Ezekiel 1-4 - Prayer Tents

A Vision of Living Beings

1On July 31 of my thirtieth year, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kebar River in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.H7970H8141H7243H2568H2320H8432H1473H5104H3529H8064H6605H7200H4759H430 2This happened during the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity.H2568H2320H2549H8141H4428H3112H1546 3(The Lord gave this message to Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians, and he felt the hand of the Lord take hold of him.)H1697H3068H3168H3548H1121H941H776H3778H5104H3529H3027H3068 4As I looked, I saw a great storm coming from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light. There was fire inside the cloud, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like gleaming amber.H7200H7307H5591H935H6828H1419H6051H784H3947H5051H5439H8432H5869H2830H8432H784 5From the center of the cloud came four living beings that looked human,H8432H1823H702H2416H4758H2007H1823H120 6except that each had four faces and four wings.H259H702H6440H259H702H3671 7Their legs were straight, and their feet had hooves like those of a calf and shone like burnished bronze.H7272H3477H7272H3709H7272H3709H5695H7272H5340H5869H7044H5178 8Under each of their four wings I could see human hands. So each of the four beings had four faces and four wings.H3027H120H3671H702H7253H702H6440H3671 9The wings of each living being touched the wings of the beings beside it. Each one moved straight forward in any direction without turning around.H3671H2266H802H269H5437H3212H3212H376H5676H6440 10Each had a human face in the front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle at the back.H1823H6440H702H6440H120H6440H738H3225H702H6440H7794H8040H702H6440H5404 11Each had two pairs of outstretched wings—one pair stretched out to touch the wings of the living beings on either side of it, and the other pair covered its body.H6440H3671H6504H4605H8147H376H2266H376H376H8147H3680H1472 12They went in whatever direction the spirit chose, and they moved straight forward in any direction without turning around.H3212H376H5676H6440H7307H3212H3212H5437H3212 13The living beings looked like bright coals of fire or brilliant torches, and lightning seemed to flash back and forth among them.H1823H2416H4758H1197H1513H784H4758H3940H1980H2416H784H5051H784H3318H1300 14And the living beings darted to and fro like flashes of lightning.H2416H7519H7725H4758H965 15As I looked at these beings, I saw four wheels touching the ground beside them, one wheel belonging to each.H7200H2416H259H212H776H681H2416H702H6440 16The wheels sparkled as if made of beryl. All four wheels looked alike and were made the same; each wheel had a second wheel turning crosswise within it.H4758H212H4639H5869H8658H702H259H1823H4758H4639H212H8432H212 17The beings could move in any of the four directions they faced, without turning as they moved.H3212H3212H702H7253H5437H3212 18The rims of the four wheels were tall and frightening, and they were covered with eyes all around.H1354H1363H3374H1354H4392H5869H5439H702 19When the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. When they flew upward, the wheels went up, too.H2416H3212H212H3212H681H2416H5375H776H212H5375 20The spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. So wherever the spirit went, the wheels and the living beings also went.H7307H3212H3212H7307H3212H212H5375H5980H7307H2416H212 21When the beings moved, the wheels moved. When the beings stopped, the wheels stopped. When the beings flew upward, the wheels rose up, for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.H3212H3212H5975H5975H5375H776H212H5375H5980H7307H2416H212 22Spread out above them was a surface like the sky, glittering like crystal.H1823H7549H7218H2416H5869H3372H7140H5186H7218H4605 23Beneath this surface the wings of each living being stretched out to touch the others’ wings, and each had two wings covering its body.H7549H3671H3477H802H269H376H8147H3680H2007H376H8147H3680H2007H1472 24As they flew, their wings sounded to me like waves crashing against the shore or like the voice of the Almighty or like the shouting of a mighty army. When they stopped, they let down their wings.H3212H8085H6963H3671H6963H7227H4325H6963H7706H6963H1999H6963H4264H5975H7503H3671 25As they stood with wings lowered, a voice spoke from beyond the crystal surface above them.H6963H7549H7218H5975H7503H3671 26Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man.H4605H7549H7218H1823H3678H4758H5601H68H1823H3678H1823H4758H120H4605 27From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor.H7200H5869H2830H4758H784H5439H1004H4758H4975H4605H4758H4975H4295H7200H4758H784H5051H5439 28All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.H4758H7198H6051H3117H1653H4758H5051H5439H4758H1823H3519H3068H7200H5307H6440H8085H6963H1696

