"You shall say,'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"A citysheddingbloodin her midst,so that her timewill come,and that makesidols,contraryto her [interest], for defilement!
Surelyat the commandof the LORDit cameupon Judah,to remove[them] from His sightbecause of the sinsof Manasseh,according to allthat he had done,
and alsofor the innocentbloodwhichhe shed,for he filledJerusalemwith innocentblood;and the LORDwouldnot forgive.
Thus they becameuncleanin their practices,And playedthe harlotin their deeds.
Howthe faithfulcityhas becomea harlot,She [who] was fullof justice!Righteousnessonce lodgedin her, But nowmurderers.
"For I the LORDwill speak,and whateverwordI speakwill be performed.It will nolongerbe delayed,for in your days,O rebellioushouse,I will speakthe wordand performit," declaresthe LordGOD.'"
"And you, sonof man,will you judge,will you judgethe bloodycity?Then cause her to knowallher abominations.
"Her princeswithinher are like wolvestearingthe prey,by sheddingblood[and] destroyinglivesin orderto getdishonestgain.
"You have becomeguiltyby the bloodwhichyou have shed,and defiledby your idolswhichyou have made.Thus you have broughtyour daynearand have cometo your years;thereforeI have madeyou a reproachto the nationsand a mockingto allthe lands.
"Behold,the rulersof Israel,eachaccording to his power,have beenin you for the purposeof sheddingblood.
"For they have committedadultery,and bloodis on their hands.Thus they have committedadulterywith their idolsand evencaused their sons,whomthey boreto Me, to passthrough[the fire] to them as food.
"But they, righteousmen,will judgethem with the judgmentof adulteressesand with the judgmentof women who shedblood,becausethey are adulteressesand bloodis on their hands.
"She bestowedher harlotrieson them, allof whom [were] the choicestmenof Assyria;and with allwhomshe lustedafter, with alltheir idolsshe defiledherself.
"Thereforesayto them, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"You eat[meat] with the blood[in it], liftup your eyesto your idolsas you shedblood.Should you then possessthe land?
Then He saidto me, "The iniquityof the houseof Israeland Judahis very,verygreat,and the landis filledwith bloodand the cityis fullof perversion;for they say,'The LORDhas forsakenthe land,and the LORDdoes not see!'
Who buildZionwith bloodshedAnd Jerusalemwith violentinjustice.
Her princeswithinher are roaringlions,Her judgesare wolvesat evening;They leavenothingfor the morning.
But becauseof your stubbornnessand unrepentantheartyou are storingup wrathfor yourselfin the dayof wrathand revelationof the righteous judgmentof God,
and in [their] greedthey will exploityou with false words;their judgmentfrom long agois not idle,and their destructionis not asleep.
