Ezekiel 20

1 On the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year, some of the elders of Israel came to ask advice from the Lord, and they sat down with 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 enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

2 Then a message from the Lord came to me, saying,

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

3 “Son of man, tell these elders of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: Have you come to ask my advice? As I live, I'm not going to answer you, declares the Lord God.

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

4 Are you going to condemn them—will you do that, son of man? Remind them about the disgusting things their forefathers did,

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

5 and then tell them that this is what the Lord God says: At the time I chose Israel, I held up my hand and made a solemn promise to Jacob's descendants and revealed myself to them when they were in Egypt. I held up my hand and told them, ‘I am the Lord your God.’

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

6 I promised them on that day to lead them out of Egypt and take them to a country that I had chosen for them, a land flowing with milk and honey—better than any other country.

In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them out 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 I told them: ‘All of you have to get rid of your disgusting pagan images. Don't make yourselves unclean by worshiping the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

Then said I unto them, Cast all of 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 rebelled against me and wouldn't do what I told them. None of them got rid of their disgusting pagan images, and they didn't give up worshiping the idols of Egypt. So I warned them that I would punish them in my anger there in Egypt.

But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto 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 upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I did act so I would not be misrepresented, so that I wouldn't lose respect in the eyes of the other nations living near them who had seen me reveal myself to Israel by leading them out of Egypt.

But I wrought 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 unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

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

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

11 There I gave them my laws and explained to them my regulations so that those who kept them would live.

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

12 I also gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, so that they would acknowledge that I am the Lord who makes them holy.

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 But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert, refusing to observe my laws and rejecting my regulations, even though they would have given them life. They violated my Sabbaths. So I warned them that I would punish them and wipe them out there in the desert.

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 upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I still acted for them so I would not be misrepresented, so that I wouldn't lose respect in the eyes of the other nations who had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt.

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

15 So I held up my hand and vowed to them in the desert that I wouldn't take them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey—better than any other country—

Yet also I lifted 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 the glory of all lands;

16 because they repeatedly rejected my regulations, refused to observe my laws, and violated my Sabbaths, and because they chose to continue worshiping idols.

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

17 Even so I was sorry for them and I didn't destroy them; I didn't wipe them out in the desert.

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

18 I told their children in the desert: ‘Don't do what your fathers told you to do. Don't follow their practices. Don't make yourselves unclean by worshiping their idols.

But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk all of 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. Do what I tell you to do. Follow my regulations and make sure to practice them.

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

20 Keep my Sabbaths holy so they may be a sign between me and you, so that you may acknowledge that I am the Lord your God.’

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

21 But their children also rebelled against me. They didn't follow my laws and didn't keep my regulations, even though they would have given them life. They violated my Sabbaths. So I warned them that I would punish them in my anger there in the desert.

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 upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

22 But I held back and did what I did so I would not be misrepresented, so that I wouldn't lose respect in the eyes of the other nations who had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt.

Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought 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 However, I held up my hand and vowed to them in the desert that I was going to scatter them among the various countries of different nations.

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

24 For they didn't keep my regulations, instead they rejected my laws and violated my Sabbaths, always looking to worship their fathers' idols.

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 I also let them follow the regulations they wanted that weren't good; laws that wouldn't help them live.

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

26 I let them make themselves unclean by their offerings to idols, including their firstborn sons. I allowed this to happen so that they would be so appalled that they would acknowledge 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 So, son of man, tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: You're acting in exactly the same way your forefathers insulted me by being unfaithful to me.

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

28 After I led them into the land that I had promised to give them, on any high hill or under any leafy tree they saw there they offered their pagan sacrifices and presented offerings to idols that made me angry, burning their sweet-smelling incense and pouring out their drink offerings.

For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine 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 savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.

29 So I asked them: ‘What's this high place you're going to?’ (Even today it's still called Bamah.)

Then I said unto them, What is the high place unto which all of you go? And the name whereof is called Bamah unto this day.

30 Therefore tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: Are you going to make yourselves unclean like your forefathers, turning yourselves into prostitutes, acting the way they did with the same disgusting practices?

Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD; Are all of you polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit all of you whoredom after their abominations?

31 When you present your offerings to idols and sacrifice your children in the fire, you continue to make yourselves unclean with all your idols right up until now. So should I give you advice when you ask me, people of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I'm not going to answer you!

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

32 When you say to yourselves, ‘Let's be like the other nations, like people in other countries who worship idols made of wood and stone,’ what you're thinking is never going to happen.

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

33 As I live, declares the Lord God, I will rule you with all my strength and power, and in my anger.

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 With all my strength and power, and in my anger, I will lead you out from among the nations and gather you from the countries where you were scattered.

And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein all of you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

35 I will bring you before me for judgment face to face in the desert of the nations.

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

36 In the same way I judged your forefathers in the Egyptian desert after I'd led them out of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Lord God.

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

37 I will decide about you as you pass under the rod and see if you kept our solemn agreement.

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

38 I will get rid of those of you who rebel against me, those who sin against me. I will lead them out of the country where they're currently living, but they won't 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: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and all of you shall know that I am the LORD.

39 This is what the Lord God says to you, you people of Israel: All of you, go ahead and worship your idols. But after that if you don't listen to me you won't continue to disgrace me with your pagan offerings and idols.

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

40 For there on my holy mountain, Israel's high mountain, declares the Lord God, every single person in the whole country of Israel will worship me. That's where I'll accept them and will ask for your offerings and your best gifts, together with all your holy sacrifices.

For in mine 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 When I bring you back from the nations and gather you from countries where you were scattered, I will accept you as a suitable offering to me. I will reveal my holiness through you so the nations can see.

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

42 Then you will acknowledge that I am the Lord when I bring you back to the country of Israel, the land that I promised to give your forefathers.

And all of 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 mine hand to give it to your fathers.

43 That's where you will remember your bad ways and everything you've done to make yourselves unclean, and you will hate yourselves for the evil things you did.

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

44 Then you people of Israel will acknowledge that I am the Lord, because I have treated you well because of who I am, and not because of your evil ways and terrible things you've done, declares the Lord God.”

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

45 Another message from the Lord came to me, saying,

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

46 “Son of man, face towards the south and preach against it. Prophesy against the forest of the Negev.

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 Tell the forest of the Negev: Listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says: I am going to set you on fire, and it will burn up all your trees, both those that are living and those that are dead. The blaze won't be put out, and everything from the north to the south will be burned.

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 Then everyone will recognize that it was me, the Lord, who started the fire, and it won't be put out.”

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

49 But then I said, “Oh no, Lord God! People already say, ‘He's just telling stories!’”

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