“The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon.

“The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says to all those he sent into exile to Babylon from Jerusalem,

So here is what the Lord has to say about Israel and Judah.

The Lord says, “The people of Israel who survived death at the hands of the enemy will find favor in the wilderness as they journey to find rest for themselves.

I will rebuild you, my dear children Israel, so that you will once again be built up. Once again you will take up the tambourine and join in the happy throng of dancers.

I will restore Judah and Israel and will rebuild them as they were in days of old.

The people of Moab will be disappointed by their god Chemosh. They will be as disappointed as the people of Israel were when they put their trust in the calf god at Bethel.

“Babylon must fall because of the Israelites she has killed, just as the earth’s mortally wounded fell because of Babylon.

He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.

“Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must give them a warning from me.

“Son of man, turn toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them:

I will place the corpses of the people of Israel in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones around your altars.

Then I perceived that the glory of the God of Israel was there, as in the vision I had seen earlier in the valley.

You will die by the sword; I will judge you at the border of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

Then the cherubim spread their wings with their wheels alongside them while the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.

“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’

For there will no longer be any false visions or flattering omens amidst the house of Israel.

You have not gone up in the breaks in the wall, nor repaired a wall for the house of Israel that it would stand strong in the battle on the day of the Lord.

I will do this in order to capture the hearts of the house of Israel, who have alienated themselves from me on account of all their idols.’

“Son of man, offer a riddle, and tell a parable to the house of Israel.