An area eight and a quarter miles<n id="1" /> in length and three and one-third miles<n id="2" /> in width will be for the Levites, who minister at the temple, as the place for the cities<n id="3" /> in which they will live.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;Alongside the portion set apart as the holy allotment, you will allot for the city an area one and two-thirds miles<n id="1" /> wide and eight and a quarter miles<n id="2" /> long; it will be for the whole house of Israel.p>

of the land. This will be his property in Israel. My princes will no longer oppress my people, but the land will be allotted to the house of Israel according to their tribes.p>

The priest will take some of the blood of the sin offering and place it on the doorpost of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the doorpost of the gate of the inner court.

I saw an amber glow<n id="1" /> like a fire enclosed all around<n id="2" /> from his waist up. From his waist down I saw something that looked like fire. There was a brilliant light around it,

But you, son of man, do not fear them, and do not fear their words &#8211; even though briers<n id="1" /> and thorns<n id="2" /> surround you and you live among scorpions &#8211; do not fear their words and do not be terrified of the looks they give you,<n id="3" /> for they are a rebellious house!

As for you, son of man, listen to what I am saying to you: Do not rebel like that rebellious house! Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.&#8221;p>

But when I speak with you, I will loosen your tongue<n id="1" /> and you must say to them, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says.&#8217; Those who listen will listen, but the indifferent will refuse,<n id="2" /> for they are a rebellious house.p>

Then for your part take an iron frying pan<n id="1" /> and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city. Set your face toward it. It is to be under siege; you are to besiege it. This is a sign<n id="2" /> for the house of Israel.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Also for your part lie on your left side and place the iniquity<n id="1" /> of the house of Israel on it. For the number of days you lie on your side you will bear their iniquity.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;When you have completed these days, then lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah 40 days<n id="1" /> &#8211; I have assigned one day for each year.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Clap your hands, stamp your feet, and say, &#8220;Ah!&#8221; because of all the evil, abominable practices of the house of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine, and pestilence.<n id="1" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month,<n id="1" /> as I was sitting in my house with the elders of Judah sitting in front of me, the hand<n id="2" /> of the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> seized me.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">He said to me, &#8220;Son of man, do you see what they are doing &#8211; the great abominations that the people<n id="1" /> of Israel are practicing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see greater abominations than these!&#8221;p>

Seventy men from the elders of the house of Israel<n id="1" /> (with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them) were standing in front of them, each with a censer in his hand, and fragrant<n id="2" /> vapors from a cloud of incense were swirling upward.p>

<p class="bodytext">He said to me, &#8220;Do you see, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in the chamber of his idolatrous images?<n id="1" /> For they think, &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> does not see us! The <sc>Lordsc> has abandoned the land!&#8217;&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Then he brought me to the inner court of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s house. Right there<n id="1" /> at the entrance to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple, between the porch and the altar,<n id="2" /> were about twenty-five<n id="3" /> men with their backs to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple,<n id="4" /> facing east &#8211; they were worshiping the sun<n id="5" /> toward the east!p>

<p class="bodytext">He said to me, &#8220;Do you see, son of man? Is it a trivial thing that the house of Judah commits these abominations they are practicing here? For they have filled the land with violence and provoked me to anger still further. Look, they are putting the branch to their nose!<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub where it had rested to the threshold of the temple.<n id="1" /> He called to the man dressed in linen who had the writing kit at his side.

Old men, young men, young women, little children, and women &#8211; wipe them out! But do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary!&#8221; So they began with the elders who were at the front of the temple.p>