“They have blown the trumpet and everyone is ready, but no one goes to battle, because my anger is against their whole crowd.

Their survivors will escape to the mountains and become like doves of the valleys; all of them will moan – each one for his iniquity.

He brought me to the entrance of the court, and as I watched, I noticed a hole in the wall.

The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard from the outer court, like the sound of the sovereign God when he speaks.

So I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.

“As for you, son of man, turn toward the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their imagination. Prophesy against them

You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your sexually aroused neighbors, multiplying your promiscuity and provoking me to anger.

You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians because your sexual desires were insatiable; you prostituted yourself with them and yet you were still not satisfied.

Then you multiplied your promiscuity to the land of merchants, Babylonia, but you were not satisfied there either.

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

He plucked off its topmost shoot; he brought it to a land of merchants and planted it in a city of traders.

The nations heard about him; he was trapped in their pit. They brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

Return it to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in your native land, I will judge you.

“‘See, I strike my hands together at the dishonest profit you have made, and at the bloodshed they have done among you.

“Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians – warriors

But she increased her prostitution. She saw men carved on the wall, images of the Chaldeans carved in bright red,

So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I acted just as I was commanded.

“Son of man, turn toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them.

They will descend from their ships – all who handle the oar, the sailors and all the sea captains – they will stand on the land.

Will you still say, “I am a god,” before the one who kills you – though you are a man and not a god – when you are in the power of those who wound you?