Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord [a]God says: “Do you yourselves come to inquire of Me? As I live,” declares the Lord God, “(A)I certainly will not be inquired of by you.”’ Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? (B)Make known to them the abominations of their fathers; and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “On the day when I (C)chose Israel and [b]swore to the [c]descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I [d]swore to them, saying, (D)I am the Lord your God, on that day I swore to them, (E)to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had [e]selected for them, (F)flowing with milk and honey, which is (G)the glory of all the lands. And I said to them, ‘(H)Throw away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and (I)do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; (J)I am the Lord your God.’ But they (K)rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not throw away, each of them, the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they abandon the (L)idols of Egypt.

“Then I [f]resolved to (M)pour out My wrath on them, to [g]use up My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But I acted (N)for the sake of My name, that it would (O)not be defiled in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10 So I took them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the (P)wilderness. 11 I gave them My (Q)statutes and informed them of My ordinances, (R)which, if [h]a person [i]follows them, then he will live by them. 12 Also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a (S)sign between Me and them, so that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13 But the house of Israel (T)rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes and they rejected My ordinances, (U)which, if [j]a person [k]follows them, then he will live by them; and they greatly profaned My (V)Sabbaths. Then I [l]resolved to (W)pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them. 14 But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be defiled before the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had brought them out. 15 Also (X)I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all the lands, 16 because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they also profaned My Sabbaths, because their (Y)heart continually followed their idols. 17 Yet My eye spared them rather than destroying them, and I did not bring about their (Z)annihilation in the wilderness.

18 “Instead, I said to their [m](AA)children in the wilderness, ‘(AB)Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols. 19 (AC)I am the Lord your God; (AD)walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and [n]follow them. 20 (AE)Sanctify My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 20:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  2. Ezekiel 20:5 Lit lifted up My hand, and so throughout the ch
  3. Ezekiel 20:5 Lit seed
  4. Ezekiel 20:5 Lit lifted up My hand, and so throughout the ch
  5. Ezekiel 20:6 Lit spied out
  6. Ezekiel 20:8 Lit said
  7. Ezekiel 20:8 Or finish
  8. Ezekiel 20:11 Lit the person
  9. Ezekiel 20:11 Lit does them
  10. Ezekiel 20:13 Lit the person
  11. Ezekiel 20:13 Lit does them
  12. Ezekiel 20:13 Lit said
  13. Ezekiel 20:18 Lit sons
  14. Ezekiel 20:19 Lit do

וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶת־זִקְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הֲלִדְרֹ֥שׁ אֹתִ֖י אַתֶּ֣ם בָּאִ֑ים חַי־אָ֙נִי֙ אִם־אִדָּרֵ֣שׁ לָכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃

הֲתִשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֹתָ֔ם הֲתִשְׁפּ֖וֹט בֶּן־אָדָ֑ם אֶת־תּוֹעֲבֹ֥ת אֲבוֹתָ֖ם הוֹדִיעֵֽם׃

וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ בְּיוֹם֙ בָּחֳרִ֣י בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וָאֶשָּׂ֣א יָדִ֗י לְזֶ֙רַע֙ בֵּ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וָאִוָּדַ֥ע לָהֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וָאֶשָּׂ֨א יָדִ֤י לָהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נָשָׂ֤אתִי יָדִי֙ לָהֶ֔ם לְהֽוֹצִיאָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֶל־אֶ֜רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־תַּ֣רְתִּי לָהֶ֗ם זָבַ֤ת חָלָב֙ וּדְבַ֔שׁ צְבִ֥י הִ֖יא לְכָל־הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃

וָאֹמַ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם אִ֣ישׁ שִׁקּוּצֵ֤י עֵינָיו֙ הַשְׁלִ֔יכוּ וּבְגִלּוּלֵ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם אַל־תִּטַּמָּ֑אוּ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

וַיַּמְרוּ־בִ֗י וְלֹ֤א אָבוּ֙ לִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֵלַ֔י אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־שִׁקּוּצֵ֤י עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ לֹ֣א הִשְׁלִ֔יכוּ וְאֶת־גִּלּוּלֵ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם לֹ֣א עָזָ֑בוּ וָאֹמַ֞ר לִשְׁפֹּ֧ךְ חֲמָתִ֣י עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם לְכַלּ֤וֹת אַפִּי֙ בָּהֶ֔ם בְּת֖וֹךְ אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

וָאַ֙עַשׂ֙ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמִ֔י לְבִלְתִּ֥י הֵחֵ֛ל לְעֵינֵ֥י הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣מָּה בְתוֹכָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר נוֹדַ֤עְתִּי אֲלֵיהֶם֙ לְעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם לְהוֹצִיאָ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

10 וָאֽוֹצִיאֵ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וָאֲבִאֵ֖ם אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃

11 וָאֶתֵּ֤ן לָהֶם֙ אֶת־חֻקּוֹתַ֔י וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֖י הוֹדַ֣עְתִּי אוֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אוֹתָ֛ם הָאָדָ֖ם וָחַ֥י בָּהֶֽם׃

