< 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 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;
2 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
and there is a word of YHWH 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 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.
4 Will you judge them? Will you judge, son of man? Let them know about their fathers' abominations.
Do you judge them? Do you judge, son of man? Cause them to know the abominations 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 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.
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 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,
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
10 So I sent them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.
And I bring them out of the land of Egypt, And I bring 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 give My statutes to them, And I caused them to know My judgments, Which the man who does—lives by 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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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 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.
17 But my eye spared them from their destruction and I did not annihilate them in the wilderness.
And My eye has pity on them—against destroying them, And I have not made 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 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.
19 I am Yahweh your God, walk in my statutes; keep my decrees and obey them.
I [am] your God YHWH, walk in My statutes, And observe My judgments, 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 sanctify My Sabbaths, And they have been for a sign between Me and you, To know that I [am] your God YHWH.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 also, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, To scatter them among nations, And to spread them through lands.
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 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.
25 Then I also gave them statutes that were not good, and decrees by which they could not live.
And I also, I have given statutes to them [that are] not good, And judgments by which they do 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 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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
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 say to them: What [is] the high place to where you are going in?” And its name is called “High Place” to 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 said Lord YHWH: Are you defiling yourselves in the way of your fathers? And do you go whoring after their detestable things?
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 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.
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 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.
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.
[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?
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.
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.
35 Then I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face.
And I have brought you into the wilderness of the peoples, And have been judged 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 was judged with your fathers, In the wilderness of the land of Egypt, So I am judged with you, A declaration of Lord YHWH.
37 I will cause you to pass under my rod, and I will make you obey the requirements of the covenant.
And I have caused you to pass under the rod, And brought you into the bond of the covenant,
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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,
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 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.
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 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.”
45 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
And there is a word of YHWH 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 your face the way of Teman, and prophesy to the south, and prophesy to the forest of the field—the south;
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 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.
48 Then all flesh will see that I am Yahweh when I light the fire, and it will not be quenched.'”
And all flesh has seen, that I, YHWH, have kindled it—it is not quenched.”
49 Then I said, “Alas! Lord Yahweh, they are saying of me, 'Is he not a mere teller of parables?'”
And I say, “Aah! Lord YHWH, They are saying of me, Is he not using allegories?”