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6 The Lord gave this message to me: 2 ‘Son of man, look towards the mountains of Israel. Tell them my message to warn them. [ a ] 3 Say, “You mountains of Israel, listen to this message from the Almighty Lord . This is what the Almighty Lord says to the mountains, the hills and the valleys: I am coming here to attack you. I will destroy the places where you worship false gods. 4 I will destroy your altars for sacrifices and your altars for incense. I will kill the people who worship there and put them in front of their idols. [ b ] 5 The dead bodies of you people of Israel will lie in front of your idols. I will cause soldiers to throw your bones on the ground around the altars.

6 In all the places that you live, soldiers will destroy your towns. They will also destroy the places where you worship false gods. They will break down the altars so that they become heaps of stones. They will break your idols into pieces. They will destroy the altars where you burn incense. They will remove all those things that you have made. 7 Dead bodies will lie on the ground everywhere that you live. Then you will know that I am the Lord .

8 But I will allow some of you to live. Those people will escape when the enemy army attacks. They will run away to live in foreign countries. 9 When they are living as prisoners among those other nations, they will remember me. They will realize that they made me very sad because they were not faithful to me. They stopped worshipping me. Instead, they chose to worship idols. Then they will be ashamed of themselves, because of all the disgusting things which they have done. 10 They will know that I am the Lord . They will know that it was true when I promised to bring this terrible trouble to them.” ’

11 This is what I, the Almighty Lord , say to you, Ezekiel: ‘Clap your hands together. Stamp on the ground with your feet. Show that you are very upset because of all the disgusting, evil things that Israel's people have done. War, famine and disease will kill them. 12 Illness will kill the people who live far away. Enemy soldiers will kill those who live near to the city. Famine will kill those people who are still alive. Because I am very angry with them, I will punish them very much.

13 Then they will know that I am the Lord . They will see the dead bodies of their own people. The bodies will be lying among the idols that they worshipped. They will be lying around the altars of their false gods, on every high hill and mountain. The dead bodies will lie under the big trees where they offered incense to all their idols. 14 I will punish them very much. I will destroy their land from the desert in the south as far as Diblah. I will make it a place where nobody can live. Then they will know that I am the Lord .’

Footnotes

  1. 6:2 The events in this prophecy happened in the year 586 BC.
  2. 6:4 See Leviticus 26:30 .

Prophecies Against Israel

6 Then the word of the Lord came to me again. 2 He said, “Son of man, [ a ] turn toward the mountains of Israel and speak against them for me. 3 Tell them this: ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to this message from the Lord God ! This is what the Lord God says to the hills and mountains and to the ravines and valleys: Look! I am bringing the enemy to fight against you. I will destroy your high places. 4 Your altars will be broken into pieces. Your incense altars will be smashed, and I will throw down your dead bodies in front of your filthy idols. 5 I will put the dead bodies of the people of Israel in front of their filthy idols. I will scatter your bones around your altars. 6 Bad things will happen wherever your people live. Their cities will become piles of rock. Their high places will be destroyed so that those places of worship will never be used again. The altars will all be destroyed. People will never worship those filthy idols again. The incense altars will be smashed. Everything you made will be destroyed completely. 7 Your people will be killed, and then you will know that I am the Lord !’”

8 God said, “But I will let a few of your people escape. They will live in other countries for a short time. I will scatter them and force them to live in other countries. 9 Then the survivors will be taken as prisoners. They will be forced to live in other countries, but they will remember me. I broke their spirit. [ b ] They will hate themselves for the evil things they did. In the past, they turned away from me and left me. They chased after their filthy idols. They were like a woman leaving her husband and running off with another man. They did many terrible things, 10 but they will learn that I am the Lord . Then they will know that if I say that I will do something, I will do it! They will know that I caused all the troubles that happened to them.”

11 Then the Lord God said to me, “Clap your hands and stamp your feet. Speak against all the terrible things that the people of Israel have done. Warn them that they will be killed by disease and hunger. Tell them they will be killed in war. 12 People far away will die from disease. People near this place will be killed with swords, and those who are left in the city will starve to death. Only then will I stop being angry. 13 Only then will you know that I am the Lord . You will know this when you see your dead bodies in front of your filthy idols and around their altars. Those bodies will be near every one of your places for worship, [ c ] on every high hill and mountain, under every green tree and every oak tree with leaves. You offered your sacrifices everywhere. They were a sweet smell for your filthy idols. 14 But I will raise my arm over you and punish you and your people, wherever they live! I will destroy your country! It will be completely empty from the desert in the south to Riblah [ d ] in the north. Then they will know that I am the Lord !”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 6:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in 7:2.
  2. Ezekiel 6:9 spirit Literally, “heart.”
  3. Ezekiel 6:13 places for worship Or “high places.” See “ high place ” in the Word List.
  4. Ezekiel 6:14 Riblah Most Hebrew copies have “Diblah.”

