“Thus says Yahweh God!
‘Say this to them!
As I live!
Surely those who are
In the waste places
Shall fall
By the sword.
Those who are
In the open fields,
I will give
To the wild animals
To be devoured.
Those who are
In the strongholds,
In the caves,
Shall die
By pestilence.
I will make the land
A desolation.
I will make it
A waste.
Its proud might
Shall come to an end.
The mountains of Israel
Shall be so desolate
That no one
Will pass through.
Then they shall know
That I am Yahweh,
When I have made
The land
A desolation,
A waste,
Because of all
The abominations
That they have committed.’”
Yahweh God told Ezekiel to tell the Israelites that the land of Israel was going to become a wasteland. People would die by the sword. Wild animals would devour people in the open fields. People in the strongholds and caves would die from pestilence. The land would become desolate. The proud ones would come to an end. The mountains of Israel would be so desolate that no one would pass through them. Finally, they would know that Yahweh had made the land a desolation and a waste, because of all the abominations that they had committed.