1 And in the seuenth yeere, in the fift moneth, the tenth day of the moneth, came certaine of the elders of Israel to enquire of the Lord, and sate before me. 2 Then came the worde of the Lord vnto me, saying, 3 Sonne of man, speake vnto the Elders of Israel, and say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye come to enquire of me? as I liue, sayth the Lord God, when I am asked, I wil not answer you. 4 Wilt thou iudge them, sonne of man? wilt thou iudge them? cause them to vnderstand the abominations of their fathers, 5 And say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God, In the day when I chose Israel, and lift vp mine hand vnto the seede of the house of Iaakob, and made my selfe knowen vnto them in the land of Egypt, when I lift vp mine hand vnto them, and sayd, I am the Lord your God, 6 In the day that I lift vp mine hand vnto them to bring them forth of the land of Egypt, into a land that I had prouided for them, flowing with milke and hony which is pleasant among all lands, 7 Then sayd I vnto them, Let euery man cast away the abominations of his eyes, and defile not your selues with the idols of Egypt: for I am the Lord your God. 8 But they rebelled against me, and would not heare me: for none cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idoles of Egypt: then I thought to powre out mine indignation vpon them, and to accomplish my wrath against them in the mids of the land of Egypt. 9 But I had respect to my Name, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whome they were, and in whose sight I made my selfe knowen vnto them in bringing them forth of the land of Egypt. 10 Nowe I caried them out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wildernes. 11 And I gaue them my statutes, and declared my iudgements vnto them, which if a man doe, he shall liue in them. 12 Moreouer I gaue them also my Sabbaths to be a signe betweene me and them, that they might knowe that I am the Lord, that sanctifie them. 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wildernes: they walked not in my statutes, and they cast away my iudgements, which if a man doe, he shall liue in them, and my Sabbaths haue they greatly polluted: then I thought to powre out mine indignation vpon them in the wildernes to consume them, 14 But I had respect to my Name, that it shoulde not bee polluted before the heathen in whose sight I brought them out. 15 Yet neuerthelesse, I lift vp mine hande vnto them in the wildernes that I would not bring them into the lande, which I had giuen them, flowing with milke and hony, which was pleasant aboue all landes, 16 Because they cast away my iudgments, and walked not in my statutes, but haue polluted my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idoles. 17 Neuerthelesse, mine eye spared them, that I would not destroye them, neither would I consume them in the wildernes. 18 But I said vnto their children in the wildernes, Walke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers, neither obserue their maners, nor defile your selues with their idoles. 19 I am the Lord your God: walke in my statutes, and keepe my iudgements and doe them, 20 And sanctifie my Sabbaths, and they shall bee a signe betweene mee and you, that ye may knowe that I am the Lord your God. 21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against mee: they walked not in my statutes, nor kept my iudgements to doe them, which if a man doe, hee shall liue in them, but they polluted my Sabbaths: then I thought to powre out mine indignation vpon them, and to accomplish my wrath against them in the wildernes. 22 Neuerthelesse I withdrew mine hand and had respect to my Name that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them foorth. 23 Yet I lift vp mine hande vnto them in the wildernes, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countreys, 24 Because they had not executed my iudgements, but had cast away my statutes and had polluted my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers idoles. 25 Wherefore I gaue them also statutes that were not good, and iudgements, wherein they should not liue. 26 And I polluted them in their owne giftes in that they caused to passe by the fire all that first openeth ye wombe, that I might destroy them, to the ende, that they might know that I am ye Lord. 27 Therefore, sonne of man, speake vnto the house of Israel, and say vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Yet in this your fathers haue blasphemed me, though they had before grieuously transgressed against me. 28 For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted vp mine hand to giue it to them, then they saw euery hie hill, and all the thicke trees, and they offred there their sacrifices, and there they presented their offering of prouocation: there also they made their sweete sauour, and powred out there their drinke offerings. 