16. You will be polluted in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am the Lord." ' "
17. A message came to me from the Lord. He said,
18. "Son of man, the people of Israel have become like scum to me. All of them are like the copper, tin, iron and lead that are left inside a furnace. They are only the scum that is removed from silver."
19. So the Lord and King says, "People of Israel, all of you have become like scum. So I will gather you together in Jerusalem.
20. Men put silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace. They melt it with a blazing fire. In the same way, I will gather you. I will pour out my burning anger on you. I will put you inside the city and melt you.
21. I will gather you together. My burning anger will blaze out at you. And you will be melted inside Jerusalem.
22. Silver is melted in a furnace. And you will be melted inside the city. Then you will know that I have poured out my burning anger on you. I am the Lord."
23. Another message came to me from the Lord. He said,
24. "Son of man, speak to the land. Tell it, 'You have not had any rain or showers. That is because I am angry with you.'
25. "Ezekiel, the princes of the land are like a roaring lion that tears its food apart. They eat people up. They take treasures and other valuable things. They cause many women in the land to become widows.
26. "Its priests break my law. They treat things that are set apart to me as if they were not holy. They treat holy and common things as if they were the same. They teach that there is no difference between things that are 'clean' and things that are not. They refuse to keep my Sabbath days. So they treat me as if I were not holy.
27. "The officials in the land are like wolves that tear their food apart. They spill blood and kill people to get rich.
28. The prophets cover up those acts for them. The visions of those prophets are false. They use magic to try to find out what is going to happen. But their magic tricks are lies. They say, 'The Lord and King says,' But I have not spoken to them.
29. "The people of the land get rich by cheating others. They steal. They crush those who are poor and in need. They treat outsiders badly. They refuse to be fair to them.
30. "I looked for a man among them who would stand up for Jerusalem. I tried to find someone who would pray to me for the land. Then I would not have to destroy it. But I could not find anyone who would pray for it.