The Lord Appoints Ezekiel To Stand Watch
(Ezekiel 3.16-21)1 The Lord said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, warn your people by saying:
Someday, I, the Lord, may send an enemy to invade a country. And suppose its people choose someone to stand watch 3 and to sound a warning signal when the enemy is seen coming. 4-5 If any of these people hear the signal and ignore it, they will be killed in battle. But it will be their own fault, because they could have escaped if they had paid attention.
6 But suppose the person watching fails to sound the warning signal. The enemy will attack and kill some of the sinful people in that country, and I, the Lord, will hold that person responsible for their death.
7 Ezekiel, I have appointed you to stand watch for the people of Israel. So listen to what I say, then warn them for me. 8 When I tell wicked people they will die because of their sins, you must warn them to turn from their sinful ways. But if you refuse to warn them, you are responsible for their death. 9 If you do warn them, and they keep sinning, they will die because of their sins, and you will be innocent.
The Lord Is Always Fair
(Ezekiel 18.21-30)10 The Lord said:
Ezekiel, son of man, the people of Israel are complaining that the punishment for their sins is more than they can stand. They have lost all hope for survival, and they blame me. 11 Tell them that as surely as I am the living Lord God, I don't like to see wicked people die. I enjoy seeing them turn from their sins and live. So if the Israelites want to live, they must stop sinning and turn back to me.
12 Tell them that when good people start sinning, all the good they did in the past cannot save them from being punished. And remind them that when wicked people stop sinning, their past sins will be completely forgiven, and they won't be punished.
13 Suppose I promise good people that they will live, then later they start sinning and believe they will be saved by the good they did in the past. These people will certainly be put to death because of their sins. Their good deeds will be forgotten.
14 Suppose I warn wicked people that they will die because of their sins, and they stop sinning and start doing right. 15 For example, they need to return anything they have taken as security for a loan and anything they have stolen. Then if they stop doing evil and start obeying my Law, they will live. 16 Their past sins will be forgiven, and they will live because they have done right.
17 Ezekiel, your people accuse me of being unfair. But they are the ones who are unfair. 18 If good people start doing evil, they will be put to death, because they have sinned. 19 And if wicked people stop sinning and start doing right, they will save themselves from punishment. 20 But the Israelites still think I am unfair. So warn them that they will be punished for what they have done.
The News of Jerusalem's Fall
21 Twelve years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, a refugee who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me on the fifth day of the tenth month. He told me that the city had fallen.
22 The evening before this man arrived at my house, the Lord had taken control of me. So when the man came to me the next morning, I could once again speak.
What Will Happen to Those Left in Israel?
23 Then the Lord said:
24 Ezekiel, son of man, the people living in the ruined cities of Israel are saying, “Abraham was just one man, and the Lord gave him this whole land of Israel. There are many of us, and so this land must be ours.”
25 So, Ezekiel, tell them I am saying:
How can you think the land is still yours? You eat meat with blood in it and worship idols. You commit murder 26 and spread violence throughout the land. Everything you do is wicked; you are even unfaithful in marriage. And you claim the land is yours!
27 As surely as I am the living Lord God, you people in the ruined cities will be killed in battle. Those of you living in the countryside will be eaten by wild animals, and those hiding in caves and on rocky cliffs will die from deadly diseases. 28 I will make the whole country an empty wasteland and crush the power in which you take such pride. Even the mountains will be bare, and no one will try to cross them. 29 I will punish you because of your sins, and I will turn your nation into a barren desert. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
The People Listen, but Don't Change
The Lord said:
30 Ezekiel, son of man, the people with you in Babylonia talk about you when they meet by the city walls or in the doorways of their houses. They say, “Let's ask Ezekiel what the Lord has said today.” 31 So they all come and listen to you, but they refuse to do what you tell them. They claim to be faithful, but they are forever trying to cheat others out of their money. 32 They treat you as though you were merely singing love songs or playing music. They listen, but don't do anything you say.
33 Soon they will be punished, just as you warned, and they will know that a prophet has been among them.
Ecehiēls – Israēla sargs
1 Kunga vārds nāca pār mani: 2 “Cilvēka dēls, runā ar saviem tautiešiem un saki tiem: ja es lieku zobenam nākt pār kādu zemi un šīs zemes ļaudis ieceļ kādu no savējiem par sargu, 3 un tas ierauga, ka zobens tuvojas zemei, tad pūš ragu un brīdina ļaudis. 4 Ja kāds dzird raga skaņas, bet neņem vērā, ka zobens tuvojas, tad pats ir atbildīgs par savu dzīvību. 5 Viņš dzirdēja raga skaņas, bet neņēma vērā – lai pats atbild par savu dzīvību, – bet, kurš uzklausīs brīdinājumu, tas paglābs dzīvību! 6 Un, ja sargs redz, ka zobens tuvojas, bet nepūš ragu un nebrīdina ļaudis par tuvojošos zobenu, un tas paņem kāda dzīvību – tad tā ir paņemta viņa vainas dēļ, bet atbildību es atprasīšu no sarga!