29 Then I saide vnto them, What is the hie place whereunto ye goe? And the name thereof was called Bamah vnto this day. 30 Wherefore, say vnto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye not polluted after the maner of your fathers? and commit ye not whoredome after their abominations? 31 For when you offer your giftes, and make your sonnes to passe through the fire, you pollute your selues with all your idoles vnto this day: shall I answere you when I am asked, O house of Israel? As I liue, saith the Lord God, I wil not answere you when I am asked. 32 Neither shall that be done that commeth into your minde: for ye say, We wil be as the heathen, and as the families of the countreys, and serue wood, and stone. 33 As I liue, saith the Lord God, I will surely rule you with a mightie hand, and with a stretched out arme, and in my wrath powred out, 34 And will bring you from the people, and will gather you out of the countreys, wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arme, and in my wrath powred out, 35 And I will bring you into the wildernes of the people, and there wil I pleade with you face to face. 36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wildernes of the lande of Egypt, so will I pleade with you, saith the Lord God. 37 And I wil cause you to passe vnder the rod, and wil bring you into the bond of the couenant. 38 And I wil chuse out from among you the rebels, and them that transgresse against mee: I will bring them out of the land where they dwel, and they shall not enter into the lande of Israel, and you shall knowe that I am the Lord. 39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, Goe you, and serue euery one his idole, seeing that ye will not obey me, and pollute mine holy Name no more with your giftes and with your idoles. 40 For in mine holy mountaine, euen in the hie mountaine of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, and all in the lande, serue me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offrings and the first fruites of your oblations, with all your holy things. 41 I will accept your sweete sauour, when I bring you from the people, and gather you out of the countreys, wherein ye haue bene scattered, that I may be sanctified in you before ye heathen. 42 And ye shall knowe, that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the land, for the which I lifted vp mine hande to giue it to your fathers. 43 And there shall ye remember your wayes, and all your workes, wherein ye haue bene defiled, and ye shall iudge your selues worthy to be cut off, for all your euils, that ye haue committed. 44 And ye shall knowe, that I am the Lord, when I haue respect vnto you for my Names sake, and not after your wicked wayes, nor according to your corrupt workes, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God. 45 Moreouer, the worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying, 46 Sonne of man, set thy face toward the way of Teman, and drop thy word toward the South, and prophecie towarde the forest of the fielde of the South, 47 And say to the forest of the South, Heare the worde of the Lord: thus saith the Lord God, Beholde, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall deuoure all the greene wood in thee, and all the drie wood: the continuall flame shall not bee quenched, and euery face from the South to the North shall be burnt therein. 48 And all flesh shall see, that I the Lord haue kindled it, and it shall not bee quenched. Then saide I, Ah Lord God, they say of me, Doeth not he speake parables?
The Lord's Will and Human Defiance
1 It was the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year of our exile. Some of the leaders of the Israelite community came to consult me about the Lord's will, and they sat down in front of me. 2 Then the Lord spoke to me. 3 “Mortal man,” he said, “speak to these leaders and tell them that the Sovereign Lord is saying: You have come to ask my will, have you? As surely as I am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.
4 “Are you ready to pass sentence on them, mortal man? Then do so. Remind them of the disgusting things their ancestors did. 5 Tell them what I am saying. When I chose Israel, I made them a promise. I revealed myself to them in Egypt and told them: I am the Lord your God. 6 It was then that I promised to take them out of Egypt and lead them to a land I had chosen for them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all. 7 I told them to throw away the disgusting idols they loved and not to make themselves unclean with the false gods of Egypt, because I am the Lord their God. 8 But they defied me and refused to listen. They did not throw away their disgusting idols or give up the Egyptian gods. I was ready to let them feel the full force of my anger there in Egypt. 9 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name, for in the presence of the people among whom they were living I had announced to Israel that I was going to lead them out of Egypt.
