Ezekiel 20

1 And in the seuenth yeere, in the fift moneth, the tenth day of the moneth, came certaine of the elders of Israel to enquire of the Lord, and sate before me.

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.

2 Then came the worde of the Lord vnto me, saying,

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

3 Sonne of man, speake vnto the Elders of Israel, and say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye come to enquire of me? as I liue, sayth the Lord God, when I am asked, I wil not answer you.

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.

4 Wilt thou iudge them, sonne of man? wilt thou iudge them? cause them to vnderstand the abominations of their fathers,

If thou judgest them, if thou judgest, son of man, declare to them the abominations of their fathers.

5 And say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God, In the day when I chose Israel, and lift vp mine hand vnto the seede of the house of Iaakob, and made my selfe knowen vnto them in the land of Egypt, when I lift vp mine hand vnto them, and sayd, I am the Lord your God,

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:

6 In the day that I lift vp mine hand vnto them to bring them forth of the land of Egypt, into a land that I had prouided for them, flowing with milke and hony which is pleasant among all lands,

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.

7 Then sayd I vnto them, Let euery man cast away the abominations of his eyes, and defile not your selues with the idols of Egypt: for I am the Lord your God.

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.

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not heare me: for none cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idoles of Egypt: then I thought to powre out mine indignation vpon them, and to accomplish my wrath against them in the mids of the land of Egypt.

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.

9 But I had respect to my Name, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whome they were, and in whose sight I made my selfe knowen vnto them in bringing them forth of the land of Egypt.

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.

10 Nowe I caried them out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wildernes.

Therefore I brought them out from the land of Egypt, and brought them into the desert.

11 And I gaue them my statutes, and declared my iudgements vnto them, which if a man doe, he shall liue in them.

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

12 Moreouer I gaue them also my Sabbaths to be a signe betweene me and them, that they might knowe that I am the Lord, that sanctifie them.

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.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wildernes: they walked not in my statutes, and they cast away my iudgements, which if a man doe, he shall liue in them, and my Sabbaths haue they greatly polluted: then I thought to powre out mine indignation vpon them in the wildernes to consume them,

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.

14 But I had respect to my Name, that it shoulde not bee polluted before the heathen in whose sight I brought them out.

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.

15 Yet neuerthelesse, I lift vp mine hande vnto them in the wildernes that I would not bring them into the lande, which I had giuen them, flowing with milke and hony, which was pleasant aboue all landes,

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.

16 Because they cast away my iudgments, and walked not in my statutes, but haue polluted my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idoles.

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

17 Neuerthelesse, mine eye spared them, that I would not destroye them, neither would I consume them in the wildernes.

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

18 But I said vnto their children in the wildernes, Walke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers, neither obserue their maners, nor defile your selues with their idoles.

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:

19 I am the Lord your God: walke in my statutes, and keepe my iudgements and doe them,

I am the Lord your God: walk ye in my statutes, and observe my judgments, and do them.

20 And sanctifie my Sabbaths, and they shall bee a signe betweene mee and you, that ye may knowe that I am the Lord your God.

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.

21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against mee: they walked not in my statutes, nor kept my iudgements to doe them, which if a man doe, hee shall liue in them, but they polluted my Sabbaths: then I thought to powre out mine indignation vpon them, and to accomplish my wrath against them in the wildernes.

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.

22 Neuerthelesse I withdrew mine hand and had respect to my Name that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them foorth.

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.

23 Yet I lift vp mine hande vnto them in the wildernes, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countreys,

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

24 Because they had not executed my iudgements, but had cast away my statutes and had polluted my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers idoles.

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.

25 Wherefore I gaue them also statutes that were not good, and iudgements, wherein they should not liue.

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

26 And I polluted them in their owne giftes in that they caused to passe by the fire all that first openeth ye wombe, that I might destroy them, to the ende, that they might know that I am ye Lord.

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.

27 Therefore, sonne of man, speake vnto the house of Israel, and say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Yet in this your fathers haue blasphemed me, though they had before grieuously transgressed against me.

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;

28 For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted vp mine hand to giue it to them, then they saw euery hie hill, and all the thicke trees, and they offred there their sacrifices, and there they presented their offering of prouocation: there also they made their sweete sauour, and powred out there their drinke offerings.

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.

29 Then I saide vnto them, What is the hie place whereunto ye goe? And the name thereof was called Bamah vnto this day.

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.

30 Wherefore, say vnto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye not polluted after the maner of your fathers? and commit ye not whoredome after their abominations?

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.

31 For when you offer your giftes, and make your sonnes to passe through the fire, you pollute your selues with all your idoles vnto this day: shall I answere you when I am asked, O house of Israel? As I liue, saith the Lord God, I wil not answere you when I am asked.

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.

32 Neither shall that be done that commeth into your minde: for ye say, We wil be as the heathen, and as the families of the countreys, and serue wood, and stone.

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.

33 As I liue, saith the Lord God, I will surely rule you with a mightie hand, and with a stretched out arme, and in my wrath powred out,

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.

34 And will bring you from the people, and will gather you out of the countreys, wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arme, and in my wrath powred out,

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.

35 And I will bring you into the wildernes of the people, and there wil I pleade with you face to face.

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

36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wildernes of the lande of Egypt, so will I pleade with you, saith the Lord God.

As I pleaded against your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt; even so will I judge you, saith the Lord God.

37 And I wil cause you to passe vnder the rod, and wil bring you into the bond of the couenant.

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

38 And I wil chuse out from among you the rebels, and them that transgresse against mee: I will bring them out of the land where they dwel, and they shall not enter into the lande of Israel, and you shall knowe that I am the Lord.

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.

39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, Goe you, and serue euery one his idole, seeing that ye will not obey me, and pollute mine holy Name no more with your giftes and with your idoles.

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;

40 For in mine holy mountaine, euen in the hie mountaine of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, and all in the lande, serue me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offrings and the first fruites of your oblations, with all your holy things.

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.

41 I will accept your sweete sauour, when I bring you from the people, and gather you out of the countreys, wherein ye haue bene scattered, that I may be sanctified in you before ye heathen.

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.

42 And ye shall knowe, that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the land, for the which I lifted vp mine hande to giue it to your fathers.

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.

43 And there shall ye remember your wayes, and all your workes, wherein ye haue bene defiled, and ye shall iudge your selues worthy to be cut off, for all your euils, that ye haue committed.

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.

44 And ye shall knowe, that I am the Lord, when I haue respect vnto you for my Names sake, and not after your wicked wayes, nor according to your corrupt workes, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God.

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.

45 Moreouer, the worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

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

46 Sonne of man, set thy face toward the way of Teman, and drop thy word toward the South, and prophecie towarde the forest of the fielde of the South,

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.

47 And say to the forest of the South, Heare the worde of the Lord: thus saith the Lord God, Beholde, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall deuoure all the greene wood in thee, and all the drie wood: the continuall flame shall not bee quenched, and euery face from the South to the North shall be burnt therein.

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.

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

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

49 Then saide I, Ah Lord God, they say of me, Doeth not he speake parables?

And I said: Ah, ah, ah, O Lord God: they say of me: Doth not this man speak by parables?