<p class="bodytext">Next I noticed the man dressed in linen with the writing kit at his side bringing back word: &#8220;I have done just as you commanded me.&#8221;p>

&#8220;Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to the prophets who prophesy from their imagination:<n id="1" /> &#8216;Hear the word of the <sc>Lordsc>!

They see delusion and their omens are a lie.<n id="1" /> They say, &#8220;the <sc>Lordsc> declares,&#8221; though the <sc>Lordsc> has not sent them;<n id="2" /> yet they expect their word to be confirmed.<n id="3" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month,<n id="1" /> the word of the <sc>Lordsc> came to me:

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman<n id="1" /> for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf.

Realize<n id="1" /> that to them you are like a sensual song, a beautiful voice and skilled musician.<n id="2" /> They hear your words, but they do not obey them.<n id="3" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: &#8216;O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the <sc>Lordsc>!

Then he said to me, &#8220;Prophesy over these bones, and tell them: &#8216;Dry bones, hear the word of the <sc>Lordsc>.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind,<n id="1" /> and you will devise an evil plan.

the word of the <sc>Lordsc> came to the priest Ezekiel<n id="1" /> the son of Buzi,<n id="2" /> at the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians.<n id="3" /> The hand<n id="4" /> of the <sc>Lordsc> came on him there).p>

not to many peoples of unintelligible speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand<n id="1" /> &#8211; surely if<n id="2" /> I had sent you to them, they would listen to you!

Say, &#8216;Mountains of Israel,<n id="1" /> Hear the word of the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>!<n id="2" /> This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: I am bringing<n id="3" /> a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.<n id="4" />

Therefore tell them, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: I hereby end this proverb; they will not recite it in Israel any longer.&#8217; But say to them, &#8216;The days are at hand when every vision will be fulfilled.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;As for the prophet, if he is made a fool by being deceived into speaking a prophetic word &#8211; I, the <sc>Lordsc>, have made a fool of<n id="1" /> that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.

Say to the Ammonites, &#8216;Hear the word of the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>: This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: You said &#8220;Aha!&#8221; about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;But as for you, son of man, your people<n id="1" /> (who are talking about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses) say to one another,<n id="2" /> &#8216;Come hear the word that comes<n id="3" /> from the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;

They come to you in crowds,<n id="1" /> and they sit in front of you as<n id="2" /> my people. They hear your words, but do not obey<n id="3" /> them. For they talk lustfully,<n id="4" /> and their heart is set on<n id="5" /> their own advantage.<n id="6" />

therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>: This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says to the mountains and hills, the ravines and valleys, and to the desolate ruins and the abandoned cities that have become prey and an object of derision to the rest of the nations round about &#8211;

and say to the scrub land of the Negev, &#8216;Hear the word of the <sc>Lordsc>: This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Look here,<n id="1" /> I am about to start a fire in you,<n id="2" /> and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The flaming fire will not be extinguished, and the whole surface of the ground from the Negev to the north will be scorched by it.