7 Cilvēka dēls, es tevi ieceļu par sargu Israēla namam! Kad tu dzirdēsi mani runājam, tad brīdini viņus manā vārdā. 8 Kad es ļaundarim teikšu: ļaundari, tev jāmirst! – bet tu nerunāsi ar ļaundari, brīdinādams to par viņa darbiem, tad ļaundaris mirs savas vainas dēļ, bet viņa dzīvību es atprasīšu no tevis! 9 Ja tu ļaundari brīdināsi, lai tas atgriežas no saviem darbiem, bet viņš no tiem neatgriezīsies, tad viņš mirs pats savas vainas dēļ, bet tu savu dzīvību būsi glābis.
Dievam nav prieka par ļaundara nāvi
10 Cilvēka dēls, runā ar Israēla namu: jūs sakāt: mūsu pārkāpumi un grēki nāk pār mums, mēs tajos iznīkstam! Kā lai mēs dzīvojam?! – 11 Saki tiem: kā es esmu dzīvs, saka Kungs Dievs, man nav prieka par ļaundara nāvi – lai ļaundaris atgriežas no saviem darbiem un dzīvo! Atgriezieties! Atgriezieties no saviem ļaunajiem darbiem! Kādēļ jums mirt, Israēla nams?!
12 Cilvēka dēls, saki saviem ļaudīm: taisno neglābs viņa taisnība, ja viņš sāks grēkot, un ļaundari nenogāzīs viņa ļaunums, ja tas atgriezīsies no saviem grēkiem! Un, ja taisnais sāks grēkot, viņš nepaliks dzīvs! 13 Ja es saku taisnajam, ka tas dzīvos, un viņš paļausies uz savu taisnību un darīs netaisnību, tad neko no viņa taisnības nepieminēs, bet viņš mirs netaisnības dēļ, ko darījis. 14 Ja es saku ļaundarim: tiešām tu mirsi! – bet viņš atgriežas no saviem grēkiem, dara tiesu un taisnību, 15 ja ļaundaris atdod ķīlu un atmaksā nolaupīto, seko dzīvības likumam un nedara netaisnību, tad viņš dzīvos un nemirs! 16 Neko no viņa grēkiem nepieminēs – viņš dara tiesu un taisnību – viņš dzīvos! 17 Tavi ļaudis saka: Kunga rīcība nav izprotama! – bet neizprotama ir viņu pašu rīcība. 18 Ja taisnais novērsīsies no taisnības un darīs netaisnību, viņš mirs. 19 Un, ja ļaundaris novērsīsies no sava ļaunuma, darīs tiesu un taisnību, viņš dzīvos! 20 Jūs sakāt: Kunga rīcība nav izprotama! – es jūs, Israēla nams, tiesāšu ikvienu pēc viņa darbiem!”
Jeruzālemes krišana
21 Tas notika mūsu gūsta divpadsmitā gada desmitā mēneša piektajā dienā – pie manis atnāca kāds, kurš bija izglābies no Jeruzālemes, un sacīja: “Pilsēta ir pagalam!” 22 Iepriekšējā vakarā, pirms atnāca bēglis, Kunga roka bija pār mani un atdarīja manu muti. No rīta atnāca viņš, un mana mute bija atdarīta – es vairs nebiju mēms!
23 Kunga vārds nāca pār mani: 24 “Cilvēka dēls, tie, kas dzīvo drupās, Israēla zemē, saka: Ābrahāms bija viens, un viņš iemantoja zemi. Mēs esam daudzi, un mums zeme tika dota īpašumā!
25 Saki tiem: tā saka Kungs Dievs: savu upuru gaļu jūs ēdat ar asinīm, acis pievērsuši elkiem, jūs izlejat asinis! Kādēļ lai jums piederētu zeme?! 26 Jūs paļaujaties uz savu zobenu un darāt preteklības, viens otra sievu jūs padarāt nešķīstu! Kādēļ lai jums piederētu zeme?!
27 Saki tiem: tā saka Kungs Dievs: kā es esmu dzīvs – tie, kas drupās dzīvo, kritīs no zobena. Tos, kas uz lauka, es atdošu zvēriem par barību. Tie, kas nocietinājumos un alās, mirs no mēra. 28 Zemi es padarīšu par izpostījumu un gruvešiem, pienāks gals tās varenībai. Israēla kalni būs izdeldēti, tur neviens nestaigās! 29 Tad tie zinās, ka es esmu Kungs! Es padarīšu zemi par izpostījumu un gruvešiem preteklību dēļ, ko tie darījuši!”
30 “Cilvēka dēls, tavi ļaudis runā par tevi pie mūriem un namu durvīs, viens otram tie saka: nāciet! Iesim klausīties vēsti no Kunga! – 31 Un mani ļaudis nāk pie tevis kā parasti, apsēžas tavā priekšā un klausās, ko tu saki, bet neko nedara. Viņi ir mīļi ar muti, bet sirds tiem dzenas pēc netaisnas peļņas! 32 Redzi, tu tiem esi kā mīlīga dziesma, ar skaistu balsi un jauku spēli, jo tie klausās tavus vārdus, bet nepilda tos. 33 Bet, kad tas viss notiks – patiesi, tas notiks –, tad tie zinās, ka starp viņiem bijis pravietis!”
