# verses

text:
'Hanam'el, the son of your uncle Shalum, will approach you and say, 'Buy my field at 'Anatot; you have next-of-kin's right to redeem it; so buy it.'''


text:
AS ADONAI had said, my cousin Hanam'el came to me in the guards' quarters and said, 'Please buy my field at 'Anatot, in the territory of Binyamin; because you will inherit it, and you have next-of-kin's right to redeem it, so buy it for yourself.' Then I was certain that this was ADONAI's word.


text:
So I bought the field at 'Anatot which belonged to my cousin Hanam'el and weighed out the money for him, seven ounces of silver shekels.


text:
I signed on the purchase contract, sealed it, called witnesses and weighed out the money for him on a balance scale.


text:
I took the purchase contract, both the sealed copy with the terms and conditions, and the unsealed copy,


text:
and gave the purchase contract to Barukh the son of Neriyah, the son of Machseyah, in the presence of my cousin Hanam'el, the witnesses who had signed the purchase contract and the people from Y'hudah sitting by the guards' quarters.


text:
'Here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'Take these contracts, both the sealed and unsealed copies, and place them in a clay jar, so that they can be preserved for a long time.'


text:
For ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says that one day homes, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.'


text:
'ADONAI, God! You made heaven and earth by your great power and outstretched arm; nothing is too hard for you.


text:
You display your grace to thousands but also repay the guilt of the fathers into the lap of their children who follow them. Great, powerful God, whose name is ADONAI-Tzva'ot,


text:
great in counsel, mighty in deed! Your eyes are open to all the ways of human beings in order to repay each one according to his ways, according to the consequences of what he does.


text:
You gave signs and performed miracles in the land of Egypt which continue to this day, also in Isra'el and among other people; thus you made yourself the reputation you have today.


text:
You brought your people of Isra'el out of the land of Egypt with signs and miracles, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror.


text:
Then you gave them this land, which you had sworn to their ancestors that you would give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.


text:
They entered and took possession of it; but they did not pay attention to your voice, did not live according to your Torah, and did nothing of all you ordered them to do. Therefore you made this complete disaster befall them -


text:
the siege-works are already there; they have come to the city to capture it; and the city, by means of sword, famine and plague, is being handed over to the Kasdim fighting against it. What you foretold is being fulfilled; here, you see it, yourself.


text:
Yet you, ADONAI, God, have said to me, 'Buy the field for money, and call witnesses; even as the city is being turned over to the Kasdim!''


text:
Therefore, here is what ADONAI says: 'I will hand this city over to the Kasdim and to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel; and he will capture it.


text:
The Kasdim who are fighting against this city will enter and set this city on fire; they will burn it down, including its houses, on whose roofs they offered to Ba'al and poured out drink offerings to other gods, in order to make me angry.


text:
For from their youth, the people of Isra'el and the people of Y'hudah have done only what is evil from my perspective; the people of Isra'el have done nothing but provoke me with what their hands make,' says ADONAI.


text:
'This city has so provoked my anger and fury from the day they built it to this day that I ought to remove it from my presence,


text:
because of all the evil that the people of Isra'el and the people of Y'hudah have done in order to make me angry - they, their kings, their leaders, their cohanim, their prophets, the men of Y'hudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim.


text:
They have turned their backs on me, not their faces; and although I taught them, taught them frequently, they have not listened so as to receive instruction.


text:
and they built the high places for Ba'al which are in the Ben-Hinnom Valley, to burn alive their sons and daughters to Molekh - something I did not order them to do, it never even entered my mind that they would do such an abominable thing - and thus they caused Y'hudah to sin.'


text:
'Therefore, thus says ADONAI the God of Isra'el concerning this city, of which you say that it is handed over to the king of Bavel by sword, famine and plague:


text:
'I will gather them out of all the countries where I drove them in my anger, fury and great wrath; and I will bring them back to this place and have them live here in safety.


text:
I will give them singleness of heart and singleness of purpose, so that they will fear me forever - this will be for their own good and for the good of their children after them.


text:
I will make with them an everlasting covenant not to turn away from them, but to do them good; I will put fear of me in their hearts, so that they will not leave me.


text:
I will take joy in them, so as to do them good. I will plant them in this land truly, with my whole heart and being.'


text:
For here is what ADONAI says: 'Just as I have brought this complete disaster on this people, so likewise I will bring on them all the good I have promised them.


text:
Fields will be bought in this land, even though you say about it that it is desolate, devoid of human beings or animals, and given over to the Kasdim.


text:
Yes, people will buy fields for money, sign the purchase contracts, seal them and call witnesses, in the territory of Binyamin, in the areas around Yerushalayim, in the cities of Y'hudah, in the cities of the hill-country, in the cities of the Sh'felah and in the cities of the Negev. For I will cause their exiles to return,' says ADONAI.'


text:
The word of ADONAI came to Yirmeyahu a second time while he was still imprisoned in the guards' quarters:


text:
'Thus says ADONAI the maker, ADONAI who formed [the universe] so as to keep directing it ADONAI is his name:


text:
'Call out to me, and I will answer you I will tell you great things, hidden things of which you are unaware.''


text:
For here is what ADONAI the God of Isra'el says concerning the houses of this city and the palaces of the kings of Y'hudah which are about to be destroyed and used as siege-works and ramparts,


text:
where they will come to fight the Kasdim: 'These places will eventually be filled with the corpses of people whom I am striking down in my anger and fury, everyone whose wickedness has caused me to hide my face from this city.


text:
However, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them peace and truth in plenty.


text:
I will cause the captives of Y'hudah and the captives of Isra'el to return; and I will build them up as I did at first.


text:
I will cleanse them from all their sins, through which they offended me; and I will pardon all their sins, through which they offended and rebelled against me.


text:
Then the name of this city will bring me joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth that hear about all the good I am doing for them; they will be overcome with fear and trembling at all the good and peace I am securing for it.'


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'You say that this place is a wasteland, with neither people nor animals in the cities of Y'hudah, and that the streets of Yerushalayim are desolate, without people or animals - no inhabitants. Yet there will again be heard here


text:
the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of bridegroom and bride, the voices of those who sing, 'Give thanks to ADONAI-Tzva'ot, for ADONAI is good, for his grace continues forever,' as they bring offerings of thanksgiving into the house of ADONAI. For I will cause those captured from the land to return, as before,' says ADONAI.


text:
ADONAI-Tzva'ot says, 'In this place, which is a wasteland without people or animals, and in all its cities, there will once again be pasture-lands where shepherds can let their flocks rest.


text:
In the cities of the hill-country, in the cities of the Sh'felah, in the cities of the Negev, in the territory of Binyamin, in the areas around Yerushalayim and in the cities of Y'hudah flocks will again pass under the hands of the one who counts them,' says ADONAI.


text:
'Here, the days are coming,' says ADONAI, 'when I will fulfill this good promise which I have proclaimed for the house of Isra'el and the house of Y'hudah.


text:
When those days come, at that time, I will cause to spring up for David a Branch of Righteousness. He will do what is just and right in the land.


text:
When those days come, Y'hudah will be saved, Yerushalayim will live in safety, and the name given to her will be ADONAI Tzidkenu [ADONAI our Righteousness].'


text:
For this is what ADONAI says: 'There will never be cut off from David a man to occupy the throne of the house of Isra'el.


text:
Nor will there ever be cut off from the cohanim who are L'vi'im a man before me to offer burnt offerings, burn grain offerings and offer sacrifices every day.'


text:
'Here is what ADONAI says: 'If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that daytime and nighttime no longer come when they are supposed to,


text:
then my covenant with my servant David also can be broken, so that he will not have a descendant to reign from his throne or L'vi'im who are cohanim to minister to me.


text:
To the degree that the armies of heaven are past counting and the sand by the sea past measuring, I will increase the descendants of my servant David and the L'vi'im ministering to me.''


text:
'Haven't you noticed that these people are saying, 'ADONAI has rejected the two families he chose'? Hence they despise my people and no longer look at them as a nation.


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'If I have not established my covenant with day and night and fixed the laws for sky and earth,


text:
then I will also reject the descendants of Ya'akov and of my servant David, not choosing from his descendants people to rule over the descendants of Avraham, Yis'chak and Ya'akov. For I will cause their captives to come back, and I will show them compassion.''


text:
This word came to Yirmeyahu from ADONAI when N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel, his whole army, all his vassal kingdoms and all the peoples fought against Yerushalayim and all its cities:


text:
'ADONAI the God of Isra'el says to go and speak to Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah. Tell him that ADONAI says: 'I am going to hand this city over to the king of Bavel, and he will burn it to the ground.


text:
You will not escape but will surely be captured and handed over to him; your eyes will see the eyes of the king of Bavel, he will speak with you face to face, and you will go to Bavel.'


text:
Nevertheless, Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah, hear the word of ADONAI. ADONAI says this about you: 'You will not be put to the sword


text:
but will die peacefully; and just as they burned spices for your ancestors, the earlier kings who preceded you, so they will burn spices for you and mourn you, 'Oh! Master!' For I have spoken the word,' says ADONAI.'


text:
at the time when the king of Bavel's army was fighting against Yerushalayim and against all the cities of Y'hudah that were left - that is, against Lakhish and 'Azekah, since only these remained of the fortified cities of Y'hudah.


text:
This word came to Yirmeyahu from ADONAI after King Tzidkiyahu had made a covenant with all the people in Yerushalayim to emancipate them.


text:
Everyone who had a male or female slave who was Hebrew was to let him go free; none was to keep as his slave a fellow Jew.


text:
All the leaders and all the people listened who had entered into the covenant, wherein everyone was to free his male and female slaves and not keep them in bondage any longer. They listened, and they let them go.


text:
But afterwards, they changed their minds; they made the male and female slaves, whom they had freed, return; and they brought them back into subjection as slaves.


text:
'Here is what ADONAI the God of Isra'el says: 'When I brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt, where they lived as slaves, I made this covenant with them:


text:
'At the end of seven years every one of you is to set free his brother Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years. You are to let him go free from you.' But your ancestors did not listen to me or pay any attention.


text:
Now you repented, you did what is right from my viewpoint when each of you proclaimed freedom to his fellow; and you made a covenant before me in the house bearing my name.


text:
But then you changed your minds. You profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free to live as they wished, and brought them back into subjection as your slaves.'


text:
Therefore here is what ADONAI says: 'You did not heed me and proclaim freedom, each to his brother and each to his neighbor; so now I proclaim for you a freedom,' says ADONAI, 'for sword, plague and famine. I will make you an object of horror to all the kingdoms on earth.


text:
As for the men who violated my covenant by not living up to the conditions of the covenant which they made in my presence when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts -


text:
the leaders of Y'hudah, the leaders of Yerushalayim, the officials, the cohanim and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf;


text:
I will hand them over to their enemies, hand them over to those who seek their lives; and their corpses will become food for birds in the air and wild animals.


text:
Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah and his officials I will hand over to their enemies, to those who seek their lives and to the army of the king of Bavel, which has withdrawn.


text:
I will give the order,' says ADONAI, 'and cause them to return to this city. They will attack it, capture it and burn it to the ground; and I will make the cities of Y'hudah desolate and uninhabited.''


text:
This word came to Yirmeyahu from ADONAI during the time of Y'hoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y'hudah:


text:
'Go to the Rekhavim, speak to them, bring them to one of the rooms in the house of ADONAI, and give them some wine to drink.'


text:
So I took Ya'azanyah the son of Yirmeyahu, the son of Havatzinyah, and his brothers, all his sons and all the Rekhavim,


text:
and took them into the house of ADONAI, to the room of the sons of Hanan the son of Yigdalyahu, a man of God. It was by the room of the officials, which was above the room of Ma'aseiyah the son of Shalum, the gatekeeper.


text:
There I set in front of the members of the clan of the Rekhavim pitchers full of wine and cups, and said to them, 'Drink some wine.'


text:
But they said, 'We will not drink any wine; because Yonadav the son of Rekhav, our ancestor, gave us this order: 'You are not to drink wine, neither you nor your descendants, forever.


text:
Also you are not to build houses, sow seed, or plant or own vineyards. Rather, you are always to live in tents; so that you may live a long time in the land, in which you are not citizens.'


text:
We have heeded the words of Yonadav the son of Rekhav, our ancestor, in all that he instructed us to do: not to drink wine as long as we live - we, our wives, our sons and our daughters;


text:
We have lived in tents, and we have heeded Yonadav our ancestor and done everything he ordered us to do.


text:
But when N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel came up to attack the land, we said, 'Come, let's go up to Yerushalayim,' because we were afraid of the army of the Kasdim and the army of Aram; hence we are living in Yerushalayim.'


text:
'ADONAI-Tzva'ot the God of Isra'el says to go to the men of Y'hudah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim and say: 'Won't you ever learn to listen to my words?' says ADONAI.


text:
'The words of Yonadav the son of Rekhav which he ordered his offspring, not to drink wine, are obeyed; so to this day they don't drink any; because they heed their ancestor's order. But I have spoken to you, spoken frequently, and you have not listened to me.


text:
I have also sent you all my servants the prophets, sent them frequently, with the message, 'Every one of you should turn back now from his evil way, improve your actions and not follow other gods in order to serve them. Then you will live in the land I gave you and your ancestors. But you have not paid attention or listened to me.


text:
Because the descendants of Yonadav the son of Rekhav have obeyed the order of their ancestor, which he ordered them; but this people has not listened to me;


text:
therefore - ' here is what ADONAI Elohei-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'I will inflict on Y'hudah and all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim all the disaster I have decreed against them; because I have spoken to them, but they have not listened; and I have called out to them, but they have not answered.'''


text:
Then to the clan of the Rekhavim Yirmeyahu said, 'Here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'Because you have heeded the order of Yonadav your ancestor, observed all his commands and done what he ordered you to do;


text:
therefore ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says this: 'Yonadav the son of Rekhav will never lack a descendant to stand before me.'''


text:
In the fourth year of Y'hoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y'hudah, this word came to Yirmeyahu from ADONAI:


text:
'Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you against Isra'el, Y'hudah and all the other nations, from the day I started speaking to you, back in the time of Yoshiyahu, until today.


text:
Perhaps the house of Y'hudah will listen to all the disaster I intend to bring on them, and turn back, each person from his evil way; then I will forgive their wickedness and sin.'


text:
So Yirmeyahu summoned Barukh the son of Neriyah; and Barukh wrote down on a scroll, at Yirmeyahu's dictation, all the words that ADONAI had said to him.


text:
Therefore, you take the scroll which you wrote at my dictation, go into the house of ADONAI on a fast-day, and read from it the words of ADONAI in the hearing of the people; also read them to all Y'hudah as they exit their cities.


text:
Perhaps they will turn to ADONAI in prayer and will return, each one, from his evil way. For the anger and fury which ADONAI has decreed against this people is great.'


text:
Barukh the son of Neriyah obeyed everything Yirmeyahu the prophet ordered him to do, reading the words of ADONAI from the scroll in ADONAI's house.


text:
A fast was proclaimed in the ninth month of the fifth year of Y'hoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y'hudah, for all the people in Yerushalayim and all the people who came from the cities of Y'hudah to Yerushalayim.


text:
It was then that Barukh read from the scroll the words of Yirmeyahu in the house of ADONAI, in the chamber of G'maryahu the son of Shafan the secretary, in the upper courtyard, at the entry to the New Gate of ADONAI's house, for all the people to hear.


text:
When Mikhay'hu the son of G'maryahu, the son of Shafan, had heard from the scroll all the words of ADONAI,


text:
he went down to the king's palace, into the secretary's room. All the officials were there - Elishama the secretary, D'layahu the son of Sh'ma'yahu, Elnatan the son of 'Akhbor, G'maryah the son of Shafan, Tzidkiyahu the son of Hananyahu and all the [other] officials.


text:
whereupon all the officials sent Y'hudi the son of N'tanyahu, the son of Shelemyahu, the son of Kushi, to Barukh to say, 'Take in your hand the scroll from which you read in the hearing of the people, and come.' So Barukh the son of Neriyah took the scroll in his hand and went to them.


text:
After they had heard all the words, they turned in fear to each other and said to Barukh, 'We will certainly tell the king about all these words.'


text:
Barukh answered them, 'He said all these words to me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the scroll.'


text:
At this, the officials said to Barukh, 'Go and hide yourselves, you and Yirmeyahu; don't let anyone know where you are.'


text:
After depositing the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went in to the courtyard and told everything to the king.


text:
The king sent Y'hudi to bring the scroll, and he took it from the room of Elishama the secretary. Y'hudi read it to the king and all the officials standing near the king.


text:
The king was sitting in his winter house; and since it was the ninth month, he had a fire burning in the stove in front of him.


text:
After Y'hudi had read three or four columns from the scroll, he would cut off that portion with a knife and throw it into the fire that was burning in the stove, until the entire scroll had been consumed by the fire in the stove.


text:
But even though they heard all these words, neither the king nor any of his servants grew afraid or tore their clothes.


text:
Elnatan, D'layahu and G'maryahu had begged the king not to burn the scroll; but he wouldn't listen to them.


text:
Then the king ordered Yerachme'el the king's son, S'rayahu the son of 'Azri'el and Shelemyahu the son of 'Avde'el to arrest Barukh the scribe and Yirmeyahu the prophet; but ADONAI hid them.


text:
Then this word of ADONAI came to Yirmeyahu after the king had burned the scroll with the words Barukh had written at Yirmeyahu's dictation:


text:
'Take another scroll, and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Y'hoyakim the king of Y'hudah burned up.


text:
And as far as Y'hoyakim king of Y'hudah is concerned, you are to say that ADONAI says, 'You burned this scroll, asking, 'Why did you write in it that the king of Bavel will certainly come and destroy this land and leave it without either humans or animals?'


text:
Therefore ADONAI says this about Y'hoyakim king of Y'hudah: 'He will have no one to occupy David's throne; and his dead body will be thrown out to lie in the heat by day and in the frost by night.


text:
Moreover, I will punish him, his offspring and his officials for their wickedness; and I will bring on them, the inhabitants of Yerushalayim and the people of Y'hudah all the disaster I have decreed against them, to which they have paid no attention.'''


text:
Then Yirmeyahu took another scroll and gave it to Barukh the scribe, the son of Neriyah. At Yirmeyahu's dictation he wrote in it all the words of the scroll which Y'hoyakim king of Y'hudah had burned up in the fire, and to those he added many similar words.


text:
Tzidkiyahu the son of Yoshiyahu became king, succeeding Koniyahu the son of Y'hoyakim, whom N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel had made king over the land of Y'hudah.


text:
But neither he, his servants nor the people of the land paid attention to the words of ADONAI, which he spoke through the prophet Yirmeyahu.


text:
Tzidkiyahu the king sent Y'hukhal the son of Shelemyahu and Tz'fanyahu the son of Ma'aseiyah, the cohen, to the prophet Yirmeyahu with the message, 'Please pray to ADONAI our God for us.'


text:
At that time Yirmeyahu was mixing freely with the people, because they had not yet put him in prison.


text:
At the same time Pharaoh's army marched out of Egypt; and when the Kasdim besieging Yerushalayim heard about them, they lifted the siege from Yerushalayim.


text:
'ADONAI the God of Isra'el says to tell the king of Y'hudah, who sent you to me to consult me: 'Pharaoh's army has marched out to assist you; but they will return to Egypt, to their own country.


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'Don't deceive yourselves by thinking that the Kasdim must withdraw from you, because they will not withdraw.


text:
Even if you were to strike the entire army of the Kasdim fighting against you, to the degree that only their wounded were left, they would still rise up every man from his tent and burn this city to the ground.''


text:
Then, at the time when the army of the Kasdim had lifted the siege of Yerushalayim out of fear of Pharaoh's army,


text:
Yirmeyahu left Yerushalayim to go to the territory of Binyamin to receive his share of an inheritance there. He was passing through the crowds


text:
and had reached the gate leading toward Binyamin when a guard commander there named Yir'iyah the son of Shelemyah, the son of Hananyah, seized Yirmeyahu the prophet, shouting, 'You're deserting to the Kasdim!'


text:
Yirmeyahu answered, 'That is a lie! I am not deserting to the Kasdim'; but Yir'iyah wouldn't listen to him. So he arrested Yirmeyahu and brought him to the officials.


text:
The officials, furious with Yirmeyahu, had him beaten and jailed in the house of Y'honatan the secretary, which had been made over into a prison.


text:
The cistern had been made into a dungeon, and Yirmeyahu was put in one of its cells; there he remained for a long time.


text:
Then Tzidkiyahu the king sent and had him brought; and the king asked him secretly, in his palace, 'Is there any word from ADONAI?' 'There is,' Yirmeyahu said. 'You will be handed over to the king of Bavel.'


text:
Yirmeyahu asked King Tzidkiyahu, 'In what way have I sinned against you or against your officials or against this people, that has caused you to put me in prison?


text:
Where are your prophets now, the ones who prophesied to you that the king of Bavel wouldn't attack you or this land?


text:
So now, please listen, my lord king! I beg you, approve my request - don't make me return to the house of Y'honatan the secretary, or I will die there.'


text:
At that, Tzidkiyahu the king gave the order, at which they committed Yirmeyahu to the guards' quarters and gave him daily a loaf of bread from the Bakers' Street, until all the bread in the city had been used up. Thus Yirmeyahu remained in the guards' quarters.


text:
But Sh'fatyah the son of Mattan, G'dalyahu the son of Pash'chur, Yukhal the son of Shelemyahu and Pash'chur the son of Malkiyah heard these words which Yirmeyahu had said to all the people,


text:
'Here is what ADONAI says: whoever remains in this city will die by sword, famine and plague; but whoever leaves and surrenders to the Kasdim will stay alive; his own life will be his only 'spoils of war,' but he will stay alive.


text:
ADONAI says that this city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Bavel, and he will capture it.'


text:
The leaders said to the king, 'Please let this man be put to death; because by speaking such words to the soldiers left in this city and to all the people, he is demoralizing them. This man is seeking not to benefit this people, but to harm them.'


text:
Tzidkiyahu the king said, 'All right, he is in your hands; for the king can't prevent you from doing as you please.'


text:
Then they took Yirmeyahu and threw him into the cistern of Malkiyahu the king's son, which was in the guards' quarters; they let down Yirmeyahu into it with ropes. In the pit there was no water, but there was mud; and Yirmeyahu sank into the mud.


text:
'Eved-Melekh the Ethiopian, an officer in the king's house, heard that they had put Yirmeyahu in the cistern. When the king was sitting at the gate leading toward Binyamin,


text:
'My lord, king! What these men have done to Yirmeyahu the prophet is evil. They have thrown him into the cistern; and he is likely to die there where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more food in the city.'


text:
Then the king ordered 'Eved-Melekh the Ethiopian, 'Take thirty men with you from here, and bring Yirmeyahu the prophet up out of the cistern before he dies.'


text:
So 'Eved-Melekh took the men with him and entered a storeroom under the treasury in the king's palace, from which he took some old clothes and rags. These he let down with ropes to Yirmeyahu in the cistern.


text:
'Eved-Melekh the Ethiopian then said to Yirmeyahu, 'Use these old clothes and rags as padding between your armpits and the ropes.' After Yirmeyahu had done this,


text:
they pulled Yirmeyahu up with the ropes and took him out of the cistern. Yirmeyahu remained in the guards' quarters.


text:
Tzidkiyahu summoned and had Yirmeyahu brought to him through the third entry in the house of ADONAI. Then the king said to Yirmeyahu, 'I want to ask you something; don't hide anything from me.'


text:
Yirmeyahu said to Tzidkiyahu, 'If I do say it to you, won't you have me put to death? And if I give you counsel, you won't listen to me.'


text:
So Tzidkiyahu swore secretly to Yirmeyahu, 'As ADONAI lives, who gave us our lives, I will not put you to death; nor will I hand you over to these men who want you put to death.'


text:
Then Yirmeyahu said to Tzidkiyahu, 'Here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'If you will go out and surrender to the king of Bavel's officers, then you will stay alive - this city will not be burned down; and you and your family will live.


text:
But if you will not go out to the king of Bavel's officers, then this city will be handed over to the Kasdim; they will burn it to the ground; and you will not escape from them.''


text:
Tzidkiyahu the king said to Yirmeyahu, 'I am afraid of the Judeans who deserted to the Kasdim. The Kasdim might hand me over to them, and they would mistreat me.'


text:
Yirmeyahu answered, 'They won't hand you over. I beg you, listen to the voice of ADONAI concerning what I'm telling you about; then it will go well with you, and you will live.


text:
all the women remaining in the king of Y'hudah's palace will be brought out to the king of Bavel's officers, and those women will taunt you: 'Your own close friends misled you and took advantage of you. Now that your feet are stuck in the mud, they have abandoned you.'


text:
They will bring all your women and children out to the Kasdim, and you will not escape from them. Rather, you will be captured by the king of Bavel, and you will cause this city to be burned to the ground.'


text:
If the officials hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you and say, 'Tell us now what you said to the king; don't hide it from us, or we will put you to death, and also what the king said to you,'


text:
then tell them, 'I presented my request to the king that he would not make me return to Y'honatan's house, to die there.''


text:
All the officials did come to Yirmeyahu and asked him, and he told them everything the king had ordered him to say. So they stopped speaking with him, since the matter had not been reported.


text:
Yirmeyahu remained in the guards' quarters until the day Yerushalayim was captured; he was there when Yerushalayim was captured.


text:
In the ninth year of Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah, in the tenth month, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel marched against Yerushalayim with his entire army and began to lay siege against it.


text:
On the ninth day of the fourth month of the eleventh year of Tzidkiyahu, they broke through into the city.


text:
All the officers of the king of Bavel entered and sat at the Middle Gate - Nergal-Sar'etzer, Samgar-N'vo, Sars'khim the Rav-Saris, Nergal-Sar'etzer the Rav-Mag and all the other officers of the king of Bavel.


text:
When Tzidkiyahu the king of Y'hudah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, leaving the city by night through the king's garden, exiting from the gate between the two walls, and continuing out by the route through the 'Aravah.


text:
But the army of the Kasdim went in pursuit of them and overtook Tzidkiyahu on the plains near Yericho. Upon capturing him, they brought him up to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel at Rivlah, in the land of Hamat, where he passed judgment on him.


text:
The king of Bavel slaughtered the sons of Tzidkiyahu before his eyes in Rivlah; the king of Bavel also slaughtered all the leading men of Y'hudah.


text:
The Kasdim burned down the royal palace and the people's houses, and they broke down the walls of Yerushalayim.


text:
N'vuzar'adan commander of the guard then deported to Bavel the remaining population of the city, the deserters who had defected to him, and the rest of the people remaining.


text:
But N'vuzar'adan the commander of the guard left behind in the territory of Y'hudah some of the poor people, those who had nothing, and at the same time gave them vineyards and fields.


text:
Concerning Yirmeyahu, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel gave N'vuzar'adan the commander of the guard this order:


text:
So N'vuzar'adan the commander of the guard, N'vushazban the Rav-Saris, Nergal-Sar'etzer the Rav-Mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Bavel


text:
sent to have Yirmeyahu taken out of the guards' quarters; they committed him to the care of G'dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, to be brought home. There he lived among the people.


text:
'Go and tell 'Eved-Melekh the Ethiopian that ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: ''I am about to fulfill my words about this city for disaster, not for good; when the day arrives, they will come true before your eyes.


text:
But at that time I will rescue you,' says ADONAI, 'and I will not hand you over to the men you fear.


text:
Yes, I will keep you safe; you will not fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me,' says ADONAI.''


text:
This word came to Yirmeyahu from ADONAI after N'vuzar'adan the commander of the guard had let him leave Ramah, after having taken him, bound in chains, with all the captives from Yerushalayim and Y'hudah that had been carried off to Bavel.


text:
The commander of the guard took Yirmeyahu and said to him, 'ADONAI your God decreed this disaster for this place,


text:
and ADONAI has brought it about; he has done what he said he would do, because you people sinned against ADONAI and did not listen to what he said; that is why this has come upon you.


text:
Now, today, I am freeing you from the chains on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me to Bavel, come; and I will look after you well. But if it seems not good to you to come with me to Bavel, then don't - the entire land is in front of you: wherever it seems good and right for you to go, go there.'


text:
Before Yirmeyahu could answer, [N'vuzar'adan said,] 'Go back then to G'dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, whom the king of Bavel has made governor over the cities of Y'hudah, and live with him among the people; or go wherever it seems right for you to go.' The commander of the guard gave him provisions and a gift, and dismissed him.


text:
Yirmeyahu then went to G'dalyahu the son of Achikam in Mitzpah and lived with him among the people who were left in the land.


text:
Now when all the field force commanders and their men heard that the king of Bavel had made G'dalyahu the son of Achikam governor in the land and had committed to his care men, women, children and some of the poorest people in the land of those who had not been carried captive to Bavel;


text:
they approached G'dalyahu in Mitzpah - in particular, Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu, Yochanan and Yonatan the sons of Kareach, S'rayah the son of Tanchumet, the sons of 'Efai the N'tofati and Y'zanyahu the son of the Ma'akhati, they and their men.


text:
G'dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, swore to them and their men, 'Don't be afraid to serve the Kasdim. Live in the land, serve the king of Bavel; and things will go well with you.


text:
As for me, I will live in Mitzpah and be responsible to the Kasdim who come to us. But you - harvest wine, summer fruits and olive oil; put them in your containers; and live in your cities that you have taken over.'


text:
Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in Mo'av, in Edom, among the people of 'Amon, and in all the other countries heard that the king of Bavel had left a remnant in Y'hudah and had appointed G'dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, to govern them;


text:
then all the Judeans returned from all the places where they had been driven and came to the land of Y'hudah, to G'dalyahu in Mitzpah, and harvested wine and summer fruit in great abundance.


text:
and said to him, 'Are you aware that Ba'alis the king of the people of 'Amon has sent Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu to take your life?' But G'dalyahu the son of Achikam did not believe them.


text:
Then Yochanan the son of Kareach spoke privately with G'dalyahu in Mitzpah: 'Please, let me go, and I will kill Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu; no one will know. Why let him assassinate you? Moreover, if he does, all the Judeans gathered around you will scatter; and the remnant of Y'hudah will perish.'


text:
But G'dalyahu the son of Achikam said to Yochanan the son of Kareach, 'Don't do it. What you are saying about Yishma'el is not true.'


text:
In the seventh month Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu, the son of Elishama, of royal blood and one of the chief officials of the king, came with ten men to G'dalyahu in Mitzpah. While eating a meal together there in Mitzpah,


text:
Yishma'el and the ten men with him rose and attacked G'dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, struck him with their swords, and assassinated the man whom the king of Bavel had appointed governor of the land.


text:
Yishma'el also murdered all the Judeans who were with G'dalyahu at Mitzpah, as well as the Kasdim soldiers they found there.


text:
eighty men from Sh'khem, Shiloh and Shomron came with beards shaved off, clothes torn and gashes on their bodies; they had grain offerings and frankincense with them to present in the house of ADONAI.


text:
Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu went out from Mitzpah to meet them, weeping all along the way; on meeting them, he said to them, 'Come to G'dalyahu the son of Achikam.'


text:
But once they were inside the city, Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu and the men with him slaughtered them and threw them into the cistern.


text:
However, ten of them said to Yishma'el, 'Don't kill us, for we have stores of wheat, barley, olive oil and honey hidden in the field.' So he relented, and did not kill them along with their comrades.


text:
The cistern in which Yishma'el threw the corpses of the men he had murdered with G'dalyahu was the one Asa the king had made in fear of Ba'asha king of Isra'el; it was this cistern that Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu filled with the slaughtered men.


text:
Then Yishma'el carried off captive the rest of the people in Mitzpah - the king's daughters and all the people left in Mitzpah, whom N'vuzar'adan the commander of the guard had committed to the care of G'dalyahu the son of Achikam. Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu carried them off captive and left to cross over to the people of 'Amon.


text:
When Yochanan the son of Kareach and all the military commanders with him heard of all the crimes committed by Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu,


text:
they took all the men and went to attack Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu. They found him by the big pool in Giv'on.


text:
When all Yishma'el's captives saw Yochanan the son of Kareach and all the military commanders with him, they were overjoyed.


text:
So all the people Yishma'el had carried off captive from Mitzpah turned and joined Yochanan the son of Kareach.


text:
But Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu escaped from Yochanan with eight men and went on to the people of 'Amon.


text:
Yochanan the son of Kareach and the military commanders with him then took all the rest of the people he had freed from Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu, those Yishma'el had taken from Mitzpah after assassinating G'dalyahu the son of Achikam - the heroes, the soldiers, the women, the children and the officers he had brought back from Giv'on -


text:
and thus escape the Kasdim. They were afraid of them, because Yishma'el the son of N'tanyahu had murdered G'dalyahu the son of Achikam, whom the king of Bavel had appointed governor of the land.


text:
Then all the military commanders, Yochanan the son of Kareach, Y'zanyah the son of Hosha'yah and all the people, from the least to the greatest, approached


text:
and said to Yirmeyahu the prophet, 'I beg you, approve our request: pray for us to ADONAI your God for all of this remnant. For, while once we were numerous, only a few of us are left, as you can see.


text:
Yirmeyahu the prophet said to them: 'I hear you. All right, I will pray to ADONAI your God, as you have asked. And whatever ADONAI answers you, I will tell you; I will withhold nothing from you.'


text:
They said to Yirmeyahu, 'May ADONAI be a true and faithful witness against us if we fail to do any part of what ADONAI your God gives you to tell us.


text:
Whether it be good or bad, we will listen to what ADONAI our God says. We are dispatching you to him so that things will go well with us, as we heed what ADONAI our God says.'


text:
So he called Yochanan the son of Kareach, all the military commanders with him and all the people, from the least to the greatest,


text:
and said to them, 'You sent me to present your request to ADONAI the God of Isra'el. This is what he says:


text:
'If you will stay in this land, then I will build you up, not pull you down; I will plant you and not uproot you; for I am relenting from the calamity I inflicted on you.


text:
Don't be afraid of the king of Bavel - of whom you are afraid. Don't be afraid of him,' says ADONAI, 'for I am with you to save you and to rescue you from his power.


text:
'But if you say, 'We will not stay in this land,' thereby not heeding what ADONAI your God is saying,


text:
and instead say, 'No, we will go to the land of Egypt; because there we will not see war or hear the shofar sounding its alarm or be short of food; so we'll stay there';


text:
then hear what ADONAI says, remnant of Y'hudah - this is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'If you are determined to go to Egypt and stay there,


text:
the sword, of which you are afraid, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, of which you are afraid, will pursue you relentlessly there in Egypt; and there you will die.


text:
This is how it will be for all the people determined to go to Egypt and stay there - they will die by sword, famine and plague; none of them will remain or escape the disaster that I will bring upon them.'


text:
For here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'Just as my anger and fury were poured out on the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so likewise my fury will be poured out on you if you go to Egypt; so that you will become an object of condemnation, astonishment, cursing and reproach; and you will see this place no more.'


text:
'ADONAI has spoken concerning you, remnant of Y'hudah! Don't go to Egypt! You know for a fact that I have given you fair warning today.


text:
For you have been behaving deceitfully, against your own interests. You sent me to ADONAI your God, saying, 'Pray for us to ADONAI our God; tell us everything ADONAI our God says, and we will do it.'


text:
Today I have told it to you, but you haven't heeded any part of what ADONAI your God gave me to tell you.


text:
Therefore, know for a fact that you will die by sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go and live.'


text:
When Yirmeyahu had finished telling all the people everything ADONAI their God had said, which ADONAI their God had sent him to tell them, the entire speech cited above,


text:
then 'Azaryah the son of Hosha'yah, Yochanan the son of Kareach and all the men with him had the effrontery to say to Yirmeyahu, 'You are lying! ADONAI our God did not send you to say, 'Don't go to Egypt and live there'!


text:
Rather, Barukh the son of Neriyah is inciting you against us, so that we can be handed over to the Kasdim to be put to death or carried off as captives to Bavel.'


text:
So Yochanan the son of Kareach, all the military commanders and all the people did not heed what ADONAI said, to live in the land of Y'hudah.


text:
Instead, Yochanan the son of Kareach and all the military commanders took all the remnant of Y'hudah who had returned from all the nations where they had been driven to live in the land of Y'hudah -


text:
the men, the women, the children, the king's daughters, everyone N'vuzar'adan the commander of the guard had committed to G'dalyahu the son of Achikam, the son of Shafan, and Yirmeyahu the prophet and Barukh the son of Neriyah -


text:
and went to the land of Egypt; for they did not heed what ADONAI had said; and they arrived in Tachpanches.


text:
'With the men of Y'hudah watching, take some big stones, and set them with mortar in the pavement at the entry to Pharaoh's palace in Tachpanches.


text:
Tell them: 'This is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'I will summon N'vukhadretzar the king of Bavel, my servant, take him and set his throne on these stones I laid here; he will come and spread his royal canopy over them.


text:
He will come and attack the land of Egypt. Those destined for death - to death! Those destined for captivity - to captivity! Those destined for the sword - to the sword!


text:
I will light a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he will burn [those gods] or take them captive. He will fold up the land of Egypt like a shepherd folding up his cloak, and leave there victorious.


text:
He will also break the standing-stones of the temple of the sun in the land of Egypt and burn to the ground the temples of the gods of Egypt.'''


text:
This word came to Yirmeyahu concerning all the people from Y'hudah living in the land of Egypt - in Migdol, Tachpanches, Nof and the land of Patros:


text:
'Here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'You have seen all the disaster I inflicted on Yerushalayim and all the cities of Y'hudah; there they are today, ruined, with no one living in them.


text:
It came about because of the wicked things they did to make me angry - sacrificing to and serving other gods, whom they did not know, neither they, nor you nor your ancestors.


text:
I had sent you all my servants the prophets, sent them frequently, with the message, 'Don't do this horrible thing which I hate!'


text:
But they neither listened nor obeyed, so as to turn from their wickedness and stop offering to other gods.


text:
Hence my fury and anger were poured out and ignited in the cities of Y'hudah and the streets of Yerushalayim; so that they became waste and desolate, as they are today.'


text:
'Therefore now, ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says this: 'Why are you committing this great sin against yourselves? The result can only be to cut you off from Y'hudah - men, women, children and babies - so that none of you remain.


