Ezekiel 20

1 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Jehovah, and sat before me.

And it comes to pass, in the seventh year, in the fifth [month], on the tenth of the month, men from [the] elderly of Israel have come in to seek YHWH, and they sit before me;

2 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

and there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

3 Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the lord Jehovah: Is it to inquire of me that ye have come? As I live, says the lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you.

“Son of man, speak to the elderly of Israel, and you have said to them, Thus said Lord YHWH: Are you coming in to seek Me? [As] I live—I am not sought by you—a declaration of Lord YHWH.

4 Will thou judge them, son of man, will thou judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers,

Do you judge them? Do you judge, son of man? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers,

5 and say to them, Thus says the lord Jehovah: In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am Jehovah your God,

and you have said to them, Thus said Lord YHWH: In the day of My fixing on Israel, I lift up My hand, To the seed of the house of Jacob, And am known to them in the land of Egypt, And I lift up My hand to them, Saying, I [am] your God YHWH.

6 I swore to them in that day, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.

In that day I lifted up My hand to them, To bring them forth from the land of Egypt, To a land that I spied out for them, Flowing with milk and honey, It [is] a beauty to all the lands,

7 And I said to them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God.

And I say to them, Let each cast away the detestable things of his eyes, And do not be defiled with the idols of Egypt, I [am] your God YHWH.

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken to me. They did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

And they rebel against Me, And have not been willing to listen to Me, Each has not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, And have not forsaken the idols of Egypt, And I speak—to pour out My fury on them, To complete My anger against them, In the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I worked for my name's sake (that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them) in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

And I do [it] for My Name’s sake, Not to defile [it] before the eyes of the nations, In whose midst they [are in], Before whose eyes I became known to them, To bring them out from the land of Egypt.

10 So I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

And I bring them out of the land of Egypt, And I bring them into the wilderness,

11 And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them.

And I give My statutes to them, And I caused them to know My judgments, Which the man who does—lives by them.

12 Moreover I also gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am Jehovah who sanctifies them.

And I have also given My Sabbaths to them, To be for a sign between Me and them, To know that I [am] YHWH who is sanctifying them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keeps, he shall live in them. And they greatly profaned my sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

And the house of Israel rebels against Me in the wilderness, They have not walked in My statutes, And they have despised My judgments, Which the man who does—lives by them. And they have greatly defiled My Sabbaths, And I speak—to pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.

And I do [it] for My Name’s sake, Not to defile [it] before the eyes of the nations, Before whose eyes I brought them forth.

15 Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands,

And also, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, Not to bring them into the land that I had given, Flowing with milk and honey, It [is] a beauty to all the lands,

16 because they rejected my ordinances, and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths, for their heart went after their idols.

Because they kicked against My judgments, And they have not walked in My statutes, And they have defiled My Sabbaths, For their heart is going after their idols.

17 Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them, nor did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.

And My eye has pity on them—against destroying them, And I have not made an end of them in the wilderness.

18 And I said to their sons in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers. Neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

And I say to their sons in the wilderness: Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, And do not observe their judgments, And do not defile yourselves with their idols.

19 I am Jehovah your God. Walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them,

I [am] your God YHWH, walk in My statutes, And observe My judgments, and do them,

20 and hallow my sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am Jehovah your God.

And sanctify My Sabbaths, And they have been for a sign between Me and you, To know that I [am] your God YHWH.

21 But the sons rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes, nor kept my ordinances to do them, which if a man does, he shall live in them. They profaned my sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

And the sons rebel against Me, They have not walked in My statutes, And they have not observed My judgments—to do them, Which the man who does—lives by them. They have defiled My Sabbaths, And I speak—to pour out My fury on them, To complete My anger against them in the wilderness.

22 Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.

And I have turned back My hand, And I do [it] for My Name’s sake, Not to defile [it] before the eyes of the nations, Before whose eyes I brought them out.

23 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries,

I also, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, To scatter them among nations, And to spread them through lands.

24 because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

Because they have not done My judgments, And they have despised My statutes, And they have defiled My Sabbaths, And their eyes have been after [the] idols of their fathers.

25 Moreover I also gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they will not live.

And I also, I have given statutes to them [that are] not good, And judgments by which they do not live.

26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that opens the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am Jehovah.

And I defile them by their own gifts, By causing every opener of a womb to pass away, So that I make them desolate, So that they know that I [am] YHWH.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the lord Jehovah: In this moreover your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and you have said to them, Thus said Lord YHWH: Still in this your fathers have reviled Me, In their committing a trespass against Me.

