an end to all her celebrations: her annual festivals, her New Moon Festivals, her weekly worship days—all her appointed festivals.


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I will destroy her grapevines and fig trees. She said that they were gifts from her lovers. I will turn her vineyards into a forest, and wild animals will devour them.


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I will punish her for all the times she burned incense as an offering to other gods—the Baals. She put on her rings and jewelry, and she chased after her lovers. She forgot me," declares the Lord.


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"That is why I'm going to win her back. I will lead her into the desert. I will speak tenderly to her.


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I will give her vineyards there. I will make the valley of Achor Disaster a door of hope. Then she will respond as she did when she was young, as she did when she came out of Egypt.


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"On that day she will call me her husband," declares the Lord. "She will no longer call me her master.


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I won't allow her to say the names of other gods called Baal. She will never again call out their names.


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"On that day I will make an arrangement with the wild animals, the birds, and the animals that crawl on the ground. I will destroy all the bows, swords, and weapons of war, so people can live safely.


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"Israel, I will make you my wife forever. I will be honest and faithful to you. I will show you my love and compassion.


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"On that day I will answer your {prayers}," declares the Lord. "I will speak to the sky, it will speak to the earth,


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I will plant my people in the land. Those who are not loved I will call my loved ones. Those who are not my people I will call my people. Then they will say, 'You are our God!' "


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Then the Lord told me, "Love your wife again, even though she is loved by others and has committed adultery. Love her as I, the Lord, love the Israelites, even though they have turned to other gods and love to eat raisin cakes."


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Then I told her, "You must wait for me a long time. Don't be a prostitute or offer yourself to any man. I will wait for you."


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In the same way, the Israelites will wait a long time without kings or officials, without sacrifices or sacred stones, and without ephods or family idols.


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After that, the Israelites will turn and look to the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord for his blessings in the last days.


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Listen to the word of the Lord, you Israelites. The Lord has brought these charges against those who live in the land: "There is no faith, no love, and no knowledge of God in the land.


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There is cursing, lying, murdering, stealing, and adultery. People break {my laws}, and there is one murder after another.


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That is why the land is drying up, and everyone who lives in it is passing away. Wild animals, birds, and fish are dying.


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During the day you stumble, and during the night the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother, {the nation of Israel}.


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I will destroy my people because they are ignorant. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be my priests. You have forgotten the teachings of your God, so I will forget your children.


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So the priests will be punished like the people. I will punish them for their wicked ways and pay them back for what they have done.


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"They will eat, but they'll never be full. They will have sex with prostitutes, but they'll never have children. They have abandoned the Lord.


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My people ask their wooden idols for help. A piece of wood tells them what to do. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray. They commit adultery by giving themselves to other gods.


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They offer sacrifices on mountaintops, and they burn incense on the hills under oaks, poplars, and other trees. They think that these trees provide good shade. "That is why your daughters become prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.


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Yet, I will not punish your daughters when they become prostitutes or your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. The men go to prostitutes and offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes. These foolish people will be trampled.


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"Israel, you act like a prostitute. Don't let Judah become guilty too. Don't go to Gilgal. Don't go to Beth Aven. Don't take the oath, 'As the Lord lives .'


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"The people of Israel are as stubborn as a bull. How can the Lord feed them like lambs in an open pasture?


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When they're done drinking their wine, they continue to have sex with the prostitutes. Their rulers dearly love to act shamefully.


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"Listen to this, you priests! Pay attention, nation of Israel! Open your ears, royal family! This is my decision about you. You set traps at Mizpah and spread out nets on Mount Tabor.


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I know Ephraim, and Israel isn't a stranger to me. Now, Ephraim, you are acting like a prostitute, and Israel is unclean.


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"The wicked things that the people have done keep them from returning to their God. They have a spirit of prostitution, and they don't know the Lord.


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The people of Israel's arrogance testifies against them. Israel and Ephraim stumble because of their sins, and Judah stumbles with them.


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They go with their sheep and their cattle to search for the Lord, but they can't find him. He has left them.


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They have been unfaithful to the Lord, because their children do not belong to him. Now their New Moon {Festivals} will devour them and their fields.


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"Blow the ram's horn in Gibeah. Blow the trumpet in Ramah. Sound the alarm at Beth Aven, you descendants of Benjamin.


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Ephraim will become a wasteland when the time for punishment comes. I will make the truth known among the tribes of Israel.


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The leaders of Judah are like those who move boundary markers. I will pour my fury on them like water.


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I will destroy Ephraim as a moth destroys clothing. I will destroy the nation of Judah as rot destroys wood.


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"When Ephraim saw that he was sick and when Judah saw his own wounds, Ephraim went to Assyria to ask the great king for help. But the king couldn't cure them or heal their wounds.


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I will be like a lion to Ephraim and like a young lion to the nation of Judah. I will carry {them} off, and no one will rescue {them}.


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I will go back to my place until they admit that they are guilty. Then they will search for me. In their distress they will eagerly look for me."


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Let's return to the Lord. Even though he has torn us to pieces, he will heal us. Even though he has wounded us, he will bandage our wounds.


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After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us so that we may live in his presence.


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Let's learn about the Lord. Let's get to know the Lord. He will come to us as sure as the morning comes. He will come to us like the autumn rains and the spring rains that water the ground.


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"What should I do with you, Ephraim? What should I do with you, Judah? Your love is like fog in the morning. It disappears as quickly as the morning dew.


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That is why I cut {you} down by sending the prophets. I killed you with the words from my mouth. My judgments shined on you like light.


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The priests are like gangs of robbers who lie in ambush for a person. They murder on the road to Shechem. Certainly, they have committed a crime.


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"I have seen horrible things in the nation of Israel. Ephraim is acting like a prostitute, and Israel is unclean.


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"Whenever I want to heal Israel, all I can see is Ephraim's sin and Samaria's wickedness. People cheat each other. They break into houses and steal. They rob people in the streets.


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They don't realize that I remember all the evil things they've done. Now their sins surround them. Their sins are in my presence.


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"They make kings happy with the wicked things they do. They make officials happy with the lies they tell.


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They all commit adultery. They are like a heated oven, an oven so hot that a baker doesn't have to fan its flames when he makes bread.


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On the day of the king's celebration, the officials become drunk from wine, and the king joins mockers.


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They become hot like an oven while they lie in ambush. All night long their anger smolders, but in the morning it burns like a raging fire.


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They are all as hot as an oven. They consume their judges {like a fire}. All their kings die in battle, and none of them calls to me.


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Foreigners are using up your strength, but you don't realize it. You have become a gray-haired, old man, but you don't realize it.


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Israel, your arrogance testifies against you, but even after all this, you don't turn to the Lord your God or look to him for help.


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When you go, I will spread my net over you. I will snatch you out of the air like a bird. I will punish you for all the evil things you have done.


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"How horrible it will be for these people. They have run away from me. They must be destroyed because they've rebelled against me. I want to reclaim them, but they tell lies about me.


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They don't pray to me sincerely, even though they cry in their beds and make cuts on their bodies while praying for grain and new wine. They have turned against me.


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They don't return to the Most High. They are like a defective bow. Their officials will die in battle because they curse. The people in Egypt will ridicule them for this.


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"Sound the alarm on the ram's horn. The enemy swoops down on the Lord's temple like an eagle. The people of Israel have rejected my promise and rebelled against my teachings.


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"They chose their own kings, kings I didn't approve. They chose their own princes, princes I didn't know. They chose to make idols with their own silver and gold. Because of this, they will be destroyed.


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Get rid of your calf-shaped idol, Samaria. My anger burns against these people. How long will they remain unclean?


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Samaria's calf-shaped idol was made in Israel. Skilled workers made it. It is not a god. It will be smashed to pieces.


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"The people of Israel plant the wind, but they harvest a storm. A field of grain that doesn't ripen will never produce any grain. Even if it did produce grain, foreigners would eat it all.


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Israel will be swallowed up. It has already mixed in with the other nations. It has become worthless.


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"The people of Israel went to Assyria. They were like wild donkeys wandering off alone. The people of Ephraim sold themselves to their lovers.


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Even though they sold themselves among the nations, I will gather them now. They will suffer for a while under the burdens of kings and princes.


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"The more altars that the people of Ephraim build to make offerings to pay for their sins, the more places they have for sinning.


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I have written many things for them in my teachings, but they consider these things strange and foreign.


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They offer sacrifices to me and eat the meat of sacrifices, but I, the Lord, do not accept these sacrifices. Now I will remember their wickedness and punish them because of their sins. They will go back to Egypt.


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The people of Israel have built palaces, and they have forgotten their maker. The people of Judah have built many fortified cities. I will send a fire on their cities and burn down their palaces."


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Israel, don't rejoice. Don't celebrate as other nations do. You have been unfaithful to your God. You have sold sex on every threshing floor.


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The people of Ephraim won't stay in the Lord's land. They will return to Egypt, and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.


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They won't pour wine offerings to the Lord, and their sacrifices won't please him. Their sacrifices will be like the food that mourners eat. All who eat this food will be unclean. Their food will only satisfy their hunger. It will not be brought {as an offering} to the Lord's temple.


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Even if they escape without being destroyed, Egypt will capture them and Memphis will bury them. Weeds will grow over their silver treasures. Thorns will grow over their tents.


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The time for them to be punished will come. The time for them to pay for their sins will come. {When this happens,} Israel will know it. {They think that} prophets are fools and that spiritual people are crazy. They have sinned a lot, and they are very hostile.


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Prophets are God's watchmen over Ephraim. Yet, traps are set on every prophet's path, and people are hostile in the temple of their God.


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People have deeply corrupted themselves as they once did at Gibeah. God will remember their wickedness and punish them because of their sins.


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{The Lord said,} "When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert. When I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the first figs of the harvest. But they went to Baal Peor and worshiped shameful idols. They became as disgusting as the things they worshiped.


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Even if they bring up children, I will take those children away before they grow up. Yes, how horrible it will be for them when I leave them.


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I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place. But the people of Ephraim will bring out their children to be killed."


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Lord, give them what they deserve. Make the women miscarry, or else make them unable to nurse their babies.


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"All Ephraim's wickedness began in Gilgal; I hated the people there. I will force them out of my temple because of their wickedness, and I won't love them anymore. All their officials are rebellious.


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"The people of Ephraim are like sick plants. Their roots are dried up. They have no fruit. Even if they were to have children, I would kill their dear children."


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The people of Israel are like vines that used to produce fruit. The more fruit they produced, the more altars they built. The more their land produced, the more stone markers they set up {to honor other gods}.


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They are hypocrites. Now they must take their punishment. God will tear down their altars and destroy their stone markers.


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So they'll say, "We have no king because we didn't fear the Lord. Even if we had a king, he couldn't do anything for us."


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They say many things. They lie when they take oaths, and they make promises they don't intend to keep. That's why lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.


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Those who live in Samaria fear the calf-shaped idol at Beth Aven. The people will mourn over it. The priests will cry loudly because its glory will be taken away into captivity.


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The thing itself will be carried to Assyria as a present to the great king. Ephraim will be disgraced. Israel will be ashamed because of its plans.


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The illegal worship sites of Aven will be destroyed. Israel sins there. Thorns and weeds will grow over those altars. People will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"


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Israel, you have sinned ever since the incident at Gibeah. You never change. War will overtake the wicked people in Gibeah.


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"I will punish them when I'm ready. Armies will gather to attack them. They will be punished for their many sins.


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"Ephraim is like a trained calf that loves to thresh grain. I will put a yoke on its beautiful neck. I will harness Ephraim. Judah must plow. Jacob must break up the ground.


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"Break new ground. Plant righteousness, and harvest the fruit that your loyalty will produce for me." It's time to seek the Lord! When he comes, he will rain righteousness on you.


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You have planted wickedness and harvested evil. You have eaten the fruit that your lies produced. You have trusted your own power and your many warriors.


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So your army will hear the noise of battle. All your fortresses will be destroyed like the time Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in battle. Mothers and their children were smashed to death.


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This is what will happen to you, Bethel, because you have done many wicked things. At daybreak, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.


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The more I called them, the farther they went away. They sacrificed to other gods—the Baals, and they burned incense to idols.


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I was the one who taught the people of Ephraim to walk. I took them by the hand. But they didn't realize that I had healed them.


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I led them with cords of human kindness, with ropes of love. I removed the yokes from their necks. I bent down and fed them.


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"They will not return to Egypt. Instead, Assyria will rule them because they have refused to return to me.


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My people are determined to turn away from me. Even if they call to the Most High, he will not pardon them.


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"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboim? I have changed my mind. I am deeply moved.


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I will not act on my burning anger. I will not destroy Ephraim again. I am God, not a human. I am the Holy One among you, and I will not come to you in anger.


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"My people will follow me when I roar like a lion. When I roar, my children will come trembling from the west.


