Evil Princes Rebuked

111 Moreover, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the Lord'S house which faced eastward . And behold , there were twenty-five e men at the entrance of the gate , and among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah , leaders of the people . 2 He said to me, "Son of man , these are the men who devise iniquity and give evil advice in this city , 3 who say , 'The time is not near to build houses . This city is the pot and we are the flesh .' 4 "Therefore , prophesy against them, son of man , prophesy !" 5 Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and He said to me, "Say , 'Thus says the Lord , "So you think , house of Israel , for I know your thoughts e . 6 "You have multiplied your slain in this city , filling its streets with them." 7 'Therefore , thus says the Lord GOD , "Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of the city are the flesh and this city is the pot ; but I will bring you out of it. 8 "You have feared a sword ; so I will bring a sword upon you," the Lord GOD declares . 9 "And I will bring you out of the midst of the city and deliver you into the hands of strangers and execute judgments against you. 10 "You will fall by the sword . I will judge you to the border of Israel ; so you shall know that I am the Lord . 11 "This city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be flesh in the midst of it, but I will judge you to the border of Israel . 12 "Thus you will know that I am the Lord ; for you have not walked in My statutes nor have you executed My ordinances , but have acted according to the ordinances of the nations around you.""' 13 Now it came about as I prophesied , that Pelatiah son of Benaiah died . Then I fell on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said , " Alas , Lord GOD ! Will You bring the remnant of Israel to a complete end ?"

The Promise of Restoration and Renewal

14 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying , 15 "Son of man , your brothers , your relatives , your fellow exiles and the whole house of Israel , all of them, are those to whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said , 'Go far from the Lord ; this land has been given us as a possession .' 16 "Therefore say , 'Thus says the Lord GOD , "Though I had removed them far away among the nations and though I had scattered them among the countries , yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where e they had gone ."' 17 "Therefore say , 'Thus says the Lord GOD , "I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries among which you have been scattered , and I will give you the land of Israel ."' 18 "When they come there , they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19 "And I will give them one heart , and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh , 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people , and I shall be their God . 21 "But as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things and abominations , I will bring their conduct down on their heads ," declares the Lord GOD .

22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered e over them. 23 The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city . 24 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles in Chaldea . So the vision that I had seen left me. 25 Then I told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me.