Ezekiel 20

1 And it comes to pass, in the seventh year, in the fifth [month], on the tenth of the month, men from [the] elderly of Israel have come in to seek YHWH, and they sit before me;

And it came to pass in the seventh year in the fifth month, on the tent of the month, that there came in men of the elders of Israel to enquire of Yahweh, —and they sat before me.

2 and there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

Then came the word of Yahweh unto me saying: -

3 “Son of man, speak to the elderly of Israel, and you have said to them, Thus said Lord YHWH: Are you coming in to seek Me? [As] I live—I am not sought by you—a declaration of Lord YHWH.

Son of man Speak thou with the elders of Israel and say unto them, Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, To enquire of me, are ye coming in? As I live, verily I will not be enquired of by you, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.

4 Do you judge them? Do you judge, son of man? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers,

Wilt thou judge them, wilt thou judge, O son of man? The abominations of their fathers, let them know:

5 and you have said to them, Thus said Lord YHWH: In the day of My fixing on Israel, I lift up My hand, To the seed of the house of Jacob, And am known to them in the land of Egypt, And I lift up My hand to them, Saying, I [am] your God YHWH.

So then thou shalt say unto them Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, In the day when I made choice of Israel, then lifted I up my hand. to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them, in the land of Egypt, - Yea I lifted up my hand to them, saying, I Yahweh, am your God.

6 In that day I lifted up My hand to them, To bring them forth from the land of Egypt, To a land that I spied out for them, Flowing with milk and honey, It [is] a beauty to all the lands,

In that day, lifted I up my hand to them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt, —into a land that I had looked out for them flowing with milk and honey, The beauty, it was of all lands,

7 And I say to them, Let each cast away the detestable things of his eyes, And do not be defiled with the idols of Egypt, I [am] your God YHWH.

And I said unto them. Every one the abomination of his eyes, cast ye away, And with the manufactured gods of Egypt, let it not be that ye defile yourselves: I, Yahweh, am your God.

8 And they rebel against Me, And have not been willing to listen to Me, Each has not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, And have not forsaken the idols of Egypt, And I speak—to pour out My fury on them, To complete My anger against them, In the midst of the land of Egypt.

But they rebelled against me And were not willing to hearken unto me, Every man the abominations of their eyes, they cast not away, And the manufactured gods of Egypt, forsook they not; Therefore spake I of pouring out mine indignation upon them to bring mine anger to an end against them, in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 And I do [it] for My Name’s sake, Not to defile [it] before the eyes of the nations, In whose midst they [are in], Before whose eyes I became known to them, To bring them out from the land of Egypt.

Howbeit I wrought with effect, for the sake of mine own Name, that it might not be profaned—before the eyes of the nations in whose midst they were, —before whose eyes I made myself known unto them, by bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

10 And I bring them out of the land of Egypt, And I bring them into the wilderness,

Therefore brought I them forth out of the land of Egypt, —and caused them to come into the desert.

11 And I give My statutes to them, And I caused them to know My judgments, Which the man who does—lives by them.

Then gave I unto them my statutes, And my regulations, caused I them to know, - By the which the man that doeth them shall live.

12 And I have also given My Sabbaths to them, To be for a sign between Me and them, To know that I [am] YHWH who is sanctifying them.

Moreover also my sabbaths, gave I unto them, to become a sign betwixt me and them, —that it might be known that, I, Yahweh, was hallowing them.

13 And the house of Israel rebels against Me in the wilderness, They have not walked in My statutes, And they have despised My judgments, Which the man who does—lives by them. And they have greatly defiled My Sabbaths, And I speak—to pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

But the house of Israel, rebelled against me, in the desert, In my statutes, walked they not, And my regulations, they rejected By the which the man, that doeth them, shall live, My sabbaths also, they profaned exceedingly. Therefore spake I of pouring out mine indignation upon them in the desert, to make an end of them.

14 And I do [it] for My Name’s sake, Not to defile [it] before the eyes of the nations, Before whose eyes I brought them forth.

Howbeit I wrought with effect for the sake of mine own Name, —that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations, in whose eyes I had brought them forth.

15 And also, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, Not to bring them into the land that I had given, Flowing with milk and honey, It [is] a beauty to all the lands,

Yet even I lifted up my hand to them. in the desert, — That I would not bring them into the land which I had given to them flowing with milk and honey, The beauty, it was. of all lands:

16 Because they kicked against My judgments, And they have not walked in My statutes, And they have defiled My Sabbaths, For their heart is going after their idols.

Because my regulations, they had rejected. And as for my statutes, they had not walked therein, My sabbaths also, had they profaned; For after their manufactured gods, their heart had been going.

