Chapter 22
1 Moreover Yahweh ’s word came to me , saying ,
2 " You , son of man , will you judge ? Will you judge the bloody city ? Then cause her to know all her abominations .
3 You shall say, ‘ The Lord Yahweh says : " A city that sheds blood within herself , that her time may come , and that makes idols against herself to defile her !
4 You have become guilty in your blood that you have shed , and are defiled in your idols which you have made ! You have caused your days to draw near , and have come to the end of your years . Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations , and a mocking to all the countries.
5 Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you , you infamous one , full of tumult .
6 "‘" Behold , the princes of Israel , everyone according to his power , have been in you to shed blood .
7 In you have they treated father and mother with contempt . Among you they have oppressed the foreigner . In you they have wronged the fatherless and the widow.
8 You have despised my holy things , and have profaned my Sabbaths .
9 Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood . In you they have eaten on the mountains . They have committed lewdness among you .
10 In you have they uncovered their fathers’ nakedness . In you have they humbled her who was unclean in her impurity .
11 One has committed abomination with his neighbor ’s wife, and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law . Another in you has humbled his sister, his father’s daughter .
12 In you have they taken bribes to shed blood . You have taken interest and increase , and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression , and have forgotten me ," says the Lord Yahweh .
13 "‘" Behold , therefore I have struck my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made , and at the blood which has been shed within you .
14 Can your heart endure , or can your hands be strong , in the days that I will deal with you ? I , Yahweh , have spoken it , and will do it .
15 I will scatter you among the nations , and disperse you through the countries. I will purge your filthiness out of you .
16 You will be profaned in yourself in the sight of the nations . Then you will know that I am Yahweh ."’"
17 Yahweh ’s word came to me , saying ,
18 " Son of man , the house of Israel has become dross to me . All of them are bronze , tin, iron , and lead in the middle of the furnace . They are the dross of silver .
19 Therefore the Lord Yahweh says : ‘ Because you have all become dross , therefore , behold , I will gather you into the middle of Jerusalem .
20 As they gather silver , bronze , iron , lead , and tin into the middle of the furnace , to blow the fire on it , to melt it , so I will gather you in my anger and in my wrath , and I will lay you there and melt you .
21 Yes, I will gather you , and blow on you with the fire of my wrath , and you will be melted in the middle of it .
22 As silver is melted in the middle of the furnace , so you will be melted in the middle of it ; and you will know that I , Yahweh , have poured out my wrath on you .’"
23 Yahweh ’s word came to me , saying ,
24 " Son of man , tell her , ‘ You are a land that is not cleansed nor rained on in the day of indignation .’
25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets within it , like a roaring lion ravening the prey . They have devoured souls . They take treasure and precious things . They have made many widows within it .
26 Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things . They have made no distinction between the holy and the common , neither have they caused men to discern between the unclean and the clean , and have hidden their eyes from my Sabbaths . So I am profaned among them .
27 Her princes within it are like wolves ravening the prey , to shed blood and to destroy souls , that they may get dishonest gain .
28 Her prophets have plastered for them with whitewash , seeing false visions , and divining lies to them , saying , ‘ The Lord Yahweh says ,’ when Yahweh has not spoken .
29 The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery . Yes, they have troubled the poor and needy , and have oppressed the foreigner wrongfully .
30 " I sought for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before me for the land , that I would not destroy it ; but I found no one .
31 Therefore I have poured out my indignation on them . I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath . I have brought their own way on their heads ," says the Lord Yahweh .