Ezekiel 20

1 It came about in the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, that elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh and sat before me.

And it came to pass in the seventh year, on the fifteenth day of the month, there came men of the elders of the house of Israel to enquire of the Lord, and they sat before me.

2 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

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

3 “Son of man, declare to the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Have you come to inquire of me? As I live, I will not be inquired of by you!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'

Son of man, speak to the elders of the house of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord; Are ye come to enquire of me? [As] I live, I will not be enquired of by you, saith the Lord.

4 Will you judge them? Will you judge, son of man? Let them know about their fathers' abominations.

Shall I utterly take vengeance on them, son of man? testify to them of the iniquities of their fathers:

5 Say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: On the day that I chose Israel and raised my hand to swear an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I raised my hand to swear an oath to them. I said, “I am Yahweh your God”—

and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord; From the day that I chose the house of Israel, and became known to the seed of the house of Jacob, and was known to them in the land of Egypt, and helped them with my hand, saying, I am the Lord your God;

6 on that day I raised my hand to swear an oath to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had carefully selected for them. It was flowing with milk and honey; it was the most beautiful ornament among all the lands.

in that day I helped them with my hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into the land which I prepared for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, it is abundant beyond every land.

7 I said to them, “Let each man throw away the detestable things from before his eyes and the idols of Egypt. Do not make yourselves unclean; I am Yahweh your God.”

And I said to them, Let every one cast away the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the devices of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

8 But they rebelled against me and were unwilling to listen to me. Each man did not throw away the detestable things from before his eyes nor forsake the idols of Egypt, so I determined to pour out my fury upon them to satisfy my wrath among them in the middle of the land of Egypt.

But they revolted from me, and would not hearken to me: they cast not away the abominations of their eyes, and forsook not the devices of Egypt: then I said that I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish my wrath upon them in the midst of Egypt.

9 I acted for my name's sake so it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were staying. I made myself known to them, in their eyes, by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

But I wrought [so] that my name should not be at all profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in the midst of whom they are, among whom I was made known to them in their sight, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

10 So I sent them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.

And I brought them into the wilderness.

11 Then I gave them my statutes and made my decrees known to them, by which a man will live if he obeys them.

And I gave them my commandments, and made known to them mine ordinances, all which [if] a man shall do, he shall even live in them.

12 I also gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between myself and them, for them to know that I am Yahweh who makes them holy.

And I gave them my sabbaths, that they should be for a sign between me and them, that they should know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes; instead, they rejected my decrees, by which a man will live if he obeys them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths, so I said I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness in order to end them.

And I said to the house of Israel in the wilderness, Walk ye in my commandments: but they walked not [in them], and they rejected mine ordinances, which [if] a man shall do, he shall even live in them; and they grievously profaned my sabbaths: and I said that I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I acted for my name's sake so it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out of Egypt.

But I wrought [so] that my name should not be at all profaned before the Gentiles, before whose eyes I brought them out.

15 So I myself also raised my hand to swear an oath to them in the wilderness not to bring them into the land that I had been going to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey, which was the most beautiful ornament among all the lands.

But I lifted up my hand against them in the wilderness once for all, that I would not bring them into the land which I gave them, a land flowing with milk and honey, it is sweeter than all lands:

16 I swore this because they had rejected my decrees and did not walk in my statutes, and they profaned my Sabbaths, since their hearts walked after their idols.

because they rejected mine ordinances, and walked not in my commandments, but profaned my sabbaths, and went after the imaginations of their hearts.

17 But my eye spared them from their destruction and I did not annihilate them in the wilderness.

Yet mine eyes spared them, so as [not] to destroy them utterly, and I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.

18 I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, or keep their rules, or defile yourselves with their idols.

And I said to their children in the wilderness, Walk not ye in the customs of your fathers, and keep not their ordinances, and have no fellowship with their practices, nor defile yourselves [with them].

19 I am Yahweh your God, walk in my statutes; keep my decrees and obey them.

I [am] the Lord your God; walk in my commandments, and keep mine ordinances, and do them;

20 Keep my Sabbaths holy so that they will be a sign between me and you, so that you will know that I am Yahweh your God.”

and hallow my sabbaths, and let them be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

21 But their sons and daughters rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes or keep my decrees, by which a man might live if he obeys them. They profaned my Sabbaths, so I determined to pour out my fury upon them to satisfy my wrath against them in the wilderness.

But they provoked me, and their children walked not in my commandments, and they took no heed to mine ordinances to do them, which [if] a man shall do, he shall even live in them, and they profaned my sabbaths: then I said that I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to accomplish mine anger upon them.

22 But I turned my hand away and acted for my name's sake, so it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought out the Israelites.

But I wrought so that my name might not be at all profaned before the Gentiles; and I brought them out in their sight.

23 I myself also lifted up my hand to swear to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands.

I lifted up my hand against them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles, [and] disperse them in the countries;

24 I decided to do this since they had not obeyed my decrees, and since they had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths. Their eyes were longing after their fathers' idols.

because they kept not mine ordinances, and rejected my commandments, and profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes went after the imaginations of their fathers.

25 Then I also gave them statutes that were not good, and decrees by which they could not live.

So I gave them commandments [that were] not good, and ordinances in which they should not live.

26 I declared them to be unclean through their gifts—they made a sacrifice of every firstborn of the womb and caused them to pass through the fire—that I might fill them with horror so they will know that I am Yahweh!'

