A reading from the book of Ezekiel.

Again the word of the Lord came to me.

Son of man.

Make known to Jerusalem her abominations, and say,

Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem,

Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites.

Your father was an Amarite, and your mother a Hittite.

And as for your birth, on the day you were born,

your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt,

nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. No, I pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of

compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were poured on the day that you were born.

And when I passed by you and saw you, wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, live.

I said to you in your blood, live. I made you flourish like a plant of the field, and you grew up

and became tall and arrived at full adornment. your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown,

yet you were naked and bare. When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age

for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I made my vow to you

and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine, that I bathed you with water and washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil.

I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shodged you with fine leather.

I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk, and I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your

neck, and I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your

head. Thus you were adorned, with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk

and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil. You grew exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty.

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