Ezekiel 20

1 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Jehovah, and sat before me.

Now it came about in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the responsible men of Israel came to get directions from the Lord and were seated before me.

2 Then came the word of Jehovah to me, saying:

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

3 Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Are ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you.

Son of man, say to the responsible men of Israel, This is what the Lord has said: Have you come to get directions from me? By my life, says the Lord, you will get no directions from me.

4 Punish them, punish them, son of man, cause them to know the abominations of their fathers, and say to them,

Will you be their judge, O son of man, will you be their judge? make clear to them the disgusting ways of their fathers,

5 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: At the time when I chose Israel, I lifted up my hand to the race of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I lifted up my hand to them, and said, I am Jehovah, your God.

And say to them, This is what the Lord has said: In the day when I took Israel for myself, when I made an oath to the seed of the family of Jacob, and I gave them knowledge of myself in the land of Egypt, saying to them with an oath, I am the Lord your God;

6 At that time I lifted up my hand to them, that I would bring them forth out of the land of Egypt, into a land which I had looked out for them, flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands.

In that day I gave my oath to take them out of the land of Egypt into a land which I had been searching out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands:

7 And I said to them, Cast ye away from you every one the abomination of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt! I am Jehovah, your God.

And I said to them, Let every man among you put away the disgusting things to which his eyes are turned, and do not make yourselves unclean with the images of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken to me; they did not cast away every one the abominations of his eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said that I would pour out my fury upon them, that I would accomplish mine anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

But they would not be controlled by me, and did not give ear to me; they did not put away the disgusting things to which their eyes were turned, or give up the images of Egypt: then I said I would let loose my passion on them to give full effect to my wrath against them in the land of Egypt.

9 But I acted for my name's sake, that it might not be polluted in the sight of the nations, in the midst of whom they were; and before their eyes I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean before the eyes of the nations among whom they were, and before whose eyes I gave them knowledge of myself, by taking them out of the land of Egypt.

10 And I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and led them into the wilderness.

So I made them go out of the land of Egypt and took them into the waste land.

11 And I gave them my statutes, and made known to them my laws, through which the man that keepeth them shall live.

And I gave them my rules and made clear to them my orders, which, if a man keeps them, will be life to him.

12 Also I gave them my sabbaths, that they might be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I, Jehovah, sanctify them.

And further, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, so that it might be clear that I, who make them holy, am the Lord.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the desert; they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my laws, through which the man that keepeth them shall live, and my sabbaths they greatly polluted. Then I said that I would pour out my fury upon them in the desert, to consume them.

But the children of Israel would not be controlled by me in the waste land: they were not guided by my rules, and they were turned away from my orders, which, if a man does them, will be life to him; and they had no respect for my Sabbaths: then I said that I would let loose my passion on them in the waste land, and put an end to them.

14 But I acted for my name's sake, that it might not be polluted before the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.

And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean in the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had taken them out.

15 Yet I lifted up my hand to them in the desert, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, the beauty of all lands;

And further, I gave my oath to them in the waste land, that I would not take them into the land which I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands;

16 because they despised my laws, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

Because they were turned away from my orders, and were not guided by my rules, and had no respect for my Sabbaths: for their hearts went after their images.

17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them, so that I did not destroy them; neither did I make an end of them in the desert.

But still my eye had pity on them and I kept them from destruction and did not put an end to them completely in the waste land.

18 And I said to their sons in the desert, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols!

And I said to their children in the waste land, Do not be guided by the rules of your fathers or keep their orders or make yourselves unclean with their images:

19 I am Jehovah, your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them.

I am the Lord your God; be guided by my rules and keep my orders and do them:

20 And hallow my sabbaths, that they may be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am Jehovah, your God.

And keep my Sabbaths holy; and they will be a sign between me and you so that it may be clear to you that I am the Lord your God.

21 But the sons rebelled against me; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept they my ordinances to do them, through which the man that doeth them shall live, and they polluted my sabbaths. Then I said that I would pour out my fury upon them, and accomplish mine anger upon them in the desert.

But the children would not be controlled by me; they were not guided by my rules, and they did not keep and do my orders, which, if a man does them, will be life to him; and they had no respect for my Sabbaths: then I said I would let loose my passion on them to give full effect to my wrath against them in the waste land.

22 Nevertheless I held back my hand, and acted for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.

And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean in the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had taken them out.

23 I also lifted up my hand against them in the desert, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries,

Further, I gave my oath to them in the waste land that I would send them wandering among the nations, driving them out among the countries;

24 because they did not observe mine ordinances, but despised my statutes, and polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after the idols of their fathers.

Because they had not done my orders, but had been turned away from my rules, and had not given respect to my Sabbaths, and their eyes were turned to the images of their fathers.

25 Moreover I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances by which they should not live.

And further, I gave them rules which were not good and orders in which there was no life for them;

26 And I polluted them in their offerings, in that they caused every first-born child to pass through the fire, that I might destroy them, to the end that they might know that I am Jehovah.

