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.

It happened 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:

The word of the LORD came to 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 to the elders of Israel, and tell them, 'Thus says the LORD: "Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, says the LORD, I will not be inquired of by you."'

4 If thou judgest them, if thou judgest, son of man, declare to them the abominations 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 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 tell them, 'Thus says the LORD: "In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to 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.

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

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.

I said to them, 'Cast away every man the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; 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 would not listen to me; they each didn't throw away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish 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 worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing 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.

"'"So I 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.

I gave them my statutes, and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in 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.

Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies 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: they didn't walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume 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 worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.

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.

"'"Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given to them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the most beautiful of all lands;

16 Because they cast off my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, and violated my sabbaths: for their heart went after idols.

because they rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17 Yet my eye spared them, so that I destroyed them not: neither did I consume them in the desert.

Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn't destroy them, neither did I make a full 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:

"'"I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

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: walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, 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 make my Sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you 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.

But the children rebelled against me; they didn't walk in my statutes, neither kept my ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; and they profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish 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.

Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I 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:

Moreover I swore to 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 they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

25 Therefore I also gave them statutes that were not good, and judgments, in which they shall not live.

Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should 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 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 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, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, 'Thus says the LORD: "In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have committed 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.

For when I had brought them into the land, which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their pleasant aroma, and they 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 I said to them, 'What does the high place where you go mean?' So its name is called Bamah to 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 tell the house of Israel, 'Thus says the LORD: "Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? And do you play the prostitute after their abominations?

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 you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? And shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the LORD, I will not 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 comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that you say, 'We will be as the nations, as the families of the 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," says the LORD, "surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king 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 peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath 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 peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you 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.

Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you," says the LORD.

37 And I will make you subject to my sceptre, and will bring you into the bands of the covenant.

"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 purge out from among you the rebels, and those who disobey against me; I will bring them forth out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and you 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, house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: "Go, serve everyone his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane 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 in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel," says the LORD, "there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your offerings, 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.

As a pleasant aroma will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight 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.

You shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give 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.

There you shall remember your ways, and all your doings, in which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you 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.

You shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel," says the LORD.'"

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

The word of the LORD came to 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 your face toward the south, and drop your word 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 tell the forest of the South, 'Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the LORD, "Look, 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 burnt thereby.

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

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 I said, "Ah, LORD. They say of me, 'Isn't he a speaker of parables?'"