<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.

While they were striking them down, I was left alone, and I threw myself face down and cried out, &#8220;Ah, sovereign <sc>Lordsc>! Will you destroy the entire remnant of Israel when you pour out your fury on Jerusalem?&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">He said to me, &#8220;The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is extremely great; the land is full of murder, and the city is full of corruption,<n id="1" /> for they say, &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> has abandoned the land, and the <sc>Lordsc> does not see!&#8217;<n id="2" />

The cherubim spread<n id="1" /> their wings, and they rose up from the earth<n id="2" /> while I watched (when they went the wheels went alongside them). They stopped at the entrance to the east gate of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple as the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them.p>

<p class="bodytext">Now, while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I threw myself face down and cried out with a loud voice, &#8220;Alas, sovereign <sc>Lordsc>! You are completely wiping out the remnant of Israel!&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

&#8220;Son of man, your brothers,<n id="1" /> your relatives,<n id="2" /> and the whole house of Israel, all of them are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem<n id="3" /> have said, &#8216;They have gone<n id="4" /> far away from the <sc>Lordsc>; to us this land has been given as a possession.&#8217;p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore say: &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: When I regather you from the peoples and assemble you from the lands where you have been dispersed, I will give you back the country of Israel.&#8217;p>

Then say to the people of the land, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says about the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in fright, for their land will be stripped bare of all it contains because of the violence of all who live in it.

Therefore tell them, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: I hereby end this proverb; they will not recite it in Israel any longer.&#8217; But say to them, &#8216;The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;As for the prophet, if he is made a fool by being deceived into speaking a prophetic word &#8211; I, the <sc>Lordsc>, have made a fool of<n id="1" /> that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.

so that the house of Israel will no longer go astray from me, nor continue to defile themselves by all their sins. They will be my people and I will be their God,<n id="1" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">I will plant it on a high mountain of Israel,p> <p class="poetry">and it will raise branches and produce fruit and become a beautiful cedar.p> <p class="poetry">Every bird will live under it;p> <p class="poetry">Every winged creature will live in the shade of its branches.p>

does not eat pagan sacrifices on the mountains<n id="1" /> or pray to the idols<n id="2" /> of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor&#8217;s wife, does not have sexual relations with a<n id="3" /> woman during her period,

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct,<n id="1" /> O house of Israel, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>. Repent<n id="2" /> and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity.<n id="3" />

&#8220;Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them: &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me,<n id="1" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;

and say to them:p> <p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: On the day I chose Israel I swore<n id="1" /> to the descendants<n id="2" /> of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore<n id="3" /> to them, &#8220;I am the <sc>Lordsc> your God.&#8221;

But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not follow my statutes and they rejected my regulations (the one who obeys them will live by them), and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out<n id="1" /> my rage on them in the wilderness and destroy them.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: In this way too your fathers blasphemed me when they were unfaithful to me.

When you present your sacrifices<n id="1" /> &#8211; when you make your sons pass through the fire &#8211; you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me,<n id="2" /> O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, I will not allow you to seek me!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Each of you go and serve your idols,<n id="1" /> if you will not listen to me.<n id="2" /> But my holy name will not be profaned<n id="3" /> again by your sacrifices<n id="4" /> and your idols.