The Babylonian Exile

I too will clap my hands together and satisfy my fury. I, ADONAI, have spoken."

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Now, human being, designate two roads for the sword of the king of Bavel to follow, both coming out of one country. Put up a signpost at the start of the road leading to the city.

Make a road, so that the sword can come to Rabbah of the people of 'Amon and to Y'hudah in fortified Yerushalayim.

For the king of Bavel is standing at the fork in the road, where the two roads separate, about to use divination - he is shaking the arrows, consulting the household gods, examining the liver.

Into his right hand comes the lot for Yerushalayim, to set up battering rams, give the order for slaughter, raise a shout, set battering rams against the gates, build siege ramps and erect watchtowers.

The inhabitants will believe this is a false divination because of the oaths upon oaths [that their false prophets have sworn to the contrary]. But it will cause [God] to remember their guilt and thus insure their capture.

"Therefore this is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Because you have caused your guilt to be remembered, with your misdeeds revealed and the sins in all your actions evident - since you have been remembered, you will be captured.'

As for you, you wicked prince of Isra'el, due to be killed, whose day has come, at the time of final punishment,

here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Remove the turban, take off the crown! Everything is being changed. What was low will be raised up, and what was high will be brought down.

Ruin! Ruin! I will leave it a ruin such as there has never been, and it will stay that way until the rightful ruler comes, and I give it to him.'

"You, human being, prophesy! Say that Adonai ELOHIM says this about the people of 'Amon and their insults: 'A sword, a sword, is drawn for slaughter, polished to the utmost, to flash like lightning -

while [your prophets] produce false visions for you, while they divine lies for you to lay you out upon the necks of the wicked who are to be killed, whose day has come, at the time of final punishment.

Cause it to return to its scabbard! I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land of your origin.

I will pour my fury out on you, breathe on you with the fire of my rage, and hand you over to barbarous men highly skilled in destruction.

You will be fuel for the fire, your blood will flow through the land, you will be remembered no more; for I, ADONAI, have spoken.'"

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Now, human being, are you prepared to judge? Are you prepared to judge the city drenched in blood? Then make her realize how disgusting all her practices are!

Say that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'City that sheds blood within yourself, thus speeding your own doom, and that makes idols for yourself that defile you:

you are guilty because of the blood you have shed, you are defiled by your idols that you have made. You have shortened your days, you have completed your years; therefore I have made you an object of scorn for the nations and a laughingstock for every country.

Those close by and those far off will taunt you, you who have such a defiled reputation and such great disorder.

"'The leaders of Isra'el in you all use their power in order to shed blood.

In you, they make light of fathers and mothers, they oppress foreigners, they wrong orphans and widows.

You treat my holy things with contempt, you profane my shabbats.

In you, people gossip to the point of inciting bloodshed; in you are those who go to eat on the mountains; in you, they commit lewd acts;