Ezekiel 20
1. And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came * to enquire * of the LORD, and sat * before me.
2. Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying * ,
3. Son of man, speak * unto the elders of Israel, and say * unto them, Thus saith * the Lord GOD; Are ye come * to enquire * of me? As I live, saith * the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired * of by you.
4. Wilt thou judge * them, son of man, wilt thou judge * them? cause them to know * the abominations of their fathers:
5. And say * unto them, Thus saith * the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose * Israel, and lifted up * mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known * unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted * up mine hand unto them, saying * , I am the LORD your God;
6. In the day that I lifted up * mine hand unto them, to bring them forth * of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied * for them, flowing * with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:
7. Then said * I unto them, Cast ye away * every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile * not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
8. But they rebelled * against me, and would * not hearken * unto me: they did not every man cast away * the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake * the idols of Egypt: then I said * , I will pour out * my fury upon them, to accomplish * my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9. But I wrought * for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted * before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known * unto them, in bringing them forth * out of the land of Egypt.
10. Wherefore I caused them to go forth * out of the land of Egypt, and brought * them into the wilderness.
11. And I gave * them my statutes, and shewed * them my judgments, which if a man do * , he shall even 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 that sanctify * them.
13. But the house of Israel rebelled * against me in the wilderness: they walked * not in my statutes, and they despised * my judgments, which if a man do * , he shall even live * in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted * : then I said * , I would pour out * my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume * them.
14. But I wrought * for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted * before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out * .
15. Yet also I lifted up * my hand unto 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 despised * my judgments,and walked * not in my statutes, but polluted * my sabbaths: for their heart went * after their idols.
17. Nevertheless mine eye spared * them from destroying * them, neither did I make * an end of them in the wilderness.
18. But I said * unto their children in the wilderness, Walk * ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe * their judgments, nor defile * yourselves with their idols:
19. I am the LORD your God; walk * in my statutes, and keep * my judgments, and do * them;
20. And hallow * my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know * that I am the LORD your God.
21. Notwithstanding the children rebelled * against me: they walked * not in my statutes, neither kept * my judgments to do * them, which if a man do * , he shall even live * in them; they polluted * my sabbaths: then I said * , I would pour out * my fury upon them, to accomplish * my anger against them in the wilderness.
22. Nevertheless I withdrew * mine hand,and wrought * for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted * in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth * .
23. I lifted up * mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter * them among the heathen, and disperse * them through the countries;
24. Because they had not executed * my judgments, but had despised * my statutes, and had polluted * my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.
25. Wherefore I gave * them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live * ;
26. And I polluted * them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through * the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate * , to the end that they might know * that I am the LORD.
27. Therefore, son of man, speak * unto the house of Israel, and say * unto them, Thus saith * the Lord GOD;Yet 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, for the which I lifted up * mine hand to give * it to them, then they saw * every high * hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered * there their sacrifices, and there they presented * the provocation of their offering: there also they made * their sweet savour, and poured out * there their drink offerings.
29. Then I said * unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go * ? And the name thereof is called * Bamah unto this day.
30. Wherefore say * unto the house of Israel, Thus saith * the Lord GOD;Are ye polluted * after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom * after their abominations?
31. For when ye offer * your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through * the fire, ye pollute * yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired * of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith * the Lord GOD,I will not be enquired * of by you.
32. And that which cometh * into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say * , We will be * as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve * wood and stone.
33. As I live, saith * the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out * arm, and with fury poured out * , will I rule * over you:
34. And I will bring you out * from the people, and will gather * you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered * , with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out * arm, and with fury poured out * .
35. And I will bring * you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead * with you face to face.
36. Like as I pleaded * with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead * with you, saith * the Lord GOD.
37. And I will cause you to pass * under the rod, and I will bring * you into the bond of the covenant:
38. And I will purge out * from among you the rebels * , and them that transgress * against me: I will bring them forth * out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter * into the land of Israel: and ye shall know * that I am the LORD.
39. As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith * the Lord GOD; Go * ye, serve * ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken * unto me: but pollute * ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.
40. For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith * the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve * me: there will I accept * them, and there will I require * your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.
41. I will accept * you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out * from the people, and gather * you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered * ; and I will be sanctified * in you before the heathen.
42. And ye shall know * that I am the LORD, when I shall bring * you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up * mine hand to give * it to your fathers.
43. And there shall ye remember * your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled * ; and ye shall lothe * yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed * .
44. And ye shall know * that I am the LORD, when I have wrought * with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt * doings, O ye house of Israel, saith * the Lord GOD.
45. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying * ,
46. Son of man, set * thy face toward the south, and drop * thy word toward the south, and prophesy * against the forest of the south field;
47. And say * to the forest of the south, Hear * the word of the LORD; Thus saith * the Lord GOD;Behold, I will kindle * a fire in thee, and it shall devour * every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched * , and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned * therein.
48. And all flesh shall see * that I the LORD have kindled * it: it shall not be quenched * .
49. Then said * I, Ah Lord GOD ! they say * of me, Doth he not speak * parables?
