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.”
Ecehiēla uzdevums
1 Viņš man sacīja: “Cilvēka dēls, ēd, kas tev likts priekšā, apēd šo rakstu rulli un ej, runā uz Israēla namu.” 2 Es atvēru muti, un viņš man deva ēst rakstu rulli. 3 Viņš man teica: “Cilvēka dēls, ēd, piepildi vēderu ar šo rulli, ko es tev dodu.” Kad es ēdu, tas man mutē bija salds kā medus.
4 Viņš man sacīja: “Cilvēka dēls, ej, dodies pie Israēla nama un runā tiem manā vārdā, 5 jo tevi nesūta pie ļaudīm ar svešu runu un grūtu valodu, bet pie Israēla – 6 ne pie citām tautām, kam sveša runa un grūta valoda, kuru tu nesaproti. Tiešām, ja es tevi sūtītu pie tādiem, tie tevi klausītu! 7 Bet Israēls tevi negribēs klausīt, jo viņi nav gribējuši mani klausīt, jo viss Israēls ir cietpauri ar ietiepīgu sirdi. 8 Redzi, es tevi darīšu cietāku par tiem – tava piere būs cietāka nekā viņiem – 9 dimantcietu kā kramu es padarīšu tavu pieri! Nebaidies un nepakļaujies tiem, jo tie ir dumpīga saime!”
10 Viņš man sacīja: “Cilvēka dēls, paturi prātā un klausies uzmanīgi visu, ko es tev teikšu! 11 Ej, dodies pie izsūtītajiem, pie savas tautas, runā ar tiem un saki: tā saka Kungs Dievs! Vienalga, vai tie klausa vai neklausa.”
Pie Kebaras upes
12 Gars pacēla mani, aizmugurē es dzirdēju lielu dārdoņu – tā tika slavēta Kunga godība vietā, kur tā atradās, – 13 būtņu spārnu švīkstoņa, tiem saskaroties, riteņu rīboņa un lieli dārdi. 14 Gars mani pacēla un aiznesa prom. Man kļuva rūgti mana gara dedzībā, bet ar mani bija stipra Kunga roka. 15 Es nonācu pie izsūtītajiem, kas dzīvoja Tēl-Abībā, pie Kebaras upes, kur tie bija apmetušies. Es pie viņiem paliku septiņas dienas.
16 Septītās dienas beigās Kunga vārds nāca pār mani: 17 “Cilvēka dēls, es tevi ieceļu par sargu Israēla namam! Klausies vārdu, ko es saku, pamāci viņus manā vārdā! 18 Ja es saku par ļaundari – tik tiešām tu mirsi! – bet tu viņu nepamāci, nerunā ar viņu, pamācīdams ļaundari novērsties no grēcīgā ceļa viņa dzīvības labad, jo tad šis ļaundaris mirs savas vainas dēļ, bet viņa asinis es atprasīšu no tevis! 19 Ja tu ļaundari pamācīsi, bet viņš nenovērsīsies no sava ļaunā ceļa, tad viņš mirs savas vainas dēļ, bet tu būsi glābis savu dzīvību!
20 Un, ja taisnais novērsīsies no taisnības un darīs netaisnību, es viņam nolikšu klupšanas akmeni, un viņš mirs, jo tu viņu nepamācīji – viņš mirs savu grēku dēļ, un netiks pieminēti viņa taisnie darbi, bet no tevis es atprasīšu viņa asinis! 21 Ja tu taisno pamācīsi, lai taisnais negrēko, un viņš negrēkos, tad viņš paliks dzīvs, jo būs mācījies, un tu būsi glābis savu dzīvību!”
Ecehiēls saistīts un mēms
22 Kungs bija ar mani, un viņš man teica: “Celies, ej uz ieleju, un tur es runāšu ar tevi!” 23 Es cēlos un gāju uz ieleju. Redzi, tur bija Kunga godība – tāda pati godība, kādu es redzēju pie Kebaras upes, un es kritu uz sava vaiga, 24 bet gars ienāca manī un piecēla mani kājās. Viņš runāja ar mani un teica: “Ej, ieslēdzies savā namā! 25 Cilvēka dēls, redzi, tie tevi saistīs virvēm, un tu nevarēsi iet pie tiem. 26 Un tavu mēli es pielipināšu aukslējām, ka tu būsi mēms. Tu nebūsi ar tiem, lai katrs lemj pats, jo tie ir dumpīga saime. 27 Un, kad es ar tevi runāšu, es atvēršu tavu muti, un tu tiem teiksi: tā saka Kungs Dievs – kas klausa, lai klausa, un, kas neklausa, lai neklausa, jo tie ir dumpīga saime!”
