Ezekiel 20
20
History of rebellion
1In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of Israel’s elders came to inquire of the LORD. As they were sitting with me, 2the LORD’s word came to me: 3Human one, speak to Israel’s elders and say to them, The LORD God proclaims: Have you come to petition me? As surely as I live, I reject your petitions. This is what the LORD God says! 4Will you judge them, human one, will you judge them? Then expose to them the detestable practices of their ancestors. 5Say to them, The LORD God proclaims: On the day I chose Israel, I swore a solemn pledge to the descendants of Jacob’s household. When I made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I swore a solemn pledge: I am the LORD your God. 6On that day I swore that I would lead them out of the land of Egypt to a land that I would show them, a land full of milk and honey, the most splendid of all lands. 7And I said to them, Every one of you must cast away your disgusting things. Don’t let yourselves be defiled by Egypt’s idols. I am the LORD your God. 8But they rebelled against me and refused to listen to me. No one cast off their disgusting things or abandoned their Egyptian idols. So I declared that I would pour out my wrath on them and satisfy my anger against them in the land of Egypt. 9But I acted for my name’s sake, so that it wouldn’t be degraded in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, and in whose sight I made it known that I would lead them out of the land of Egypt.
10So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the desert. 11I gave them my regulations and made known to them my case laws, which bring life to all who observe them. 12I also gave them my sabbaths as a sign between us that I, the LORD, have set them apart for my purpose.#20.12 Or to make them holy 13But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They didn’t follow my regulations and rejected my case laws, which bring life to all who observe them. They completely degraded my sabbaths. So I declared that I would pour out my anger against them and destroy them in the desert. 14But instead, I acted for the sake of my name so that it wouldn’t be degraded in the sight of the nations who saw me lead them out of Egypt. 15So in the desert I swore another solemn pledge, that I wouldn’t bring them to the land that I had given to them, a land full of milk and honey, a land more splendid than any other, 16because they rejected my case laws, didn’t follow my regulations, and degraded my sabbaths. They had their hearts set on their idols. 17But I had too much compassion to destroy them, so I didn’t put an end to them in the desert.
18In the desert, I said to their children, Don’t follow your parents’ regulations or observe their case laws or become defiled by their idols. 19I am the LORD your God! Follow my regulations! Observe my case laws and do them! 20Make my sabbaths holy, and let them be a sign between us that I am the LORD your God. 21But the children rebelled against me. They didn’t follow my regulations or observe my case laws, which bring life to all who observe them. They also degraded my sabbaths. So I declared that I would pour out my wrath on them and satisfy my anger against them in the desert. 22But I restrained myself and acted for the sake of my name so that it wouldn’t be diminished in the sight of the nations who saw me lead them out of Egypt. 23And I swore yet another solemn pledge in the desert, that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them throughout the earth, 24because they didn’t observe my case laws, they rejected my regulations, and they degraded my sabbaths while they kept looking to their parents’ idols. 25I also issued regulations that were not good and case laws by which they could not live. 26I defiled them with their very gifts when they offered up all their oldest children. They were supposed to be so horrified that they would acknowledge that I am the LORD.
27Therefore, human one, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, The LORD God proclaims: Yet again your ancestors defamed me by rebelling against me! 28I brought them into the land that I swore to give to them. But when they saw all the high hills and lofty trees, there they made their sacrifices: irksome offerings here, pleasing aromas there, and drink offerings elsewhere! 29I said to them, What shrine are you going to now? So it’s called Shrine#20.29 Heb sounds like Where are you going? to this very day.
