The Babylonian Exile

in you, they commit incest; in you, they force themselves on women during their menstrual impurity.

In you, one commits an abomination with his neighbor's wife; another commits some lewd act defiling his daughter-in-law; still another humbles his sister, his own father's daughter.

In you, people take bribes to shed blood; you demand and accept interest on loans; in greed you make profits off your neighbors by extorting them; and you have forgotten me,' says Adonai ELOHIM.

"'Therefore, I am clapping my hands together because of your ill-gotten gains and the blood shed in you.

Can your courage last, can your strength continue during the days when I deal with you? I, ADONAI, have spoken it; and I will do it.

I will scatter you among the Goyim and disperse you throughout the countries; thus I will remove your defilement from you,

and you will cause yourselves to be profaned in full view of the Goyim. Then you will know that I am ADONAI.'"

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, the house of Isra'el has become an alloy of base metals for me; they are all copper, tin, iron and lead mixed together in the crucible, the dross left over from the silver.

Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Because you have all become dross, I will collect all of you inside Yerushalayim.

Then, just as they collect silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a crucible and blow fire on it to melt it down; so likewise I will collect you in my anger and fury, throw you in there, and melt you down.

Yes, I will collect you and blow on you with the fire of my rage, and you will be melted down in it.

As silver is melted down in a crucible, so will you be melted down in [Yerushalayim]. Then you will know that it is I, ADONAI, who have poured out my fury on you.'"

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, tell her this: 'You are a land that is neither cleansed nor rained on in the day of fury.

There is a conspiracy of prophets in it like a roaring lion tearing up the prey; they have devoured people, seized wealth and valuables, and widowed many in it.

Her cohanim have done violence to my Torah, profaned my holy things, made no difference between the holy and the common, not distinguished between unclean and clean, hidden their eyes from my shabbats, and profaned me among themselves.

Her leaders in it are like wolves tearing up the prey to shed blood and destroy people, in order to benefit unjustly.

Her prophets have "plastered" for them with whitewash, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, "Thus says Adonai ELOHIM," when ADONAI has not spoken.

The people of the land have extorted, robbed, wronged the poor and needy and unjustly oppressed foreigners.

"'I sought for a man among them who could build a barricade or stand in the break to oppose me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

Therefore I am pouring out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my rage, bringing their own ways on their own heads,' says Adonai ELOHIM."

The word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being! There were two women, daughters of the same mother,

who were whores in Egypt - even as young girls they were whores. There they let their breasts be caressed, and there their virgin nipples were fondled.