They rendered the beauty of his ornaments into pride, ¹  and with it they made their abominable images – their detestable idols. Therefore I will render it filthy to them.

Her prophets coat their messages with whitewash. ¹  They see false visions and announce lying omens for them, saying, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says,’ when the Lord has not spoken.

A fire has gone out from its branch; it has consumed its shoot and its fruit. ¹  No strong branch was left in it, nor a scepter to rule.’ This is a lament song, and has become a lament song.”

So he said to me, “All right then, I will substitute cow’s manure instead of human excrement. You will cook your food over it.”

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

The desolate land will be plowed, instead of being desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by.

Then, when my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.’” ¹ 

For seven days they will make atonement for the altar and cleanse it, so they will consecrate it. ¹ 

All the people of the land will contribute ¹  to this offering for the prince of Israel.

“As for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt, ¹  put them in a single container, and make food ²  from them for yourself. For the same number of days that you lie on your side – 390 days ³  – you will eat it.

“‘When you allot the land as an inheritance, you will offer an allotment ¹  to the Lord, a holy portion from the land; the length will be eight and a quarter miles ²  and the width three and one-third miles. ³  This entire area will be holy. ⁴ 

On both sides of the river’s banks, every kind of tree will grow for food. Their leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail, but they will bear fruit every month, because their water source flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.” ¹ 

While I listened, he said to the others, ¹  “Go through the city after him and strike people down; do no let your eye pity nor spare ²  anyone!

They see delusion and their omens are a lie. ¹  They say, “the Lord declares,” though the Lord has not sent them; ²  yet they expect their word to be confirmed. ³ 

Have you not seen a false vision and announced a lying omen when you say, “the Lord declares,” although I myself never spoke?

Therefore you will no longer see false visions and practice divination. I will rescue my people from your power, and you ¹  will know that I am the Lord.’”

“Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine? ¹ 

You took some of your clothing and made for yourself decorated high places; you engaged in prostitution on them. You went to him to become his. ¹ 

“‘He gave it to be polished, to be grasped in the hand – the sword is sharpened, it is polished – giving it into the hand of the executioner.

Take the choice bone of the flock, heap up bones under it; boil rapidly, and boil its bones in it.