10 “And so I led them out of Egypt into the desert. 11 I gave them my commands and taught them my laws, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. 12 I made the keeping of the Sabbath a sign of the agreement between us, to remind them that I, the Lord, make them holy. 13 But even in the desert they defied me. They broke my laws and rejected my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They completely profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to destroy them. 14 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt. 15 So I made a vow in the desert that I would not take them to the land I had given them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all. 16 I made the vow because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, and profaned the Sabbath—they preferred to worship their idols.
17 “But then I took pity on them. I decided not to kill them there in the desert. 18 Instead, I warned the young people among them: Do not keep the laws your ancestors made; do not follow their customs or defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God. Obey my laws and my commands. 20 Make the Sabbath a holy day, so that it will be a sign of the covenant we made, and will remind you that I am the Lord your God.
21 “But that generation also defied me. They broke my laws and did not keep my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to kill them all. 22 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt. 23 So I made another vow in the desert. I vowed that I would scatter them all over the world. 24 I did this because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, profaned the Sabbath, and worshiped the same idols their ancestors had served.
25 “Then I gave them laws that are not good and commands that do not bring life. 26 I let them defile themselves with their own offerings, and I let them sacrifice their first-born sons. This was to punish them and show them that I am the Lord.
27 “Now then, mortal man, tell the Israelites what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them. This is another way their ancestors insulted me by their unfaithfulness. 28 I brought them to the land I had promised to give them. When they saw the high hills and green trees, they offered sacrifices at all of them. They made me angry by the sacrifices they burned and by the wine they brought as offerings. 29 I asked them: What are these high places where you go? So they have been called ‘High Places’ ever since. 30 Now tell the Israelites what I am saying: Why must you commit the same sins your ancestors did and go running after their idols? 31 Even today you offer the same gifts and defile yourselves with the same idols by sacrificing your children to them in the fire. And then you Israelites still come to ask what my will is! As surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything. 32 You have made up your minds that you want to be like the other nations, like the people who live in other countries and worship trees and rocks. But that will never be.
God Punishes and Forgives
33 “As surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I warn you that in my anger I will rule over you with a strong hand, with all my power. 34 I will show you my power and my anger when I gather you together and bring you back from all the countries where you have been scattered. 35 I will bring you into the ‘Desert of the Nations,’ and there I will condemn you to your face. 36 I will now condemn you just as I condemned your ancestors in the Sinai Desert,” says the Sovereign Lord.
37 “I will take firm control of you and make you obey my covenant. 38 I will take away from among you those who are rebellious and sinful. I will take them out of the lands where they are living now, but I will not let them return to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
39 The Sovereign Lord says, “And now, all you Israelites, suit yourselves! Go on and serve your idols! But I warn you that after this you will have to obey me and stop dishonoring my holy name by offering gifts to your idols. 40 There in the land, on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, all you people of Israel will worship me. I will be pleased with you and will expect you to bring me your sacrifices, your best offerings, and your holy gifts. 41 After I bring you out of the countries where you have been scattered and gather you together, I will accept the sacrifices that you burn, and the nations will see that I am holy. 42 When I bring you back to Israel, the land that I promised I would give to your ancestors, then you will know that I am the Lord. 43 Then you will remember all the disgraceful things you did and how you defiled yourselves. You will be disgusted with yourselves because of all the evil things you did. 44 When I act to protect my honor, you Israelites will know that I am the Lord, because I do not deal with you as your wicked, evil actions deserve.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.
Fire in the South
45 The Lord spoke to me. 46 “Mortal man,” he said, “look toward the south. Speak against the south and prophesy against the forest of the south. 47 Tell the southern forest to hear what the Sovereign Lord is saying: Look! I am starting a fire, and it will burn up every tree in you, whether green or dry. Nothing will be able to put it out. It will spread from south to north, and everyone will feel the heat of the flames. 48 They will all see that I, the Lord, set it on fire and that no one can put it out.”
49 But I protested, “Sovereign Lord, don't make me do it! Everyone is already complaining that I always speak in riddles.”