Ezekiel 20

God’s Dealings with Israel Rehearsed

1Now in the seventhH7637 yearH8141, in the fifthH2549 month, on the tenthH6218 of the monthH2320, menH376 from the 1eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 cameH935 to inquireH1875 of the LordH3068, and they satH3427 beforeH6440 me. 2Then the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me, sayingH559, 3“SonH1121 of manH120, speakH1696 to the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 and sayH559 to them, ‘ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH136 2GodH3068 saysH559: “Do you yourselvesH864 comeH935 to inquireH1875 of Me? As I liveH2416,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “3I certainlyH518 will not be inquiredH1875 of by you.”’ 4Will you judgeH8199 them, will you judgeH8199 them, sonH1121 of manH120? 4Make knownH3045 to them the abominationsH8441 of their fathersH1; 5and sayH559 to them, ‘ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH136 GodH3068 saysH559: “On the dayH3117 when I 5choseH977 IsraelH3478 and 6sworeH5375H3027 to the 7descendantsH2233 of the houseH1004 of JacobH3290 and madeH3045 Myself knownH3045 to them in the landH776 of EgyptH4714, when I 8sworeH5375H3027 to them, sayingH559, 9I am the LordH3068 your GodH430, 6on that dayH3117 I sworeH5375H3027 to them, 10to bringH3318 them outH3318 from the landH776 of EgyptH4714 into a landH776 that I had 11selectedH8446 for them, 12flowingH2100 with milkH2461 and honeyH1706, whichH1931 is 13the gloryH6643 of allH3605 the landsH776. 7And I saidH559 to them, ‘14ThrowH7993 awayH7993, eachH376 of you, the detestableH8251 thingsH8251 of his eyesH5869, and 15do not defileH2930 yourselves with the idolsH1544 of EgyptH4714; 16I am the LordH3068 your GodH430.’ 8But they 17rebelledH4784 against Me and wereH14 not willingH14 to listenH8085 to Me; they did not throwH7993 awayH7993, eachH376 of them, the detestableH8251 thingsH8251 of their eyesH5869, norH3808 did they abandonH5800 the 18idolsH1544 of EgyptH4714.

“Then I 19resolvedH559 to 20pourH8210 outH8210 My wrathH2534 on them, to 21useH3615 upH3615 My angerH639 against them in the midstH8432 of the landH776 of EgyptH4714. 9But I actedH6213 22for the sakeH4616 of My nameH8034, that it would 23not be defiledH2490 in the sightH5869 of the nationsH1471 amongH8432 whomH834 they lived, in whoseH834 sightH5869 I madeH3045 Myself knownH3045 to them by bringingH3318 them outH3318 of the landH776 of EgyptH4714. 10So I tookH3318 them outH3318 of the landH776 of EgyptH4714 and broughtH935 them into the 24wildernessH4057. 11I gaveH5414 them My 25statutesH2708 and informedH3045 them of My ordinancesH4941, 26whichH834, if 27a personH120 28followsH6213 them, then he will liveH2421 by them. 12AlsoH1571 I gaveH5414 them My SabbathsH7676 to be a 29signH226 betweenH996 Me and them, so that they might knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068 who sanctifiesH6942 them. 13But the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 30rebelledH4784 against Me in the wildernessH4057. They did not walkH1980 in My statutesH2708 and they rejectedH3988 My ordinancesH4941, 31whichH834, if 32a personH120 33followsH6213 them, then he will liveH2421 by them; and they greatlyH3966 profanedH2490 My 34SabbathsH7676. Then I 35resolvedH559 to 36pourH8210 outH8210 My wrathH2534 on them in the wildernessH4057, to annihilateH3615 them. 14But I actedH6213 for the sakeH4616 of My nameH8034, so that it would not be defiledH2490 before the eyesH5869 of the nationsH1471, before whoseH834 eyesH5869 I had broughtH3318 them outH3318. 15AlsoH1571 37I sworeH5375H3027 to them in the wildernessH4057 that I would not bringH935 them into the landH776 whichH834 I had givenH5414 them, flowingH2100 with milkH2461 and honeyH1706, whichH1931 is the gloryH6643 of allH3605 the landsH776, 16becauseH3282 they rejectedH3988 My ordinancesH4941, and as for My statutesH2708, they did not walkH1980 in them; they also profanedH2490 My SabbathsH7676, becauseH3588 their 38heartH3820 continually followedH1980H310 their idolsH1544. 17Yet My eyeH5869 sparedH2347 them ratherH4480 thanH4480 destroyingH7843 them, and I did not bringH6213 aboutH6213 their 39annihilationH3617 in the wildernessH4057.