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They will come trembling like birds from Egypt and like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their own homes," declares the Lord.


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"Ephraim surrounds me with lies. The nation of Israel surrounds me with deceit." Judah rebels against God, against the Holy One who is faithful.


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The people of Ephraim try to catch the wind and try to chase the east wind all day. They are very violent and destructive. They make treaties with Assyria and take olive oil to Egypt.


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The Lord brings charges against Judah and punishes Jacob because of the way their people act. He will pay them back for what they have done.


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Their ancestor Jacob held on to his brother's heel while the two of them were in their mother's womb. When Jacob became a man, he struggled with God.


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He struggled with the Messenger and won. Jacob cried and pleaded with him. Jacob found him at Bethel, and he talked with him there.


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The people of Ephraim say, 'We're rich. We've made a fortune. With all this wealth, no one will find us guilty of any sin.'


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I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again as you did during your appointed festivals.


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The people of Gilead are evil. They are worthless. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal. But their altars will become like piles of rubble beside a plowed field.


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Jacob fled to the country of Syria. Israel worked to get a wife; he took care of sheep to pay for her.


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The Lord used a prophet to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt. He used a prophet to take care of them.


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The people of Ephraim made the Lord bitter. He will hold them guilty of murder. The Lord will pay them back for their insults.


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When the tribe of Ephraim spoke, people trembled. The people of Ephraim were important in Israel. Then they became guilty of worshiping Baal, so they must die.


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They keep on sinning more and more. They make idols from silver for themselves. These idols are skillfully made. All of them are the work of craftsmen. People say this about the Israelites: "They offer human sacrifices and kiss calf-shaped idols."


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That is why they will be like fog in the morning and like morning dew that disappears quickly. They will be like straw blown away from threshing floors. They will be like smoke rising from chimneys.


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"I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt. You have known no god besides me. There is no savior except me.


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Like a bear that has lost her cubs, I will attack you. I will rip you open. Like a lion I will devour you. Like a wild animal I will tear you apart.


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"Where, now, is your king, the one who is supposed to save you? Where in all your cities are your judges? You said, 'Give us kings and officials!'


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They have the opportunity to live again, but they are not smart enough to take it. They are like a baby who is about to be born but won't come out of its mother's womb.


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"I want to free them from the power of the grave. I want to reclaim them from death. Death, I want to be a plague to you. Grave, I want to destroy you. I won't even think of changing my plans."


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The people of Ephraim have become important among their relatives. However, the Lord's scorching wind will come from the east. It will blow out of the desert. Then their springs will run dry, and their wells will dry up. The wind will destroy every precious thing in their storehouses.


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The people of Samaria are guilty as charged because they rebelled against their God. They will be killed in war, their children will be smashed to death, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.


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Return to the Lord, and say these things to him: "Forgive all our sins, and kindly receive us. Then we'll praise you with our lips.


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Assyria cannot save us. We won't ride on horses anymore. We will never again say that the things our hands have made are our gods. You love orphans."


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{The Lord says,} "I will cure them of their unfaithfulness. I will love them freely. I will no longer be angry with them.


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I will be like dew to the people of Israel. They will blossom like flowers. They will be firmly rooted like cedars from Lebanon.


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They will be like growing branches. They will be beautiful like olive trees. They will be fragrant like cedars from Lebanon.


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They will live again in God's shadow. They will grow like grain. They will blossom like grapevines. They will be as famous as the wines from Lebanon.


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"The people of Ephraim will have nothing more to do with idols. I will answer them and take care of them. I am like a growing pine tree. Their fruit comes from me."


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Wise people will understand these things. A person with insight will recognize them. The Lord's ways are right. Righteous people live by them. Rebellious people stumble over them.


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Listen to this, you leaders! Open your ears, all inhabitants of this land! Nothing like this has ever happened in your lifetime or in your ancestors' lifetime.


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Tell your children about it. Have your children tell their children. Have your grandchildren tell their children.


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What young locusts leave, mature locusts will eat. What mature locusts leave, adult locusts will eat. What adult locusts leave, grasshoppers will eat.


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A strong nation attacked my land. It has too many soldiers to count. They have teeth like lions. They have fangs like grown lions.


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They destroyed my grapevines. They ruined my fig trees. They stripped off what they could eat, threw the rest away, and left the branches bare.


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Cry loudly like a young woman who is dressed in sackcloth, mourning for the man she was going to marry.


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Grain offerings and wine offerings are no longer brought to the Lord's temple. The priests, the Lord's servants, mourn.


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Israel's fields are ruined, and the ground is dried up. The grain has been destroyed. The new wine has dried up. The olive oil has run out.


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Be sad, you farmers! Cry loudly, you grape growers! Mourn for the wheat and the barley. The harvest is destroyed in the field.


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The grapevines are dried up. The fig trees are withered. The pomegranate, palm, and apricot trees, as well as all the trees in the orchards, have died. Yes, the joy of these people has died too.


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Put on your sackcloth and mourn, you priests. Cry loudly, you servants of the altar. Spend the night in sackcloth, you servants of my God. Grain offerings and wine offerings are withheld from your God's temple.


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Schedule a time to fast! Call for an assembly! Gather the leaders and everyone who lives in the land. Bring them to the temple of the Lord your God, and cry to the Lord for help.


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This will be a terrible day! The day of the Lord is near, and it will come like destruction from the Almighty.


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Seeds shrivel up in their shells. Storehouses are destroyed. Barns are ruined. The grain has dried up.


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The animals groan. Herds of cattle wander around confused. There's no pasture for them. Even flocks of sheep are suffering.


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O Lord, I cry to you for help! Fire has burned up the open pastures. Flames have burned up all the trees in the orchards.


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Blow the ram's horn in Zion. Sound the alarm on my holy mountain. Everyone who lives in the land should tremble, because the day of the Lord is coming. Certainly, it is near.


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It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and overcast skies. A large and mighty army will spread over the mountains like the dawn. Nothing like this has ever happened. Nothing like this will ever happen again.


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In front of this army a fire burns. Behind it flames are blazing. In front of it the land is like the garden of Eden. Behind it the land is like a barren desert. Nothing escapes it!


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As they leap on mountaintops, they sound like rattling chariots, like crackling fire burning up straw, and like a mighty army prepared for battle.


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They run like warriors. They climb walls like soldiers. They march straight ahead. They do not leave their places.


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They do not crowd one another. They keep in their own lines. Even when they break through the defenses, they do not break their ranks.


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They rush into the city. They run along the wall. They climb into houses. They enter through windows like thieves.


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The earth quakes in their presence, and the sky shakes. The sun and the moon turn dark, and the stars no longer shine.


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The Lord shouts out orders to his army. His forces are very large. The troops that carry out his commands are mighty. The day of the Lord is extremely terrifying. Who can endure it?


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"But even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart— with fasting, crying, and mourning."


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Tear your hearts, not your clothes. Return to the Lord your God. He is merciful and compassionate, patient, and always ready to forgive and to change his plans about disaster.


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Who knows? He may reconsider and change his plan and leave a blessing for you. Then you could give grain offerings and wine offerings to the Lord your God.


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Gather the people. Prepare them for a holy meeting. Assemble the leaders. Gather the children, even the nursing infants. Grooms leave their rooms. Brides leave their chambers.


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The priests who serve the Lord cry between the altar and the entrance to the temple. They say, "Spare your people, O Lord. Don't let the people who belong to you become a disgrace. Don't let the nations ridicule them. Why should people ask, 'Where is their God?' "


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The Lord said to his people, "I am going to send grain, new wine, and olive oil to you. You will be satisfied with them. I will no longer make you a disgrace among the nations.


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"I will keep the northern {army} far from you, and I will force it into a dry and barren land. The soldiers in front will be forced into the eastern sea. The soldiers in back will be forced into the western sea. A foul odor will rise from the dead bodies. They will stink." He has done great things!


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Wild animals, do not be afraid. The pastures in the wilderness have turned green. The trees have produced their fruit. There are plenty of figs and grapes.


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People of Zion, be glad and find joy in the Lord your God. The Lord has given you the Teacher of Righteousness. He has sent the autumn rain and the spring rain as before.


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"Then I will repay you for the years that the mature locusts, the adult locusts, the grasshoppers, and the young locusts ate your crops. (They are the large army that I sent against you.)


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You will have plenty to eat, and you will be full. You will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has performed miracles for you. My people will never be ashamed again.


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You will know that I am in Israel. I am the Lord your God, and there is no other. My people will never be ashamed again.


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"After this, I will pour my Spirit on everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.


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The sun will become dark, and the moon will become as red as blood before the terrifying day of the Lord comes."


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Then whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Those who escape will be on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. Among the survivors will be those whom the Lord calls, as the Lord has promised.


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I will gather all the nations. I will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. I will judge them there. They scattered the Israelites, the people who belong to me, among the nations. They divided my land.


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They threw dice for my people. They traded boys for prostitutes. They sold girls so that they could buy wine to drink.


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"Now what do you have against me, Tyre and Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will quickly pay you back for what you have done.


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You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks. That way you could send them far away from their land.


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I am going to make them leave the place where you sold them. I will pay you back for what you have done.


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I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah. They will sell them to the people of Sheba, a nation that is far away." The Lord has spoken.


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Announce this among the nations: Prepare yourselves for war. Wake up the warriors. Have all the warriors come near and attack.


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Hammer your plowblades into swords and your pruning shears into spears. Weaklings should say that they are warriors.


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Wake up, you nations. Come to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.


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Cut them down like grain. The harvest is ripe. Stomp on them as you would stomp on grapes. The winepress is full. The vats overflow. The nations are very wicked.


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There are many, many people in the valley of decision. The day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.


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The Lord will roar from Zion, and his voice will thunder from Jerusalem. The sky and the earth will shake. The Lord will be a refuge for his people. He will be a stronghold for the people of Israel.


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"You will know that I am the Lord your God. I live on my holy mountain, Zion. Jerusalem will be holy. Foreigners will never invade it again.


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On that day new wine will cover the mountains. Milk will flow on the hills. Water will flow in all the brooks of Judah. A spring will flow from the Lord's temple. It will water the valley of Shittim.


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Egypt will become a wasteland. Edom will become a barren desert. This is because the nations were cruel to Judah. They murdered innocent people in their land.


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These are the words of Amos, one of the sheep farmers from Tekoa. He saw {a vision} about Israel during the reigns of Judah's King Uzziah and Israel's King Jeroboam, son of Joash. This happened two years before the earthquake.


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He said: The Lord roars from Zion, and his voice thunders from Jerusalem. The pastures of the shepherds are turning brown, and the top of {Mount} Carmel is dried up.


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This is what the Lord says: Because Damascus has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The Arameans have crushed {the people of} Gilead with iron-spiked threshing sledges.


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I will break the bars {on the gates} of Damascus. I will cut off those living in Aven Valley and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden. The people of Aram will go into captivity at Kir. The Lord has said this.


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This is what the Lord says: Because Gaza has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The Philistines have taken all the people captive in order to hand them over to the Edomites.


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I will cut off those living in Ashdod and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn my power against Ekron. The rest of the Philistines will die. The Almighty Lord has said this.


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This is what the Lord says: Because Tyre has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The Tyrians have handed all the people over to the Edomites. The Tyrians didn't remember their treaty with their relatives.


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This is what the Lord says: Because Edom has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The Edomites pursued their relatives with swords. They refused to show any compassion to them. Their anger was unstoppable. They refused to control their fury.


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This is what the Lord says: Because Ammon has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The Ammonites enlarged their territory by ripping open pregnant women in Gilead.


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I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah and burn down its palaces while troops are shouting on the day of battle and winds are howling on the day of the storm.


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This is what the Lord says: Because Moab has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The Moabites have cremated Edom's king.


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I will send a fire on Moab and burn down the palaces of Kerioth. Moab will die during the noise of battle while troops are shouting and rams' horns are blowing.


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I will take their judges away from them. I will kill all their officials at the same time. The Lord has said this.


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This is what the Lord says: Because Judah has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The people of Judah have rejected the Lord's Teachings and haven't kept his laws. They have been led astray by false teachings, the same ones their ancestors followed.


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This is what the Lord says: Because Israel has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The people of Israel sell the righteous for money and the needy for a pair of sandals.


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They stomp the heads of the poor into the dust. They push the humble out of the way. Father and son sleep with the same woman. They dishonor my holy name.


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Beside every altar, they spread themselves out on clothes taken as security. In the temples of their gods, they drink the wine that they bought with fines.


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I destroyed the Amorites in front of them, although the Amorites were as tall as cedars and as strong as oaks. I destroyed their fruit above the ground and their roots below it.


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I brought you out of Egypt. I led you through the desert for 40 years so that you could take possession of the land of the Amorites.


