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Ezekiel

Contains visions and prophecies of judgment and restoration for Israel and the nations.

Chapter 5

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1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber’s razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.

*And you, person, use a sharp knife and a barber's razor to shave your head and beard. Then, use scales to weigh and split the hair.

2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

*You shall set fire to a third part of the city when the siege is complete. Then, you will take another third part, and cut it with a knife. The remaining third part, you will scatter in the wind. And I will unsheathe a sword to pursue them.

3 Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.

*You should also take a few of them and tie them to your clothes.

4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

*Then, take some more of them and put them in the middle of the fire to burn them. This will create a fire that spreads throughout all of Israel's homes.

5 Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.

*So says the Lord God: This is Jerusalem, which I have placed in the center among the surrounding nations and countries.

6 And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them.

*She has turned my decisions into something bad, worse than other nations. She has also changed my rules more than nearby countries, because they rejected my decisions and rules and didn't follow them.

7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you;

*So, God says this: Since you've grown bigger than the nearby countries, but didn't follow my rules or keep my decisions, and also didn't do what those countries around you did.

8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.

*So, God says this: "I, myself, will act against you. I will judge you in front of everyone to show them what I do."

9 And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.

*I will do something to you that I've never done before, and I won't do it again, due to all your terrible actions.

10 Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.

*So, parents will eat children, and children will eat parents where you are. Then I will punish you, and the rest of you will be scattered everywhere.

11 Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

*Therefore, as God lives, he says: Because you have made my holy place dirty with all the things you hate and all your disgusting actions, I will also reduce you in size. I won't show mercy or feel sorry for you.

12 A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

*A portion of you will die from sickness, another part will starve, and some will be killed by enemies. The rest will be scattered far away and pursued with swords.

13 Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

*In this way, my anger will happen, and I will let my anger fall on them. Then I'll feel better, and they'll understand that it was me, the Lord, who spoke this in my strong concern, once I've shown my anger towards them.

14 Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

*Moreover, I will cause you to be disgraced and ridiculed by the nearby countries, seen by everyone who passes by.

15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.

*This will cause shame and mocking, teaching and amazement for nearby countries when I punish you in anger, fury, and fierce scoldings. The Lord has spoken this.

16 When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:

*When I cause hunger with terrible arrows, meant to harm them, I will make it even worse for you. I will also destroy your source of food.

17 So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.

*I will cause hunger and dangerous animals to harm you, taking away your possessions. Disease and death will come to you, along with war. The LORD has promised this.

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* work in progress, there will be mistakes

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