Wicked Rulers Will Be Judges
Ezekiel 11, verse 1. Moreover the Spirit took me up and brought me to the front gate of the Lord's house, the gate which looks eastward; and behold, on the porches of the gate were about twenty-five men. I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, the princes of the people. Ezekiel 11, verse 2. Then the Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plan worthless things and give evil counsel in this city, Ezekiel 11, verse 3. who say, ‘Have not the houses been constructed recently? This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’ Ezekiel 11, verse 4. Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man!” Ezekiel 11, verse 5. Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me and said to me, “Say this, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the deliberations of your spirit. Ezekiel 11, verse 6. You multiplied your dead in this city and filled its streets with the wounded. Ezekiel 11, verse 7. Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Your dead, whom you trampled in its midst, they are the meat, and this city is the cauldron; but I shall bring you out of the midst of it. Ezekiel 11, verse 8. You fear the sword; thus I will bring a sword upon you,’ says the Lord. Ezekiel 11, verse 9. ‘I will bring you out of its midst and deliver you into the hands of foreigners, and execute judgments on you. Ezekiel 11, verse 10. You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at the borders of Israel, and you shall know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 11, verse 11. This city shall not be your cauldron, nor shall you be the meat in its midst. I will judge you at the borders of Israel. Ezekiel 11, verse 12. You shall know that I am the Lord.’”’” Ezekiel 11, verse 13. Then it came to pass while I was prophesying that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. So I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, “Alas, alas, O Lord! Will you make a complete end to the remnant of Israel?”
God Will Restore the Exiles
Ezekiel 11, verse 14. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 11, verse 15. “Son of man, your brethren, and the men of your captivity, and all the house of Israel are at their end, to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, ‘Keep far away from the Lord. This land was given to us as an inheritance.’ Ezekiel 11, verse 16. Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I will reject them among the nations, and scatter them into every land; yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries wherever they may go.’” Ezekiel 11, verse 17. Therefore I said, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I shall also receive them from the nations, and gather them from the countries where I scattered them; and I will give them the land of Israel.’” Ezekiel 11, verse 18. They shall enter there and remove all its abominations and lawlessness from it. Ezekiel 11, verse 19. Then I will give them another heart and put a new spirit within them. I shall remove the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, Ezekiel 11, verse 20. so they may walk in My commandments, keep My ordinances, and do them. They will be My people, and I shall be their God. Ezekiel 11, verse 21. But as for the heart set upon their abominations and lawlessness—as their heart went after these things—so I have recompensed their ways on their own heads,” says the Lord. Ezekiel 11, verse 22. Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was high above them. Ezekiel 11, verse 23. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain opposite the city. Ezekiel 11, verse 24. The Spirit took me up—in a vision by the Spirit of God—and brought me to the land of the Chaldeans, to the captivity. Then I rose up from the vision I saw, Ezekiel 11, verse 25. and spoke to the host of captives all the words the Lord made known to me.