Jerusalems og Judas synd
1Herren sagde til mig: 2„Du menneske, døm Jerusalem, den morderiske by. Oprems folkenes synder. 3Giv byen følgende budskab fra mig: Du har selv bragt straffen over dig ved at myrde uskyldige mennesker, og du har gjort dig uren ved at fremstille og dyrke afskyelige afgudsbilleder. 4Du er skyldig, Jerusalem, og du er selv årsag til din ulykke. Nu er tiden inde til, at du får din straf. Jeg vil ramme dig så hårdt, at alle andre folkeslag vil se ned på dig. 5Alle nationer, både nære og fjerne, skal håne dig for dit indre kaos og din afgudsdyrkelse.
6Israels ledere misbruger deres magt til vold og mord. 7Byens indbyggere er respektløse over for forældre, undertrykker de fremmede og mishandler enker og faderløse. 8De ringeagter mine love og min helligdom, og de ignorerer mine sabbatsdage. 9Folk arresteres og dømmes til døden på grundlag af sladder. Som en del af jeres afgudsdyrkelse holder I fester og begår al slags umoral rundt omkring på offerhøjene. 10Nogle mænd har seksuelt samvær med deres mor eller stedmor, eller med en kvinde, som har menstruation. 11Mange begår ægteskabsbrud, og nogle går i seng med en svigerdatter eller halvsøster.22,11 Jf. 3.Mos. 18. 12Korruptionen florerer i byen. Der er lejemordere, sortbørshandlere, pengeafpressere og profitmagere overalt. Men mig er der ingen, der skænker en tanke, siger Herren.
13Men jeg gør ende på den strøm af undertrykkelse og mord, du har på samvittigheden, Jerusalem. 14Regnskabets time er kommet, og så vil det vise sig, om du stadig er lige kry og selvrådig. Jeg, Herren, har talt, og mit ord står ved magt. 15Jeg spreder jer ud blandt fremmede folkeslag og sætter en stopper for al den uretfærdighed, I har begået. 16I vil blive ydmyget for øjnene af hele verden, og derefter vil I erkende, at jeg er Herren.”
17Herren sagde til mig: 18„Du menneske, Israels folk burde være som det ædle sølv, men er nu blandet med uædle metaller, såsom kobber, tin, jern og bly. 19-20Derfor skal du sige til dem fra mig af: Fordi I er blandet op med uædle metaller, vil jeg hælde jer i en smeltedigel i Jerusalem. Jeg vil smelte jer over min vredes ild. 21-22Jeg vil puste til ilden med min vredes åndepust, så I smelter som sølv, der smeltes over en voldsom ild. Derefter vil I forstå, at jeg er Herren, og at det er mig, der i min vrede har taget jer under behandling.”
23Herren sagde til mig: 24„Du menneske, sig til Israels folk, at når jeg udøser min vrede over landet, er det, som når regnen udebliver.22,24 Ordret „regn”, teksten er uklar. 25Landets regenter opfører sig som sultne løver på rov. De dræber uskyldige mennesker, røver andres ejendom og gør mange kvinder til enker. 26Landets præster bryder mine love, gør mit tempel urent og skelner ikke mellem helligt og syndigt, rent og urent. De overholder ikke sabbatten, men vanærer mig på alle måder. 27Landets politiske ledere er som ulve på rov, parate til at myrde for pengenes skyld. 28Profeterne holder hånden over dem ved at opdigte syner og varsler. ‚Hør Herrens ord!’ siger de, men jeg har ikke talt til dem. 29Hele landets befolkning er blevet uhæderlig og voldelig. De fattige og fremmede bliver undertrykt. Der er hverken lov eller ret i landet.
30Jeg søgte iblandt dem efter en retskaffen person, som ville kunne opbygge et forsvar og gå i forbøn for landet, så det ikke skulle ødelægges, men jeg fandt ingen. 31Derfor må jeg udøse min vrede over dem og straffe dem med tilintetgørelse. De rammes af følgerne af, hvad de har gjort, siger Herren.”
1Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.22.2 judge: or, plead for22.2 bloody…: Heb. city of bloods?22.2 shew her: Heb. make her know 3Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to defile herself. 4Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries. 5Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed.22.5 infamous…: Heb. polluted of name, much in vexation 6Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.22.6 power: Heb. arm 7In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.22.7 oppression: or, deceit 8Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths. 9In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.22.9 that…: Heb. of slanders 10In thee have they discovered their fathers’ nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution. 11And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour’s wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.22.11 one: or, every one22.11 another: or, every one22.11 lewdly: or, by lewdness 12In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
13¶ Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee. 14Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it. 15And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee. 16And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.22.16 shalt take…: or, shalt be profaned
17And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 18Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.22.18 dross of silver: Heb. drosses, etc 19Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.22.20 As…: Heb. According to the gathering 21Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof. 22As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.
23¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 24Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation. 25There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. 26Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.22.26 violated: Heb. offered violence to 27Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. 28And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken. 29The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.22.29 oppression: or, deceit22.29 wrongfully: Heb. without right 30And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. 31Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.
