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1The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to 2the east gate of the house of the LORD, which faces east. And behold, at the entrance of the gateway there were 3twenty-five men. And I saw among them Jaazaniah 4the son of Azzur, and 5Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
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And he said to me, 6"Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in this city;
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7who say, 8'The time is not near to build houses. 9This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.'
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Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man."
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And 10the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and he said to me, "Say, Thus says the LORD: So you think, O house of Israel. 11For I know the things that come into your mind.
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12You have multiplied your slain in this city and have filled its streets with the slain.
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Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 13Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it, 14they are the meat, and 15this city is the cauldron, but you shall be brought out of the midst of it.
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16You have feared the sword, and I will bring the sword upon you, declares the Lord GOD.
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And I will bring you out of the midst of it, and 17give you into the hands of foreigners, and 18execute judgments upon you.
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19You shall fall by the sword. I will judge you at the border of Israel, 20and you shall know that I am the LORD.
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21This city shall not be your cauldron, nor shall you be the meat in the midst of it. 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 obeyed my rules, 22but have acted according to the rules of the nations that are around you."
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And it came to pass, while I was prophesying, 23that 24Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. 25Then I fell down on my face and cried out with a loud voice and said, 26"Ah, Lord GOD! 27Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?"