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I also sent you prophets from among your children and Nazirites from among your youths. Isn't that so, people of Israel? The Lord has declared this.


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Runners will not be able to escape. Strong men will find that their strength is useless. Soldiers will not be able to save themselves.


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Archers will not stand their ground. Fast runners will not be able to escape. Horsemen will not be able to save themselves.


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Listen to this message which I, the Lord, have spoken against you Israelites, against your whole family that I brought out of Egypt.


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Out of all the families on earth, I have known no one else but you. That is why I am going to punish you for all your sins.


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Does a lion roar in the forest if it has no prey? Does a young lion growl in its den unless it has caught something?


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Does a bird land in a trap on the ground if there's no bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the ground unless it has caught something?


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If a ram's horn sounds an alarm in a city, won't the people be alarmed? If there is a disaster in a city, hasn't the Lord done it?


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Certainly, the Almighty Lord doesn't do anything unless he {first} reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.


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Announce in the palaces of Ashdod and in the palaces of Egypt, "Gather together on the mountains of Samaria. See the widespread confusion and oppression in Samaria."


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Those who collect profits in their palaces through violent and destructive acts don't know how to do what is right, declares the Lord.


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This is what the Almighty Lord says: An enemy will surround your land, strip you of your defenses, and loot your palaces.


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This is what the Lord says: As a shepherd rescues two legs or a piece of an ear out of a lion's mouth, so the Israelites living in Samaria will be rescued, {having only} a corner of a bed or a piece of a couch.


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Listen, and testify against the descendants of Jacob, declares the Almighty Lord, the God of Armies.


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On the day I punish Israel for its disobedience, I will also destroy the altars at Bethel. The horns of the altar will be cut off and will fall to the ground.


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I will tear down winter houses as well as summer houses. Houses {decorated} with ivory will be destroyed. Mansions will be demolished, declares the Lord.


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Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan who live on Mount Samaria. You women oppress the poor and abuse the needy. You say to your husbands, "Get some wine! Let's drink!"


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The Almighty Lord has taken an oath on his holiness: Surely, the time is going to come when you will be taken away on hooks, and the rest of you on fishhooks.


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Each of you will leave {the city} through breaks in the wall, one woman ahead of another. You will be thrown into a garbage dump. The Lord declares this.


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Go to Bethel and sin. Go to Gilgal and sin even more. Bring your sacrifices every morning. Bring a tenth of your income every three days.


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Burn bread as a thank offering. Brag and boast about your freewill offerings. This is what you people of Israel love to do. The Almighty Lord declares this.


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I left you with nothing to eat in any of your cities. I left you with no food in your entire land. And you still didn't return to me, declares the Lord.


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I stopped the rain from falling three months before the harvest. I sent rain on one city and not on another. One field had rain. Another field had none and dried up.


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So people from two or three cities staggered as they walked to another city in order to get a drink of water. But they couldn't get enough. And you still didn't return to me, declares the Lord.


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I struck your {crops} with blight and mildew. Locusts repeatedly devoured your gardens, vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees. And you still didn't return to me, declares the Lord.


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I sent plagues on you as I did to Egypt. With swords I killed your best young men along with your captured horses. I made the stench from your camps fill your noses. And you still didn't return to me, declares the Lord.


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I destroyed some of you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning log snatched from a fire. And you still didn't return to me, declares the Lord.


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This is what I will do to you, Israel. Prepare to meet your God. This is what I will do to you, Israel!


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God forms the mountains and creates the wind. He reveals his thoughts to humans. He makes dawn and dusk {appear}. He walks on the high places of the earth. His name is the Lord God of Armies.


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The people of Israel have fallen, never to rise again. They lie abandoned in their own land. There is no one to help them.


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This is what the Almighty Lord says: The city that sends 1,000 troops off to war will have {only} 100 left. The one that sends 100 troops off to war will have {only} 10 left for the nation of Israel.


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But don't search {for me} at Bethel. Don't go to Gilgal. Don't travel to Beersheba. Gilgal will certainly go into exile. Bethel will come to nothing.


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Search for the Lord and live! If you don't, he will spread like a fire through the house of Joseph and burn it down. Bethel will have no one to put it out.


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God made the {constellations} Pleiades and Orion. He turns deep darkness into dawn. He turns day into night. He calls for water from the sea to pour it over the face of the earth. His name is the Lord.


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Israel, you hate anyone who speaks out against injustice. You are disgusted by anyone who speaks the truth.


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You trample on the poor and take their wheat from them for taxes. That is why you build houses from hand-cut stones, but you will not live in them. You plant beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.


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I know that your crimes are numerous and your sins are many. You oppress the righteous by taking bribes. You deny the needy access to the courts.


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Search for good instead of evil so that you may live. Then the Lord God of Armies will be with you, as you have said.


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Hate evil and love good. Then you will be able to have justice in your courts. Maybe the Lord God of Armies will have pity on the faithful few of Joseph.


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This is what the Lord, the Almighty God of Armies, says: There will be loud crying in every city square, and people will say in every street, "Oh, no!" They will call on farmers to mourn and on professional mourners to cry loudly.


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There will be loud crying in every vineyard, because I will pass through your land {with death}. The Lord has said this.


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How horrible it will be for those who long for the day of the Lord! Why do you long for that day? The day of the Lord is one of darkness and not light.


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It is like a person who flees from a lion only to be attacked by a bear. It is like a person who goes home and puts his hand on the wall only to be bitten by a snake.


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Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I won't accept them. I won't even look at the fellowship offerings of your choicest animals.


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You carried along the statues of {the god} Sikkuth as your king and the star Kiyyun, the gods you made for yourselves.


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How horrible it will be for those who are at ease in Zion, for those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, and for the heads of the leading nations, to whom the nation of Israel comes.


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Go to Calneh and look. Go from there to the great city of Hamath. Then go to Gath, the city of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?


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How horrible it will be for those who think that a day of disaster is far away. They bring the reign of violence closer.


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How horrible it will be for those who sleep on ivory beds. They sprawl out on their couches and eat lambs from their flocks and calves from their stalls.


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How horrible it will be for those who make up songs as they strum a harp. Like David, they write all kinds of songs for themselves.


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How horrible it will be for those who drink wine by the jugful. They rub the finest oils all over themselves and are not sorry for the ruin {of the descendants} of Joseph.


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That is why they will now be the first to go into exile. The celebrating of those sprawled around the banquet table will stop.


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The Almighty Lord has sworn an oath on himself. The Lord God of Armies declares: I am disgusted with Jacob's pride, and I hate his palaces. So I will hand over the city and everything in it.


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If a relative or a mortician comes to take the dead bodies out of the house and asks someone who is inside the house, "Is there anyone else with you?" that person will answer, "No." "Hush," he will add. "We shouldn't mention the name of the Lord!"


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Do horses run on rocks? Does a farmer plow the sea with oxen? Yet, you have turned justice into something deadly and what is righteous into poison.


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How horrible it will be for those who rejoice over Lo Debar and who say, "We were strong enough to capture Karnaim by ourselves."


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I am going to lead a nation to attack you, nation of Israel, declares the Lord God of the Armies of the Nations. They will oppress you from the border of Hamath to the valley of Arabah.


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This is what the Almighty Lord showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts when the second crop was being harvested. It was the harvest that followed the harvest for the king.


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When the locusts had finished eating every plant in the land, I said, "Almighty Lord, please forgive us! How can {the descendants of} Jacob survive? There are so few of them."


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This is what the Almighty Lord showed me: The Almighty Lord was calling for judgment by fire. The fire dried up the ocean and burned up the land.


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Then I said, "Almighty Lord, please stop! How can {the descendants of} Jacob survive? There are so few of them."


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This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall built with the use of a plumb line, and he had a plumb line in his hand.


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He asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" I answered, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "I'm going to hold a plumb line in the middle of my people Israel. I will no longer overlook what they have done.


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The worship sites of Isaac will be destroyed, and the holy places of Israel will be in ruins. I will attack Jeroboam's heirs with my sword."


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Then Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, sent a message to King Jeroboam of Israel. It read, "Amos is plotting against you among the people of Israel. The country isn't able to endure everything he is saying.


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Amos says that Jeroboam will be killed with a sword and that Israel cannot avoid being taken from its land into exile."


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But don't {ever} prophesy again in Bethel, because this is the king's holy place and the king's palace."


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Amos responded, "I'm not a prophet, and I'm not a disciple of the prophets. I am a rancher and a grower of figs.


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"Now listen to the word of the Lord: You said, 'Stop prophesying against Israel, and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.'


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"However, this is what the Lord says: Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will be killed with swords. Your land will be surveyed and divided up, and you will die in an unclean land. Israel cannot avoid being taken from its land into exile."


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He asked, "What do you see, Amos?" "A basket of ripe summer fruit," I answered. Then the Lord said to me, "My people Israel are now ripe. I will no longer overlook what they have done.


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On that day the songs of the temple will become loud cries," declares the Almighty Lord. "There will be dead bodies scattered everywhere. Hush!"


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You say to yourselves, "When will the New Moon Festival be over so that we can sell more grain? When will the day of worship be over so that we can sell more wheat? We can shrink the size of the bushel baskets, increase the cost, and cheat with dishonest scales.


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We can buy the poor with money and the needy for a pair of sandals. We can sell the husks mixed in with the wheat."


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The land will tremble because of this. Everyone who lives in it will mourn. The entire land will rise like the Nile, be tossed about, and then sink like Egypt's river.


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On that day, declares the Almighty Lord, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.


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I will turn your festivals into funerals and all your songs into funeral songs. I will put sackcloth around everyone's waist and shave everyone's head. I will make that day seem like a funeral for an only child, and its end will be bitter.


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The days are going to come, declares the Almighty Lord, when I will send a famine throughout the land. It won't be an ordinary famine or drought. Instead, there will be a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.


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People will wander from sea to sea and roam from the north to the east, searching for the word of the Lord. But they won't find it.


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{How horrible it will be for} those who swear by Ashimah, the idol of Samaria, and say, "I solemnly swear, Dan, as your god lives ." "I solemnly swear as long as there is a road to Beersheba ." Those who say this will fall and never get up again.


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I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said: Strike the tops of the pillars so that the foundations shake. Cut off everyone's head. I will kill with a sword all who are left. None of them will be able to get away. None of them will be able to escape.


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Even if they dig their way into Sheol, my hand will take them from there. Even if they go up to heaven, I will bring them down from there.


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Even if they hide on top of Mount Carmel, I will look for them and take them from there. Even if they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will command a sea snake to bite them.


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Even if they go into exile ahead of their enemies, I will command a sword to kill them. I will keep my eyes on them so that I can bring disaster on them and not help them.


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The Almighty Lord of Armies touches the earth. It quakes, and all who live on it mourn. All of it rises like the Nile and sinks like Egypt's river.


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The one who builds stairs up to heaven and sets their foundation on the earth, the one who calls for the water in the sea and pours it over the face of the earth— His name is the Lord.


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You people of Israel are like the people from Sudan, says the Lord. Didn't I bring Israel from Egypt? Didn't I bring the Philistines from Crete and the Arameans from Kir?


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I, the Almighty Lord, have my eyes on this sinful kingdom. I will wipe it off the face of the earth. But I won't totally destroy the descendants of Jacob, declares the Lord.


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I'm going to give the order. I will sift the nation of Israel out of all the nations as if I were using a sieve. Not one pebble will fall to the ground.


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All the sinners among my people are thinking, "Destruction will not catch up to us or run into us." In spite of this, they will be killed with swords.


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On that day I will set up David's fallen tent. I will repair the holes in it. I will restore its ruined places. I will rebuild them as they were a long time ago.


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They will capture the few survivors of Edom and all the other nations that were under my authority, declares the Lord, who will do these things.


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The days are going to come, declares the Lord, when the one who plows will catch up to the one who harvests, and the one who stomps on grapes will catch up to the one who plants. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills.


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I will restore my people Israel. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine from them. They will plant gardens and eat their fruit.


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I will plant the people of Israel in their land, and they won't be uprooted again from the land that I gave them, says the Lord your God.


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This is the vision of Obadiah. This is what the Almighty Lord says about Edom: We have heard a message from the Lord. A messenger was sent among the nations to say, "Get ready! Let's go to war against Edom."


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Your arrogance has deceived you. You live on rocky cliffs. You make your home up high. You say to yourself, 'No one can bring me down to earth.'


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Even though you fly high like an eagle and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you down from there," declares the Lord.


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"If thieves or looters come to you during the night, won't they steal only until they've had enough? You will be ruined! If people come to pick your grapes, won't they leave a few grapes behind?


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All your allies will force you to leave your land. The people who are at peace with you will deceive you. Those who eat food with you will set traps for you, and you won't even know about it.


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"On that day I will destroy the wise people in Edom and take wisdom away from Esau's mountain," declares the Lord.


