The prophets
The Judgment on the City of Blood Jerusalem
The Lord judges Jerusalem as a city of blood full of abominable deeds, where princes, priests, and prophets have failed in their calling. The city is compared to dross that will be melted in a furnace of God's wrath because no one stood in the gap for the land.
Ezekiel 22,1-31
1The word of the LORD came to me:
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
2"Son of man, will you judge? Will you judge the city of blood? Then confront her with all her detestable deeds.
וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם הֲתִשְׁפֹּ֥ט הֲתִשְׁפֹּ֖ט אֶת־עִ֣יר הַדָּמִ֑ים וְה֣וֹדַעְתָּ֔הּ אֵ֖ת כָּל־תּוֹעֲבוֹתֶֽיהָ׃
3Say: This is what the Lord GOD says: City that sheds blood in her midst, so bringing on her hour, city that has made idols against herself and so defiled herself—
וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה עִ֣יר שֹׁפֶ֥כֶת דָּ֛ם בְּתוֹכָ֖הּ לָב֣וֹא עִתָּ֑הּ וְעָשְׂתָ֧ה גִלּוּלִ֛ים עָלֶ֖יהָ לְטָמְאָֽה׃
4by the blood you have shed you have brought guilt upon yourself, and by the idols you have made you have defiled yourself. You have brought your days near and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you an object of scorn to the nations and a mockery to every land.
בְּדָמֵ֨ךְ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפַ֜כְתְּ אָשַׁ֗מְתְּ וּבְגִלּוּלַ֤יִךְ אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂית֙ טָמֵ֔את וַתַּקְרִ֣יבִי יָמַ֔יִךְ וַתָּב֖וֹא עַד־שְׁנוֹתָ֑יִךְ עַל־כֵּ֗ן נְתַתִּ֤יךְ חֶרְפָּה֙ לַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְקַלָּסָ֖ה לְכָל־הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃
5Those near and those far off will mock you, city of foul name, city full of turmoil.
הַקְּרֹב֛וֹת וְהָרְחֹק֥וֹת מִמֵּ֖ךְ יִתְקַּלְּסוּ־בָ֑ךְ טְמֵאַ֣ת הַשֵּׁ֔ם רַבַּ֖ת הַמְּהוּמָֽה׃
6See how the princes of Israel within you, each one relying on the strength of his arm, use their power to shed blood.
הִנֵּה֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֥ישׁ לִזְרֹע֖וֹ הָ֣יוּ בָ֑ךְ לְמַ֖עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּֽם׃
7Within you they have treated father and mother with contempt; they have oppressed the stranger in your midst; they have wronged the orphan and the widow.
אָ֤ב וָאֵם֙ הֵקַ֣לּוּ בָ֔ךְ לַגֵּ֛ר עָשׂ֥וּ בַעֹ֖שֶׁק בְּתוֹכֵ֑ךְ יָת֥וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֖ה ה֥וֹנוּ בָֽךְ׃
8You have despised what is holy to me and profaned my Sabbaths.
קָדָשַׁ֖י בָּזִ֑ית וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י חִלָּֽלְתְּ׃
9In you there are men who slander in order to shed blood; in you they eat at the mountain shrines and commit shameless acts in your midst.
אַנְשֵׁ֥י רָכִ֛יל הָ֥יוּ בָ֖ךְ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֑ם וְאֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ אָ֣כְלוּ בָ֔ךְ זִמָּ֖ה עָשׂ֥וּ בְתוֹכֵֽךְ׃
10In you a man uncovers his father's nakedness; in you they violate a woman during her time of impurity.
עֶרְוַת־אָ֖ב גִּלָּה־בָ֑ךְ טְמֵאַ֥ת הַנִּדָּ֖ה עִנּוּ־בָֽךְ׃
11One man commits an abomination with his neighbor's wife, another defiles his daughter-in-law with lewdness, and another violates his sister, his own father's daughter—all this within you.
