The Babylonian Exile

And a likeness is over the heads of the living creatures of an expanse, as the colour of the fearful ice, stretched out over their heads from above.

And under the expanse their wings are straight, one toward the other, to each are two covering on this side, and to each are two covering on that side--their bodies.

And I hear the noise of their wings, as the noise of many waters, as the noise of the Mighty One, in their going--the noise of tumult, as the noise of a camp, in their standing they let fall their wings.

And there is a voice from above the expanse, that is above their head: in their standing they let fall their wings.

And above the expanse that is over their head, as an appearance of a sapphire stone, is the likeness of a throne, and on the likeness of the throne a likeness, as the appearance of man upon it from above.

And I see as the colour of copper, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward, and from the appearance of his loins and downward, I have seen as the appearance of fire, and brightness is to it round about.

As the appearance of the bow that is in a cloud in a day of rain, so is the appearance of the brightness round about.

It is the appearance of the likeness of the honour of Jehovah, and I see, and fall on my face, and I hear a voice speaking, and He saith unto me, `Son of man, stand on thy feet, and I speak with thee.'

And there doth come into me a spirit, when He hath spoken unto me, and it causeth me to stand on my feet, and I hear Him who is speaking unto me.

And He saith unto Me, `Son of man, I am sending thee unto the sons of Israel, unto nations who are rebels, who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, unto this self-same day.

And the sons are brazen-faced and hard-hearted to whom I am sending thee, and thou hast said unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah:

and they--whether they hear, or whether they forbear, for a rebellious house they are --have known that a prophet hath been in their midst.

`And thou, son of man, thou art not afraid of them, yea, of their words thou art not afraid, for briers and thorns are with thee, and near scorpions thou art dwelling, of their words thou art not afraid, and of their faces thou art not affrighted, for they are a rebellious house,

And thou hast spoken My words unto them, whether they hear or whether they forbear, for they are rebellious.

`And thou, son of man, hear that which I am speaking unto thee: Thou art not rebellious like the rebellious house, open thy mouth, and eat that which I am giving unto thee.'

And I look, and lo, a hand is sent forth unto me, and lo, in it a roll of a book,

and He spreadeth it before me, and it is written in front and behind, and written on it are lamentations, and mourning, and woe!

And He saith unto me, `Son of man, that which thou findest eat, eat this roll, and go, speak unto the house of Israel.'

And I open my mouth, and He causeth me to eat this roll.

And He saith unto me, `Son of man, thy belly thou dost feed, and thy bowels thou dost fill with this roll that I am giving unto thee;' and I eat it, and it is in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

And He saith unto me, `Son of man, go, enter in unto the house of Israel, and thou hast spoken with My words unto them.

For, not unto a people deep of lip and heavy of tongue art thou sent--unto the house of Israel;

not unto many peoples, deep of lip and heavy of tongue, whose words thou dost not understand. If I had not sent thee unto them--they, they do hearken unto thee,

but the house of Israel are not willing to hearken unto thee, for they are not willing to hearken unto Me, for all the house of Israel are brazen-faced and strong-hearted.

`Lo, I have made thy face strong against their face, and thy forehead strong against their forehead.