Ezekiel 14

1 Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down before me.

Then came there unto me certain men of the elders of Israel, and sat down before me.

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

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?

Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and the stumbling-block of their iniquity have they placed before their faces: shall I in any wise let myself be inquired of by them?

4 Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry,

Therefore speak with them and say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Whatever man it be of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and layeth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet: I the Lord will answer him, although he cometh with the multitude of his idols;

5 so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’

In order that I may grasp the house of Israel by their heart, those who are separated from me through all their idols.

6 Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your abominations.

Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Return, and cause [your heart] to turn away from your idols: and from all your abominations turn away your faces.

7 For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself.

For whatever man it be of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, that separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and layeth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and then cometh to the prophet to inquire through him of me: I the Lord will answer him through my word;

8 I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among My people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

And I will set my face against that man, and will make him an astonishment for a sign and for proverbs, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

9 But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.

And when the prophet suffereth himself to be deceived, and he speaketh a word: I the Lord have suffered that prophet to be deceived: and I will stretch out my hand against him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

10 They will bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer will be the same as that of the prophet—

And they shall bear their guilt: as the guilt of the inquirer is, so shall the guilt of the prophet be;

11 in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’”

In order that the house of Israel may go no more astray by not following me, and not pollute themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may become unto me a people, and I may be unto them a God, saith the Lord Eternal.

12 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

13 “Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,

Son of man, if a land should sin against me by trespassing grievously, and I stretch out my hand against it, and break unto it the staff of bread, and send out famine against it, and cut off from it man and beast;

14 then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.

And if there be these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, in the midst of it: these through their righteousness should save but their own soul; saith the Lord Eternal.

15 Or if I send wild beasts through the land to leave it childless and desolate, with no man passing through it for fear of the beasts,

If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they depopulate it, and it becometh desolate, without any one to pass through because of the beasts:

16 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.

These three men [if they were] in it, as I live, saith the Lord Eternal, should not save either sons or daughters: they only should be saved, but the land should be made desolate.

17 Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast,

Or, if I should bring a sword over that land, and say, The sword shall pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast;

18 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered.

And if these three men should be in it: as I live, saith the Lord Eternal, they should not save either sons or daughters, but they alone should be saved.

19 Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast,

Or, if I should send out the pestilence against that land, and pour out my fury over it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast;

20 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.

And if Noah, Daniel, and Job, should be in the midst of it: as I live, saith the Lord Eternal, they should not save either son or daughter; they through their righteousness should save their own soul.

21 For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—in order to cut off from it both man and beast?

For thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Although I send my four dreadful means of punishment over Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the wild beasts, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast:

22 Yet, behold, some survivors will be left in it—sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their conduct and actions, you will be comforted regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem—all that I have brought upon it.

Still, behold, there are left therein some that escape who shall be carried forth, both sons and daughters; behold, they are coming forth unto you, and ye will see their way and their doings; and then will ye be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, yea, concerning all that I have brought upon it;

23 They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done all these things within it,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

And they will comfort you, when ye see their way and their doings; and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have executed in it, saith the Lord Eternal.