Ezekiel’s Call and Commission

2“Stand up, son of man,” said the voice. “I want to speak with you.”H559H1121H120H5975H7272H1696 2The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words.H7307H935H1696H5975H7272H8085H1696 3“Son of man,” he said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day.H559H1121H120H7971H1121H3478H4775H1471H4775H1H6586H6106H3117 4They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’H7186H6440H1121H2389H3820H7971H559H559H136H3069 5And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for remember, they are rebels—at least they will know they have had a prophet among them.H8085H2308H4805H1004H3045H5030H8432 6“Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels.H1121H120H3372H3372H1697H5621H5544H3427H6137H3372H1697H2865H6440H4805H1004 7You must give them my messages whether they listen or not. But they won’t listen, for they are completely rebellious!H1696H1697H8085H2308H4805 8Son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not join them in their rebellion. Open your mouth, and eat what I give you.”H1121H120H8085H1696H1961H4805H4805H1004H6475H6310H398H5414 9Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me. It held a scroll,H7200H3027H7971H4039H5612 10which he unrolled. And I saw that both sides were covered with funeral songs, words of sorrow, and pronouncements of doom.H6566H6440H3789H6440H268H3789H7015H1899H1958

3The voice said to me, “Son of man, eat what I am giving you—eat this scroll! Then go and give its message to the people of Israel.”H559H1121H120H398H4672H398H4039H3212H1696H1004H3478 2So I opened my mouth, and he fed me the scroll.H6605H6310H398H4039 3“Fill your stomach with this,” he said. And when I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.H559H1121H120H990H398H4390H4578H4039H5414H398H6310H1706H4966 4Then he said, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel and give them my messages.H559H1121H120H3212H935H1004H3478H1696H1697 5I am not sending you to a foreign people whose language you cannot understand.H7971H5971H6012H8193H3515H3956H1004H3478 6No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen!H7227H5971H6012H8193H3515H3956H1697H8085H7971H8085 7But the people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn.H1004H3478H14H8085H14H8085H1004H3478H2389H4696H7186H3820 8But look, I have made you as obstinate and hard-hearted as they are.H5414H6440H2389H5980H6440H4696H2389H5980H4696 9I have made your forehead as hard as the hardest rock! So don’t be afraid of them or fear their angry looks, even though they are rebels.”H8068H2389H6864H5414H4696H3372H2865H6440H4805H1004 10Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself.H559H1121H120H1697H1696H3947H3824H8085H241 11Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.”H3212H935H1473H1121H5971H1696H559H559H136H3069H8085H2308 12Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a loud rumbling sound behind me. (May the glory of the Lord be praised in his place!)H7307H5375H8085H310H6963H1419H7494H1288H3519H3068H4725 13It was the sound of the wings of the living beings as they brushed against each other and the rumbling of their wheels beneath them.H6963H3671H2416H5401H802H269H6963H212H5980H6963H1419H7494 14The Spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and turmoil, but the Lord’s hold on me was strong.H7307H5375H3947H3212H4751H2534H7307H3027H3068H2388 15Then I came to the colony of Judean exiles in Tel-abib, beside the Kebar River. I was overwhelmed and sat among them for seven days.H935H1473H8512H3427H5104H3529H3427H3427H3427H8074H8432H7651H3117

