Jerusalem Is Condemned
1 God's spirit lifted me up and took me to the east gate of the Temple. There near the gate I saw twenty-five men, including Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, two leaders of the nation.
2 God said to me, “Mortal man, these men make evil plans and give bad advice in this city. 3 They say, ‘We will soon be building houses again. The city is like a cooking pot, and we are like the meat in it, but at least it protects us from the fire.’ 4 Now then, denounce them, mortal man.”
5 The spirit of the Lord took control of me, and the Lord told me to give the people this message: “People of Israel, I know what you are saying and what you are planning. 6 You have murdered so many people here in the city that the streets are full of corpses.
7 “So this is what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to you. This city is a cooking pot all right, but what is the meat? The corpses of those you have killed! You will not be here—I will throw you out of the city! 8 Are you afraid of swords? I will bring soldiers with swords to attack you. 9 I will take you out of the city and hand you over to foreigners. I have sentenced you to death, 10 and you will be killed in battle in your own country. Then everyone will know that I am the Lord. 11 This city will not protect you the way a pot protects the meat in it. I will punish you wherever you may be in the land of Israel. 12 You will know that I am the Lord and that while you were keeping the laws of the neighboring nations, you were breaking my laws and disobeying my commands.”
13 While I was prophesying, Pelatiah dropped dead. I threw myself face downward on the ground and shouted, “No, Sovereign Lord! Are you going to kill everyone left in Israel?”
God's Promise to the Exiles
14 The Lord spoke to me. 15 “Mortal man,” he said, “the people who live in Jerusalem are talking about you and those of your nation who are in exile. They say, ‘The exiles are too far away to worship the Lord. He has given us possession of the land.’
16 “Now tell your fellow exiles what I am saying. I am the one who sent them to live in far-off nations and scattered them in other countries. Yet, for the time being I will be present with them in the lands where they have gone.
17 “So tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying. I will gather them out of the countries where I scattered them, and will give the land of Israel back to them. 18 When they return, they are to get rid of all the filthy, disgusting idols they find. 19 I will give them a new heart and a new mind. I will take away their stubborn heart of stone and will give them an obedient heart. 20 Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But I will punish the people who love to worship filthy, disgusting idols. I will punish them for what they have done.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.
God's Glory Leaves Jerusalem
22 The living creatures began to fly, and the wheels went with them. The dazzling light of the presence of the God of Israel was over them. 23 Then the dazzling light left the city and moved to the mountain east of it. 24 In the vision the spirit of God lifted me up and brought me back to the exiles in Babylonia. Then the vision faded, 25 and I told the exiles everything that the Lord had shown me.
Dieva vēstījums ļaunprātīgiem vadoņiem
1 Gars mani pacēla un nesa uz Kunga nama vārtiem, kas austrumu pusē, un redzi – vārtos stāvēja divdesmit pieci vīri. Viņu vidū es pamanīju tautas augstmaņus: Jaazanju, Azūra dēlu, un Pelatjāhu, Benājāhu dēlu.
2 Gars man sacīja: “Cilvēka dēls, šie vīri šajā pilsētā sagudro nelietības un dod ļaunus padomus: 3 namu ceļamais laiks nav ne tuvu – pilsēta ir katls, un mēs esam gaļa! – 4 Tādēļ pravieto tiem, pravieto, cilvēka dēls!”
5 Un pār mani nolaidās Kunga Gars un sacīja: “Saki: tā saka Kungs: tā jūs runājat, Israēla nams, un es zinu jūsu domas! 6 Daudzus jūs šajā pilsētā nokāvāt, un ielas ir pilnas nokautajiem.
7 Tādēļ tā saka Kungs Dievs: jūsu nokautie, kas krituši pilsētā, ir gaļa, un pilsēta ir katls, bet jūs tiksiet iztrenkti no tās! 8 Jūs bīsieties zobena, es jums uzsūtīšu zobenu, saka Kungs Dievs. 9 Es jūs iztrenkšu no tās ārā, es to atdošu svešiniekiem, es jums spriedīšu tiesu! 10 Jūs kritīsiet no zobena, es jūs tiesāšu Israēla robežās! Tad zināsiet, ka es esmu Kungs! 11 Šī pilsēta nebūs jums katls, un tajā jūs nebūsiet gaļa! Israēla robežās es jūs tiesāšu! 12 Jūs zināsiet, ka es esmu Kungs, kura likumus jūs nepildījāt un tiesas neievērojāt, – jūs darījāt tā, kā sprieda tautas ap jums!”
13 Kamēr es pravietoju, Pelatjāhu, Benājāhu dēls, nomira. Tad es kritu uz sava vaiga un stiprā balsī kliedzu: “Ak, Kungs Dievs, vai tu pilnīgi piebeigsi Israēla atlikumu?!”
Dievs atjaunos Israēlu
14 Un Kunga vārds nāca pār mani: 15 “Cilvēka dēls, nu Jeruzālemes iedzīvotāji saka par taviem brāļiem, taviem radiem un visu Israēla namu: tie ir tālu no Kunga, mums šī zeme ir atdota mantojumā!
16 Tādēļ saki: tā saka Kungs Dievs: jā, es viņus aizvedu tālu prom tautās, es viņus izkaisīju starp valstīm, bet tur, tajās valstīs, kurp tie nonākuši, es vēl mazliet esmu tiem svētums! –
17 Tādēļ saki: tā saka Kungs Dievs: es jūs sapulcēšu no visām tautām, un es jūs savākšu no visām valstīm, kurās jūs tikāt izkaisīti, un es jums došu Israēla zemi! – 18 Kad viņi tur nonāks, tie aizvāks no tās visas riebeklības un preteklības! 19 Es tiem došu citu sirdi, es likšu viņos jaunu garu, es izņemšu no viņu miesām akmens sirdi un došu tiem miesas sirdi, 20 un tad viņi sekos maniem likumiem, tie turēs un pildīs manas tiesas. Viņi būs mana tauta, un es būšu viņu Dievs! 21 Bet tiem, kam sirds tiecas pēc riebeklībām un preteklībām, – to darbus es pavērsīšu pret viņiem,” saka Kungs Dievs.
22 Tad ķerubi pacēla spārnus – riteņi bija tiem blakus, un Israēla Dieva godība bija pār tiem. 23 Kunga godība pārcēlās no pilsētas uz kalnu, kas pilsētas austrumu pusē. 24 Gars mani pacēla un redzējumā, kas no Dieva Gara, aiznesa pie izsūtītajiem uz Kaldeju. Tad redzējums nozuda, 25 un es izstāstīju izsūtītajiem visu, ko Kungs man bija rādījis.
