Ezekiel 14

Idolatrous Elders Condemned

1Then someH376 1eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 cameH935 to me and 2satH3427 downH3427 beforeH6440 me. 2And the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me, sayingH559, 3“SonH1121 of manH120, theseH428 menH376 have 3setH5927 up their idolsH1544 in their heartsH3820 and have 4putH5414 rightH5227 beforeH5227 their facesH6440 the stumblingH4383 blockH4383 of their iniquityH5771. Should I be 5consultedH1875 by them at allH1875? 4ThereforeH3651 speakH1696 to them and tellH559 them, ‘ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 6GodH3068, “AnyH376 manH376 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 whoH834 setsH5927 up his idolsH1544 in his heartH3820, putsH7760 rightH5227 beforeH5227 his faceH6440 the stumblingH4383 blockH4383 of his iniquityH5771, and then comesH935 to the prophetH5030, I the LordH3068 will be broughtH6030 to giveH6030 him an answerH6030 in 7the matter in view of the 8multitudeH7230 of his idolsH1544, 5in orderH4616 to layH8610 holdH8610 of 910the heartsH3820 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 whoH834 are 1112estrangedH2114 from Me through allH3605 their idolsH1544.”’

6“ThereforeH3651 sayH559 to the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, ‘ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 GodH3068, “13RepentH7725 and turnH7725 awayH7725 from your idolsH1544 and turnH7725 your facesH6440 awayH7725 from allH3605 your 14abominationsH8441. 7For anyoneH376 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 or of the 15immigrantsH1616 whoH834 stayH1481 in IsraelH3478 who separatesH5144 himself from Me, setsH5927 up his idolsH1544 in his heartH3820, putsH7760 rightH5227 beforeH5227 his faceH6440 the stumblingH4383 blockH4383 of his iniquityH5771, and then comesH935 to the prophetH5030 to inquireH1875 of Me for himself, 16I the LordH3068 will be broughtH6030 to answerH6030 him in My own person. 8I will 17setH5414 My faceH6440 against that manH376 and makeH7760 him a 18signH226 and 19a proverbH4912, and I will cutH3772 him offH3772 from amongH8432 My peopleH5971. So you will knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068.

9“But ifH3588 the prophetH5030 is 20prevailedH6601 upon to speakH1696 a wordH1697, it is I, the LordH3068, who have 21prevailedH6601 upon that prophetH5030, and I will stretchH5186 out My handH3027 againstH5921 him and 22destroyH8045 him from amongH8432 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478. 10They will bearH5375 the punishment of their iniquityH5771; as the iniquityH5771 of the inquirerH1875 is, so the iniquityH5771 of the prophetH5030 will be, 11in orderH4616 that the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 may noH3808 longerH5750 23strayH8582 from Me and noH3808 longerH5750 24defileH2930 themselves with allH3605 their transgressionsH6588. Thus they will be 25My peopleH5971, and I shall be their GodH430,”’ declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068.”

The City Will Not Be Spared

12Then the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me sayingH559, 13“SonH1121 of manH120, ifH3588 a countryH776 sinsH2398 against Me by 26committingH4603 unfaithfulnessH4603, and I stretchH5186 out My handH3027 againstH5921 it, 27destroyH7665 its 28supplyH4294 of breadH3899, sendH7971 famineH7458 against it and cutH3772 offH3772 from it both manH120 and beastH929, 14even 29though theseH428 threeH7969 menH376, 30NoahH5146, 31DanielH1840 and 32JobH347 were in its midstH8432, by their own righteousnessH6666 they could only deliverH5337 33themselvesH5315,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068. 15“IfH3863 I were to cause 34wildH7451 beastsH2421 to passH5674 through the landH776 and they 35depopulatedH7921 it, and it becameH1961 desolateH8077 soH4480H1097 that noH1097 oneH1097 would passH5674 throughH5674 it becauseH4480H6440 of the beastsH2421, 16though theseH428 threeH7969 menH376 were in its midstH8432, as I liveH2416,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “they could not deliverH5337 eitherH518 their sonsH1121 orH518 their daughtersH1323. 36They aloneH905 would be deliveredH5337, but the countryH776 would be desolateH8077. 17OrH176 if I should 37bringH935 a swordH2719 on that countryH776 and sayH559, ‘Let the swordH2719 passH5674 through the countryH776 and 38cutH3772 offH3772 manH120 and beastH929 from it,’ 18even though theseH428 threeH7969 menH376 were in its midstH8432, as I liveH2416,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “they could not deliverH5337 either their sonsH1121 or their daughtersH1323, but they aloneH905 would be deliveredH5337. 19OrH176 if I should sendH7971 a 39plagueH1698 againstH413 that countryH776 and pourH8210 out My wrathH2534 in bloodH1818 on it to cutH3772 offH3772 manH120 and beastH929 from it, 20even though NoahH5146, DanielH1840 and JobH347 were in its midstH8432, as I liveH2416,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “they could not deliverH5337 eitherH518 their sonH1121 orH518 their daughterH1323. They would deliverH5337 only themselvesH5315 by their righteousnessH6666.”

21For thusH3541 saysH559 the LordH136 GodH3068, “HowH637 muchH637 moreH637H3588 whenH3588 40I sendH7971 My fourH702 41severeH7451 judgmentsH8201 againstH413 JerusalemH3389: swordH2719, famineH7458, wildH7451 beastsH2421 and plagueH1698 to cutH3772 offH3772 manH120 and beastH929 from it! 22Yet, beholdH2009, 42survivorsH6413 will be leftH3498 in it who will be broughtH3318 out, both sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323. BeholdH2009, they are going to comeH3318 forthH3318 to you and you will 43seeH7200 their conductH1870 and actionsH5949; then you will be 44comfortedH5162 for the calamityH7463 whichH834 I have broughtH935 againstH5921 JerusalemH3389 for everythingH3605 whichH834 I have broughtH935 upon it. 23Then they will comfortH5162 you whenH3588 you seeH7200 their conductH1870 and actionsH5949, for you will knowH3045 that I have not doneH6213 45in vainH2600 whateverH3605H834 I didH6213 46to it,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068.