And I will defile them by their [own] decrees, when I pass through upon every one that opens the womb, that I may destroy them.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: In this also your fathers blasphemed me when they were unfaithful to me.

Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the Lord: Hitherto have your fathers provoked me in their trespasses in which they transgressed against me.

28 When I brought them into the land that I had sworn to give them, and then whenever they saw any high hill and leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices, they provoked me by their offerings, and there they also burned their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.

Whereas I brought them into the land concerning which I lifted up mine hand to give it them; and they looked upon every high hill, and every shady tree, and they sacrificed there to their gods, and offered there sweet-smelling savour, and there they poured out their drink-offerings.

29 Then I said to them, “What is this high place where you bring offerings there?” So the name is called Bamah to this day.'

And I said to them, What is Abama, that ye go in thither? and they called its name Abama, until this day.

30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Why do you make yourselves unclean with the ways of your fathers? So why do you act like prostitutes, searching for disgusting things?

Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Do ye pollute yourselves with the iniquities of your fathers, and do ye go a-whoring after their abominations,

31 When you offer up your gifts—when you cause your sons to pass through the fire—to this day you defile yourselves with all your idols. So why should I let you seek me, house of Israel? As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—I will not allow you to seek me.

and [do ye pollute yourselves] with the first-fruits of your gifts, in the offerings wherewith ye pollute yourselves in all your imaginations, until this day; and shall I answer you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith the Lord, I will not answer you, neither shall this thing come upon your spirit.

32 The thought that is forming in your mind will never happen. You say, “Let us be like the other nations, like the clans in the other lands who worship wood and stone.”

And it shall not be as ye say, We will be as the nations, and as the tribes of the earth, to worship stocks and stones.

33 As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—I will certainly reign over you with a mighty hand, a raised arm, and fury that will be poured out on you.

Therefore, [as] I live, saith the Lord, I will reign over you with a strong hand, and with a high arm, and with outpoured wrath:

34 I will bring you out from the other peoples and will gather you out of the countries among whom you have been scattered. I will do this with a mighty hand and with fury poured out.

I will bring you out from the nations, and will take you out of the lands wherein ye were dispersed, with a strong hand, and with a high arm, and with outpoured wrath.

35 Then I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face.

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

36 As I judged your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so also I will judge you—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.

As I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I judge you, saith the Lord.

37 I will cause you to pass under my rod, and I will make you obey the requirements of the covenant.

And I will cause you to pass under my rod, and I will bring you in by number.

38 I will purge from among you the rebels and those who revolt against me. I will send them out from the land where they are staying as foreigners, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.

And I will separate from among you the ungodly and the revolters; for I will lead them forth out of their place of sojourning, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord, [even] the Lord.

39 So to you, house of Israel, the Lord Yahweh says this: Each of you should go to his own idols. Worship them if you will refuse to listen to me, but you must no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and your idols.

And [as to] you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord, [even] the Lord; Put away each one his [evil] practices, and hereafter if ye hearken to me, then shall ye no more profane my holy name by your gifts and by devices.

40 For on my holy mountain, on the mountain peak of Israel—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—all of the house of Israel will worship me there in the land. I will be pleased to require your offerings there, and also the firstfruits of your tribute with all your holy things.

For upon my holy mountain, on the high mountain, saith the Lord, [even] the Lord, there shall all the house of Israel serve me for ever: and there will I accept [you], and there will I have respect to your first-fruits, and the first-fruits of your offerings, in all your holy things.

41 I will accept you like fragrant incense when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. I will show myself as holy among you for the nations to see.

I will accept you with a sweet-smelling savour, when I bring you out from the nations, and take you out of the countries wherein ye have been dispersed; and I will be sanctified among you in the sight of the nations.

42 Then, when I bring you to the land of Israel, to the land that I have lifted up my hand to swear to give to your fathers, you will know that I am Yahweh.

And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have brought you into the land of Israel, into the land concerning which I lifted up my hand to give it to your fathers.

43 There you will call to mind your conduct and all of your deeds by which you defiled yourselves, and you will despise yourselves in your own eyes for all your evil deeds that you have done.

And ye shall there remember your ways, and your devices wherewith ye defiled yourselves; and ye shall bewail yourselves for all your wickedness.

44 So you will know that I am Yahweh when I do this to you because of my name's sake, and not because of your evil deeds, and not because of your corrupt deeds, house of Israel—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'”

And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have done thus to you, that my name may not be profaned in your evil ways, and in your corrupt devices, saith the Lord.

45 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

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

46 “Son of man, set your face toward the southern lands, and speak against the south; prophesy against the forest of the Negev.

Son of man, set thy face against Thaeman, and look toward Darom, and prophesy against the chief forest of Nageb,

47 Say to the forest of the Negev, 'This is Yahweh's declaration—the Lord Yahweh says this: See, I will set a fire among you. It will devour every fresh tree and every dried tree among you. The fiery flame will not be quenched; every face from the south to the north will be burned.

and thou shalt say to the forest of Nageb, Hear the word of the Lord; thus saith the Lord, [even] the Lord; Behold, I [will] kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour in thee every green tree, and every dry tree: the flame that is kindled shall not be quenched, and every face shall be scorched with it from the south to the north.

48 Then all flesh will see that I am Yahweh when I light the fire, and it will not be quenched.'”

And all flesh shall know that I the Lord have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

49 Then I said, “Alas! Lord Yahweh, they are saying of me, 'Is he not a mere teller of parables?'”

And I said, Not so, O Lord God! they say to me, Is not this that is spoken a parable?