<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;No longer will Israel suffer from the sharp briers<n id="1" /> or painful thorns of all who surround and scorn them.<n id="2" /> Then they will know that I am the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the <sc>Lordsc>p> <p class="poetry">because they were a reed staff<n id="1" /> for the house of Israel;p>

It will never again be Israel&#8217;s source of confidence, but a reminder of how they sinned by turning to Egypt for help.<n id="1" /> Then they will know that I am the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;&#8221;p>

On that day I will make Israel powerful,<n id="1" /> and I will give you the right to be heard<n id="2" /> among them. Then they will know that I am the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman<n id="1" /> for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf.

Then they will know that I, the <sc>Lordsc> their God, am with them,<n id="1" /> and that they are my people, the house of Israel, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="2" />

&#8220;Son of man, when the house of Israel was living on their own land, they defiled it by their behavior<n id="1" /> and their deeds. In my sight their behavior was like the uncleanness of a woman having her monthly period.

Understand that<n id="1" /> it is not for your sake I am about to act, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>. Be ashamed and embarrassed by your behavior, O house of Israel.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: I will allow the house of Israel to ask me to do this for them:<n id="1" /> I will multiply their people like sheep.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Then he said to me, &#8220;Son of man, these bones are all the house of Israel. Look, they are saying, &#8216;Our bones are dry, our hope has perished; we are cut off.&#8217;

They are joined by<n id="1" /> Gomer with all its troops, and by Beth Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops &#8211; many peoples are with you.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Now I will restore<n id="1" /> the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name.

I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel,<n id="1" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;p>

He measured the court as a square 175 feet long and 175 feet wide;<n id="1" /> the altar was in front of the temple.p>

to the space above the entrance, to the inner room, and on the outside, and on all the walls in the inner room and outside, by measurement.<n id="1" />

a human face toward the palm tree on one side and a lion&#8217;s face toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved on the whole temple all around;

<p class="bodytext">Now when he had finished measuring the interior of the temple, he led me out by the gate which faces east and measured all around.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;When they enter the gates of the inner court, they must wear linen garments; they must not have any wool on them when they minister in the inner gates of the court and in the temple.

They must not marry a widow or a divorcee, but they may marry a virgin from the house of Israel<n id="1" /> or a widow who is a priest&#8217;s widow.

It will be a holy portion of the land; it will be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary who approach the <sc>Lordsc> to minister to him. It will be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary.<n id="1" />