12 וְגַ֤ם אֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתַי֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָהֶ֔ם לִהְי֣וֹת לְא֔וֹת בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵֽינֵיהֶ֑ם לָדַ֕עַת כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדְּשָֽׁם׃

13 וַיַּמְרוּ־בִ֨י בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר בְּחֻקּוֹתַ֨י לֹא־הָלָ֜כוּ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֣י מָאָ֗סוּ אֲשֶׁר֩ יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה אֹתָ֤ם הָֽאָדָם֙ וָחַ֣י בָּהֶ֔ם וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י חִלְּל֣וּ מְאֹ֑ד וָאֹמַ֞ר לִשְׁפֹּ֨ךְ חֲמָתִ֧י עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר לְכַלּוֹתָֽם׃

14 וָאֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמִ֑י לְבִלְתִּ֤י הֵחֵל֙ לְעֵינֵ֣י הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹצֵאתִ֖ים לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃

15 וְגַם־אֲנִ֗י נָשָׂ֧אתִי יָדִ֛י לָהֶ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר לְבִלְתִּי֩ הָבִ֨יא אוֹתָ֜ם אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֗תִּי זָבַ֤ת חָלָב֙ וּדְבַ֔שׁ צְבִ֥י הִ֖יא לְכָל־הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃

16 יַ֜עַן בְּמִשְׁפָּטַ֣י מָאָ֗סוּ וְאֶת־חֻקּוֹתַי֙ לֹא־הָלְכ֣וּ בָהֶ֔ם וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֖י חִלֵּ֑לוּ כִּ֛י אַחֲרֵ֥י גִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖ם לִבָּ֥ם הֹלֵֽךְ׃

17 וַתָּ֧חָס עֵינִ֛י עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מִֽשַּׁחֲתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־עָשִׂ֧יתִי אוֹתָ֛ם כָּלָ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

18 וָאֹמַ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵיהֶם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּחוּקֵּ֤י אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ אַל־תֵּלֵ֔כוּ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפְּטֵיהֶ֖ם אַל־תִּשְׁמֹ֑רוּ וּבְגִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖ם אַל־תִּטַּמָּֽאוּ׃

19 אֲנִי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם בְּחֻקּוֹתַ֖י לֵ֑כוּ וְאֶת־מִשְׁפָּטַ֥י שִׁמְר֖וּ וַעֲשׂ֥וּ אוֹתָֽם׃

20 וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתוֹתַ֖י קַדֵּ֑שׁוּ וְהָי֤וּ לְאוֹת֙ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵֽינֵיכֶ֔ם לָדַ֕עַת כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

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The Sins of Israel

22 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “And you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then inform her of all her abominations. And you shall say, ‘This is what the Lord [a]God says: “A city (A)shedding blood in her midst, so that her time is coming; and a city that makes idols, contrary to her own good, for defilement! You have become (B)guilty by [b]the blood which you have shed, and you have become defiled by your idols which you have made. So you have brought your days closer and have come to your years; therefore I have made you a (C)disgrace to the nations, and an object of mocking to all the lands. Those who are near and those who are far from you will make fun of you, you of ill repute, full of (D)turmoil.

“Behold, the (E)rulers of Israel, each according to his [c]power, have been among you for the purpose of shedding blood. They have (F)treated father and mother with contempt among you. They have oppressed the (G)stranger in your midst; they have oppressed the (H)orphan and the widow among you. You have (I)despised My holy things and (J)profaned My Sabbaths. Slanderous men have been among you for the purpose of shedding blood, and among you they have eaten at the mountain shrines. In your midst they have (K)committed outrageous sin. 10 Among you [d]they have (L)uncovered their fathers’ nakedness; among you they have abused her who was (M)unclean in her menstruation. 11 And one has committed abomination with his (N)neighbor’s wife, another has outrageously defiled his (O)daughter-in-law, and another among you has sexually (P)abused his sister, his father’s daughter. 12 Among you they have (Q)taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken [e](R)interest, you have injured your neighbors by (S)oppression, and you have (T)forgotten Me,” declares the Lord God.

13 “Behold, then, I strike with My hand your (U)profit which you have made and [f]the bloodshed which is among you. 14 Can (V)your heart endure, or can your hands be strong for the days that I will deal with you? (W)I, the Lord, have spoken and will act. 15 And I will (X)scatter you among the nations and disperse you among the lands, and I will (Y)eliminate your uncleanness from you. 16 Then you will defile yourself in the sight of the nations, and you will (Z)know that I am the Lord.”’”

