1 I t 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 the Lord, and sat before me.

On the tenth day of the fifth month in the seventh year, some of the leaders of Israel came to ask the Lord’s will, and they sat down in front of me.

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

The Word of the Lord came to me saying,

3 “ Son 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 leaders of Israel. Tell them, ‘The Lord God says, “Have you come to ask My will? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not let you ask me anything.”’

4 W ill you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers.

Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Make known to them the sinful things their fathers did.

5 “ Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On the day when I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God.’

Tell them, ‘The Lord God says, “On the day I chose Israel, I raised My hand and made a promise to the children of the family of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I made a promise to them, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God.’

6 O n that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands.

On that day I promised to bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land I had chosen for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.

7 T hen I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

I said to them, ‘Each of you get rid of the sinful things you have looked upon. Do not make yourselves sinful with the false gods of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

8 B ut they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, ‘I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’

But they turned against Me and would not listen to Me. They did not get rid of the sinful things they had looked upon. And they did not turn away from the false gods of Egypt. “Then I said that I would be angry with them. I would send My anger against them in the land of Egypt.

9 B ut I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

But I acted for the good of My name. I did what would keep My name clean in the eyes of the nations they lived among, in whose eyes I made Myself known to them by bringing My people out of Egypt.

10 “ Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.

So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the desert.

11 A nd I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’

I gave them My Laws and made known to them My Words, which bring life to anyone who obeys them.

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

I gave them My Days of Rest to be something special to see between Me and them, so they would know that I am the Lord Who makes them holy.

13 Y et the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

But the people of Israel turned against Me in the desert. They did not obey My Laws, and they turned away from My Words which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They made My Days of Rest very sinful. Then I said that I would be angry with them in the desert and destroy them.

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

But I acted for the good of My name. I did what would keep My name clean in the eyes of the nations who saw Me bring them out of Egypt.

15 S o I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, ‘flowing with milk and honey,’ the glory of all lands,

So I promised them in the desert that I would not bring them into the land I had given them, the land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.

16 b ecause they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

This was because they turned away from My Laws and did not obey My Words. They did not keep My Days of Rest holy, for they followed after their false gods with all their heart.

17 N evertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.

Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them. I did not make an end of them in the desert.

18 “ But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

“And I said to their children in the desert, ‘Do not keep the laws of your fathers, or follow their ways, or make yourselves sinful with their false gods.

19 I am the Lord your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them;

I am the Lord your God. Keep My Laws and obey My Words.

20 h allow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’

Keep My Days of Rest holy, and they will be something special to see between Me and you. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’

21 “ Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness.

But the children turned against Me. They did not keep My Laws or obey My Words which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They did not keep My Days of Rest holy. So I said I would be angry with them. I would send My anger against them in the desert.

22 N evertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out.

But I held My hand back, and acted for the good of My name, to keep it clean in the eyes of the nations who saw Me bring them out of Egypt.

23 A lso I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries,

And I promised them in the desert that I would send them everywhere among the nations and spread them out among the lands.

24 b ecause they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.

This is because they had not obeyed My Words. They had turned away from My Laws and did not keep My Days of Rest holy. And they worshiped the false gods of their fathers.

25 “ Therefore I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live;

Then I gave them laws that were not good, and words they could not live by.

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

And I let them become sinful because of their gifts. I let them give all their first-born sons as burnt gifts. This was to punish them and show them that I am the Lord.”’

27 “ Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me.

“So, son of man, speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, ‘The Lord God says, “This is another way that your fathers have brought shame to My name by not being faithful to Me.

28 W hen I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings.

I brought them into the land I promised to give them. And when they saw all the high hills and trees with many leaves, they gave their gifts on all of them and made Me angry. They also burned special perfume there, and poured out their drink gifts.

29 T hen I said to them, ‘What is this high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.”’

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

30 T herefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations?

So tell the people of Israel, ‘The Lord God says, “Will you make yourselves sinful in the same way your fathers did, and go after their sinful things?

31 F or when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So 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 give your gifts and make your sons go through the fire, you are making yourselves sinful with all your false gods to this day. Am I to let you question Me, O people of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not let you ask Me anything.

32 W hat you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’ God Will Restore Israel

You say, ‘We will be like the nations, like the people of the lands, who serve wood and stone.’ But what you have in mind will never happen. Israel Will Come Back to God

33 “ As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you.

“As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will be King over you, and will rule with a powerful hand, a strong arm, and with anger.

34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.

I will bring you out of the nations and countries where you have been divided. I will gather you together with a powerful hand, a strong arm, and with anger.

35 A nd I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face.

I will bring you into the desert of the nations, and there I will punish you face to face.

36 J ust as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,” says the Lord God.

As I punished your fathers in the desert of Egypt, so I will punish you,” says the Lord God.

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

“I will hold power over you and make you obey the agreement.

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

I will take away from among you all those who sin or who turn against Me. I will bring them out of the land where they are living, but they will not go into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

39 “ As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the Lord God: “Go, serve every one of you his idols—and hereafter—if you will not obey Me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols.

As for you, O people of Israel,” the Lord God says, “Go and serve your false gods, every one of you, now and later if you will not listen to Me. Do not ever again bring shame to My holy name with your gifts and your false gods.

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 I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things.

For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel,” says the Lord God, “all the people of Israel will serve Me in the land. There I will receive them. And there I will ask for the best of your gifts, with all your holy things.

41 I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles.

I will receive you as the pleasing smell of special perfume, when I bring you out of the nations and gather you from the different lands where you have been sent. And I will prove Myself holy among you in the eyes of the nations.

42 T hen you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers.

Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I promised to give to your fathers.

43 A nd there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed.

There you will remember your ways and all the bad things you did to make yourselves sinful. And you will hate yourselves in your own eyes for all the sinful things you have done.

44 T hen you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel,” says the Lord God.’” Fire in the Forest

You will know that I am the Lord when I honor My name by being good to you even though your ways have been sinful and you have done many sinful things, O people of Israel,” says the Lord God.’” Words against the South

45 F urthermore the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

The Word of the Lord came to me saying,

46 “ Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South,

“Son of man, look toward the south. And speak out against the south and against the land of many trees in the Negev.

47 a nd say to the forest of the South, ‘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 and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it.

Say to the land of trees in the Negev, ‘Hear the Word of the Lord. The Lord God says, “See, I am about to start a fire that will destroy all of your green trees and all of your dry trees. The hot fire will not be put out, and every face 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.”’”

Everyone will see that I, the Lord, have made the fire. It will not be put out.”’”

49 T hen I said, “Ah, Lord God! They say of me, ‘Does he not speak parables?’”

Then I said, “O Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling picture-stories?’”