19. “But when the wrong turns from his wrongness and does right and righteousness, he shall live because of it.
20. “And you have said, ‘The way of יהוה is not fair.’ O house of Yisra’ĕl, I shall judge every one of you according to his own ways.”
21. And it came to be in the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth of the month, that one who had escaped from Yerushalayim came to me and said, “The city has been smitten!”
22. And the hand of יהוה came upon me the evening before the man came who had escaped. And He had opened my mouth, before he came to me in the morning. And my mouth was opened. And I was no longer silent.
23. Then the word of יהוה came to me, saying,
24. “Son of man, they who inhabit those ruins in the land of Yisra’ĕl are saying, ‘Aḇraham was only one, and he inherited the land. But we are many, let the land be given to us as a possession.’
25. “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “You eat meat with blood, and you lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood. Should you then possess the land?
26. “You depend on your sword, and you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbour’s wife. Should you then possess the land?” ’
27. “Say this to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “As I live, those who are in the ruins shall fall by the sword, and the one who is in the open field I shall give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and caves shall die of the pestilence.
28. “And I shall make the land a desert and a waste, the arrogance of her strength shall cease, and the mountains of Yisra’ĕl shall be a waste, with none passing through.
29. “And they shall know that I am יהוה, when I have made the land a desert and a waste, because of all their abominations which they have done.” ’
30. “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses. And they speak to each other, each saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from יהוה.’
31. “And they come to you as people do, and they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them. For with their mouth they show much love – their hearts pursue their greedy gain.
32. “And see, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and playing well on an instrument. And they hear your words, but they do not do them.
33. “And when it comes – see, it shall come – then they shall know that a prophet has been in their midst.”