The desolation of the land

1The word of the LORD came to me: 2“Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, 3and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. 4Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense altars shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain before your idols. 5And I will lay the dead bodies of the people of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. 6Wherever you dwell your cities shall be waste and your high places ruined, so that your altars will be waste and ruined,6.6 Syr Vg Tg: Heb and be made guilty your idols broken and destroyed, your incense altars cut down, and your works wiped out. 7And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and you shall know that I am the LORD.

8“Yet I will leave some of you alive. When you have among the nations some who escape the sword, and when you are scattered through the countries, 96.9: Ezek 20.43; 36.31.then those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, when I have broken6.9 Syr Vg Tg: Heb I have been broken their wanton heart which has departed from me, and blinded their eyes which turn wantonly after their idols; and they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations. 10And they shall know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them.”

11Thus says the Lord GOD: “Clap your hands, and stamp your foot, and say, Alas! because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel; for they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. 12He that is far off shall die of pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that is left and is preserved shall die of famine. Thus I will spend my fury upon them. 13And you shall know that I am the LORD, when their slain lie among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, on all the mountain tops, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak, wherever they offered pleasing odour to all their idols. 14And I will stretch out my hand against them, and make the land desolate and waste, throughout all their habitations, from the wilderness to Riblah.6.14 Another reading is Diblah Then they will know that I am the LORD.”