“‘What you plan ¹  will never happen. You say, “We will be ²  like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of wood and stone.” ³ 

“‘For testing will come, and what will happen when the scepter, which the sword despises, is no more? ¹  declares the sovereign Lord.’

“Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine? ¹ 

As for my food that I gave you – the fine flour, olive oil, and honey I fed you – you placed it before them as a soothing aroma. That is exactly what happened, declares the sovereign Lord.

Ezekiel will be an object lesson for you; you will do all that he has done. When it happens, then you will know that I am the sovereign Lord.’

When they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you will reply, ‘Because of the report that has come. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand will be limp; everyone ¹  will faint and every knee will be wet with urine.’ ²  Pay attention – it is coming and it will happen, declares the sovereign Lord.”

“And you, son of man, this is what will happen on the day I take ¹  from them their stronghold – their beautiful source of joy, the object in which their eyes delight, and the main concern of their lives, ²  as well as their sons and daughters: ³ 

All the princes of the sea will vacate ¹  their thrones. They will remove their robes and strip off their embroidered clothes; they will clothe themselves with trembling. They will sit on the ground; they will tremble continually and be shocked at what has happened to you. ² 

Which of the trees of Eden was like you in majesty and loftiness? You will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword! This is what will happen to Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the sovereign Lord.’”

You took some of your clothing and made for yourself decorated high places; you engaged in prostitution on them. You went to him to become his. ¹ 

Realize that it is coming and it will be done, declares the sovereign Lord. It is the day I have spoken about.

(On the fifth day of the month – it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile –

They will know that I am the Lord; my threats to bring this catastrophe on them were not empty.’ ¹ 

On that day a fugitive will come to you to report the news. ¹ 

When all this comes true – and it certainly will ¹  – then they will know that a prophet was among them.”

You will advance ¹  against my people Israel like a cloud covering the earth. In the latter days I will bring you against my land so that the nations may acknowledge me, when before their eyes I magnify myself ²  through you, O Gog.

“This is what the sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem; I placed her in the center of the nations with countries all around her.

When the Lord ¹  commanded the man dressed in linen, “Take fire from within the wheelwork, from among the cherubim,” the man ²  went in and stood by one of the wheels. ³ 

Say, ‘I am an object lesson for you. Just as I have done, it will be done to them; they will go into exile and captivity.’

“Her sister Oholibah watched this, ¹  but she became more corrupt in her lust than her sister had been, and her acts of prostitution were more numerous than those of her sister.