20
1 In
the seventh year,
in the fifth
month, the tenth
day of the
month, some of the
elders of Israel
came to inquire
of the LORD,
and sat before
me.
2 The
LORD’s word came
to me, saying,
3 “Son
of man, speak
to the elders
of Israel, and
tell them, ‘The
Lord GOD says: “Is
it to inquire
of me that
you have come?
As I live,”
says the Lord
GOD, “I will
not be inquired
of by you.” ’
4 “Will
you judge them,
son of man?
Will you judge
them? Cause them
to know the
abominations of
their fathers.
5 Tell
them, ‘The Lord
GOD says: “In
the day when
I chose Israel,
and swore to
the offspring 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 in
that day I
swore 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, which is
the glory of
all lands.
7 I said
to them, ‘Each of
you throw away
the abominations
of his eyes. Don’t
defile yourselves
with the idols
of Egypt. I
am the LORD
your God.’
8 “ ‘ “But
they rebelled
against me
and wouldn’t listen
to me. They didn’t
all throw away
the abominations
of their eyes.
They also didn’t
forsake the idols
of Egypt. Then
I said I would
pour out my
wrath on them,
to accomplish my
anger against them
in the middle
of the land of
Egypt.
9 But
I worked for
my name’s sake,
that it should
not be profaned
in the sight
of the nations
among which they
were, in whose
sight I made
myself known to
them in bringing
them out of
the land of Egypt.
10 So
I caused them to
go out of
the land of Egypt
and brought them
into the
wilderness.
11 I
gave them my
statutes and
showed them my
ordinances, which if
a man does,
he will live
in them.
12 Moreover
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 “ ‘ “But
the house of
Israel rebelled
against me in
the wilderness.
They didn’t walk
in my statutes
and they rejected
my ordinances,
which if a man keeps,
he shall live
in them. They
greatly profaned
my Sabbaths. Then
I said I would
pour out my
wrath on them
in the wilderness,
to consume them.
14 But
I worked for
my name’s sake,
that it should
not be profaned
in the sight
of the nations,
in whose sight
I brought them
out.
15 Moreover
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 because
they rejected my
ordinances, and didn’t
walk in my
statutes, and
profaned my
Sabbaths; for
their heart went
after their idols.
17 Nevertheless
my eye spared
them, and I didn’t
destroy them.
I didn’t make a
full end of
them in the
wilderness.
18 I said
to their children
in the wilderness,
‘Don’t walk in the
statutes of
your fathers. Don’t observe
their ordinances
or defile
yourselves with
their idols.
19 I
am the LORD
your God. Walk
in my statutes,
keep my ordinances,
and do them.
20 Make
my Sabbaths holy.
They shall be
a sign between me
and you, that
you may know
that I am
the LORD your
God.’
21 “ ‘ “But
the children
rebelled against
me. They didn’t
walk in my
statutes, and didn’t
keep my ordinances
to do them,
which if a
man does, he
shall live in
them. They
profaned my
Sabbaths. Then
I said I would
pour out my
wrath on them,
to accomplish my
anger against them
in the wilderness.
22 Nevertheless
I withdrew my
hand and worked
for my name’s
sake, that it
should not be
profaned in the
sight of the
nations, in whose
sight I brought
them out.
23 Moreover
I swore to
them in the
wilderness, that
I would scatter
them among the
nations and
disperse them
through the countries,
24 because
they had not
executed my
ordinances, but
had rejected my
statutes, and had
profaned my
Sabbaths, and
their eyes were
after their fathers’
idols.
25 Moreover
also I gave
them statutes that
were not good,
and ordinances in
which they couldn’t
live.
26 I
polluted them in
their own gifts,
in that they
caused all
that opens the
womb to pass
through the fire,
that I might
make them desolate,
to the end
that they might
know that I
am the LORD.” ’
27 “Therefore,
son of man,
speak to the
house of Israel,
and tell them, ‘The
Lord GOD says: “Moreover, in this
your fathers have
blasphemed me, in
that they have
committed a
trespass against
me.
28 For
when I had
brought them into
the land which I
swore to give
to them, then
they saw every
high hill and
every thick tree,
and they offered
there their
sacrifices, and
there they
presented the
provocation of
their offering.
There they also
made their pleasant
aroma, and there
they poured out
their drink
offerings.
29 Then
I said to
them, ‘What does
the high place
where you go mean?’
So its name
is called Bamah
to this day.” ’
30 “Therefore
tell the house of
Israel, ‘The Lord
GOD says: “Do
you pollute
yourselves in the
way of
your fathers? Do
you play the
prostitute after
their abominations?
31 When
you offer your
gifts, when you
make your sons
pass through
the fire, do you
pollute yourselves
with all your
idols to this
day? Should I
be inquired of
by you, house
of Israel? As
I live, says
the Lord GOD,
I will not
be inquired of
by you!
32 “ ‘ “That
which comes into
your mind will
not be at
all, in that
you say, ‘We will
be as the
nations, as the
families of
the countries, to
serve wood
and stone.’
33 As
I live,” says
the Lord GOD, “surely
with a mighty
hand, with an
outstretched arm,
and with wrath
poured out, I
will be king
over you.
34 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,
with an
outstretched arm,
and with wrath
poured out.
35 I
will bring you
into the
wilderness of the
peoples, and there
I will enter
into judgment with
you face to
face.
36 Just as
I entered into
judgment with
your fathers in
the wilderness of
the land of Egypt,
so I will
enter into
judgment with you,”
says the Lord
GOD.
37 “I
will cause you to
pass under the
rod, and I
will bring you
into the bond
of the covenant.
38 I
will purge out
from among you
the rebels and
those who disobey
me. I will
bring them out
of the land where
they live, but
they shall
not enter into
the land of Israel.
Then you will
know that I
am the LORD.”
39 “ ‘As
for you, house
of Israel, the
Lord GOD says: “Go, everyone serve his
idols, and hereafter
also, if you will
not listen to
me; but you
shall no more
profane my holy
name with your
gifts and with
your idols.
40 For
in my holy
mountain, in the
mountain of the
height of Israel,”
says the Lord
GOD, “there all
the house of
Israel, all of
them, shall serve
me in the land.
There I will
accept them, and
there I will
require your
offerings and the
first fruits of
your offerings,
with all your
holy things.
41 I
will accept you
as a pleasant
aroma when I
bring you out
from the peoples
and gather you
out of
the countries in
which you have
been scattered. I
will be sanctified
in you in
the sight of
the nations.
42 You
will know that
I am the
LORD when I
bring you into
the land of Israel,
into the country
which I swore
to give to
your fathers.
43 There
you will remember
your ways, and
all your deeds
in which you
have polluted
yourselves. Then
you will loathe
yourselves in your
own sight for
all your evils
that you have
committed.
44 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,
nor according to
your corrupt
doings, you house
of Israel,” says
the Lord GOD.’ ”
45 The LORD’s
word came to me, saying,
46 “Son of man, set your face
toward the south, and preach toward the south, and prophesy against
the forest of the field in the south.
47 Tell the forest of the south,
‘Hear the LORD’s word: The Lord
GOD says, “Behold, I will kindle
a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree in
you, and every dry tree. The burning flame will not be quenched, and
all faces from the south to the north will be burned by it.
48 All flesh will see that I,
the LORD, have kindled it. It will not be
quenched.” ’ ”
49 Then I said, “Ah Lord
GOD! They say of me, ‘Isn’t he
a speaker of parables?’ ”