17 And My eye has pity on them—against destroying them, And I have not made an end of them in the wilderness.

Nevertheless mine eye threw a shield over them that they should not be destroyed; So I made not of them a full end in the desert.

18 And I say to their sons in the wilderness: Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, And do not observe their judgments, And do not defile yourselves with their idols.

But I said unto their children in the desert, In the statutes of your fathers, let it not be that ye walk, And their regulations, let it not be that ye observe, — And with their manufactured gods, let it not be that ye defile yourselves.

19 I [am] your God YHWH, walk in My statutes, And observe My judgments, and do them,

I, Yahweh, am your God, In my statutes, walk ye, — And my regulations, observe ye and do them;

20 And sanctify My Sabbaths, And they have been for a sign between Me and you, To know that I [am] your God YHWH.

My sabbaths also, hallow ye, — And they shall become a sign betwixt me and you, That it may be known that I Yahweh am your God.

21 And the sons rebel against Me, They have not walked in My statutes, And they have not observed My judgments—to do them, Which the man who does—lives by them. They have defiled My Sabbaths, And I speak—to pour out My fury on them, To complete My anger against them in the wilderness.

Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me, In my statutes, walked they not, And my regulations, observed they not to do them Wherein the man who shall do them shall live, My sabbaths, they profaned. Therefore spake I of pouring out mine indignation upon them to bring mine anger to an end against them. in the desert.

22 And I have turned back My hand, And I do [it] for My Name’s sake, Not to defile [it] before the eyes of the nations, Before whose eyes I brought them out.

Howbeit I withdrew my hand, and wrought with effect for the sake of mine own Name, —that it should not be profaned before the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had brought them forth:

23 I also, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, To scatter them among nations, And to spread them through lands.

Even, I, lifted up my hand to them in the desert, — That I would disperse them throughout the nations, And scatter them throughout the lands;

24 Because they have not done My judgments, And they have despised My statutes, And they have defiled My Sabbaths, And their eyes have been after [the] idols of their fathers.

Because my regulations, had they not done And my statutes, they had rejected, My sabbaths also, they had profaned, - And after the manufactured gods of their fathers, were their eyes turned.

25 And I also, I have given statutes to them [that are] not good, And judgments by which they do not live.

I myself, indeed, suffered them to walk in statutes which were not good, — And regulations in which they could not live.

26 And I defile them by their own gifts, By causing every opener of a womb to pass away, So that I make them desolate, So that they know that I [am] YHWH.

Yea I let them defile themselves with their gifts, when they caused every firstborn to pass through the fire, -. that I might make them desolate. To the end they might know that, I, am Yahweh.

27 Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and you have said to them, Thus said Lord YHWH: Still in this your fathers have reviled Me, In their committing a trespass against Me.

Therefore speak thou unto the house of Israel Son of man, and say unto them, Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, — Yet further in this, did your fathers insult me, by the treachery wherewith they dealt treacherously against me;

28 And I bring them into the land, That I lifted up My hand to give to them, And they see every high hill, and every thick tree, And they sacrifice their sacrifices there, And give the provocation of their offering there, And make their refreshing fragrance there, And they pour out their drink-offerings there.

When I brought them into the land as to which I had lifted up mine hand to give it them, then beheld they every high hill and every tangled tree And offered there their sacrifices, And presented there, their provoking gift, And placed there, their satisfying odour, And poured out there, their drink- offerings.

29 And I say to them: What [is] the high place to where you are going in?” And its name is called “High Place” to this day.

Therefore said I unto them, What! a high-place, whereinto ye are entering? And so the name thereof hath been called High-place, until this day.

30 “Therefore, say to the house of Israel, Thus said Lord YHWH: Are you defiling yourselves in the way of your fathers? And do you go whoring after their detestable things?

Therefore say thou unto the house of Israel. Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, Is it in the way of your fathers, ye are defiling yourselves, - And after their abominations, that ye are committing lewdness?

31 And in the offering of your gifts, In causing your sons to pass through fire, You are defiled by all your idols to this day, And I am sought by you, O house of Israel? [As] I live—a declaration of Lord YHWH, I am not sought by you.

Yea when ye lift up your gifts When ye cause your children to pass through the fire, Ye are defiling yourselves unto all your manufactured gods unto this day, And shall, I, be enquired of by you O house of Israel? As I live, Declareth My Lord Yahweh, Surely I will not be enquired of by you.

32 And that which is going up on your mind, It is not at all—in that you are saying: We will be as the nations, as the families of the lands, To serve wood and stone.

And as for that which is rising up on your spirit, it shall, not at all come to pass, In that ye are saying Let us be like the nations Like the families of the lands, By ministering unto Wood and Stone!

33 [As] I live—a declaration of Lord YHWH, Do I not, with a strong hand, And with an outstretched arm, And with poured out fury—rule over you?

