Ezekiel 20

1 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month: there came men of the ancients of Israel to inquire of the Lord, and they sat 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 And 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 ancients of Israel, and say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Are you come to inquire of me? As I live, I will not answer you, saith 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 If thou judgest them, if thou judgest, son of man, declare to them 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 say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up my hand for the race of the house of Jacob: and appeared to them in the land of Egypt, and lifted up my hand for them, saying: 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 In that day I lifted up my hand for them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt, into a land which I had provided for them, flowing with milk and honey, which excelleth amongst 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: Let every man cast away the scandals of his eyes, and defile not 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 provoked me, and would not hearken to me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of his eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: and I said I would pour out my indignation upon them, and accomplish my wrath against them in the midst of 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 did otherwise for my name’s sake, that it might not be violated before the nations, in the midst of whom they were, and among whom I made myself known to them, to bring 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 Therefore I brought them out from the land of Egypt, and brought them into the desert.

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 I shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in 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 Moreover I gave them also my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them: and that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify 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 But the house of Israel provoked me in the desert: they walked not in my statutes, and they cast away my judgments, which if a man do he shall live in them: and they grievously violated my sabbaths. I said therefore that I would pour out my indignation upon them in the desert, and would consume them.

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 spared them for the sake of my name, lest it should be profaned before the nations, from which I brought them out, in their sight.

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 So I lifted up my hand over them in the desert, not to bring them into the land which I had given them flowing with milk and honey, the best 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 cast off my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, and violated my sabbaths: for their heart went after 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 my eye spared them, so that I destroyed them not: neither did I consume them in the desert.

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 And I said to their children in the wilderness: Walk not in the statutes of your fathers, and observe not their judgments, nor be ye defiled 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 ye in my statutes, and observe my judgments, and do them.

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

20 And sanctify my sabbaths, that they may be a sign between me and you: and 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 their children provoked me, they walked not in my commandments, nor observed my judgments to do them: which if a man do, he shell live in them: and they violated my sabbaths: and I threatened to pour out my indignation upon them, and to accomplish my wrath in them in the desert.

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 turned away my hand, and wrought for my name’s sake, that it might not be violated before the nations, out of which I brought them forth in their sight.

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 Again I lifted up my hand upon them in the wilderness, to disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through the countries:

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 Because they had not done my judgments, and had cast off my statutes, and had violated my sabbaths, and their eyes had been after 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 Therefore I also gave them statutes that were not good, and judgments, in which they shall not live.

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

26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, when they offered all that opened the womb, for their offences: and they shall 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 Wherefore speak to the house of Israel, O son of man, and say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Moreover in this also your fathers blasphemed me, when they had despised and contemned 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 And I had brought them into the land, for which I lifted up my hand to give it them: they saw every high hill, and every shady tree, and there they sacrificed their victims: and there they presented the provocation of their offerings, and there they set their sweet odours, and poured forth their libations.

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 And I said to them: What meaneth the high place to which you go? and the name thereof was called High-place even to this day.

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

30 Wherefore say to the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord God: Verily, you are defiled in the way of your fathers, and you commit fornication 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 And you defile yourselves with all your: idols unto this day, in the offering of your gifts, when you make your children pass through the fire: and shall I answer you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not answer 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 Neither shall the thought of your mind come to pass, by which you say: We will be as the Gentiles, and as the families of the earth, to worship stocks and stones.

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 I live, saith the Lord God, I will reign over you with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

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 And I will bring you out from the people, and I will gather you out of the countries, in which you are scattered, I will reign over you with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

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 people, and there will I plead 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 As I pleaded against your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt; even so will I judge you, saith 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 And I will make you subject to my sceptre, and will bring you into the bands 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 pick out from among you the transgressors, and the wicked, and will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and you shall 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: thus saith the Lord God: Walk ye every one after your idols, and serve them. But if in this also you hear me not, but defile my holy name any more with your gifts, and with your 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 In my holy mountain, in the high mountain of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel serve me; all of them I say, in the land in which they shall please me, and there will I require your firstfruits, and the chief of your tithes with all your sanctifications.

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 I will accept of you for an odour of sweetness, when I shall have brought you out from the people, and shall have gathered you out of the lands into which you are scattered, and I will be sanctified in 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 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have brought you into the land of Israel, into the land for which I lifted up my hand to give it to 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 And there you shall remember your ways, and all your wicked doings with which you have been defiled; and you shall be displeased with yourselves in your own sight, for all your wicked deeds which you committed.

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 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have done well by you for my own name’s sake, and not according to your evil ways, nor according to your wicked deeds, O house of Israel, saith 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 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

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

46 Son of man, set thy face against the way of the south, and drop towards the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field.

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 And any to the south forest: Hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will kindle a fire in thee, and will burn in thee every green tree, and every dry tree: the dame of the fire shall not be quenched: and every face shall be burned in it, from the south even to the north.

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 And all flesh shall see, that I the Lord have kindled it, and 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: Ah, ah, ah, O Lord God: they say of me: Doth not this man speak by parables?

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