The Babylonian Exile

The crimes of your sister S'dom were pride and gluttony; she and her daughters were careless and complacent, so that they did nothing to help the poor and needy.

They were arrogant and committed disgusting acts before me; so that when I saw it, I swept them away.

Shomron did not commit even half as many sins as you did. You committed many more disgusting acts than your sisters; in fact, in comparison with all the disgusting acts you have committed, they seem innocent!

But you too must bear your disgrace; for by your passing judgment that your sisters were innocent, through your having committed sins worse than theirs, they are shown to be more righteous than you. So be ashamed, and bear the disgrace you deserve for making your [guilty] sisters seem innocent!

"'I will end their exile - the exile of S'dom and her daughters, the exile of Shomron and her daughters, and the exile of your captives there among them;

so that you can bear your own shame and experience the disgrace you deserve for all you have done to shield them from feeling their own guilt.

Your sisters, S'dom with her daughters and Shomron with her daughters, will return to their previous condition; and you with your daughters will return to your previous condition.

When you were so proud, you spoke with contempt about your sister S'dom,

before your own wickedness was exposed. But now the daughters of Aram mock you, as do her neighbors; and the daughters of the P'lishtim on every side are repulsed by you.

You have brought it all on yourself with your depravities and disgusting practices,' says ADONAI.

"For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will do to you as you have done - you treated the oath with contempt by breaking the covenant.

Nevertheless, I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl and will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

Then you will remember your behavior and be ashamed of it as you receive your older and younger sisters and make them your daughters, even though the covenant with you does not cover that;

and I will re-establish my covenant with you. Then you will know that I am ADONAI;

so that you will remember and be so ashamed that you will never open your mouth again, so ashamed will you be when I have forgiven you all that you have done,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, propound this riddle, tell the house of Isra'el this allegory,

say that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'A big eagle having great wings and long pinions full of varicolored feathers came to the L'vanon and took over the top of the cedar.

He cropped off the topmost of its young twigs, carried them to a land of traders and set them down in a city of merchants.

He also took some of the seed in the land and planted it in fertile soil, placing it where there was abundant water, as one would a willow.

It grew to become a fruitful vine sprawling over the ground; its branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him - thus it became a vine, sprouting branches and putting forth shoots.

"'There was another big eagle with great wings and many feathers; and the vine bent its roots toward him and put forth its branches toward him, so that he might water it more than in the bed where it was planted.

It had been planted in good soil, near plenty of water, so that it would produce branches, bear fruit and become a noble vine.'

"Say that Adonai ELOHIM asks: 'Will it succeed? Won't he pull it up by the roots and cut off its fruit; so that it dries up; and all its sprouting leaves wither? There will be no great power and few people there when it is plucked up by the roots.

Will it thrive just because it was planted? Won't it wither altogether when the east wind strikes it? Yes, it will wither right there in the beds where it was growing.'"