30So now say to the house of Israel, The LORD God proclaims: Will you defile yourselves as your ancestors did, and will you prostitute yourself after their disgusting things? 31When you offer up your gifts and make your children pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Should I let you seek me out, house of Israel? This is what the LORD God says: As surely as I live, I won’t let you seek me. 32What is in your minds will never happen! You’ve been saying, “Let’s be like the nations and the clans of the lands in the service of wood and stone.” 33This is what the LORD God says: As surely as I live, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be your king! 34I will lead you out from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you’ve been scattered—yes, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out! 35I will march you out to the wilderness nations, and there I will judge you face-to-face. 36Just as I judged your ancestors in the desert of the land of Egypt, so will I judge you. This is what the LORD God says. 37I will make you walk under the rod, and I will bring you into the covenant bond. 38I will remove from among you those who rebel and transgress against me. I will lead them out from the land where they lived as immigrants, but they won’t enter Israel’s fertile land. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
39But to you, house of Israel, the LORD God proclaims: Go ahead and serve your idols, all of you! But afterward, if any of you are left to listen to me,#20.39 Heb uncertain you will no longer make my holy name impure with your gifts or your idols! 40On my holy mountain, on the high mountain in Israel, the whole house of Israel will serve me there—every one of them in the land! This is what the LORD God says. There I will accept them, and there I will ask for their offerings, their finest gifts, and all their holy things. 41When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you are scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. Through you I will be made holy in the sight of the nations. 42Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you to Israel’s fertile land, to the land that I swore to give to your ancestors. 43There you will remember how your ways and all your wicked deeds defiled you, and you will loathe yourselves for all the wicked things that you’ve done. 44Then, house of Israel, you will know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for the sake of my name and not according to your wicked ways and ruinous deeds. This is what the LORD God says.
Fire in the southern plain
45 # 20.45 21:1 in Heb The LORD’s word came to me: 46Human one, face Teman, preach against the south, and prophesy against the thicket in the arid southern plain. 47Say to the thicket in the arid southern plain: Hear the LORD God’s word. This is what the LORD God says: I’m about to set a fire in you, and it will consume every green and every dry tree in you. Its blazing flame won’t be put out, and everything from south to north will be scorched. 48Everyone will see that I, the LORD, have set it on fire. It won’t be quenched. 49Then I said, “Oh, LORD God! They say about me, ‘Isn’t he one for making metaphors?’”
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Ezekiel 20: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Ezekiel 20
20
1 And it happened that, in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, men from the elders of Israel arrived, so that they might inquire of the Lord, and they sat before me.
2 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
3 "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Have you arrived in order to inquire of me? As I live, I will not answer you, says the Lord God.
4 If you judge them, if you judge, O son of man, reveal to them the abominations of their fathers.
5 And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God: In the day when I chose Israel, and I lifted up my hand on behalf of the stock of the house of Jacob, and I appeared to them in the land of Egypt, and I lifted up my hand on their behalf, saying, 'I am the Lord your God,'
6 in that day, I lifted up my hand for their sake, so that I would lead them away from the land of Egypt, into a land which I had provided for them, flowing with milk and honey, which was singular among all lands.
7 And I said to them: 'Let each one cast away the offenses of his eyes, and do not choose to defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.'
8 But they provoked me, and they were not willing to listen to me. Each one of them did not cast away the abominations of his eyes, nor did they leave behind the idols of Egypt. And so, I said that I would pour out my indignation upon them, and fulfill my wrath against them, in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9 But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be violated in the sight of the Gentiles, in the midst of whom they were, and among whom I appeared to them, so that I might lead them away from the land of Egypt.
10 Therefore, I cast them out of the land of Egypt, and I led them away into the desert.
11 And I gave them my precepts, and I revealed to them my judgments, which, if a man does them, he shall live by them.
12 Moreover, I also gave to them my Sabbaths, so that these would be a sign between me and them, and so that they would know that I am the Lord, who sanctifies them.
13 But the house of Israel provoked me in the desert. They did not walk in my precepts, and they cast aside my judgments, which, if a man does them, he shall live by them. And they grievously violated my Sabbaths. Therefore, I said that I would pour out my fury upon them in the desert, and that I would consume them.
14 But I acted for the sake of my name, lest it be violated before the Gentiles, from whom I cast them out, in their sight.
15 And so I lifted up my hand over them in the desert, so as not to lead them into the land that I had given to them, flowing with milk and honey, the foremost of all lands.
16 For they cast aside my judgments, and they did not walk in my precepts, and they violated my Sabbaths. For their heart went after idols.