I made them unclean in the offerings they gave, causing them to make every first child go through the fire, so that I might put an end to them.

27 Therefore speak to the house of Israel, O son of man, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Yet in this your fathers dishonored me, and trespassed against me.

For this cause, son of man, say to the children of Israel, This is what the Lord has said: In this your fathers have further put shame on my name by doing wrong against me.

28 For when I had brought them into the land concerning which I lifted up my hand, that I would give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick tree's, and there they offered their sacrifices, and there they presented their provoking oblation, and there they brought their sweet savor, and there they poured out their drink-offerings.

For when I had taken them into the land which I made an oath to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every branching tree and made their offerings there, moving me to wrath by their offerings; and there the sweet smell of their offerings went up and their drink offerings were drained out.

29 Then I said to them, What is the high place to which ye go? And it is called The High Place unto this day.

Then I said to them, What is this high place where you go to no purpose? And it is named Bamah to this day.

30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers, and do ye commit fornication according to their abominations,

For this cause say to the children of Israel, This is what the Lord has said: Are you making yourselves unclean as your fathers did? are you being untrue to me by going after their disgusting works?

31 and by offering your gifts, and causing your sons to pass through the fire, —are ye polluted with all your idols even to this day, and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you!

And when you give your offerings, causing your sons to go through the fire, you make yourselves unclean with all your images to this day; and will you come to me for directions, O children of Israel? By my life, says the Lord, you will get no direction from me.

32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not come to pass, when ye say, “We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, worshipping wood and stone.”

And that which comes into your minds will never take place; when you say, We will be like the nations, like the families of the countries, servants of wood and stone;

33 As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out will I rule over you.

By my life, says the Lord, truly, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with burning wrath let loose, I will be King over you:

34 And I will bring you forth from the nations, and gather you from the countries, wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

And I will take you out from the peoples and get you together out of the countries where you are wandering, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with burning wrath let loose:

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

And I will take you into the waste land of the peoples, and there I will take up the cause with you face to face.

36 Even as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so also will I contend with you, saith the Lord Jehovah.

As I took up the cause with your fathers in the waste land of the land of Egypt, so will I take up the cause with you says the Lord.

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

And I will make you go under the rod and will make you small in number:

38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me; out of the country where they sojourn will I bring them forth, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

Clearing out from among you all those who are uncontrolled and who are sinning against me; I will take them out of the land where they are living, but they will not come into the land of Israel: and you will be certain that I am the Lord.

39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Go ye, serve ye every one his idols in future also, if ye will not obey me! But pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts and your idols!

As for you, O children of Israel, the Lord has said: Let every man completely put away his images and give ear to me: and let my holy name no longer be shamed by your offerings and your images.

40 For upon my holy mountain, upon the lofty mountain of Israel, there shall all the house of Israel, all that are 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 things which ye consecrate to me.

For in my holy mountain, in the high mountain of Israel, says the Lord, there all the children of Israel, all of them, will be my servants in the land; there I will take pleasure in them, and there I will be worshipped with your offerings and the first-fruits of the things you give, and with all your holy things.

41 I will accept you as a sweet savor, when I bring you forth from the nations, and gather you from the countries, wherein ye have been scattered, and will through you be honored before the eyes of the nations.

I will take pleasure in you as in a sweet smell, when I take you out from the peoples and get you together from the countries where you have been sent in flight; and I will make myself holy in you before the eyes of the nations.

42 And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country concerning which I lifted up my hand, that I would give it to your fathers.

And you will be certain that I am the Lord, when I take you into the land of Israel, into the country which I made an oath to give to your fathers.

43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been polluted; and ye shall loathe yourselves for all your evil deeds which ye have committed.

And there, at the memory of your ways and of all the things you did to make yourselves unclean, you will have bitter hate for yourselves because of all the evil things you have done.

44 And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah.

And you will be certain that I am the Lord, when I take you in hand for the honour of my name, and not for your evil ways or your unclean doings, O children of Israel, says the Lord.

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

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

46 Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word against the South, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South;

Son of man, let your face be turned to the south, let your words be dropped to the south, and be a prophet against the woodland of the South;

47 and say to the forest of the South, Hear the word of Jehovah! Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will kindle in thee a fire, which shall devour every green tree and every dry tree within thee; the fierce flame shall not be quenched, and all parts from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

And say to the woodland of the South, Give ear to the words of the Lord: this is what the Lord has said: See, I will have a fire lighted in you, for the destruction of every green tree in you and every dry tree: the flaming flame will not be put out, and all faces from the south to the north will be burned by it.

48 And all flesh shall see that I, Jehovah, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.

And all flesh will see that I the Lord have had it lighted: it will not be put out.

49 And I said, Ah, Lord Jehovah, they say of me, “Doth he not speak in parables?”

Then I said, Ah, Lord! they say of me, Is he not a maker of stories?