1 Then the Spirit {ruach: Divine Breath} lifted me and carried me to the east gate of the house of the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Guide}, the gate that faces east. There at the opening of the gate stood twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah son of Azur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
2 And He {YHWH, Revealer of Secrets} said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plan mischief {aven: moral corruption} and who offer evil counsel in this city.”
3 They are the ones who say, “It is not near {beqarov: near future} to build houses; this city is the cauldron {sir: cooking pot}, and we are the flesh.”
4 Therefore prophesy {hinnave: divine commission} against them; speak as a prophet, son of man {ben-adam: human envoy}.
5 And the Spirit of the LORD {YHWH, Empowering Communicator} fell upon me, and He said to me, “Say, ‘Thus says the LORD: This is what you have said, house of Israel; and I know the risings {maʿalot: internal stirrings} of your spirit.’”
6 You have made many to fall slain {challeykhem: your victims} in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain {chalal: dead bodies}.
7 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Supreme Judge}: “Your slain whom you have placed in its midst are the flesh, and this city is the cauldron {sir: cooking pot}; but I will bring you out from its midst.”
8 “You have feared the sword {cherev: instrument of judgment}, so I will bring the sword against you,” declares the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge}.
9 I {YHWH, Sovereign Judge} will remove you from its center, deliver you into the hands {yad: symbol of authority} of foreigners, and carry out judgments among you.
10 By the sword you shall fall; at the border {gevul: territorial boundary} of Israel I shall render judgment upon you, and you shall know that I am the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}.
11 This city will not be a cauldron {sir: cooking pot} for you, nor will you be flesh in its midst; at the border of Israel, I will judge {eshpot: bring to account} you.
12 Then you will know that I am the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}, because you did not walk in my statutes {chuk: fixed decrees} or carry out my judgments, but you lived by the customs of the nations around you.
13 And while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and let out a loud cry, and I said, “Ah, Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge}, will You bring the remnant {she’erit: surviving group} of Israel to a complete end?”
14 Then the word of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Communicator} came to me, saying {leʾmor: introducing direct speech}.
15 Son of man, your brothers—your brothers—your kinsmen, and the whole house of Israel, all of them, are the ones of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, “Withdraw from the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Guide}; this land has been given to us as a possession {morashah: hereditary inheritance}.”
16 Therefore say, “Thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Master}: Though I have driven them far off among the nations and scattered them through the countries, yet I have been to them a little sanctuary {mikdash: sacred place} in the lands where they have gone.”
17 Therefore say, “Thus says the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Restorer}: I will gather {qibbatzti: reunite exiles} you out from the peoples, bring you together from the lands where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”
18 When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things {shiqutzeha: loathsome objects} and all its abominations {toavoteha: corrupt practices} from it.
19 And I {YHWH, Heart Transformer} will give them one heart {lev: center of will}, and I will place a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.
20 So that they will walk in my statutes and observe my ordinances {mishpatai: judgments}, doing them; then they will be my people, and I will be their God {Elohim, Covenant Restorer}.
21 But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things {shikkutseihem: ritually abhorrent} and their abominations {toavoteihem: utterly repulsive}, I have brought their way upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH, Sovereign Judge}.
22 Then the cherubim {keruvim: heavenly guardians} lifted up their wings, and the wheels were beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel {Elohei-Yisrael, National Protector} was over them.
23 And the glory of the LORD {YHWH, Majestic Presence} rose up from the midst of the city and took its stand on the mountain east {miqqedem: direction of sunrise} of the city.
24 And the Spirit lifted me and brought me to Chaldea, to the exiles, in the vision {mar’eh: prophetic revelation} by the Spirit of God {Elohim, Divine Guide}; then the vision I had seen departed from me.
25 I spoke all the words {divrei: prophetic declarations} of the LORD {YHWH, Vision Giver}, which He had shown me, to the exiles.