Ezekiel 20

1 And it cometh to pass, in the seventh year, in the fifth [month], in the tenth of the month, come in have certain of the elders of Israel to seek Jehovah, and they sit before me;

And it happened that, in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, men from the elders of Israel arrived, so that they might inquire of the Lord, and they sat before me.

2 and there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

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

3 'Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: To seek Me are ye coming in? I live — I am not sought by you — an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Have you arrived in order to inquire of me? As I live, I will not answer you, says the Lord God.

4 Dost thou judge them? Dost thou judge, son of man? The abominations of their fathers cause them to know,

If you judge them, if you judge, O son of man, reveal to them the abominations of their fathers.

5 and thou hast said unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: 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] Jehovah your God.

And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God: In the day when I chose Israel, and I lifted up my hand on behalf of the stock of the house of Jacob, and I appeared to them in the land of Egypt, and I lifted up my hand on their behalf, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God,’

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

in that day, I lifted up my hand for their sake, so that I would lead them away from the land of Egypt, into a land which I had provided for them, flowing with milk and honey, which was singular among all lands.

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

And I said to them: ‘Let each one cast away the offenses of his eyes, and do not choose to defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

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

But they provoked me, and they were not willing to listen to me. Each one of them did not cast away the abominations of his eyes, nor did they leave behind the idols of Egypt. And so, I said that I would pour out my indignation upon them, and fulfill my wrath against them, in the midst of the land of Egypt.

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

But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be violated in the sight of the Gentiles, in the midst of whom they were, and among whom I appeared to them, so that I might lead them away from the land of Egypt.

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

Therefore, I cast them out of the land of Egypt, and I led them away into the desert.

11 And I give to them My statutes, And my judgments I caused them to know, Which the man who doth — liveth by them.

And I gave them my precepts, and I revealed to them my judgments, which, if a man does them, he shall live by them.

12 And also My sabbaths I have given to them, To be for a sign between Me and them, To know that I [am] Jehovah their sanctifier.

Moreover, I also gave to them my Sabbaths, so that these would be a sign between me and them, and so that they would know that I am the Lord, who sanctifies them.

13 And — rebel against me do the house of Israel in the wilderness, In My statutes they have not walked, And My judgments they have despised, Which the man who doth — liveth by them. And My sabbaths they have greatly polluted, And I say to pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

But the house of Israel provoked me in the desert. They did not walk in my precepts, and they cast aside my judgments, which, if a man does them, he shall live by them. And they grievously violated my Sabbaths. Therefore, I said that I would pour out my fury upon them in the desert, and that I would consume them.

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

But I acted for the sake of my name, lest it be violated before the Gentiles, from whom I cast them out, in their sight.

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

And so I lifted up my hand over them in the desert, so as not to lead them into the land that I had given to them, flowing with milk and honey, the foremost of all lands.

16 Because against My judgments they did kick, And in My statutes they have not walked, And My sabbaths they have polluted, For after their idols their heart is going.

For they cast aside my judgments, and they did not walk in my precepts, and they violated my Sabbaths. For their heart went after idols.

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

Yet my eye was lenient concerning them, so that I did not utterly destroy them, nor did I consume them in the desert.

18 And I say to their sons in the wilderness: In the statutes of your fathers ye walk not, And their judgments ye do not observe, And with their idols ye are not defiled.

Then I said to their sons in the wilderness: ‘Do not choose to advance by the precepts of your fathers, nor should you observe their judgments. And do not be defiled by their idols.

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

I am the Lord your God. Walk in my precepts, and observe my judgments, and accomplish them.

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

And sanctify my Sabbaths, so that these may be a sign between me and you, and so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’

21 And — the sons rebel against Me, In My statutes they have not walked, And My judgments they have not observed — to do them, Which the man who doth — liveth by them. My sabbaths they have polluted, And I say to pour out My fury upon them, To complete Mine anger against them in the wilderness.

But their sons provoked me. They did not walk in my precepts. And they did not observe my judgments, so as to do them; for if a man does them, he shall live by them. And they violated my Sabbaths. And so, I threatened that I would pour out my fury upon them, and that I would fulfill my wrath among them in the desert.

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

But I turned aside my hand, and I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be violated before the Gentiles, from whom I cast them out, before their eyes.

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.

Again, I lifted up my hand against them, in the wilderness, so that I would disperse them among the nations, and scatter them among the lands.

24 Because My judgments they have not done, And My statutes they have despised, And My sabbaths they have polluted, And after idols of their fathers have their eyes been.

For they had not accomplished my judgments, and they had rejected my precepts, and they had violated my Sabbaths. And their eyes had been after the idols of their fathers.

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

Therefore, I also gave them precepts that were not good, and judgments by which they shall not live.

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

And I defiled them by their own gifts, when they offered everything that opened the womb, because of their offenses. And they shall know that I am the Lord.