As I live, Declareth My Lord Yahweh, Surely, with a strong hand and With an outstretched arm and With outpoured indignation, Will I be king over you;

34 And I have brought you forth from the peoples, And assembled you from the lands In which you have been scattered, With a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, And with poured out fury.

And I will bring you forth from among the peoples, And gather you together out of the lands, throughout which ye have been dispersed, With a strong hand and With an outstretched arm, and With outpoured indignation;

35 And I have brought you into the wilderness of the peoples, And have been judged with you there face to face.

And I will bring you into the desert of the peoples, —and will contend with you there, face to face.

36 As I was judged with your fathers, In the wilderness of the land of Egypt, So I am judged with you, A declaration of Lord YHWH.

Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, So will I contend with you, Declareth My Lord Yahweh;

37 And I have caused you to pass under the rod, And brought you into the bond of the covenant,

And I will cause you to pass under the rod And will bring you into the bond of the covenant;

38 And cleared out the rebels from you, And those transgressing against Me, I bring them out from the land of their sojournings, And they do not come to the land of Israel, And you have known that I [am] YHWH.

And will sever from you those who are rebelling and those who are transgressing against me, Out of the land of their sojournings, will I bring them forth, Yet upon the soil of Israel, shall they not enter, So shall ye know that, I, am Yahweh.

39 And you, O house of Israel, thus said Lord YHWH: Each go, serve his idols, And afterward, if you are not listening to Me [anyway], But you do not defile My holy Name anymore by your gifts, and by your idols.

But as for you, O house of Israel Thus, saith my Lord. Yahweh, Go. serve every man his own manufactured gods, Yet afterwards, surely Ye shall be ready to hearken unto me, — And my holy name, shall ye profane no more, With your gifts, and With your manufactured gods.

40 For on My holy mountain, On the mountain of the height of Israel, A declaration of Lord YHWH, All the house of Israel serves Me there, All of it, in the land—I accept them there, And I seek your raised-offerings there, And with the first-fruit of your gifts, With all your holy things.

For in my holy mountain. In the mountain of the height of Israel, Declareth, My Lord Yahweh, There shall all the house of Israel serve me, all of it, in the land, There will I accept them, and There, will I seek your heave-offerings and the firstfruits of your gifts, in all your holy things:

41 With refreshing fragrance I accept you, In My bringing you out from the peoples, And I have assembled you from the lands In which you have been scattered, And I have been sanctified in you Before the eyes of the nations.

As a satisfying odour, will I accept you, Through my bringing you forth from among the peoples, And gathering you out of the lands, throughout which ye have been dispersed; Thus will I hallow myself in you before the eyes of the nations.

42 And you have known that I [am] YHWH, In My bringing you to the ground of Israel, To the land that I lifted up My hand To give it to your fathers,

So shall ye know that I am Yahweh, Through my bringing you in unto the soil of Israel, Unto the land as to which I lifted up my hand, to give it unto your fathers.

43 And you have remembered your ways there, And all your doings, In which you have been defiled, And you have been loathsome in your own faces, For all your evils that you have done.

Then shall ye call to mind. there, your own ways and all your own doings, wherewith ye had defiled yourselves, - And ye shall become loathsome in your own sight, for all your wickednesses, which ye have done.

44 And you have known that I [am] YHWH, In My dealing with you for My Name’s sake, Not according to your evil ways, And according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, A declaration of Lord YHWH.”

So shall ye know that, I, am Yahweh, Through my dealing effectively with you, for the sake of mine own Name, - Not according to your own wicked ways. Nor according to your corrupted doings. O house of Israel, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.

45 And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

Then came the word of Yahweh unto me. saying:

46 “Son of man, set your face the way of Teman, and prophesy to the south, and prophesy to the forest of the field—the south;

Son of man Set thy face the way towards Teman, And drop thy word against the land of the sun, And prophesy unto the forest of the field of the South;

47 and you have said to the forest of the south, Hear a word of YHWH! Thus said Lord YHWH: Behold, I am kindling a fire in you, And it has devoured every moist tree in you, and every dry tree, The glowing flames are not quenched, And all faces from south to north have been burned by it.

And thou shalt say to the forest of the South Hear the word of Yahweh, — Thus saith My Lord Yahweh-Behold me! kindling in thee a fire. And it shall devour in thee every moist tree and every dry tree. The spreading flame shall not be quenched, Then shall be scorched thereby all faces from south to north;

48 And all flesh has seen, that I, YHWH, have kindled it—it is not quenched.”

And all flesh shall see that I. Yahweh have kindled it, - It shall not be quenched.

49 And I say, “Aah! Lord YHWH, They are saying of me, Is he not using allegories?”

Then said I, Ah! My Lord Yahweh: They are saying of me, Is not he a putter forth of parables?