וְאִ֣ישׁ ׀ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֗הוּ עָשָׂה֙ תּֽוֹעֵבָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־כַּלָּת֖וֹ טִמֵּ֣א בְזִמָּ֑ה וְאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־אֲחֹת֥וֹ בַת־אָבִ֖יו עִנָּה־בָֽךְ׃
12In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit at another's expense, and you extort your neighbors by oppression. And me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.
שֹׁ֥חַד לָֽקְחוּ־בָ֖ךְ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֑ם נֶ֧שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֣ית לָקַ֗חַתְּ וַתְּבַצְּעִ֤י רֵעַ֙יִךְ֙ בַּעֹ֔שֶׁק וְאֹתִ֣י שָׁכַ֔חַתְּ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
13See, I strike my hands together over the dishonest gain you have made and over the blood you have shed in your midst.
וְהִנֵּה֙ הִכֵּ֣יתִי כַפִּ֔י אֶל־בִּצְעֵ֖ךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑ית וְעַל־דָּמֵ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ בְּתוֹכֵֽךְ׃
14Will your heart hold up? Will your hands be strong when the day comes that I deal with you? I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will act.
הֲיַעֲמֹ֤ד לִבֵּךְ֙ אִם־תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה יָדַ֔יִךְ לַיָּמִ֕ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י עֹשֶׂ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ךְ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִֽׂיתִי׃
15I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you through the lands, and I will purge your uncleanness from you.
וַהֲפִיצוֹתִ֤י אוֹתָךְ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם וְזֵרִיתִ֖יךְ בָּאֲרָצ֑וֹת וַהֲתִמֹּתִ֥י טֻמְאָתֵ֖ךְ מִמֵּֽךְ׃
16Through your own doing you will be profaned in the sight of the nations, and you will know that I am the LORD."
וְנִחַ֥לְתְּ בָּ֖ךְ לְעֵינֵ֣י גוֹיִ֑ם וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ
17The word of the LORD came to me:
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
18"Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to me. All of them are copper, tin, iron, and lead in the furnace; they are nothing but the dross of silver.
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הָיוּ־לִ֥י בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל *לסוג **לְסִ֑יג כֻּלָּ֡ם נְ֠חֹשֶׁת וּבְדִ֨יל וּבַרְזֶ֤ל וְעוֹפֶ֙רֶת֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ כּ֔וּר סִגִ֥ים כֶּ֖סֶף הָיֽוּ׃ ס
19Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Because all of you have become dross, I am going to gather you into the middle of Jerusalem.
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יַ֛עַן הֱי֥וֹת כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם לְסִגִ֑ים לָכֵן֙ הִנְנִ֣י קֹבֵ֣ץ אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־תּ֖וֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
20As silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin are gathered into a furnace to have the fire blown upon them to melt them, so I will gather you in my anger and my wrath, and I will put you in and melt you down.
קְבֻ֣צַת כֶּ֡סֶף וּ֠נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶ֨ל וְעוֹפֶ֤רֶת וּבְדִיל֙ אֶל־תּ֣וֹךְ כּ֔וּר לָפַֽחַת־עָלָ֥יו אֵ֖שׁ לְהַנְתִּ֑יךְ כֵּ֤ן אֶקְבֹּץ֙ בְּאַפִּ֣י וּבַחֲמָתִ֔י וְהִנַּחְתִּ֥י וְהִתַּכְתִּ֖י אֶתְכֶֽם׃
21I will collect you and blow upon you with the fire of my fury, and you will be melted within her.
וְכִנַּסְתִּ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְנָפַחְתִּ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּאֵ֣שׁ עֶבְרָתִ֑י וְנִתַּכְתֶּ֖ם בְּתוֹכָֽהּ׃
22As silver is melted in the furnace, so you will be melted within her. And you will know that I, the LORD, have poured out my wrath upon you."