6 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,

3 And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God ; Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.

4 And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.

5 And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.

6 In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.

7 And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the Lord .

8 Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries.

9 And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

10 And they shall know that I am the Lord , and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them.

11 Thus saith the Lord God ; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

12 He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them.

13 Then shall ye know that I am the Lord , when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.

14 So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the Lord .

Idolatrous Worship Denounced

6 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face toward the ( A ) mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them 3 and say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord [ a ] God ! This is what the Lord [ b ] God says to the mountains, the hills, the ravines, and the valleys: “Behold, I Myself am going to bring a sword against you, and ( B ) I will destroy your high places. 4 So your ( C ) altars will become deserted and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will make your slain fall in front of your idols. 5 I will also lay the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their idols; and I will scatter your ( D ) bones around your altars. 6 [ c ] Everywhere you live, ( E ) cities will be in ruins and the high places will be deserted, so that your altars will be in ruins and [ d ] deserted, your ( F ) idols will be broken and brought to an end, your incense altars will be cut down, and your works wiped out. 7 The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the Lord .

8 “However, I will leave a ( G ) remnant, in that you will have those who ( H ) escaped the sword among the nations when you are scattered among the countries. 9 Then those of you who escape will ( I ) remember Me among the nations to which they will be taken captive, how I have [ e ] ( J ) been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which committed infidelity with their idols; and they will ( K ) loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations. 10 Then they will know that I am the Lord ; I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster on them.”’

11 “This is what the Lord [ f ] God says: ‘Clap your hands, ( L ) stamp your foot and say, “ ( M ) Woe, because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, which will fall by the ( N ) sword, famine, and plague! 12 Anyone who is ( O ) far away will die by the plague, anyone who is near will fall by the sword, and anyone who remains and is spared from these will die by the famine. So I will ( P ) expend My wrath on them. 13 Then you will know that I am the Lord , when their ( Q ) dead are among their idols around their altars, on ( R ) every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every leafy tree and under every massive oak with thick branches—the places where they offered a soothing aroma to all their idols. 14 So through all their dwelling places I will ( S ) stretch out My hand against them and make the land more desolate and waste than the wilderness toward Diblah; so they will know that I am the Lord .”’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 6:3 Heb YHWH , usually rendered Lord
  2. Ezekiel 6:3 Heb YHWH , usually rendered Lord
  3. Ezekiel 6:6 Lit In all your dwellings
  4. Ezekiel 6:6 As in some ancient versions; MT suffer for their guilt
  5. Ezekiel 6:9 Lit been broken ; another reading is broken their (but unlikely)
  6. Ezekiel 6:11 Heb YHWH , usually rendered Lord

Doom for the Mountains of Israel

6 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face ( A ) against the mountains ( B ) of Israel; prophesy against them ( C ) 3 and say: ‘You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord . This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: ( D ) I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. ( E ) 4 Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars ( F ) will be smashed; and I will slay your people in front of your idols. ( G ) 5 I will lay the dead bodies of the Israelites in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones ( H ) around your altars. ( I ) 6 Wherever you live, ( J ) the towns will be laid waste and the high places ( K ) demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and devastated, your idols ( L ) smashed and ruined, your incense altars ( M ) broken down, and what you have made wiped out. ( N ) 7 Your people will fall slain ( O ) among you, and you will know that I am the Lord . ( P )

8 “‘But I will spare some, for some of you will escape ( Q ) the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations. ( R ) 9 Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember ( S ) me—how I have been grieved ( T ) by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. ( U ) They will loathe themselves for the evil ( V ) they have done and for all their detestable practices. ( W ) 10 And they will know that I am the Lord ; ( X ) I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on them. ( Y )

11 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Strike your hands together and stamp your feet and cry out “Alas!” because of all the wicked and detestable practices of the people of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine and plague. ( Z ) 12 One who is far away will die of the plague, and one who is near will fall by the sword, and anyone who survives and is spared will die of famine. So will I pour out my wrath ( AA ) on them. ( AB ) 13 And they will know that I am the Lord , when their people lie slain among their idols ( AC ) around their altars, on every high hill and on all the mountaintops, under every spreading tree and every leafy oak ( AD ) —places where they offered fragrant incense to all their idols. ( AE ) 14 And I will stretch out my hand ( AF ) against them and make the land a desolate waste from the desert to Diblah [ a ] —wherever they live. Then they will know that I am the Lord . ( AG ) ’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 6:14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts Riblah