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"Because of the violence you did to Jacob, your relative, you will be covered with shame. You will be destroyed forever.


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While you stood there doing nothing, strangers carried off Jacob's wealth. Foreigners entered his gates and threw dice for Jerusalem. You acted like one of them.


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Don't gloat over your relative's misfortune or be happy when the people of Judah are destroyed. Don't brag so much when they're in distress.


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Don't march through the gates of my people when disaster strikes or gloat over their misery when disaster strikes. Don't take their wealth when disaster strikes.


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Don't stand at the crossroads to kill their refugees. Don't hand over their survivors when they're in distress.


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"The day of the Lord is near for all nations. Edom, you will be treated as you have treated others. You will get back what you have given.


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As you, Israel, drank on my holy mountain, so all nations will drink in turn. They will drink and guzzle down everything in it. They will be like those who have never existed.


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"But refugees will live on Mount Zion. It will be holy. The descendants of Jacob will get back their possessions.


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The descendants of Jacob will be like a fire. The descendants of Joseph will be like a flame. But the descendants of Esau will be like straw. They will be burned and destroyed. There will be no one left among the descendants of Esau." The Lord has spoken.


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"People from the Negev will take possession of Esau's mountain. People from the foothills will take possession of Philistia. They will take possession of the lands of Ephraim and Samaria, and {the descendants of} Benjamin will take possession of Gilead.


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Exiles from Israel will take possession of Canaan. They will possess land as far as Zarephath. Exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will take possession of the cities in the Negev.


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Those who are victorious will come from Mount Zion to rule Esau's mountain. The kingdom will belong to the Lord."


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"Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people that I can no longer overlook the wicked things they have done."


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Jonah immediately tried to run away from the Lord by going to Tarshish. He went to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid for the trip and went on board. He wanted to go to Tarshish to get away from the Lord.


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The Lord sent a violent wind over the sea. The storm was so powerful that the ship was in danger of breaking up.


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The sailors were afraid, and they cried to their gods for help. They began to throw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship's load. Now, Jonah had gone below deck and was lying there sound asleep.


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The captain of the ship went to him and asked, "How can you sleep? Get up, and pray to your God. Maybe he will notice us, and we won't die."


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Then the sailors said to each other, "Let's throw dice to find out who is responsible for bringing this disaster on us." So they threw dice, and the dice indicated that Jonah was responsible.


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They asked him, "Tell us, why has this disaster happened to us? What do you do for a living? Where do you come from? What country are you from? What nationality are you?"


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Jonah answered them, "I'm a Hebrew. I worship the Lord, the God of heaven. He is the God who made the sea and the land."


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Then the men were terrified. They knew that he was running away from the Lord, because he had told them. They asked Jonah, "Why have you done this?"


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He told them, "Throw me overboard. Then the sea will become calm. I know that I'm responsible for this violent storm."


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Instead, the men tried to row harder to get the ship back to shore, but they couldn't do it. The storm was getting worse.


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So they cried to the Lord for help: "Please, Lord, don't let us die for taking this man's life. Don't hold us responsible for the death of an innocent man, because you, Lord, do whatever you want."


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The Lord sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.


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Jonah prayed: "I called to the Lord in my distress, and he answered me. From the depths of my {watery} grave I cried for help, and you heard my cry.


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You threw me into the deep, into the depths of the sea, and water surrounded me. All the whitecaps on your waves have swept over me.


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"Water surrounded me, threatening my life. The deep {sea} covered me completely. Seaweed was wrapped around my head.


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I sank to the foot of the mountains. I sank to the bottom, where bars held me forever. But you brought me back from the pit, O Lord, my God.


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But I will sacrifice to you with songs of thanksgiving. I will keep my vow. Victory belongs to the Lord!"


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"Leave at once for the important city, Nineveh. Announce to the people the message I have given you."


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Jonah immediately went to Nineveh as the Lord told him. Nineveh was a very large city. It took three days to walk through it.


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Jonah entered the city and walked for about a day. Then he said, "In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed."


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The people of Nineveh believed God. They decided to fast, and everyone, from the most important to the least important, dressed in sackcloth.


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When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes.


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Then he made this announcement and sent it throughout the city: "This is an order from the king and his nobles: No one is to eat or drink anything. This includes all people, animals, cattle, and sheep.


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Every person and animal must put on sackcloth. Cry loudly to God for help. Turn from your wicked ways and your acts of violence.


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God saw what they did. He saw that they turned from their wicked ways. So God reconsidered his threat to destroy them, and he didn't do it.


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So he prayed to the Lord, "Lord, isn't this what I said would happen when I was still in my own country? That's why I tried to run to Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, patient, and always ready to forgive and to reconsider your threats of destruction.


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Jonah left the city and sat down east of it. He made himself a shelter there. He sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.


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The Lord God made a plant grow up beside Jonah to give him shade and make him more comfortable. Jonah was very happy with the plant.


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When the sun rose, God made a hot east wind blow. The sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he was about to faint. He wanted to die. So he said, "I'd rather be dead than alive."


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Then God asked Jonah, "What right do you have to be angry over this plant?" Jonah answered, "I have every right to be angry—so angry that I want to die."


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The Lord replied, "This plant grew up overnight and died overnight. You didn't plant it or make it grow. Yet, you feel sorry for this plant.


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Shouldn't I feel sorry for this important city, Nineveh? It has more than 120,000 people in it as well as many animals. These people couldn't tell their right hand from their left."


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The Lord spoke his word to Micah, who was from Moresheth, when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. This is the vision that Micah saw about Samaria and Jerusalem.


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Listen, all you people! Pay attention, earth and all who are on it. The Almighty Lord will be a witness against you. The Lord will be a witness from his holy temple.


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The Lord is going to come from his place. He is going to come down and step on the worship places of the earth.


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Mountains will melt under him like wax near a fire. Valleys will split apart like water pouring down a steep hill.


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All this is because of Jacob's crime and Israel's sin. What is Jacob's crime? Isn't it Samaria? What is Judah's worship place? Isn't it Jerusalem?


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So I will turn Samaria into a pile of rubble, a place for planting vineyards. I will roll its stones down into a valley and expose its foundations.


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All its idols will be smashed to pieces. All its wages for being a prostitute will be burned. All its statues will be turned into a pile of rubble. Samaria collected its wages for being a prostitute. That money will again pay for prostitutes.


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I will mourn and cry because of this. I will walk around barefoot and naked. I will cry like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich.


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Samaria's wounds are incurable. {The news about Samaria} will come to Judah. It will reach the gates of my people in Jerusalem.


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Pass by, naked and ashamed, inhabitants of Shaphir. Don't come out, inhabitants of Zaanan. Beth Ezel is in mourning. It will take its support away from you.


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Wait anxiously for good, inhabitants of Maroth. From the Lord disaster will come on the gates of Jerusalem.


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Harness the horses to the chariots, inhabitants of Lachish. You were the first to lead the people of Zion into sin. The rebellious acts of Israel are found in you.


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That is why you will give farewell gifts to Moresheth Gath. The town of Achzib will betray the kings of Israel.


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I will again bring a conqueror against the inhabitants of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam.


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Shave your head in mourning for the children you love. Make yourselves as bald as vultures because your children will be taken from you into exile.


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How horrible it will be for those who invent trouble and work out plans for disaster while in bed. When the morning dawns, they carry out their plans because they are able to.


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They desire {other people's} fields, so they seize them. They desire {people's} houses, so they take them. They cheat a man and his family, a man and his inheritance.


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So this is what the Lord says: I'm planning a disaster to punish your family. You won't be able to rescue yourselves. You will no longer be able to walk proudly. This will be a time of disaster.


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When that day comes, people will make fun of you. They will sing this sad song about you: "We are completely ruined. The Lord gives our people's possessions {to others}. He takes them from us. He divides our fields among our captors."


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Should the descendants of Jacob be asked: Has the Spirit of the Lord become impatient with you? Has he done these things? Are his words good for those who live honestly?


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Recently, my people have turned into enemies. You take coats from those who pass by without a care as they return from war.


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You force the women among my people out of their pleasant homes and take my glory away from their children forever.


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Get up, and go away! This is not a place to rest! It will be destroyed, completely destroyed, because it offends me.


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Liars and frauds may go around and say, "We will preach to you about wine and liquor." They would be just the type of preacher you want.


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I will surely gather all of you, Jacob. I will surely bring together the few people left in Israel. I will gather them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture. They will make a lot of noise because there will be so many people.


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{The Lord} will open the way and lead them. They will break out, go through the gate, and leave. Their king will travel in front of them. The Lord will lead the people.


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Then I said: Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You should know justice.


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You eat my people's flesh. You strip off their skin. You break their bones to pieces. You chop them up like meat for a pot, like stew meat for a kettle.


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Then you will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer you. He will hide his face from you at that time because you have done evil things.


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This is what the Lord says about the prophets who mislead my people: When they have something to eat, they say, "All is well!" But they declare a holy war against those who don't feed them.


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That is why you will have nights without visions. You will have darkness without revelations. The sun will set on the prophets, and the day will turn dark for them.


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Seers will be put to shame. Those who practice witchcraft will be disgraced. All of them will cover their faces, because God won't answer them.


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But I am filled with the power of the Lord's Spirit, with justice, and with strength. So I will tell {the descendants of} Jacob about their crimes and {the nation of} Israel about its sins.


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Listen to this, you leaders of the descendants of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You despise justice and pervert everything that is right.


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Your leaders exchange justice for bribes. Your priests teach for a price. Your prophets tell the future for money. But they rely on the Lord when they say, "After all, the Lord is with us. Nothing bad will happen to us."


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Because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble, and the temple mountain will become a worship site covered with trees.


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In the last days the mountain of the Lord's house will be established as the highest of the mountains and raised above the hills. People will stream to it.


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Then many nations will come and say, "Let's go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them." The teachings will go out from Zion. The word of the Lord will go out from Jerusalem.


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Then he will judge disputes between many people and settle arguments between many nations far and wide. They will hammer their swords into plowblades and their spears into pruning shears. Nations will never fight against each other, and they will never train for war again.


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They will sit under their grapevines and their fig trees, and no one will make them afraid. The Lord of Armies has spoken.


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All the nations live by the names of their gods, but we will live by the name of the Lord our God forever.


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"When that day comes," declares the Lord, "I will gather those who are lame. I will bring together those who are scattered and those whom I have injured.


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I will change those who are lame into a faithful people. I will change those who are forced away into a strong nation." The Lord will rule them on Mount Zion now and forever.


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You, Jerusalem, watchtower of the flock, stronghold of the people of Zion, your former government will come back to you. The kingdom will return to the people of Jerusalem.


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Now why are you crying so loudly? Don't you have a king? Has your counselor died? Pain grips you like a woman in labor.


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Daughter of Zion, writhe in pain and groan like a woman in labor. Now you will leave the city, live in the open fields, and go to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There the Lord will reclaim you from your enemies.


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They don't know the thoughts of the Lord or understand his plan. He will bring them together like cut grain on the threshing floor.


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Get up and thresh, people of Zion. I will make your horns as hard as iron and your hoofs as hard as bronze. You will smash many nations into small pieces. You will claim their loot for the Lord, their wealth for the Lord of the whole earth.


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Now, gather your troops, you city of troops. We are under attack. Enemies will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek with a stick.


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You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are too small to be included among Judah's cities. Yet, from you Israel's future ruler will come for me. His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago.


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That is why the Lord will abandon Israel until the time a mother has a child. Then the rest of the Lord's people will return to the people of Israel.


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The child will become the shepherd of his flock. {He will lead them} with the strength of the Lord, with the majestic name of the Lord his God. They will live in safety because his greatness will reach the ends of the earth.


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This man will be their peace. When the Assyrians invade our land and trample our palaces, we will attack them with seven shepherds and eight leaders.


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They will rule Assyria with their swords and the country of Nimrod with drawn swords. They will rescue us from the Assyrians when they come into our land and walk within our territory.


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Then the few people left from Jacob will be among many people like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass. They do not put their hope in humans or wait for mortals.


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The few people left from Jacob will be among the nations, among many people. They will be like a lion among animals in the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep. When a lion hunts, it tramples {its victims} and tears {them} to pieces, and there is no one to rescue them.


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I will destroy your idols and your sacred monuments. You will no longer worship what your hands have made.


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Now listen to what the Lord is saying, "Stand up! Plead your case in front of the mountains, and let the hills listen to your request.


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Listen to the Lord's lawsuit, you mountains. Listen, you strong foundations of the earth. The Lord has filed a lawsuit against his people. He is arguing his case against Israel.


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My people, remember what King Balak of Moab planned {to do to you} and how Balaam, son of Beor, responded to him. Remember {your journey} from Shittim to Gilgal so that you may know the victories of the Lord."