text:
For you continue provoking me with the products of your own hands, offering to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you have gone to live as aliens. It will lead only to your destruction and becoming an object of curses and reproaches among all the nations of the earth.


text:
Have you forgotten the wicked deeds of your ancestors, the wicked deeds of the kings of Y'hudah, the wicked deeds of their wives, your own wicked deeds, and the wicked deeds of your wives, which they committed in the land of Y'hudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim?


text:
To this day they remain unhumbled; they have not been afraid, and they have not lived according to my Torah or my regulations that I presented to you and your ancestors.'


text:
'Therefore here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'I will decree disaster for you and destroy all of Y'hudah.


text:
I will take the remnant of Y'hudah, who determined to go to Egypt and live there as aliens, and they will all perish - in the land of Egypt they will fall and perish by sword and famine. They will die, from the least to the greatest, by sword and famine; and they will become an object of condemnation, astonishment, cursing and reproach.


text:
Yes, I will punish those living in the land of Egypt, as I punished Yerushalayim, by sword, famine and plague;


text:
so that none of the remnant of Y'hudah who went into the land of Egypt to live as aliens will escape or remain, to be able to return to the land of Y'hudah. They long to return and live there, but none will return except a few refugees.''


text:
Then all the men who knew that their wives were offering incense to other gods, along with all the women standing by, a huge crowd, all the people living in Patros in the land of Egypt, answered Yirmeyahu:


text:
Instead, we will certainly continue to fulfill every word our mouths have spoken: we will offer incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our ancestors, our kings and our leaders, in the cities of Y'hudah and the streets of Yerushalayim. For then we had plenty of food; everything was fine, we didn't experience anything unpleasant.


text:
But since we stopped offering to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything, and we have been destroyed by sword and famine.'


text:
[Then the wives added,] 'Are we the ones who offer incense to the queen of heaven? Do we pour out drink offerings to her? And did we make cakes marked with her image for her and pour out drink offerings to her without our husbands' consent?'


text:
Then Yirmeyahu said to all the people - to the men, the women, and all the people who had answered him back:


text:
'The incense you offered in the cities of Y'hudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim - you, your ancestors, your kings, your leaders and the people of the land - ADONAI kept remembering and taking note of this [insult],


text:
until ADONAI could no longer bear it, so evil and so detestable were your deeds. This is why your land has become a wasteland, an object for astonishment and cursing, uninhabited, as it is today.


text:
It is because you offered incense, sinned against ADONAI, didn't listen to what ADONAI said, and didn't live by his Torah, regulations and instructions that this disaster has befallen you, as it is today.'


text:
In addition, Yirmeyahu said to all the people, but especially the women: 'Hear the word of ADONAI, all Y'hudah who are in the land of Egypt;


text:
this is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'You and your wives stated your intentions with your mouths and performed them with your hands - you said, 'We will certainly fulfill our vows that we made to offer incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.'' Without doubt, you will indeed fulfill every point of your vows.


text:
Therefore hear the word of ADONAI, all Y'hudah living in the land of Egypt: 'I swear by my own great name,' says ADONAI, 'that no man of Y'hudah will speak my name again in the land of Egypt, swearing, 'As ADONAI, God, lives.'


text:
I am watching over them for harm, not for good. All the men of Y'hudah in the land of Egypt will be destroyed by sword and famine, until none of them is left.


text:
Those who escape the sword will return from the land of Egypt to the land of Y'hudah few in number; and all the remnant of Y'hudah who went into the land of Egypt to live will know whose word will stand - mine or theirs!


text:
Moreover, here is a sign for you,' says ADONAI, 'that I will punish you in this place, so that you can know that my threats of disaster against you will come true.'


text:
ADONAI says, 'I will hand over Pharaoh Hofra king of Egypt to his enemies, to those seeking his life - just as I handed Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah over to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel, his enemy, who sought his life.''


text:
Here is what Yirmeyahu said to Barukh the son of Neriyah when he wrote these words in a book at Yirmeyahu's dictation, in the fourth year of Y'hoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y'hudah:


text:
'Woe to me now! ADONAI has compounded my pain with sorrow, I am weary from groaning, and I can find no relief!'


text:
'Tell him that ADONAI says: 'I will tear down what I built up, I will uproot what I planted, and this throughout the land.


text:
Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don't! For I am bringing disaster on everything living,' says ADONAI. 'But wherever you go, you will escape with your life.''


text:
Concerning Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh N'kho, king of Egypt, stationed by the Euphrates River in Kark'mish, which N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel attacked in the fourth year of Y'hoyakim son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y'hudah:


text:
Harness the horses! Riders, mount! [Troops,] fall in! Helmets in place! Polish the spears! Coats of mail on!


text:
'Why do I see them retreating in panic, their heroes routed, fleeing headlong, not looking back, terror all around?' asks ADONAI.


text:
'The swift cannot flee, nor the heroes escape. In the north, by the Euphrates River, they have stumbled and fallen.'


text:
It is Egypt, rising up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge out in flood, saying, 'I will surge out and cover the earth, destroying the city along with its people.'


text:
Charge, horses! Full speed ahead, chariots! Let the warriors attack! - Kush and Put, bearing their shields, and the Ludim, strung bows in hand.


text:
For on that day Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot will have a day of vengeance for avenging himself on his enemies. The sword will destroy, have its fill, be made drunk on their blood. Yes, Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot decrees slaughter in the land to the north by the Euphrates River.


text:
Go up to Gil'ad for its healing resin, virgin daughter of Egypt. You try many medicines, all in vain; for you there is no cure.


text:
The nations have heard about your disgrace; your shrieks fill the earth as warrior trips over warrior, both falling down together.


text:
This word ADONAI spoke to Yirmeyahu the prophet concerning how N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel would come and attack the land of Egypt:


text:
'Proclaim in Egypt, announce in Migdol, announce in Nof and Tachpanches; say: 'Take your stand! Get ready! For all around you the sword is destroying.


text:
He caused many to trip; yes, they fell all over each other.'' Then they said, 'Let's get up, let's return to our own people, back to the land where we were born, away from the sword that destroys.'


text:
They cried there, 'Pharaoh king of Egypt makes noise, but he lets the right time [for action] slip by.'


text:
'As I live,' says the king, whose name is ADONAI-Tzva'ot, 'when he comes, he will be [as mighty] as Tavor among the mountains, as Karmel next to the sea.


text:
'Daughter living in Egypt, prepare what you need for exile; for Nof will become a ruin, laid waste, without inhabitant.


text:
Her mercenaries too, that she had with her, were like well-fed calves in a stable; but they too have withdrawn in retreat, they all ran away without standing their ground. For their day of disaster has come over them, the time for them to be punished.


text:
Egypt hisses like a snake, as the enemy's army marches ahead, attacking her with their axes like lumbermen chopping trees.


text:
They cut down her forest,' says ADONAI, 'for they cannot be numbered; yes, there are more of them than locusts, far too many to count.


text:
ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'I will punish Amon from No, Pharaoh, and Egypt with her gods and kings - that is, Pharaoh and those who trust in him;


text:
I will hand them over to those who seek their lives, to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel and to his servants. But afterwards, Egypt will be inhabited, as in the past,' says ADONAI.


text:
'Yet don't be afraid, Ya'akov my servant; don't be distressed, Isra'el. For I will save you from faraway places, and your offspring from the lands where they are held captive. Ya'akov will return and be at peace, quiet, with no one to make him afraid.


text:
Don't be afraid, Ya'akov my servant,' says ADONAI, 'for I am with you. I will finish off all the nations where I have scattered you. However, you I will not finish off, I will discipline you as you deserve, but not completely destroy you.'


text:
This word of ADONAI came to Yirmeyahu the prophet concerning the P'lishtim before Pharaoh attacked 'Azah:


text:
'Here is what ADONAI says: 'Water is rising out of the north; it will become a flooding stream, flooding the land and all that is in it, the city and its inhabitants. The people are crying out in alarm, everyone in the land is weeping


text:
at the thunderous pound of his stallions' hoofs, at his rattling chariots' rumbling wheels. Fathers fail to turn back for their children; instead, their hands hang limp,


text:
because the day has come for destroying all the P'lishtim, for cutting off from Tzor and Tzidon the last of their allies; for ADONAI is destroying the P'lishtim, the remnant from the island of Kaftor.


text:
'Azah is shaved bald, Ashkelon reduced to silence. Those of you who remain in their valley, how long will you go on gashing yourselves?''


text:
Oh, sword of ADONAI, how long till you can be quiet? Put yourself back in your scabbard! Stop! Be still!


text:
But how can you be still? For ADONAI has given it orders against Ashkelon, against the seacoast; he has assigned it its task there.


text:
Concerning Mo'av, this is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'Woe to N'vo, for it is ravaged; Kiryatayim disgraced and captured. Misgav is put to shame, distressed.


text:
'In Mo'av, nothing is left to praise. At Heshbon they plotted her downfall: 'Come, we'll cut her off as a nation.' You too, Madmein, will be silenced; the sword pursues behind you.


text:
as they ascend the slopes of Luchit, weeping bitterly as they climb. On the road down to Horonayim shrieks of destruction ring out.'


text:
Because you trust in your deeds and your wealth, you too will be captured. Together with his priests and princes, K'mosh will go into exile.


text:
A destroyer will descend on every city, no city will escape. The valley too will perish, the plain will be laid waste, as ADONAI as said.


text:
Give Mo'av wings, so it can fly and get away. Its cities will become ruins, with no one to live in them.


text:
A curse on him who does the work of ADONAI carelessly! A curse on him who withholds his sword from blood!


text:
Mo'av has lived at ease from his youth; he is [wine] settled on its dregs, not decanted from jar to jar - he has not gone into exile. Therefore it retains its own [bad] taste, its aroma remains unchanged.


text:
'So the days are coming,' says ADONAI, 'when I will send people to tilt him; they will tilt his jars, emptying them and shattering the wine-flasks to pieces.


text:
Mo'av will be disappointed by K'mosh then, just as the house of Isra'el was disappointed by Beit-El, a god in whom they had put their trust.


text:
They are ravaging Mo'av, attacking its cities; its best young men go down to be slaughtered,' says the king, whose name is ADONAI-Tzva'ot.


text:
Pity him, all of you who are near him, all of you who know his name; say, 'How the mighty scepter is shattered, that splendid staff!'


text:
Descend from your glory, and sit in thirst, daughter living in Divon; for Mo'av's destroyer advances on you; he has destroyed your strongholds.


text:
Stand by the road and watch, inhabitant of 'Aro'er; ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping, 'What is going on?'


text:
Mo'av is disgraced, indeed, destroyed. Wail aloud! Shriek! Proclaim it by the Arnon that Mo'av has been laid waste.


text:
Because Mo'av boasted against ADONAI, make him so drunk that he wallows in his own vomit and becomes a laughingstock.


text:
After all, Isra'el was a laughingstock for you. He didn't associate with thieves; nevertheless, whenever you spoke of him, you shook your head.


text:
You who live in Mo'av, leave the cities, and live on the rocks; be like the dove who makes her nest in a hole in the rock at the mouth of a cave.


text:
We have heard of the pride of Mo'av: so very proud he is! - presumptuous, proud, conceited; so haughty his heart!


text:
'I know what meager ground he has for his arrogance,' says ADONAI. 'His boasting has nothing behind it, and it hasn't accomplished a thing.'


text:
I will weep for you, vineyard of Sivmah, more than I wept for Ya'zer. Your branches spread to the sea, reaching as far as the sea of Ya'zer. On your summer fruits and on your vintage the destroyer has fallen.


text:
Gladness and joy have been removed from productive fields and the land of Mo'av. 'I have stopped the flow of wine from the vats and the shouts of those who tread the grapes - those shouts of joy are stilled.'


text:
The cries from Heshbon to El'aleh are heard as far away as Yachatz; those from Tzo'ar to Horonayim are heard in 'Eglat-Shlishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim have become a desolate waste.


text:
'Moreover,' says ADONAI, 'in Mo'av I will put an end to anyone sacrificing on a high place or offering incense to his gods.'


text:
This is why my heart is moaning for Mo'av like funeral flutes, why my heart moans for the men of Kir-Heres like funeral flutes; for the wealth they produced has vanished.


text:
Every head has been shaved bald, every beard has been clipped short, gashes are on every hand, sackcloth around every waist.


text:
On all the housetops of Mo'av and in its open places - lamentation everywhere! 'For I have broken Mo'av like a pot that nobody wants,' says ADONAI.


text:
Wail, 'How shattered is Mo'av! How shamefully in retreat!' Thus will Mo'av become an object of ridicule and distress to all its neighbors.


text:
For here is what ADONAI says: 'Look! Down he swoops like a vulture, spreading his wings against Mo'av


text:
the cities are captured, the strongholds are seized. On that day the hearts of Mo'av's warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.


text:
'Whoever flees from the terror will fall into the pit; and he who climbs up out of the pit will be caught in the trap. For I will bring on her, on Mo'av, the year for her punishment,' says ADONAI.


text:
'In the shadow of Heshbon the fugitives stop, exhausted. For fire breaks out from Heshbon, a flame from inside Sichon, consuming the sides and tops of the heads of Mo'av's noisy boasters.


text:
Woe to you, Mo'av! K'mosh's people are doomed! For your sons have been taken captive, and your daughters led into captivity.


text:
Concerning the people of 'Amon, here is what ADONAI says: 'Has Isra'el no sons? Has he no heir? Then why has Malkam inherited Gad, with his people settled in its cities?


text:
Therefore,' says ADONAI, 'the days are coming when I will sound the battle alarm against Rabbah and the people of 'Amon; it will become a tel of ruins, her villages burned to the ground. Then Isra'el will inherit from them who disinherited him,' says ADONAI.


text:
'Wail, Heshbon, for 'Ai is doomed! Cry out, daughters of Rabbah! Wear sackcloth and mourn, running here and there among the sheep pens. For Malkam will go into exile, together with his priests and officers.


text:
Why do you take such pride in the valleys, your well-watered valleys, rebellious daughter? You trusted in your riches and thought, 'Who can attack me?'


text:
I am bringing terror on you,' says Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot, 'from every side. Each of you will be driven out headlong, with no one to gather the fugitives.


text:
Concerning Edom, this is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot says: 'Is there no wisdom left in Teman? Have her wise men forgotten how to counsel? Has their wisdom vanished?


text:
Flee! Turn back! Hide yourselves well, you who live in D'dan; for I am bringing calamity on 'Esav, when the time for me to punish him comes.


text:
If grape-pickers came to you, they would leave no grapes for gleaning. If thieves came at night, they would destroy until they were satisfied.


text:
So I, for my part, have stripped 'Esav bare, I have exposed his hiding-places; he will not be able to hide himself. He is doomed - sons, brothers and neighbors - so that he is no more.


text:
For this is what ADONAI says: 'Those who do not deserve to drink from this cup will have to drink it anyway, so should you go unpunished? No, you will not go unpunished; you will certainly drink it.


text:
For I have sworn by myself,' says ADONAI, 'that Botzrah will become a ruin and an object of astonishment, reproach and cursing; all its cities will be ruins forever.'


text:
I have heard a message from ADONAI: 'A messenger is sent among the nations, saying: 'Gather together, and march against her! Prepare for battle!'


text:
Your capacity to terrorize has deceived you and made you arrogant. You make your home in the rocky crags and seize the top of the mountain; but even if you build your nest high as an eagle's, from there I will drag you down,' says ADONAI.


text:
Edom will become an object of horror; everyone passing by will whistle in astonishment at all its disasters.


text:
It will be like the overthrow of S'dom, 'Amora and their neighboring towns,' says ADONAI. 'No one will settle there any more, no human being will live there again.


text:
It will be like a lion coming up from the thickets of the Yarden against a strong settlement: in an instant I will chase him away and appoint over it whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who can call me to account? What shepherd can stand up to me?'


text:
So hear the plan of ADONAI that he has devised against Edom, and his purpose that he will accomplish against those who live in Teman: the least of the flock will drag them away; their own pasture will be in shock at them.


text:
Like a vulture he will soar, swoop down and spread out his wings against Botzrah. On that day the hearts of Edom's warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.


text:
Concerning Dammesek: 'Hamat and Arpad are confused; having heard bad news, they dissolve in fear, like the churning sea, which cannot calm itself.


text:
Dammesek, weakened, turns to flee; trembling has seized her; anguish and pain take hold of her like the pains of a woman in labor.


text:
Therefore her young men will fall in her squares, and all her warriors be silenced on that day,' says ADONAI-Tzva'ot.


text:
Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hatzor, which N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel struck, ADONAI says: 'Set out! March against Kedar! Plunder the people of the east!


text:
They will seize their tents and their flocks, their tent curtains and all their equipment; their camels too they will take for themselves and shout at them, 'Terror in every direction!'


text:
Flee! Leave your homes! Hide yourselves well, you who live in Hatzor,' says ADONAI; 'for N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel has devised a plan against you; he has formed a scheme against you.


text:
Get up! March on a nation at ease, that lives secure,' says ADONAI. 'They have neither gates nor bars; they live in isolation.


text:
Their camels will be booty, their many cattle a spoil. I will scatter to the winds those who shave the sides of their heads; From every direction I will bring their disaster on them,' says ADONAI.


text:
'Hatzor will be a place for jackals to live, desolate forever; no one will settle there any more, no human being will live there again.'


text:
This is the word of ADONAI that came to Yirmeyahu the prophet concerning 'Eilam at the beginning of the reign of Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah:


text:
I will bring against 'Eilam the four winds from the four quarters of the sky and scatter them to all those winds. There will not be one nation to which the dispersed of 'Eilam will not come.


text:
I will break 'Eilam before their foes, before those who seek their lives; I will bring disaster on them, my burning anger,' says ADONAI. 'I will send the sword to pursue them until I have finished them off.


text:
This is the word which ADONAI spoke concerning Bavel, concerning the land of the Kasdim, through Yirmeyahu the prophet:


text:
'Declare it among the nations, proclaim it! Hoist a banner, proclaim it, don't hide it! Say: 'Bavel is captured. Bel is shamed, M'rodakh disgraced, her images shamed, her idols disgraced.'


text:
For from the north a nation is marching against her that will desolate her land. No one will live there - both humans and animals have fled and gone.


text:
In those days, at that time,' says ADONAI, 'the people of Isra'el will come, together with the people of Y'hudah. They will weep as they go their way, seeking ADONAI their God.


text:
They will ask the way to Tziyon; and, turning their faces toward it, will say, 'Come, join yourselves to ADONAI by an everlasting covenant never to be forgotten.'


text:
My people have been lost sheep. My shepherds made them go astray, turning them loose in the mountains. As they wandered from mountain to hill, they lost track of where their home is.


text:
Everyone finding them ate them up. Their enemies said, 'We aren't guilty; for they sinned against ADONAI, the resting place of justice; yes, against ADONAI, their ancestors' hope.'


text:
for I will stir up and bring against Bavel an alliance of great nations from the country to the north. They will array themselves against her; from there she will be captured. Their arrows are like those of a death-dealing warrior; none will return in vain.


text:
'Because you are glad, because you exult, you plunderers of my heritage; because you frisk like a calf in the grass and neigh like stallions;


text:
your mother will be utterly shamed, she who bore you will be disgraced. Here she is! - last among the nations, a desert, parched and barren.


text:
Because of the anger of ADONAI, no one will live there any more; all of it will be desolate. Everyone passing Bavel will whistle in shock at all her plagues.


text:
'Take your positions surrounding Bavel, all you whose bows are strung; shoot at her, spare no arrows; because she sinned against ADONAI.


text:
From all sides raise the war cry against her! Now she surrenders! Her buttresses fall, her walls are thrown down, for this is the vengeance of ADONAI. Avenge yourself on her! As she has done, do to her!


text:
Cut off the sower from Bavel and the reaper with sickle at harvest-time. For fear of the destroying sword everyone returns to his own people, each one flees to his own land.


text:
'Isra'el is a stray lamb, driven away by lions. First to devour him was Ashur's king; and the last to break his bones is this N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel.'


text:
Therefore ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'I will punish the king of Bavel and his land as I punished the king of Ashur.


text:
I will bring Isra'el back to his pasture, to graze on the Karmel and the Bashan, on the hills of Efrayim and in Gil'ad until he has his fill.


text:
In those days, at that time,' says ADONAI, 'Isra'el's guilt will be sought, but there will be none, and Y'hudah's sins, but they won't be found; for I will pardon the remnant I leave.


text:
'Attack the land of Meratayim; attack it and those living in P'kod. Waste them, utterly destroy them; do all I have ordered you,' says ADONAI.


text:
How the hammer of the whole earth lies hacked apart and shattered! What an object of horror among the nations Bavel has become!


text:
I set a trap and caught you, Bavel, before you knew it. You were discovered and seized, because you challenged ADONAI.


text:
ADONAI has opened his store of arms and brought out the weapons of his wrath; for Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot has work to do in the land of the Kasdim.


text:
Attack her from every direction! Open her stores of grain! Pile her up like heaps of grain; destroy her completely; leave nothing!


text:
Kill all her bulls! let them go down to be slaughtered! Woe to them! for their day has come, the time for them to be punished.'


text:
Hear the sound of the fugitives, of those escaping from Bavel, coming to proclaim in Tziyon the vengeance of ADONAI our God, vengeance over his temple.


text:
'Call up archers against Bavel, all whose bows are strung. Besiege her from every side, let no one escape. Repay her for her deeds; as she has done, do to her. For she insulted ADONAI, the Holy One of Isra'el.


text:
This is why her young men will fall in her open places, why all her warriors will be silenced on that day,' says ADONAI.


text:
'I am against you, arrogant [nation],' says Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot. 'For your day has come, the time for you to be punished.


text:
The arrogant [nation] will stumble and fall, and no one will lift him up again. I will set his cities on fire, and it will devour everything around him.'


text:
Thus says ADONAI-Tzva'ot: 'The people of Isra'el are oppressed, and so are the people of Y'hudah. Those who took them captive hold them fast; they refuse to let them go.


text:
But their redeemer is strong; ADONAI-Tzva'ot is his name. He will thoroughly plead their cause, so that he can give rest to the land but unrest to those who live in Bavel.


text:
ADONAI says, 'A sword hangs over the Kasdim, and over those who live in Bavel, over her leaders and over her sages.


text:
A sword hangs over the lying diviners; they will become fools. A sword hangs over her warriors; they will be disgraced.


text:
A sword hangs over their horses, also over their chariots, also over the foreigners within her; they will become like women. A sword hangs over her treasures; they will be robbed.


text:
A drought hangs over her waters; they will be dried up. For this is a land of idols; they go mad over these horrors of theirs.


text:
'Therefore wildcats and jackals will live there, and ostriches will settle there. It will never again be peopled, it will be uninhabited age after age;


text:
as when God overthrew S'dom, 'Amora and their neighboring towns,' says ADONAI. 'No one will settle there any more, no human being will live there again.


text:
'Look! A people is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are being stirred up from the ends of the earth.


text:
They are armed with bow and spear; they are cruel, without compassion; their sound is like the roaring sea, as they ride forth on horses. Their men take their battle positions against you, daughter of Bavel.


text:
The king of Bavel has heard news of them; his hands droop, helpless. Anguish seizes hold of him and pain, like a woman in labor.


text:
'It will be like a lion coming up from the thickets of the Yarden against a strong settlement; in an instant I will chase him away and appoint over it whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who can call me to account? What shepherd can stand up to me?'


text:
So hear the plan of ADONAI that he has devised against Bavel, and his goals that he will accomplish against the land of the Kasdim: the least of the flock will drag them away; their own pasture will be in shock at them.


text:
Against Bavel I will send foreigners to winnow her and leave her land empty. They will besiege her from every side on the day of disaster.


text:
Let the archer draw his bow, let him flaunt his coat of mail; do not spare her young men, completely destroy her whole army.


text:
Isra'el and Y'hudah are not left widowed of their God, ADONAI-Tzva'ot; but the land of [the Kasdim] is full of guilt before the Holy One of Isra'el.'


text:
Flee from Bavel, let each one save his life! Don't perish because of her guilt. For the time has come for the vengeance of ADONAI; he will repay her what she deserves.


text:
Bavel was a gold cup in the hands of ADONAI; it made the whole earth drunk - the nations drank her wine; this is why the nations have lost their senses.


text:
Bavel has suddenly fallen. She is broken; wail for her. Bring healing ointment for her wounds; perhaps she can be healed.


text:
'We tried to heal Bavel, but she cannot be healed. So leave her alone, and each of us will return to his own country.' For the judgment against her rises to the skies and reaches even the clouds.


text:
Sharpen the arrows! Fill the quivers! ADONAI roused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because he plans to destroy Bavel. This is the vengeance of ADONAI vengeance over his temple.


text:
Raise a standard against the walls of Bavel! Strengthen the guard! Post the sentries! Prepare ambushes! For ADONAI has both planned and accomplished what he promised to do to those living in Bavel.


text:
You who live near plenty of water, so rich in treasure - your end has come, your time for being cut off!


text:
ADONAI-Tzva'ot has sworn by himself, 'I will fill you with men as numerous as grasshoppers; they will raise over you a shout of triumph.'


text:
He made the earth by his power, established the world by his wisdom spread out the sky by his understanding.


text:
At this, everyone is proved stupid, ignorant, every goldsmith put to shame by his idol! The figures he casts are a fraud, there is no breath in them,


text:
Ya'akov's portion is not like these, for he is the one who formed all things, including the tribe he claims as his heritage. ADONAI-Tzva'ot is his name.


text:
'[Bavel] you are my war club and weapons of war - with you I shatter nations; with you I destroy kingdoms;


text:
with you I shatter husbands and wives; with you I shatter old and young; with you I shatter young men and virgins;


text:
with you I shatter shepherds and their flocks; with you I shatter farmers and their teams; with you I shatter governors and deputies.


text:
'But I will repay Bavel and all living in the land of the Kasdim for all the evil they did in Tziyon,' says ADONAI, 'before your eyes [, Y'hudah].'


text:
'I am against you, destructive mountain, destroying all the earth,' says ADONAI. 'I will stretch out my hand against you, to send you tumbling down from the crags and make you a burned-out mountain.


text:
No one will make cornerstones or foundation-stones from you again; but you will be desolate forever,' says ADONAI.


text:
Raise up a banner in the land, blow the shofar among the nations. Prepare the nations for war against her. Summon kingdoms against her - Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz. Appoint an officer against her; bring up horses like bristling grasshoppers.


text:
Prepare the nations against her, the kings of the Medes, his governors and deputies, and all the land he controls.


text:
The earth quakes and writhes, as ADONAI's designs against Bavel are fulfilled, to make the land of Bavel a ruin, with no one living there.


text:
Bavel's warriors have given up fighting; they remain in their fortresses; their courage has failed; they are now like women. Her homes are on fire, her gate-bars broken.


text:
One runner runs to meet another, messenger to meet messenger, to report to the king of Bavel that every part of his city is taken,


text:
the fords have been occupied, and the swamp thickets set on fire, while the warriors are seized with panic.


text:
For here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of Isra'el, says: 'The daughter of Bavel is like a threshing-floor at treading-time. Just a little while longer, and the time for harvesting her will come.'


text:
N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel has devoured me, crushed me. He left me like an empty pot. Like a monster, he swallowed me whole. With my delicacies he stuffed his belly; then he rinsed me out.


text:
But one who lives in Tziyon will say, 'May my torn flesh be avenged on Bavel'; and Yerushalayim will say, 'May my blood be avenged on the Kasdim.'


text:
Therefore here is what ADONAI says: 'I will plead your cause. I will take vengeance for you. I will dry up her river and make her water sources dry.


text:
Bavel will become a heap of ruins, a place for jackals to live, an object of horror and hissing, with no one living there.


text:
When they are hot with desire, I will prepare them a drink. I will make them so drunk they will have convulsions, sleep forever and never wake up,' says ADONAI.


text:
Sheshakh has been captured, the pride of the whole earth seized! Bavel has become an object of horror throughout the nations!


text:
Her cities have become desolate - parched, arid land, a land where no one lives; nobody even passes through.


text:
'I will punish Bel in Bavel and make him disgorge what he swallowed. The nations will no longer flow to him. Bavel's wall will fall.


text:
Don't be fainthearted, don't be afraid of the rumors spreading abroad in the land. One year one rumor comes, the next year another one, rumors of violence in the land and rulers fighting rulers.


text:
Therefore, listen! The days are coming when I will pass judgment on Bavel's idols. Her whole land will be put to shame, as all her slain fall on home soil.


text:
Then heaven and earth and all that is in them will sing for joy over Bavel; for the plunderers from the north are coming to her,' says ADONAI.


text:
You who escaped the sword, go! Don't stand still! Remember ADONAI from afar, let Yerushalayim come into your minds.


text:
'The reproaches we have heard have put us to shame, disgrace covers our faces; because foreigners have entered the sanctuaries of ADONAI's house.'


text:
'Therefore,' says ADONAI, 'the days are coming when I will pass judgment on her idols, and the wounded will groan throughout her land.


text:
Even if Bavel scales the heavens or reinforces her lofty stronghold, plunderers will come to her from me,' says ADONAI.


text:
For ADONAI is plundering Bavel and silencing her noisy din their waves roar like the raging ocean, their clamor sounds and resounds.


text:
Yes, the plunderer has fallen upon her, fallen on Bavel. Her warriors are captured, their bows are broken. For ADONAI is a God of retribution; he will surely repay.


text:
'I will intoxicate her leaders and sages, her governors, deputies and warriors. They will sleep forever and never wake up,' says the king, whose name is ADONAI-Tzva'ot.


text:
Thus says ADONAI-Tzva'ot: 'The wide walls of Bavel will be razed to the ground, her lofty gates will be set on fire. The peoples are toiling for nothing, the nation's labor goes up in flames, and everyone is exhausted.'


text:
This is the order which Yirmeyahu the prophet gave to S'rayah the son of Neriyah, the son of Machseyah, when he went to Bavel with Tzidkiyahu the king of Y'hudah in the fourth year of his reign. S'rayah was quartermaster.


text:
Yirmeyahu had written on a separate scroll all the above words describing the disaster that was to befall Bavel.


text:
Yirmeyahu said to S'rayah, 'See to it that when you arrive in Bavel you read all these words aloud. Then say,


text:
'ADONAI, you have promised to destroy this place, that no one will live here, neither human nor animal, but that it will be desolate forever.'


text:
and say, 'Like this, Bavel will sink, never to rise again, because of the disaster I am bringing on her; and they will grow weary.'' (Up to here, these have been the words of Yirmeyahu.)


text:
He did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective, following the example of everything Y'hoyakim had done.


text:
so in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel marched against Yerushalayim with his entire army. He set up camp against it and built siege towers against it on every side.


text:
On the ninth day of the fourth month, when the famine in the city was so severe that there was no food for the people of the land,


text:
they broke through into the city. All the soldiers fled and left the city by night through the gate between the two walls, near the king's garden. Because the Kasdim were surrounding the city, they took the route through the 'Aravah.


text:
But the army of the Kasdim went in pursuit of the king and overtook Tzidkiyahu on the plains near Yericho; all his troops deserted him.


text:
Then they took the king and brought him up to the king of Bavel in Rivlah, in the land of Hamat, where he passed judgment on him.


text:
The king of Bavel slaughtered his sons before his eyes; he also slaughtered all the leading men of Y'hudah in Rivlah.


text:
Then the king of Bavel put out Tzidkiyahu's eyes, bound him in chains, carried him off to Bavel and kept him in prison until the day of his death.


text:
In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, which was also the nineteenth year of King N'vukhadretzar, king of Bavel, N'vuzar'adan, the commander of the guard and a close associate of the king of Bavel, entered Yerushalayim.


text:
The whole army of the Kasdim, who were with the commander of the guard, broke down all the walls of Yerushalayim on every side.


text:
N'vuzar'adan the commander of the guard then deported some of the poor people, the remaining population of the city, the deserters who had defected to the king of Bavel and the rest of the common people.


text:
But N'vuzar'adan the commander of the guard left behind some of the poor people of the land to be vineyard-workers and farmers.


text:
The Kasdim smashed the bronze columns of the house of ADONAI, also the trolleys and bronze Sea that were in the house of ADONAI, and carried their bronze to Bavel.


text:
They also took away the pots, shovels, snuffers, basins, pans, and all the bronze articles they had used in worship.


text:
The commander of the guard took the cups, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, menorahs, pans and bowls - everything made of gold and everything made of silver.


text:
The bronze in the two columns, the one Sea, and the twelve bronze bulls under the bases, all of which Shlomo had made for the house of ADONAI, was more than could be weighed.


text:
As for the columns, the height of one column was thirty-one-and-a-half feet; it took a twenty-one-foot measuring line to go around it; and its thickness was four fingers - it was hollow.


text:
On it was a capital of brass eight-and-three quarters feet high, with netting and pomegranates all around the capital, all of bronze; the second column was similar, also with pomegranates.


text:
There were ninety-six pomegranates on the outside; while the total number of pomegranates in the netting was one hundred.


text:
The commander of the guard took [prisoner] S'rayah the chief cohen, Tz'fanyah the second-ranking cohen, and three doorkeepers.


text:
From the city he took an official in charge of the soldiers, seven close associates of the king who had been found in the city, the army commander's secretary in charge of military conscription, and sixty of the common people found inside the city.


text:
The numbers of people deported by N'vukhadretzar were as follows: in the seventh year, 3,023 persons from Y'hudah;


text:
and in the twenty-third year of N'vukhadretzar, N'vuzar'adan the commander of the guard deported 745 persons from Y'hudah; the total comes to 4,600 persons.


text:
In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Y'hoyakhin king of Y'hudah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, Eveel-M'rodakh began his reign as king of Bavel; and in his first year, he commuted the sentence of Y'hoyakhin king of Y'hudah and released him from prison.


text:
So Y'hoyakhin no longer had to wear prison clothes; moreover, he was provided with food as long as he lived,


text:
and he was granted a daily allowance by the king of Bavel to spend on his other needs for as long as he lived, until the day of his death.


text:
How lonely lies the city that once thronged with people! Once great among the nations, now she is like a widow! Once princess among provinces, she has become a vassal.


text:
Bitterly she weeps at night, tears running down her cheeks. Not one of all her lovers is there to comfort her. Her friends have all betrayed her; they have become her enemies.


text:
Y'hudah has fled into exile from oppression and endless slavery. She lives among the nations, but there she finds no rest. Her pursuers have all overtaken her in the midst of her distress.


text:
The roads to Tziyon are mourning because no one comes to the festivals. Her gateways are all deserted, her cohanim are groaning, her unmarried girls are grieving -how bitter it is for her!


text:
Her foes have become the head, her enemies relax, for ADONAI has made her suffer because of her many sins. Her young children have gone away captive before the foe.


text:
All splendor has departed from the daughter of Tziyon. Her princes have become like deer unable to find pasture, running on, exhausted, fleeing from the hunter.


text:
In the days of her affliction and anguish, Yerushalayim remembers all the treasures that were hers, ever since ancient times. Now her people fall into the power of the foe, and she has no one to help her; her enemies are gloating over her, mocking her desolation.


text:
Yerushalayim sinned grievously; therefore she has become unclean. All who honored her now despise her, because they have seen her naked. She herself also moans and turns her face away.


text:
Her filthiness was in her skirts; she gave no thought to how it would end. Hence her astounding downfall, with no one to console her. 'Look, ADONAI, how I suffer; for the foe has triumphed!'


text:
Enemies have reached out their hands to seize all her treasures. She has seen Goyim approach and go inside her sanctuary, those whom you forbade even to enter your assembly.


text:
All her people are groaning, as they search for something to eat. They barter their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. 'Look, ADONAI! See how despised I am.


text:
'May it not happen to you, all you passers-by! 1062 Just look, and see if there is any pain like the pain inflicted on me, which ADONAI made me suffer on the day of his blazing anger.


text:
'From on high, he sent down fire deep into my bones; he spread a net to catch my feet; he turned me back; he left me desolate, in misery all day long.


text:
'My sins have been bound into a yoke, knit together by his hand. It weighs down on my neck, and it saps my strength. Adonai has put me into the power of those I cannot withstand.


text:
'All the strong men within my walls Adonai has rejected. He has set a specific time for crushing my young men. Adonai has trodden, like grapes in a winepress, the virgin daughter of Y'hudah.


text:
'Because of these things, I weep; my eyes, my eyes stream with tears; for anyone who could comfort me and revive my courage is far away. My children are in a state of shock, because the enemy has prevailed.'


text:
Tziyon spreads out her hands, but no one is there to console her. Concerning Ya'akov, ADONAI has ordered those around him to be his foes; Yerushalayim has become for them an unclean, filthy thing.


text:
'ADONAI is in the right, for I rebelled against his word. Listen, please, all you peoples; and see how I am in pain! My young women and my young men have gone into captivity.


text:
'I called out to my lovers, but they let me down. My cohanim and leaders perished in the city, as they were seeking food to keep themselves alive.


text:
'See, ADONAI, how distressed I am! Everything in me is churning! My heart turns over inside me, because I have been so rebellious. Outside, the sword brings bereavement; inside, it is like death.


text:
'People have heard how I groan, with no one to comfort me. All my foes have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it. Bring the day you have promised, so that they will suffer like me!


text:
'Let all their wickedness come before you. Then do to them as you have done to me because of all my offenses. For my groans are many, and I am sick at heart.'


text:
Without pity Adonai swallowed up all the dwellings of Ya'akov. In his wrath he broke down the strongholds of the daughter of Y'hudah, brought them down to the ground, thus profaning the kingdom and its rulers.


text:
In his fierce anger he cut off all the power of Isra'el, withdrew his protecting right hand at the approach of the enemy, and blazed up in Ya'akov like a flaming fire devouring everything around it.


text:
He bent his bow like an enemy, with his right hand set like a foe. He killed all who were pleasant to see. In the tent of the daughter of Tziyon, he poured out his fury like fire.


text:
Adonai became like an enemy; he swallowed up Isra'el, swallowed up all its palaces, and destroyed all its strongholds. For the daughter of Y'hudah he has multiplied mourning and moaning.