18“Instead, I saidH559 to their 4041childrenH1121 in the wildernessH4057, ‘42Do not walkH1980 in the statutesH2706 of your fathersH1 or keepH8104 their ordinancesH4941 or defileH2930 yourselves with their idolsH1544. 1943I am the LordH3068 your GodH430; 44walkH1980 in My statutesH2708 and keepH8104 My ordinancesH4941 and 45followH6213 them. 2046SanctifyH6942 My SabbathsH7676; and they shall be a signH226 betweenH996 Me and you, so that you may knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068 your GodH430.’ 21But the 47childrenH1121 rebelledH4784 against Me; they did not walkH1980 in My statutesH2708, norH3808 wereH8104 they carefulH8104 to 48followH6213 My ordinancesH4941 whichH834, if 49a personH120 50followsH6213 them, then he will liveH2421 by them; they profanedH2490 My SabbathsH7676. So I 51resolvedH559 to pourH8210 outH8210 My wrathH2534 on them, to 52useH3615 upH3615 My angerH639 against them in the wildernessH4057. 22But I 53withdrewH7725 My handH3027 and actedH6213 54for the sakeH4616 of My nameH8034, so that it would not be defiledH2490 in the sightH5869 of the nationsH1471 in whoseH834 sightH5869 I had broughtH3318 them outH3318. 23AlsoH1571 I sworeH5375H3027 to them in the wildernessH4057 that I would 55scatterH6327 them among the nationsH1471 and disperseH2219 them among the landsH776, 24becauseH3282 they had not 56compliedH6213 withH6213 My ordinancesH4941, but had rejectedH3988 My statutesH2708 and had profanedH2490 My SabbathsH7676, and 57their eyesH5869 were 58on the idolsH1544 of their fathersH1. 25I alsoH1571 gaveH5414 them statutesH2706 that were 59not goodH2896, and ordinancesH4941 by which they could not liveH2421; 26and I pronouncedH2930 them 60uncleanH2930 because of their giftsH4979, in that they 61made allH3605 62their firstbornH1060H7358 passH5674 throughH5674 the fire soH4616 thatH4616 I might makeH8074 them desolateH8074, inH4616 orderH4616 thatH4616 they might 63knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068.”’

27“ThereforeH3651 64speakH1696 to the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, sonH1121 of manH120, and sayH559 to them, ‘ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH136 GodH3068 saysH559: “AgainH5750, in thisH2088 your fathersH1 have 65blasphemedH1442 Me by 66beingH4603 disloyalH4603 to Me. 28When I had 67broughtH935 them into the landH776 whichH834 I sworeH5375H3027 to giveH5414 to them, then they sawH7200 everyH3605 68highH7311 hillH1389 and everyH3605 treeH6086 thickH5687 with branchesH5687, and thereH8033 they offeredH2076 their sacrificesH2077 and thereH8033 they presentedH5414 the provocationH3708 of their offeringH7133. ThereH8033 also they madeH7760 their soothingH5207 aromaH7381 and thereH8033 they pouredH5258 outH5258 their drinkH5262 offeringsH5262. 29Then I saidH559 to them, ‘WhatH4100 is the highH1116 placeH1116 to whichH834 you goH935?’ So its nameH8034 is calledH7121 69BamahH1117 to thisH2088 dayH3117.”’ 30ThereforeH3651, sayH559 to the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, ‘ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH136 GodH3068 saysH559: “Will you defileH2930 yourselves in the wayH1870 of your 70fathersH1 and adulterouslyH2181 pursueH2181H310 their detestableH8251 thingsH8251? 31And 71when you offerH5375 your giftsH4979, when you 72make your sonsH1121 passH5674 through the fireH784, you are defilingH2930 yourselves with allH3605 your idolsH1544 to this dayH3117. So shall I be inquiredH1875 of by you, houseH1004 of IsraelH3478? As I liveH2416,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “I certainlyH518 will not be inquiredH1875 of by you. 32And whatever 73comesH5927 74into your mindH7307 certainlyH1961 will not comeH1961 aboutH1961, whenH834 you sayH559: ‘We will be like the nationsH1471, like the familiesH4940 of the landsH776, 75servingH8334 woodH6086 and stoneH68.’