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

For this reason, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God. Yet also in this did your fathers blaspheme me, after they had spurned and despised me,

28 And I bring them in unto the land, That I did lift up My hand to give to them, And they see every high hill, and every thick tree, And they sacrifice there their sacrifices, And give there the provocation of their offering, And make there their sweet fragrance, And they pour out there their libations.

though I had led them into the land, about which I lifted up my hand, so that I might give it to them: They saw every lofty hill and every leafy tree, and there they immolated their victims, and there they presented the provocation of their oblations, and there they stationed their sweet fragrances, and poured out their libations.

29 And I say unto them: What [is] the high place whither ye are going in? And its name is called 'high place' to this day.

And I said to them, ‘What is exalted about the place to which you go?’ And yet its name is called ‘Exalted,’ even to this day.

30 Therefore, say unto the house of Israel: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: In the way of your fathers are ye defiled? And after their detestable things go a-whoring?

Because of this, say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Certainly, you are defiled by the way of your fathers, and you have fornicated after their stumbling blocks.

31 And in the offering of your gifts, In causing your sons to pass through fire, Ye are defiled by all your idols to this day, And I am sought by you, O house of Israel! I live — an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, I am not sought by you.

And you are being defiled by all of your idols, even to this day, by the oblation of your gifts, when you lead your sons through the fire. And should I respond to you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not answer you.

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

And the plan of your mind will not occur, saying: ‘We will be like the Gentiles, and like the families of the earth, so that we worship what is wood and stone.’

33 I live — an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Do not I, with a strong hand, And with a stretched-out arm, And with fury poured out — rule over you?

As I live, says the Lord God, I will reign over you with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured forth.

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

And I will lead you away from the peoples. And I will gather you from the lands into which you were dispersed. I will reign over you with a powerful hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.

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

And I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you, 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, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

Just as I contended in judgment against your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so also will I enter into judgment with you, says the Lord God.

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

And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will lead you into the bonds of the covenant.

38 And cleared out from you the rebels, And them transgressing against Me, From the land of their sojournings I bring them out, And unto the land of Israel they come not, And ye have known that I [am] Jehovah.

And I will select, from among you, the transgressors and the impious. And I will lead them away from the land of their sojourn, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord.

39 And ye, O house of Israel, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Each his idols — go — serve ye, And, afterwards, if ye are not hearkening to me, And My holy name ye do not pollute any more by your gifts, and by your idols.

And as for you, house of Israel: thus says the Lord God: Walk, each one of you, after your idols and serve them. But if in this also you will not listen to me, and you continue to defile my holy name with your gifts and with your idols,

40 For, in My holy mountain, In the mountain of the height of Israel, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, There serve Me do all the house of Israel, All of it, in the land — there I accept them, And there I do seek your heave-offerings, And with the first-fruit of your gifts, With all your holy things.

on my holy mountain, on the exalted mountain of Israel, says the Lord God, there all the house of Israel shall serve me; all of them, I say, in the land in which they shall please me, and there I will require your first-fruits, and the foremost of your tithes, with all your sanctifications.

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

I will receive from you a fragrance of sweetness, when I will have led you away from the peoples, and gathered you from the lands into which you were dispersed. And I will be sanctified in you before the eyes of the nations.

42 And ye have known that I [am] Jehovah, In My bringing you to the ground of Israel, Unto the land that I did lift up My hand To give it to your fathers,

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have led you into the land of Israel, into the land about which I lifted up my hand, so that I would give it to your fathers.

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

And there you shall remember your ways and all your wickedness, by which you have been defiled. And you will be displeased with yourselves in your own sight, over all your evil deeds which you did.

44 And ye have known that I [am] Jehovah, 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, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.'

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have acted well toward you for the sake of my name, and not according to your evil ways, nor according to your very great wickedness, O house of Israel, says the Lord God.”

45 And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

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

46 Son of man, set thy face the way of Teman, and prophesy unto the south, and prophesy unto the forest of the field — the south;

“Son of man, set your face against the way of the south, and pour in drops toward Africa, and prophesy against the forest of the field of the meridian.

47 and thou hast said to the forest of the south: Hear a word of Jehovah: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am kindling in thee a fire, And it hath devoured in thee every moist tree, and every dry tree, Not quenched is the glowing flames, And burnt by it have been all faces from south to north.

And you shall say to the meridian forest: Listen to the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and I will burn up within you every green tree and every dry tree. The flame of the kindling will not be extinguished. And every face will be burned up within it, from the south, even to the north.

48 And seen have all flesh, that I, Jehovah, have kindled it — it is not quenched.'

And all flesh will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it, and that it will not be extinguished.”

49 And I say, 'Ah, Lord Jehovah, They are saying of me, Is he not using similes?

And I said: “Alas, alas, alas, O Lord God! They are saying about me: ‘Does this man not speak except through parables?’”