text:
He wrecked his tabernacle as easily as a garden, destroyed his place of assembly. ADONAI caused Isra'el to forget designated times and Shabbats. In the heat of his anger he rejected both king and cohen.


text:
Adonai rejected his altar, disowned his sanctuary, and gave her palace walls over to the power of the foe, who raised such shouts in the house of ADONAI that it sounded like a festival day.


text:
ADONAI resolved to destroy the wall of the daughter of Tziyon. He measured it with his line and did not stay his hand until it was all in ruins. He brought grief to rampart and wall; together they lie dejected.


text:
Her gates have sunk into the ground; he destroyed and broke their bars. Her king and rulers are among the Goyim, there is no more Torah, and her prophets do not receive visions from ADONAI.


text:
The leaders of the daughter of Tziyon sit on the ground in silence. They throw dust on their heads; they are wearing sackcloth. The unmarried women of Yerushalayim lower their heads to the ground.


text:
My eyes are worn out from weeping, everything in me is churning; I am empty of emotion because of the wounds to my people, because children and infants are fainting away in the streets of the city.


text:
They keep asking their mothers, 'Where is something to eat or drink?'as they faint away in the streets of the city, gasping out their last breath in their mother's bosom.


text:
What can be said to you, what can be compared with you, daughter of Yerushalayim? What example can I give to comfort you, virgin daughter of Tziyon? For your downfall is as vast as the sea; who can heal you?


text:
The visions your prophets saw for you were futile, just a whitewash. They did not expose your guilt, so as to reverse your fortunes -no, the visions they saw for you were alluring, but futile.


text:
All who pass your way clap their hands at you, hissing and shaking their heads at the daughter of Yerushalayim: 'This city was called 'perfection in beauty'? 'the joy of the whole earth'?'


text:
All your adversaries open their mouths to jeer at you. They hiss, they grind their teeth; they say, 'We have swallowed her up! This is the day we were waiting for, and now we have lived to see it!'


text:
ADONAI has done what he planned, he has fulfilled his promise, which he decreed in ancient times. He has destroyed without pity, he has let the enemy gloat over you and filled your foes with pride.


text:
Their hearts cried out to Adonai, 'Wall of the daughter of Tziyon! Let your tears stream down like a torrent, day and night! Give yourself no respite, give your eyes no rest!


text:
'Get up! Cry out in the night, at the beginning of every watch! Pour your heart out like water before the face of Adonai! Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your babies, who are fainting away from hunger at every streetcorner.'


text:
ADONAI, look and see who it is you have thus tormented! Should women eat the fruit of their wombs, the children they have held in their hands? Should cohanim and prophets be slaughtered in the sanctuary of Adonai?


text:
Youths and old men are lying on the ground in the streets, my unmarried women and young men have fallen by the sword. You killed them on the day of your anger, you slaughtered them without pity.


text:
You have summoned my terrors from every direction, as on a festival day. On the day of ADONAI's anger, not one escaped; not one survived -the children I held in my arms and raised, my enemy has destroyed.


text:
The precious sons of Tziyon, as precious as fine gold -to think they are now worth no more than clay jars made by a potter!


text:
Even jackals bare their breasts in order to nurse their young, but the daughters of my people have become as cruel as ostriches in the desert.


text:
The tongue of the baby at the breast sticks to the roof of its mouth from thirst; young children are begging for bread, but no one is giving them any.


text:
People who once ate only the best lie dying in the streets; those who were raised wearing purple are clawing at piles of garbage.


text:
For the offense of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of S'dom, which was overthrown in an instant, without a hand to help her.


text:
Her princes were purer than snow; they were whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than pink pearls, as beautiful as sapphires.


text:
Now their faces are blacker than coal; in the streets they go unrecognized. Their skin has shriveled over their bones and become as dry as a stick.


text:
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who are dying from hunger; since these waste away as if pierced through, for lack of food from the fields.


text:
With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children; their children became their food when the daughter of my people was destroyed.


text:
ADONAI has finished with his fury, he has poured out his blazing wrath; he kindled a fire in Tziyon that consumed its very foundations.


text:
The kings of the earth could not believe, neither could anyone living in the world, that enemy or foe would ever enter the gates of Yerushalayim.


text:
It happened because of the sins of her prophets and the offenses of her cohanim, who, within her walls, shed the blood of the righteous.


text:
They wander in the streets like the blind; they are so polluted with blood that nobody is able even to touch their clothing.


text:
'Keep away! Unclean!' people shout at them, 'Keep away! Away! Don't touch us!'They flee, to wander here and there; but no nation allows them to stay.


text:
ADONAI himself scattered them; he will no longer look after them; they had no respect for cohanim and showed no kindness to the leaders.


text:
As for us, our eyes are worn out from looking in vain for help; we kept on watching and watching for a nation that couldn't save us.


text:
They keep dogging our steps, so that we can't go out in our streets. Our end is near, our time is up; yes, our end has come.


text:
Those who pursued us were swifter than eagles in the sky. They chased us over the mountains and waylaid us in the desert.


text:
ADONAI's anointed, our life-breath, was caught in their pits; though of him we had said, 'Under his protection, we can live among the nations.'


text:
Rejoice, be glad, daughter of Edom, who lives in the land of 'Utz. To you too the cup will pass; you will get drunk and strip yourself naked!


text:
Your offenses, daughter of Tziyon, are atoned for; he will keep you in exile no longer. Your offenses, daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will expose your sins.


text:
unless you have totally rejected us in a fury that knows no limits. [ADONAI, turn us back to you; and we will come back; renew our days, as they were in the past.]


text:
In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the K'var River, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.


text:
the word of ADONAI came to the cohen Yechezk'el son of Buzi, in the land of the Kasdim by the K'var River; there the hand of ADONAI was on him.


text:
I looked and saw a windy storm approaching from the north and a huge cloud with flashing fire, glowing brightly all around with the color of gleaming amber from within the fire.


text:
Beneath their wings they had human hands on their four sides. The four of them had faces and wings as follows:


text:
they touched one another with their wings; they did not turn when they moved, but each one moved straight forward;


text:
as for the appearance of their faces, they had human faces [in front], each of the four had a lion's face on the right, each of the four had a bull's face on the left, and each of the four had an eagle's face [toward the rear] -


text:
thus their faces. As for their wings, each had two that stretched upward and joined those of others, and two more that covered their bodies.


text:
Each [living creature] moved in the direction of any of its faces; in whichever direction the spirit wanted to go, they went, without turning as they moved -


text:
thus the appearance of the living creatures. With them was something that looked like fiery coals burning the way torches do, with the fire flashing here and there between the living creatures; the fire had a brilliance, and out of the fire went lightning.


text:
As I gazed at the living creatures, I saw wheels on the ground, one next to each of the four-faced living creatures.


text:
All four wheels looked the same: their inner parts gleamed like beryl, and their structure seemed to be that of a wheel inside a wheel.


text:
When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved along with them; and when the creatures were lifted off the ground, the wheels went with them.


text:
Wherever the spirit was to go, they went, in the direction the spirit wanted to go. The wheels were lifted up next to them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.


text:
When [the living creatures] moved, [the wheels] moved; when the former stood still, the latter stood still; and when the former were lifted off the ground, the wheels were lifted up next to them; because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.


text:
Over the heads of the living creatures was what appeared to be a dome glittering like ice; it was awesome, spread out over their heads, above them.


text:
Under the dome each had a pair of wings spread out straight toward those of others, and each had a pair which covered his body.


text:
I heard the sound of their wings when they moved; it was like the sound of rushing water, like the voice of Shaddai, like the noise of a tumultuous crowd or army. When they stopped, they lowered their wings.


text:
Whenever there was a sound from above the dome over their heads, they stopped and lowered their wings.


text:
Above the dome that was over their heads was something like a throne that looked like a sapphire. On it, above it, was what appeared to be a person.


text:
I saw what looked like gleaming, amber-colored fire radiating from what appeared to be his waist upward. Downward from what appeared to be his waist, I saw what looked like fire, giving a brilliant light all around him.


text:
This brilliance around him looked like a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was how the appearance of the glory of ADONAI looked. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.


text:
As he spoke to me, a spirit entered me and put me on my feet, and I heard him who was speaking to me.


text:
He said, 'Human being! I am sending you to the people of Isra'el, that nation of rebels who have rebelled against me - they and their ancestors have been transgressing against me to this very day.


text:
Because they are defiant, hardhearted children, I am sending you; and you are to tell them, 'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says.'


text:
Whether they listen or not, this rebellious house will still know that a prophet has been among them!


text:
'As for you, human being, don't be afraid of them or their words, even if briars and thorns surround you, and you sit among scorpions. Don't be afraid of their words or be upset by their looks, for they are a rebellious house.


text:
But you, human being, hear what I am telling you: don't you be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth, and eat what I am about to give you.'


text:
He spread it out in front of me, and it was covered with writing front and back. Written on it were laments, dirges and woes.


text:
He said to me, 'Human being, eat what you see in front of you; eat this scroll. Then go and speak to the house of Isra'el.'


text:
as he said, 'Human being, eat this scroll I am giving you; fill your insides with it.' When I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey.


text:
For you are not being sent to a people with a difficult language and unintelligible speech, but to the house of Isra'el -


text:
not to many peoples with difficult languages and unintelligible speech, whose words you can't understand when you hear them. Without doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you.


text:
But the house of Isra'el will not be willing to listen to you, because they aren't willing to listen to me; since all the house of Isra'el are obstinate and hardhearted.


text:
Yes, I am making your resoluteness harder than flint, as hard as a diamond. So don't be afraid of them or depressed by how they look at you, because they are a rebellious house.'


text:
Then he said to me, 'Human being, receive in your heart and hear with your ears all my words that I speak to you.


text:
Then go to the exiles, to your countrymen; and speak to them. Tell them, 'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM, says,' whether they listen or not.'


text:
A spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a very loud sound - blessed be the glory of ADONAI from his place!


text:
It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they beat against each other, and the sound of the wheels next to them, a very loud sound.


text:
So a spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and the heat of my spirit, with the hand of ADONAI strong on me.


text:
I went to the exiles who were living in Tel-Aviv, by the K'var River and stayed with them there in a stupefied state for seven days.


text:
'Human being, I have appointed you to be a watchman for the house of Isra'el. When you hear a word from my mouth, you are to warn them for me.


text:
If I say to a wicked person, 'You will certainly die'; and you fail to warn him, to speak and warn the wicked person to leave his wicked way and save his life; then that wicked person will die guilty; and I will hold you responsible for his death.


text:
On the other hand, if you warn the wicked person, and he doesn't turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, then he will still die guilty; but you will have saved your own life.


text:
Similarly, when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, I will place a stumblingblock before him - he will die; because you failed to warn him, he will die in his sin; his righteous acts which he did will not be remembered; and I will hold you responsible for his death.


text:
But if you warn the righteous person that a righteous person should not sin, and he doesn't sin; then he will certainly live, because he took the warning; and you too will have saved your life.'


text:
The hand of ADONAI came on me there, and he said to me, 'Get up, go out to the valley, and I will speak with you there.'


text:
So I got up and went out to the valley. The glory of ADONAI was there, like the glory I had seen by the K'var River; and I fell on my face.


text:
A spirit entered me and put me on my feet. Then he spoke with me and said to me, 'Go, shut yourself inside your house.


text:
I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, so that you will be mute, unable to reprove them; for they are a rebellious house.


text:
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth; and you will say to them, 'This is what Adonai ELOHIM says.' Whoever is inclined to listen will listen, and whoever is inclined to refuse will refuse, because they are a rebellious house.


text:
'As for you, human being, take a clay slab, lay it down in front of you, and draw on it the city of Yerushalayim.


text:
Show it under siege - build towers against it, raise earthworks against it, set up camps against it, and surround it with battering rams.


text:
Then take an iron griddle and put it in place as a wall of iron between yourself and the city, and fix your gaze on it - the city is under siege, and you are the one besieging it. This will be a sign for the house of Isra'el.


text:
'Next, you are to lie on your left side, and have it bear the guilt of the house of Isra'el - for as many days as you lie on your side, you will bear their guilt.


text:
For I am assigning you one day for each year of their guilt; thus you are to bear the guilt of the house of Isra'el for 390 days.


text:
Then, when you have finished that, you are to lie on your right side and bear the guilt of the house of Y'hudah for forty days, each day corresponding to a year; this is what I am assigning you.


text:
You are to fix your gaze on the siege of Yerushalayim, and, with your arm bared, prophesy against it.


text:
I am tying you down with ropes, and you are not to turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege.


text:
'Take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and buckwheat; put them together in one bowl; and make bread from it. For as long as you lie on your side, 390 days, this is what you are to eat.


text:
Each day the food you eat must weigh only three-quarters of a pound; you may eat it from time to time [during the day].


text:
You are also to drink a limited amount of water, two-thirds of a quart; you may drink it from time to time [during the day].


text:
[The bread] you eat is to be baked like barley cakes; you are to bake it before their eyes, using human dung as fuel.'


text:
ADONAI said, 'This is how the people of Isra'el will eat their food - unclean - in the nations where I am driving them.'


text:
I objected: 'No, Adonai ELOHIM! I have never defiled myself - from my youth until now I have never eaten anything that died by itself or was killed by wild animals; no such disgusting food has ever entered my mouth.'


text:
He answered, 'All right, I will give you cow dung to use instead of human dung, and you can prepare your bread on it.'


text:
He then said to me, 'Human being, I am going to cut off the supply of bread in Yerushalayim, so that they will anxiously weigh out bread to eat, and, horrified, ration water to drink.


text:
Finally, due to lack of bread and water, they will stare at each other in shock, wasting away because of their guilt.'


text:
'Now you, human being, take a sharp sword; and use it like a barber's razor to shave your head and beard. Then weigh the hair on a balance-scale, and divide it up.


text:
A third of it you are to burn in the city when the days of the siege are over. Take another third, and hit it with your sword all around the city. Scatter the last third to the wind, and I will pursue them with drawn sword.


text:
Again, of these take some; throw them in the fire, and burn them up; from there a fire will come out against the entire house of Isra'el.


text:
'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM, says: 'This is Yerushalayim! I have placed her in the middle of the nations; countries can be found all around her. But she has rebelled against my rulings and committed wickedness more than the nations, against my laws more than the countries around her; because they have rejected my rulings and not lived according to my laws.' 7 'Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM, says: 'Because you have outdone the nations around you by not living according to my laws or following my rulings or even following the rules of the nations around you,' 8 therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM, says: 'I too am against you, yes, I; and I will execute judgments among you while all the nations look on. 9 Moreover, because of all your disgusting practices, I will do things to you that I have never done before; and I will never do such things again. 10 Parents among you will eat their children, and children will eat their parents! I will execute judgments among you and scatter to all the winds those of you who remain. 11 For, as I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'because you defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and disgusting practices, therefore I swear that I will cut you off - my eye will not spare, I will have no pity. 12 A third of you will die from plague or be consumed by famine inside [Yerushalayim]; a third will fall by the sword all around [Yerushalayim]; and a third I will scatter to all the winds and pursue with the sword.' 13 In this way my anger will spend itself, my fury against them will die down, and I will be satisfied. Then, when I have spent my fury on them, they will know that I, ADONAI, have spoken out of my zeal. 14 'I will make you a ruin and an object of reproach among the nations around you, in the sight of all passing by. 15 When I execute judgments and furious punishments among you in anger and fury, [Yerushalayim] will be an object of reproach, derision and horror, and a lesson to warn the nations around you. I, ADONAI, have announced it. 16 I will send upon them the deadly, destructive arrows of famine, which I will send to destroy you. I will make the famine worse for you by cutting off your food supply. 17 Yes, I will send famine and savage beasts upon you to leave you without children; plague and bloodshed will sweep through you; and I will bring the sword upon you. I, ADONAI, have spoken it.''


text:
'Mountains of Isra'el, hear the word of Adonai ELOHIM: here is what Adonai ELOHIM says about the mountains, hills, ravines and valleys: 'I myself will bring a sword against you and destroy your high places.


text:
Your altars will be wrecked and your pillars for sun-worship broken, and I will throw down your slain ones in front of your idols.


text:
I will lay the corpses of the people of Isra'el in front of their idols and scatter your bones all around your altars.


text:
Everywhere you live, the cities will be destroyed and the high places wrecked; so that your altars can be destroyed and wrecked, your idols broken and abolished, your pillars for sun-worship cut down and the things you have made wiped out.


text:
'''Nevertheless, I will leave a remnant, some who will escape the sword among the nations, when you have been scattered throughout the countries.


text:
Those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they have been exiled. How broken I have been over their whoring hearts that left me, and over their eyes that went whoring after their idols! They are going to loathe themselves for all the evils they committed in their disgusting practices.


text:
Then they will know that I am ADONAI; it isn't for nothing that I said I would bring this calamity upon them.''


text:
'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Strike with your hand, and stamp with your foot, and bemoan all the terrible disgusting practices of the house of Isra'el. For they will fall by sword, famine and plague.


text:
Those far away will die from the plague, those nearby will fall by the sword, and whoever stays and is besieged will die from famine. This is how I will spend my fury on them.


text:
You will know that I am ADONAI when their slain men are lying among their idols around their altars on every high hill, on every mountaintop, under every green tree, under every thick pistachio tree, wherever they offered sweet-smelling sacrifices to appease their idols.


text:
I will stretch out my hand over them and make the land wherever they live into a desolate waste worse than the Divlah Desert. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.''


text:
'As for you, human being, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says about the land of Isra'el: 'The end! The end is coming to the four corners of the land!


text:
Now the end is upon you! I will send my anger upon you, I will judge you according to your ways. I will bring on you all your disgusting practices.


text:
My eye will not spare you, I will have no pity, but I will bring your ways upon you, and your disgusting practices will be done among you. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.'


text:
Doom has come to you, you who live in the land! The time has come, the day is near, for tumult, not joyful shouts on the mountains.


text:
Now, soon, I will pour out my fury on you, I will spend my anger on you; I will judge you according to your ways I will bring on you all your disgusting practices.


text:
My eye will not spare you, I will have no pity; but will bring upon you what your ways deserve; and your disgusting practices will be among you. Then you will know it is I, ADONAI, striking you.


text:
Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness. Nothing is left of them, nothing of their crowds, nothing of their wealth - there is nothing of importance in them.


text:
The time has come, the day has arrived; let neither buyer rejoice nor seller regret; for wrath is coming to all her many people.


text:
For the seller will not return to what he sold, even if he is still alive; for though the vision was brought to all her many people, nobody repented. Each kept living his own wicked life; they weren't strong enough [to repent].


text:
The shofar has sounded, everything is ready, but no one goes out to the battle, for my wrath is coming to all her many people.


text:
''Outside is the sword, inside plague and famine. Those in the country will die by the sword. And as for those in the city, plague and famine will eat them up.


text:
But if any of them manage to escape, they will head for the mountains like doves from the valleys, all of them moaning, each for his sin.


text:
They will put on sackcloth; horror will cover them; every face will be ashamed, every head shaved bald.


text:
They will throw their silver into the streets; their gold will be like something unclean. On the day of ADONAI's wrath their silver and gold won't be able to rescue them. These things won't satisfy their hunger, these things won't fill their stomachs, because these are what caused them to sin.


text:
From their beautiful jewellery, in which they took such pride, they made their abominable idols and their other detestable things; therefore, for them I have caused it to be like something unclean.


text:
I will hand it over to foreigners as booty, to the wicked of the earth as spoil, and they will profane it.


text:
I will turn my face away from them; then [Bavel] will profane my secret place, robbers will enter and profane it.


text:
Therefore I will bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their homes; I will end the arrogance of the strong; and their holy places will be profaned.


text:
Calamity will follow calamity, rumor will follow rumor; they will seek a vision from the prophet, but Torah will perish from the cohen and advice from the leaders.


text:
The king will go into mourning, the prince will be clothed with fright, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble in terror. I will treat them as their way of life deserves and judge them as they have judged others. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.''


text:
On the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year, as I was sitting in my house, and the leaders of Y'hudah were sitting there with me, the hand of Adonai ELOHIM fell on me.


text:
I looked and saw what seemed like a man made of fire. From what appeared to be his waist downward was fire, and from his waist upward was what appeared to be a gleaming amber-colored brilliance.


text:
The form of a hand was put out, which took me by a lock of my hair; and a spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me, in these visions from God, to Yerushalayim, to the entrance of the inner [courtyard] gate that faces north. There stood the idol that [arouses God's] jealousy and provokes [his] zealous indignation.


text:
Then he said to me, 'Human being, raise your eyes toward the north.' I raised my eyes toward the north and saw, north of the Altar Gate, this image that [arouses God's] jealousy in the entryway.


text:
He asked me, 'Human being, do you see what they are doing, the horribly disgusting practices that the house of Isra'el is committing here, so that I must distance myself from my own sanctuary? But you will see even worse abominations.'


text:
So I went in and looked, and there, carved on the walls all around, were every kind of reptile and repulsive animal, along with all the idols of the house of Isra'el.


text:
Standing in front of them were seventy of the leading men of the house of Isra'el - in the center stood Ya'azanyahu the son of Shafan. Each man had his incense-burner in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up.


text:
Then he said to me, 'Human being, did you see what the leaders of the house of Isra'el are doing in the dark, each one in the room of his own carved image, because they say, 'ADONAI can't see us; ADONAI has left the land.'?'


text:
He brought me to the entrance of the north gate to ADONAI's house; and there before me were women weeping for Tammuz.


text:
'Human being,' he asked me, 'have you seen this? You will see practices even more disgusting than these.'


text:
He brought me into the inner courtyard of ADONAI's house; and there, at the entrance to the temple of ADONAI, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of ADONAI and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun toward the east.


text:
He asked me, 'Human being, have you seen this? Does the house of Y'hudah consider it a casual matter that they commit the disgusting practices they are committing here, thus filling the land with violence, provoking me still more? Look! They are even putting the branch to their nose!


text:
Therefore I will act in fury, my eye will not spare, I will have no pity. Even if they cry loudly right in my ears, I will not listen to them.'


text:
Then he cried loudly right in my ears: 'Summon the commanders of the city, each holding his weapon of destruction.'


text:
At once, six men approached on the path from the upper gate, to the north, each man holding his weapon of destruction. Among them was a man clothed in linen, with a scribe's writing equipment at his waist. They entered and stood by the bronze altar.


text:
Then the glory of the God of Isra'el was made to go up from over the keruv, where it had been, to the threshold of the house. He called to the man clothed in linen, who had the scribe's writing equipment at his waist.


text:
ADONAI said to him, 'Go throughout the city, through all Yerushalayim, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who are sighing and crying over all the disgusting practices that are being committed in it.'


text:
To the others I heard him say, 'Go through the city after him and strike! Don't let your eye spare; have no pity!


text:
Kill old men, young men, girls, little children, women - slaughter them all! But don't go near anyone with the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.' They began with the leaders in front of the house.


text:
Then he said to them, 'Defile the house! Fill the courtyards with corpses! Get going!' So they went out, spreading death in the city.


text:
While the killing was going on, I was left alone. I fell on my face, cried, and said, 'Oh, Adonai ELOHIM! In pouring out your fury on Yerushalayim, are you going to destroy everyone left in Isra'el?'


text:
Then he said to me, 'The wickedness of the house of Isra'el and Y'hudah is enormous, the land is full of blood, and the city is full of justice denied; because they say, 'ADONAI has left the land, ADONAI doesn't see.'


text:
But as far as I am concerned, my eye will not spare, and I will have no pity, but I will bring [the consequences of] their ways on their own heads.'


text:
At this point the man clothed in linen with the writing equipment at his waist returned and reported, 'I have done everything you ordered me to do.'


text:
Then I looked, and suddenly, on the dome over the heads of the k'ruvim, there appeared above them something like sapphire that seemed to take the form of a throne.


text:
He spoke to the man clothed in linen; he said, 'Go in between the wheels under the k'ruvim, fill both your hands with fiery coals from between the k'ruvim, and throw them on the city.' As I watched, he went.


text:
Now the k'ruvim were standing to the right of the house when the man entered, and the cloud filled the inner courtyard.


text:
The glory of ADONAI rose from above the keruv to the threshold of the house, leaving the house filled with the cloud and the courtyard full of the brilliance of ADONAI's glory.


text:
The sound of the wings of the k'ruvim could be heard even in the outer courtyard sounding like the voice of God, Shaddai, when he speaks.


text:
When he ordered the man clothed in linen to take fire from between the wheels, from between the k'ruvim, he went in and stood next to a wheel;


text:
and a keruv put out his hand from between the k'ruvim into the fire between the k'ruvim, took some of it, and put it in the hands of the one clothed in linen, who took it and went out.


text:
I looked and saw four wheels next to the k'ruvim, one wheel next to one keruv and another wheel next to another keruv: the wheels had the color of beryl.


text:
When they moved, they could go in any of the four directions without turning as they moved; rather, wherever the head looked, they followed without turning as they moved.


text:
Their whole bodies, including their backs, hands and wings, and also the wheels, were full of eyes all around - even the wheels of the four k'ruvim.


text:
Every one [of the k'ruvim] had four faces: the first face was the face of a keruv, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion and the fourth the face of an eagle.


text:
When the k'ruvim moved, the wheels went with them; and when the k'ruvim lifted their wings to rise off the ground, these wheels did not stop going with them.


text:
When [the k'ruvim] stood still, [the wheels] stood still; and when the former rose, the latter rose with them; because the spirit of the living creatures was in them.


text:
The k'ruvim lifted their wings and rose off the earth - I was watching as they went off with the wheels next to them. They paused at the entrance to the east gate of ADONAI's house, with the glory of the God of Isra'el over them, from above.


text:
This was the living creature I had seen beneath the God of Isra'el by the K'var River, so I knew they were k'ruvim.


text:
Each of the four had four faces, and each had four wings, and what looked like a man's hands was under their wings.


text:
As for how their faces looked, they were the faces I had seen by the K'var River, identical in appearance. Each one moved straight ahead.


text:
Then a spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of ADONAI's house, the gate that faces eastward. At the entrance of the gate I saw twenty-five men; among them were Ya'azanyah the son of 'Azur and P'latyahu the son of B'nayahu, leaders of the people.


text:
He said to me, 'Human being, these are the men who make evil plans and give wicked advice in this city.


text:
The Spirit of ADONAI fell on me, and he said to me, 'Say, 'Here is what ADONAI says: 'What you are saying is correct, house of Isra'el; because I know how your minds work.


text:
Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Those you have killed and strewn all over it, they are the meat; and this city is indeed the cooking pot; but you will be removed from it.


text:
You will die by the sword; I will judge you at the border of Isra'el; and you will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
This city will not be your cooking pot, but you will be the meat in it - I will judge you at Isra'el's frontier;


text:
and you will know that I am ADONAI. For you have not lived by my laws or obeyed my rulings but have acted according to the rules of the nations surrounding you.'''


text:
As I was prophesying, P'latyahu the son of B'nayah died. I fell down on my face and cried out, 'Oh, Adonai ELOHIM! Are you going to destroy completely those of Isra'el who are left?'


text:
'Human being, it is to your kinsmen - your brothers, your relatives and the whole house of Isra'el - that the people living in Yerushalayim have said, 'Get away from ADONAI! This land has been given to us to possess!'


text:
Therefore, say that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'True, I removed them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries; nevertheless, I have been a little sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.'


text:
Therefore, say that Adonai ELOHIM says this: ''I will gather you from the peoples and collect you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give the land of Isra'el to you.'


text:
and I will give them unity of heart. 'I will put a new spirit among you.' I will remove from their bodies the hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh;


text:
so that they will live by my regulations, obey my rulings and act by them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.


text:
But as for those whose hearts go after the heart of their loathsome things and disgusting practices, I will bring [the consequences of] their ways on their own heads,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
The k'ruvim lifted their wings, and the wheels were next to them, with the glory of the God of Isra'el over them, above.


text:
Next, the glory of ADONAI rose from within the city and stood over the mountain which is on the east side of the city.


text:
Then a spirit lifted me up and brought me, in the vision, by the Spirit of God, to the exiles in the land of the Kasdim; after which the vision I had seen left me.


text:
'Human being, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes that can see, but they don't take notice; and they have ears that can hear, but they don't pay attention; because they are a rebellious people.


text:
So you, human being, prepare supplies for exile; and during the daytime, as they watch, go away as if you were going into exile - leave your place, and go somewhere else as they watch. Perhaps they will take notice, even though they are a rebellious house.


text:
Bring out your belongings during the day while they watch, as supplies for exile; and you yourself, while they watch, are to leave as people do who are going into exile.


text:
While they watch, you are to shoulder your pack and carry it out into the dark, with your face covered, so that you can't see the ground; for I am making you a sign for the house of Isra'el.'


text:
So I did as I had been ordered - I brought out my belongings during the day as supplies for exile, and in the evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand; then I carried my pack out on my shoulder in the dark as they watched.


text:
Tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this prophecy concerns the prince in Yerushalayim and all the house of Isra'el there.


text:
Say: 'I am a sign for you. As I have done, so will it be done to them - they will go into exile, into captivity.


text:
The prince who is with them will shoulder his pack and leave in the dark. They will dig holes through the wall to carry out their supplies. He will cover his face, so that he won't be able to see the ground with his eyes.


text:
I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. Then I will bring him to Bavel, to the land of the Kasdim. But he will not see it, even though he is going to die there.


text:
I will scatter to every wind all who are in attendance on him to help him, along with all his troops; and I will pursue them with the sword.


text:
They will know that I am ADONAI when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the countries.


text:
But I will spare a few of them from sword, famine and plague; so that they can tell about all their disgusting practices among the nations where they go; thus they too will know that I am ADONAI.''


text:
and say to the people of the land, 'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says concerning those living in Yerushalayim in the land of Isra'el: 'They will eat their bread in anxiety and drink their water in horror; because the land will be desolated from everything that fills it, due to the violence of those living there.


text:
The inhabited cities will be laid waste, the land will be desolate, and you will know that I am ADONAI.'''


text:
'Human being, don't you have this proverb in the land of Isra'el, 'Time keeps passing, and none of the visions are fulfilled'?


text:
Therefore tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will put an end to that proverb; never again will they use it as a proverb in Isra'el.' Tell them, 'The time has come for the fulfillment of every vision.


text:
because I am ADONAI. I will speak; and whatever statement I make, it will be accomplished. It will no longer be delayed; for in your days, you rebellious house, I will speak the word and accomplish it,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'Human being, look! People from the house of Isra'el are saying, 'The vision he sees concerns the distant future; he is prophesying about a time far off.'


text:
Therefore, say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'None of my words will be delayed any more, but the word that I speak will be accomplished,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'Human being, prophesy against the prophets of Isra'el who prophesy. Tell those prophesying out of their own thoughts, 'Listen to what ADONAI says!


text:
Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Woe to the vile prophets who follow their own spirits and things which they have not seen!


text:
You [prophets] have not gone up to the breaks in the barricade or repaired it for the house of Isra'el, so that they can stand fast in battle on the day of ADONAI.


text:
Their visions are futile and their divination is false; they say, 'ADONAI says,' when ADONAI has not sent them; yet they hope that the word will be confirmed.


text:
Haven't you had a futile vision and spoken a false divination when you say, 'ADONAI says,' and I have not spoken?


text:
Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM does say: 'Because you have spoken futilities and seen falsehoods, therefore I am against you,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'''My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and produce false divinations; they will not be allowed into the council of my people, or be written in the register of the house of Isra'el, or enter the land of Isra'el. Then you will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
They deserve this, because they have led my people astray by saying there is peace when there is no peace. If someone builds a wall without mortar, they 'plaster' it with whitewash [to make it appear strong].


text:
and the wall will fall down. Then people will ask you, 'Where is the whitewash you used to 'plaster' it?''


text:
Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says: 'In my rage I will cause gale-force winds to break out, and in my anger there will come a cloudburst, with huge hailstones to consume it in fury.


text:
This is how I will break down the wall you covered with whitewash - I will smash it to the ground, so that its foundation will be revealed. The wall will fall down, and you will be consumed with it. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
In this way I will spend my fury on the wall and on those who covered it with whitewash; and I will say to you, 'The wall is gone, and so are those who 'plastered' it,'


text:
that is, the prophets of Isra'el who prophesy about Yerushalayim and see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'You, human being, turn your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own thoughts. Prophesy against them;


text:
tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Woe to the women who sew magic pads for all arm joints and put veils over people of all sizes, in order to hunt human lives! Will you hunt down the lives of my people while you keep your own lives safe?


text:
You dishonor me before my people for a few handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread, killing people who should not die and sparing those who should not live, by your lying to my people, who love hearing lies.'


text:
Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against your pads, with which you hunt human lives like birds; I will tear them from your arms and let the lives go, yes, the human lives that you hunt like birds.


text:
I will also tear your veils and rescue my people from your clutches, so that they will no longer be in your power for you to hunt. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies when I was not trying to cause them pain and have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their wicked ways and thus be saved,


text:
therefore you will have no more futile visions, and you will produce no more divinations. I will rescue my people from your clutches, and you will know that I am ADONAI.''


text:
'Human being, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, thus setting in front of themselves the stumblingblock that leads to sin. Should I let them consult me at all?


text:
Therefore speak to them, and tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Everyone in the house of Isra'el who takes his idols into his heart, thus setting in front of himself the stumblingblock that leads to sin, and then comes to the prophet, I myself, ADONAI, will answer him in a manner suited to his many idols,


text:
in order to grab hold of the house of Isra'el in their hearts; since, through their idols, they have all fallen away from me.'


text:
'Therefore say to the house of Isra'el that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Repent! Turn yourselves away from your idols, turn your faces away from all your disgusting practices!


text:
For everyone, whether from the house of Isra'el or a foreigner living in Isra'el, who separates himself from me and takes his idols into his heart, thus setting in front of himself the stumblingblock that leads to sin, and then comes to the prophet, asking him to consult me for him, I myself, ADONAI, will answer him.


text:
I will set my face against that person, make him a warning sign and an example, and cut him off from my people. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
''Now, whenever a prophet is enticed into speaking a word, it will be I, ADONAI, who will have enticed that prophet. I will stretch out my hand over him and destroy him from among my people Isra'el.


text:
The prophets will bear the guilt for their sins - the sin of the prophet will be the same as the sin of the inquirer -


text:
so that the house of Isra'el will no longer wander away from me or defile themselves with all their crimes; rather, they will be my people and I will be their God,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'Human being, when a land sins against me by dealing treacherously with me, so that I stretch out my hand over it and break off its food supply, sending it famine and eliminating both its humans and its animals;


text:
even if these three men were in it - Noach, Dani'el and Iyov - they would by their righteousness save only themselves,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'If I unleash wild beasts on the land, and they kill its children and desolate it, so that no one can pass through because of the animals;


text:
even if these three men were in it, as I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved, and the land would remain barren.


text:
'Or if I bring the sword down on that land, saying, 'Let the sword pass through the land,' so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals;


text:
even if these three men were in it, as I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved.


text:
'Or if I bring a plague into that land and pour out my fury on it in bloodshed, so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals;


text:
even if Noach, Dani'el and Iyov were in it, as I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'they would save neither a son nor a daughter; they would save only themselves by their righteousness.'


text:
For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Even if I inflict my four dreadful judgments on Yerushalayim - sword, famine, wild animals and plagues - to eliminate both its humans and its animals;


text:
there will still be left a remnant in it to be brought out, including both sons and daughters. When they come out to you, and you see their way of life and how they act, then you will be consoled over the calamity I have brought upon Yerushalayim, over everything I have done to it.


text:
Yes, they will console you when you see their way of life and how they act; and you will understand that it was not without good reason that I did what I did in [Yerushalayim],' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'Human being, why should wood from a grapevine be better than some other kind of wood, than some branch that one might find among the trees of the forest?


text:
So now it is thrown in the fire as fuel, the fire consumes both ends of it, and the middle of it is singed is it useful now for making something?


text:
When it was whole, it was good for nothing; so how much less, when the fire has consumed it, and it is singed, will it be useful for making something!


text:
'So Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Like wood from the vine among the trees of the forest, which I consign to the fire as fuel, so I give those living in Yerushalayim.


text:
I will set my face against them they may have escaped one fire, but the fire will consume them yet. When I set my face against them, you will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
Say that Adonai ELOHIM is telling Yerushalayim, 'By origin and birth you are of the land of the Kena'ani - your father was an Emori, and your mother was a Hitti.


text:
As for your birth - on the day you were born nobody cut your umbilical cord, washed you in water to clean you off, rubbed salt on you or wrapped you in cloth.


text:
No one seeing you had enough pity on you to do any of these things for you - no one had any compassion on you. Instead, you were thrown into an open field in your own filth on the day you were born.


text:
''I passed by and saw you there, wallowing in your own blood; and as you lay in your blood I said to you, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you, as you lay in your blood, 'Live!


text:
I will increase your numbers just like plants growing in the field.' And you did increase, you developed, you reached puberty, your breasts appeared, and your hair grew long; but you were naked and exposed.


text:
''Again I passed by you, looked at you and saw that your time had come, the time for love. So I spread my cloak over you to cover your private parts and entered into a covenant with you,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'and you became mine.


text:
I also clothed you with an embroidered gown, gave you fine leather sandals to wear, put a fine linen headband on your head and covered you with silk.


text:
Thus you were decked out in gold and silver; your clothing was of fine linen, silk and richly embroidered cloth; you ate the finest flour, honey and olive oil. You grew increasingly beautiful - you were fit to be queen.


text:
Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty, because it was perfect, due to my having bestowed my own splendor on you' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''But you put your trust in your own beauty and began prostituting yourself because of your fame, soliciting everyone passing by and accepting all comers.


text:
You took your clothes and used them to decorate with bright colors the high places you made for yourself, and there you continued prostituting yourself. Such things shouldn't happen, and in the future they won't.


text:
You also took your beautiful jewels made of my gold and my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images, with which you continued to prostitute yourself.


text:
You took your embroidered clothing and covered them; you set my olive oil and my incense in front of them;


text:
and you took my food, which I had given you - my fine flour, olive oil and honey, that I had given you to eat - and set it in front of them to give a pleasant aroma. That is how it was,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''Moreover, your sons and daughters, whom you bore me, you took and sacrificed for them to devour. Were these fornications of yours a casual matter? -


text:
In all your disgusting practices and fornications you never remembered the condition you were in when you were young - naked, exposed and wallowing in your own blood.


