1 I n the seventh year, in the fifth, on the tenth of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord and sat down before me.

Now in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me.

2 T hen came the word of the Lord to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to me saying,

3 S on of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you!

“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Do you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” declares the Lord God, “ I will not be inquired of by you.”’

4 W ill you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then cause them to know, understand, and realize the abominations of their fathers.

Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? Make them know the abominations of their fathers;

5 A nd say to them, Thus says the Lord God: In the day when I chose Israel and lifted up My hand and swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up My hand and swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God,

and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day when I chose Israel and swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God,

6 O n that day I lifted up My hand and swore to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is an ornament and a glory to all lands.

on that day I swore to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.

7 T hen said I to them, Let every man cast away the abominable things on which he feasts his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

I said to them, ‘ Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.’

8 B ut they rebelled against Me and would not listen to Me; they did not every man cast away the abominable things on which they feasted their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I, I will pour out My wrath upon them and finish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 B ut I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they dwelt, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

10 S o I caused them to go out from the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.

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

11 A nd I gave them My statutes and showed and made known to them My judgments, which, if a man keeps, he must live in and by them.

I gave them My statutes and informed them of My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live.

12 M oreover, also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might understand and realize that I am the Lord Who sanctifies them.

Also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

13 B ut the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they walked not in My statutes and they despised and cast away My judgments, which, if a man keeps, he must even live in and by them; and they grievously profaned My Sabbaths. Then I thought I would pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness and uproot and consume them.

But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes and they rejected My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; and My sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them.

14 B ut I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I brought them out.

But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, before whose sight I had brought them out.

15 Y et also I lifted up My hand to swear to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the ornament and glory of all lands—

Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands,

16 B ecause they despised and rejected My ordinances and walked not in My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, for their hearts went after their idols.

because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My sabbaths, for their heart continually went after their idols.

17 Y et My eye pitied them instead of destroying them, and I did not make a full end of them in the wilderness.

Yet My eye spared them rather than destroying them, and I did not cause their annihilation in the wilderness.

18 B ut I said to their sons in the wilderness, You shall not walk in the statutes of your fathers nor observe their ordinances nor defile yourselves with their idols.

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

19 I the Lord am your God; walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances,

I am the Lord your God; walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and observe them.

20 A nd hallow (separate and keep holy) My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord your God.

Sanctify My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’

21 Y et the sons rebelled against Me; they walked not in My statutes, neither kept My ordinances which, if a man does, he must live in and by them; they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I thought I would pour out My wrath on them and finish My anger against them in the wilderness.

But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to observe My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; they profaned My sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.

22 Y et I withheld My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be debased and profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them forth.

But I withdrew My hand and acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.

23 M oreover, I lifted up My hand and swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them in the countries,

Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands,

24 B ecause they had not executed My ordinances but had despised and rejected My statutes and had profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their fathers’ idols.

because they had not observed My ordinances, but had rejected My statutes and had profaned My sabbaths, and their eyes were on the idols of their fathers.

25 W herefore also I gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances whereby they should not live and could not have life,

I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live;

26 A nd I pollute and make themselves unclean in their own offerings, in that they caused to pass through the fire all the firstborn, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord.

and I pronounced them unclean because of their gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire so that I might make them desolate, in order that they might know that I am the Lord.”’

27 T herefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Again in this your fathers blasphemed Me, in that they dealt faithlessly and treacherously with Me and committed a treasonous trespass against Me.

“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me by acting treacherously against Me.

28 F or when I had brought them into the land which I lifted up My hand and swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every dark and leafy tree, and they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented their offering that provoked My anger and sadness; there also they made their sweet-smelling savor and poured out there their drink offerings.

When I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There also they made their soothing aroma and there they poured out their drink offerings.

29 T hen I said to them, What is the high place to which you go? And the name of it is called Bamah to this day.

Then I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.”’

30 T herefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Do you debase and defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers? And do you play the harlot after their loathsome and detestable things?

Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things?

31 A nd when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, do you not debase and defile yourselves with all your idols to this day? And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you!

When you offer your gifts, when you cause your sons to pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” declares the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.

32 A nd that which has come up in your mind shall never happen, in that you think, We will be as the nations, as the tribes of the countries, to serve idols of wood and stone.

What comes into your mind will not come about, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.’ God Will Restore Israel to Her Land

33 A s I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out will I be King over you.

“As I live,” declares the Lord God, “surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you.

34 A nd I will bring you out from the peoples and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out.

I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out;

35 A nd I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you and contend with you face to face.

and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

36 A s I entered into judgment and contended with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment and contend with you, says the Lord God.

As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” declares the Lord God.

37 A nd I will cause you to pass under the rod and bring you into the covenant to which you are permanently bound.

“I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;

38 A nd I will purge out and separate from among you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they temporarily dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord.

and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the Lord.

39 A s for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: Go, serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to Me! But you shall not profane My holy name any more with your sacrificial gifts and your idols!

“As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the Lord God, “ Go, serve everyone his idols; but later you will surely listen to Me, and My holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols.

40 F or on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord God, there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me. There will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings and the firstfruits and the choicest of your contributions, with all your sacred things.

For on My holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel,” declares the Lord God, “there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land; there I will accept them and there I will seek your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your holy things.

41 I will accept you as a pleasant odor when I lead you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered, and I will manifest My holiness among you in the sight of the nations.

As a soothing aroma I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered; and I will prove Myself holy among you in the sight of the nations.

42 A nd you shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I lifted up My hand and swore to give to your fathers.

And you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the land which I swore to give to your forefathers.

43 A nd there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evil deeds which you have done.

There you will remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evil things that you have done.

44 A nd you shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for My name’s sake, not according to your evil ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, says the Lord God.

Then you will know that I am the Lord when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel,” declares the Lord God.’”

45 M oreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

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

46 S on of man, set your face toward the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land of the South (the Negeb),

“Son of man, set your face toward Teman, and speak out against the south and prophesy against the forest land of the Negev,

47 A nd say to the forest of the South (the Negeb), Hear the word of the Lord; Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will kindle a fire in you and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it.

and say to the forest of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it will consume every green tree in you, as well as every dry tree; the blazing flame will not be quenched and the whole surface from south to north will be burned by it.

48 A ll flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.

All flesh will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.”’”

49 T hen said I, Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, Does he not speak in parables and make allegories?

Then I said, “Ah Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not just speaking parables?’”