1 A nd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

The Word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 S on of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them,

“Son of man, turn your face toward the mountains of Israel, and tell what is going to happen against them.

3 A nd 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 river ravines and the valleys: Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places,

Say, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the Word of the Lord God! This is what the Lord God says to the mountains, the hills, the deep and wide valleys: “I Myself am going to bring a sword against you. And I will destroy your high places.

4 A nd your altars shall be made desolate and your sun-pillars shall be broken in pieces, and I will cast down your slain before your idols.

So your altars will be laid waste. Your altars for special perfume will be broken. And I will kill your people in front of your false gods.

5 A nd I will lay the dead bodies of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.

I will lay the dead bodies of the sons of Israel in front of their false gods, and spread your bones around your altars.

6 I n all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste and the high places shall be made desolate, that your altars may bear their guilt and be laid waste and made desolate, your idols may be broken and destroyed, your sun-images may be hewn down, and your handiworks may be wiped away and blotted out.

In every place you live, cities will be laid waste and the high places will be destroyed. Your altars will be laid waste and destroyed. Your false gods will be broken and destroyed. Your altars for special perfume will come to an end.

7 A nd the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and you shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord.

Your people will fall dead among you, and you will know that I am the Lord.

8 Y et will I leave some of you alive. When you have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when you shall be scattered through the countries,

“But I will leave some of you alive. For some of you will get away from the sword when you are spread among the lands and nations.

9 T hen those of you who escape shall remember Me among the nations to which they shall be carried captive, how that I have been broken by their lewdness and have Myself broken their wanton heart which has departed from Me and blinded their eyes which turn after their idols wantonly; and they shall be loathsome in their own sight for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

Then those who get away will remember Me in the nations where they have been taken. They will remember how I have been hurt by their sinful hearts which turned away from Me, and by their sinful eyes which followed after their false gods. And they will hate themselves in their own eyes for the sins they have done, for all their sinful ways.

10 A nd they shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord. I have not said in vain that I would bring this evil calamity upon them.

Then they will know that I am the Lord. I have not spoken with empty words that I would bring this trouble upon them.”’

11 T hus says the Lord God: Strike with your fist, stamp with your foot, and say, Alas! over all the vile abominations of the house of Israel for which shall fall by sword, by famine, and by pestilence.

“The Lord God says, ‘Clap your hands, and step hard with your feet, and say, “It is bad because of all the hated sins of the people of Israel! They will fall by the sword, hunger, and disease.

12 H e who is far off shall die of the pestilence, and he that is near shall fall by the sword, and he who remains and is preserved shall die by the famine. Thus will I accomplish My wrath upon them.

He who is far away will die by disease. And he who is near will be killed by the sword. He who stays and is shut in by armies will die by hunger. This is how I will send My anger upon them.

13 T hen shall you know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord, when their slain shall lie among their idols round about their altars upon every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, under every green tree, and under every thickly leafed oak, the places where they were accustomed to offer sweet incense to all their idols.

Then you will know that I am the Lord, when their dead lie among their false gods around their altars. They will lie on every high hill, on all the mountain tops, under every green tree, and under every oak tree with many leaves. Their dead will be in all the places where they burned special perfume to all their false gods.

14 A nd I will stretch out My hand upon them and make the land desolate and waste, yes, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblah, throughout all their dwelling places; and they shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord.

I will put out My hand against them in every place they live. I will make the land more of a waste than the desert toward Diblah. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”’”