כְּהִתּ֥וּךְ כֶּ֙סֶף֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ כּ֔וּר כֵּ֖ן תֻּתְּכ֣וּ בְתוֹכָ֑הּ וִֽידַעְתֶּם֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה שָׁפַ֥כְתִּי חֲמָתִ֖י עֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ פ
23The word of the LORD came to me:
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
24"Son of man, say to her: You are a land that has not been cleansed, a land not rained upon in the day of wrath.
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֱמָר־לָ֕הּ אַ֣תְּ אֶ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א מְטֹהָרָ֖ה הִ֑יא לֹ֥א גֻשְׁמָ֖הּ בְּי֥וֹם זָֽעַם׃
25Her prophets conspire in her midst; like a roaring lion tearing its prey they devour lives, they seize treasure and precious things, they make many widows within her.
קֶ֤שֶׁר נְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ כַּאֲרִ֥י שׁוֹאֵ֖ג טֹ֣רֵֽף טָ֑רֶף נֶ֣פֶשׁ אָכָ֗לוּ חֹ֤סֶן וִיקָר֙ יִקָּ֔חוּ אַלְמְנוֹתֶ֖יהָ הִרְבּ֥וּ בְתוֹכָֽהּ׃
26Her priests do violence to my law and profane what is holy to me. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they teach nothing about the difference between the unclean and the clean. They shut their eyes to my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
כֹּהֲנֶ֜יהָ חָמְס֣וּ תוֹרָתִי֮ וַיְחַלְּל֣וּ קָדָשַׁי֒ בֵּֽין־קֹ֤דֶשׁ לְחֹל֙ לֹ֣א הִבְדִּ֔ילוּ וּבֵין־הַטָּמֵ֥א לְטָה֖וֹר לֹ֣א הוֹדִ֑יעוּ וּמִשַׁבְּתוֹתַי֙ הֶעְלִ֣ימוּ עֵֽינֵיהֶ֔ם וָאֵחַ֖ל בְּתוֹכָֽם׃
27Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and destroy lives to make unjust gain.
שָׂרֶ֣יהָ בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ כִּזְאֵבִ֖ים טֹ֣רְפֵי טָ֑רֶף לִשְׁפָּךְ־דָּם֙ לְאַבֵּ֣ד נְפָשׁ֔וֹת לְמַ֖עַן בְּצֹ֥עַ בָּֽצַע׃
28Her prophets whitewash it all for them with false visions and lying divinations, saying, 'This is what the Lord GOD says,' when the LORD has not spoken.
וּנְבִיאֶ֗יהָ טָח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ תָּפֵ֔ל חֹזִ֣ים שָׁ֔וְא וְקֹסְמִ֥ים לָהֶ֖ם כָּזָ֑ב אֹמְרִ֗ים כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וַֽיהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א דִבֵּֽר׃
29The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery. They wrong the poor and the needy and oppress the stranger, denying him justice.
עַ֤ם הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ עָ֣שְׁקוּ עֹ֔שֶׁק וְגָזְל֖וּ גָּזֵ֑ל וְעָנִ֤י וְאֶבְיוֹן֙ הוֹנ֔וּ וְאֶת־הַגֵּ֥ר עָשְׁק֖וּ בְּלֹ֥א מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
30I searched among them for someone to repair the wall and stand before me in the breach on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it—but I found no one.
וָאֲבַקֵּ֣שׁ מֵהֶ֡ם אִ֣ישׁ גֹּֽדֵר־גָּדֵר֩ וְעֹמֵ֨ד בַּפֶּ֧רֶץ לְפָנַ֛י בְּעַ֥ד הָאָ֖רֶץ לְבִלְתִּ֣י שַׁחֲתָ֑הּ וְלֹ֖א מָצָֽאתִי׃
31So I have poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my fury. I have brought their conduct down on their own heads, declares the Lord GOD."
וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֤ךְ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ זַעְמִ֔י בְּאֵ֥שׁ עֶבְרָתִ֖י כִּלִּיתִ֑ים דַּרְכָּם֙ בְּרֹאשָׁ֣ם נָתַ֔תִּי נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה׃ פ