1 God said, “Mortal man, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.”
2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. 3 He said, “Mortal man, eat this scroll that I give you; fill your stomach with it.” I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey.
4 Then God said, “Mortal man, go to the people of Israel and say to them whatever I tell you to say. 5 I am not sending you to a nation that speaks a difficult foreign language, but to the Israelites. 6 If I sent you to great nations that spoke difficult languages you didn't understand, they would listen to you. 7 But none of the people of Israel will be willing to listen; they will not even listen to me. All of them are stubborn and defiant. 8 Now I will make you as stubborn and as tough as they are. 9 I will make you as firm as a rock, as hard as a diamond; don't be afraid of those rebels.”
10 God continued, “Mortal man, pay close attention and remember everything I tell you. 11 Then go to the people of your nation who are in exile and tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them, whether they pay attention to you or not.”
12 Then God's spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the loud roar of a voice that said, “Praise the glory of the Lord in heaven above!” 13 I heard the wings of the creatures beating together in the air, and the noise of the wheels, as loud as an earthquake. 14 The power of the Lord came on me with great force, and as his spirit carried me off, I felt bitter and angry. 15 So I came to Tel Abib beside the Chebar River, where the exiles were living, and for seven days I stayed there, overcome by what I had seen and heard.
The Lord Appoints Ezekiel as a Lookout
(Ezekiel 33.1-9)16 After the seven days had passed, the Lord spoke to me. 17 “Mortal man,” he said, “I am making you a lookout for the nation of Israel. You will pass on to them the warnings I give you. 18 If I announce that someone evil is going to die but you do not warn him to change his ways so that he can save his life, he will die, still a sinner, but I will hold you responsible for his death. 19 If you do warn an evil man and he doesn't stop sinning, he will die, still a sinner, but your life will be spared.
20 “If someone truly good starts doing evil and I put him in a dangerous situation, he will die if you do not warn him. He will die because of his sins—I will not remember the good he did—and I will hold you responsible for his death. 21 If you do warn a good man not to sin and he listens to you and doesn't sin, he will stay alive, and your life will also be spared.”
Ezekiel Will Be Unable to Talk
22 I felt the powerful presence of the Lord and heard him say to me, “Get up and go out into the valley. I will talk to you there.”
23 So I went out into the valley, and there I saw the glory of the Lord, just as I had seen it beside the Chebar River. I fell face downward on the ground, 24 but God's spirit entered me and raised me to my feet. The Lord said to me, “Go home and shut yourself up in the house. 25 You will be tied with ropes, mortal man, and you will not be able to go out in public. 26 I will paralyze your tongue so that you won't be able to warn these rebellious people. 27 Then, when I speak to you again and give you back the power of speech, you will tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying. Some of them will listen, but some will ignore you, for they are a nation of rebels.”
1 Tad Viņš man sacīja: „Cilvēka bērns, ēd, kas tavā priekšā, ēd šo rakstu rituļu un tad ej un sludini Israēla namam.“
2 Tad es atvēru muti, un Viņš man deva ēst rakstu rituļu
3 Un man sacīja: „Cilvēka bērns, apēd šo rakstu rituļu, ko Es tev dodu, un pildi ar to savas iekšas.“ Tad es to apēdu, un tas bija manā mutē tik salds kā medus.
4 Un Viņš man teica: „Cilvēka bērns, ej pie Israēla un sludini Israēla namam manā vārdā.
5 Es tevi nesūtu pie tautas, kam sveša valoda un nesaprotama runa, bet pie Israēla nama,
6 Nedz arī pie lielām tautām, kam sveša valoda un nesaprotama izteiksme, kupas vārdus tu nesaproti. —Taču ja Es tevi pie tām sūtītu, tās tevi uzklausītu,
7 Bet Israēla nams negrib tevi uzklausīt, tie taču neuzklausa arī Mani. Israēla namam ir bieza piere un cieta sirds.
8 Redzi, Es nocietināšu tavu vaigu līdzīgu viņu vaigam, Es došu tev cietu pieri, kas būtu līdzīga viņu pierei,
9 Kā dimantu, kas cietāks par klinti, Es darīšu tavu pieri. Nebīsties no tiem, lai tevi nebaida viņu vaigs, jo tie ir nepielaidīga cilts.“
10 Tad Viņš vēl turpināja: „Cilvēka bērns, visus vārdus, ko Es tev runāšu, uzklausies labi ar savām ausīm un ieguldi dziļi savā sirdī.
