“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers and engage in prostitution with detestable idols?

I scattered them among the nations; they were dispersed throughout foreign countries. In accordance with their behavior and their deeds I judged them.

Persia, Ethiopia, and Put are with them, all of them with shields and helmets.

According to their uncleanness and rebellion I have dealt with them, and I hid my face from them.

“Are you willing to pronounce judgment? Are you willing to pronounce judgment, son of man? Then confront them with the abominable practices of their fathers,

Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all the foreigners, Libya, and the people of the covenant land will die by the sword along with them.

And you, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are my people, and I am your God, declares the sovereign Lord.’”

Join them as one stick; they will be as one in your hand.

“‘Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note that I am against your wristbands with which you entrap people’s lives like birds. I will tear them from your arms and will release the people’s lives, which you hunt like birds.

Again, take more of them and throw them into the fire, and burn them up. From there a fire will spread to all the house of Israel.

so that they may follow my statutes and observe my regulations and carry them out. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.

“What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “‘The fathers eat sour grapes And the children’s teeth become numb?’

I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.

So I said to them, What is this high place you go to?’” (So it is called “High Place” to this day.)

“‘What you plan will never happen. You say, “We will be like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of wood and stone.”

I will restore the fortunes of Egypt, and will bring them back to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin; there they will be an insignificant kingdom.

“As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf.

I will set one shepherd over them, and he will feed them – namely, my servant David. He will feed them and will be their shepherd.

Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they are my people, the house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.

“This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them: I will multiply their people like sheep.