17 Yet my eye was lenient concerning them, so that I did not utterly destroy them, nor did I consume them in the desert.
18 Then I said to their sons in the wilderness: 'Do not choose to advance by the precepts of your fathers, nor should you observe their judgments. And do not be defiled by their idols.
19 I am the Lord your God. Walk in my precepts, and observe my judgments, and accomplish them.
20 And sanctify my Sabbaths, so that these may be a sign between me and you, and so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.'
21 But their sons provoked me. They did not walk in my precepts. And they did not observe my judgments, so as to do them; for if a man does them, he shall live by them. And they violated my Sabbaths. And so, I threatened that I would pour out my fury upon them, and that I would fulfill my wrath among them in the desert.
22 But I turned aside my hand, and I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be violated before the Gentiles, from whom I cast them out, before their eyes.
23 Again, I lifted up my hand against them, in the wilderness, so that I would disperse them among the nations, and scatter them among the lands.
24 For they had not accomplished my judgments, and they had rejected my precepts, and they had violated my Sabbaths. And their eyes had been after the idols of their fathers.
25 Therefore, I also gave them precepts that were not good, and judgments by which they shall not live.
26 And I defiled them by their own gifts, when they offered everything that opened the womb, because of their offenses. And they shall know that I am the Lord.
27 For this reason, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God. Yet also in this did your fathers blaspheme me, after they had spurned and despised me,
28 though I had led them into the land, about which I lifted up my hand, so that I might give it to them: They saw every lofty hill and every leafy tree, and there they immolated their victims, and there they presented the provocation of their oblations, and there they stationed their sweet fragrances, and poured out their libations.
29 And I said to them, 'What is exalted about the place to which you go?' And yet its name is called 'Exalted,' even to this day.
30 Because of this, say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Certainly, you are defiled by the way of your fathers, and you have fornicated after their stumbling blocks.
31 And you are being defiled by all of your idols, even to this day, by the oblation of your gifts, when you lead your sons through the fire. And should I respond to you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not answer you.
32 And the plan of your mind will not occur, saying: 'We will be like the Gentiles, and like the families of the earth, so that we worship what is wood and stone.'
33 As I live, says the Lord God, I will reign over you with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured forth.
34 And I will lead you away from the peoples. And I will gather you from the lands into which you were dispersed. I will reign over you with a powerful hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.
35 And I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you, face to face.
36 Just as I contended in judgment against your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so also will I enter into judgment with you, says the Lord God.
37 And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will lead you into the bonds of the covenant.
38 And I will select, from among you, the transgressors and the impious. And I will lead them away from the land of their sojourn, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord.
39 And as for you, house of Israel: thus says the Lord God: Walk, each one of you, after your idols and serve them. But if in this also you will not listen to me, and you continue to defile my holy name with your gifts and with your idols,
40 on my holy mountain, on the exalted mountain of Israel, says the Lord God, there all the house of Israel shall serve me; all of them, I say, in the land in which they shall please me, and there I will require your first-fruits, and the foremost of your tithes, with all your sanctifications.
41 I will receive from you a fragrance of sweetness, when I will have led you away from the peoples, and gathered you from the lands into which you were dispersed. And I will be sanctified in you before the eyes of the nations.
42 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have led you into the land of Israel, into the land about which I lifted up my hand, so that I would give it to your fathers.
43 And there you shall remember your ways and all your wickedness, by which you have been defiled. And you will be displeased with yourselves in your own sight, over all your evil deeds which you did.
44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have acted well toward you for the sake of my name, and not according to your evil ways, nor according to your very great wickedness, O house of Israel, says the Lord God."
45 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
46 "Son of man, set your face against the way of the south, and pour in drops toward Africa, and prophesy against the forest of the field of the meridian.
47 And you shall say to the meridian forest: Listen to the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and I will burn up within you every green tree and every dry tree. The flame of the kindling will not be extinguished. And every face will be burned up within it, from the south, even to the north.
48 And all flesh will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it, and that it will not be extinguished."
49 And I said: "Alas, alas, alas, O Lord God! They are saying about me: 'Does this man not speak except through parables?' "
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