14
1 Then some of the
elders of Israel
came to me
and sat before
me.
2 The
LORD’s word came
to me, saying,
3 “Son
of man, these
men have taken
their idols into
their heart, and
put the stumbling
block of their
iniquity before
their face. Should
I be inquired
of at all
by them?
4 Therefore
speak to them
and tell them, ‘The
Lord GOD says: “Every
man of the
house of Israel
who takes his
idols into his
heart and puts
the stumbling
block of his
iniquity before
his face then
comes to the
prophet, I the
LORD will answer
him there according
to the multitude
of his idols,
5 that
I may take
the house of
Israel in their own
heart, because
they are all
estranged from me
through their
idols.” ’
6 “Therefore
tell the house
of Israel, ‘The
Lord GOD says: “Return, and turn
yourselves from
your idols! Turn
away your faces
from all your
abominations.
7 “ ‘ “For
everyone of the
house of Israel,
or of the
strangers who live
in Israel, who
separates himself
from me and
takes his idols
into his heart,
and puts the
stumbling block of
his iniquity
before his face,
and comes to
the prophet to
inquire for
himself of me,
I the LORD
will answer him
by myself.
8 I
will set my
face against that
man and will
make him an
astonishment, for
a sign and a
proverb, and I
will cut him
off from among
my people. Then
you will know
that I am
the LORD.
9 “ ‘ “If
the prophet is
deceived and
speaks a word,
I, the LORD,
have deceived that
prophet, and I
will stretch out
my hand on
him, and will
destroy him from
among my people
Israel.
10 They
will bear their
iniquity. The
iniquity of the
prophet will
be even as the
iniquity of him
who seeks him,
11 that
the house of
Israel may no
more go astray
from me, neither
defile themselves any
more with all
their transgressions;
but that they
may be my
people, and I
may be their
God,” says the
Lord GOD.’ ”
12 The
LORD’s word came
to me, saying,
13 “Son
of man, when
a land sins
against me by
committing a
trespass, and I
stretch out my
hand on it,
and break the
staff of its
bread and send
famine on it,
and cut off
from it man
and animal—
14 though
these three men,
Noah, Daniel,
and Job, were in
it, they would
deliver only their
own souls by
their righteousness,”
says the Lord
GOD.
15 “If
I cause evil
animals to pass
through the land,
and they ravage it
and it is
made desolate, so
that no man
may pass through
because of the
animals—
16 though
these three men
were in it,
as I live,”
says the Lord
GOD, “they would
deliver neither
sons nor daughters.
They only would be
delivered, but
the land would be
desolate.
17 “Or
if I bring
a sword on
that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through
the land, so that
I cut off
from it man
and animal’—
18 though
these three men
were in it,
as I live,”
says the Lord
GOD, “they would
deliver neither
sons nor daughters,
but they only would
be delivered
themselves.
19 “Or
if I send
a pestilence into
that land, and
pour out my
wrath on it
in blood, to
cut off from
it man and animal—
20 though Noah,
Daniel, and Job,
were in it,
as I live,”
says the Lord
GOD, “they would
deliver neither
son nor daughter;
they would deliver
only their own
souls by their
righteousness.”
21 For
the Lord GOD
says: “How much
more when I
send my four
severe judgments
on Jerusalem—the
sword, the famine,
the evil animals,
and the
pestilence—to cut
off from it
man and animal!
22 Yet,
behold, there will
be left a
remnant in it
that will be
carried out, both
sons and daughters.
Behold, they will
come out to
you, and you
will see their
way and their
doings. Then you
will be comforted
concerning the
evil that I
have brought on
Jerusalem, even
concerning all
that I have
brought on it.
23 They
will comfort you,
when you see
their way and
their doings; then
you will know
that I have
not done all
that I have
done in it
without cause,”
says the Lord
GOD.