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What should I bring when I come into the Lord's presence, when I bow in front of the God of heaven? Should I bring him year-old calves as burnt offerings?


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Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with endless streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child because of my rebellious acts? Should I give him my young child for my sin?


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You mortals, the Lord has told you what is good. This is what the Lord requires from you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your God.


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The voice of the Lord calls out to the city. (The fear of your name is wisdom.) "Listen, you tribe assembled in the city.


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I have cursed all the wicked people who use their money for evil and use inaccurate weights and measures.


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The rich people in the city are violent. Those who live in the city speak lies, and their tongues speak deceitfully.


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You will eat, but you won't be full. So you will always be hungry. You will put things away, but you won't save them. Anything you save I will destroy.


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You will plant, but you won't harvest. You will crush olives, but you won't rub the oil on your skin. You will make new wine, but you won't drink it.


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You have kept Omri's laws and all the practices of the descendants of Ahab, and you have followed their advice. That is why I will ruin you. Your people will be ridiculed. You will bear the disgrace of my people."


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Poor me! I am like those gathering summer fruit, like those picking grapes. But there aren't any grapes to eat or any ripened figs that I crave.


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Faithful people are gone from the earth, and no one is decent. All people lie in ambush to commit murder. They trap each other with nets.


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Their hands are skilled in doing evil. Officials ask for gifts. Judges accept bribes. Powerful people dictate what they want. So they scheme together.


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The best of them is like a briar. The most decent person is sharper than thornbushes. The day you thought you would be punished has come. Now is the time you will be confused.


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Don't trust your neighbors. Don't have confidence in {your} friends. Keep your mouth shut even when a woman is lying in your arms.


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A son treats his father with contempt. A daughter rebels against her mother. A daughter-in-law rebels against her mother-in-law. People's enemies are the members of their own families.


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Don't laugh at me, my enemies. Although I've fallen, I will get up. Although I sit in the dark, the Lord is my light.


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I have sinned against the Lord. So I will endure his fury until he takes up my cause and wins my case. He will bring me into the light, and I will see his victory.


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Then my enemies will see this, and they will be covered with shame, because they asked me, "Where is the Lord your God?" Now I look at them. They are trampled like mud in the streets.


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When that day comes, your people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.


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The earth will become a wasteland for those who live on it because of what the people living there have done.


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With your shepherd's staff, take care of your people, the sheep that belong to you. They live alone in the woods, in fertile pastures. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead like before.


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Nations will see this and be ashamed in spite of all their strength. They will put their hands over their mouths. Their ears will become deaf.


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They will lick dust like snakes, like animals that crawl on the ground. They will come out of their hiding places trembling. They will turn away from your presence in fear, O Lord our God. They will be afraid of you.


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Who is a God like you? You forgive sin and overlook the rebellion of your faithful people. You will not be angry forever, because you would rather show mercy.


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You will again have compassion on us. You will overcome our wrongdoing. You will throw all our sins into the deep sea.


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You will be faithful to Jacob. You will have mercy on Abraham as you swore by an oath to our ancestors long ago.


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This is a revelation from the Lord about Nineveh. This book contains the vision of Nahum from Elkosh.


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God does not tolerate rivals. The Lord takes revenge. The Lord takes revenge and is full of anger. The Lord takes revenge against his enemies and holds a grudge against his foes.


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The Lord is patient and has great strength. The Lord will never let the guilty go unpunished. Raging winds and storms mark his path, and clouds are the dust from his feet.


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He yells at the sea and makes it dry. He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither. The flowers of Lebanon wither.


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The mountains quake because of him. The hills melt. The earth draws back in his presence. The world and all who live in it draw back as well.


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Who can stand in the presence of his rage? Who can oppose his burning anger? He pours out his rage like fire and smashes the rocky cliffs.


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What do you think about the Lord? He is the one who will bring Nineveh to an end. This trouble will never happen again.


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{The people of Nineveh will be} like tangled thorns and like people drunk on their own drink. They will be completely burned up like very dry straw.


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This is what the Lord says: Though the people of Nineveh are physically fit and many in number, they will be cut down and die. Though I have humbled you, Judah, I will not humble you again.


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The Lord has given this command about you, Nineveh: You will no longer have descendants to carry on your name. I will remove the wooden and metal idols from the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave because you are worthless.


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There on the mountains are the feet of a messenger who announces the good news: "All is well!" Celebrate your festivals, Judah! Keep your vows! This wickedness will never pass your way again. It will be completely removed.


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The one who will scatter you is coming to attack you. Guard your fortress! Keep a lookout on the road! Prepare for battle! Be very courageous!


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The Lord will restore Jacob's glory like Israel's glory, although enemies have looted it and have destroyed its vines.


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The shields of his warriors are painted red. His soldiers have red uniforms. The metal on his chariots flashes fiery red, so do the spears when they are waved on the day he prepares for battle.


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Chariots are racing madly through the streets, rushing this way and that in the city squares. They look like torches, like lightning, as they dart about.


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He remembers his best fighting men. They stumble over themselves as they march. They hurry to Nineveh's wall. The shield has been set up for the battering ram.


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The Lord has determined: "It will be stripped. It will be carried away. Its young women will be mourning like doves as they beat their breasts."


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Nineveh was like a pool of water from its first day on. But now its people are fleeing. "Stop! Stop!" But no one turns around.


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Steal the silver! Steal the gold! There is no end to what is stored here— everything a person could ever want.


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Nineveh is destroyed, deserted, demolished. Hearts are melting. Knees are knocking. Every stomach becomes upset. Every face turns pale.


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Where is the lions' den, that feeding place for young lions? Where are the lion, the lioness, and the lion cub who moved about with no one to terrify them?


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The lion tore its prey to pieces to feed its cubs. It strangled {the prey} for its mates. It used to fill its caves with torn carcasses and its dens with torn flesh.


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"I am against you, Nineveh," declares the Lord of Armies. "I will send your chariots up in smoke, and a sword will kill your young lions. I will remove your prey from the earth, and no one will ever hear the voice of your messengers again."


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How horrible it will be for that city of bloody violence! It is completely full of lies and stolen goods—never without victims.


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Horses charge! Swords flash! Spears glitter! Many are killed! Dead bodies pile up! There is no end to the corpses! People trip over corpses


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because of Nineveh's constant prostitution, this very charming mistress of evil magic. She used to sell nations her prostitution and people her evil magic."


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"I am against you, Nineveh," declares the Lord of Armies. "I will lift up your dress over your face. I will show nations your naked body and kingdoms your disgrace.


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Everyone who sees you will run from you, saying, 'Nineveh has been violently destroyed! Who will feel sorry for her?' Where can I find anyone to comfort you?"


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Are you better than No-amon, which sits by the streams of the Nile with water surrounding her? The sea was {her} defense. The water was her wall.


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Even she went into captivity and was exiled. Even her little children were smashed to death at every street corner. Soldiers tossed dice for her important men, and all her best men were bound in chains.


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Even you, Nineveh, will stagger like a drunk. You will disappear. Even you will look for a fortress {to escape} from the enemy.


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All your defenses will be like fig trees with the earliest figs. When shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.


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Look at your soldiers; they're women! The gates of your country are wide open to your enemies. Fire has destroyed the bars of your gates.


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Store water for the siege! Strengthen your defenses! Step into the claypits and trample the clay! Grab the brick mold!


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Fire will consume you there. A sword will cut you down. It will consume you like locusts. Multiply like locusts! Multiply like hungry locusts!


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You have produced more businessmen than there are stars in the sky. {They are} like locusts that attack and then fly away.


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Your officers are like locusts, and your scribes are like swarms of locusts that settle on the fences when it is cold. The sun rises, and they scatter in every direction. No one knows where they've gone.


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Your shepherds, king of Assyria, have fallen into a deep sleep. Your best fighting men are at rest. Your people are scattered on the mountains, and there is no one to gather them.


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There is no relief for your collapse. Your wound is fatal. All who hear the news about you will clap their hands. Who hasn't suffered from your endless evil?


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How long, O Lord, am I to cry for help, but you will not listen? I cry out to you, "There's violence!" yet you will not come to the rescue.


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Why do you make me see wrongdoing? And why do you watch wickedness? Destruction and violence are in front of me. Quarrels and disputes arise.


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That is why your teaching is numbed, and justice is never carried out. Wicked people surround righteous people so that when justice is carried out, it's perverted.


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Look among the nations and watch. Be amazed and astonished. I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if it were reported to you.


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I am going to send the Babylonians, that fierce and reckless nation. They will march throughout the earth to take possession of lands that don't belong to them.


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Their horses will be faster than leopards and quicker than wolves in the evening. Their riders will gallop along proudly. Their riders will come from far away. They will fly like an eagle that swoops down for its prey.


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They will all come for violence. Every face will be directed forward. They will gather prisoners like sand.


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They will make fun of kings and treat rulers as a joke. They will laugh at every fortified city and build a dirt ramp to capture it.


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They will move quickly and pass through like the wind. So they will be guilty, because their own strength is their god.


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Didn't you exist before time began, O Lord, my God, my Holy One? We will not die! O Lord, you have appointed the Babylonians to bring judgment. O Rock, you have destined them to correct us.


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Your eyes are too pure to look at evil. You can't watch wickedness. Why do you keep watching treacherous people? Why are you silent when wicked people swallow those who are more righteous than they are?


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The Babylonians pull them all up with fishhooks, drag them away in nets, and gather them in dragnets. So they rejoice and are happy.


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That is why they sacrifice to their nets and burn incense to their dragnets. They are rich and well fed because of them.


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I will stand at my guard post. I will station myself on the wall. I will watch to see what he will say to me and what answer I will get to my complaint.


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Then the Lord answered me, "Write the vision. Make it clear on tablets so that anyone can read it quickly.


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The vision will still happen at the appointed time. It hurries toward its goal. It won't be a lie. If it's delayed, wait for it. It will certainly happen. It won't be late.


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"Look at the proud person. He is not right in himself. But the righteous person will live because of his faithfulness.


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Also because wine is treacherous he is arrogant and never rests. He has a large appetite like the grave. He is like death—never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself. He collects all the people to himself.


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Won't all of them ridicule him, directing clever sayings and riddles at him, like: "'How horrible it will be for the one who makes himself rich with what is not his own and makes himself wealthy on loans. How long will this go on?'


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Won't your creditors suddenly rise up and those who are going to shake you wake up? Then you will become their prize.


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You have looted many nations. All the rest of the people will loot you because of the slaughter and violence done to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.


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"'How horrible it will be for the one who uses violence to get things for his own household in order to set his nest up high and save himself from disaster.'


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You have planned disgrace for your household by cutting off many people and forfeiting your own life.


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Isn't it from the Lord of Armies that people grow tired only to feed the flames and nations exhaust themselves for nothing?


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"'How horrible it will be for the one who makes his neighbor drink from the bowl of God's rage, making him drunk in order to stare at his nakedness.'


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You are filled with disgrace rather than glory. Drink! Yes you! And expose yourself as godless. The cup in the Lord's right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.


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The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction done to the animals will terrify you because of the slaughter and violence done to lands, cities, and all their inhabitants.


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"What benefit is there in a carved idol when its maker has carved it? What benefit is there in a molded statue, a teacher of lies, when its maker has molded it? The one who formed it trusts himself to make worthless idols that cannot speak.


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'How horrible it will be for the one who says to a piece of wood, "Wake up!" and to a stone that cannot talk, "Get up!" ' Can that thing teach {anyone}? Just look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there's absolutely no life in it."


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Lord, I have heard the report about you. Lord, I fear your work. In the course of the years, renew it. In the course of the years, reveal it. In all this chaos, remember to be merciful.


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God comes from Teman. The Holy One comes from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covers the heavens. His praise fills the earth.


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His brightness is like the sunlight. Rays of light {stream} from his hand. That is where his power is hidden.


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He stands and shakes the earth. He casts a glance and startles the nations. The oldest mountains break apart. The ancient hills sink. The ancient paths belong to him.


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The Lord is not angry with the rivers, is he? If you are angry with the rivers, if you are furious with the sea, {why} do you ride your horses, your chariots of salvation?


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You get your bow ready for action, for the arrows {you} promised. Selah You split the land with rivers.


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The mountains look at you. They writhe in pain. Floodwaters pass by. The deep ocean roars. Its waves rise up high.


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The sun and the moon stand still. They scatter at the light of your arrows, at the bright lightning of your spear.


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You go out to save your people, to save your anointed. You crush the leader of the wicked household, stripping him bare from head to toe. Selah


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You pierce the leader of his gang with his own arrows. His soldiers come like a violent storm to scatter me. They are arrogant like those who secretly eat up the poor.


