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Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the East Gate of the Lord's house, which faces eastward; and there at the door of the gate were twenty-five men, among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
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And He said to me: "Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel in this city,
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who say, 'The time is not near to build houses; this city is the caldron, and we are the meat.'
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Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man!"
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Then the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said to me, "Speak! 'Thus says the Lord: "Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.
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You have multiplied your slain in this city, and you have filled its streets with the slain."
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Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are the meat, and this city is the caldron; but I shall bring you out of the midst of it.
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You have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you," says the Lord God.
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"And I will bring you out of its midst, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and execute judgments on you.
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You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at the border of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.
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This city shall not be your caldron, nor shall you be the meat in its midst. I will judge you at the border of Israel.
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And you shall know that I am the Lord; for you have not walked in My statutes nor executed My judgments, but have done according to the customs of the Gentiles which are all around you." ' "
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Now it happened, while I was prophesying, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, "Ah, Lord God! Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?"
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Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
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"Son of man, your brethren, your relatives, your countrymen, and all the house of Israel in its entirety, are those about whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, 'Get far away from the Lord; this land has been given to us as a possession.'