Say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: The prince will raise this burden in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel within it.’

“Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine?

Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south of you, was Sodom with her daughters.

In a good field, by abundant waters, it was planted to grow branches, bear fruit, and become a beautiful vine.

Pharaoh with his great army and mighty horde will not help him in battle, when siege ramps are erected and siege-walls are built to kill many people.

oppresses the poor and the needy, commits robbery, does not give back what was given in pledge, prays to idols, performs abominable acts,

He does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains, does not pray to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife,

does not oppress anyone or keep what has been given in pledge, does not commit robbery, gives his food to the hungry, and clothes the naked,

“Her sister Oholibah watched this, but she became more corrupt in her lust than her sister had been, and her acts of prostitution were more numerous than those of her sister.

“Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you have forgotten me and completely disregarded me, you must bear now the punishment for your obscene conduct and prostitution.”

But upright men will punish them appropriately for their adultery and bloodshed, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.

Recite a proverb to this rebellious house and say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘Set on the pot, set it on, pour water in it too;

They crafted all your planks out of fir trees from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make your mast.

They made your oars from oaks of Bashan; they made your deck with cypresses from the Kittean isles.

The Dedanites were your clients. Many coastlands were your customers; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.

Damascus was your trade partner because of the abundance of your goods and of all your wealth: wine from Helbon, white wool from Zahar,

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

Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, also went down with it to Sheol, to those killed by the sword.

but there is one who hears the sound of the trumpet yet does not heed the warning. Then the sword comes and sweeps him away. He will be responsible for his own death.

Opposite the gate on the north and the east was a gate of the inner court; he measured the distance from gate to gate at 175 feet.