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I have heard, so there's trembling within me. At the report my lips quivered. A rotten feeling has entered me. I tremble where I stand. I wait for the day of trouble to come to the people who will attack us.


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Even if the fig tree does not bloom and the vines have no grapes, even if the olive tree fails to produce and the fields yield no food, even if the sheep pen is empty and the stalls have no cattle—


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The Lord Almighty is my strength. He makes my feet like those of a deer. He makes me walk on the mountains. For the choir director; on stringed instruments.


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This is the word that the Lord spoke to Zephaniah, who was the son of Cushi, the grandson of Gedaliah, and the great-grandson of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. The Lord spoke his word in the days of Judah's King Josiah, son of Amon.


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"I will put an end to humans and animals. I will put an end to the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and the sins that make people fall, together with the sinners. I will remove all people from the face of the earth," declares the Lord.


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"I will use my power against Judah and against those who live in Jerusalem. I will remove the faithful few of Baal from this place and the names of the pagan priests along with my priests.


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I will remove those who worship all the stars in the sky on their rooftops and those who worship by swearing loyalty to the Lord while also swearing loyalty to the god Milcom.


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I will remove those who have turned away from following the Lord and those who no longer seek the Lord or ask him for help."


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Be silent in the presence of the Almighty Lord, because the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice. He has invited his special guests.


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"On the day of the Lord's sacrifice I will punish the officials, the king's sons, and all who dress in foreign clothing.


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On that day I will punish all who jump over the doorway and all who fill their master's house with violence and deception.


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On that day a loud cry will come from Fish Gate, a howling from the Second Part of the city, and a loud crashing sound from the hills," declares the Lord.


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"Howl, inhabitants of the Mortar, because all the merchants will be destroyed and all who handle money will be killed.


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"At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are satisfied with their hardened lifestyle, who think that the Lord won't do anything—good or bad.


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Their wealth will be looted. Their homes will be demolished. They will build houses, but they won't live in them. They will plant vineyards, but they won't drink their wine."


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The frightening day of the Lord is near. It is near and coming very quickly. Listen! Warriors will cry out bitterly on the day of the Lord.


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That day will be a day of overflowing fury, a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and overcast skies,


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a day of rams' horns and battle cries against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers.


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"I will bring such distress on humans that they will walk like they are blind, because they have sinned against the Lord." Their blood will be poured out like dust and their intestines like manure.


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Their silver and their gold will not be able to rescue them on the day of the Lord's overflowing fury. The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery anger, because he will put an end, a frightening end, to those who live on earth.


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before the decree is carried out {and} the day passes like windblown husks, before the Lord's burning anger comes to you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes to you.


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Search for the Lord, all you humble people in the land who carry out his justice. Search for what is right. Search for humility. Maybe you will find shelter on the day of the Lord's anger.


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Gaza will be deserted, and Ashkelon will be destroyed. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be torn out by the roots.


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How horrible it will be for those who live on the seacoast, for the nation from Crete. The word of the Lord is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines: "I will destroy you so that no one will be living there."


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The coast will belong to the faithful few from the nation of Judah. There they will graze their sheep. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The Lord their God will take care of them and will restore their fortunes.


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"I have heard the insults from Moab and the mockery from Ammon. They insulted my people and bragged about their territory.


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Therefore, I solemnly swear, as I live," declares the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, "Moab will become like Sodom, and Ammon will become like Gomorrah: a place of weeds, salt pits, and ruins forever. The faithful few of my people will loot them, and those who are left in my nation will take possession of them."


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This is what they will get for their sinful pride, because they insulted the people who belong to the Lord of Armies and made themselves greater than them.


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The Lord will terrify them, because he will make all the gods of the earth waste away. So every person from every coast and nation will bow to him.


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The Lord will use his power against the north and destroy Assyria. He will turn Nineveh into a deserted ruin, a dried up wasteland like the desert.


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Flocks will lie down in it along with animals of every kind. Even pelicans and herons will nest on top of its columns. Listen! A bird will sing in a window. The doorway will be in ruins, because the Lord will expose the cedar beams.


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Is this the arrogant city? Is this the city that used to live securely, the city that used to think to itself, "I'm the only one, and no one else exists but me"? What a wasteland it is now, a resting place for wild animals! All who pass by it will hiss and make an obscene gesture.


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It obeys no one. It does not accept correction. It does not trust the Lord. It does not draw close to its God.


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Its officials are {like} roaring lions. Its judges are {like} wolves in the evening. They leave nothing to gnaw on for the morning.


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Its prophets are reckless and unfaithful. Its priests contaminate what is holy. They violate the teachings.


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The righteous Lord is in that city. He does no wrong. He brings his judgment to light every morning. He does not fail. But those who are perverted are shameless.


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"I will cut off the nations. Their towers will be destroyed. I will demolish their streets. No one will walk through them. Their cities will be completely destroyed. Not a single person will be left. No one will be living there.


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I said {to my people}, 'You will fear me. You will accept correction!' Then their homeland would not be wiped out even though I have punished them. Still, they continued to be corrupt in everything they did."


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The Lord declares, "Just wait! One day I will stand up as a witness. I have decided to gather nations, to bring kingdoms together, and to pour my rage, my burning anger, on them. The whole land will be consumed by my fiery fury.


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On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your rebellious acts against me. Then I will remove your arrogance and never again will you act proud on my holy mountain.


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So with you I will leave a faithful few, a humble and poor people. They will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.


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The faithful few in Israel will not do wrong, tell lies, or use their tongues to deceive others. They will graze their sheep and lie down, and there will be no one to terrify them."


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Sing happily, people of Zion! Shout loudly, Israel! Celebrate and rejoice with all your heart, people of Jerusalem.


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The Lord has reversed the judgments against you. He has forced out your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is with you. You will never fear disaster again.


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The Lord your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.


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"I will gather those among you who are troubled because of the festivals. They bear a burden of disgrace.


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At that time I will deal with all who have overpowered you. I will rescue those who are lame. I will gather those who have been scattered. I will make them praised and famous in all the world, though they had been ashamed.


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At that time I will bring you {home}. Yes, at that time I will gather you together. I will make you famous and praised among all the people of the earth when I restore your fortunes right before your eyes," says the Lord.


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On the first day of the sixth month in Darius' second year as king, the Lord spoke his word through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah) and to the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak). He said,


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"This is what the Lord of Armies says: These people say it's not the right time to rebuild the house of the Lord."


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You planted a lot, but you harvested little. You eat, but you're never full. You drink, but you're still thirsty. You wear clothing, but you never have enough to keep you warm. You spend money as fast as you earn it.


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"Go to the mountains, get lumber, and build the house. I will be pleased with it, and I will be honored," declares the Lord.


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"You expected a lot, but you received a little. When you bring something home, I blow it away. Why?" declares the Lord of Armies. "It's because my house lies in ruins while each of you is busy working on your own house.


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I called for a drought on the land, the hills, and on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and whatever the ground produces, on humans and animals, and on all your hard work."


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Then Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel), the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon obeyed the Lord their God. They also obeyed the words of the prophet Haggai because the Lord their God had sent him and because the people feared the Lord.


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Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord who had received the Lord's message, said to the people, "I am with you, declares the Lord."


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The Lord inspired them {to rebuild his house}. So Zerubbabel (who was the son of Shealtiel and was governor of Judah), the chief priest Joshua (who was the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon began working on the house of the Lord of Armies, their God.


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On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord spoke his word through the prophet Haggai. He said,


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"Now, speak to Zerubbabel (who is the son of Shealtiel and is governor of Judah), the chief priest Joshua (who is the son of Jehozadak), and the faithful few who returned from Babylon.


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Ask them, 'Is there anyone among the faithful few who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Doesn't it seem like nothing to you?'


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"But now, Zerubbabel, be strong," declares the Lord. "Chief Priest Joshua (son of Jehozadak), be strong. Everyone in the land, be strong," declares the Lord. "Work, because I am with you," declares the Lord of Armies.


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"This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains with you. Don't be afraid.


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"This is what the Lord of Armies says: Once again, in a little while, I am going to shake the sky and the earth, the sea and the dry land.


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I will shake all the nations, and the one whom all the nations desire will come. Then I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Armies.


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This new house will be more glorious than the former, declares the Lord of Armies. And in this place I will give {them} peace, declares the Lord of Armies."


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On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month in Darius' second year as king, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Haggai. He said,


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Suppose a person carries meat set aside for a holy purpose and he folds it up in his clothes. If his clothes touch bread, boiled food, wine, oil, or any kind of food, does that make the food holy?" The priests answered, "No."


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Haggai asked, "Suppose a person becomes unclean by touching a corpse. If he touches any of these things, does that make them unclean?" The priests answered, "That makes them unclean."


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Then Haggai answered, "In the same way, I have decided that these people are unclean, and so is this nation, declares the Lord. So is everything they do. Whatever offering they bring is unclean.


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"And from now on, carefully consider this. Consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the temple of the Lord.


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When anyone came to a pile of grain {to get} 20 measures, there would be only 10. And when anyone came to a wine vat to draw out 50 measures, there would be only 20 in it.


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I infested all your work with blight and mildew and struck it with hail. But you didn't come back to me, declares the Lord.


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Carefully consider from now on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. Carefully consider:


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Is there any seed left in the barn? The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still haven't produced. But from now on I will bless you."


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I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of nations. I will overthrow chariots and their riders, and the horses will fall along with their riders. They will kill one another with swords.


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On that day, declares the Lord of Armies, I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel (son of Shealtiel), declares the Lord. I will make you like a signet ring, because I have chosen you, declares the Lord of Armies.' "


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In the eighth month of Darius' second year as king, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo. He said,


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Tell the people, 'This is what the Lord of Armies says: Return to me, declares the Lord of Armies, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Armies.'


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Don't be like your ancestors, who heard the earlier prophets preach to them, 'This is what the Lord of Armies says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.' But they didn't listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.


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Didn't my warnings and my laws, which I've commanded my servants the prophets {to preach}, finally catch up with your ancestors? Then your ancestors turned away from their sins and said, 'The Lord of Armies has done to us what he had planned to do. He has dealt with us as our ways and deeds deserve.' "


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On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) in Darius' second year as king, the Lord spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo.


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During that night I saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, chestnut, and white horses.


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"What do these horses mean, sir?" I asked. The angel who was speaking with me answered, "I will show you what they mean."


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The man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They're the horses the Lord has sent to patrol the earth."


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Then they reported to the Messenger of the Lord standing among the myrtle trees, "We have patrolled the earth. The whole world is at rest and in peace."


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Then the Messenger of the Lord said, "Lord of Armies, how much longer until you show compassion to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You've been angry with them for 70 years."


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The angel who was speaking with me said, "Announce: This is what the Lord of Armies says: I'm very jealous about Jerusalem and Zion,


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and I'm very angry with the nations who think they are at ease. I was only a little angry, but they made things worse.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion. My house will be rebuilt in it, declares the Lord of Armies. A measuring line will be used to rebuild Jerusalem.


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"Announce again: This is what the Lord of Armies says: My cities will overflow with prosperity once more. The Lord will again comfort Zion and will again choose Jerusalem."


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So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, "What do these horns mean?" He said to me, "These are the horns {of the nations} that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."


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I asked, "What are they going to do?" He answered, "Those horns scattered Judah so widely that no one could lift up his head. But the craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations. The nations raised their horns to scatter the land of Judah."


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I asked him, "Where are you going?" He answered, "I am going to measure Jerusalem to see how wide and how long it is."


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and said to him, "Run, and say to that young man, 'Jerusalem will be inhabited like an unwalled village because it will have so many people and animals in it.


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"Hurry, hurry! Flee from the land of the north, declares the Lord. I've scattered you to the four winds of heaven.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: Afterwards, the Glory sent me to the nations who looted you. Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.


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I'm going to shake my fist at the nations, and their own slaves will loot them. Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me.


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On that day many nations will join the Lord and become my people. I will live among you. Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me to you.


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"Everyone be silent in the presence of the Lord. He is waking up and setting out from his holy dwelling place."


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Then he showed me Joshua, the chief priest, standing in front of the Messenger of the Lord. Satan the Accuser was standing at Joshua's right side to accuse him.


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The Lord said to Satan, "I, the Lord, silence you, Satan! I, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, silence you! Isn't this man like a burning log snatched from a fire?"


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The Messenger said to those who were standing in front of him, "Remove Joshua's filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken your sin away from you, and I will dress you in fine clothing."


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So I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." They put a clean turban on his head and dressed him while the Messenger of the Lord was standing there.


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"This is what the Lord of Armies says: If you live according to my ways and follow my requirements, you will govern my temple and watch over my courtyards. Then I will give you free access to walk among those standing here.


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"Listen, Chief Priest Joshua and your friends sitting with you. These men are a sign of things to come: I'm going to bring my servant, the Branch.