text:
You built your high places at every streetcorner, turning your beauty into an abomination, spreading your legs for every passer-by, and multiplying your acts of fornication.


text:
You had sex with your big-membered Egyptian neighbors and engaged in fornication over and over, just to provoke me.


text:
So now I have stretched out my hand over you, diminished your ration of food and put you at the mercy of those who hate you, the daughters of the P'lishtim, who find your lewd behavior revolting.


text:
''Still unsatisfied, you acted like a whore also with the people of Ashur; yes, you fornicated with them and were still not satisfied.


text:
You multiplied your acts of fornication with the land of traders, the Kasdim, and still weren't satisfied.


text:
''You are so weak-willed!' says Adonai ELOHIM. 'You do all these things, behaving like a shameless whore,


text:
building your platforms on every streetcorner, making your high places in every open space - and yet you aren't like a whore, because you scorn getting paid.


text:
but also instead of receiving gifts like every other prostitute, you give gifts to all your lovers, you bribe them to come to you from all over the place and have sex with you!


text:
You are the opposite of other women - you solicit the fornication, you aren't solicited; and you pay them, they don't pay you - you're the opposite!


text:
Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because your filth has been poured out and your privates exposed through your acts of fornication with your lovers, and because of all the idols of your disgusting practices, and because of the blood of your children, which you gave them,


text:
therefore, look! I am going to gather all your lovers, to whom you have been so very nice, all the ones you hate right along with all the ones you love - I will gather them against you from all over the place and expose your private parts to them, so that they will see you completely naked.


text:
I will pronounce on you the sentence that applies to women who commit adultery and murder; I will bring on you the death [decreed for] furious jealousy.


text:
Yes, I will hand you over to them; and they will make a ruin of your platforms, tear down your high places, strip you of your clothes, take away your jewels, and leave you naked and exposed.


text:
They will also bring up a mob against you, who will stone you to death and hack you to pieces with their swords.


text:
They will burn your houses to the ground and execute judgments against you in the presence of many women. I will make you stop fornicating, and you will never again pay for a lover.


text:
''Yes, I will satisfy my fury against you. But after that, my jealousy will leave you; and I will calm down and no longer be angry.


text:
''Because you didn't remember the condition you were in when you were young, but enraged me with all these things, therefore I will bring [the consequences of] your ways on your own head' says Adonai ELOHIM. ''You committed these obscenities in addition to all your other disgusting practices!


text:
Yes, you are your mother's daughter, who despises her husband and children; you are the sister of your sisters, who despise their husbands and children; your mother was a Hitti and your father an Emori.


text:
Moreover, your older sister is Shomron, who lives at your left, she and her daughters; and your younger sister, living at your right, is S'dom with her daughters.


text:
You didn't merely live by their ways and act according to their disgusting practices, but in a very short time you acted more corruptly than they in all your ways.


text:
''As I live' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'your sister S'dom has not done, neither she nor her daughters, [as much evil] as you have done, you and your daughters.


text:
The crimes of your sister S'dom were pride and gluttony; she and her daughters were careless and complacent, so that they did nothing to help the poor and needy.


text:
They were arrogant and committed disgusting acts before me; so that when I saw it, I swept them away.


text:
Shomron did not commit even half as many sins as you did. You committed many more disgusting acts than your sisters; in fact, in comparison with all the disgusting acts you have committed, they seem innocent!


text:
But you too must bear your disgrace; for by your passing judgment that your sisters were innocent, through your having committed sins worse than theirs, they are shown to be more righteous than you. So be ashamed, and bear the disgrace you deserve for making your [guilty] sisters seem innocent!


text:
''I will end their exile - the exile of S'dom and her daughters, the exile of Shomron and her daughters, and the exile of your captives there among them;


text:
so that you can bear your own shame and experience the disgrace you deserve for all you have done to shield them from feeling their own guilt.


text:
Your sisters, S'dom with her daughters and Shomron with her daughters, will return to their previous condition; and you with your daughters will return to your previous condition.


text:
before your own wickedness was exposed. But now the daughters of Aram mock you, as do her neighbors; and the daughters of the P'lishtim on every side are repulsed by you.


text:
'For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will do to you as you have done - you treated the oath with contempt by breaking the covenant.


text:
Nevertheless, I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl and will establish an everlasting covenant with you.


text:
Then you will remember your behavior and be ashamed of it as you receive your older and younger sisters and make them your daughters, even though the covenant with you does not cover that;


text:
so that you will remember and be so ashamed that you will never open your mouth again, so ashamed will you be when I have forgiven you all that you have done,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
say that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'A big eagle having great wings and long pinions full of varicolored feathers came to the L'vanon and took over the top of the cedar.


text:
He cropped off the topmost of its young twigs, carried them to a land of traders and set them down in a city of merchants.


text:
He also took some of the seed in the land and planted it in fertile soil, placing it where there was abundant water, as one would a willow.


text:
It grew to become a fruitful vine sprawling over the ground; its branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him - thus it became a vine, sprouting branches and putting forth shoots.


text:
''There was another big eagle with great wings and many feathers; and the vine bent its roots toward him and put forth its branches toward him, so that he might water it more than in the bed where it was planted.


text:
It had been planted in good soil, near plenty of water, so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a noble vine.'


text:
'Say that Adonai ELOHIM asks: 'Will it succeed? Won't he pull it up by the roots and cut off its fruit; so that it dries up; and all its sprouting leaves wither? There will be no great power and few people there when it is plucked up by the roots.


text:
Will it thrive just because it was planted? Won't it wither altogether when the east wind strikes it? Yes, it will wither right there in the beds where it was growing.''


text:
'Say to the rebellious house: 'Don't you know what these things mean?' Tell them: 'Here, the king of Bavel came to Yerushalayim, took its king and princes and brought them to himself in Bavel.


text:
Then he took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. He removed the powerful leaders of the land,


text:
so that this kingdom of his would stay humble and not develop aspirations of its own; rather, it would keep his covenant and live accordingly.


text:
But this man rebelled and sent representatives to Egypt, in order to obtain horses and a sizeable army. Can he succeed? Can someone who does such things escape punishment? Can he break the covenant and still escape punishment?


text:
''As I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'in the place where the king who gave him his throne lives, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke, there with him in Bavel I swear that he will die.


text:
Pharaoh with his mighty army and numerous troops will give him no help in the war, when they raise siege-works and build fortified towers to destroy many people;


text:
because he despised the oath by breaking the covenant to which he had sworn allegiance; having done all these things, he will not escape unpunished.'


text:
Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says: 'As I live, I swear that it is my oath he has despised and my covenant he has broken, and I will bring this on his own head.


text:
I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Bavel and bring him to judgment there for breaking faith with me.


text:
The elite troops among his forces will die by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, ADONAI, said it.'


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says, 'From the top of this tall cedar, from its highest branch, I will take a shoot and plant it myself on a high and prominent mountain.


text:
I will plant it on the highest mountain in Isra'el, where it will put out branches, bear fruit, and become a noble cedar. Under it will live all kinds of birds; winged creatures of every description will live there in the shadow of its branches.


text:
Then all the trees of the field will know that I, ADONAI, bring down the tall tree and raise up the low tree, wither the green tree and make the withered tree bear fruit. I, ADONAI, have spoken; and I will do it.''


text:
'What does it mean, that you keep quoting this proverb in the land of Isra'el 'When parents eat sour grapes, their children's teeth are set on edge'?


text:
Look, all lives belong to me - both the parent's life and the child's life are equally mine - so it is the person who sins, himself, who must die.


text:
He doesn't eat on the mountains or raise his eyes toward the idols of the house of Isra'el; he doesn't defile his neighbor's wife or touch a woman during her time of menstrual impurity;


text:
he doesn't wrong anyone; he returns any pledged property a debtor has given as collateral for a loan; he takes nothing by robbery, but gives his food to the hungry and clothing to those who need it;


text:
he neither demands nor accepts interest on a loan; he refrains from what is evil; and he judges honestly between one person and another.


text:
In short, he lives according to my laws and observes my rulings, so as to act faithfully. Such a person is righteous, and he will certainly live,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'Now suppose he is the father of a son who is a robber, a murderer, or who does any of these things to a brother -


text:
whereas the father himself does none of them. He eats on the mountains, defiles his neighbor's wife,


text:
wrongs the poor and needy, takes by robbery, doesn't restore pledged property, raises his eyes toward the idols, engages in disgusting practices,


text:
demands and accepts interest. Should he live? He will not live, because he has engaged in all these disgusting practices - he must be put to death; his blood is on him.


text:
'But now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father committed, thinks about them, and behaves differently.


text:
He doesn't eat on the mountains, raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Isra'el, defile his neighbor's wife,


text:
wrong others, keep pledged property or take by robbery, but gives his food to the hungry and clothing to those in need of it;


text:
he refrains from oppressing the poor; and he neither demands nor accepts interest. He obeys my rulings and lives according to my laws. So he will not die for his father's sins but will certainly live.


text:
Yet his father, because he oppressed so cruelly, committed robbery against his brother and never did anything good among his people - he will die for his sins.


text:
'You ask, 'Why doesn't the son bear his father's guilt?' When the son has done what is lawful and right, has kept all my laws and obeyed them, he will certainly live.


text:
The person who sins is the one that will die - a son is not to bear his father's guilt with him, nor is the father to bear his son's guilt with him; but the righteousness of the righteous will be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked will be his own.


text:
'However, if the wicked person repents of all the sins he committed, keeps my laws and does what is lawful and right; then he will certainly live, he will not die.


text:
None of the transgressions he has committed will be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done, he will live.


text:
Do I take any pleasure at all in having the wicked person die?' asks Adonai ELOHIM. 'Wouldn't I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?


text:
'On the other hand, when the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness by acting in accordance with all the disgusting practices that the wicked person does, will he live? None of the righteous deeds he has done will be remembered; for the trespasses and sins he has committed, he will die.


text:
'So now you say, 'ADONAI's way isn't fair.' Listen, house of Isra'el! Is it my way that is unfair? or your ways that are unfair?


text:
When the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, he will die for it - for the wickedness he commits he will die.


text:
And when the wicked person turns away from all the wickedness he has committed and does what is lawful and right, he will save his life.


text:
Because he thinks it over and repents of all the transgressions he committed, he will certainly live, not die.


text:
Yet the house of Isra'el says, 'ADONAI's way isn't fair.' House of Isra'el, is it my ways that are unfair, or your ways that are unfair?


text:
Therefore, house of Isra'el, I will judge each of you according to his ways,' says Adonai ELOHIM. 'Repent, and turn yourselves away from all your transgressions, so that they will not be a stumblingblock that brings guilt upon you.


text:
Throw far away from yourselves all your crimes that you committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit; for why should you die, house of Isra'el?


text:
I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'so turn yourselves around, and live!


text:
say: 'What a mother you had a lioness among lions! She lay down among young lions and reared her cubs.


text:
One of her cubs she singled out: he became a young lion, he learned to seize his prey, he became a man-eater.


text:
The nations sounded an alarm against him; and he was caught in their pit. With hooks they dragged him off to the land of Egypt.


text:
When she saw that she had been thwarted, that her hope was lost, she took another of her cubs and made a young lion of him.


text:
He prowled among the lions, grew to be a young lion, learned to seize his prey and became a man-eater.


text:
He raped their widows and destroyed their cities; the land and all in it were appalled at the sound of his roaring.


text:
The nations set a snare for him from the provinces all around, they spread their net over him, and he was caught in their pit.


text:
With hooks they put him in a cage and brought him to the king of Bavel to imprison him in a fortress, so that his roar would be heard no more on the mountains of Isra'el.


text:
''Your mother was like a strong grapevine planted by the water. It was fruitful and luxuriant because of the abundant water.


text:
It had strong branches to be used as scepters by rulers; besides having thick foliage, it grew taller and taller, until its height was noticed, with its mass of branches.


text:
But it was torn up in fury and flung on the ground. An east wind withered her fruit, her strong branches were broken off; they dried up; and fire consumed the vine.


text:
Fire has gone out from its own branches, burning up its fruit, so that now it has no strong branch to be a ruler's scepter.'' This lamentation became very well known.


text:
On the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year, some of Isra'el's leaders came to consult ADONAI and sat with me;


text:
'Human being, speak to Isra'el's leaders; tell them that Adonai ELOHIM asks, 'Have you come to consult me? As I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'I swear that I will not let you consult me.'


text:
'Are you going to judge them? Human being, are you going to judge them? Then have them realize how disgusting their ancestors' practices were.


text:
Tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Back on the day when I chose Isra'el, I raised my hand to the descendants of the house of Ya'akov. I revealed myself to them in the land of Egypt when I raised my hand to them and said, 'I am ADONAI your God.'


text:
On the day I raised my hand to them, pledging to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had reconnoitered for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands,


text:
I told them, 'Each of you is to throw away the detestable things that draw your eyes. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am ADONAI your God.'


text:
''But they rebelled against me and wouldn't listen to me; they did not, each of them, throw away the detestable things that drew their eyes; and they did not abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them and spend my anger on them there in the land of Egypt.


text:
But concern for my own reputation kept me from letting it be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they were living, in the sight of whom I had made myself known to them, in order to bring them out of the land of Egypt.


text:
I gave them my laws and showed them my rulings; if a person obeys them, he will have life through them.


text:
I gave them my shabbats as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I, ADONAI, am the one who makes them holy.


text:
''But the house of Isra'el rebelled against me in the desert. They did not live by my laws; and they rejected my rulings, which, if a person does, he will have life through them; moreover, they greatly profaned my shabbats. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them in the desert, in order to destroy them.


text:
But concern for my own reputation kept me from letting it be profaned in the sight of the nations who had seen when I brought them out.


text:
Yet I also raised my hand and swore to them in the desert that I would not bring them into the land I was giving them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands;


text:
because they had rejected my rulings, did not live by my laws and profaned my shabbats; since their hearts went after their idols.


text:
However, I spared them from complete destruction; I did not completely finish them off in the desert.


text:
''I said to their children in the desert, 'Don't live by the laws of your fathers, observe their rulings or defile yourselves with their idols.


text:
and keep my shabbats holy; and they will be a sign between me and you, so that you will know that I am ADONAI your God.'


text:
''But the children too rebelled against me. They did not live by my laws or observe my rulings, to obey them, which, if a person does, he will have life by them; and they profaned my shabbats. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them and spend my anger on them in the desert.


text:
Nevertheless, I withdrew my hand and allowed concern for my own reputation to keep me from letting it be profaned in the sight of the nations who had seen when I brought them out.


text:
''I also raised my hand and swore to them in the desert that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries;


text:
because they hadn't obeyed my rulings but had rejected my laws and profaned my shabbats, and their eyes had turned toward their fathers' idols.


text:
and I let them become defiled by their own gifts, in that they offered up their firstborn sons, so that I could fill them with revulsion, so that they would [finally] realize that I am ADONAI.'


text:
'Therefore, human being, speak to the house of Isra'el; tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Moreover, your ancestors blasphemed me by breaking faith with me in still another way:


text:
for after I had brought them into the land, which I had raised my hand in pledge to give them, they noted all its high hills and leafy trees and offered there their sacrifices; there they made offerings that provoked my anger, there they set out their sweet aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings.


text:
When I asked them, 'This high place where you go, what is the meaning of it?' they gave it the name Bamah which it retains to this day.'


text:
'So tell the house of Isra'el that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'You are defiling yourselves in the same way as your ancestors, following their abominations and fornicating with them;


text:
and when offering your gifts, you make your children pass through the fire and defile yourselves with all your idols - to this day. So, am I supposed to allow you to consult me, house of Isra'el? As I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'I swear that I won't have you consult me,


text:
and that what you have in mind when you say, 'We will be like the Goyim, like the families of the other countries, serving wood and stone,' will certainly not happen.


text:
As I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'I swear that surely with a mighty hand, with a stretched-out arm and with poured-out fury I myself will be king over you.


text:
I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you were scattered, with a mighty hand, with a stretched-out arm and with poured-out fury;


text:
Just as I judged your ancestors in the desert of the land of Egypt, so will I judge you,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
I will rid you of the rebels who are in revolt against me - I will bring them out from the land where they are living, but they will not enter the land of Isra'el; then you will know that I am ADONAI.'


text:
'As for you, house of Isra'el, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Go on serving your idols, every one of you! But afterwards, [I swear that] you will listen to me, and you will no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and with your idols.


text:
For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Isra'el,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'the whole house of Isra'el, all of them, will serve me in the land. I will accept them there, and there I will require your contributions, your best gifts and all your consecrated things.


text:
I will accept you with your sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you were scattered; and through you I will manifest my holiness in the sight of the nations.


text:
''You will know that I am ADONAI when I bring you into the land of Isra'el, into the country which I pledged, by raising my hand, to give to your ancestors.


text:
There you will remember your behavior and all the things you did by which you defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evils you committed.


text:
You will know that I am ADONAI when I have dealt with you in a manner that preserves my reputation, and not according to your evil ways and corrupt actions, house of Isra'el' says Adonai ELOHIM.' The Hebrew word bamah means 'high place'; the etymology suggested here relates it to Hebrew ba ('go') and mah ('what').


text:
'Human being, turn your face southward, preach to the south and prophesy to the scrublands of the Negev;


text:
say to the Negev forest: 'Hear the word of ADONAI. Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will light a fire in you; it will devour every tree in you, green and dry alike; a blazing, unquenchable flame that will scorch every face from the Negev to the north.


text:
'Human being, turn your face toward Yerushalayim, preach to the sanctuaries and prophesy to the land of Isra'el;


text:
tell the land of Isra'el that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I am against you. I will draw my sword from its scabbard and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.


text:
Since I am going to rid you of both righteous and evildoers, my sword will also go out of its scabbard against everyone, from the Negev to the north.


text:
Everyone alive will know that I, ADONAI, drew my sword from its scabbard; it will not be sheathed again.'


text:
Then, when they ask you, 'Why are you groaning?' you will answer, 'Because of the news, because it's coming. All hearts will melt, all hands hang limp, all spirits faint and all knees turn to water; here, it's coming, it will happen,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'Human being, prophesy. Say that Adonai ELOHIM says to say this: 'A sword, a sword has been sharpened and polished,


text:
sharpened in order to slaughter and slaughter, polished to flash like lightning. But how can we rejoice? My son rejects the rod and every other stick.


text:
The sword was given to be polished, so that it could be wielded; it was sharpened and polished to be placed in the slaughterer's hand.'


text:
'Shout and wail, human being, because it's coming upon my people, upon all the leaders of Isra'el - they will be victims of the sword along with my people. Strike your thigh in remorse!


text:
For a test is coming, and what if he rejects the rod again then? He will cease to exist,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'Therefore, human being, prophesy and clap your hands together. Then the sword will strike twice, three times, the sword for victims, the sword for a great slaughter, coming from every direction.


text:
So that their hearts will melt, and many will stumble and fall, I have posted the point of the sword at every one of their gates. See how it flashes, sharpened for the kill!


text:
'Now, human being, designate two roads for the sword of the king of Bavel to follow, both coming out of one country. Put up a signpost at the start of the road leading to the city.


text:
Make a road, so that the sword can come to Rabbah of the people of 'Amon and to Y'hudah in fortified Yerushalayim.


text:
For the king of Bavel is standing at the fork in the road, where the two roads separate, about to use divination - he is shaking the arrows, consulting the household gods, examining the liver.


text:
Into his right hand comes the lot for Yerushalayim, to set up battering rams, give the order for slaughter, raise a shout, set battering rams against the gates, build siege ramps and erect watchtowers.


text:
The inhabitants will believe this is a false divination because of the oaths upon oaths [that their false prophets have sworn to the contrary]. But it will cause [God] to remember their guilt and thus insure their capture.


text:
'Therefore this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you have caused your guilt to be remembered, with your misdeeds revealed and the sins in all your actions evident - since you have been remembered, you will be captured.'


text:
As for you, you wicked prince of Isra'el, due to be killed, whose day has come, at the time of final punishment,


text:
here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Remove the turban, take off the crown! Everything is being changed. What was low will be raised up, and what was high will be brought down.


text:
Ruin! Ruin! I will leave it a ruin such as there has never been, and it will stay that way until the rightful ruler comes, and I give it to him.'


text:
'You, human being, prophesy! Say that Adonai ELOHIM says this about the people of 'Amon and their insults: 'A sword, a sword, is drawn for slaughter, polished to the utmost, to flash like lightning -


text:
while [your prophets] produce false visions for you, while they divine lies for you to lay you out upon the necks of the wicked who are to be killed, whose day has come, at the time of final punishment.


text:
Cause it to return to its scabbard! I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land of your origin.


text:
I will pour my fury out on you, breathe on you with the fire of my rage, and hand you over to barbarous men highly skilled in destruction.


text:
You will be fuel for the fire, your blood will flow through the land, you will be remembered no more; for I, ADONAI, have spoken.''


text:
'Now, human being, are you prepared to judge? Are you prepared to judge the city drenched in blood? Then make her realize how disgusting all her practices are!


text:
Say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'City that sheds blood within yourself, thus speeding your own doom, and that makes idols for yourself that defile you:


text:
you are guilty because of the blood you have shed, you are defiled by your idols that you have made. You have shortened your days, you have completed your years; therefore I have made you an object of scorn for the nations and a laughingstock for every country.


text:
Those close by and those far off will taunt you, you who have such a defiled reputation and such great disorder.


text:
In you, they make light of fathers and mothers, they oppress foreigners, they wrong orphans and widows.


text:
In you, people gossip to the point of inciting bloodshed; in you are those who go to eat on the mountains; in you, they commit lewd acts;


text:
In you, one commits an abomination with his neighbor's wife; another commits some lewd act defiling his daughter-in-law; still another humbles his sister, his own father's daughter.


text:
In you, people take bribes to shed blood; you demand and accept interest on loans; in greed you make profits off your neighbors by extorting them; and you have forgotten me,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''Therefore, I am clapping my hands together because of your ill-gotten gains and the blood shed in you.


text:
Can your courage last, can your strength continue during the days when I deal with you? I, ADONAI, have spoken it; and I will do it.


text:
I will scatter you among the Goyim and disperse you throughout the countries; thus I will remove your defilement from you,


text:
and you will cause yourselves to be profaned in full view of the Goyim. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.''


text:
'Human being, the house of Isra'el has become an alloy of base metals for me; they are all copper, tin, iron and lead mixed together in the crucible, the dross left over from the silver.


text:
Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Because you have all become dross, I will collect all of you inside Yerushalayim.


text:
Then, just as they collect silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a crucible and blow fire on it to melt it down; so likewise I will collect you in my anger and fury, throw you in there, and melt you down.


text:
Yes, I will collect you and blow on you with the fire of my rage, and you will be melted down in it.


text:
As silver is melted down in a crucible, so will you be melted down in [Yerushalayim]. Then you will know that it is I, ADONAI, who have poured out my fury on you.''


text:
'Human being, tell her this: 'You are a land that is neither cleansed nor rained on in the day of fury.


text:
There is a conspiracy of prophets in it like a roaring lion tearing up the prey; they have devoured people, seized wealth and valuables, and widowed many in it.


text:
Her cohanim have done violence to my Torah, profaned my holy things, made no difference between the holy and the common, not distinguished between unclean and clean, hidden their eyes from my shabbats, and profaned me among themselves.


text:
Her leaders in it are like wolves tearing up the prey to shed blood and destroy people, in order to benefit unjustly.


text:
Her prophets have 'plastered' for them with whitewash, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says Adonai ELOHIM,' when ADONAI has not spoken.


text:
The people of the land have extorted, robbed, wronged the poor and needy and unjustly oppressed foreigners.


text:
''I sought for a man among them who could build a barricade or stand in the break to oppose me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.


text:
Therefore I am pouring out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my rage, bringing their own ways on their own heads,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
who were whores in Egypt - even as young girls they were whores. There they let their breasts be caressed, and there their virgin nipples were fondled.


text:
Their names were Oholah, the older one, and Oholivah, her sister. They belonged to me, and they gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their names, Shomron is Oholah, and Yerushalayim is Oholivah.


text:
'Even when she belonged to me, Oholah prostituted herself; she lusted after her lovers from Ashur - warriors


text:
She gave herself as a whore to them, all of them the elite of Ashur; and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.


text:
She did not give up the whoring she had begun in Egypt, where men had sex with her, fondled her virgin nipples and flooded her with their fornication.


text:
They exposed her private parts, took her sons and daughters, and put her to death with the sword; so that she became notorious among women for the judgments executed against her.


text:
'Her sister Oholivah saw this; nevertheless she was worse than her sister in lusting and likewise in whoring.


text:
She lusted after the men from Ashur, governors and rulers, warriors dressed to perfection, skilled horsemen, all of them good-looking young men.


text:
She prostituted herself more than ever; because she saw wall-carvings of men, depicting the Kasdim in vermilion,


text:
with sashes wrapped around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like military men, the very image of men of Bavel born in the land of the Kasdim.


text:
The moment she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in the land of the Kasdim;


text:
and the men of Bavel climbed into her 'love bed' and defiled her with their lust. She was defiled by them, and then filled with revulsion at them.


text:
Thus did she reveal her fornication and expose her private parts. When this happened, I was filled with revulsion at her, just as I had been filled with revulsion at her sister.


text:
Still she kept increasing her whoring, remembering the days when she was young, fornicating in the land of Egypt.


text:
Yes, she lusted after their male prostitutes, whose members are like those of donkeys and who ejaculate like stallions.


text:
You yearned for the lewdness of your girlhood, when the Egyptians used to fondle your nipples and caress your young breasts.


text:
'Therefore, Oholivah, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will raise up your lovers against you, the ones who fill you with revulsion, and bring them against you from every side -


text:
the men of Bavel and all the Kasdim, P'kod, Shoa and Koa, and with them all the men of Ashur, good-looking young men, all of them governors and rulers, commanders and officers, all on horseback.


text:
They will advance on you armed with chariots, wagons and with an army drawn from many peoples; they will array themselves against you from every side with breastplates, shields and helmets. I will give them the authority to judge, and they will judge you as they see fit.


text:
I will direct my jealousy against you, so that they will deal with you in fury - they will cut off your nose and ears, and what is left of you will die by the sword; they will seize your sons and daughters, and those who remain of you will be consumed by the fire.


text:
Thus I will put an end to your lewdness and your fornication brought from the land of Egypt, so that you will no longer raise your eyes toward them or remember Egypt any more.'


text:
For this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am about to hand you over to those you hate, to those who fill you with revulsion;


text:
and they will deal with you in hatred, seize everything you have worked for, and leave you naked and exposed - the full shame of your whoring will be exposed, your lewdness and your fornicating.


text:
These things will be done to you because you have gone fornicating with the Goyim, and because you are defiled with their idols.


text:
Adonai ELOHIM says: 'You will drink from your sister's cup, a cup both deep and wide, full right up to the brim with scorn and derision,


text:
filling you with drunkenness and sorrow, a cup of horror and devastation the cup of your sister Shomron.


text:
You will drink it, you will drain it, and then you will gnaw it to shreds and tear out your own breasts! For I have spoken it' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'Therefore this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you forgot me and flung me behind your back, you will bear the guilt of your lewdness and whoring.''


text:
Then ADONAI said to me, 'Human being, are you ready to judge Oholah and Oholivah? Then confront them with their disgusting practices.


text:
For they committed adultery, and their hands are dripping with blood. They committed adultery with their idols; and they offered their sons, whom they bore to me, for these idols to eat.


text:
Moreover, they have done this to me as well: they defiled my sanctuary on the same day, and they profaned my shabbats.


text:
For after killing their children for their idols, they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; this they did in my house.


text:
'Worse still, you sent a messenger summoning men to come from a distance; and they came. For them you washed yourself, painted your eyes, decked yourself with your finery,


text:
and sat on a sumptuous bed, with a table arranged before it, on which you put my incense and my olive oil.


text:
The noise of a carefree crowd could be heard there; many of the men were brought in drunk from the desert. They put bracelets on their hands and magnificent crowns on their heads.


text:
I thought, 'That woman! She's worn out from all her adulteries, but they still go to fornicate with her!'


text:
For every one went in to her; just as men go in to a prostitute, so they went in to Oholah and Oholivah, those debauched women.


text:
Nevertheless, there are righteous men who will judge them as adulterers and murderers are supposed to be judged; because they are adulterers, and blood is dripping from their hands.


text:
For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Summon an assembly to punish them; give them over to terror and plunder.


text:
Let the assembly stone them to death, dispatch them with their swords, kill their sons and daughters and burn their houses to the ground.


text:
''Thus I will put an end to lewdness in the land, so that all women may be taught not to imitate your lewdness.


text:
You will receive the punishment your lewdness deserves, and you will pay the penalty for your idolatries. Then you will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.''


text:
'Human being, write down today's date; because on this very day the king of Bavel has begun his attack on Yerushalayim.


text:
And tell this allegory to these rebels; say that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Put a pot on the fire; put it there, pour water in it;


text:
Put in it pieces of meat, all the best parts - the thigh, the shoulder; fill it with the choicest cuts,


text:
taken from the pick of the flock, and pile the bones underneath. Bring it to a rolling boil, till it's all cooked, even the bones.'


text:
'Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Woe to the city drenched with blood, to the pot whose scum is in it, and whose scum has not been removed. Empty it piece by piece, without troubling to draw lots.


text:
For her blood is still in her; she poured it on bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.


text:
So in order to rouse my fury and excite my vengeance, I have fixed her blood there on the bare rock, where it will not be covered.'


text:
'Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Woe to the city drenched with blood! I myself will make a huge bonfire,


text:
Put the empty pot on the coals, heat it till its copper bottom glows, till its impurity melts inside it, and its scum is burned away.


text:
Because of your filthy lewdness, because you refused to be purified when I wanted to purify you; now you will not be purified from your filth until I have satisfied my fury on you.


text:
''I, ADONAI, have spoken it, and it will happen. I will do it, I will not turn back, I will not refrain or spare or relent. They will judge you as your ways and deeds deserve,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'Human being, with a single blow I am about to deprive you of the delight of your eyes. But you are not to lament, weep or let your tears run down.


text:
Sigh silently, don't observe mourning for the dead, bind your turban on your head, put your sandals on your feet, don't cover your upper lip, and don't eat the food people prepare for mourners.'


text:
I spoke to the people in the morning, and that evening my wife died. So I did the following morning as I had been ordered.


text:
to speak to the house of Isra'el and say that this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am about to profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes and your heart's desire. Your sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword.


text:
But you are to do as I have done - not cover your upper lips, not eat the food people prepare for mourners,


text:
put your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet, and neither observe mourning nor cry. Rather, because of your crimes you will pine away and groan to one another.


text:
Thus Yechezk'el will be a sign for you; you will do just what he has done; and when this happens, you will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'As for you, human being, on the day when I take away from them their stronghold, their crowning joy, the delight of their eyes, their heart's desire, their sons and daughters -


text:
and on that day your mouth will be opened for you to speak to the survivor and no longer be silent. In this way you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am ADONAI.'


text:
say to the people of 'Amon, 'Hear the word of Adonai ELOHIM. Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Because you gloated when my sanctuary was profaned, when the land of Isra'el was laid waste, and when the house of Y'hudah went into exile;


text:
I will let the people from the east take possession of you. They will set up camps and build their homes among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.


text:
I will turn Rabbah into a camel pasture and 'Amon into a sheep-yard. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.'


text:
For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you clapped your hands and stamped your feet, full of malicious joy over the land of Isra'el;


text:
I am going to stretch out my hand over you and deliver you as plunder to the nations; I will cut you off from being a people and cause you to cease from being a nation; I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.''


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because Mo'av and Se'ir say, 'The house of Y'hudah is like all the other nations,'


text:
I will expose the flank of Mo'av, with all its cities - that is, all the cities on its frontier, the glory of the land, Beit-Yeshimot, Ba'al-M'on and Kiryatayim -


text:
together with the people of 'Amon, to the people from the east, whom I will let take possession of them. Thus the people of 'Amon will not be remembered as being one of the nations;


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because Edom has taken severe vengeance against the house of Y'hudah, incurring much guilt by its acts of vengeance against them,


text:
therefore,' Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will stretch my hand out over Edom and eliminate both its humans and its animals. I will make it a ruin; from Teman to D'dan they will die by the sword.


text:
Moreover, I will lay my vengeance on Edom through my people Isra'el; they will treat Edom in accordance with my anger and my fury; and they will know my vengeance' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Because the P'lishtim have acted out of vengeance, taking revenge and destroying with malice of heart, due to their long-standing hatred;


text:
therefore,' Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will stretch out my hand over the P'lishtim, eliminate the K'reti and destroy the rest of the seacoast peoples.


text:
I will execute great vengeance on them with furious punishments; and they will know that I am ADONAI when I lay my vengeance on them.''


text:
'Human being, since Tzor has said against Yerushalayim, 'Ha! She is shattered, the gateway of the peoples. Now that she is ruined, her riches will be mine';


text:
therefore, Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Look, Tzor! I am against you. Just as the sea churns up its waves, I will churn up many nations against you.


text:
They will destroy the walls of Tzor, they will demolish her towers. I will scrape its soil from her and reduce her to bare rock.


text:
With the sea all around her, she will be a place for drying fish nets and a plunder for the nations. I have spoken,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'Her daughters on the mainland will be put to death with the sword; then they will know that I am ADONAI.'


text:
'For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will bring upon Tzor, from the north, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel, king of kings, with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a great and powerful army.


text:
''Your daughters on the mainland he will put to death with the sword. He will build siege-towers against you, he will build a ramp against you and raise a screen of shields against you.


text:
His horses are so many that their dust will cover you. The thunder of cavalry, wagons and chariots will shake your walls, as he enters your gates, like men storming a city through a breach.


text:
With the hoofs of his horses he will trample your streets. He will put your people to the sword and pull to the ground your massive standing-stones.


text:
They will seize your wealth, loot your wares, break down your walls, destroy your fine houses; then they will throw your stones and timber and even your dust into the sea.


text:
I will reduce you to bare rock, you will be a place for drying fish nets, you will never be built again, for I, ADONAI, have spoken,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
To Tzor Adonai ELOHIM says: 'How the coastlands will shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when the slaughter takes place in you!


text:
Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones; they will put aside their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, trembling all the time, appalled at your condition.


text:
Then they will raise this lament for you: ''How you have been destroyed, you who were peopled from the seas, city so renowned, once so strong at sea, you and your inhabitants, who used to spread terror over all [the mainland's] inhabitants!


text:
Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your downfall, and the islands in the sea are in shock at your end.'


text:
'For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'When I make you a ruined city, like other uninhabited cities; when I bring the deep sea over you, and its mighty waters cover you;


text:
then I will bring you down with those who descend to the pit, to the people of long ago, and make you live in underworld places like those who were ruined long ago, with those who descend to the pit, so that you will be uninhabited when I give glory to the land of the living.


text:
I will make you horrible; you will cease to exist. People will seek you but never more find you,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
say to Tzor, located at the gateways to the sea, merchant for peoples to many coastlands, that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Tzor, you have said, 'My beauty is perfect.'


text:
They used cypress logs from S'nir to fashion all your planking. They took cedars from the L'vanon to make masts for you.


text:
Out of oaks from Bashan they made your oars. Your deck they made of ivory inlaid in larch from the coasts of Kittim.


text:
Richly woven linen from Egypt was used for your sail, which was also your banner. Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was used to cover your deck-tent.


text:
The people of Tzidon and Arvad served as your oarsmen. Your own skilled men, Tzor, were there as your pilots.


text:
The leaders and craftsmen of G'val sealed the cracks between your boards. ''Every seagoing ship and its crew came to you to trade in your wares.


text:
Men from Paras, Lud and Put were [mercenaries] in your army; hanging shield and helmet on you, they showed off your splendor.


text:
Men from Arvad and your own army were posted around on your walls. The Gamadim were in your towers; they hung their shields all around your walls, making your beauty perfect.


text:
''Tarshish did business with you because of the quantity and variety of your resources; they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your goods.


text:
The men of D'dan traded with you. Many coastlands were your customers, giving you ivory tusks and ebony in payment.


text:
Aram traded with you, because you were so wealthy; for your goods they exchanged green feldspar, purple stuff, embroidery, fine linen, coral and rubies.


text:
Y'hudah and the land of Isra'el also traded with you, exchanging for your goods wheat from Minnit, millet, honey, olive oil and resin for healing.


text:
Because you were so wealthy, with such a variety of valuable merchandise, Dammesek traded wine from Helbon and white wool with you.


text:
Arabia and all the princes of K'dar were your customers; for your goods they traded lambs, rams and goats.


text:
The traders of Sh'va and Ra'mah exchanged the best quality spices, all kinds of precious stones and gold for your goods.


text:
brought you in exchange for your goods rich clothes, cloaks made of blue material and embroidery, and cedar-lined chests filled with multicolored clothing and bound with cords.


text:
'Tarshish' ships transported your imports and exports. ''So you were full, loaded down, surrounded by the sea.


text:
Your oarsmen brought you through heavy seas. But the east wind will break you surrounded by the sea.


text:
Your riches, your goods, your merchandise, your crew, your pilots, your ship-sealers, your traders, all your warriors aboard, and all the others in the ship with you will sink surrounded by the sea on the day of your shipwreck.


text:
shaving their heads bald for you, wrapping themselves in sackcloth, with heartfelt bitterness weeping for you in bitter lamentation.


text:
Wailing, they will raise a lament for you; this will be their lament for you: '''Who anywhere in the sea has ever been silenced like Tzor?


text:
When your wares came forth from the seas, you satisfied many peoples; with your vast wealth and variety of goods you enriched the kings of the earth.


text:
But now you have been wrecked by the waves, sunk in the watery depths; your merchandise and all your people have gone down with you.


text:
All who live along the coasts are aghast at you; their kings are horribly afraid, their faces are convulsed;


text:
the merchants among the peoples are gasping at your fate; you are an object of terror, and you will cease to exist.'''


