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Atomic Bible
Ezekiel 6:1-7·~1 min

Judgment against Idolatry

The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel with a command to set his face against the mountains of Israel and prophesy to mountains, hills, ravines, and valleys. The LORD declares that a sword is coming against those places and that the high places will be destroyed. Altars and incense stands will be smashed, and the slain will be cast down before their idols.

A1nd the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, set your face against the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them. 3You are to say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. 4Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will cast down your slain before your idols.

The corpses of Israelites will be laid before their idols, and their bones will be scattered around the altars they once honored. Across every dwelling place, cities and shrines will be laid waste so that idols, incense altars, and all the works of false worship are blotted out. When the slain fall among them, the people will know that the LORD has spoken and acted.

5I will lay the corpses of the Israelites before their idols and scatter your bones around your altars. 6Wherever you live, the cities will be laid waste and the high places will be demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and desecrated, your idols smashed and obliterated, your incense altars cut down, and your works blotted out. 7The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD.

Section summaryEzekiel is told to set his face against the mountains of Israel and prophesy against the land's idolatrous worship sites. The LORD announces that sword, devastation, and desecration will fall upon the high places, altars, and incense stands. The slain will lie before their idols, and the ruined land will testify that the LORD alone is God.
Role in the chapterThis section confronts Israel's idolatrous landscape and declares that the places of false worship will become scenes of divine judgment.