23 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

24 “Son of man, ^athey who inhabit those ^bruins in the land of Israel are saying, ^c‘Abraham was only one, and he inherited the land. ^dBut we are many; the land has been given to us as a ^epossession.’  ‡

26 You rely on your sword, you commit abominations, and you ^adefile one another’s wives. Should you then possess the land?” ’  ‡

27 “Say thus to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “As I live, surely ^athose who are in the ruins shall fall by the sword, and the one who is in the open field ^bI will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in the strongholds and ^ccaves shall die of the pestilence.  ‡