By means of divine visions<n id="1" /> he brought me to the land of Israel and placed me on a very high mountain,<n id="2" /> and on it was a structure like a city, to the south.

I saw<n id="1" /> the glory of the God of Israel<n id="2" /> coming from the east;<n id="3" /> the sound was like that of rushing water;<n id="4" /> and the earth radiated<n id="5" /> his glory.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, so that they will be ashamed of their sins and measure the pattern.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;But the Levites who went far from me, straying off from me after their idols when Israel went astray, will be responsible for<n id="1" /> their sin.

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.

<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>

and one sheep from each flock of two hundred, from the watered places of Israel, for a grain offering, burnt offering, and peace offering, to make atonement for them, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.

<t /><p class="bodytext">This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8220;Here<n id="1" /> are the borders<n id="2" /> you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.)<n id="3" />

This will be for the priests who are set apart from the descendants of Zadok who kept my charge and did not go astray when the people of Israel strayed off, like the Levites did.<n id="1" />

the gates of the city<n id="1" /> will be named for the tribes of Israel; there will be three gates to the north: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi.

For when anyone from the house of Israel, or the foreigner who lives in Israel, separates himself from me and erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet to seek something from me, I the <sc>Lordsc> am determined to answer him personally.

He said to me: &#8220;Son of man, this is the place of my throne<n id="1" /> and the place for the soles of my feet,<n id="2" /> where I will live among the people of Israel forever. The house of Israel will no longer profane my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their spiritual prostitution or by the pillars of their kings set up when they die.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">He said to me, &#8220;Son of man, I am sending you to the house<n id="1" /> of Israel, to rebellious nations<n id="2" /> who have rebelled against me; both they and their fathers have revolted<n id="3" /> against me to this very day.

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.

Say, &#8216;Mountains of Israel,<n id="1" /> Hear the word of the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>!<n id="2" /> This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: I am bringing<n id="3" /> a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.<n id="4" />

<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" />

<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;