text:
'Human being, tell the prince of Tzor that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you are so proud and have said, 'I am a god; I sit on the throne of God, surrounded by the sea'; yet you are a man, not God, even though you think that you think like God.


text:
By your wisdom and discernment you have acquired wealth, you have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries.


text:
By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and it is because of your wealth that you have become so proud.


text:
I will bring foreigners against you, the most barbarous of the nations, to draw their swords against your fine wisdom and defile your splendor.


text:
Will you still say, 'I am God,' to them who are about to kill you? You are a man, you are not God, in the hands of those who defile you.


text:
You will die the deaths of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners. For I have spoken,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'Human being, raise a lament for the king of Tzor, and tell him that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'You put the seal on perfection; you were full of wisdom and perfect in beauty;


text:
you were in 'Eden, the garden of God; covered with all kinds of precious stones - carnelians, topaz, diamonds, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphires, green feldspar, emeralds; your pendants and jewels were made of gold, prepared the day you were created.


text:
You were a keruv, protecting a large region; I placed you on God's holy mountain. You walked back and forth among stones of fire.


text:
You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.


text:
''When your commerce grew, you became filled with violence; and in this way you sinned. Therefore I have thrown you out, defiled, from the mountain of God; I have destroyed you, protecting keruv, from among the stones of fire.


text:
Your heart grew proud because of your beauty, you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. But I have thrown you on the ground; before kings I have made you a spectacle.


text:
By your many crimes in dishonest trading, you have profaned your sanctuaries; therefore I brought forth fire from within you, and it has devoured you; I reduced you into ashes on the ground in the sight of all who can see you.


text:
All who know you among the peoples will be aghast at you. You are an object of terror, and you will cease to exist.''


text:
Say that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against you, Tzidon; but I will be glorified in you. They will know that I am ADONAI, once I execute judgments in her and show my holiness in her.


text:
For I will send plagues into her, and blood will flow in her streets; attacked from all sides by the sword, the wounded will fall within her. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
''The house of Isra'el will no longer have a briar pricking away at them, no longer will any of its contemptuous neighbors be a thorn to stab them. Then they will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Once I have gathered the house of Isra'el from the peoples among whom they are scattered, once I have shown my holiness in them as the Goyim watch, then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Ya'akov.


text:
They will have security when they live there, building houses and planting vineyards; yes, they will live in safety, once I have executed judgments against all their contemptuous neighbors. Then they will know that I am ADONAI their God.''


text:
'Human being, turn your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt; prophesy against him and against all Egypt;


text:
speak out; and say that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, you big crocodile lying in the streams of the Nile! You say, 'My Nile is mine; I made it for myself.'


text:
But I will put hooks in your jaws and make your Nile fish stick to your scales. Yes, I will bring you up from your Nile, with all your Nile fish sticking to your scales,


text:
and leave you in the desert, you and all your Nile fish. You will fall in the open field and not be gathered or buried; but I will give you as food to wild animals and birds.


text:
Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am ADONAI, because they have been a support made of straw for the house of Isra'el.


text:
When they grasped you in hand, you splintered and threw all their shoulders out of joint; when they leaned on you, you broke and made them all wrench their backs.'


text:
'Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will bring the sword against you and eliminate both your people and your animals.


text:
The land of Egypt will become a desolate waste, and they will know that I am ADONAI; because he said, 'The Nile is mine; I made it.'


text:
So I am against you and your Nile; and I will make the land of Egypt a totally desolate waste from Migdol to S'venah, all the way to the border of Ethiopia.


text:
No human foot will pass through it, and no animal foot will pass through it; it will be uninhabited for forty years.


text:
Yes, I will make the land of Egypt desolate, even when compared with other desolate countries, likewise her cities in comparison with other ruined cities; they will be desolate forty years. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them through the countries.'


text:
'For this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were scattered -


text:
I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and cause them to return to the land of their origin, Patros. But there they will be a humble kingdom,


text:
the humblest of kingdoms. It will never again dominate other nations; I will reduce them, so that they never again rule other nations.


text:
Moreover, they will no longer be a source of confidence for Isra'el to turn to; rather, it will only bring to mind their guilt in having turned to them before. Then they will know that I am Adonai ELOHIM.''


text:
'Human being, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel had his army mount a massive expedition against Tzor; [the loads of dirt they carried] made every head bald and every shoulder raw; yet neither he nor his army derived any benefit from Tzor out of this expedition against it.


text:
Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will give the land of Egypt to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel. He will carry off its riches, take its spoil and its prey; and these will be the wages for his army.


text:
I am giving him the land of Egypt as his wages for which he worked, because they were working for me,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'When that day comes I will cause power to return to the house of Isra'el, and I will enable you [Yechezk'el] to open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.''


text:
The sword will come against Egypt, and Ethiopia will be in anguish, when the slain fall in Egypt, when they take away her wealth, and her foundations are torn down.


text:
Ethiopia, Put and Lud, all the mixed population and Kuv, and the people of allied lands will die by the sword with them.'


text:
'ADONAI says this: 'Those supporting Egypt will fall; its arrogant power will be brought down; from Migdol to S'venah they will die by the sword,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'They will be desolate even when compared with other desolate countries, likewise her cities in comparison with other ruined cities.


text:
When that day comes, I will send out messengers in ships to terrify the unsuspecting Ethiopians; and anguish will overcome them on the day of Egypt. Yes, here it comes!


text:
He and his people, the most barbarous of the nations, will be brought in to ravage the land. They will unsheathe their swords against Egypt and fill the land with corpses.


text:
I will dry up the streams of the Nile and sell the land to the wicked. Through the power of foreigners I will make the land and all that is in it desolate. I, ADONAI, have spoken.'


text:
'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will destroy the idols, make the false gods in Nof cease to exist. No longer will there be a prince from the land of Egypt; I will put fear in the land of Egypt,


text:
Yes, I will set fire to Egypt; Seen will writhe in anguish; No will be torn apart; enemies will attack Nof in broad daylight.


text:
The young men of On and Pi-Veset will die by the sword, while the cities themselves will go into captivity.


text:
At T'chafn'ches the day will grow dark when I break the yokes of Egypt there, and the pride she takes in her power ceases. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.


text:
'Human being, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; it has not been bound up with dressings and bandages, so that it can heal and become strong enough again to wield the sword.


text:
Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the sound one and the broken one, and I will make the sword fall from his hand.


text:
I will strengthen the arms of the king of Bavel and put my sword in his hand; but I will break the arms of Pharaoh; he will groan like a man mortally wounded.


text:
Yes, I will hold up the arms of the king of Bavel; but the arms of Pharaoh will droop. They will know that I am ADONAI when I put my sword in the hand of the king of Bavel, and he stretches it out over the land of Egypt.


text:
Yes, I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries; and they will know that I am ADONAI.''


text:
Like Ashur, a cedar in the L'vanon. It had beautiful branches, dense foliage, its tall crown surrounded by leafy boughs.


text:
The water nourished it; the deep made it grow, sending its rivers round the place where it was planted, sending its streams to all the trees in the fields.


text:
So it grew taller than any other tree, its branches grew in number and spread far and wide, for it had plenty of water to make them grow.


text:
In its boughs all the birds of the air had their nests, beneath its branches all the wild animals gave birth to their young, and all great nations lived in its shade.


text:
It was beautiful in its greatness and the length of its branches, because its roots went down to plenty of water.


text:
No cedar in God's garden was like it, no cypress tree could compare with its boughs, no chestnut tree could rival its branches, no tree in God's garden could match its beauty.


text:
'Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you are so tall, because he has lifted his crown above the leafy boughs, because he has grown so arrogant about his height,


text:
I am handing him over to the mightiest of the nations, who will certainly deal with him as his wickedness deserves; I reject him.


text:
Foreigners, the most barbarous of the nations, will destroy him and leave him lying where he is. His branches will lie fallen on the mountains and in the valleys, his boughs will lie broken in all the rivers of the land, and all the peoples of the earth will withdraw from his shade and leave him.


text:
This is to warn all the trees growing near water not to grow so tall, not to lift their crowns above the leafy boughs, and all that take up water not to reach up in their height. For they are all given over to death, to the depths of the underworld, along with human beings, with those who descend to the pit.'


text:
'Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'On the day he descended to Sh'ol, I caused the abyss to mourn and cover itself for him; I held back its rivers, so that its deep waters were stopped. I made the L'vanon mourn for him, and all the field trees withered because of him.


text:
At the sound of his fall I made the nations shake, when I hurled him down to Sh'ol with those who descend to the pit. All the trees of 'Eden, the pick of the best in the L'vanon, all that take up water, were consoled in the underworld.


text:
They descended with him to Sh'ol to those who were killed by the sword, to those who were his fighting arm, those among the nations who lived in his shade.


text:
Which of the trees of 'Eden was your equal in glory or size? Yet you will be brought down to the underworld along with the trees of 'Eden. You will lie there among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword. This is Pharaoh and his hordes,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'Human being, raise a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt; say to him, 'You compared yourself to a lion among the nations; In fact, you are more like a crocodile in the lakes. You burst out of your streams, churn the water with your feet and foul their streams.'


text:
'So here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'With many nations assembled, I will spread my net over you, and they will haul you up in my dragnet.


text:
Then I will throw you on the shore, hurl you into an open field, make all the birds in the air settle on you and let the animals of the whole earth eat their fill of you.


text:
I will drench the land in which you swim with your blood, as far as the mountains; the waterways will be full of you.


text:
When I extinguish you, I will cover the sky and make its stars black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.


text:
All the shining lights in the sky I will darken above you; I will spread darkness over your land,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''I will anger many peoples when I bring your destroyed ones in among the nations, into countries you have not known.


text:
I will make many peoples aghast at you; their kings will shudder in horror over you when I brandish my sword before them. On the day of your downfall they will tremble continuously, each man in fear of his life.'


text:
With the swords of the warriors I will cause your hordes to fall. They are all the most barbarous of the nations, and they will shatter the glory of Egypt - all its hordes will be destroyed.


text:
I will destroy all her cattle beside her plentiful waters. No human foot will trouble them again, nor the hoof of any animal.


text:
'When I make the land of Egypt a ruined waste, a land stripped of all that filled it; when I strike all those who live there; they will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
This is the lament that they will raise; the daughters of the nations will use it to mourn; they will chant it for Egypt and all its hordes,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
'Human being, wail for the hordes of Egypt; send them with the daughters of mighty nations down to the underworld, with those who descend to the pit.


text:
They will fall among those killed by the sword; she is given to the sword; pull her down with her hordes.


text:
From the depths of Sh'ol the mightiest warriors will speak of him with those who helped him. They went down; they lie still, the uncircumcised, killed by the sword.


text:
'Ashur is there with her hordes; their graves are all around them, all of them slain, killed by the sword.


text:
Their graves are in the deepest parts of the pit, her hordes are all around her grave, all of them slain, killed by the sword, those who terrorized the land of the living.


text:
''Eilam is there, with her hordes around her grave, all of them slain, killed by the sword, descended uncircumcised to the underworld, those who terrorized the land of the living; they bear their shame together with those who descended to the pit.


text:
They have given her a bed among the slain with her hordes; her graves are all around them, all of them uncircumcised, killed by the sword, because they terrorized the land of the living; they bear their shame with those who descended to the pit; they are put among those who were slain.


text:
'Meshekh and Tuval with her horde is there, her graves are all around them, all of them uncircumcised, killed by the sword, because they terrorized the land of the living.


text:
They do not lie with the fallen warriors of the uncircumcised who descended to Sh'ol with their weapons of war, their swords laid under their heads, and their crimes upon their bones; because these warriors terrorized the land of the living.


text:
'There is Edom, her kings and all her princes, who, despite all their power, are laid with those who were killed by the sword, with the uncircumcised, with those who descended to the pit.


text:
'There are all the princes of the north, all of them, and the Tzidoni, who descended with the slain, ashamed of all the terror they caused by their power; they lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword, bearing their shame with those who descended to the pit.


text:
'All of these Pharaoh will see, and he will be consoled about his hordes, Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'For I have put my terror in the land of the living, and he will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his hordes,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'Human being, speak to your people; say to them, 'Suppose I bring the sword on a country, and the people of that country take one of their men and appoint him their watchman.


text:
Now if, upon seeing the sword coming against that country, he blows the shofar and warns the people;


text:
then, if the sword comes and takes away someone who heard the sound of the shofar but paid no attention to it, the responsibility for that person's death will be his own -


text:
he heard the shofar but paid no attention, so the responsibility for his death is his own; whereas if he had paid attention, he would have saved his life.


text:
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the shofar, so that the people are not warned; and then the sword comes and takes any one of them, that one is indeed taken away in his guilt, but I will hold the watchman responsible for his death.'


text:
'Likewise you, human being - I have appointed you as watchman for the house of Isra'el. Therefore, when you hear the word from my mouth, warn them for me.


text:
When I tell the wicked person, 'Wicked person, you will certainly die'; and you fail to speak and warn the wicked person to leave his way; then that wicked person will die guilty; and I will hold you responsible for his death.


text:
On the other hand, if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he doesn't turn from his way; then he will still die guilty, but you will have saved your own life.


text:
'Therefore, you, human being, say to the house of Isra'el: 'You say, 'Our crimes and sins are weighing us down, we're pining away because of them, how can we even stay alive?''


text:
Say to them, 'As I live,' swears Adonai ELOHIM, 'I take no pleasure in having the wicked person die, but in having the wicked person turn from his way and live. So repent! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, house of Isra'el?'


text:
'Next, you, human being, say to your people: 'The righteousness of the righteous person will not save him, once he starts committing crimes; and likewise, the wickedness of the wicked person will not cause him to fall, once he turns from his wickedness. No, the righteous person cannot live by virtue of [his former righteousness], once he starts sinning.


text:
So if, after I tell the righteous person that he will surely live, he begins trusting in his own [former] righteousness and starts committing crimes; then none of his [former] righteous actions will be remembered; on the contrary, he will die for the evil deeds he has committed.


text:
Likewise, if, after I tell the wicked person, 'You must die,' he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right -


text:
if the wicked person restores pledged property and returns what he stole, so that he lives by the laws that give life and does not commit evil deeds; then he will live, he will not die.


text:
None of the sins he committed will be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he will surely live.'


text:
When the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits wickedness, he will die because of it.


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


text:
Yet you say, 'Adonai's way isn't fair!' House of Isra'el, I will judge each of you according to his ways.'


text:
In the twelfth year of our exile, on the fifth day of the tenth month, a fugitive from Yerushalayim came to me with the news, 'The city has been struck.'


text:
Now the hand of ADONAI had been on me that evening, before the fugitive arrived - he had opened my mouth prior to his coming to me in the morning, so my mouth was open, and I was no longer mute.


text:
'Human being, those living in the desolate parts of the land of Isra'el are saying, 'Avraham was only one, and he inherited the land. But we are many, so [how much more] is the land given to us to inherit!'


text:
Therefore, tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'You eat [flesh] with the blood, you raise your eyes to your idols, and you shed blood - and you still expect to possess the land?


text:
You depend on your swords, you commit disgusting practices, and each of you defiles his neighbor's wife - and you still expect to possess the land?'


text:
Tell them that Adonai ELOHIM swears, 'As I live, those living in the ruins will fall by the sword, those in the countryside I will give to the wild animals to eat, and those in the fortresses and caves will die of the plague.


text:
Moreover, I will utterly desolate the land; it will cease taking pride in its power; and the mountains of Isra'el will be so desolate that no one will pass through.'


text:
Then they will know that I am ADONAI, when I have made the land utterly desolate, because of all the disgusting practices they have committed.


text:
'Now you, human being, your people are gathering and talking about you by the walls and in the doorways of houses. They're saying to each other, each one telling his brother, 'Come, let's go and hear the latest word coming from ADONAI.'


text:
So then they come to you, as people do, sit in front of you as my people, and hear your words; but they don't act on them. For with their mouths they flatter you, but their hearts are set on their own self-interest;


text:
so for them you are like a love-song sung by someone with a nice voice who can play an instrument well - they hear your words, but they don't act on them.


text:
So when all this comes true, then, at last, they will realize that a prophet has been there with them.'


text:
'Human being, prophesy against the shepherds of Isra'el. Prophesy! Tell them, the shepherds, that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Woe to the shepherds of Isra'el who feed themselves! Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep?


text:
You eat the choice meat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, and you slaughter the best of the herd; but you don't feed the sheep!


text:
You don't strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bandage the broken, bring back the outcasts or seek the lost; on the contrary, you tyrannize them with crushing force.


text:
So they were scattered, without a shepherd, and became food for every wild animal - they were scattered.


text:
My sheep wandered around aimlessly on every mountain and hill; yes, my sheep were scattered all over the land, with no one to search for them or look after them.


text:
'As I live,' Adonai ELOHIM swears, 'because my sheep have become prey, my sheep have become food for every wild animal, since there was no shepherd, since my shepherds didn't look for my sheep, and instead my shepherds fed themselves but not my sheep,'


text:
Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I am against the shepherds. I demand that they hand my sheep back to me. I will not allow them to feed the sheep, and they won't feed themselves either. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths; they will be food for them no longer.'


text:
''For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am taking over! I will search for my sheep and look after them, myself.


text:
Just as a shepherd looks after his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so I will look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark.


text:
I will bring them back from those peoples, gather them from those countries and return them to their own land. Then I will let them feed on the mountains of Isra'el, by the streams and in all the livable places of the land.


text:
I will have them feed in good pastures; their grazing ground will be on the high mountains of Isra'el. They will rest in good grazing grounds and feed in rich pastures on Isra'el's mountains.


text:
'I will seek the lost, bring back the outcasts, bandage the broken, and strengthen the sick. But the fat and the strong I will destroy - I will feed them with judgment.'


text:
''As for you, my flock,' Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I will judge between sheep and other sheep, between rams and billy-goats.


text:
Wasn't it enough for you to feed on the best pasture and drink from the clearest water? Did you have to trample the rest of the pasture and foul the remaining water with your feet?


text:
Therefore here is what Adonai ELOHIM says to them: 'I will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep.


text:
Because you push them with your flanks and shoulders and butt all the weak ones with your horns, till you scatter them in every direction;


text:
therefore I will save my flock; they will no longer be prey; and I will judge between sheep and other sheep.


text:
''I will raise up one shepherd to be in charge of them, and he will let them feed - my servant David. He will pasture them and be their shepherd.


text:
I, ADONAI, will be their God; and my servant David will be prince among them. I, ADONAI, have spoken.


text:
I will make a covenant of peace with them; I will rid the land of wild animals; and they will live securely in the desert and sleep in the forests.


text:
I will make them and the places around my hill a blessing, and I will cause the rain to fall when it should - there will be showers of blessing.


text:
The trees in the field will bear their fruit and the soil its produce, and they will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am ADONAI, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the power of those who turned them into slaves.


text:
No longer will they be prey for the Goyim, nor will the wild animals devour them; but they will live securely, with no one to make them afraid.


text:
I will make the productivity of their crops famous, and they will no longer be consumed by hunger in the land or bear the shame of the Goyim any more.


text:
They will know that I, ADONAI their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Isra'el, are my people,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
and say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I am against you, Mount Se'ir. I will stretch out my hand against you and make you utterly desolate.


text:
Because of your long-standing hatred, you put the people of Isra'el to the sword at their time of calamity, at the time of final iniquity.


text:
Therefore, as I live,' Adonai ELOHIM swears, 'I will prepare you for blood. Blood will pursue you. You intensely hate your own blood [relatives]; therefore blood will pursue you.


text:
Yes, I will make Mount Se'ir utterly desolate, cutting off from it anyone passing through or returning.


text:
I will fill his mountains with his slain; in your hills and valleys and in all your ravines will fall those slain by the sword.


text:
I will turn you into perpetual ruins; your cities will not return; and you will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
''Because you say, 'These two nations, these two countries, will be mine; we will take possession of them,' even though ADONAI is there;


text:
therefore, as I live,' swears Adonai ELOHIM, 'I will deal with you as your anger and envy arising from your hatred deserve; and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.


text:
You will know that I, ADONAI, have heard all your blasphemous talk against the mountains of Isra'el, such as, 'They are desolated, they are given to us to devour.'


text:
Moreover, you have boasted against me with your mouths, speaking more and more against me - I have heard it.'


text:
Since you rejoiced over possessing the house of Isra'el, because it was desolate, that is what I will do to you - you will be desolate, Mount Se'ir and all Edom, all of it. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.'


text:
'Now you, human being, prophesy to the mountains of Isra'el. Say: 'Mountains of Isra'el, hear the message from ADONAI.


text:
Adonai ELOHIM says: 'The enemy is boasting over you, 'Ha! Even the ancient high places are ours now!' ' '


text:
Therefore prophesy, and say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Because they desolated you and swallowed you up from every side, so that the other nations could take possession of you; and now people are gossiping about you and slandering you;


text:
therefore, mountains of Isra'el, hear the message of Adonai ELOHIM - this is what Adonai ELOHIM says to the mountains and hills, the streams and valleys, the desolate wastes and the abandoned cities, now preyed on and derided by the other surrounding nations -


text:
therefore this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'In the heat of my jealousy I speak against the other nations and all of Edom, since, rejoicing with all their heart, they have arrogated my land to themselves as a possession and, with utter contempt, seized it as prey.''


text:
'Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Isra'el, and say to the mountains, the hills, the streams and the valleys that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I speak in my jealousy and fury, because you have endured being shamed by the nations.


text:
Therefore thus says Adonai ELOHIM: 'I have raised my hand and sworn that the nations surrounding you will bear their shame.


text:
But you, mountains of Isra'el, you will sprout your branches and bear your fruit for my people Isra'el, who will soon return.


text:
and I will multiply your population, all the house of Isra'el, all of it. The cities will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.


text:
I will multiply both the human and animal populations, they will increase and be productive; and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before - indeed, I will do you more good than before; and you will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
I will cause people to walk on you, my people Isra'el; they will possess you, and you will be their inheritance; never again will you make them childless.'


text:
Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Because they say to you, 'Land, you devour people and make your nations childless,'


text:
therefore you will no longer devour people, and you will not make your nations childless any more,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'I will not permit the nations to shame you, or the peoples to reproach you any longer; and you will no more cause your nations to stumble,' says Adonai ELOHIM.''


text:
'Human being, when the house of Isra'el lived in their own land, they defiled it by their manner of life and their actions; their way before me was like the uncleanness of niddah.


text:
Therefore I poured out my fury on them, because of the blood they had shed in the land and because they defiled it with their idols.


text:
I scattered them among the nations and dispersed them throughout the countries; I judged them in keeping with their manner of life and actions.


text:
When they came to the nations they were going to, they profaned my holy name; so that people said of them, 'These are ADONAI's people, who have been exiled from his land.'


text:
But I am concerned about my holy name, which the house of Isra'el is profaning among the nations where they have gone.


text:
'Therefore tell the house of Isra'el that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I am not going to do this for your sake, house of Isra'el, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have been profaning among the nations where you went.


text:
I will set apart my great name to be regarded as holy, since it has been profaned in the nations - you profaned it among them. The nations will know that I am ADONAI,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'when, before their eyes, I am set apart through you to be regarded as holy.


text:
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you from all the countries, and return you to your own soil.


text:
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols.


text:
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you; I will take the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.


text:
I will save you from all your uncleanliness. I will summon the grain and increase it, and not send famine against you.


text:
I will multiply the yield of fruit from the trees and increase production in the fields, so that you never again suffer the reproach of famine among the nations.


text:
Then you will remember your evil ways and your actions that were not good; as you look at yourselves, you will loathe yourselves for your guilt and disgusting practices.


text:
Understand,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'that I am not doing this for your sake. Instead, be ashamed and dismayed for your ways, house of Isra'el.'


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says, 'When the day comes for me to cleanse you from all your guilt, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the ruins to be rebuilt.


text:
The land that was desolate will be tilled, whereas formerly it lay desolate for all passing by to see.


text:
Then they will say, 'The land that used to be desolate has become like Gan-'Eden, and the cities formerly ruined, abandoned and wasted have been fortified and are inhabited!'


text:
Then the nations around you that remain will know that I, ADONAI, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted what was abandoned. I, ADONAI, have spoken; and I will do it.'


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says, 'In addition, I will let the house of Isra'el pray to me to do this for them: to increase their numbers like sheep -


text:
like flocks of sheep for sacrifices, like the flocks of sheep in Yerushalayim at its designated times, in this degree will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am ADONAI.''


text:
With the hand of ADONAI upon me, ADONAI carried me out by his Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones.


text:
He had me pass by all around them - there were so many bones lying in the valley, and they were so dry!


text:
Then he said to me, 'Prophesy over these bones! Say to them, 'Dry bones! Hear what ADONAI has to say!


text:
I will attach ligaments to you, make flesh grow on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you. You will live, and you will know that I am ADONAI.'''


text:
So I prophesied as ordered; and while I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound; it was the bones coming together, each bone in its proper place.


text:
As I watched, ligaments grew on them, flesh appeared and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them.


text:
Next he said to me, 'Prophesy to the breath! Prophesy, human being! Say to the breath that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'Come from the four winds, breath; and breathe on these slain, so that they can live.''


text:
So I prophesied as ordered, and the breath came into them, and they were alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army!


text:
Then he said to me, 'Human being! These bones are the whole house of Isra'el; and they are saying, 'Our bones have dried up, our hope is gone, and we are completely cut off.'


text:
Therefore prophesy; say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'My people! I will open your graves and make you get up out of your graves, and I will bring you into the land of Isra'el.


text:
Then you will know that I am ADONAI - when I have opened your graves and made you get up out of your graves, my people!


text:
I will put my Spirit in you; and you will be alive. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, ADONAI, have spoken, and that I have done it,' says ADONAI.'


text:
'You, human being, take one stick and write on it, 'For Y'hudah and those joined with him [among] the people of Isra'el.' Next, take another stick and write on it, 'For Yosef, the stick of Efrayim, and all the house of Isra'el who are joined with him.'


text:
tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I will take the stick of Yosef, which is in the hand of Efrayim, together with the tribes of Isra'el who are joined with him, and put them together with the stick of Y'hudah and make them a single stick, so that they become one in my hand.'


text:
Then say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will take the people of Isra'el from among the nations where they have gone and gather them from every side and bring them back to their own land.


text:
I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Isra'el; and one king will be king for all of them. They will no longer be two nations, and they will never again be divided into two kingdoms.


text:
''They will never again defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, or any of their transgressions; but I will save them from all the places where they have been living and sinning; and I will cleanse them, so that they will be my people, and I will be their God.


text:
My servant David will be king over them, and all of them will have one shepherd; they will live by my rulings and keep and observe my regulations.


text:
They will live in the land I gave to Ya'akov my servant, where your ancestors lived; they will live there - they, their children, and their grandchildren, forever; and David my servant will be their leader forever.


text:
I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give to them, increase their numbers, and set my sanctuary among them forever.


text:
The nations will know that I am ADONAI, who sets Isra'el apart as holy, when my sanctuary is with them forever.''


text:
'Human being, turn your face toward Gog (of the land of Magog), chief prince of Meshekh and Tuval; and prophesy against him.


text:
I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all completely equipped, a great horde with breastplates and shields, all wielding swords.


text:
Gomer with all its troops; the house of Togarmah in the far reaches of the north, with all its troops - many peoples are with you.


text:
After many days have passed, you will be mustered for service; in later years you will invade the land which has been brought back from the sword, gathered out of many peoples, the mountains of Isra'el. They had been lying in ruins for a long time, but now Isra'el has been extracted from the peoples and all of them are living there securely.


text:
You will come up like a storm, you will be like a cloud covering the land - you and all your troops, and many other peoples with you.'


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says: 'When that day comes, thoughts will well up in your mind, and you will devise a sinister scheme.


text:
You will say, 'I am going to invade this land of unwalled villages; I will take by surprise these people who are at peace, living securely, all in places without walls, bars or gates.


text:
I will seize the spoil and take the plunder.' You will attack the former ruins that are now inhabited and come against the people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and other wealth and are living in the central parts of the land.


text:
Sh'va, D'dan and all the leading merchants of Tarshish will ask you, 'Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hordes to loot; to carry off silver, gold, livestock and other wealth; to take much plunder?''


text:
'Therefore, human being, prophesy! Tell Gog that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Won't you be aware of it when my people Isra'el are living in security?


text:
You will choose just that time to come from your place in the far reaches of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them on horseback, a huge horde, a mighty army;


text:
and you will invade my people Isra'el like a cloud covering the land. This will be in the acharit-hayamim; and I will bring you against my land, so that the Goyim will know me when, before their eyes, I am set apart as holy through you, Gog.'


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I spoke of you long ago through my servants the prophets of Isra'el. Back then, they prophesied for many years that I would have you invade them.


text:
When that day comes, when Gog invades the land of Isra'el,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'my furious anger will boil up.


text:
In my jealousy, in my heated fury I speak: when that day comes there will be a great earthquake in the land of Isra'el;


text:
so that the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the wild beasts, all the reptiles creeping on the ground and every human being there in the land will tremble before me. Mountains will fall, cliffs crumble and every wall crash to the ground.


text:
I will summon a sword against him throughout all my mountains,' says Adonai ELOHIM; 'every man will wield his sword against his brother.


text:
I will judge him with plague and with blood. I will cause torrential rain to fall on him, his troops and the many peoples with him, along with huge hailstones, fire and sulfur.


text:
I will show my greatness and holiness, making myself known in the sight of many nations; then they will know that I am ADONAI.'


text:
'So you, human being, prophesy against Gog; say that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshekh and Tuval.


text:
I will turn you around, lead you on and bring you from the far reaches of the north against the mountains of Isra'el.


text:
But then I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand.


text:
You will fall on the mountains of Isra'el, you, your troops and all the peoples with you; I will give you to be eaten up by all kinds of birds of prey and by wild animals.


text:
''I will also send fire against Magog and against those living securely in the coastlands; then they will know that I am ADONAI.


text:
I will make my holy name known among my people Isra'el; I will not allow my holy name to be profaned any longer. Then the Goyim will know that I am ADONAI, the Holy One in Isra'el.


text:
Yes, this is coming, and it will be done,' says Adonai ELOHIM; 'this is the day about which I have spoken.


text:
''Those living in Isra'el's cities will go out and set fire to the weapons, to use as fuel - the shields, breastplates, bows, arrows, clubs and spears; they will use them for fire seven years;


text:
so that they will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut down any from the forests; because they will use the weapons for fire. Thus they will plunder those who plundered them and rob those who robbed them,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''When that day comes, I will give Gog a place there in Isra'el for graves, the Travelers' Valley, east of the sea; and it will block the travelers' passage. There they will bury Gog and all his horde, and they will rename it the Valley of Hamon-Gog [horde of Gog].


text:
Yes, all the people of the land will be burying them; they will become famous for it. It will be a day for me to be glorified,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'They will then pick men for the continual duty of going through the land and burying with the travelers the corpses still lying out on the ground, in order to cleanse it; they will begin their search after the seven months.


text:
As they go through the land, if anyone sees a human bone, he will put a marker next to it until the gravediggers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-Gog.


text:
'As for you, human, Adonai ELOHIM says that you are to speak to all kinds of birds and to every wild animal as follows: 'Assemble yourselves and come, gather yourselves from all around for the sacrifice I am preparing for you, a great sacrifice on the mountains of Isra'el, where you can eat flesh and drink blood!


text:
You will eat the flesh of heroes and drink the blood of the earth's princes - rams, lambs, goats and bulls, fattened in Bashan, all of them.


text:
You will eat fat till you are gorged and drink blood till you are drunk at the sacrifice I have prepared for you.


text:
At my table you will be satiated with horses, horsemen, heroes and every kind of warrior,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''Thus will I display my glory among the nations, so that all the nations will see my judgment when I execute it and my hand when I lay it on them.


text:
while the Goyim will know that the house of Isra'el went into exile because of their guilt, because they broke faith with me; so that I hid my face from them and handed them over to their adversaries; and they fell by the sword, all of them.


text:
'Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Now I will restore the fortunes of Ya'akov and have compassion on the entire house of Isra'el, and I will be jealous for my holy name.


text:
They will bear their shame and all their [guilt from] breaking faith with me, once they are living securely in their land, with no one to make them afraid.


text:
This will be after I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, thereby being consecrated through them in the sight of many nations.


text:
Then they will know that I am ADONAI their God, since it was I who caused them to go into exile among the nations, and it was I who regathered them to their own land. I will leave none of them there any more,


text:
and I will no longer hide my face from them, for I have poured out my Spirit on the house of Isra'el,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month - this was the fourteenth year after the city [of Yerushalayim] was struck - it was on that very day that the hand of ADONAI was on me, and he took me there.


text:
In visions God brought me into the land of Isra'el and put me down on a very high mountain; on it, toward the south, it seemed that a city was being built.


text:
That is where he took me, and there in front of me was a man whose appearance was like bronze. He had a flax cord and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway.


text:
The man said to me, 'Human being, look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and pay attention to all the things I am showing you; because the reason you were brought here is so that I could show them to you. Tell everything you see to the house of Isra'el.'


text:
There was a wall surrounding the house. The man had in his hand a measuring rod six cubits long [ten-and-a-half feet], each cubit [twenty-one inches] being a normal cubit [eighteen inches] plus a handbreadth [three inches]. He measured the wall's width at ten-and-a-half feet and its height ten-and-a-half feet.


text:
He went to the east gate, climbed its steps and measured one of the gate's doorposts at ten-and-a-half feet wide and the other one the same.


text:
There were guardrooms, each ten-and-a-half feet square; the distance between the guardrooms was eight-and-three-quarters feet. The threshold of the gate adjoining the gate's entranceway facing the house measured ten-and-a-half feet.


text:
Then he measured the gate's entranceway itself, fourteen feet, and its supports, three-and-a-half feet; the gate's entranceway was on the side facing the house.


text:
There were three guardrooms on each side of the east gate, all the same size; and on each side the supports [between the guardrooms] were also all the same size.


text:
He measured the width of the opening to the gateway at seventeen-and-a-half feet and the width of the passage through the gateway at twenty-two-and-three-quarters feet.


text:
There was a partition in front of the guardrooms [on one side] twenty-one inches [wide] and a partition on the other side twenty-one inches [wide], with the guardrooms themselves being ten-and-a-half feet square.


text:
He measured [inside] the gate from the back wall of one guardroom to the back wall of the other a distance of forty-three-and-three-quarters feet, the openings [to the guardrooms] being opposite each other.


text:
The distance along the passage from the outer opening of the gateway to the far side of the entranceway at the inner end of the gateway was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet.


text:
There were narrow windows to the guardrooms and to their supports facing inward all along the gate; also the vestibules had windows all around facing inward. On each side support were [carvings of] palm trees.


text:
Then he brought me into the outer courtyard. There I saw rooms and paved mosaic flooring made for the courtyard all around its perimeter, and thirty rooms facing the flooring.


text:
The flooring was alongside the gates and corresponded to the length of the gates [from outside to inside], this lower flooring.


text:
He measured at 175 feet the distance from inside this lower gate that faced east to the outside of the inner courtyard, and he did the same for the gate that faced north.


text:
It had three guardrooms on each side, and its supports and vestibule were the same size as those at the first gate; its length was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet and its width forty-three-and-three-quarters feet.


text:
Its windows, vestibule and palm trees were the same size as those at the east gate. Seven steps led up to it [from the outside], while its vestibule was toward the inside.


text:
There were gates to the inner courtyard across from the gates to the north and east; he measured 175 feet from each outer gate to its corresponding inner gate.


text:
He led me toward the south, and there I saw a gate that faced south. He measured its supports and vestibule; they were the same size as the others.


text:
There were windows in it and all around its vestibule like the other windows; the length was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet and the width forty-three-and-three-quarters feet.


text:
Seven steps led up to it [from the outside], while its vestibule was toward the inside. It had palm trees, one on each side, on its supports.


text:
The inner courtyard had a gate on the south; he measured from gate to gate toward the south 175 feet.


text:
He brought me to the inner courtyard through its south gate. He measured this south gate as being the same size;


text:
its guardrooms, supports and vestibule were the same size; it had windows and a vestibule surrounding it; it was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet long and forty-three-and-three-quarters feet wide.


text:
There was a vestibule around it forty-three-and-three-quarters feet long and eight-and-three-quarters feet wide;


text:
this vestibule faced the outer courtyard, palm trees were on its supports, and it had eight steps leading up to it.


text:
He brought me into the inner courtyard, went toward the east and measured that gate as being the same size;


text:
Its vestibule faced the outer courtyard, palm trees were on its supports, both on the one side and on the other; and it had eight steps leading up to it.


text:
it had guardrooms, supports and a vestibule with windows all around; the length was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet and the width forty-three-and-three-quarters feet.


text:
Its supports faced the outer courtyard; palm trees were on its supports, both on the one side and on the other; and it had eight steps leading up to it.


text:
In the entranceway to the gate were two tables on the one side and two on the other, on which to slaughter the burnt offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings.


text:
On the outside, as one goes up to the entry of the north gate, were two tables; and on the other side of the entranceway to the gate were two tables.


text:
So there were four tables on the one side and four on the other side, by the gate - eight tables on which to slaughter sacrifices.


text:
There were four tables of cut stone for the burnt offering, thirty-one-and-a-half inches square and twenty-one inches high, on which to lay the instruments for slaughtering the burnt offerings and other sacrifices.


text:
Hooks a handbreadth long were fastened all around the inside of the room; the flesh of the offerings was to be placed on the tables.


text:
Outside the inner gate, in the inner courtyard, were rooms for the singers, one facing south alongside the north gate, and one facing north alongside the east gate.


text:
while the room facing north is for the cohanim in charge of the altar; these are the descendants of Tzadok, who are the descendants of Levi designated to approach ADONAI and serve him.'


text:
Then he measured the courtyard at 175 feet long and 175 feet wide - it was square. The altar was in front of the house.


text:
He brought me to the vestibule of the house and measured at eight-and-three-quarters feet the thickness of the walls on either side of its entrance. On each side, these walls extended five-and-a-quarter feet from the side-walls of the vestibule.


text:
The length of the vestibule was thirty-five feet and the width nineteen-and-a-quarter feet; steps led up to it. There were columns on each side of the entrance.


