² Then the word of the Lord came to me: ³ “Son of man, speak to the elders^(A) of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire^(B) of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(C)’

⁴ “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors^{(D) 5} and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose^(E) Israel, I swore with uplifted hand^(F) to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.^(G)” ⁶ On that day I swore^(H) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(I) the most beautiful of all lands.^{(J) 7} And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images^(K) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols^(L) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.^(M)”

⁸ “‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;^(N) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.^(O) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.^{(P) 9} But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.^(Q) I did it to keep my name from being profaned^(R) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. ¹⁰ Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.^{(S) 11} I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.^{(T) 12} Also I gave them my Sabbaths^(U) as a sign^(V) between us,^(W) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.^(X)

¹³ “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled^(Y) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws^(Z)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.^(AA) So I said I would pour out my wrath^(AB) on them and destroy^(AC) them in the wilderness.^{(AD) 14} But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned^(AE) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.^{(AF) 15} Also with uplifted hand I swore^(AG) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands^(AH)— ¹⁶ because they rejected my laws^(AI) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts^(AJ) were devoted to their idols.^{(AK) 17} Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy^(AL) them or put an end to them in the wilderness. ¹⁸ I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents^(AM) or keep their laws or defile yourselves^(AN) with their idols. ¹⁹ I am the Lord your God;^(AO) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.^{(AP) 20} Keep my Sabbaths^(AQ) holy, that they may be a sign^(AR) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.^(AS)”

Judgment on Jerusalem’s Sins

22 The word of the Lord came to me:

² “Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed?^(A) Then confront her with all her detestable practices^{(B) 3} and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood^(C) in her midst and defiles herself by making idols, ⁴ you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed^(D) and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come.^(E) Therefore I will make you an object of scorn^(F) to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries.^{(G) 5} Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, you infamous city, full of turmoil.^(H)

⁶ “‘See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.^{(I) 7} In you they have treated father and mother with contempt;^(J) in you they have oppressed the foreigner^(K) and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.^{(L) 8} You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.^{(M) 9} In you are slanderers^(N) who are bent on shedding blood;^(O) in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines^(P) and commit lewd acts.^{(Q) 10} In you are those who dishonor their father’s bed;^(R) in you are those who violate women during their period,^(S) when they are ceremonially unclean.^{(T) 11} In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife,^(U) another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law,^(V) and another violates his sister,^(W) his own father’s daughter.^{(X) 12} In you are people who accept bribes^(Y) to shed blood; you take interest^(Z) and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors.^(AA) And you have forgotten^(AB) me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AC)

¹³ “‘I will surely strike my hands^(AD) together at the unjust gain^(AE) you have made and at the blood^(AF) you have shed in your midst.^{(AG) 14} Will your courage endure^(AH) or your hands^(AI) be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken,^(AJ) and I will do it.^{(AK) 15} I will disperse you among the nations and scatter^(AL) you through the countries; and I will put an end to^(AM) your uncleanness.^{(AN) 16} When you have been defiled^[a] in the eyes of the nations, you will know that I am the Lord.’”

¹⁷ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁸ “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross^(AO) to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace.^(AP) They are but the dross of silver.^{(AQ) 19} Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross,^(AR) I will gather you into Jerusalem.