1 O n 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.

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

2 T he Word of the Lord came to me saying,

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

3 “ 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.”’

`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.

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

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

5 T ell 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.’

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 Jehovah your God.

6 O n 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.

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 to all the lands,

7 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.’

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 Jehovah your God.

8 B ut 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.

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.

9 B ut 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.

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

10 S o I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the desert.

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

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

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

12 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.

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

13 B ut 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.

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.

14 B ut 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.

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

15 S o 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.

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 to all the lands,

16 T his 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.

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.

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

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

18 “ 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.

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.

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

I Jehovah your God, in My statutes walk, And My judgments observe, and do them,

20 K eep 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.’

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

21 B ut 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.

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.

22 B ut 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.

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

23 A nd I promised them in the desert that I would send them everywhere among the nations and spread them out 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 T his 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.

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.

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

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

26 A nd 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.”’

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 Jehovah.

27 “ 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.

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.

28 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.

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.

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

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

30 S o 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?

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?

31 W hen 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.

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.

32 Y ou 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

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.

33 “ 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.

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?

34 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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

38 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.

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 Jehovah.

39 A s 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.

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.

40 F or 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.

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.

41 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.

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.

42 T hen 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.

And ye have known that I 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,

43 T here 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.

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.

44 Y ou 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

And ye have known that I 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.'

45 T he Word of the Lord came to me saying,

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

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

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;

47 S ay 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.

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.

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

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

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

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