A Watchman for Israel

16After seven days the Lord gave me a message. He said,H7097H7651H3117H1697H3068H559 17“Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately.H1121H120H5414H6822H1004H3478H8085H1697H6310H2094 18If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths.H559H7563H4191H4191H2094H1696H2094H7563H7563H1870H2421H7563H4191H5771H1818H1245H3027 19If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me.H2094H7563H7725H7562H7563H1870H4191H5771H5337H5315 20“If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths.H7725H6662H7725H6664H6213H5766H5414H4383H6440H4191H2094H4191H2403H6666H6213H2142H1818H1245H3027 21But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”H2094H6662H6662H2398H2398H2421H2421H2094H5337H5315 22Then the Lord took hold of me and said, “Get up and go out into the valley, and I will speak to you there.”H3027H3068H559H6965H3318H1237H1696 23So I got up and went, and there I saw the glory of the Lord, just as I had seen in my first vision by the Kebar River. And I fell face down on the ground.H6965H3318H1237H3519H3068H5975H3519H7200H5104H3529H5307H6440 24Then the Spirit came into me and set me on my feet. He spoke to me and said, “Go to your house and shut yourself in.H7307H935H5975H7272H1696H559H935H5462H8432H1004 25There, son of man, you will be tied with ropes so you cannot go out among the people.H1121H120H5414H5688H631H3318H8432 26And I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be speechless and unable to rebuke them, for they are rebels.H3956H1692H2441H481H376H3198H4805H1004 27But when I give you a message, I will loosen your tongue and let you speak. Then you will say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Those who choose to listen will listen, but those who refuse will refuse, for they are rebels.H1696H854H6605H6310H559H559H136H3069H8085H8085H2310H2308H4805H1004

A Sign of the Coming Siege

4“And now, son of man, take a large clay brick and set it down in front of you. Then draw a map of the city of Jerusalem on it.H1121H120H3947H3843H5414H6440H2710H5892H3389 2Show the city under siege. Build a wall around it so no one can escape. Set up the enemy camp, and surround the city with siege ramps and battering rams.H5414H4692H1129H1785H8210H5550H5414H4264H7760H3733H5439 3Then take an iron griddle and place it between you and the city. Turn toward the city and demonstrate how harsh the siege will be against Jerusalem. This will be a warning to the people of Israel.H3947H1270H4227H5414H7023H1270H5892H3559H6440H4692H6696H226H1004H3478 4“Now lie on your left side and place the sins of Israel on yourself. You are to bear their sins for the number of days you lie there on your side.H7901H8042H6654H7760H5771H1004H3478H4557H3117H7901H5375H5771 5I am requiring you to bear Israel’s sins for 390 days—one day for each year of their sin.H5414H8141H5771H4557H3117H7969H3967H8673H3117H5375H5771H1004H3478 6After that, turn over and lie on your right side for 40 days—one day for each year of Judah’s sin.H3615H428H7901H8145H3233H3227H6654H5375H5771H1004H3063H705H3117H5414H3117H3117H8141H8141 7“Meanwhile, keep staring at the siege of Jerusalem. Lie there with your arm bared and prophesy her destruction.H3559H6440H4692H3389H2220H2834H5012 8I will tie you up with ropes so you won’t be able to turn from side to side until the days of your siege have been completed.H5414H5688H2015H6654H6654H3615H3117H4692 9“Now go and get some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and emmer wheat, and mix them together in a storage jar. Use them to make bread for yourself during the 390 days you will be lying on your side.H3947H2406H8184H6321H5742H1764H3698H5414H259H3627H6213H3899H4557H3117H7901H6654H7969H3967H8673H3117H398 10Ration this out to yourself, eight ounces of food for each day, and eat it at set times.H3978H398H4946H6242H8255H3117H6256H6256H398 11Then measure out a jar of water for each day, and drink it at set times.H8354H4325H4884H8345H1969H6256H6256H8354 12Prepare and eat this food as you would barley cakes. While all the people are watching, bake it over a fire using dried human dung as fuel and then eat the bread.”H398H8184H5692H5746H1561H6627H120H5869 13Then the Lord said, “This is how Israel will eat defiled bread in the Gentile lands to which I will banish them!”H3068H559H1121H3478H398H2931H3899H1471H5080 14Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, must I be defiled by using human dung? For I have never been defiled before. From the time I was a child until now I have never eaten any animal that died of sickness or was killed by other animals. I have never eaten any meat forbidden by the law.”H559H162H136H3069H5315H2930H5271H398H5038H2966H935H6292H1320H6310 15“All right,” the Lord said. “You may bake your bread with cow dung instead of human dung.”H559H7200H5414H1241H6832H6832H120H1561H6213H3899 16Then he told me, “Son of man, I will make food very scarce in Jerusalem. It will be weighed out with great care and eaten fearfully. The water will be rationed out drop by drop, and the people will drink it with dismay.H559H1121H120H7665H4294H3899H3389H398H3899H4948H1674H8354H4325H4884H8078 17Lacking food and water, people will look at one another in terror, and they will waste away under their punishment.H2637H3899H4325H8074H376H251H4743H5771