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, 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.

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

Then came the word of Jehovah 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 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.

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

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

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”—

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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

And I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and led 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 statutes, and made known to them my laws, through which the man that keepeth them shall live.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 acted for my name's sake, that it might not be polluted before the nations, in whose sight 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.

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;

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

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

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

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

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

I am Jehovah, your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my 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, that they may be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am Jehovah, 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 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.

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.

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.

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 lifted up my hand against them in the desert, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through 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 did not observe mine ordinances, but despised my statutes, and polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were 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.

Moreover I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances by 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 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.

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

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.

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.'

Then I said to them, What is the high place to which ye go? And it is called The High Place unto 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 Jehovah: Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers, and do ye commit fornication according to 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 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!

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 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.”

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, 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.

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 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.

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 desert of the nations, and there will I contend with you 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.

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.

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 the rod, and I will bring 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 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.

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.

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!

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, 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

And the word of Jehovah 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 toward the south, and drop thy word against the South, and prophesy against the forest of the field in 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 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.

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 see that I, Jehovah, 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, Ah, Lord Jehovah, they say of me, “Doth he not speak in parables?”