text:
He brought me to the sanctuary and measured at ten-and-a-half feet the thickness of the walls on either side of its entrance, which was [also] the thickness of [the walls surrounding] the 'tent' [that is, the sanctuary together with the Especially Holy Place].


text:
The width of the entrance was seventeen-and-a-half feet. The sides of the entrance were eight-and-three-quarters feet on the one side and the same on the other. He measured its length at seventy feet and its width at thirty-five feet.


text:
Next, he went farther in [to the entranceway leading to the Especially Holy Place] and measured at three-and-a-half feet [the thickness of] each entrance support. He measured at ten-and-a-half feet the total thickness of the walls on either side of the entrance; and he measured at twelve-and-a-quarter feet the width of the entrance.


text:
[Continuing into the inner room,] he said to me, 'This is the Especially Holy Place.' He measured its length at thirty-five feet and its width at thirty-five feet along the wall nearest the sanctuary.


text:
[On his way out,] he measured the thickness of the wall of the house at ten-and-a-half feet [at ground level], and the width of all the side-rooms surrounding the house, seven feet [at ground level].


text:
There were three floors of side-rooms, thirty on each floor; and the wall around the house was terraced, so that the side-rooms rested on the terraces and were not supported on [the vertical parts of] the wall.


text:
The higher side-rooms surrounding the house were wider than the lower ones, as were the passageways next to the side-rooms on each floor; thus the width of the side-rooms plus that of the passageways increased as one went up from floor to floor. The ascent from the lowest floor to the highest was [by a ramp] through the middle floor.


text:
I saw that the house had a raised pavement all around it which extended outward a full rod of ten-and-a-half feet from where the foundations of the side-rooms joined it.


text:
The outer wall of the side-rooms was eight-and-three-quarters feet thick [at ground level], likewise the empty space left [between] the structure containing the side-rooms [and the house itself also measured eight-and-three quarters feet wide].


text:
On all sides around the house itself was a space thirty-five feet wide between it and the [block of] rooms [for the cohanim].


text:
The doors of the side-rooms opened toward an empty space, one door facing north and the other facing south; the empty space was eight-and-three-quarters feet [wide] all around.


text:
The building on the west facing the separated yard had a[n interior] width of 1221/2 feet, a[n interior] length of 1571/2 feet and exterior walls eight-and-three-quarters feet thick all the way around.


text:
He measured the length of the house at 175 feet; then a distance that included [the width of] the separated yard, [the interior width of] the building and [the thickness of] its [front and back exterior] walls, at 175 feet.


text:
The distance along the facade of the house on the east through the separated yard[s to the north and south] was 175 feet.


text:
He measured the length of the building facing the separated yard behind [the house], together with its galleries on both sides, at 175 feet. The sanctuary, the inner place and the vestibules [leading from the house] to the courtyard,


text:
as well as the thresholds, narrow windows and galleries around these three, had wood panelling around them as far as the thresholds and from the ground up to the windows; and the windows were covered.


text:
From the area above the entrance to the interior of the house, as well as outside, and on the entire wall all the way around, both inside and outside, was a pattern


text:
consisting of k'ruvim and palm trees, with a palm tree between every two k'ruvim. Every keruv had two faces;


text:
so that there was the face of a man toward the palm tree on its one side and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on its other side - this was the pattern all the way around the house.


text:
The k'ruvim and palm trees ran from the ground to above the door, and likewise on the wall of the sanctuary.


text:
As for the sanctuary, the door-frames were squared, and the appearance of the [Especially] Holy Place was like the appearance [I saw at the K'var River].


text:
The altar was of wood, five-and-a-quarter feet high and three-and-a-half feet long; its length and walls were also of wood. He said to me, 'This is the table which is in the presence of ADONAI.'


text:
had two doors. The doors had two swinging leaves each - two leaves for the one door and two for the other.


text:
On them, that is, on the doors of the sanctuary, were carved k'ruvim and palm trees like those on the walls; and on the exterior facade of the outside entrance were thick beams of wood.


text:
There were narrow windows flanked by palm trees on both sides of the entrance; the side-rooms of the house and the thick beams also [had palm trees].


text:
Then he led me into the outer courtyard - the route went north - and brought me to the [block of] rooms opposite the separated yard and opposite the building to the north.


text:
The length of the front was 175 feet on the north side, where the door was; the width was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet.


text:
It was located between the inner courtyard, which was thirty-five feet wide, and the flooring of the outer courtyard. It had galleries, one above the other, on three floors.


text:
In front of the [block of] rooms was a walkway seventeen-and-a-half feet wide and a path twenty-one inches [wide]; their doors faced north.


text:
The upper rooms were shorter, because the galleries took up some of their space, more than from the [rooms on the] lower and middle [floors] of the building.


text:
For the rooms were on three floors, and they didn't have columns like those in the courtyards; therefore space was taken away from the [rooms on the] lower and middle [floors], in comparison with the ground.


text:
The length of the wall outside, next to the rooms, toward the outer courtyard in front of the rooms, was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet.


text:
For the length of the rooms toward the outer courtyard was eighty-seven-and-a-half feet, whereas [the length of] the side facing the sanctuary was 175 feet.


text:
In the width of the courtyard wall on the east, facing the separated yard and facing the building, there were rooms,


text:
with a passageway in front of them, similar to the rooms on the north. They were the same length and width and had similarly made exits and entrances.


text:
By the entrances of the rooms on the south there was an entrance at the end of the passage, the passageway right in front of the wall, toward the eastern entrances.


text:
Then he said to me, 'The north and south [blocks of] rooms in front of the separated yard are the holy rooms where the cohanim who approach ADONAI will eat the especially holy things. This is where they will put the especially holy things - the grain offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings; for the place is holy.


text:
When the cohanim come, they will not go out of the [Especially] Holy Place into the outer courtyard; rather, they will leave [in these rooms] the clothes they use when ministering, because they are holy. They will put on other clothes and only then approach the areas permitted to the people.'


text:
After he had finished measuring the inner house, he brought me out by way of the gate facing east and measured the whole area.


text:
He measured its four sides; it had a wall around it; and it was 875 [feet] long and 875 [feet] wide. Thus a division was made between what was holy and what was common.


text:
There I saw the glory of the God of Isra'el approaching from the east. His voice was like the sound of rushing water, and the earth shone with his glory.


text:
The vision seemed like the vision I had seen when I came to destroy the city; also the visions were like the vision I had seen by the K'var River; and I fell on my face.


text:
Next, a spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and I saw ADONAI's glory fill the house.


text:
He said, 'Human being, this is the place for my throne, the place for the soles of my feet, where I will live among the people of Isra'el forever. The house of Isra'el, both they and their kings, will never again defile my holy name by their prostitution, by [burying] the corpses of their kings [on] their high places,


text:
or by placing their threshold next to my threshold and their door-frames next to my door-frames, with only a common wall between me and them. Yes, they defiled my holy name by the disgusting practices they committed; which is why I destroyed them in my anger.


text:
So now, they should put their prostitution at a distance and the corpses of their kings far away from me; then I will live among them forever.


text:
'You, human being, describe this house to the house of Isra'el, so that they will be ashamed of their crimes. And let them measure accurately.


text:
If they become ashamed of all they have done, show them the elevation and plan of the house, its exits and entrances, all its details and decorations, and all its specifications, its design and its Torah. Sketch it for them to see, so that they can observe the entire design with its specifications, and carry them out.


text:
This is Torah for the house: the whole surrounding area on the mountaintop will be especially holy. This is Torah for the house.'


text:
These are the measurements of the altar in cubits (a cubit here is defined as a normal cubit [eighteen inches] plus a handbreadth [three inches]): the base, one cubit [twenty-one inches] deep and one cubit wide; with the molding surrounding it at its rim about a hand-span [nine inches] in width. The height of the altar is thus:


text:
from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, three-and-a-half feet, with the width twenty-one inches; from the lower ledge to the upper ledge, seven feet, with the width again twenty-one inches.


text:
The ledge measures a square twenty-four-and-a-half feet on each of its four sides; the molding around it ten-and-a-half inches [across]; and its base twenty-one inches [larger than the rest, all the way] around. Its steps face east.


text:
He said to me, 'Human being, Adonai ELOHIM says, 'These are the regulations for the altar when the time comes to construct it, offer burnt offerings on it and splash the blood against it:


text:
you are to give to the cohanim, who are L'vi'im descended from Tzadok and who approach to serve me,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'a young bull as a sin offering.


text:
You are to take its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge and on the molding all the way around; this is how you will purify it and make atonement for it.


text:
You are also to take the bull which is the sin offering and have it burned up at the designated place [on the grounds] of the house, outside the sanctuary.


text:
On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect as a sin offering, and they are to purify the altar as they purified it with the bull.


text:
When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull without defect and a ram from the flock without defect.


text:
You are to present them before ADONAI, and the cohanim will throw salt on them and offer them as a burnt offering to ADONAI.


text:
Every day, for seven days, you are to prepare a goat as a sin offering; they are also to prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock without defect.


text:
For seven days, they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; in this way they are to consecrate it.


text:
When these days are over, then, on the eighth day and afterwards, the cohanim will present your burnt offerings on the altar and your peace offerings; and I will accept you,' says Adonai ELOHIM.'


text:
Then he brought me back by way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east; and it was shut.


text:
ADONAI said to me, 'This gate will remain shut; it will not be opened, and no one will go through it; because ADONAI, the God of Isra'el, has gone through it. Therefore, it is to be kept shut.


text:
Only the prince, since he is a prince, is to sit there to eat his meal before ADONAI; he is to enter through the vestibule of the gate and leave the same way.'


text:
Then he brought me through the north gate to the front of the house. I looked, saw ADONAI's glory filling the house of ADONAI, and fell on my face.


text:
ADONAI said to me, 'Human being, pay attention; see with your eyes and hear with your ears everything I tell you about all the regulations of ADONAI's house and about all its Torah; pay attention to who can enter the house and who must be excluded from the sanctuary.


text:
You are to tell the rebels, the house of Isra'el, that this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'House of Isra'el, enough of all your disgusting practices!


text:
You brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in both heart and flesh, to be in my sanctuary and profane it - yes, my house - when you offered my food, the fat and the blood; thus in addition to all your disgusting practices, they broke my covenant.


text:
Instead of taking care of my holy things yourselves, you have put these people in charge of my sanctuary.'


text:
Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'No foreigner, uncircumcised in both heart and flesh, is to enter my sanctuary - no foreigner living among the people of Isra'el.


text:
''Rather, the L'vi'im, who went far away from me when Isra'el went astray, going astray after their idols - they will bear the consequences of their guilt,


text:
but they are to serve in my sanctuary. They will have charge of the gates of the house and of serving in the house; they will slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people; and they will attend and serve them.


text:
Because they served them in the presence of their idols and became an occasion of sin for the house of Isra'el, I am raising my hand against them,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'and they will bear the consequences of their guilt.


text:
They will not approach me to serve me in the office of cohen or approach any of the holy things or the especially holy things; but they will bear their shame for the disgusting practices they committed.


text:
''However, the cohanim, who are L'vi'im and descendants of Tzadok, who took care of my sanctuary when the people of Isra'el went astray from me - they are the ones who will approach me and serve me; it is they who will attend me and offer me the fat and the blood,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''Once they enter the gates of the inner courtyard, they are to wear linen clothing; they are not to wear any wool while serving at the gates of the inner courtyard or inside it.


text:
They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen underclothes on their bodies, and they are not to wear anything that makes them sweat.


text:
Before going out to the people in the outer courtyard, they are to remove the clothes in which they minister, lay them in the holy rooms, and put on other clothes; so that they won't transmit holiness to the people by means of their clothing.


text:
They are not to shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but must keep their hair carefully trimmed.


text:
They may not marry a widow or a divorcee but must marry virgins descended from the house of Isra'el or a widow whose deceased husband was a cohen.


text:
''They are to teach my people the difference between holy and common and enable them to distinguish between clean and unclean.


text:
They are to be judges in controversies, and they are to render decisions in keeping with my rulings. At all my designated festivals they are to keep my laws and regulations, and they are to keep my shabbats holy.


text:
They are not to come to any dead person, because this would make them unclean; however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister who has had no husband they may make themselves unclean.


text:
Then, on the day he enters the sanctuary, when he goes into the inner courtyard to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer his sin offering,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''Their inheritance is to be this: I myself am their inheritance. You are not to grant them any possession in Isra'el - I myself am their possession.


text:
They are to eat the grain offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings; and everything in Isra'el devoted [to God] will be theirs.


text:
The first of all the firstfruits of everything, and every voluntary contribution of everything, from all your offerings, will be for the cohanim. You are also to give the cohen the first of your dough, so that a blessing will rest on your house.


text:
''When you divide the land by lot for inheritance, you are to set aside an offering for ADONAI, a holy portion of the land. Its length is to be 25,000 [cubits, that is, eight miles] and its width 10,000 [three miles]; this entire region is to be holy.


text:
Of this there is to be reserved for the holy place an area 875 [feet] square, with eighty-seven-and-a-half feet for open land around it.


text:
Alongside this region you are to measure a length of eight [miles] and a width of three [miles]; in it is to be the sanctuary, which will be especially holy.


text:
It is a holy portion of the land; it is for the cohanim who serve in the sanctuary, who approach to minister to ADONAI; there will be a place for their houses and a place set aside for the sanctuary.


text:
A portion eight by three [miles] will be owned by the L'vi'im who serve in the house; it will also have twenty [gatekeepers'] rooms.


text:
You are to give the city possession of an area, alongside the offering of the holy portion, one-and-a-half by eight [miles]; it will be for the whole house of Isra'el.


text:
''The prince is to have the territory on both sides of the holy offering and the city's holding; it will extend westward to the western border of the land and eastward to its eastern border; and the length [from the far side of one] of its two parts [to the far side of the other] will be the same as the length of one of the [tribal] portions.


text:
His possession in Isra'el will be limited to this, and henceforth my princes will not wrong my people but will give the land to the house of Isra'el according to their tribes.'


text:
Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Princes of Isra'el, that should be enough for you! Get rid of violence and looting, do what is right and just, and stop evicting my people from their land!' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''You are to have honest balance-scales, an honest eifah [a one-bushel dry-measure] and an honest bat [a five-gallon liquid-measure].


text:
The eifah and the bat are to contain the same volume - the bat is to contain one-tenth of a homer, and the eifah is to contain one-tenth of a homer; the homer is to set the standard for measurement.


text:
Also the shekel is to be twenty gerahs; your maneh will be the sum of a twenty-shekel piece, a twenty-five-shekel piece and a fifteen-shekel piece.


text:
''This is the offering you are to make: one-sixth of a bushel from every ten bushels of wheat, and you are to give one-sixth of a bushel from every ten bushels of barley.


text:
The law for olive oil is to be half a gallon from every fifty gallons, which is the same as ten bats or one homer, since ten bats equal a homer.


text:
From the flock, take one sheep from every two hundred being pastured in Isra'el; [all these are to be used] for grain offerings, burnt offerings and peace offerings, to make atonement for them,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
The prince's obligation will be to present the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the feasts, on Rosh-Hodesh, and on Shabbat - at all the designated times of the house of Isra'el. He is to prepare the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Isra'el.'


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'On the first day of the first month you are to take a young bull without defect and purify the sanctuary.


text:
The cohen will take some of the blood from the sin offering and put it on the door-frames of the house, on the four corners of the altar's ledge and on the supports of the gate of the inner courtyard.


text:
You are also to do this on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned inadvertently or through ignorance. Thus you will make atonement for the house.


text:
''On the fourteenth day of the first month you are to have the Pesach, a feast seven days long; matzah will be eaten.


text:
On that day the prince will provide, for himself and for all the people of the land, a young bull as a sin offering.


text:
On the seven days of the feast he is to provide a burnt offering for ADONAI, seven young bulls and seven rams without defect daily for the seven days, and a male goat daily as a sin offering.


text:
He is to provide as a grain offering a bushel [of grain] for a young bull and a bushel for a ram, and for each bushel [of grain] a gallon of olive oil.


text:
''On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, during the feast [of Sukkot] he is to do the same thing for those seven days in regard to the sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings and olive oil.'


text:
'This is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'The east gate of the inner courtyard is to be shut on the six working days, but on Shabbat it is to be opened, and on Rosh-Hodesh it is to be opened.


text:
The prince is to enter by way of the outer vestibule of the gate and stand by the support of the gate. The cohanim are to prepare his burnt offering and peace offerings. Then he is to prostrate himself in worship at the threshold of the gate, after which he is to leave; but the gate is not to be shut until evening.


text:
The people of the land are also to prostrate themselves in worship before ADONAI at the entrance to that gate on Shabbat and on Rosh-Hodesh.


text:
''The burnt offering the prince is to offer ADONAI on Shabbat is to consist of six lambs without defect and a ram without defect.


text:
The grain offering is to be a bushel for the ram, while for the lambs it can be as much as he wants to give; with a gallon of olive oil per eifah.


text:
He is to prepare a grain offering consisting of a bushel for the bull, a bushel for the ram, and for the lambs as his means allow; with a gallon of olive oil per bushel.


text:
''When the prince enters, he is to go in by way of the vestibule of the gate, and he is to leave the same way.


text:
But when the people of the land come before ADONAI at the designated times, whoever comes in to worship by way of the north gate is to leave by way of the south gate, and whoever comes in by way of the south gate is to leave by way of the north gate; he is not to go back out through the gate by which he entered but is to exit straight ahead of him.


text:
[On these occasions,] the prince is to be among them when they enter; and when they leave, they are to leave together.


text:
''At the festivals and at designated times, the grain offering is to be a bushel for a young bull and a bushel for a ram, while for the lambs it can be as much as he wants to give, with a gallon of olive oil per bushel.


text:
''When the prince provides a voluntary offering, whether it is a burnt offering or peace offerings that he offers voluntarily to ADONAI, someone is to open the east gate for him; and he is to provide his burnt offering and peace offerings as he does on Shabbat. Then he will leave; and after he leaves, the gate is to be shut.


text:
''You are to provide a lamb in its first year that has no defect for a daily burnt offering to ADONAI; do this each morning.


text:
Also each morning, provide with it a grain offering, one-sixth of a bushel, and one-third of a gallon of olive oil to moisten the fine flour; this is the ongoing grain offering for ADONAI, by a permanent regulation.


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'If the prince turns over part of his hereditary property to one of his sons, it is his inheritance; it will belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance.


text:
But if he gives part of his hereditary property to one of his slaves, it will be his until the year of freedom, at which time it will revert to the prince, so that the prince's heritage will go to his sons.


text:
The prince is not to take over any of the people's inheritance, thereby evicting them wrongfully from their property; he is to give his sons an inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people will be driven off their property.''


text:
Next, he brought me through the entry at the side of the gate into the holy rooms facing north that were for the cohanim. At their far west end I saw a place


text:
about which he said to me, 'This is the place where the cohanim will boil the guilt offerings and sin offerings and bake the grain offerings. In this way they won't have to bring them into the outer courtyard and risk transmitting holiness to the people.'


text:
He took me into the outer courtyard and had me pass by the four corners of the courtyard, and there in each corner of the courtyard was another courtyard -


text:
in the four corners of the courtyard were enclosed courtyards seventy feet long and fifty-two-and-a-half feet; the four courtyards in the corners were the same size.


text:
He said to me, 'These are the stoves where those serving in the house will boil the people's sacrifices.'


text:
Then he brought me back to the entrance of the house, and I saw water flowing eastward from under the threshold of the house, for the house faced east. The water flowed down from under the right side of the house, south of the altar.


text:
Next he led me out through the north gate and took me around outside to the outer gate, by way of the east gate, where I saw water trickling from the south side.


text:
With a line in his hand the man went out toward the east and measured a thousand cubits [one-third of a mile] and had me wade across the stream; the water came up to my ankles.


text:
He measured another thousand and had me wade through the water, which reached my knees. He measured another thousand and had me wade through water up to my waist.


text:
Finally he measured a thousand, and it was a river I couldn't cross on foot, because the water was so deep one would have to swim across; it was a river that could not be waded through.


text:
After being returned, I saw on the bank of the river a great number of trees on the one side and on the other.


text:
He said to me, 'This water flows toward the eastern region and continues down to the 'Aravah. When it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant water, [the Dead Sea,] its water will become fresh.


text:
When this happens, swarms of all kinds of living creatures will be able to live in it wherever the streams flow; so that there will be a vast number of fish; for this water is flowing there, so that, wherever the river goes, everything will be restored and able to live.


text:
Then fishermen will stand on its shores spreading their nets all the way from 'Ein-Gedi to 'Ein-'Eglayim. There will be as many kinds of fish there as in the Great Sea, [the Mediterranean,] a great variety.


text:
On both riverbanks will grow all kinds of trees for food; their leaves will not dry up, nor will their fruit fail. There will be a different kind of fruit each month, because the water flows from the sanctuary, so that this fruit will be edible, and the leaves will have healing properties.'


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'These are the borders of the land you are to distribute for inheritance by the twelve tribes of Isra'el, with Yosef receiving two portions.


text:
For inheritance you will each have equal shares. I swore to your ancestors that I would give them this land, and now it falls to you to inherit it.


text:
''The borders of the land will be as follows: on the north, from the Great Sea through Hetlon to the entrance of Tz'dad,


text:
Hamat, Berotah, Sibrayim (which is between the border of Dammesek and the border of Hamat), Hatzer-Hatikhon (which is toward the border of Havran).


text:
The border from the sea will be Hatzar-'Einon (at the border of Dammesek); while on the north, northward, is the border of Hamat. This is the north side.


text:
''On the east side, measure between Havran and Dammesek, Gil'ad and the land of Isra'el by the Yarden, from the border to the eastern sea. This is the east side.


text:
''On the side of the Negev toward the south it will be from Tamar as far as the waters of M'rivot-Kadesh, then to the Vadi [of Egypt] and on to the Great Sea. This is the south side toward the Negev.


text:
''The west side will be the Great Sea, as far as across from the entrance to Hamat. This is the west side.


text:
You are to divide it by lot as an inheritance both to you and to the foreigners living among you who give birth to children living among you; for you they are to be no different from the native-born among the people of Isra'el - they are to have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Isra'el.


text:
You are to give the foreigner an inheritance in the territory of the tribe with whom he is living,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''Following is the list of tribes: ''This is Dan's territory: from the north end, through Hetlon to the entrance of Hamat, Hatzar-'Einan (at the border of Dammesek), northward, next to Hamat; and they will have their sides east and west.


text:
''Alongside the territory of Y'hudah, from east to west, will be the offering you are to set aside, 25,000 [cubits] wide [eight miles], and in length equal to distance between the east and west boundaries of one of the portions, with the sanctuary inside it.


text:
This holy offering will be for the cohanim; it will be eight [miles] in length along its north and south sides and three in width along its west and east sides; ADONAI's sanctuary will be inside it.


text:
The portion set aside as holy will be for the cohanim who are descendants of Tzadok that remained faithful to my commission and did not go astray when the people of Isra'el and the L'vi'im went astray.


text:
It is to be an especially holy portion set apart for them and taken from the offering of the land, next to the border of the L'vi'im.


text:
' 'Alongside the territory for the cohanim, the L'vi'im are to have a portion eight [miles] long and three wide - its total length will be eight and its width three.


text:
''The 5,000 [cubits, that is, the one-and-a-half miles] that are left of the width is to be for the common use of the city, for housing and for open fields. The city will be inside it.


text:
and will measure 4,500 cubits [just under one-and-a-half miles] along each of its sides - north, south, east and west.


text:
The city is to have outside it a border of land 440 feet wide on each side - north, south, east and west.


text:
A strip next to the holy offering extending three [miles] to the east and three to the west is to be left. This area by the holy offering is to be used to grow food for those serving the city.


text:
''What remains will be for the prince - the land on the two sides of the holy offering and section for the city, that is, the portion eastward from the eight [miles] of the offering's eastern border to the land's eastern border and the portion westward from the eight [miles] of the offering's western border to the land's western border - this land adjacent to the [tribal] portions will be for the prince, with the holy offering and the sanctuary of the house inside it.


text:
Thus the land belonging to the L'vi'im and the section for the city will be inside that which belongs to the prince. ''The territory belonging to the prince will be between the territory of Y'hudah and the territory of Binyamin -


text:
''Alongside the territory of Gad, from the Negev southward, the border will run from Tamar to the water at M'rivat-Kadesh, then to the Vadi [of Egypt], and on to the Great Sea.


text:
This is the land you are to distribute by lot to the tribes of Isra'el for inheritance, and these are their portions,' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
''These are the city exits; they are to be named after the tribes of Isra'el, three gates on each of the four sides; the four sides each measure just under one-and-a-half [miles]: on the north, gates named after Re'uven, Y'hudah and Levi; on the east, gates named after Yosef, Binyamin and Dan; on the south, gates named after Shim'on, Yissakhar and Z'vulun; and on the west, gates named after Gad, Asher and Naftali.


text:
''The perimeter of [the city] will be just under six [miles] long. And from that day on the name of the city will be ADONAI Shamah [ADONAI is there].''


text:
In the third year of the reign of Y'hoyakim king of Y'hudah, N'vukhadnetzar king of Bavel came to Yerushalayim and laid siege to it;


text:
and Adonai handed Y'hoyakim king of Y'hudah over to him, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He took them to the land of Shin'ar, to the house of his god and placed the articles in the storehouse of his god.


text:
The king ordered Ashp'naz, the eunuch serving as his chief officer, to bring into the palace from the people of Isra'el some of royal or noble descent.


text:
They were to be boys without physical defect, handsome in appearance, versed in all kinds of wisdom, quick to learn, discerning, and having the capacity to serve in the king's palace; and he was to teach them the language and literature of the Kasdim.


text:
The king assigned them a daily portion of his own food and the wine he drank, and they were to be cared for in this way for three years. At the end of this time they were to become the king's attendants.


text:
The chief officer gave them other names - to Dani'el he gave the name Belt'shatzar; to Hananyah, Shadrakh; to Misha'el, Meishakh; and to 'Azaryah, 'Aved-N'go.


text:
But Dani'el resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or the wine he drank, so he asked the chief officer to be excused from defiling himself.


text:
however, the chief officer said to Dani'el, 'I'm afraid of my lord the king. After all, he has given you an allowance of food and drink; so if he were to see you boys looking worse than the others your age, you would be putting my own head in danger from the king.'


text:
Then Dani'el said to the guard whom the chief officer had put in charge of Dani'el, Hananyah, Misha'el and 'Azaryah,


text:
'Please! Try an experiment on your servants - for ten days have them give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink.


text:
Then see how we look, and compare us with how the boys who eat the king's food look; and deal with your servants according to what you see.'


text:
At the end of ten days they looked better and more robust than all the boys who were eating the king's food.


text:
So the guard took away their food and the wine they were supposed to drink, and gave them vegetables.


text:
To these four boys God had given knowledge and skill in every aspect of learning and wisdom; moreover, Dani'el could understand all kinds of visions and dreams.


text:
When the time the king had set for them to be presented came, the chief officer presented them to N'vukhadnetzar;


text:
and when the king spoke with them, none was found among all of them to compare with Dani'el, Hananyah, Misha'el and 'Azaryah. So they entered the king's service;


text:
and in all matters requiring wisdom and understanding, whenever the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and exorcists in his entire kingdom.


text:
In the second year of the reign of N'vukhadnetzar, N'vukhadnetzar became so troubled by a series of dreams he had that he couldn't sleep.


text:
So the king ordered the magicians, exorcists, sorcerers and astrologers summoned to interpret the king's dreams to him. They came and stood in his presence.


text:
The king said to them, 'I had a dream which will keep troubling my spirit until I know what it means.'


text:
The astrologers spoke to the king in Aramaic: 'May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.'


text:
The king answered the astrologers, 'Here is what I have decided: if you don't tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses reduced to rubble.


text:
But if you do state the dream and its interpretation, I will give you presents, rewards and great honor. Just tell me the dream and its interpretation.'


text:
that if you don't tell me the dream, there is only one sentence passed on all of you. So you've conspired to mislead me with lies in the hope that time will change things. Now, just tell me the dream! That will convince me that you will also be able to give me its correct interpretation.'


text:
The astrologers answered the king, 'Your majesty, nobody in the world can do this! Never has a king, no matter how great and powerful, asked such a thing of any magician or exorcist or astrologer.


text:
The king is asking a difficult thing; nobody but the gods could tell this to your majesty, and they don't live with mere mortals.'


text:
When the decree was published that the sages were to be slain, they sought Dani'el and his companions in order to have them put to death.


text:
Then, choosing his words carefully, Dani'el consulted Aryokh, captain of the royal guard, who had already gone out to kill the sages of Bavel.


text:
He said to Aryokh, 'Since you are the king's official, let me ask: why has the king issued such a harsh decree?'Aryokh explained the matter to Dani'el.


text:
so that they could ask the God of heaven for mercy concerning this secret, and thus save Dani'el and his companions from dying along with the other sages of Bavel.


text:
in these words: 'Blessed be the name of God from eternity past to eternity future! For wisdom and power are his alone;


text:
he brings the changes of seasons and times; he installs and deposes kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those with discernment.


text:
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for giving me wisdom and power, and revealing to me what we wanted from you, for giving us the answer for the king.'


text:
So Dani'el went to see Aryokh, whom the king had charged with destroying the sages of Bavel, and said to him, 'Don't destroy the sages of Bavel! Bring me before the king, and I will give the king the interpretation.'


text:
Quickly Aryokh brought Dani'el before the king and told him, 'I have found one of the exiles of Y'hudah who will reveal the interpretation to his majesty.'


text:
The king said to Dani'el (who had been renamed Belt'shatzar), 'Can you tell me what I dreamt and what it means?'


text:
Dani'el answered the king, 'No sage, exorcist, magician or astrologer can tell his majesty the secret he has asked about.


text:
But there is a God in heaven who unlocks mysteries, and he has revealed to King N'vukhadnetzar what will happen in the acharit-hayamim. Here are your dream and the visions you had in your head when you were in bed.


text:
'Your majesty, when you were in bed, you began thinking about what would take place in the future; and he who reveals secrets has revealed to you what will happen.


text:
Yet this secret has not been revealed to me because I am wiser than anyone living, but so that the meaning can be made known to your majesty, and then you can understand the thoughts of your own mind.


text:
'Your majesty had a vision of a statue, very large and extremely bright; it stood in front of you and its appearance was terrifying.


text:
The head of the statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its trunk and thighs of bronze,


text:
As you watched, a stone separated itself without any human hand, struck the statue on its feet made of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.


text:
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken into pieces which became like the chaff on a threshing-floor in summer; the wind blew them away without leaving a trace. But the stone which had struck the statue grew into a huge mountain that filled the whole earth.


text:
Your majesty, king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory;


text:
so that wherever people, wild animals or birds in the air live, he has handed them over to you and enabled you to rule them all -you are the head of gold.


text:
But after you another kingdom will rise, inferior to you; then a third kingdom, of bronze, which will rule the whole world.


text:
The fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron. Iron can break anything into pieces, pulverize it and crush it. So just as iron can crush anything, this kingdom will break the other kingdoms into pieces and crush them.


text:
Finally, you saw the feet and toes made partly of pottery clay and partly of iron; this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the firmness of iron, since you saw the iron mixed with clay from the ground.


text:
Just as the toes of the feet were part iron and part clay, this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.


text:
You saw the iron mixed with clay; that means that they will cement their alliances by intermarriages; but they won't stick together any more than iron blends with clay.


text:
'In the days of those kings the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not pass into the hands of another people. It will break to pieces and consume all those kingdoms; but it, itself, will stand forever -


text:
like the stone you saw, which, without human hands, separated itself from the mountain and broke to pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold. The great God has revealed to the king what will come about in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is reliable.'


text:
Then King N'vukhadnetzar fell on his face and worshipped Dani'el; he ordered that a grain offering and incense be offered to him.


text:
To Dani'el the king said, 'Your God is indeed the God of gods, the Lord of kings and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.'


text:
The king promoted Dani'el to a high rank, gave him many rich gifts and made him governor of the entire province of Bavel and head of all the sages of Bavel.


text:
At Dani'el's request, the king put Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go in charge of the affairs of the province of Bavel, while Dani'el remained in attendance on the king.


text:
N'vukhadnetzar the king had a gold statue made, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, which he set up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Bavel.


text:
Then N'vukhadnetzar the king summoned the viceroys, prefects, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs and all the provincial officials to assemble and come to the dedication of the statue which N'vukhadnetzar the king had set up.


text:
The viceroys, prefects, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs and all the provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue which N'vukhadnetzar the king had set up. They stood in front of the statue that N'vukhadnetzar had set up;


text:
that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments, you fall down and worship the gold statue that N'vukhadnetzar the king has set up.


text:
Therefore, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute and the rest of the musical instruments, all the peoples, nations and languages fell down and worshipped the gold statue that N'vukhadnetzar the king had set up.


text:
Your majesty, you have ordered that everyone who hears sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments is to fall down and worship the gold statue;


text:
There are some Jews whom you have put in charge of the affairs of the province of Bavel, Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go; and these men, your majesty, have paid no attention to you. They do not serve your gods, and they do not worship the gold statue you set up.'


text:
In a raging fury N'vukhadnetzar ordered that Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go be brought. When the men had been brought before the king,


text:
N'vukhadnetzar said to them, 'Shadrakh! Meishakh! 'Aved-N'go! Is it true that you neither serve my gods nor worship the gold statue I set up?


text:
All right, then. If you are prepared, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, harp, zither, lute, bagpipe and the rest of the musical instruments, to fall down and worship the gold statue, very well. But if you won't worship, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing hot furnace - and what god will save you from my power then?'


text:
Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go answered the king, 'Your question doesn't require an answer from us.


text:
Your majesty, if our God, whom we serve, is able to save us, he will save us from the blazing hot furnace and from your power.


text:
But even if he doesn't, we want you to know, your majesty, that we will neither serve your gods nor worship the gold statue which you have set up.'


text:
N'vukhadnetzar became so utterly enraged that his face was distorted with anger against Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go. He ordered the furnace made seven times hotter than usual.


text:
Then he ordered some of the strongest men in his army to tie up Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go and throw them into the blazing hot furnace.


text:
So these men were tied up in their cloaks, tunics, robes and other clothes, and thrown into the blazing hot furnace.


text:
The king's order was so urgent and the furnace so overheated that the men carrying Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go were burned to death by the flames.


text:
Suddenly N'vukhadnetzar sprang to his feet. Alarmed, he asked his advisers, 'Didn't we throw three men, bound, into the flames?'They answered the king, 'Yes, of course, your majesty.'


text:
But he exclaimed, 'Look! I see four men, not tied up, walking around there in the flames, unhurt; and the fourth looks like one of the gods!'


text:
N'vukhadnetzar approached the opening of the blazing hot furnace and said, 'Shadrakh! Meishakh! 'Aved-N'go! You servants of El 'Elyon! Come out, and come here!' Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go emerged from the flames.


text:
The viceroys, prefects, governors and royal advisers who were there saw that the fire had had no power on the bodies of these men - not even their hair was singed, their clothes looked the same, and they didn't smell of fire.


text:
N'vukhadnetzar said, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go! He sent his angel to deliver his servants who trusted in him. They defied the royal order to the point of being willing to give up their bodies, in order not to serve or worship any god but their own God.


text:
Therefore I herewith decree that anyone, no matter from which people, nation or language, who says anything to insult the God of Shadrakh, Meishakh and 'Aved-N'go is to be torn limb from limb, and his house is to be reduced to rubble; because there is no other god who can save like this.'


text:
[The following letter was sent out:] 'From: N'vukhadnetzar the king 'To: All the peoples, nations and languages living throughout the earth: 'Shalom rav! [Abundant peace!]


text:
'How great are his signs! How powerful his wonders! His kingdom lasts forever, and he rules all generations.


text:
but as I lay on my bed, I had a dream which frightened me, followed by fantasies and visions in my head which frightened me even more.


text:
So I ordered all the sages of Bavel to present themselves to me, so that they could tell me the interpretation of the dream.


text:
When the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream; but they couldn't interpret it for me.


text:
Finally, however, Dani'el (renamed Belt'shatzar, after the name of my god), in whom is the spirit of the holy gods, came before me; and I told him the dream:


text:
'Belt'shatzar, chief of the magicians! Because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the meaning of the visions I saw in my dream.


text:
Here are the visions I had in my head as I lay on my bed: I looked, and there before me was a tree at the center of the earth; it was very tall.


text:
The tree grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen from anywhere on earth.


text:
Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant; it produced enough food for everyone. The wild animals enjoyed its shade, the birds in the air lived in its branches, and it gave food to every living creature.


text:
I looked in the visions of my head as I lay on my bed, and there appeared a holy watcher coming down from heaven.


text:
He cried out: '''Cut down the tree, cut off its branches, strip off its leaves, scatter its fruit! Let the wild animals flee from its shelter! Let the birds abandon its branches!


text:
But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the lush grass of the countryside; let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share the lot of animals in the pasture;


text:
let his heart and mind cease to be human and become those of an animal; and let seven seasons pass over him.


text:
'''This order is issued by the watchers, the sentence is announced by the holy ones, so that all who live may know that the Most High rules the human kingdom, that he gives it to whomever he wishes and can raise up over it the lowliest of mortals.'


text:
''This is the dream which I, King N'vukhadnetzar, saw. Now you, Belt'shatzar, tell me its interpretation. None of the sages of my kingdom can tell me the interpretation, but you can do it, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.'


text:
'Dani'el, whose name was Belt'shatzar, was in shock awhile, frightened by his thoughts. The king said, 'Belt'shatzar, don't let the dream or the interpretation frighten you.' Belt'shatzar answered, 'My lord, if only the dream were about those who hate you, and the interpretation about your enemies!


text:
The tree you saw which grew and became strong until its crown reached the sky, and it could be seen throughout the whole earth,


text:
that had beautiful foliage and abundant fruit, enough to feed everyone, under which the wild animals lived, and on whose branches the birds in the air built their nests -


text:
it's you, your majesty! You have grown and become strong - your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your rule extends to the end of the earth.


