Ezekiel 20

1 In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down before me.

And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain men of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and they sat down before me.

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

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

3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Have you come to inquire of Me? As surely as I live, I will not be consulted by you, declares the Lord GOD.

Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Is it to inquire of me that ye are coming? as I live, I will not let myself be inquired of by you, saith the Lord Eternal.

4 Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? Confront them with the abominations of their fathers

Wilt thou take them to task, wilt thou take them to task, son of man? then cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;

5 and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt. With an uplifted hand I said to them, ‘I am the LORD your God.’

And say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, On the day when I made choice of Israel, I lifted up my hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and I made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt: and I lifted up my hand unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God.

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

On the same day I lifted up my hand unto them, to bring them forth from the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is an ornament among all the countries.

7 And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’

And I said unto them, Cast ye away every one of the abominations of his eyes, and on the idols of Egypt shall ye not defile yourselves: I am the Lord your God.

8 But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt.

But they rebelled against me, and they would not hearken unto me; they did not cast away every one the abominations of their eyes, and the idols of Egypt did they not forsake: and I thought then to pour out my fury over them, to let out all my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were living, in whose sight I had revealed Myself to Israel by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

But I acted for the sake of my name, so as not to profane it before the eyes of the nations, in the midst of whom they were; because I had made myself known unto them before their eyes, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt.

10 So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.

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

11 And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances—for the man who does these things will live by them.

And I gave them my statutes, and my ordinances made I known to them, which a man is to do, that he may live through them.

12 I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

And also my sabbaths gave I unto them, to be as a sign between me and between them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctify them.

13 Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness.

But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; in my statutes they walked not, and my ordinances they despised, which a man is to do, that he may live through them; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned: and I then thought to pour out my fury over them in the wilderness, to make an end of them.

14 But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

But I acted for the sake of my name, so as not to profane it before the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had brought them forth.

15 Moreover, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands—

Yet did I also lift up my hand unto 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 an ornament among all the countries.

16 because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.

Because my ordinances they had despised, and in my statutes they had not walked, and my sabbaths they had profaned; for after their idols did their heart go.

17 Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or bring them to an end in the wilderness.

Nevertheless my eye looked pityingly on them, so as not to destroy them, and I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.

18 In the wilderness I said to their children: ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.

And I said unto their children in the wilderness, In the statutes of your fathers shall ye not walk, and their ordinances shall ye not keep, and on their idols shall ye not defile yourselves.

19 I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them.

I am the Lord your God: in my statutes must ye walk, and my ordinances must ye keep, and do them;

20 Keep My Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’

And my sabbaths must ye sanctify; and they shall be as a sign between me and between you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

21 But the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes or carefully observe My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the wilderness.

Nevertheless the children rebelled against me; in my statutes did they not walk, and my ordinances they kept not to do them, which a man is to do, that he may live through them; my sabbaths they profaned: and I then thought to pour out my fury over them, to let out all my anger against them in the wilderness.

22 But I withheld My hand and acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

But I withdrew my hand, and acted for the sake of my name, so as not to profane it before the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had brought them forth.

23 However, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.

I also lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries;

24 For they did not practice My ordinances, but they rejected My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, fixing their eyes on the idols of their fathers.

Because my ordinances they had not executed, and my statutes they had despised, and my sabbaths they had profaned, and after the idols of their fathers their eyes were directed.

25 I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.

And I also let them follow statutes that were not good, and ordinances whereby they could not live;

26 And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire—so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.

And I let them be defiled through their gifts, in that they caused to pass [through the fire] all that openeth the womb, in order that I might destroy them, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: In this way also your fathers blasphemed Me by their unfaithfulness against Me.

Therefore, speak unto the house of Israel, O son of man, and say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Yet in this too did your fathers blaspheme me, by their committing a trespass against me:

28 When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, presented offerings that provoked Me, sent up their fragrant incense, and poured out their drink offerings.

When I had brought them into the land, for which I had lifted up my hand to give it to them, they saw every high hill, and all the thick-branched trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and presented there their provoking offerings, and they brought there their sweet savor, and poured out there their drink-offerings.

29 So I asked them: ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ (And to this day it is called Bamah.)

Then said I unto them, What is this high-place whereunto ye go? And its name was called “The height” until this day.

30 Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations?

Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Ha! do you pollute yourselves after the manner of your fathers; and after their abominations do ye go astray?

31 When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your sons in the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you!

And when ye offer up your gifts, when ye make your sons pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even until this day: and I should allow myself to be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord Eternal, I will not let myself be inquired of by you.

32 When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone,’ what you have in mind will never come to pass.

And that which cometh up into your mind shall not at all come to pass, [namely, ] that ye say, We will be like the nations, like the families of the [other] countries, to serve wood and stone.

33 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you.

As I live, saith the Lord Eternal, surely, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

34 With a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered.

And I will bring you out from the people, and I will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with [my] fury poured out.

35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and I will hold judgment over 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, declares the Lord GOD.

As I held judgment over your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I hold judgment over you, saith the Lord Eternal.

37 I will make you pass under the rod and will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;

38 And I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land in which they dwell, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

And I will separate from you those that have rebelled, and those that have transgressed against me: out of the country where they sojourn will I cause them to go forth, but into the land of Israel shall not one [of them] enter; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

39 And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols.

As for you, O house of Israel, thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter [also], if ye will not hearken unto me; but my holy name do not profane any more with your gifts, and with your idols.

40 For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your offerings and choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices.

For on my holy mountain, on the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord Eternal, there shall serve me all the house of Israel, altogether, in the land: there will I accept them in favor, and there will I require your heave-offerings, and the first-fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

41 When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will show My holiness through you in the sight of the nations.

With your sweet savor will I accept you in favor, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered: and I will be sanctified through you before the eyes of the nations.

42 Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land that I swore to give your fathers.

And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I have lifted up my hand to give it to your fathers.

43 There you will remember your ways and all the deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evils you have done.

And ye shall remember there your ways, and all your doings, whereby ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves, because of all your evil deeds that ye have committed.

44 Then you will know, O house of Israel, that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for the sake of My name and not according to your wicked ways and corrupt acts, declares the Lord GOD.”

And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for the sake of my name, not in accordance with your wicked ways, and in accordance with your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord Eternal.

45 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

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

46 “Son of man, set your face toward the south, preach against it, and prophesy against the forest of the Negev.

Son of man, set thy face in the direction toward the south, and preach toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the south.

47 Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched.

And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the Lord, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour in thee every green tree, and every dry tree: the glowing flame shall not be quenched, and there shall be burnt therein all faces from the south to the north.

48 Then all people will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it will not be quenched.”

And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

49 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”

Then said I, Ah Lord Eternal! they say of me, Behold, he speaketh but in parables!