17 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become [g](AA)waste metal to Me; all of them are (AB)bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the (AC)smelting furnace; they are the [h]waste metal of silver. 19 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: ‘Because all of you have become [i]waste metal, therefore, behold, I am going to gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 22:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  2. Ezekiel 22:4 Lit your
  3. Ezekiel 22:6 Lit arm
  4. Ezekiel 22:10 Lit he has
  5. Ezekiel 22:12 Possibly interest on money and food loans
  6. Ezekiel 22:13 Lit your
  7. Ezekiel 22:18 Lit dross
  8. Ezekiel 22:18 Lit dross
  9. Ezekiel 22:19 Lit dross

22 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם הֲתִשְׁפֹּ֥ט הֲתִשְׁפֹּ֖ט אֶת־עִ֣יר הַדָּמִ֑ים וְה֣וֹדַעְתָּ֔הּ אֵ֖ת כָּל־תּוֹעֲבוֹתֶֽיהָ׃

וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה עִ֣יר שֹׁפֶ֥כֶת דָּ֛ם בְּתוֹכָ֖הּ לָב֣וֹא עִתָּ֑הּ וְעָשְׂתָ֧ה גִלּוּלִ֛ים עָלֶ֖יהָ לְטָמְאָֽה׃

בְּדָמֵ֨ךְ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפַ֜כְתְּ אָשַׁ֗מְתְּ וּבְגִלּוּלַ֤יִךְ אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂית֙ טָמֵ֔את וַתַּקְרִ֣יבִי יָמַ֔יִךְ וַתָּב֖וֹא עַד־שְׁנוֹתָ֑יִךְ עַל־כֵּ֗ן נְתַתִּ֤יךְ חֶרְפָּה֙ לַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְקַלָּסָ֖ה לְכָל־הָאֲרָצֽוֹת׃

הַקְּרֹב֛וֹת וְהָרְחֹק֥וֹת מִמֵּ֖ךְ יִתְקַלְּסוּ־בָ֑ךְ טְמֵאַ֣ת הַשֵּׁ֔ם רַבַּ֖ת הַמְּהוּמָֽה׃

הִנֵּה֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֥ישׁ לִזְרֹע֖וֹ הָ֣יוּ בָ֑ךְ לְמַ֖עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּֽם׃

אָ֤ב וָאֵם֙ הֵקַ֣לּוּ בָ֔ךְ לַגֵּ֛ר עָשׂ֥וּ בַעֹ֖שֶׁק בְּתוֹכֵ֑ךְ יָת֥וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֖ה ה֥וֹנוּ בָֽךְ׃

קָדָשַׁ֖י בָּזִ֑ית וְאֶת־שַׁבְּתֹתַ֖י חִלָּֽלְתְּ׃

אַנְשֵׁ֥י רָכִ֛יל הָ֥יוּ בָ֖ךְ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֑ם וְאֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ אָ֣כְלוּ בָ֔ךְ זִמָּ֖ה עָשׂ֥וּ בְתוֹכֵֽךְ׃

10 עֶרְוַת־אָ֖ב גִּלָּה־בָ֑ךְ טְמֵאַ֥ת הַנִּדָּ֖ה עִנּוּ־בָֽךְ׃

11 וְאִ֣ישׁ׀ אֶת־אֵ֣שֶׁת רֵעֵ֗הוּ עָשָׂה֙ תּֽוֹעֵבָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־כַּלָּת֖וֹ טִמֵּ֣א בְזִמָּ֑ה וְאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־אֲחֹת֥וֹ בַת־אָבִ֖יו עִנָּה־בָֽךְ׃

12 שֹׁ֥חַד לָֽקְחוּ־בָ֖ךְ לְמַ֣עַן שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֑ם נֶ֧שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֣ית לָקַ֗חַתְּ וַתְּבַצְּעִ֤י רֵעַ֙יִךְ֙ בַּעֹ֔שֶׁק וְאֹתִ֣י שָׁכַ֔חַתְּ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃

13 וְהִנֵּה֙ הִכֵּ֣יתִי כַפִּ֔י אֶל־בִּצְעֵ֖ךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑ית וְעַ֨ל־דָּמֵ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָי֖וּ בְּתוֹכֵֽךְ׃

14 הֲיַעֲמֹ֤ד לִבֵּךְ֙ אִם־תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה יָדַ֔יִךְ לַיָּמִ֕ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י עֹשֶׂ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ךְ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִֽׂיתִי׃

15 וַהֲפִיצוֹתִ֤י אוֹתָךְ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם וְזֵרִיתִ֖יךְ בָּאֲרָצ֑וֹת וַהֲתִמֹּתִ֥י טֻמְאָתֵ֖ךְ מִמֵּֽךְ׃

16 וְנִחַ֥לְתְּ בָּ֖ךְ לְעֵינֵ֣י גוֹיִ֑ם וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ

17 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

18 בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הָיוּ־לִ֥י בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ׳לְסוּג׳ ״לְסִ֑יג״ כֻּלָּ֡ם נְ֠חֹשֶׁת וּבְדִ֨יל וּבַרְזֶ֤ל וְעוֹפֶ֙רֶת֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ כּ֔וּר סִגִ֥ים כֶּ֖סֶף הָיֽוּ׃ ס

19 לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יַ֛עַן הֱי֥וֹת כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם לְסִגִ֑ים לָכֵן֙ הִנְנִ֣י קֹבֵ֣ץ אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־תּ֖וֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

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