text:
''Now the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven, who said, '''Cut down the tree, and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the lush grass of the countryside; let him be drenched with dew from the sky and share the lot of the wild animals until seven seasons pass over him.'


text:
''This is the interpretation, your majesty; and it is the decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:


text:
''You will be driven from human society to live with the wild animals. You will be made to eat grass like an ox and be drenched with dew from the sky, as seven seasons pass over you; until you learn that the Most High rules in the human kingdom and gives it to whomever he pleases.


text:
''But since it was ordered to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be kept for you until you have learned that Heaven rules everything.


text:
Therefore, your majesty, please take my advice: break with your sins by replacing them with acts of charity, and break with your crimes by showing mercy to the poor; this may extend the time of your prosperity.'


text:
the king said, 'Bavel the great! I built it as a royal residence by my power and force to enhance the glory of my majesty!'


text:
No sooner had the king spoken these words when a voice came down from heaven: 'King N'vukhadnetzar! These words are for you: ''The kingdom has left you.


text:
You will be driven from human society to live with the wild animals. You will be made to eat grass like an ox and be drenched with dew from the sky, as seven seasons pass over you, until you learn that the Most High rules in the human kingdom and gives it to whomever he pleases.'


text:
'Within the hour the word was fulfilled. N'vukhadnetzar was driven from human society, he ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky, until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.


text:
'When this period was over, I, N'vukhadnetzar, lifted my eyes toward heaven, and my understanding came back to me. I blessed the Most High, I praised and gave honor to him who lives forever. ''For his rulership is everlasting, his kingdom endures through all generations.


text:
All who live on earth are counted as nothing. He does what he wishes with the army of heaven and with those living on earth. No one can hold back his hand or ask him, 'What are you doing?''


text:
'It was at that moment that my understanding came back to me; and for the sake of the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor also came back to me. My advisers and lords sought me out, I was re-established in my kingdom, and to my previous greatness even more was added.


text:
So now I, N'vukhadnetzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven: ''For all his works are truth, and his ways are just; and he can humble those who walk in pride.''


text:
Belshatzar the king gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, and in the presence of the thousand he was drinking wine.


text:
While tasting the wine, Belshatzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels which his father N'vukhadnetzar had removed from the temple in Yerushalayim be brought; so that the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines could drink from them.


text:
So they brought the gold vessels which had been removed from the sanctuary of the house of God in Yerushalayim; and the king, his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them.


text:
Suddenly, the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the palace wall by the lampstand. When the king saw the palm of the hand that was writing,


text:
the king's face took on a different look. As frightening thoughts rose up within him, his hip joints gave way and his knees started knocking together.


text:
The king cried out to bring in the exorcists, astrologers and diviners. The king said to the sages of Bavel, 'Whoever can read this inscription and tell me what it means will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around his neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom.'


text:
But although all the king's sages came in, none could read the inscription or tell the king what it meant.


text:
Then King Belshatzar became terrified; his face turned pale, and his lords were thrown into confusion.


text:
At this point the queen mother, because of what the king and his lords were saying, entered the banquet hall. The queen mother said, 'May the king live forever! Don't be scared by your thoughts or let your face be so pale.


text:
There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he was found to have light, discernment and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. King N'vukhadnetzar your father - the king, your father - made him chief of the magicians, exorcists, astrologers and diviners;


text:
because he was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, discernment, and the ability to interpret dreams, unlock mysteries and solve knotty problems. He is called Dani'el, but the king gave him the name Belt'shatzar. Now have Dani'el summoned, and he will tell you what this means.'


text:
Dani'el was brought into the king's presence. The king said to Dani'el, 'Are you Dani'el, one of the exiles from Y'hudah whom the king my father brought out of Y'hudah?


text:
I've heard about you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have been found to have light, discernment and extraordinary wisdom.


text:
Now the sages, the exorcists, were brought in to me so that they could read this inscription and tell me what it means, but they couldn't interpret it for me.


text:
However, I've heard that you can give interpretations and solve knotty problems. Now if you can read the inscription and tell me what it means, you will be dressed in royal purple, wear a gold chain around your neck and be one of the three men ruling the kingdom.'


text:
Dani'el answered the king, 'Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else. However, I will read the inscription to the king and tell him what it means.


text:
Your majesty, the Most High God gave N'vukhadnetzar your father the kingdom, as well as greatness, glory and majesty.


text:
Because of the greatness he gave him, all the peoples, nations and languages trembled with fear before him. Anyone he wanted to, he put to death; anyone he wanted to, he kept alive; anyone he wanted to, he advanced; and anyone he wanted to, he humbled.


text:
But when he grew proud and his spirit became hard, he began treating people arrogantly, so he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him.


text:
He was driven from human society, his heart was made like that of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys, he was fed with grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with dew from the sky; until he learned that the Most High God rules in the human kingdom and sets up over it whomever he pleases.


text:
Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven by having them bring you the vessels from his house; and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them; then you offered praise to your gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone, which can't see, hear or know anything. Meanwhile, God, who holds your very breath in his hands, and to whom belongs everything you do, you have not glorified.


text:
Then Belshatzar gave the order; and they clothed Dani'el in royal purple, put a gold chain around his neck and proclaimed of him that he was to be one of the three men ruling the kingdom.


text:
with three chiefs over them, of whom Dani'el was one, so that these viceroys could be responsible to them and so that the king's interests would be safeguarded.


text:
But because an extraordinary spirit was in this Dani'el, he so distinguished himself above the other chiefs and the viceroys that the king considered putting him in charge of the whole kingdom.


text:
The other chiefs and the viceroys tried to find a cause for complaint against Dani'el in regard to how he performed his governing duties, but they could find nothing to complain about, no fault; on the contrary, because he was so faithful, not a single instance of negligence or faulty administration could be found.


text:
Then these men said, 'We're not going to find any cause for complaint against this Dani'el unless we can find something against him in regard to the law of his god.'


text:
All the chiefs of the kingdom, along with the prefects, viceroys, advisers and governors, have met and agreed that the king should issue a decree putting in force the following law: 'Whoever makes a request of any god or man during the next thirty days, except of you, your majesty, is to be thrown into the lion pit.'


text:
Now, your majesty, issue this decree over your signature, so that it cannot be revoked, as required by the law of the Medes and Persians, which is itself irrevocable.'


text:
On learning that the document had been signed, Dani'el went home. The windows of his upstairs room were open in the direction of Yerushalayim; and there he kneeled down three times a day and prayed, giving thanks before his God, just as he had been doing before.


text:
So they went to remind the king of his royal decree: 'Didn't you sign a law prohibiting anyone from making requests of any god or man within thirty days, except yourself, your majesty, on pain of being thrown into the lion pit?'The king answered, 'Yes, that is true, as required by the law of the Medes and Persians, which is itself irrevocable.'


text:
They replied to the king, 'That Dani'el, one of the exiles from Y'hudah, respects neither you, your majesty, nor the decree you signed; instead, he continues praying three times a


text:
When the king heard this report, he was very upset. He determined to save Dani'el and worked until sunset to find a way to rescue him.


text:
But these men descended on the king and said to him, 'Remember, your majesty, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or edict, once issued by the king, can be revoked.'


text:
So the king gave the order, and they brought Dani'el and threw him into the lion pit. The king said to Dani'el, 'Your God, whom you are always serving, will save you.'


text:
A stone was brought to block the opening of the pit, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, so that nothing concerning Dani'el could be changed.


text:
Then the king returned to his palace. He spent the night fasting and refusing to be entertained, as sleep eluded him.


text:
On approaching the pit where Dani'el was, the king cried in a pained voice to Dani'el, 'Dani'el, servant of the living God! Has your God, whom you are always serving, been able to save you from the lions?'


text:
My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths, so they haven't hurt me. This is because before him I was found innocent; and also I have done no harm to you, your majesty.'


text:
The king was overjoyed and ordered Dani'el taken up from the pit. So Dani'el was taken up from the pit, and he was found to be completely unharmed, because he had trusted in his God.


text:
Then the king gave an order, and they brought those men who had accused Dani'el, and they threw them into the lion pit - them, their children and their wives -and before they even reached the bottom of the pit, the lions had them in their control and broke all their bones to pieces.


text:
King Daryavesh wrote all the peoples, nations and languages living anywhere on earth: 'Shalom rav! [Abundant peace!]


text:
'I herewith issue a decree that everywhere in my kingdom, people are to tremble and be in awe of the God of Dani'el. 'For he is the living God; he endures forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed; his rulership will last till the end.


text:
He saves, rescues, does signs and wonders both in heaven and on earth. He delivered Dani'el from the power of the lions.'


text:
So this Dani'el prospered during the reign of Daryavesh, and also during the reign of Koresh the Persian.


text:
In the first year of Belshatzar king of Bavel, Dani'el had a dream and visions in his head, as he was lying on his bed. He wrote the dream down, and this is his account:


text:
'I had a vision at night; I saw there before me the four winds of the sky breaking out over the great sea,


text:
The first was like a lion, but it had eagle's wings. As I watched, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted off the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a human heart was given to it.


text:
Then there was another animal, a second one, like a bear. It raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, 'Get up, and gorge yourself with flesh!'


text:
After this, I looked; and there was another one, like a leopard with four bird's wings on its sides. The animal also had four heads, and it was given power to rule.


text:
After this, I looked in the night visions; and there before me was a fourth animal, dreadful, horrible, extremely strong, and with great iron teeth. It devoured, crushed and stamped its feet on what was left. It was different from all the animals that had gone before it, and it had ten horns.


text:
'While I was considering the horns, another horn sprang up among them, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. In this horn were eyes like human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogantly.


text:
'As I watched, thrones were set in place; and the Ancient One took his seat. His clothing was white as snow, the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, with wheels of burning fire.


text:
A stream of fire flowed from his presence; thousands and thousands ministered to him, millions and millions stood before him. Then the court was convened, and the books were opened.


text:
'I kept watching. Then, because of the arrogant words which the horn was speaking, I watched as the animal was killed; its body was destroyed; and it was given over to be burned up completely.


text:
As for the other animals, their rulership was taken away; but their lives were prolonged for a time and a season.


text:
'I kept watching the night visions, when I saw, coming with the clouds of heaven, someone like a son of man. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence.


text:
To him was given rulership, glory and a kingdom, so that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His rulership is an eternal rulership that will not pass away; and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.


text:
I approached one of those standing by and asked him what all this really meant. He said that he would make me understand how to interpret these things.


text:
But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, yes, forever and ever.'


text:
'Then I wanted to know what the fourth beast meant, the one that was different from all the others, so very terrifying, with iron teeth and bronze nails, which devoured, crushed and stamped its feet on what was left;


text:
and what the ten horns on its head meant; and the other horn which sprang up and before which three fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking arrogantly and seemed greater than the others.


text:
until the Ancient One came, judgment was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came for the holy ones to take over the kingdom.


text:
This is what he said: 'The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth. It will be different from the other kingdoms; it will devour the whole earth, trample it down and crush it.


text:
As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and yet another will arise after them. Now he will be different from the earlier ones, and he will put down three kings.


text:
He will speak words against the Most High and try to exhaust the holy ones of the Most High. He will attempt to alter the seasons and the law; and [the holy ones] will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.


text:
But when the court goes into session, he will be stripped of his rulership, which will be consumed and completely destroyed.


text:
Then the kingdom, the rulership and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. Their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey them.''


text:
This is the end of the account. As for me, Dani'el, my thoughts frightened me so much that I turned pale; but I kept the matter to myself.


text:
After that first vision, it was in the third year of the reign of King Belshatzar that another vision appeared to me, Dani'el.


text:
I looked into the vision; and as I looked, I found myself in Shushan the capital, in the province of 'Eilam. I looked into the vision, and I was by the Ulai canal.


text:
I looked up; and as I watched, there in front of the stream stood a ram with two horns. The horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up later [than the other].


text:
I saw the ram pushing to the west, north and south; and no animals could stand up against it; nor was there anyone that could rescue from its power. So it did as it pleased and became very strong.


text:
I was beginning to understand, when a male goat came from the west, passing over the whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a prominent horn between its eyes.


text:
It approached the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the river, and charged it with savage force.


text:
I watched as it advanced on the ram, filled with rage against it, and struck the ram, breaking its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it. It threw the ram to the ground and trampled it down, and there was no one that could rescue it from the goat's power.


text:
The male goat then became extremely strong; but when it was strong, the big horn was broken; and in its place arose what appeared to be four horns in the directions of the four winds of heaven.


text:
Out of one of them came a little horn which grew extremely big in the directions of the south and east, and in the direction of the Glory.


text:
It grew so great that it reached the army of heaven; it hurled some of the army and the stars to the ground and trampled on them.


text:
Yes, it even considered itself as great as the prince of the army; the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was thrown down.


text:
Through sin, the army was put in its power, along with the regular burnt offering. It flung truth on the ground as it acted and prospered.


text:
Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the speaker, 'How long will the events of the vision last, this vision concerning the regular offering and the transgression which is so appalling, that allows the sanctuary and the army to be trampled underfoot?'


text:
The first said to me, 'Two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, after which the sanctuary will be restored to its rightful state.'


text:
After I, Dani'el, had seen the vision and was trying to understand it, suddenly there stood in front of me someone who appeared to be a man.


text:
I heard a human voice calling from between the banks of the Ulai, 'Gavri'el, make this man understand the vision!'


text:
He came up to where I was standing, and his approach so terrified me that I fell on my face. But he said to me, 'Human being! Understand that the vision refers to the time of the end.'


text:
As he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face toward the ground; but he touched me, set me on my feet,


text:
and said, 'I am going to explain to you what will happen at the end of the period of fury, because [the vision] has to do with the time at the end.


text:
The shaggy male goat is the king of Greece, and the prominent horn between its eyes is the first king.


text:
As for the horn that broke and the four which rose up in its place, four kingdoms will arise out of this nation, but not with the power the first king had.


text:
In the latter part of their reign, when the evildoers have become as evil as possible, there will arise an arrogant king skilled in intrigue.


text:
His power will be great, but not with the power the first king had. He will be amazingly destructive, he will succeed in whatever he does, and he will destroy the mighty and the holy ones.


text:
He will succeed through craftiness and deceit, become swelled with pride, and destroy many people just when they feel the most secure. He will even challenge the prince of princes; but, without human intervention, he will be broken.


text:
The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; but you are to keep the vision secret, because it is about days in the distant future.'


text:
I, Dani'el, grew weak and was ill for some days. Then I got up and took care of the king's affairs; but I was appalled at the vision and still couldn't understand it.


text:
In the first year of Daryavesh the son of Achashverosh, a Mede by birth who was made king over the kingdom of the Kasdim -


text:
in the first year of his reign, I, Dani'el, was reading the Scriptures and thinking about the number of years which ADONAI had told Yirmeyah the prophet would be the period of Yerushalayim's desolation, seventy years.


text:
I turned to Adonai, God, to seek an answer, pleading with him in prayer, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.


text:
I prayed to ADONAI my God and made this confession: 'Please, Adonai, great and fearsome God, who keeps his covenant and extends grace to those who love him and observe his mitzvot!


text:
We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our leaders, our ancestors and to all the people of the land.


text:
'To you, Adonai, belongs righteousness; but to us today belongs shame - to us, the men of Y'hudah, the inhabitants of Yerushalayim and all Isra'el, including those nearby and those far away, throughout all the countries where you have driven them; because they broke faith with you.


text:
Yes, ADONAI, shame falls on us, our kings, our leaders and our ancestors; because we sinned against you.


text:
We didn't listen to the voice of ADONAI our God, so that we could live by his laws, which he presented to us through his servants the prophets.


text:
Yes, all Isra'el flouted your Torah and turned away, unwilling to listen to your voice. Therefore the curse and oath written in the Torah of Moshe the servant of God was poured out on us, because we sinned against him.


text:
He carried out the threats he spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us disaster so great that under all of heaven, nothing has been done like what has been done to Yerushalayim.


text:
As written in the Torah of Moshe, this whole disaster came upon us. Yet we did not appease ADONAI our God by renouncing our wrongdoing and discerning your truth.


text:
So ADONAI watched for the right moment to bring this disaster upon us, for ADONAI our God was just in everything he did, yet we didn't listen when he spoke.


text:
'Now, Adonai our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, thereby winning renown for yourself, as is the case today - we sinned, we acted wickedly.


text:
Adonai, in keeping with all your justice, please allow your anger and fury to be turned away from your city Yerushalayim, your holy mountain; because it is due to our sins and the wrongdoings of our ancestors that Yerushalayim and your people have become objects of scorn among everyone around us.


text:
Therefore, our God, listen to the prayer and pleadings of your servant; and cause your face to shine on your desolated sanctuary, for your own sake.


text:
My God, turn your ear, and hear; open your eyes and see how desolated we are, as well as the city which bears your name. For we plead with you not because of our own righteousness, but because of your compassion.


text:
Adonai, hear! Adonai, forgive! Adonai, pay attention, and don't delay action - for your own sake, my God, because your city and your people bear your name!'


text:
While I was speaking, praying, confessing my own sin and the sin of my people Isra'el, and pleading before ADONAI my God for the holy mountain of my God -


text:
yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gavri'el, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, swooped down on me in full flight at about the time of the evening sacrifice,


text:
and explained things to me. He said, 'I have come now, Dani'el, to enable you to understand this vision clearly.


text:
At the beginning of your prayers, an answer was given; and I have come to say what it is; because you are greatly loved. Therefore look into this answer, and understand the vision.


text:
'Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and for your holy city for putting an end to the transgression, for making an end of sin, for forgiving iniquity, for bringing in everlasting justice, for setting the seal on vision and prophet, and for anointing the Especially Holy Place.


text:
Know, therefore, and discern that seven weeks [of years] will elapse between the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Yerushalayim until an anointed prince comes. It will remain built for sixty-two weeks [of years], with open spaces and moats; but these will be troubled times.


text:
Then, after the sixty-two weeks, Mashiach will be cut off and have nothing. The people of a prince yet to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary, but his end will come with a flood, and desolations are decreed until the war is over.


text:
He will make a strong covenant with leaders for one week [of years]. For half of the week he will put a stop to the sacrifice and the grain offering. On the wing of detestable things the desolator will come and continue until the already decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.'


text:
In the third year of Koresh king of Persia, a word was revealed to Dani'el, also called Belt'shatzar. The word was certain: a great war. He understood the word, having gained understanding in the vision.


text:
I hadn't eaten any food that satisfied me - neither meat nor wine had entered my mouth, and I didn't anoint myself once, until three full weeks had passed.


text:
when I looked up, and there before me was a man dressed in linen wearing a belt made of fine Ufaz gold.


text:
His body was like beryl, his face looked like lightning and his eyes like fiery torches; his arms and feet were the color of burnished bronze; and when he spoke, it sounded like the roar of a crowd.


text:
Only I, Dani'el, saw the vision; the men who were with me did not see the vision; however, a great trembling fell over them; so that they rushed to hide themselves.


text:
Thus I was left alone; and when I saw this great vision, there was no strength left in me - my face, normally pleasant-looking, became disfigured; and I had no strength.


text:
I heard his voice speaking; and when I heard him speaking, I fell down in a faint, with my face to the ground.


text:
He said to me, 'Dani'el, you are a greatly loved man. Now pay attention to the words I am saying to you, and stand upright; for it is to you that I have been sent now.'After he had said this to me, I stood up, trembling.


text:
Then he said to me, 'Don't be afraid, Dani'el; because since the first day that you determined to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard; and I have come because of what you said.


text:
The prince of the kingdom of Persia prevented me from coming for twenty-one days; but Mikha'el, one of the chief princes, came to assist me; so that I was no longer needed there with the kings of Persia.


text:
So I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the acharit-hayamim; for there is still another vision which will relate to those days.'


text:
Then someone who looked like a human being touched my lips, after which I could open my mouth and speak; I said to the one standing in front of me, 'My lord, it is because of the vision that I am seized with such anguish; I don't have any strength.


text:
For how can this servant of my lord speak with my lord, when my strength and breath have failed me?'


text:
He said, 'You man so greatly loved, don't be afraid. Shalom to you; and be strong, yes, truly strong.' His speaking to me strengthened me, and I said, 'My lord, keep speaking; because you've given me strength.'


text:
Then he said, 'Do you know why I came to you? Although now I must return to fight the prince of Persia; and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come;


text:
nevertheless, I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. There is no one standing with me against them except Mikha'el your prince;


text:
however, I was already standing up to support and help Daryavesh the Mede in the first year of his reign.


text:
What I am going to tell you now is true. 'Three kings will arise in Persia, followed by a fourth, who will be far wealthier than all of them; and when he has grown strong by means of his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.


text:
But once he appears, his kingdom will be broken up and divided to the four winds of heaven. It won't be inherited by his descendants, and it won't be ruled with the power he had, because his kingship will be uprooted and will pass to others than his own posterity.


text:
'The king in the south will be strong, and one of his princes will gain power over him and have dominion; his domain will be a great dominion.


text:
After a number of years they will form an alliance. The daughter of the king of the south will approach the king of the north to make an agreement, but she won't retain her power; and he and his power won't last either. Rather, she will be surrendered, along with her attendants, her father and the one who supported her during those times.


text:
But another branch from the same roots as hers will appear in her father's place. He will attack the army of the king of the north, enter his fortress and succeed in conquering them.


text:
He will also carry off as booty to Egypt their gods, their cast metal images and their valuable gold and silver vessels. Then for some years, he will refrain from attacking the king of the north.


text:
'Afterwards, the king of the north will invade the kingdom of the king of the south, but he will retire to his own land.


text:
His sons will rouse themselves to muster a large and powerful army, which will advance like a flood passing through. In another campaign, it will march on the enemy stronghold.


text:
The king of the south, enraged, will set out to do battle with the king of the north, who, in turn, will muster a large army; but this army will be defeated by his enemy


text:
and carried off. The conqueror will grow proud as he slaughters tens of thousands, yet he will not prevail.


text:
Rather, the king of the north will again muster an army, larger than the first one, at the end of this period, after a number of years; it will be a large, well-supplied army.


text:
Those will be times in which many will resist the king of the south; and the more violent ones among your own people will rebel in order to fulfill their vision; but they will fail.


text:
'Then the king of the north will come, set up siege-works and capture a fortified city; the forces of the south will be insufficient defense, even his elite troops will not be strong enough to resist.


text:
The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to withstand him. So he will establish himself in the Land of Glory, and he will have the power to destroy it.


text:
He will determinedly advance with the full force of his kingdom, but he will make an agreement with the king of the south and give him a daughter in marriage. His object will be to destroy him, but the agreement will not last or work out in his favor.


text:
Next, he will put his attention on the coastlands and islands and capture many, but an army commander will put a stop to his outrages and cause his outrages to come back upon him.


text:
After this, he will put his attention on the strongholds in his own land; but he will stumble, fall and not be seen again.


text:
'In his place will arise one who will send a tax collector through the Glorious Kingdom; but within a few days, he will be broken, though neither in anger nor in battle.


text:
'There will arise in his place a despicable man not entitled to inherit the majesty of the kingdom, but he will come without warning and gain the kingdom by intrigue.


text:
Alliances will be made with him, but he will undermine them by deceit. Then, although he will have but a small following, he will emerge and become strong.


text:
Without warning, he will assail the most powerful men in each province and do things his predecessors never did, either recently or in the distant past; he will reward them with plunder, spoil and wealth while devising plots against their strongholds, but only for a time.


text:
'He will summon his power and courage against the king of the south with a great army, and the king of the south will fight back with a very large and powerful army; but he will not succeed, because of plots devised against him.


text:
Yes, those who shared his food will destroy him; his army will be swept away; and many will fall in the slaughter.


text:
These two kings, bent on mischief, will sit at the same table, speaking lies to each other; but none of this will succeed; because the appointed end will not have come yet.


text:
Then the king of the north will return to his own land with great wealth; with his heart set against the holy covenant, he will take action and then return home.


text:
'At the time designated, he will come back to the south. But this time, things will turn out differently than before;


text:
because ships from Kittim will come against him, so that his courage will fail him. Then, in retreat, he will take furious action against the holy covenant, again showing favor to those who abandon the holy covenant.


text:
Armed forces will come at his order and profane the sanctuary and fortress. They will abolish the daily burnt offering and set up the abomination that causes desolation.


text:
Those who act wickedly against the covenant he will corrupt with his blandishments, but the people who know their God will stand firm and prevail.


text:
Those among the people who have discernment will cause the rest of the people to understand what is happening; nevertheless, for a while they will fall victim to sword, fire, exile and pillage.


text:
Even some of those with discernment will stumble, so that some of them will be refined, purified and cleansed for an end yet to come at the designated time.


text:
'The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt himself and consider himself greater than any god, and he will utter monstrous blasphemies against the God of gods. He will prosper only until the period of wrath is over, for what has been determined must take place.


text:
He will show no respect for the gods his ancestors worshipped, or for the god women worship - he won't show respect for any god, because he will consider himself greater than all of them.


text:
But instead, he will honor the god of strongholds; with gold, silver, precious stones and other costly things he will honor a god unknown to his ancestors.


text:
He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will confer honor on those he acknowledges, causing them to rule over many and distributing land as a reward.


text:
'When the time for the end comes, the king of the south will push at him; while the king of the north will attack him like a whirlwind, with chariots, cavalry and a large navy. He will invade countries, overrun them and move on.


text:
He will also enter the Land of Glory, and many [countries] will come to grief, but these will be saved from his power - Edom, Mo'av and the people of 'Amon.


text:
he will control the treasures of gold and silver, as well as everything else in Egypt of value. Put and Ethiopia will be subject to him.


text:
However, news from the east and north will frighten him, so that he moves out in great fury to ruin and completely do away with many.


text:
Finally, when he pitches the tents of his palace between the seas and the mountain of the holy Glory, he will come to his end, with no one to help him.


text:
'When that time comes, Mikha'el, the great prince who champions your people, will stand up; and there will be a time of distress unparalleled between the time they became a nation and that moment. At that time, your people will be delivered, everyone whose name is found written in the book.


text:
Many of those sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and abhorrence.


text:
But those who can discern will shine like the brightness of heaven's dome, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.


text:
'But you, Dani'el, keep these words secret, and seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rush here and there as knowledge increases.'


text:
Then I, Dani'el, looked; and I saw in front of me two others, one on this bank of the river and the other on its other bank.


text:
One of them asked the man dressed in linen who was above the water of the river, 'How long will these wonders last?'


text:
The man dressed in linen who was above the water of the river raised his right and left hands toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times and a half, and that it will be when the the power of the holy people is no longer being shattered that all these things will end.


text:
I heard this, but I couldn't understand what it meant; so I asked, 'Lord, what will be the outcome of all this?'


text:
But he said, 'Go your way, Dani'el; for these words are to remain secret and sealed until the time of the end.


text:
Many will purify, cleanse and refine themselves; but the wicked will keep on acting wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand. But those with discernment will understand.


text:
From the time the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.


text:
But you, go your way until the end comes. Then you will rest and rise for your reward, at the end of days.'


text:
This is the word of ADONAI that came to Hoshea the son of Be'eri during the reigns of 'Uziyah, Yotam, Achaz and Y'chizkiyah, kings of Y'hudah, and during the reign of Yarov'am the son of Yo'ash, king of Isra'el.


text:
ADONAI's opening words in speaking to Hoshea were to instruct Hoshea, 'Go, marry a whore, and have children with this whore; for the land is engaged in flagrant whoring, whoring away from ADONAI.'


text:
ADONAI said to him, 'Call him Yizre'el, because in only a short time I will punish the house of Yehu for having shed blood at Yizre'el; I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Isra'el.


text:
She conceived again and bore a daughter. ADONAI said to him, 'Name her Lo-Ruchamah [unpitied], for I will no longer have pity on the house of Isra'el. By no means will I forgive them.


text:
But I will pity the house of Y'hudah; I will save them not by bow, sword, battle, horses or cavalry, but by ADONAI their God.'


text:
ADONAI said, 'Name him Lo-'Ammi [not-my-people], because you are not my people, and I will not be your [God].


text:
'Nevertheless, the people of Isra'el will number as many as the grains of sand by the sea, which cannot be measured or counted; so that the time will come when, instead of being told, 'You are not my people,' it will be said to them, 'You are the children of the living God.'


text:
Then the people of Y'hudah and the people of Isra'el will be gathered together; they will appoint for themselves one leader; and they will go up out of the land; for that will be a great day, [the day] of Yizre'el.


text:
Rebuke your mother, rebuke her; for she isn't my wife, and I'm not her husband. She must remove her whoring from her face, and her adulteries from between her breasts.


text:
Otherwise, I will strip her naked and place her as she was the day she was born, make her like a desert, place her like a dry land and kill her with thirst.


text:
their mother prostituted herself, she who conceived them behaved shamelessly; she said, 'I will pursue my lovers, who give me my food and water, wool, flax, olive oil and wine.'


text:
She will pursue her lovers but not catch them. She will seek them but won't find them. Then she will say, 'I will go and return to my first husband; because things were better for me then than they are now.'


text:
For she doesn't know it was I who gave her the grain, the wine and the oil; I who increased her silver and gold, which they used for Ba'al.


text:
So I will take back my grain at harvest-time and my wine in its season; I will snatch away my wool and flax, given to cover her naked body.


text:
I will ravage her vines and fig trees, of which she says, 'These are my wages that my lovers have given me.' But I will turn them into a forest, and wild animals will eat them.


text:
I will punish her for offering incense on the feast days of the ba'alim, when she decked herself with her earrings and jewels, pursuing her lovers and forgetting me,' says ADONAI.


text:
I will give her her vineyards from there and the Akhor Valley as a gateway to hope. She will respond there as she did when young, as she did when she came up from Egypt.


text:
'On that day,' says ADONAI 'you will call me Ishi [My Husband]; you will no longer call me Ba'ali [My Master].


text:
For I will remove the names of the ba'alim from her mouth; they will never again be mentioned by name.


text:
When that day comes, I will make a covenant for them with the wild animals, the birds in the air and the creeping things of the earth. I will break bow and sword, sweep battle from the land, and make them lie down securely.


text:
I will betroth you to me forever; yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in grace and in compassion;


text:
When that day comes, I will answer,' says ADONAI 'I will answer the sky, and it will answer the earth;


text:
I will sow her for me in the land. I will have pity on Lo-Ruchamah [Unpitied]; I will say to Lo-'Ammi [Not-My-People], 'You are my people'; and they will say, 'You are my God.''


text:
ADONAI said to me, 'Go once more, and show love to [this] wife [of yours] who has been loved by her boyfriend, to this adulteress - just as ADONAI loves the people of Isra'el, even though they turn to other gods and love the raisin cakes [offered to them].'


text:
Then I told her, 'You are to remain in seclusion for a long time and be mine. You are not to be a prostitute, and you are not to be with any other man; and I won't come in to have sex with you either.'


text:
For the people of Isra'el are going to be in seclusion for a long time without a king, prince, sacrifice, standing-stone, ritual vest or household gods.


text:
Afterwards, the people of Isra'el will repent and seek ADONAI their God and David their king; they will come trembling to ADONAI and his goodness in the acharit-hayamim.


text:
Hear the word of ADONAI, people of Isra'el! For ADONAI has a grievance against the inhabitants of the land: there is no truth, no faithful love or knowledge of God in the land;


text:
only swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery! They break all bounds, with one blood crime following another.


text:
Therefore the land mourns, and everyone living there languishes, wild animals too, and the birds in the air; even the fish in the sea are removed.


text:
Therefore you will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you at night. 'I will destroy your mother.


text:
My people are destroyed for want of knowledge. Because you rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as cohen for me. Because you forgot the Torah of your God, I will also forget your children.


text:
The more they increased in number, the more they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame.


text:
But the cohen will fare no better than the people; I will punish him for his ways and pay him back for his deeds.


text:
They will eat but not have enough and consort with whores but have no children, because they stopped listening to ADONAI.


text:
My people consult their piece of wood, their diviner's wand speaks to them; for the spirit of whoring makes them err, they go off whoring, deserting their God.


text:
They sacrifice on the mountain peaks and offer incense on the hills under oaks, poplars and pistachio trees; because they give good shade. Therefore your daughters behave like whores, And your daughters-in-law commit adultery.


text:
I won't punish your daughters when they act like whores, or your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; because the men are themselves going off with whores and sacrificing with prostitutes. Yes, a people without understanding will come to ruin.'


text:
If you, Isra'el, prostitute yourself, still Y'hudah has no need to incur such guilt. Don't go to Gilgal or up to Beit-Aven, and don't swear, 'As ADONAI lives.'


text:
'Hear this, cohanim! Pay attention, house of Isra'el! Listen, house of the king! For judgment is coming to you. You have become a snare for Mitzpah and a net spread on Tavor.


text:
'I know Efrayim; Isra'el is not hidden from me; for now, Efrayim, you are a whore; Isra'el is defiled.'


text:
Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God, for the spirit of whoring is in them, and they don't know ADONAI.


text:
Isra'el's arrogance will testify in his face; Isra'el and Efrayim will stumble in their crimes; Y'hudah too will stumble with them.


text:
With their flocks and herds they will go in search of ADONAI. But they won't find him; he has withdrawn from them.


text:
They have betrayed ADONAI, by fathering foreign children. Now within the month the invaders will devour their lands.


text:
'Blow the shofar in Giv'ah, a trumpet at Ramah; sound an alarm at Beit-Aven: 'Behind you, Binyamin!'


text:
Efrayim will be laid waste when the day for punishment comes; I am announcing to the tribes of Isra'el what will surely happen.


text:
The leaders of Y'hudah are like men who move boundary stones; I will pour my fury out upon them like water.


text:
When Efrayim saw his sickness and Y'hudah his wound, Efrayim went to Ashur and sent envoys to a warring king; but he can't heal you or cure your wound.


text:
For to Efrayim I will be like a lion, and like a young lion to the house of Y'hudah - I will tear them up and go away; I will carry them off, and no one will rescue.


text:
I will go and return to my place, till they admit their guilt and search for me, seeking me eagerly in their distress.'


text:
Come, let us return to ADONAI; for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck, and he will bind our wounds.


text:
After two days, he will revive us; on the third day, he will raise us up; and we will live in his presence.


text:
Let us know, let us strive to know ADONAI. That he will come is as certain as morning; he will come to us like the rain, like the spring rains that water the earth.


text:
'Efrayim, what should I do to you? Y'hudah, what should I do to you? For your 'faithful love' is like a morning cloud, like dew that disappears quickly.


text:
This is why I have cut them to pieces by the prophets, slaughtered them with the words from my mouth - the judgment on you shines out like light.


text:
just as bands of robbers wait to ambush someone, so does a gang of cohanim. They commit murder on the road to Sh'khem! Their conduct is an outrage!


text:
In the house of Isra'el I have seen a horrible thing; whoring is found there in Efrayim, Isra'el is defiled.


text:
when I am ready to heal Isra'el, the crimes of Efrayim confront me, along with the wickedness of Shomron. For they keep practicing deceit; thieves break in, bands of robbers raid outside.


text:
They never say to themselves that I remember all their evil. Now their own deeds surround them; they are right in front of me.


text:
They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who doesn't stoke the fire from kneading time till the dough has risen.


text:
who ready themselves like an oven while they wait for their chance. Their baker sleeps through the night; then in the morning it bursts into flame.


text:
They are all as hot as an oven, and they devour their judges. All their kings have fallen; not one of them calls out to me.


text:
Foreigners have eaten up his strength, but he doesn't know it; yes, gray hairs appear on him here and there, but he doesn't know it.


text:
The pride of Isra'el testifies in his face, but in spite of all this they haven't returned to ADONAI their God or sought him.


text:
Even as they go, I will spread my net over them; I will bring them down like birds from the sky; I will discipline them, as their assembly was told.


text:
Woe to them! for they have strayed from me. Destruction to them! for they have wronged me. Am I supposed to redeem them, when they have spoken lies against me?


text:
They have not cried out to me from their hearts, even though they wail on their beds. They assemble themselves for grain and wine, yet turn away from me.


text:
They return, but not upward; they are like an unreliable bow. Their leaders will die by the sword because of their angry talk. They will become a laughingstock in the land of Egypt.


text:
'Put the shofar to your lips! Like a vulture [he swoops down] on the house of ADONAI, because they have violated my covenant and sinned intentionally against my Torah.


text:
They make kings, but without my authority; they appoint leaders, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, but these can lead only to their own destruction.


text:
Your calf, Shomron, has been thrown away; my fury burns against them. How long will it be until they are able to make themselves clean?


text:
Here is what Isra'el produces: a craftsman makes something - it's a non-god; the calf of Shomron will be broken to pieces.


text:
For they sow the wind, so they will reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no ears, so it will yield no flour; and if it does yield any, foreigners will swallow it up.


text:
For they have gone up to Ashur; like a wild donkey, alone by itself, Efrayim has bargained for lovers.


text:
But even if they bargain among the Goyim, now I will round them up. Soon they will start to feel the burden of these kings and leaders.


text:
They offer me sacrifices of flesh and eat them, but ADONAI does not accept them. Now he will recall their crimes and punish their sins - they will return to Egypt.


text:
For Isra'el forgot his maker and built palaces; and Y'hudah made more fortified cities; but I will send fire on his cities, and it will consume their strongholds.'


text:
Don't rejoice, Isra'el! Don't enjoy yourselves as other peoples do; for you have gone whoring away from your God, you love being hired as a whore on every grain-floor.


text:
They won't remain in the land of ADONAI; instead, Efrayim will return to Egypt, and they will eat unclean food in Ashur.


text:
They will not pour out wine offerings to ADONAI; they will not be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be for them like mourners' food everyone eating it will be polluted. For their food will be merely to satisfy their appetite; it will not come into the house of ADONAI.


text:
For suppose they escape the destruction - Egypt will round them up, Memphis will bury them. And their precious treasures of silver? Nettles will possess them, thorns will be in their tents.


text:
The days of punishment have come, the days of retribution are here, and Isra'el knows it. [Yet they cry,] 'The prophet is a fool, the man of the spirit has gone crazy!' Because your iniquity is so great, the hostility [against you] is great.


text:
The watchman of Efrayim is with my God, but a prophet has a fowler's snare set on all his paths and hostility even in the house of his God.


