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 of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Jehovah, and sat before me.

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

Then came the word of Jehovah to 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 to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Are ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you.

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

Punish them, punish them, son of man, cause them to know the abominations of their fathers, and say to them,

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.’

Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: At the time when I chose Israel, I lifted up my hand to the race of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I lifted up my hand to them, and said, I am Jehovah, 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.

At that time I lifted up my hand to them, that I would bring them forth out of the land of Egypt, into a land which I had looked out for them, flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands.

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 to them, Cast ye away from you every one the abomination of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt! I am Jehovah, 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 would not hearken to me; they did not cast away every one the abominations of his eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said that I would pour out my fury upon them, that I would accomplish mine 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 my name's sake, that it might not be polluted in the sight of the nations, in the midst of whom they were; and before their eyes I made myself known to them, in bringing 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.

And I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and led 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 made known to them my laws, through which the man that keepeth them shall live.

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.

Also I gave them my sabbaths, that they might be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I, Jehovah, 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 desert; they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my laws, through which the man that keepeth them shall live, and my sabbaths they greatly polluted. Then I said that I would pour out my fury upon them in the desert, to consume 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 my name's sake, that it might not be polluted before the nations, in whose sight I 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 I lifted up my hand to them in the desert, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, the beauty of all lands;

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 they despised my laws, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

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

Nevertheless mine eye spared them, so that I did not destroy them; neither did I make an end of them in the desert.

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 to their sons in the desert, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols!

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

I am Jehovah, your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, 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 hallow my sabbaths, that they may be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am Jehovah, 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.

But the sons rebelled against me; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept they my ordinances to do them, through which the man that doeth them shall live, and they polluted my sabbaths. Then I said that I would pour out my fury upon them, and accomplish mine anger upon them in the desert.

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.

Nevertheless I held back my hand, and acted for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the nations, in whose sight I 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 against them in the desert, 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 they did not observe mine ordinances, but despised my statutes, and polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after the idols of their fathers.

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

Moreover I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances by which they should 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 polluted them in their offerings, in that they caused every first-born child to pass through the fire, that I might destroy them, to the end that they might know that I am Jehovah.

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 to the house of Israel, O son of man, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Yet in this your fathers dishonored me, and trespassed 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.

For when I had brought them into the land concerning which I lifted up my hand, that I would give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick tree's, and there they offered their sacrifices, and there they presented their provoking oblation, and there they brought their sweet savor, and there they poured out 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 I said to them, What is the high place to which ye go? And it is called The High Place unto 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 to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers, and do ye commit fornication according to their abominations,

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 by offering your gifts, and causing your sons to pass through the fire, —are ye polluted with all your idols even to this day, and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not 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 into your mind shall not come to pass, when ye say, “We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, worshipping 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 Jehovah, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out 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 forth from the nations, and gather you from the countries, wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with 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 desert of the nations, and there will I contend with you 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.

Even as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so also will I contend with you, saith the Lord Jehovah.

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

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 saith the Lord Jehovah: Go ye, serve ye every one his idols in future also, if ye will not obey me! But pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts and 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 upon my holy mountain, upon the lofty mountain of Israel, there shall all the house of Israel, all that are in the land, serve me; there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your oblations, with all things which ye consecrate to me.

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.

I will accept you as a sweet savor, when I bring you forth from the nations, and gather you from the countries, wherein ye have been scattered, and will through you be honored 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 Jehovah, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country concerning which I lifted up my hand, that I would 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 there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been polluted; and ye shall loathe yourselves for all your evil deeds which 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 Jehovah, when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah.

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

And the word of Jehovah came to 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 toward the south, and drop thy word against 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 Jehovah! Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will kindle in thee a fire, which shall devour every green tree and every dry tree within thee; the fierce flame shall not be quenched, and all parts from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

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, Jehovah, 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?’”

And I said, Ah, Lord Jehovah, they say of me, “Doth he not speak in parables?”