God Will Restore Israel to Her Land

33“As I liveH2416,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “with a mightyH2389 handH3027 and with an 76outstretchedH5186 armH2220 and with wrathH2534 pouredH8210 outH5186, I assuredlyH518H3808 shall beH4427 77kingH4427 overH5921 you. 34I will 78bringH3318 you outH3318 from the peoplesH5971 and gatherH6908 you from the landsH776 whereH834 you are scatteredH6327, with a mightyH2389 handH3027 and with an outstretchedH5186 armH2220 and with 79wrathH2534 pouredH8210 outH8210; 35and I will bringH935 you into the 80wildernessH4057 of the peoplesH5971, and thereH8033 I will enterH8199 intoH8199 judgmentH8199 with you faceH6440 to faceH6440. 36JustH312 as I 81enteredH8199 intoH8199 judgmentH8199 with your fathersH1 in the 82wildernessH4057 of the landH776 of EgyptH4714, soH3651 I will enterH8199 intoH8199 judgmentH8199 with you,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068. 37“I will make you 83passH5674 underH8478 the rodH7626, and I will bringH935 you into the bondH4562 of the covenantH1285; 38and I will 84purgeH1305 from you the rebelsH4775 and those who revoltH6586 against Me; I will bringH3318 them outH3318 of the landH776 whereH4033 they resideH4033, but they will 85not enterH935 the 86landH127 of IsraelH3478. So you will knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068.

39“As for you, houseH1004 of IsraelH3478,” thisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH136 GodH3068 saysH559: “87GoH1980, serveH5647, everyoneH376 of you his idolsH1544; 88but laterH310 you will certainlyH518H369 listenH8085 to Me, and My holyH6944 nameH8034 you will noH3808 longerH5750 89defileH2490 with your giftsH4979 and your idolsH1544. 40For on My holyH6944 mountainH2022, on the highH4791 mountainH2022 of IsraelH3478,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068, “thereH8033 the entireH3605 houseH1004 of IsraelH3478, 90allH3605 of them, will serveH5647 Me in the landH776; thereH8033 I will 91acceptH7521 them and thereH8033 I will demandH1875 your contributionsH8641 and the choicestH7225 of your giftsH4864, with allH3605 your holyH6944 thingsH6944. 4192As a soothingH5207 aromaH7381 I will acceptH7521 you when I 93bringH3318 you outH3318 from the peoplesH5971 and gatherH6908 you from the landsH776 whereH834 you are scatteredH6327; and I will showH6942 Myself to beH6942 94holyH6942 among you in the sightH5869 of the nationsH1471. 42And 95you will knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068, 96when I bringH935 you into the landH127 of IsraelH3478, into the 97landH776 whichH834 I sworeH5375H3027 to giveH5414 to your forefathersH1. 43And thereH8033 you will 98rememberH2142 your waysH1870 and allH3605 your deedsH5949 by whichH834 you have defiledH2930 yourselves; and you will 99loatheH6962 yourselves in your own 100sightH6440 for allH3605 the evilH7451 thingsH7451 that you have doneH6213. 44Then 101you will knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068, when I have dealtH6213 with you 102in behalfH4616 of My nameH8034, not according to your evilH7451 waysH1870 or according to your corruptH7843 deedsH5949, houseH1004 of IsraelH3478,” declaresH5002 the LordH136 GodH3068.’”

45103Now the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 cameH1961 to me, sayingH559, 46“SonH1121 of manH120, setH7760 your faceH6440 towardH1870 the southH8486, and speakH5197 propheticallyH5197 againstH413 the 104southH1864 and 105prophesyH5012 againstH413 the 106forestH3293 107landH7704 of the NegevH5045, 47and sayH559 to the forestH3293 of the NegevH5045, ‘HearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068: thisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH136 GodH3068 saysH559: “BeholdH2009, I am going to 108kindleH3341 a fireH784 in you, and it will consumeH398 everyH3605 109greenH3892 treeH6086 in you, as well as everyH3605 dryH3002 treeH6086; the blazingH3852 flameH3852 will not goH3518 outH3518 and 110111the entireH3605 surfaceH6440 from southH5045 to northH6828 will be scorchedH6866 by it. 48And allH3605 112mankindH1320 will seeH7200 that I, the LordH3068, have kindledH1197 it; it will 113not goH3518 outH3518.”’” 49Then I saidH559, “OhH162, LordH136 GodH3068! They are sayingH559 of me, ‘Is he not just speakingH4911 in 114riddlesH4912?’”