33Once again a message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 2“Son of man, give your people this message: ‘When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman.H1121H120H1696H1121H5971H559H935H2719H776H5971H776H3947H259H376H7097H5414H6822 3When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people.H7200H2719H935H776H8628H7782H2094H5971 4Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die.H8085H8085H6963H7782H2094H2719H935H3947H1818H7218 5They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.H8085H6963H7782H2094H1818H2094H4422H5315 6But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.’H6822H7200H2719H935H8628H7782H5971H2094H2719H935H3947H5315H3947H5771H1818H1875H6822H3027 7“Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me.H1121H120H5414H6822H1004H3478H8085H1697H6310H2094 8If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths.H559H7563H7563H4191H4191H1696H2094H7563H1870H7563H4191H5771H1818H1245H3027 9But if you warn them to repent and they don’t repent, they will die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself.H2094H7563H1870H7725H7725H1870H4191H5771H5337H5315 10“Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: You are saying, ‘Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?’H1121H120H559H1004H3478H559H559H6588H2403H4743H2421 11As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?H559H2416H5002H136H3069H2654H4194H7563H7563H7725H1870H2421H7725H7725H7451H1870H4191H1004H3478 12“Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins.H1121H120H559H1121H5971H6666H6662H5337H3117H6588H7564H7563H3782H3117H7725H7562H6662H3201H2421H3117H2398 13When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them, then none of their righteous acts will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins.H559H6662H2421H2421H982H6666H6213H5766H6666H2142H5766H6213H4191 14And suppose I tell some wicked people that they will surely die, but then they turn from their sins and do what is just and right.H559H7563H4191H4191H7725H2403H6213H4941H6666 15For instance, they might give back a debtor’s security, return what they have stolen, and obey my life-giving laws, no longer doing what is evil. If they do this, then they will surely live and not die.H7563H7725H2258H7999H1500H1980H2708H2416H6213H5766H2421H2421H4191 16None of their past sins will be brought up again, for they have done what is just and right, and they will surely live.H2403H2398H2142H6213H4941H6666H2421H2421 17“Your people are saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right,’ but it is they who are not doing what’s right.H1121H5971H559H1870H136H8505H1870H8505 18For again I say, when righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and turn to evil, they will die.H6662H7725H6666H6213H5766H4191 19But if wicked people turn from their wickedness and do what is just and right, they will live.H7563H7725H7564H6213H4941H6666H2421 20O people of Israel, you are saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right.’ But I judge each of you according to your deeds.”H559H1870H136H8505H1004H3478H8199H376H1870 21On January 8, during the twelfth year of our captivity, a survivor from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!”H8147H6240H8141H1546H6224H2568H2320H6412H3389H935H559H5892H5221 22The previous evening the Lord had taken hold of me and given me back my voice. So I was able to speak when this man arrived the next morning.H3027H3068H6153H6440H6412H935H6605H6310H935H1242H6310H6605H481 23Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 24“Son of man, the scattered remnants of Judah living among the ruined cities keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he gained possession of the entire land. We are many; surely the land has been given to us as a possession.’H1121H120H3427H2723H127H3478H559H559H85H259H3423H776H7227H776H5414H4181 25So tell these people, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You eat meat with blood in it, you worship idols, and you murder the innocent. Do you really think the land should be yours?H559H559H136H3069H398H1818H5375H5869H1544H8210H1818H3423H776 26Murderers! Idolaters! Adulterers! Should the land belong to you?’H5975H2719H6213H8441H2930H376H7453H802H3423H776 27“Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, those living in the ruins will die by the sword. And I will send wild animals to eat those living in the open fields. Those hiding in the forts and caves will die of disease.H559H559H136H3069H2416H2723H5307H2719H6440H7704H5414H2416H398H4679H4631H4191H1698 28I will completely destroy the land and demolish her pride. Her arrogant power will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so desolate that no one will even travel through them.H5414H776H4923H8077H1347H5797H7673H2022H3478H8074H5674 29When I have completely destroyed the land because of their detestable sins, then they will know that I am the Lord.’H3045H3068H5414H776H4923H8077H8441H6213 30“Son of man, your people talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors. They say to each other, ‘Come on, let’s go hear the prophet tell us what the Lord is saying!’H1121H120H1121H5971H1696H681H7023H6607H1004H1696H2297H259H376H251H559H935H8085H1697H3318H3068 31So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.H935H5971H3996H3427H6440H5971H8085H1697H6213H6310H6213H5690H3820H1980H310H1215 32You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it!H5690H7892H3303H6963H2895H5059H8085H1697H6213 33But when all these terrible things happen to them—as they certainly will—then they will know a prophet has been among them.”H935H935H3045H5030H8432
34Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep?H1121H120H5012H7462H3478H5012H559H559H136H3069H7462H1945H7462H3478H7462H7462H7462H6629 3You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve.H398H2459H3847H6785H2076H1277H7462H6629 4You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty.H2470H2388H7495H2470H2280H7665H7725H5080H1245H6H2394H6531H7287 5So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal.H6327H7462H402H2416H7704H6327 6They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.H6629H7686H2022H7311H1389H6629H6327H6440H776H1875H1245 7“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:H7462H8085H1697H3068 8As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve.H2416H5002H136H3069H6629H957H6629H402H2416H7704H7462H7462H1875H6629H7462H7462H7462H6629 9Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord.H7462H8085H1697H3068 10This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.H559H136H3069H7462H1875H6629H3027H7673H7462H6629H7462H7462H5337H6629H6310H402 11“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep.H559H136H3069H1875H6629H1239 12I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.H7462H1243H5739H3117H8432H6629H6567H1239H6629H5337H4725H6327H6051H6205H3117 13I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live.H3318H5971H6908H776H935H127H7462H2022H3478H650H4186H776 14Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills.H7462H2896H4829H4791H2022H3478H5116H7257H2896H5116H8082H4829H7462H2022H3478 15I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord.H7462H6629H7257H5002H136H3069 16I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!H1245H6H7725H5080H2280H7665H2388H2470H8045H8082H2389H7462H4941 17“And as for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to his people: I will judge between one animal of the flock and another, separating the sheep from the goats.H859H6629H559H136H3069H8199H7716H7716H352H6260 18Isn’t it enough for you to keep the best of the pastures for yourselves? Must you also trample down the rest? Isn’t it enough for you to drink clear water for yourselves? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?H4592H7462H2896H4829H7429H7272H3499H4829H8354H4950H4325H7515H3498H7272 19Why must my flock eat what you have trampled down and drink water you have fouled?H6629H7462H4823H7272H8354H4833H7272 20“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep.H559H136H3069H8199H1274H7716H7330H7716 21For you fat sheep pushed and butted and crowded my sick and hungry flock until you scattered them to distant lands.H1920H6654H3802H5055H2470H7161H6327H2351 22So I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be abused. I will judge between one animal of the flock and another.H3467H6629H957H8199H7716H7716 23And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them.H6965H259H7462H7462H5650H1732H7462H7462 24And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!H3068H430H5650H1732H5387H8432H3068H1696 25“I will make a covenant of peace with my people and drive away the dangerous animals from the land. Then they will be able to camp safely in the wildest places and sleep in the woods without fear.H3772H1285H7965H7451H2416H7673H776H3427H983H4057H3462H3293H3264 26I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing.H5414H5439H1389H1293H1653H3381H6256H1653H1293 27The orchards and fields of my people will yield bumper crops, and everyone will live in safety. When I have broken their chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, then they will know that I am the Lord.H6086H7704H5414H6529H776H5414H2981H983H127H3045H3068H7665H4133H5923H5337H3027H5647 28They will no longer be prey for other nations, and wild animals will no longer devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will frighten them.H957H1471H2416H776H398H3427H983H2729 29“And I will make their land famous for its crops, so my people will never again suffer from famines or the insults of foreign nations.H6965H4302H8034H622H7458H776H5375H3639H1471 30In this way, they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the Sovereign Lord.H3045H3068H430H1004H3478H5971H5002H136H3069 31You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”H859H6629H6629H4830H120H430H5002H136H3069
35Again a message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 2“Son of man, turn and face Mount Seir, and prophesy against its people.H1121H120H7760H6440H2022H8165H5012 3Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord. “I am your enemy, O Mount Seir, and I will raise my fist against you to destroy you completely.H559H559H136H3069H2022H8165H5186H3027H5414H4923H8077 4I will demolish your cities and make you desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.H7760H5892H2723H8077H3045H3068 5“Your eternal hatred for the people of Israel led you to butcher them when they were helpless, when I had already punished them for all their sins.H5769H342H5064H1121H3478H3027H2719H6256H343H6256H5771H7093 6As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, since you show no distaste for blood, I will give you a bloodbath of your own. Your turn has come!H2416H5002H136H3069H6213H1818H1818H7291H518H8130H1818H1818H7291 7I will make Mount Seir utterly desolate, killing off all who try to escape and any who return.H5414H2022H8165H8077H8077H3772H5674H7725 8I will fill your mountains with the dead. Your hills, your valleys, and your ravines will be filled with people slaughtered by the sword.H4390H2022H2491H1389H1516H650H5307H2491H2719 9I will make you desolate forever. Your cities will never be rebuilt. Then you will know that I am the Lord.H5414H5769H8077H5892H7725H3427H3045H3068 10“For you said, ‘The lands of Israel and Judah will be ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care that the Lord is there!’H559H8147H1471H8147H776H3423H3068 11Therefore, as surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will pay back your angry deeds with my own. I will punish you for all your acts of anger, envy, and hatred. And I will make myself known to Israel by what I do to you.H2416H5002H136H3069H6213H639H7068H6213H8135H3045H8199 12Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard every contemptuous word you spoke against the mountains of Israel. For you said, ‘They are desolate; they have been given to us as food to eat!’H3045H3068H8085H5007H559H2022H3478H559H8074H8077H5414H402 13In saying that, you boasted proudly against me, and I have heard it all!H6310H1431H6280H1697H8085 14“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The whole world will rejoice when I make you desolate.H559H136H3069H776H8055H6213H8077 15You rejoiced at the desolation of Israel’s territory. Now I will rejoice at yours! You will be wiped out, you people of Mount Seir and all who live in Edom! Then you will know that I am the Lord.H8057H5159H1004H3478H8074H6213H8077H2022H8165H123H3045H3068
Dublin, OH
, during the twelfth year of our captivity, a survivor from Jerusalem came to me and said, “The city has fallen!”H8147
