A catalogue of sins in Jerusalem.

1 ¶ Moreover the wordº of the LORDº came² unto² me, saying,ºª 2 Now, thou² sonº of man,º wilt thou judge,ºª wilt thou judgeºª² the bloodyº city?º yea, thou shalt shewºª her² all² her abominations.º 3 Then sayºª thou, Thus² saithºª the Lordº GOD,º The cityº sheddethºª bloodº in the midstº of it, that her timeº may come,ºª and makethºª idolsº against² herself to defileºª herself. 4 Thou art become guiltyºª in thy bloodº that² thou hast shed;ºª and hast defiledºª thyself in thine idolsº which² thou hast made;ºª and thou hast caused thy daysº to draw near,ºª and art comeºª [even] unto² thy years:º therefore²² have I madeºª thee a reproachº unto the heathen,º and a mockingº to all² countries.º 5 [Those that be] near,º and [those that be] farº from² thee, shall mockºª thee, [which art] infamousºº [and] muchº vexed.º 6 Behold,² the princesº of Israel,º every oneº were² in thee to their powerº to² shedºª blood.º 7 In thee have they set lightºª by fatherº and mother:º in the midstº of thee have they dealtºª by oppressionº with the stranger:º in thee have they vexedºª the fatherlessº and the widow.º 8 Thou hast despisedºª mine holy things,º and hast profanedºª my sabbaths.º 9 In thee are² men¹² that carry talesº to² shedºª blood:º and in thee they eatºª upon² the mountains:º in the midstº of thee they commitºª lewdness.º 10 In thee have they discoveredºª their fathers'º nakedness:º in thee have they humbledºª her that was set apartº for pollution.º 11 And oneº hath committedºª abominationº with² his neighbour'sº wife;º and anotherº hath lewdlyº defiledºª² his daughter in law;º and anotherº in thee hath humbledºª² his sister,º his father'sº daughter.º 12 In thee have they takenºª giftsº to² shedºª blood;º thou hast takenºª usuryº and increase,º and thou hast greedily gainedºª of thy neighboursº by extortion,º and hast forgottenºª me, saithºª the Lordº GOD.º

God will burn them as dross in his furnace.

13 ¶ Behold,² therefore I have smittenºª mine handº at² thy dishonest gainº which² thou hast made,ºª and at² thy bloodº which² hath been² in the midstº of thee. 14 Can thine heartº endure,ºª or² can thine handsº be strong,ºª in the daysº that² I² shall dealºª with thee? I² the LORDº have spokenºª [it], and will doºª [it]. 15 And I will scatterºª thee among the heathen,º and disperseºª thee in the countries,º and will consumeºª thy filthinessº out of² thee. 16 And thou shalt take thine inheritanceºªª¹ª in thyself in the sightº of the heathen,º and thou shalt knowºª that² I² [am] the LORD.º 17 And the wordº of the LORDº came² unto² me, saying,ºª 18 Sonº of man,º the houseº of Israelº is to me become² dross:º all² they [are] brass,º and tin,º and iron,º and lead,º in the midstº of the furnace;º they are² [even] the drossº of silver.º 19 Therefore² thus² saithºª the Lordº GOD;º Because² ye are all² become² dross,º behold,² therefore² I will gatherºª you into² the midstº of Jerusalem.º 20 [As] they gatherº silver,º and brass,º and iron,º and lead,º and tin,º into² the midstº of the furnace,º to blowºª the fireº upon² it, to meltºª [it]; so² will I gatherºª [you] in mine angerº and in my fury,º and I will leave¹ª² [you there], and meltºª you. 21 Yea, I will gatherºª you, and blowºª upon² you in the fireº of my wrath,º and ye shall be meltedºª in the midstº thereof. 22 As silverº is meltedº in the midstº of the furnace,º so² shall ye be meltedºª in the midstº thereof; and ye shall knowºª that² I² the LORDº have poured outºª my furyº upon² you.

The general corruption of prophets, priests, princes, and people.

23 ¶ And the wordº of the LORDº came² unto² me, saying,ºª 24 Sonº of man,º sayºª unto her, Thou² [art] the landº that² is not² cleansed,ºª nor² rained¹ upon² in the dayº of indignation.º 25 [There is] a conspiracyº of her prophetsº in the midstº thereof, like a roaringºª lionº raveningºª the prey;º they have devouredºª souls;º they have takenºª the treasureº and precious things;º they have made her manyºª widowsº in the midstº thereof. 26 Her priestsº have violatedºª my law,º and have profanedºª mine holy things:º they have put no differenceºª² between² the holyº and profane,º neither² have they shewedºª [difference] between² the uncleanº and the clean,º and have hidºª their eyesº from my sabbaths,º² and I am profanedºª amongº them. 27 Her princesº in the midstº thereof [are] like wolvesº raveningºª the prey,º to shedºª blood,º [and] to destroyºª souls,º to² getºª dishonest gain.º 28 And her prophetsº have daubedºª them with untemperedº [morter], seeingº vanity,º and diviningºª liesº unto them, saying,ºª Thus² saithºª the Lordº GOD,º when the LORDº hath not² spoken.ºª 29 The peopleº of the landº have used² oppression,º¹ª and exercisedºª robbery,º and have vexedºª the poorº and needy:º yea, they have oppressedºª the strangerº wrongfully.º² 30 And I soughtºª for a manº among² them, that should make upºª the hedge,º and standºª in the gapº beforeº me for² the land,º that I should not² destroyºª it: but I foundºª none.² 31 Therefore have I poured outºª mine indignationº upon² them; I have consumedºª them with the fireº of my wrath:º their own wayº have I recompensedºª upon their heads,º saithºª the Lordº GOD.º