He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.”

He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see even greater abominations than these!”

“But suppose he in turn has a son who notices all the sins his father commits, considers them, and does not follow his father’s example. ¹ 

“And you, son of man, take a brick ¹  and set it in front of you. Inscribe ²  a city on it – Jerusalem.

He said to me, “Son of man, dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and discovered a doorway.

The Lord ¹  said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked advice in this city.

“As for you, son of man, turn toward ¹  the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their imagination. ²  Prophesy against them

“Are you willing to pronounce judgment? ¹  Are you willing to pronounce judgment, son of man? Then confront them with the abominable practices of their fathers,

“Son of man, turn toward ¹  the south, ²  and speak out against the south. ³  Prophesy against the open scrub ⁴  land of the Negev,

“Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also polished.

“Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that receives no rain ¹  or showers in the day of my anger.’ ² 

The Lord said to me: “Son of man, are you willing to pronounce judgment ¹  on Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominable deeds!

“As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord!

He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river.

He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you see in front of you ¹  – eat this scroll – and then go and speak to the house of Israel.”

And he said to me, “Son of man, take all my words that I speak to you to heart and listen carefully.

“Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel, ‘The days pass slowly, and every vision fails’?

“Take note, son of man, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for distant days; he is prophesying about the far future.’

“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to the prophets who prophesy from their imagination: ¹  ‘Hear the word of 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