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"Look at the stone I have set in front of Joshua. That one stone has seven eyes. I am engraving an inscription on it," declares the Lord of Armies. "I will remove this land's sin in a single day.


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On that day," declares the Lord of Armies, "each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree."


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The angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me up as one might wake up someone who is sleeping.


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He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a solid gold lamp stand with a bowl on top and seven lamps on it. There are seven spouts for each lamp that is on top of it.


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Then he replied, "This is the word the Lord spoke to Zerubbabel: You won't {succeed} by might or by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Armies.


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What a high mountain you are! In front of Zerubbabel you will become a plain. He will bring out the topmost stone with shouts of 'Blessings, blessings on it!' "


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"Zerubbabel's hands have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of Armies has sent me to you.


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Who despised the day when little things began to happen? They will be delighted when they see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. (These seven eyes of the Lord roam over all the earth.)"


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I asked the angel, "What do these two olive trees at the right and the left of the lamp stand mean?"


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Again I asked him, "What is the meaning of the two branches from the olive trees next to the two golden pipes that are pouring out gold?"


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The angel asked me, "What do you see?" "I see a flying scroll," I answered. "It's 30 feet long and 15 feet wide."


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Then he said to me, "This is a curse that will go out all over the earth. The one side of the scroll says that every thief will be forced away. The other side of the scroll says that everyone who takes an oath will be forced away.


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I will send out a curse, declares the Lord of Armies, and it will enter the houses of thieves and the houses of those who take oaths in my name. It will stay in their houses and destroy the timber and stone."


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"What is it?" I asked. "A basket is coming," he said. Then he added, "This is what the people's sins look like all over the earth."


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The angel said, "This is wickedness," and he pushed her back into the basket and forced the lead cover down on top of it.


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I looked up and saw two women coming forward with wind in their wings. They had wings like those of a stork. They carried the basket into the sky.


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He answered me, "They are going to build a house for it in Shinar Babylonia. When the house is ready, they will set the basket there on a stand."


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I looked up again and saw four chariots going out from between the two mountains. They were mountains of bronze.


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The angel answered, "They are the four spirits of heaven. They are going out after standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.


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The chariot with the black horses is going toward the north, and the white horses are following them. The spotted ones are going toward the south."


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When these strong horses went out, they were eager to patrol the earth. He said, "Go, patrol the earth!" And they patrolled the earth.


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Then he called out to me, "Look! Those who went to the north have made my Spirit rest in the north."


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"Take an offering from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. This same day go to the house of Josiah, son of Zephaniah.


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Take the silver and gold, make a crown, and put it on the head of Chief Priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak.


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Then say to him, 'This is what the Lord of Armies says: Here is the man whose name is Branch. He will branch out from where he is, and he will rebuild the Lord's temple.


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He will rebuild the Lord's temple and receive royal honor. He will sit and rule from his throne. He will be a priest on his throne. There will be a peaceful understanding between them.


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The crown will be a reminder to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen (son of Zephaniah) in the Lord's temple.


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Those who are far away will come and rebuild the Lord's temple. Then you will know the Lord of Armies has sent me to you. This will happen if you obey the Lord your God completely.' "


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On the fourth day of the ninth month (the month of Chislev) in Darius' fourth year as king, the Lord spoke his word to Zechariah.


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Now, {the people from} Bethel sent Sharezer and Regem Melech with their men to ask the Lord for a blessing.


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They asked the priests from the house of the Lord of Armies as well as the prophets, "Should we mourn and fast in the fifth month as we have done for so many years?"


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"Tell all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these past 70 years, did you really do it for me?


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Aren't these the same words that the Lord announced through the earlier prophets, when Jerusalem and its surrounding cities were inhabited and undisturbed and the Negev and the foothills were still inhabited?' "


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"This is what the Lord of Armies says: Administer real justice, and be compassionate and kind to each other.


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Don't oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And don't even think of doing evil to each other.


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"But people refused to pay attention. They shrugged their shoulders at me and shut their ears so that they couldn't hear.


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They made their hearts as hard as flint so that they couldn't hear the Lord's teachings, the words that the Lord of Armies had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord of Armies became very angry.


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"When I called, they wouldn't listen. So now when they call, I won't listen, says the Lord of Armies.


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I used a windstorm to scatter them among all the nations, nations they hadn't even heard of. They left behind a land so ruined that no one is able to travel through it. They have turned a pleasant land into a wasteland."


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This is what the Lord says: I will return to Zion and live in Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth. The mountain of the Lord of Armies will be called the holy mountain.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem. Each will have a cane in hand because of old age.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: It may seem impossible to the few remaining people in those days, but will it seem impossible to me? declares the Lord of Armies.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: I am going to save my people from the land where the sun rises and from the land where the sun sets.


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I will bring them back, and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, who is faithful and just.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: Be strong so that the temple might be rebuilt, you people who are presently listening to the words from the mouths of the prophets who spoke when the foundation for the house of the Lord of Armies was laid.


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Before that time there was no money to hire any person or animal. No one who traveled was safe from the enemy. I turned every person against his neighbor.


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But now I won't deal with the few remaining people as I did in earlier times, declares the Lord of Armies.


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Seeds will thrive in peacetime. Vines will produce their grapes. The land will yield its crops. The sky will produce its dew. I will give the few remaining people all these things as an inheritance.


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Just as you, people of Judah and people of Israel, have been a curse among the nations, so I will now save you, and you will become a blessing. Don't be afraid. Let your hands work hard.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: When your ancestors made me angry, I made plans to destroy you, declares the Lord of Armies, and I didn't change my plans.


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So now I have again made plans, but this time to do good to Jerusalem and the people of Judah. Don't be afraid.


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You must do these things: Speak the truth to each other. Give correct and fair verdicts for peace in your courts.


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Don't even think of doing evil to each other. Don't enjoy false testimony. I hate all these things, declares the Lord.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: The fast in the fourth month, the fast in the fifth month, the fast in the seventh month, and the fast in the tenth month will become joyful and glad occasions as well as happy festivals for the nation of Judah. So love truth and peace.


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The citizens of one city will come to another city, saying, "Let's make a habit of going to ask the Lord for a blessing and to seek the Lord of Armies. I'm also going."


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Many people and powerful nations will come to seek the Lord of Armies in Jerusalem and to ask the Lord for a blessing.


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This is what the Lord of Armies says: In those days ten people from every language found among the nations will take hold of the clothes of a Jew. They will say, "Let us go with you because we have heard that God is with you."


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This is the divine revelation. The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrach and will rest on Damascus


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and also Hamath, which borders on it, and Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise. (The eyes of humanity and of all the tribes of Israel are on the Lord.)


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The Lord will take away its possessions. He will throw its wealth into the sea and burn the city down.


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Ashkelon will see {this} and be afraid. Gaza will also be in great pain, also Ekron, because its hope will fade. Gaza will lose its king. Ashkelon will no longer be lived in.


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I will remove the blood from their mouths and the disgusting things from between their teeth. Then only a few of them will be left for our God like a tribe in Judah, and Ekron will be like a Jebusite.


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I will camp in front of my house as a guard against those who come and go. No oppressors will pass through them, because I have seen it with my own eyes.


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Rejoice with all your heart, people of Zion! Shout in triumph, people of Jerusalem! Look! Your King is coming to you: He is righteous and victorious. He is humble and rides on a donkey, on a colt, a young pack animal.


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He will make sure there are no chariots in Ephraim or war horses in Jerusalem. There will be no battle bows. He will announce peace to the nations. He will rule from sea to sea and from the {Euphrates} River to the ends of the earth.


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I will set your captives free from the waterless pit because of the blood that sealed my promise to you.


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Return to your fortress, you captives who have hope. Today I tell you that I will return to you double {blessings}.


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I will bend Judah as my bow and draw my bow with Ephraim {as its arrow}. I will stir up your people, Zion, against your people, Greece, and I will use you like a warrior's sword.


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The Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will go out like lightning. The Almighty Lord will blow the ram's horn and will march in the storms from the south.


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The Lord of Armies will defend them. They will destroy and trample the stones used in slings. They will drink and shout as if they were drunk. They will be filled like a sacrificial bowl {used for sprinkling} the corners of the altar.


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On that day the Lord their God will rescue them as the flock of his people. They will certainly sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.


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They will be beautiful and lovely. Young men will prosper on grain, and young women will prosper on new wine.


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Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime. The Lord makes thunderstorms. He gives everyone rain showers for the plants in the field.


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The idols speak lies. The fortunetellers see false visions. They speak about false dreams. They give useless comfort. That is why people wander around like sheep. They are troubled because there is no shepherd.


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"My burning anger is directed against the shepherds. I will punish the male goats. The Lord of Armies takes care of his flock, the people of Judah. He makes them like his splendid war horse."


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From them will come a cornerstone, from them a tent peg, from them a battle bow, from them every leader.


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Together they will be like warriors who trample the enemy in the mud on the streets. They will fight because the Lord is with them. They will put to shame those who ride on horses.


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"I will strengthen the people of Judah. I will rescue Joseph's people. I will bring them back, because I have compassion for them. It will be as though I had never rejected them, because I am the Lord their God, and I will answer them.


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The people of Ephraim will be like mighty warriors. Their hearts will be glad as if they had some wine {to drink}. Their sons will see it and be glad. Their hearts will find joy in the Lord.


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I will signal them with a whistle and gather them because I have reclaimed them. They will be as numerous as they have ever been.


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Although I have scattered them among the nations, they will remember me even in faraway places. They will live with their children and then return.


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I will bring them back from Egypt. I will gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and to Lebanon, and there won't be enough room for them."


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The Lord will pass through a sea of distress, strike the waves in the sea, and dry up all the deep places of the Nile River. The pride of Assyria will be humiliated, and the scepter of Egypt will depart.


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Cry, cypress trees, because the cedars have fallen and the stately trees have been destroyed. Cry, oak trees of Bashan, because your dense forest has fallen down.


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Listen! The shepherds are crying, because their rich pastures are destroyed. Listen! The young lions are roaring, because the lush banks of the Jordan are destroyed.


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Those who buy them will kill them and go unpunished. Those who sell them will say, "Praise the Lord! I've become rich!" Even their own shepherds will have no pity on them.


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The Lord declares, "I will no longer have pity on those who live in the land. I am going to hand the people over to their neighbors and their king, who will crush the land. And I won't rescue any of them from their power."


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So I became the shepherd of the sheep that were to be slaughtered and also of the oppressed sheep. I took two shepherd staffs and named one Favor and the other Unity. And I took care of the sheep.


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I got rid of three shepherds in one month. I became impatient with the sheep, and they also became disgusted with me.


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So I said, "I won't be your shepherd. Let those that are dying die. Let those that are missing stay missing. And let those that are left devour each other."


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Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it in pieces, to break the promise that I had made to all the nations.


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So it was broken on that day, and the oppressed among the sheep who were watching me realized that it was the word of the Lord.


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Then I said to them, "If it's alright with you, pay me my wages. But if it's not, don't." And they paid me my wages—30 pieces of silver.


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The Lord told me, "Give it to the potter." So I took the 30 pieces of silver. Such a magnificent price was set by them! I gave the pieces of silver to the potter at the house of the Lord.


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Then I broke my second staff, called Unity, in pieces, to break off the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.


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I'm about to place a shepherd in the land. He will not take care of those that are dying. He will not search for the young. He will not heal those that have broken their legs or support those that can still stand. But he will eat the meat of the fat animals and tear off their hoofs.


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"How horrible it will be for the foolish shepherd who abandoned the sheep. A sword will strike his arm and his right eye. His arm will be completely withered. His right eye will be completely blind."


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This is the prophetic revelation, the word of the Lord about Israel. The Lord—who spread out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit in a person—says,


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"I'm going to make Jerusalem like a cup {of wine} that makes all the surrounding people stagger. They will attack Judah along with Jerusalem.


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On that day I will make Jerusalem a stone too heavy for all the nations to lift. All who try to lift it will be severely injured. All the nations in the world will gather {to fight} against Jerusalem."


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The Lord declares, "On that day I will strike every horse with panic and every rider with madness. I will watch over the people of Judah, but I will strike all the horses of the nations blind.


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Then the leaders of Judah will think to themselves, 'The people who live in Jerusalem are strong because of the Lord of Armies, their God.'


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"On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a fire on a pile of wood and like a burning torch among freshly cut straw. They will burn up all the surrounding nations to the right and to the left. But the people of Jerusalem will remain safe in Jerusalem.


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"The Lord will save Judah's tents first so that the honor of David's family and the honor of those who live in Jerusalem will not be greater than the honor of Judah.


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On that day the Lord will defend those who live in Jerusalem so that even those who stumble will be like David, and David's family will be like God, like the Messenger of the Lord ahead of them.