11 Un ej pie trimdiniekiem, saviem tautiešiem, runā uz tiem un saki: „Tā saka Dievs tas Kungs, vai tie tevi klausa, vai neuzklausa.“
12 Tad gara spēks pacēla mani, un es izdzirdu aiz sevis ārkārtīgi skaļu un spēcīgu troksni, kad pacēlās no savas vietas tā Kunga godība,
13 Un proti—četru dzīvo tēlu spārnu švīkstoņu, šiem spārniem savā starpā saskaroties, un ratu rīboņu, katram ritenim griežoties līdzās savam tēlam.
14 Kad Dieva gars mani pacēla un aizrāva, es gāju uz priekšu, būdams sava gara satraukumā dziļi nospiests, bet tā Kunga roka ar pārmērīgi varenu spēku turēja mani.
15 Tā es nonācu pie trimdiniekiem Tel-Abibā, kur tie dzīvoja pie Ķebara upes. Tur es sēdēju septiņas dienas garā noskumis klusībā viņu vidū.
16 Kad septiņas dienas pagāja, man atskanēja garā tā Kunga vārds, kas man sacīja:
17 „Cilvēka bērns, Es tevi esmu ielicis par sargu Israēla namam. Kad tu uztversi vārdu no manas mutes, tad tev tie jāpamāca un jābrīdina manā vārdā.
18 Kad Es saku bezdievim: Tev jāmirst! un tu to nepārnāci un nebrīdini, lai bezdievis atgrieztos no sava ļaunā ceļa un tas paliktu dzīvs, tad bezdievis gan nomirs savos grēkos, bet viņa asinis Es prasīšu no tavas rokas.
19 Bet kad tu bezdievi būsi pamācījis un viņš tomēr neatstājas no savas bezdievības un sava ļaunā ceļa, tad viņš nomirs savos grēkos, bet tu izglābsi savu dzīvību.
20 Kad taisnais nogriežas no savas taisnības un dara ļaunu un Es nostāšos pret viņu, viņš mirs. Kad tu viņu nebūsi pamācījis, viņš nomirs savos grēkos. Viņa taisnību, ko tas darījis, vairs nepieminēs. Bet viņa asinis Es prasīšu no tavas rokas.
21 Bet kad tu pamācīsi taisno negrēkot un viņš negrēkos, tad viņš paliks dzīvs, tādēļ ka pieņēma pamācību, un tu būsi izglābis savu dzīvību.“
22 Tā Kunga roka nāca tur pār mani, un Viņš man sacīja: „Celies un ej klajumā, tur Es runāšu ar tevi!“
23 Tad es cēlos un aizgāju klajumā, un tur es skatīju tā Kunga godību, kā es to redzēju pie Ķebaras upes; tad es nokritu uz sava vaiga.
24 Bet Dieva spēks nāca pār mani, un es nostājos uz savām kājām. Viņš uzrunāja mani un sacīja: „Ej un ieslēdzies savā namā!
25 Redzi, cilvēka bērns, tev uzliks važas, tu būsi saistīts un nevarēsi iziet viņu vidū.
26 Es likšu tavai mēlei pielipt pie tava žokļa, ka tu paliec mēms un nebūsi tiem vairs par pamācītāju, jo tie ir pretestības pilna un nepaklausīga cilts.
27 Bet kad Es runāšu ar tevi, Es atdarīšu tavu muti, un tu saki tiem: Tā saka Dievs tas Kungs: kas klausa, lai klausa, kas neklausa, lai neklausa, —jo tie ir pretestības pilna un nepaklausīga cilts.“