text:
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Giv'ah. He will remember their guilt, and he will punish their sins.


text:
'When I found Isra'el, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing a fig tree's first figs in its first season. But as soon as they came to Ba'al-P'or, they dedicated themselves to something shameful; they became as loathsome as the thing they loved.


text:
Even if they raise their children, I will destroy them till none is left - and woe to them when I leave them, too!'


text:
Efrayim, as I see it, is like Tzor, planted in a pleasant place; but Efrayim will bring out his children to the slaughterer.


text:
'All their wickedness was already there in Gilgal; that's where I came to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will expel them from my house, I will love them no more; all their leaders are rebels.


text:
Efrayim has been struck down, their root has been dried up, they will bear no fruit. Even if they do give birth, I will kill their cherished offspring.'


text:
My God will cast them aside, because they wouldn't listen to him, and they will become wanderers among the Goyim.


text:
Isra'el was a luxuriant vine, freely putting forth fruit. As his fruit increased, he increased his altars; as his land got better, he improved his standing-stones.


text:
Their heart is divided; now they will bear their guilt. He will break down their altars and destroy their standing-stones.


text:
For now they will say, 'We have no king, because we didn't fear ADONAI - and what could a king do for us, anyway?'


text:
They mouth words, swearing falsely, making treaties. Thus judgment spreads like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.


text:
The inhabitants of Shomron are frightened of the calf-gods of Beit-Aven. Its people mourn over it; its priests tremble over it, over its glory, which has left it.


text:
It will be carried to Ashur as a present for a warring king. Efrayim will be put to shame, and Isra'el be ashamed of his own advice.


text:
Destruction will come to the high places of Aven, that is, to the sin of Isra'el. Thorns and thistles will grow over their altars; and they will say to the mountains, 'Cover us!' and to the hills, 'Fall on us!'


text:
'Since the days of Giv'ah you have sinned, Isra'el. There they took their stand. For these arrogant people at Giv'ah, war was insufficient punishment.


text:
When I wish to, I will discipline them; and the peoples will be gathered against them to discipline them for their two crimes.'


text:
Efrayim is a well-taught cow - it loves to tread the grain, and I have spared her fair neck. But I will put Efrayim in harness, Y'hudah will have to plow, Ya'akov will harrow his own land.


text:
If you sow righteousness for yourselves, you will reap according to grace. Break up unused ground for yourselves, because it is time to seek ADONAI, till he comes and rains down righteousness upon you.


text:
You have plowed wickedness, reaped iniquity and eaten the fruit of lies. Because you trusted in your own way, in your large numbers of warriors,


text:
turmoil will erupt among your peoples, and all your fortresses will be destroyed; just as Shalman destroyed Beit-Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces right along with their children.


text:
Thus will be done to you, Beit-El, because of your great wickedness; at dawn the king of Isra'el will be completely cut off.


text:
But the more [the prophets] called them, the farther they went from them. They sacrificed to the ba'alim and offered incense to idols.


text:
'Yet it was I who taught Efrayim to walk; I took them by their arms. But they did not know that it was I who was healing them,


text:
who was guiding them on through human means with reins made of love. With them I was like someone removing the yoke from their jaws, and I bent down to feed them.


text:
He will not return to the land of Egypt, but Ashur will be his king, because they refused to repent.


text:
The sword will fall on his cities, destroying the bars of his gates, because they follow their own advice.


text:
My people are hanging in suspense about returning to me; and though they call them upwards, nobody makes a move.


text:
Efrayim, how can I give you up, or surrender you, Isra'el? How could I treat you like Admah or make you like Tzvoyim? My heart recoils at the idea, as compassion warms within me.


text:
I will not give vent to the fierceness of my rage, I will not return to destroy Efrayim; for I am God, not a human being, the Holy One among you; so I will not come in fury.


text:
They will go after ADONAI, who will roar like a lion; for he will roar, and the children will come trembling from the west.


text:
They will tremble like a bird as they come from Egypt, like a dove as they come from the land of Ashur; and I will resettle them in their own houses, says ADONAI.


text:
'Efrayim surrounds me with lies and the house of Isra'el with deceit. Y'hudah still rules with God and is faithful with holy ones.


text:
Efrayim is chasing the wind, pursuing the wind from the east. All day he piles up lies and desolation they make a covenant with Ashur, while sending olive oil to Egypt.


text:
ADONAI also has a grievance against Y'hudah; he will punish Ya'akov according to his ways and pay him back for his misdeeds.


text:
Yes, he fought with an angel and won; he wept and pleaded with him. Then at Beit-El he found him, and there he would [later] speak with us


text:
Efrayim says, 'I have gotten so rich! I have made me a fortune! And in all my profits no one will find anything wrong or sinful.'


text:
'But I am ADONAI your God, from the land of Egypt. Again I will make you live in tents, as in the days of the established festival.


text:
I have spoken to the prophets; it was I who gave vision after vision; through the prophets I gave examples to show what it would all be like.


text:
Is Gil'ad given to iniquity? Yes, they have become worthless. In Gilgal they sacrifice to bulls; therefore their altars are like piles of stones in a plowed field.'


text:
Efrayim has given bitter provocation, so the penalty for his bloodshed will be thrown down on him, and his Lord will repay him for his insult.


text:
'When Efrayim spoke, there was trembling; he was a power in Isra'el. But when he incurred guilt through Ba'al, he died.


text:
So now they keep adding sin to sin, casting images from their silver; idols they invent for themselves, all of them the work of craftsmen. 'Sacrifice to them,' they say. Men give kisses to calves!


text:
Therefore they will be like a morning cloud, like the dew that disappears early, like chaff blown by wind from the threshing-floor, or like smoke that goes out the window.


text:
Still, I am ADONAI your God, from the land of Egypt; and you don't know any God but me or, other than me, any Savior.


text:
When they were fed, they were satisfied; when satisfied, they became proud. Therefore they forgot me.


text:
I will meet them like a bear whose cubs have been taken away. I will tear their hearts from their bodies. I will devour them there like a lion, like a wild animal ripping them up.


text:
So now, where is your king, to save you in all your cities? Where are your judges, of whom you said, 'Give me a king and leaders'?


text:
The pain of being born will come to him; but he is an unwise son. The time has come; and he shouldn't delay, there at the mouth of the womb.


text:
Should I ransom them from the power of Sh'ol? Should I redeem them from death? Where are your plagues, death; where is your destruction, Sh'ol? My eyes are closed to compassion. For though he flourishes among the reeds, an east wind will come, a wind from ADONAI, blowing up from the desert. Then his water source will dry up, then his spring will fail it will plunder his treasury, removing every precious thing.' 16 Shomron will bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their little ones will be dashed to pieces and their pregnant women ripped open.


text:
Take words with you, and return to ADONAI; say to him, 'Forgive all guilt, and accept what is good; we will pay instead of bulls [the offerings of] our lips.


text:
Ashur will not save us, we will not ride on horses, and we will no longer call what we made with our hands our gods. For it is only in you that the fatherless can find mercy.'


text:
Again they will live in his shade and raise grain; they will blossom like a vine, and its aroma will be like the wine of the L'vanon.


text:
Efrayim [will say], 'What have I to do any more with idols?' And I, I answer and affirm him; I am like a fresh, green cypress tree; your fruitfulness comes from me.'


text:
Let the wise understand these things, and let the discerning know them. For the ways of ADONAI are straight, And the righteous walk in them, but in them sinners stumble.


text:
'Hear this, you leaders! Listen, all who live in the land! Has anything like this ever happened in your days, or in your ancestors' days?


text:
Tell your children about it, and have them tell it to theirs, and have them tell the next generation.


text:
What the cutter-worms left, the locusts ate; what the locusts left, the grasshoppers ate; what the grasshoppers left, the shearer-worms ate.


text:
Wake up, drunkards, and weep! wail, all you who drink wine, because the juice of the grape will be withheld from your mouth.


text:
For a mighty and numberless nation has invaded my land. His teeth are lion's teeth; his fangs are those of a lioness.


text:
He has reduced my vines to waste, my fig trees to splinters - he plucked them bare, stripped their bark and left their branches white.'


text:
Grain offering and drink offering are cut off from the house of ADONAI. The cohanim are mourning, those who are serving ADONAI.


text:
The fields are ruined, the ground is grieving; for the grain is ruined, the new wine dried up, and the olive oil is wretched.


text:
Despair, you farmers; lament, vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley - the harvest from the fields is lost.


text:
The vines have withered, the fig trees wilted, also the pomegranate, date-palm and apple tree - all the trees in the fields have withered, and the people's joy has withered away.


text:
Cohanim, put on sackcloth, and weep! Wail, you who serve at the altar! Come, lie in sackcloth all night long, you who serve my God! For the grain offering and drink offering are withheld from the house of your God.


text:
Proclaim a holy fast, call for a solemn assembly, gather the leaders and all who live in the land to the house of ADONAI your God, and cry out to ADONAI,


text:
The seed-grain is rotting in its furrows; the granaries are deserted, the barns in ruins; because the grain has withered.


text:
How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture. The flocks of sheep bear the punishment, too.


text:
ADONAI, I cry out to you! For the fire has consumed the pastures in the desert, and the flame set ablaze all the trees in the fields.


text:
Even the wild animals come to you, panting, because the streambeds have dried up, and fire has consumed the pastures in the desert.'


text:
'Blow the shofar in Tziyon! Sound an alarm on my holy mountain!' Let all living in the land tremble, for the Day of ADONAI is coming! It's upon us!


text:
a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick fog; a great and mighty horde is spreading like blackness over the mountains. There has never been anything like it, nor will there ever be again, not even after the years of many generations.


text:
Ahead of them a fire devours, behind them a flame consumes; ahead the land is like Gan-'Eden, behind them a desert waste. From them there is no escape.


text:
With a rumble like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like crackling flames devouring stubble, like a mighty horde in battle array.


text:
Like warriors they charge, they scale the wall like soldiers. Each one keeps to his own course, without getting in the other's way.


text:
They don't jostle each other, but stay on their own paths; they burst through defenses unharmed, without even breaking rank.


text:
They rush into the city, they run along the wall, they climb up into the houses, entering like a thief through the windows.


text:
At their advance the earth quakes, and the sky shakes, the sun and moon turn black, and the stars stop shining.


text:
ADONAI shouts orders to his forces - his army is immense, mighty, and it does what he says. For great is the Day of ADONAI, fearsome, terrifying! Who can endure it?


text:
Tear your heart, not your garments; and turn to ADONAI your God. For he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace, and willing to change his mind about disaster.


text:
Who knows? He may turn, change his mind and leave a blessing behind him, [enough for] grain offerings and drink offerings to present to ADONAI your God.


text:
Gather the people; consecrate the congregation; assemble the leaders; gather the children, even infants sucking at the breast; let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride the bridal chamber.


text:
Let the cohanim, who serve ADONAI, stand weeping between the vestibule and the altar. Let them say, 'Spare your people, ADONAI! Don't expose your heritage to mockery, or make them a byward among the Goyim. Why should the peoples say, 'Where is their God?''


text:
Here is how ADONAI will answer his people: 'I will send you grain, wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy you; and no longer will I make you a mockery among the Goyim.


text:
No, I will take the northerner away, far away from you, and drive him to a land that is waste and barren; with his vanguard toward the eastern sea and his rearguard toward the western sea, his stench and his rottenness will rise, because he has done great things.'


text:
Don't be afraid, wild animals; for the desert pastures are green, the trees are putting out their fruit, the fig tree and vine are giving full yield.


text:
Be glad, people of Tziyon! rejoice in ADONAI your God! For he is giving you the right amount of rain in the fall, he makes the rain come down for you, the fall and spring rains - this is what he does first.


text:
'I will restore to you the years that the locusts ate, the grasshoppers, shearer-worms and cutter-worms, my great army that I sent against you.


text:
You will eat until you are satisfied and will praise the name of ADONAI your God, who has done with you such wonders. Then my people will never again be shamed.


text:
You will know that I am with Isra'el and that I am ADONAI your God, and that there is no other. Then my people will never again be shamed.


text:
'After this, I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions;


text:
The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and terrible Day of ADONAI.'


text:
At that time, whoever calls on the name of ADONAI will be saved. For in Mount Tziyon and Yerushalayim there will be those who escape, as ADONAI has promised; among the survivors will be those whom ADONAI has called.


text:
I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Y'hoshafat [ADONAI judges]. I will enter into judgment there for my people, my heritage Isra'el, whom they scattered among the nations; then they divided my land.


text:
'Moreover, what have you against me, Tzor, Tzidon, all parts of P'leshet? Are you paying me back for something I did? If you're paying me back for something I did, then easily, quickly, I'll pay you back right on your own head.


text:
The people of Y'hudah and Yerushalayim you sold to the Greeks, so that you could remove them far away from their land.


text:
I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Y'hudah; and they will sell them to the men of Sh'va, a nation far off; for ADONAI has spoken.


text:
'Proclaim this among the nations: 'Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men approach and attack.'


text:
Hammer your plow-blades into swords and your pruning-knives into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'


text:
Hurry, come, you surrounding nations, gather yourselves together!' Bring your warriors down, ADONAI!


text:
'Let the nations be roused and come up to the Valley of Y'hoshafat [ADONAI judges]. For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.'


text:
Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, and tread, for the winepress is full. The vats are overflowing, for their wickedness is great.


text:
Such enormous crowds in the Valley of Decision! For the Day of ADONAI is upon us in the Valley of Decision!


text:
ADONAI will roar from Tziyon, he will thunder from Yerushalayim, the sky and the earth will shake. But ADONAI will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Isra'el.


text:
'You will know that I am ADONAI your God, living on Tziyon my holy mountain.' Then Yerushalayim will be holy, and foreigners will pass through her no more.


text:
Then, when that time comes, the mountains will drip with sweet wine, the hills will flow with milk, all the streambeds of Y'hudah will run with water, and a spring will flow from the house of ADONAI to water the Sheetim Valley.


text:
But Egypt will be desolate and Edom a desert waste, because of the violence done to the people of Y'hudah, because they shed innocent blood in their land.


text:
The words of 'Amos, one of the sheep owners in T'koa, which he saw concerning Isra'el in the days of 'Uziyah king of Y'hudah and Yarov'am the son of Yo'ash, king of Isra'el, two years before the earthquake;


text:
he said: ADONAI is roaring from Tziyon thundering from Yerushalayim; the shepherds' pastures will mourn, and Mount Karmel's summit will wither.


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'For Dammesek's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it - because they threshed Gil'ad with an iron-spiked threshing-sledge;


text:
I will break the bars of Dammesek's gates. I will cut off the inhabitants from Bik'at-Aven, and him who holds the scepter from Beit-'Eden. Then the people of Aram will go into exile in Kir,' says ADONAI.


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'For 'Azah's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it because they exiled a whole population and handed them over to Edom;


text:
I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him who holds the scepter from Ashkelon. I will turn my hand against 'Ekron, and the rest of the P'lishtim will perish,' says ADONAI, God.


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'For Tzor's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it because they exiled a whole population to Edom and did not remember the covenant with kinsmen;


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'For Edom's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it because with sword he pursued his kinsman and threw aside all pity, constantly nursing his anger, forever fomenting his fury;


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'For the people of 'Amon's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it - because they ripped apart pregnant women just to expand their territory,


text:
I will set fire to the wall of Rabbah, and it will consume its palaces amid shouts on the day of battle, amid a storm on the day of the whirlwind.


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'For Mo'av's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it because he burned the bones of the king of Edom, turning them into lime;


text:
I will send fire on Mo'av, and it will consume the palaces of K'riot. Mo'av will die with turmoil and shouting, along with the sound of the shofar.


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'For Y'hudah's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it because they rejected ADONAI's Torah and haven't observed his laws, and their lies caused them to fall into error and live the way their ancestors did;


text:
Here is what ADONAI says: 'For Isra'el's three crimes, no, four - I will not reverse it because they sell the upright for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes,


text:
grinding the heads of the poor in the dust and pushing the lowly out of the way; father and son sleep with the same girl, profaning my holy name;


text:
lying down beside any altar on clothes taken in pledge; drinking wine in the house of their God bought with fines they imposed.


text:
'I destroyed the Emori before them; though tall as cedars and strong as oaks, I destroyed their fruit above and their root below.


text:
More than that, I brought you up from Egypt, led you forty years in the desert, so that you could have the Emori's land.


text:
I raised up some of your sons to be prophets, other young men of yours to be n'zirim. People of Isra'el! Isn't that true?' asks ADONAI.


text:
'Enough! I will make all this crush you, just as a cart overloaded with grain crushes what's under it.


text:
Even the swift won't be able to flee; the strong won't be able to use their strength, the warriors won't save themselves.


text:
Archers won't be able to stand, the fastest runners won't save themselves, those on horses won't save themselves.


text:
'Listen to this word which ADONAI has spoken against you, people of Isra'el, against the entire family that I brought up from the land of Egypt:


text:
'Of all the families on earth, only you have I intimately known. This is why I will punish you for all your crimes.'


text:
Does a lion roar in the forest when it has no prey? Does a young lion growl in his lair if it has caught nothing?


text:
Does a bird get caught in a trap on the ground if it hasn't been baited? Does a trap spring up from the ground when it has taken nothing?


text:
When the shofar is blown in the city, don't the people tremble? Can disaster befall a city without ADONAI's having done it?


text:
'Proclaim it on the palaces in Ashdod and on the palaces in the land of Egypt; say: 'Assemble yourselves on the hills of Shomron! See what great tumult is seething within it, how much oppression is being done there.'


text:
For they don't know how to do right,' says ADONAI. 'They store up violence and robbery in their palaces.'


text:
Therefore, here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'An enemy will surround the land. He will strip you of your strength, and plunder your palaces.'


text:
'As a shepherd rescues from the mouth of a lion a couple of leg bones or a piece of an ear; so the people of Isra'el in Shomron will be rescued, huddled under cushions in the corners of their beds. 'Hear, and testify against the house of Ya'akov,' says Adonai ELOHIM Elohei-Tzva'ot.


text:
'For when I punish Isra'el's crimes, I will also punish the altars of Beit-El. The horns of the altar will be cut off, and they will fall to the ground.


text:
I will tear down winter houses as well as summer houses; houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed; the mansions will be no more,' says ADONAI.


text:
'Listen, you [lovely] cows of Bashan, who live on Mount Shomron, who oppress the poor and grind down the needy, who say to their husbands, 'Bring something to drink':


text:
Adonai ELOHIM has sworn by his holiness that your time is surely coming. 'You will be dragged away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks.


text:
You will leave through breaks in the wall, each woman right behind the next, and be sent off to Harmonah,' says ADONAI.


text:
'Come to Beit-El, and commit crimes; to Gilgal, and commit more crimes! Bring your sacrifices in the morning and your tithes after three days;


text:
burn leavened bread as a thank offering; brag in public about your voluntary offerings; because that's what you love to do, Isra'el!' says Adonai ELOHIM.


text:
'I made your teeth clean of food in all your cities, left you nothing to eat in all your villages; still you haven't returned to me,' says ADONAI.


text:
'I withheld the rain from you three months before the harvest. I made it rain on one city and not on another - one field had rain, while another with no rain dried up;


text:
from two or three cities they would stagger to one city for water to drink, but there wasn't enough; still you haven't returned to me,' says ADONAI.


text:
'I struck your crops with hot winds and blight, your many gardens and vineyards; the cutter-worms devoured your fig and olive trees; still you haven't returned to me,' says ADONAI.


text:
'I sent a plague on you like that of Egypt, put your young men to death with the sword; let your horses be captured; and filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps; still you haven't returned to me,' says ADONAI.


text:
'I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew S'dom and 'Amora; you were like a burning stick snatched from the fire; still you haven't returned to me,' says ADONAI.


text:
'This is why I will deal with you in this way, Isra'el; and because I will deal with you in this way, prepare to meet your God, Isra'el


text:
him who forms mountains and creates wind, who declares to humankind his thoughts, who turns the morning to darkness and strides on the heights of the earth - Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot is his name.'


text:
The virgin of Isra'el has fallen; she will not rise again. She lies abandoned on her own soil with no one to lift her up.


text:
For thus says Adonai ELOHIM: 'The city from which a thousand marched will be left with a hundred, and the one from which a hundred marched will be left with ten from the house of Isra'el.'


text:
but don't seek Beit-El, or enter Gilgal or pass on into Be'er-Sheva; for Gilgal will certainly go into exile, and Beit-El will come to nothing.'


text:
If you seek ADONAI, you will survive. Otherwise, he will break out against the house of Yosef like fire, devouring Beit-El, with no one to quench the flames.


text:
He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who brings deathlike shadows over the morning, who darkens the day into night, who calls for the water in the sea and with it floods the earth - ADONAI is his name


text:
Therefore, because you trample on the poor and extort from them levies of grain; although you have built houses of cut stone, you will not live in them; and though you have planted pleasant vineyards, you will not drink their wine.


text:
For I know how numerous are your crimes and how outrageous your sins - bullying the innocent, extorting ransoms pushing the poor aside at the gate.


text:
Seek good and not evil, so that you will survive. Then Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot will be with you, as you say he is.


text:
Hate evil, love good, and uphold justice at the gate. Maybe Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot will take pity on the survivors of Yosef.


text:
Therefore thus says Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot, Adonai: 'In all public squares there will be lamentation, in all the streets they will cry, 'Oh, no!' They will summon farmers to mourn and professional mourners to wail.


text:
Woe to you who want the Day of ADONAI! Why do you want it, this Day of ADONAI? It is darkness, not light;


text:
as if someone were to run from a lion, just to be met by a bear; as if he entered a house, put his hand on the wall, just to be bitten by a snake.


text:
If you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; nor will I consider the peace offerings of your stall-fed cattle.


text:
No, but now you will bear Sikkut as your king and Kiyun, your images, the star of your god, which you made for yourselves;


text:
Woe to those living at ease in Tziyon and to those who feel complacent on the hills of Shomron, renowned men in this foremost of nations, to whom the rest of Isra'el come.


text:
Travel to Kalneh and see; from there go on to Hamat the great; then go down to Gat of the P'lishtim. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?


text:
You lie on beds of ivory and lounge sprawled out on your couches, dining on meat from lambs in the flock and from calves fattened in stalls.


text:
You make up wild songs at your parties, playing the lute and inventing other instruments - [imagining that you're] like David!


text:
You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but feel no grief at the ruin of Yosef.


text:
Therefore now they will be the first to go into exile with those being exiled, and the revelry of those who lounged, sprawling, will pass away.


text:
'Adonai ELOHIM swears by himself,' says Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot, 'I detest that Ya'akov is so proud, and I hate his palaces. I will hand over the city, along with everything in it.'


text:
And if a [dead] man's uncle, coming to bring the corpse out of the house and burn it, finds a survivor hidden in the inmost recesses of the house and asks, 'Is anyone else there with you?' - then, when he receives the answer, 'No,' he will say, 'Don't say any more, because we mustn't mention the name of ADONAI.'


text:
Do horses run on rock? Does one plow there with oxen? Yet you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitter wormwood.


text:
'But I will raise up a nation against you, house of Isra'el,' says Adonai ELOHEI-Tzva'ot, 'and they will oppress you from the entrance of Hamat to the Vadi of the 'Aravah.'


text:
Here is what Adonai ELOHIM showed me: he was forming a swarm of locusts as the late crop was starting to come up, the late crop after the hay had been cut to pay the king's tribute.


text:
While they were finishing up eating all the vegetation in the land, I said, 'Adonai ELOHIM, forgive - please! How will tiny Ya'akov survive?'


text:
Next Adonai ELOHIM showed me this: Adonai ELOHIM was summoning a blazing fire to consume the great abyss, and it would have devoured the land too.


text:
Then he showed me this: Adonai was standing by a wall made with a plumbline, and he had a plumbline in his hand.


text:
ADONAI asked me, ''Amos, what do you see?' I answered, 'A plumbline.' Then Adonai said, 'I am going to put a plumbline in among my people Isra'el; I will never again overlook their offenses.


text:
The high places of Yitz'chak will be desolate, Isra'el's sanctuaries will be destroyed, and I will attack the house of Yarov'am with the sword.'


text:
Then Amatzyah the priest of Beit-El sent this message to Yarov'am king of Isra'el, ''Amos is conspiring against you there among the people of Isra'el, and the land can't bear all that he's saying.


text:
For 'Amos says: 'Yarov'am will die by the sword, and Isra'el will be led away from their land into exile.''


text:
Amatzyah also said to 'Amos, 'Go away, seer! Go back to the land of Y'hudah! Earn your living there; and prophesy there;


text:
'Amos gave this answer to Amatzyah: 'I am not trained as a prophet, and I'm not one of the guild prophets - I own sheep and grow figs.


text:
But ADONAI took me away from following the flock, and ADONAI said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Isra'el.'


text:
So now, hear what ADONAI says: 'You say, 'Don't prophesy against Isra'el, don't lecture the people of Yitz'chak.''


text:
Therefore ADONAI says this: 'Your wife will become a whore in the city, your sons and daughters will die by the sword, your land will be parcelled out with a measuring line, you yourself will die in an unclean land, and Isra'el will certainly be exiled from their land.''


text:
He asked, ''Amos, what do you see?' I answered, 'A basket of summer [Hebrew: kayitz] fruit.' Then ADONAI said to me, 'The end [Hebrew: ketz] has come for my people, I will never again overlook their offenses.


text:
When that time comes, the songs in the temple will be wailings,' says Adonai ELOHIM. 'There will be many dead bodies; everywhere silence will reign.'


text:
You say, 'When will Rosh-Hodesh be over, so we can market our grain? and Shabbat, so we can sell wheat?' You measure the grain in a small eifah, but the silver in heavy shekels, fixing the scales, so that you can cheat,


text:
buying the needy for money and the poor for a pair of shoes, and sweeping up the refuse of the wheat to sell!'


text:
Won't the land tremble for this, and everyone mourn, who lives in the land? It will all rise, just like the Nile, be in turmoil and subside, like the Nile in Egypt.


text:
'When that time comes,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.


text:
I will turn your festivals into mourning and all your songs into wailing; I will make you all put sackcloth around your waists and shave your heads bald in grief. I will make it like mourning for an only son and its end like a bitter day.


text:
'The time is coming,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'when I will send famine over the land, not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of ADONAI.


text:
People will stagger from sea to sea and from north to east, running back and forth, seeking the word of ADONAI; but they will not find it.


text:
Those who swear by the sin of Shomron, who say, 'As your god, Dan, lives,' and, 'As the way of Be'er-Sheva lives' - they will fall and never get up again.'


text:
I saw Adonai standing beside the altar, and he said, 'Strike the tops of the columns until the thresholds shake! Smash them to pieces on the heads of all the people! Those who remain I will kill with the sword; not one of them will succeed in fleeing, not one of them will escape.


text:
If they dig down to Sh'ol, my hand will haul them out; if they climb up to heaven, I will bring them down.


text:
If they hide themselves on the top of the Karmel, I will search them out and capture them there; If they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, I will order the serpent to bite them there.


text:
If their enemies herd them into exile, I will order the sword to kill them there. I will fix my gaze on them for harm and not for good.'


text:
For Adonai ELOHIM-Tzva'ot is the one who can melt the earth with his touch, and make all who live on it mourn. It will all rise, just like the Nile, and then subside, like the Nile in Egypt.


text:
He builds his upper rooms in heaven and establishes his sky-vault over the earth. He summons the waters of the sea and pours them out over the earth. ADONAI is his name.


text:
'People of Isra'el, are you any different from the Ethiopians to me?' asks ADONAI. 'True, I brought Isra'el up from Egypt, but I also brought the P'lishtim from Kaftor, and Aram from Kir.


text:
Look, the eyes of Adonai ELOHIM are on the sinful kingdom. I will wipe it off the face of the earth, yet I will not completely destroy the house of Ya'akov,' says ADONAI.


text:
'For when I give the order, I will shake the house of Isra'el, there among all the Goyim, as one shakes with a sieve, letting no grain fall to the ground.


text:
All the sinners among my people who say, 'Disaster will never overtake us or confront us,' will die by the sword.


text:
'When that day comes, I will raise up the fallen sukkah of David. I will close up its gaps, raise up its ruins and rebuild it as it used to be,


text:
so that Isra'el can possess what is left of Edom and of all the nations bearing my name,' says ADONAI, who is doing this.


text:
'The days will come,' says ADONAI, 'when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the one treading grapes the one sowing seed. Sweet wine will drip down the mountains, and all the hills will flow with it.


text:
I will restore the fortunes of my people Isra'el; they will rebuild and inhabit the ruined cities; they will plant vineyards and drink their wine, cultivate gardens and eat their fruit.


text:
I will plant them on their own soil, no more to be uprooted from their land, which I gave them,' says ADONAI your God.


text:
This is the vision of 'Ovadyah. Here is what Adonai ELOHIM says about Edom. As a messenger was being sent among the nations saying, 'Come on, let's attack her,' we heard a message from ADONAI:


text:
Your proud heart has deceived you, you whose homes are caves in the cliffs, who live on the heights and say to yourselves, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?'


text:
If you make your nest as high as an eagle's, even if you place it among the stars, I will bring you down from there.' says ADONAI.


text:
If thieves were to come to you, or if robbers by night (Oh, how destroyed you are!), wouldn't they stop when they'd stolen enough? If grape-pickers came to you, Wouldn't they leave some grapes for gleaning?


text:
Your allies went with you only to the border, those at peace with you deceived and defeated you, those who ate your food set a trap for you, and you couldn't discern it.


text:
'When that Day comes,' says ADONAI, 'won't I destroy all the wise men of Edom and leave no discernment on Mount 'Esav?


text:
For the violence done to your kinsman Ya'akov, shame will cover you; and you will be forever cut off.


text:
On that day you stood aside, while strangers carried off his treasure, and foreigners entered his gates to cast lots for Yerushalayim - you were no different from them.


text:
You shouldn't have gloated over your kinsman on their day of disaster or rejoiced over the people of Y'hudah on their day of destruction. You shouldn't have spoken arrogantly on a day of trouble


text:
or entered the gate of my people on their day of calamity - no, you shouldn't have gloated over their suffering on their day of calamity or laid hands on their treasure on their day of calamity.


text:
You shouldn't have stood at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives or handed over their survivors on a day of trouble.'


text:
For the Day of ADONAI is near for all nations; as you did, it will be done to you; your dealings will come back on your own head.


text:
For just as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so will all the nations drink in turn; yes, they will drink and gulp it down and be as if they had never existed.


text:
But on Mount Tziyon there will be a holy remnant who will escape, and the house of Ya'akov will repossess their rightful inheritance.


text:
The house of Ya'akov will be a fire and the house of Yosef a flame, setting aflame and consuming the stubble which is the house of 'Esav. None of the house of 'Esav will remain, for ADONAI has spoken.


text:
Those in the Negev will repossess the mountain of 'Esav, and those in the Sh'felah the land of the P'lishtim; they will repossess the field of Efrayim and the field of Shomron, and Binyamin will occupy Gil'ad.


text:
Those from this army of the people of Isra'el exiled among the Kena'anim as far away as Tzarfat, and the exiles from Yerushalayim in S'farad, will repossess the cities in the Negev.


text:
Then the victorious will ascend Mount Tziyon to rule over Mount 'Esav, but the kingship will belong to ADONAI.


text:
'Set out for the great city of Ninveh, and proclaim to it that their wickedness has come to my attention.'


text:
But Yonah, in order to get away from ADONAI, prepared to escape to Tarshish. He went down to Yafo, found a ship headed for Tarshish, paid the fare and went aboard, intending to travel with them to Tarshish and get away from ADONAI.


text:
However, ADONAI let loose over the sea a violent wind, which created such stormy conditions that the ship threatened to break to pieces.


text:
The sailors were frightened, and each cried out to his god. They threw the cargo overboard to make the ship easier for them to control. Meanwhile, Yonah had gone down below into the hold, where he lay, fast asleep.


text:
The ship's captain found him and said to him, 'What do you mean by sleeping? Get up! Call on your god! Maybe the god will remember us, and we won't die.'


text:
Then they said to each other, 'Come, let's draw lots to find out who is to blame for this calamity.' They drew lots, and Yonah was singled out.


text:
They said to him, 'Tell us now, why has this calamity come upon us? What work do you do? Where are you from? What is your country? Which is your people?'


text:
He answered them, 'I am a Hebrew; and I fear ADONAI, the God of heaven, who made both the sea and the dry land.'


text:
At this the men grew very afraid and said to him, 'What is this that you have done?' For the men knew he was trying to get away from ADONAI, since he had told them.


text:
They asked him, 'What should we do to you, so that the sea will be calm for us?' - for the sea was getting rougher all the time.


text:
'Pick me up,' he told them, 'and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; because I know it's my fault that this terrible storm has come over you.'


text:
Nevertheless, the men rowed hard, trying to reach the shore. But they couldn't, because the sea kept growing wilder against them.


text:
Finally they cried to ADONAI, 'Please, ADONAI, please! Don't let us perish for causing the death of this man, and don't hold us to account for shedding innocent blood; because you, ADONAI, have done what you saw fit.'


text:
ADONAI prepared a huge fish to swallow Yonah; and Yonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.


text:
he said, 'Out of my distress I called to ADONAI, and he answered me; from the belly of Sh'ol I cried, and you heard my voice.


text:
For you threw me into the deep, into the heart of the seas; and the flood enveloped me; all your surging waves passed over me.


text:
The water surrounded me, threatened my life; the deep closed over me, seaweed twined around my head.


text:
I was going down to the bottoms of the mountains, to a land whose bars would close me in forever; but you brought me up alive from the pit, ADONAI, my God!


text:
As my life was ebbing away, I remembered ADONAI; and my prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.


text:
but I, speaking my thanks aloud, will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed, I will pay. Salvation comes from ADONAI!'


text:
So Yonah set out and went to Ninveh, as ADONAI had said. Now Ninveh was such a large city that it took three days just to cross it.


text:
Yonah began his entry into the city and had finished only his first day of proclaiming, 'In forty days Ninveh will be overthrown,'


text:
when the people of Ninveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least.


text:
When the news reached the king of Ninveh, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes.


text:
He then had this proclamation made throughout Ninveh: 'By decree of the king and his nobles, no person or animal, herd or flock, is to put anything in his mouth; they are neither to eat nor drink water.


text:
They must be covered with sackcloth, both people and animals; and they are to cry out to God with all their might - let each of them turn from his evil way and from the violence they practice.


text:
Who knows? Maybe God will change his mind, relent and turn from his fierce anger; and then we won't perish.'


text:
When God saw by their deeds that they had turned from their evil way, he relented and did not bring on them the punishment he had threatened.


text:
He prayed to ADONAI, 'Now, ADONAI, didn't I say this would happen, when I was still in my own country? That's why I tried to get away to Tarshish ahead of time! I knew you were a God who is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in grace, and that you relent from inflicting punishment.


text:
Therefore, ADONAI, please, just take my life away from me; it's better for me to be dead than alive!'


text:
Yonah left the city and found a place east of the city, where he made himself a shelter and sat down under it, in its shade, to see what would happen to the city.


text:
ADONAI, God, prepared a castor-bean plant and made it grow up over Yonah to shade his head and relieve his discomfort. So Yonah was delighted with the castor-bean plant.


text:
But at dawn the next day God prepared a worm, which attacked the castor-bean plant, so that it dried up.


text:
Then, when the sun rose, God prepared a scorching east wind; and the sun beat down on Yonah's head so hard that he grew faint and begged that he could die, saying, 'I would be better off dead than alive.'


text:
God asked Yonah, 'Is it right for you to be so angry about the castor-bean plant?' He answered, 'Yes, it's right for me to be so angry that I could die!'


text:
ADONAI said, 'You're concerned over the castor-bean plant, which cost you no effort; you didn't make it grow; it came up in a night and perished in a night.


text:
So shouldn't I be concerned about the great city of Ninveh, in which there are more than 120,000 people who don't know their right hand from their left - not to mention all the animals?'


text:
This is the word of ADONAI that came to Mikhah the Morashti during the days of Yotam, Achaz and Y'chizkiyah, kings of Y'hudah, which he saw concerning Shomron and Yerushalayim:


text:
Listen, peoples, all of you! Pay attention, earth, and everything in it! Adonai ELOHIM will witness against you, Adonai, from his holy temple.


text:
For - look! - ADONAI is coming out of his place, coming down to tread on the high places of the land.


text:
Beneath him the mountains will melt, the valleys split open like wax before fire, like water poured down a steep slope.


text:
All this is because of the crime of Ya'akov and the sins of the house of Isra'el. What is the crime of Ya'akov? Isn't it Shomron? And what are the high places of Y'hudah? Aren't they Yerushalayim?


text:
'So I will make Shomron a heap in the countryside, a place for planting vineyards; I will pour her stones down into the valley, laying bare her foundations.


text:
All her carved images will be smashed to pieces, all she earned consumed by fire; and I will reduce her idols to rubble. She amassed them from a whore's wages, and as a whore's wages they will be spent again.'


text:
This is why I howl and wail, why I go barefoot and stripped, why I howl like the jackals and mourn like the ostriches.


text:
For her wound cannot be healed, and now it is coming to Y'hudah as well; it reaches even to the gate of my people, to Yerushalayim itself.


text:
Don't tell about it in Gat, don't shed any tears. At Beit-L'afrah [house of dust] roll yourself in the dust.


text:
Inhabitants of Shafir, pass on your way in nakedness and shame. The inhabitants of Tza'anan have not left yet. The wailing of Beit-Ha'etzel will remove from you their support.


text:
The inhabitants of Marot have no hope of anything good; for ADONAI has sent down disaster to the very gate of Yerushalayim.


text:
Harness the chariots to the fastest horses, inhabitants of Lakhish; she was the beginning of sin for the daughter of Tziyon; for the crimes of Isra'el are traceable to you.


text:
Therefore you must bestow parting gifts upon Moreshet-Gat. The houses of Akhziv will disappoint the kings of Isra'el.


text:
Inhabitants of Mareshah, I have yet to bring you the one who will [invade and] possess you. The glory of Isra'el will come to 'Adulam.


