1And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

2“And now, son of man, judge, judge the city of blood! And you shall show her all her abominations!

3“And you shall say, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “The city sheds blood in her midst, that her time might come. And she has made idols within herself to become defiled.

4“You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. Thus you have brought your days near, and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I shall make you a reproach to the gentiles, and a mockery to all lands.

5“Those near and those far from you mock you – defiled is your name and great the confusion!

6“See the leaders of Yisra’ĕl: each one has used his arm to shed blood in you.

7“They have despised father and mother within you. They have oppressed the stranger in your midst. They have wronged the fatherless and the widow within you.

8“You have despised that which is set-apart to Me, and you have profaned My Sabbaths.

9“Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood. And in you are those who eat on the mountains. They have done wickedness in your midst.

10“In you they have uncovered the nakedness of a father. In you they have humbled women who are defiled during their uncleanness.

11“And the one has done abomination with his neighbour’s wife. And another has wickedly defiled his daughter-in-law. And another within you has humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.

12“In you they have taken a bribe to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase. You have cut off your neighbour by extortion. And you have forgotten Me,” declares the Master יהוה.

13“And see, I shall smite My hand because of your greedy gain which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst.

14“Would your heart stand, your hands remain strong, in the days when I deal with you? I, יהוה, have spoken, and shall do it.

15“And I shall scatter you among the gentiles, and shall disperse you throughout the lands, and shall consume your filthiness out of you.

16“And you shall profane yourself before the eyes of the gentiles. And you shall know that I am יהוה.” ’ ”

17And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

18“Son of man, the house of Yisra’ĕl has become dross to Me. All of them are bronze, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace – they have become the dross of silver.

19“Therefore thus said the Master יהוה, ‘Because all of you have become dross, therefore see, I am gathering you into the midst of Yerushalayim.

20‘As they gather silver, and bronze, and iron, and lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it, so I gather you in My displeasure and in My wrath. And I shall blow and melt you.

21‘And I shall gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst.

22‘As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so are you melted in its midst. And you shall know that I, יהוה, have poured out My wrath on you.’ ”

23And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

24“Son of man, say to her, ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained upon in the day of displeasure.’

25“There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst, like a roaring lion tearing the prey. They have devoured life, they have taken wealth and precious matters, they have made many widows in her midst.

26“Her priests have done violence to My teachinga and they profane My set-apart matters. They have not distinguished between the set-apart and profane, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean. And they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned in their midst.

27“Her leaders in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy lives, and to get greedy gain.

28“And her prophets have coated them with whitewash, seeing a false vision, and divining a lie for them, saying, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה,’ when יהוה had not spoken.

29“The people of the land have practised oppression, and committed robbery, and have wronged the poor and needy. And they oppressed the stranger without right-ruling.

30“And I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the breach before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it – but I did not find one!

31“Therefore I have poured out My displeasure on them, I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath. And I have put their way on their own head,” declares the Master יהוה.