Jezekiel 20

1 And it came to pass in the seventh year, on the fifteenth day of the month, there came men of the elders of the house of Israel to enquire of the Lord, and they sat before me.

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 the LORD, and sat before me.

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

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

3 Son of man, speak to the elders of the house of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord; Are ye come to enquire of me? [As] I live, I will not be enquired of by you, saith the Lord.

Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD; Are you come to inquire of me? As I live, said the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

4 Shall I utterly take vengeance on them, son of man? testify to them of the iniquities of their fathers:

Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:

5 and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord; From the day that I chose the house of Israel, and became known to the seed of the house of Jacob, and was known to them in the land of Egypt, and helped them with my hand, saying, I am the Lord your God;

And say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up my hand to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up my hand to them, saying, I am the LORD your God;

6 in that day I helped them with my hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into the land which I prepared for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, it is abundant beyond every land.

In the day that I lifted up my hand to them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

7 And I said to them, Let every one cast away the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the devices of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Then said I to them, Cast you away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

8 But they revolted from me, and would not hearken to me: they cast not away the abominations of their eyes, and forsook not the devices of Egypt: then I said that I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish my wrath upon them in the midst of Egypt.

But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the middle of the land of Egypt.

9 But I wrought [so] that my name should not be at all profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in the midst of whom they are, among whom I was made known to them in their sight, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

10 And I brought them into the wilderness.

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

11 And I gave them my commandments, and made known to them mine ordinances, all which [if] a man shall do, he shall even live in them.

And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

12 And I gave them my sabbaths, that they should be for a sign between me and them, that they should know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.

Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.

13 And I said to the house of Israel in the wilderness, Walk ye in my commandments: but they walked not [in them], and they rejected mine ordinances, which [if] a man shall do, he shall even live in them; and they grievously profaned my sabbaths: and I said that I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I wrought [so] that my name should not be at all profaned before the Gentiles, before whose eyes I brought them out.

But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

15 But I lifted up my hand against them in the wilderness once for all, that I would not bring them into the land which I gave them, a land flowing with milk and honey, it is sweeter than all lands:

Yet also I lifted up my hand 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;

16 because they rejected mine ordinances, and walked not in my commandments, but profaned my sabbaths, and went after the imaginations of their hearts.

Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17 Yet mine eyes spared them, so as [not] to destroy them utterly, and I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.

Nevertheless my eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

18 And I said to their children in the wilderness, Walk not ye in the customs of your fathers, and keep not their ordinances, and have no fellowship with their practices, nor defile yourselves [with them].

But I said to their children in the wilderness, Walk you not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

19 I [am] the Lord your God; walk in my commandments, and keep mine ordinances, and do them;

I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;

20 and hallow my sabbaths, and let them be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.

21 But they provoked me, and their children walked not in my commandments, and they took no heed to mine ordinances to do them, which [if] a man shall do, he shall even live in them, and they profaned my sabbaths: then I said that I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to accomplish mine anger upon them.

Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

22 But I wrought so that my name might not be at all profaned before the Gentiles; and I brought them out in their sight.

Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

23 I lifted up my hand against them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles, [and] disperse them in the countries;

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

24 because they kept not mine ordinances, and rejected my commandments, and profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes went after the imaginations of their fathers.

Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.

25 So I gave them commandments [that were] not good, and ordinances in which they should not live.

Why I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;

26 And I will defile them by their [own] decrees, when I pass through upon every one that opens the womb, that I may destroy them.

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 the LORD.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord: Hitherto have your fathers provoked me in their trespasses in which they transgressed against me.

Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

28 Whereas I brought them into the land concerning which I lifted up mine hand to give it them; and they looked upon every high hill, and every shady tree, and they sacrificed there to their gods, and offered there sweet-smelling savour, and there they poured out their drink-offerings.

For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up my hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet smell, and poured out there their drink offerings.

29 And I said to them, What is Abama, that ye go in thither? and they called its name Abama, until this day.

Then I said to them, What is the high place where you go? And the name whereof is called Bamah to this day.

30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Do ye pollute yourselves with the iniquities of your fathers, and do ye go a-whoring after their abominations,

Why say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD; Are you polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit you prostitution after their abominations?

31 and [do ye pollute yourselves] with the first-fruits of your gifts, in the offerings wherewith ye pollute yourselves in all your imaginations, until this day; and shall I answer you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith the Lord, I will not answer you, neither shall this thing come upon your spirit.

For when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, you pollute yourselves with all your idols, even to this day: and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

32 And it shall not be as ye say, We will be as the nations, and as the tribes of the earth, to worship stocks and stones.

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

33 Therefore, [as] I live, saith the Lord, I will reign over you with a strong hand, and with a high arm, and with outpoured wrath:

As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

34 I will bring you out from the nations, and will take you out of the lands wherein ye were dispersed, with a strong hand, and with a high arm, and with outpoured wrath.

And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein you 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, and will plead with you there face to face.

And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

36 As I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I judge you, saith the Lord.

Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, says the Lord GOD.

37 And I will cause you to pass under my rod, and I will bring you in by number.

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 separate from among you the ungodly and the revolters; for I will lead them forth out of their place of sojourning, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord, [even] the Lord.

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

39 And [as to] you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord, [even] the Lord; Put away each one his [evil] practices, and hereafter if ye hearken to me, then shall ye no more profane my holy name by your gifts and by devices.

As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD; Go you, serve you every one his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me: but pollute you my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.

40 For upon my holy mountain, on the high mountain, saith the Lord, [even] the Lord, there shall all the house of Israel serve me for ever: and there will I accept [you], and there will I have respect to your first-fruits, and the first-fruits of your offerings, in all your holy things.

For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, says the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them 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 your holy things.

41 I will accept you with a sweet-smelling savour, when I bring you out from the nations, and take you out of the countries wherein ye have been dispersed; and I will be sanctified among you in the sight of the nations.

I will accept you with your sweet smell, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

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

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

43 And ye shall there remember your ways, and your devices wherewith ye defiled yourselves; and ye shall bewail yourselves for all your wickedness.

And there shall you remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein you have been defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed.

44 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have done thus to you, that my name may not be profaned in your evil ways, and in your corrupt devices, saith the Lord.

And you shall know that I am the LORD when I have worked with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O you house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.

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

Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

46 Son of man, set thy face against Thaeman, and look toward Darom, and prophesy against the chief forest of Nageb,

Son of man, set your face toward the south, and drop your word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;

47 and thou shalt say to the forest of Nageb, Hear the word of the Lord; thus saith the Lord, [even] the Lord; Behold, I [will] kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour in thee every green tree, and every dry tree: the flame that is kindled shall not be quenched, and every face shall be scorched with it from the south to the north.

And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

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

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

49 And I said, Not so, O Lord God! they say to me, Is not this that is spoken a parable?

Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Does he not speak parables?