The Lord’s Judgment of Jerusalem Is Certain
1Then the Spirit of the Lord lifted me up. He brought me to the east gate of the Lord’s house. There were 25 men at the entrance of the gate. I saw Jaazaniah and Pelatiah among them. They were leaders of the people. Jaazaniah is the son of Azzur. Pelatiah is the son of Benaiah. 2The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these men are making evil plans. They are giving bad advice to the city. 3They say, ‘Haven’t our houses just been built again? The city is like a pot used for cooking. And we are the meat in it.’ 4So prophesy against them. Prophesy, son of man.”
5Then the Spirit of the Lord came on me. He told me to tell them, “The Lord says, ‘You leaders in Israel, that is what you are saying. But I know what you are thinking. 6You have killed many people in this city. In fact, you have filled its streets with dead bodies.’
7“So the Lord and King says, ‘The bodies you have thrown there are the meat. And the city is the cooking pot. But I will drive you out of it. 8You are afraid of the swords of war. But I will bring them against you,’ announces the Lord and King. 9‘I will drive you out of the city. I will hand you over to outsiders. And I will punish you. 10You will be killed by swords. I will judge you at the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 11This city will not be a pot for you. And you will not be the meat in it. I will judge you at the borders of Israel. 12Then you will know that I am the Lord. You have not obeyed my rules. You have not kept my laws. Instead, you have lived by the standards of the nations around you.’ ”
13Pelatiah, the son of Benaiah, died as I was prophesying. Then I fell with my face toward the ground. I cried out in a loud voice. I said, “Lord and King, will you destroy all the Israelites who are still left alive?”
The Lord Will Bring His People Back Home
14A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 15“Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have spoken about you. They have spoken about the others the Babylonians have taken away. They have also spoken about all the other people of Israel. The people of Jerusalem have said, ‘Those people are far away from the Lord. This land was given to us. And it belongs to us.’
16“So tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “I sent some of my people far away among the nations. I scattered them among the countries. But for a little while I have been their temple in the countries where they have gone.” ’
17“Tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “I will gather you from the nations. I will bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered. I will give you back the land of Israel.” ’
18“They will return to it. They will remove all its statues of evil gods. I hate those gods. 19I will give my people hearts that are completely committed to me. I will give them a new spirit that is faithful to me. I will remove their stubborn hearts from them. And I will give them hearts that obey me. 20Then they will follow my rules. They will be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people. And I will be their God. 21But some people have hearts that are committed to worshiping the statues of their evil gods. I hate those gods. Anything that happens to those people will be their own fault,” announces the Lord and King.
22Then the cherubim spread their wings. The wheels were beside them. The glory of the God of Israel was above them. 23The glory of the Lord went up from the city. It stopped above the Mount of Olives east of the city. 24The Spirit of God lifted me up. He took me to those who had been brought to Babylon as prisoners. These are the things that happened in the visions the Spirit gave me.
Then the visions I had seen were gone. 25I told my people everything the Lord had shown me.
Juízo sobre os responsáveis
1Então o Espírito ergueu-me e levou-me à porta oriental do templo, onde vi 25 das personalidades mais proeminentes da cidade, incluindo dois governadores, Jazanias, filho de Azur, e Pelatias, filho de Benaia. 2Disse-me o Espírito: “Homem mortal, são estes os responsáveis por todos os ímpios conselhos dados nesta cidade. 3Pois dizem à população: ‘É tempo de reconstruir Jerusalém, porque é como um escudo que nos protegerá de qualquer dano.’ 4Portanto, ó homem mortal, profetiza contra eles!”
5O Espírito do Senhor veio sobre mim e mandou-me dizer isto: “Assim diz o Senhor ao povo de Israel: É isto que vocês dizem? Sim, sei que é, porque conheço todos os vossos pensamentos! 6Vocês têm multiplicado os vossos assassínios e enchido as ruas com mortos.
7Por isso, o Senhor Deus diz: Pensam que esta cidade será como um escudo de ferro! Não, não será! Ela não vos protegerá! Aqueles que assassinaram ficaram lá dentro, mas vocês serão arrastados para fora e mortos. 8Deixar-vos-ei expostos à guerra que tanto temeram, diz o Senhor Deus. 9Levar-vos-ei de Jerusalém e entregar-vos-ei a estrangeiros que aplicarão as minhas sentenças. 10Serão abatidos, mesmo que seja junto às fronteiras de Israel, e saberão que eu sou o Senhor. 11Não, esta cidade não será para vocês como um escudo de ferro, guardando-vos com segurança lá dentro! Perseguir-vos-ei até aos limites extremos de Israel! 12E saberão que eu sou o Senhor, vocês que não me obedeceram, mas preferiram antes imitar todas as nações à vossa volta.”
13Enquanto eu estava ainda a falar, Pelatias, filho de Benaia, morreu repentinamente. Então prostrei-me com o rosto no chão e clamei: “Senhor Deus, irás tu matar também o restante de Israel?”
A promessa do retorno de Israel
14A palavra do Senhor veio de novo: 15“Homem mortal, o resto da gente que ficou em Jerusalém anda a dizer acerca dos teus próprios irmãos de raça que foram exilados: ‘Foi por causa da sua grande maldade que foram deportados pelo Senhor e agora o Senhor deu-nos a terra toda!’
16Mas quanto a esses deportados, diz o Senhor Deus: Ainda que vos tenha espalhado por todas as regiões do mundo, eu mesmo vos servirei de santuário por algum tempo, nessas terras para onde foram. 17Irei trazer-vos de volta das nações por onde foram espalhados e dar-vos-ei de novo a terra de Israel.
18Quando regressarem, hão de fazer desaparecer todo e qualquer vestígio desta idolatria abominável. 19Dar-vos-ei um novo coração e um novo espírito; tirarei os vossos corações de pedra e vos darei corações embrandecidos de amor por Deus. 20Obedecerão sem dificuldade às minhas leis, serão o meu povo e eu serei o vosso Deus. 21Mas aos que estão agora em Jerusalém, que anseiam pelos seus abomináveis ídolos, dar-lhes-ei a paga inteira dos seus pecados”, diz o Senhor Deus.
22Então os querubins elevaram as asas, ergueram-se no ar, com as rodas junto de si, mantendo-se a glória do Deus de Israel acima deles. 23A glória do Senhor alçou-se de sobre a cidade e pôs-se sobre o monte que está a oriente. 24O Espírito de Deus transportou-me de novo à Babilónia, junto dos judeus deportados que lá estavam.
E assim terminou a visão da minha visita a Jerusalém. 25Contei aos exilados tudo o que o Senhor me mostrara.