28 For when I had brought them into the land, which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There also they made their sweet savor, and they poured out there their drink offerings.

And I bring them into the land, That I lifted up My hand to give to them, And they see every high hill, and every thick tree, And they sacrifice their sacrifices there, And give the provocation of their offering there, And make their refreshing fragrance there, And they pour out their drink-offerings there.

29 Then I said to them, What does the high place to which ye go mean? So the name of it is called Bamah to this day.

And I say to them: What [is] the high place to where you are going in?” And its name is called “High Place” to this day.

30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the lord Jehovah: Do ye pollute yourselves according to the manner of your fathers, and play ye the harlot according to their abominations?

“Therefore, say to the house of Israel, Thus said Lord YHWH: Are you defiling yourselves in the way of your fathers? And do you go whoring after their detestable things?

31 And when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, do ye pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you.

And in the offering of your gifts, In causing your sons to pass through fire, You are defiled by all your idols to this day, And I am sought by you, O house of Israel? [As] I live—a declaration of Lord YHWH, I am not sought by you.

32 And that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

And that which is going up on your mind, It is not at all—in that you are saying: We will be as the nations, as the families of the lands, To serve wood and stone.

33 As I live, says the lord Jehovah, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you.

[As] I live—a declaration of Lord YHWH, Do I not, with a strong hand, And with an outstretched arm, And with poured out fury—rule over you?

34 And I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out,

And I have brought you forth from the peoples, And assembled you from the lands In which you have been scattered, With a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, And with poured out fury.

35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples. And there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

And I have brought you into the wilderness of the peoples, And have been judged with you there face to face.

36 Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, says the lord Jehovah.

As I was judged with your fathers, In the wilderness of the land of Egypt, So I am judged with you, A declaration of Lord YHWH.

37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod. And I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

And I have caused you to pass under the rod, And brought you into the bond of the covenant,

38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them forth out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

And cleared out the rebels from you, And those transgressing against Me, I bring them out from the land of their sojournings, And they do not come to the land of Israel, And you have known that I [am] YHWH.

39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the lord Jehovah: Go ye. Serve each one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken to me. But ye shall no more profane my holy name with your gifts, and with your idols.

And you, O house of Israel, thus said Lord YHWH: Each go, serve his idols, And afterward, if you are not listening to Me [anyway], But you do not defile My holy Name anymore by your gifts, and by your idols.

40 For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, says the lord Jehovah, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings, and the first-fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

For on My holy mountain, On the mountain of the height of Israel, A declaration of Lord YHWH, All the house of Israel serves Me there, All of it, in the land—I accept them there, And I seek your raised-offerings there, And with the first-fruit of your gifts, With all your holy things.

41 I will accept you as a sweet savor when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries in which ye have been scattered. And I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.

With refreshing fragrance I accept you, In My bringing you out from the peoples, And I have assembled you from the lands In which you have been scattered, And I have been sanctified in you Before the eyes of the nations.

42 And ye shall know that I am Jehovah when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers.

And you have known that I [am] YHWH, In My bringing you to the ground of Israel, To the land that I lifted up My hand To give it to your fathers,

43 And there ye shall remember your ways, and all your doings, by which ye have polluted yourselves. And ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

And you have remembered your ways there, And all your doings, In which you have been defiled, And you have been loathsome in your own faces, For all your evils that you have done.

44 And ye shall know that I am Jehovah when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, says the lord Jehovah.

And you have known that I [am] YHWH, In My dealing with you for My Name’s sake, Not according to your evil ways, And according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, A declaration of Lord YHWH.”

45 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

46 Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South.

“Son of man, set your face the way of Teman, and prophesy to the south, and prophesy to the forest of the field—the south;

47 And say to the forest of the South, Hear the word of Jehovah. Thus says the lord Jehovah: Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree. The flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burnt by it.

and you have said to the forest of the south, Hear a word of YHWH! Thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I am kindling a fire in you, And it has devoured every moist tree in you, and every dry tree, The glowing flames are not quenched, And all faces from south to north have been burned by it.

48 And all flesh shall see that I, Jehovah, have kindled it. It shall not be quenched.

And all flesh has seen, that I, YHWH, have kindled it—it is not quenched.”

49 Then I said, Ah lord Jehovah! They say of me, Is he not a speaker of parables?

And I say, “Aah! Lord YHWH, They are saying of me, Is he not using allegories?”