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"I will pour out the Spirit of blessing and mercy on David's family and on those who live in Jerusalem. They will look at me, whom they have stabbed. Then they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they will cry bitterly for him as one cries for a firstborn son.


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On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as intense as the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.


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The land will mourn, each family by itself: the family of David by itself, and the wives by themselves; the family of Nathan by itself, and the wives by themselves;


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the family of Levi by itself, and the wives by themselves; the family of Shimei by itself, and the wives by themselves.


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{The Lord declares,} "On that day a fountain will be opened for David's family and for those who live in Jerusalem to wash away {their} sin and stain.


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"On that day," declares the Lord of Armies, "I will wipe away the names of the idols from the land. They will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the {false} prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.


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"If a man still prophesies, his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will say, 'You don't deserve to live because you speak lies in the name of the Lord.' Then his father and his mother, who gave birth to him, will stab him when he prophesies.


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"On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He won't deceive people by dressing {like a prophet} in a coat made of hair.


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"When someone asks him, 'What are these scars on your chest?' he will answer, 'I was hurt at my friend's house.'


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"Arise, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my friend," declares the Lord of Armies. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. Then I will turn my hand against the little ones."


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The Lord declares, "Throughout the land two-thirds will be cut off and die. Yet, one-third will be left in it.


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I will bring this third {of the people} through the fire. I will refine them as silver is refined. I will test them as gold is tested. They will call on me, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people.' They will reply, 'The Lord is our God.' "


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I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem for battle. The city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half of the people in the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people won't be taken from the city.


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On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, just east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives will be split in two, forming a very large valley from east to west. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and the other half will move toward the south.


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Then you will flee to the valley of my mountains, because this valley between the mountains will go as far as Azel. You will flee as you did from the earthquake at the time of King Uzziah of Judah. The Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones will be with him.


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There will be one day—a day known to the Lord—with no difference between day and night. It will be light even in the evening.


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On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it to the Dead Sea and the other half to the Mediterranean Sea. It will continue in summer and in winter.


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The Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be the only Lord and his name the only name.


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The whole earth will become like the plains from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site, from Benjamin Gate to the place of First Gate, Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses.


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People will live there, and it will never be threatened with destruction. Jerusalem will live securely.


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This will be the plague the Lord will use to strike all the people from the nations that have gone to war against Jerusalem. Their flesh will rot while they are standing on their feet. Their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.


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On that day a large-scale panic from the Lord will spread among them. One person will grab the hand of another, and one will attack the other.


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Judah will also fight in Jerusalem. The wealth of all the surrounding nations will be collected, a very large amount of gold, silver, and clothes.


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A similar plague will also affect horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all other animals in those camps.


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Everyone who is left from all the nations that attacked Jerusalem will come every year to worship the king, the Lord of Armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Booths.


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If any of the families on the earth won't go to Jerusalem to worship the king, the Lord of Armies, then rain won't fall on them.


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If the people of Egypt won't go or enter Jerusalem, then {rain won't fall} on them. The plague the Lord uses to strike the nations will affect those who won't come to celebrate the Festival of Booths.


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This will be {the punishment} for Egypt's sin and for the sin of all the nations that won't go to celebrate the Festival of Booths.


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On that day "Holy to the Lord" will be written on the bells of the horses. And the cooking pots in the house of the Lord will be like the bowls in front of the altar.


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Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the Lord of Armies. All who come to sacrifice will take some of them and cook in them. On that day there will no longer be any Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Armies.


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"I loved you," says the Lord. "But you ask, 'How did you love us?' "Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the Lord. "I loved Jacob,


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but Esau I hated. I turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the jackals in the desert.


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"The descendants of Esau may say, 'We have been beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins.' "Yet, this is what the Lord of Armies says: They may rebuild, but I will tear it down. They will be called 'the Wicked Land' and 'the people with whom the Lord is always angry.'


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You will see these things with your own eyes and say, 'Even outside the borders of Israel the Lord is great.'


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"This is what the Lord of Armies says: A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master. So if I am a father, where is my honor? If I am a master, where is my respect? You priests despise my name. "But you ask, 'How have we despised your name?'


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"You offer contaminated food on my altar. "But you ask, 'Then how have we contaminated you?' "When you say that the Lord's table may be despised.


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When you bring a blind animal to sacrifice, isn't that wrong? When you bring a lame or a sick animal, isn't that wrong? Try offering it to your governor. Would he accept it from you? Would he welcome you?" asks the Lord of Armies.


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"Now try asking God to be kind to you. This is what you are doing! Will he welcome you?" asks the Lord of Armies.


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"I wish one of you would shut the doors {to my house} so that you could not light fires on my altar for no reason. I'm not pleased with you," says the Lord of Armies, "and I won't accept your offerings.


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"From the nations where the sun rises to the nations where the sun sets, my name will be great. Incense and pure offerings will be offered everywhere in my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the Lord of Armies.


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"But you dishonor it when you say that the Lord's table may be contaminated and that its food may be despised.


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"You say, 'Oh what a nuisance it is,' and you sniff at it in disgust," says the Lord of Armies. "You bring stolen, lame, and sick animals. When you bring such offerings, should I accept them from you?" asks the Lord.


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"Cheaters are under a curse. They have male animals in their flocks that they vow to give {as a sacrifice}. But they sacrifice second-rate ones to the Lord instead. I am a great king," says the Lord of Armies. "Among the nations my name is respected.


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If you won't listen and if you won't consider giving honor to my name," says the Lord of Armies, "then I'll send a curse on you, and I'll curse the blessings you give. Yes, I've already cursed them because you don't carefully consider this.


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"I'm going to punish your descendants. I'm going to spread excrement on your faces, the excrement from your festival sacrifices. You will be discarded with it.


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Then you will know that I sent you this warning so that my promise to Levi will continue," says the Lord of Armies.


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"I promised Levi life and peace. I gave them to him so that he would respect me. He respected me and stood in awe of my name.


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The teaching that came from his mouth was true. Nothing unjust was found on his lips. He lived with me in peace and honesty and turned many people away from sin.


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"A priest's lips should preserve knowledge. Then, because he is the messenger for the Lord of Armies, people will seek instruction from his mouth.


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"But you have turned from the {correct} path and caused many to stumble over my teachings. You have corrupted the promise made to Levi," says the Lord of Armies.


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"So I have made you disgusting, and I have humiliated you in front of all the people, because you have not followed my ways. You have been unfair when {applying} my teachings."


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Don't all of us have the same father? Hasn't the same God created us? Why are we unfaithful to each other? And why do we dishonor the promise given to our ancestors?


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Judah has been unfaithful! A disgusting thing has been done in Israel and Jerusalem. Judah has dishonored the holy place that the Lord loves and has married a woman who worships a foreign god.


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May the Lord exclude anyone who does this, whoever he may be. May he exclude them from Jacob's tents and from bringing offerings to the Lord of Armies.


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Here is another thing you do: You cover the Lord's altar with tears. You moan and groan because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them from you.


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But you ask, "Why {aren't our offerings accepted}?" It is because the Lord is a witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been unfaithful. Yet, she is your companion, the wife of your marriage vows.


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Didn't {God} make you one? Your flesh and spirit belong to him. And what does the same {God} look for but godly descendants? So be careful not to be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.


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"I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel. "I hate the person who covers himself with violence," says the Lord of Armies. "Be careful not to be unfaithful."


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You have tried the patience of the Lord with your words. But you ask, "How have we tried his patience?" When you say, "Everyone who does evil is considered good by the Lord. He is pleased with them," or "Where is the God of justice?"


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"I'm going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way ahead of me. Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the promise will come. He is the one you want," says the Lord of Armies.


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But who will be able to endure the day he comes? Who will be able to survive on the day he appears? He is like a purifying fire and like a cleansing soap.


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He will act like a refiner and a purifier of silver. He will purify Levi's sons and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will bring acceptable offerings to the Lord.


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The offerings from Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the past, as in years long ago.


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"I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me," says the Lord of Armies.


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Since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my laws and have not followed them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord of Armies. "But you ask, 'How can we return?'


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"Can a person cheat God? Yet, you are cheating me! "But you ask, 'How are we cheating you?' "When {you don't bring} a tenth of your income and other contributions.


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"Bring one-tenth of your income into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way," says the Lord of Armies. "See if I won't open the windows of heaven for you and flood you with blessings.


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Then, for your sake, I will stop insects from eating {your crops}. They will not destroy the produce of your land. The vines in your fields will not lose their unripened grapes," says the Lord of Armies.


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"You have said, 'It's pointless to serve God. What do we gain if we meet his standards or if we walk around feeling sorry for what we've done?


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So now we call arrogant people blessed. Not only are evildoers encouraged, they even test God and get away with it.' "


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Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord paid attention and listened. A book was written in his presence to be a reminder to those who feared the Lord and respected his name.


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"They will be mine," says the Lord of Armies. "On that day I will make them my special possession. I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.


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Then you will again see the difference between righteous people and wicked people, between the one who serves God and the one who doesn't serve him.


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"Certainly the day is coming! It will burn like a furnace. All arrogant people and all evildoers will be {like} straw. The day that is coming will burn them up completely," says the Lord of Armies. "It won't leave a single root or branch.


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"The Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings for you people who fear my name. You will go out and leap like calves let out of a stall.


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You will trample on wicked people, because on the day I act they will be ashes under the soles of your feet," says the Lord of Armies.


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"Remember the teachings of my servant Moses, the rules and regulations that I gave to him at Horeb for all Israel.


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He will change parents' attitudes toward their children and children's attitudes toward their parents. If not, I will come and reclaim my land by destroying you."


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Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.


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Judah and Tamar were the father and mother of Perez and Zerah. Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,


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Salmon and Rahab were the father and mother of Boaz. Boaz and Ruth were the father and mother of Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse,


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Jesse the father of King David. David and Uriah's wife {Bathsheba} were the father and mother of Solomon.


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Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers. They lived at the time when the people were exiled to Babylon.


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After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel,


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Jacob was the father of Joseph, who was the husband of Mary. Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is called Christ.


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So there were 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 generations from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations from the exile until the Messiah.


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The birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. His mother Mary had been promised to Joseph in marriage. But before they were married, Mary realized that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.


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Her husband Joseph was an honorable man and did not want to disgrace her publicly. So he decided to break the marriage agreement with her secretly.


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Joseph had this in mind when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said to him, "Joseph, descendant of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She is pregnant by the Holy Spirit.


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She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus He Saves, because he will save his people from their sins."


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"The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel," which means "God is with us."


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When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him to do. He took Mary to be his wife.


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He did not have marital relations with her before she gave birth to a son. Joseph named the child Jesus.


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Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea when Herod was king. After Jesus' birth wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem.


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They asked, "Where is the one who was born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star rising and have come to worship him."


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He called together all the chief priests and scribes and tried to find out from them where the Messiah was supposed to be born.


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Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. A leader will come from you. He will shepherd my people Israel."


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As he sent them to Bethlehem, he said, "Go and search carefully for the child. When you have found him, report to me so that I may go and worship him too."


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After they had heard the king, they started out. The star they had seen rising led them until it stopped over the place where the child was.


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When they entered the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary. So they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.


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After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel said to him, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and kill him."


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He stayed there until Herod died. What the Lord had spoken through the prophet came true: "I have called my son out of Egypt."


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When Herod saw that the wise men had tricked him, he became furious. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys two years old and younger in or near Bethlehem. This matched the exact time he had learned from the wise men.


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"A sound was heard in Ramah, the sound of crying in bitter grief. Rachel was crying for her children. She refused to be comforted because they were dead."


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The angel said to him, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to Israel. Those who tried to kill the child are dead."


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But when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Judea, Joseph was afraid to go there. Warned in a dream, he left for Galilee


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and made his home in a city called Nazareth. So what the prophets had said came true: "He will be called a Nazarene."


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Isaiah the prophet spoke about this man when he said, "A voice cries out in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!' "


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John wore clothes made from camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.


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But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, "You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God's coming anger?


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Don't think you can say, 'Abraham is our ancestor.' I can guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.


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The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.


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I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.


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His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean up his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into a barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out."


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Jesus answered him, "This is the way it has to be now. This is the proper way to do everything that God requires of us." Then John gave in to him.


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After Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up from the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove to him.


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The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread."


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Jesus answered, "Scripture says, 'A person cannot live on bread alone but on every word that God speaks.' "


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He said to Jesus, "If you are the Son of God, jump! Scripture says, 'He will put his angels in charge of you. They will carry you in their hands so that you never hit your foot against a rock.' "


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Once more the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms in the world and their glory.


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Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan! Scripture says, 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.' "


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He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. This was in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.


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"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, on the way to the sea, across the Jordan River, Galilee, where foreigners live!


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The people who lived in darkness have seen a bright light. A light has risen for those who live in a land overshadowed by death."


