20 And in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD and sat before me.

² Then the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:

³ “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am asked, I will not answer you.”’

⁴ “Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge? Make them understand the abominations of their fathers,

⁵ “and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up My Hand to the seed of the House of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up My Hand to them, and said, ‘I am the LORD your God,’

⁶ “on the day that I lifted up My Hand to them, to bring them forth from the land of Egypt, into a land that I had provided for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is pleasant among all lands,

⁷ “I, then, said to them, ‘Let every man cast away the abominations of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’

⁸ “But they rebelled against Me, and would not hear Me. No one cast away the abominations of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I thought to pour out My indignation upon them, to accomplish My wrath against them, in the midst of the land of Egypt.

⁹ “But I acted for the sake of My Name, so that it would not be profaned before the heathen, among whom they were and in whose sight I made Myself known to them in bringing them forth from the land of Egypt.

¹⁰ “Now, I carried them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.

¹¹ “And I gave them My Statutes and declared My Judgments to them. Which, if a man does, he shall live in them.

¹² “Moreover, I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, so that they might know that I am the LORD Who sanctifies them.

¹³ “But the House of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My Statutes. And they cast away My Judgments, which if a man does, he shall live in them. And they have greatly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I thought to pour out My indignation upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

¹⁴ “But I acted for the sake of My Name, so that it would not be profaned before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

¹⁵ “Yet, nevertheless, I lifted up My Hand to them in the wilderness, so that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which was pleasant above all lands,

¹⁶ “because they cast away My Judgments and did not walk in My Statutes, but have profaned My Sabbaths. For their heart went after their idols.

¹⁷ “Nevertheless, My eye spared them, so that I would not destroy them, nor would I consume them in the wilderness.

¹⁸ “But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the ordinances of your fathers or observe their manners or defile yourselves with their idols.

¹⁹ ‘I am the LORD your God. Walk in My Statutes, and keep My Judgments, and do them,

²⁰ ‘and 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.’

²¹ “Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My Statutes or keep My Judgments, to do them (which, if a man does, he shall live in them), but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I thought to pour out My indignation upon them, to accomplish My wrath against them in the wilderness.

²² “Nevertheless, I withdrew My Hand for My Name’s sake, so that it would not be profaned before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

²³ “Still, I lifted up My Hand to them in the wilderness, so that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries,

²⁴ “because they had not executed My Judgments but had cast away My Statutes and had polluted My Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.

²⁵ “Therefore, I also gave them statutes that were not good and judgments in which they could not live.

²⁶ “And I pronounced them unclean in their own gifts, in that they caused all that first opened the womb to pass through the fire, so that I might destroy them, so that they might know that I am the LORD.”’

²⁷ “Therefore, son of man, speak to the House of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me, grievously transgressing against Me.

²⁸ “For when I had brought them into the land for which I lifted up My Hand to give to them, then they saw every high hill and all the thick trees. And they offered their sacrifices there, and they presented their offering of provocation there. They also made their sweet savor there and poured out there their Drink Offerings.

²⁹ “Then I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ And its name is called ‘Bamah’ to this day.”’

³⁰ “Therefore, say to the House of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD God: “Are you not defiled after the manner of your fathers? And do you not commit whoredom after their abominations?

³¹ “For when you offer your gifts, and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, until this day. Shall I answer you when I am asked, O House of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will not answer you when I am asked.

³² “Nor shall that which comes into your mind be done. For you say, ‘We will be as the heathen, and as the families of the countries, and serve wood and stone.’

³³ “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will surely rule you with a mighty Hand, and with an outstretched Arm, and with wrath poured out.

³⁴ “And will bring you from the people and will gather you out of the countries to which you are scattered, with a mighty Hand and with an outstretched Arm, and with wrath poured out.

³⁵ “And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people. And I will plead with you there, face to face.

³⁶ “As I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you,” says the Lord GOD.

³⁷ “And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and will bring you into the bond of the Covenant.

³⁸ “And I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land where they dwell. And they shall not enter into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD.”

³⁹ “As for you, O House of Israel,” thus says the Lord GOD: “Go, and everyone serve his idol, seeing that you will not obey Me. And no longer profane My Holy Name with your gifts, and with your idols.

⁴⁰ “For there, on My Holy Mountain, on the high mountain of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “all the House of Israel, and all in the land, shall serve Me. There I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

⁴¹ “I will accept your sweet savor, when I bring you from the people and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered, so that I may be sanctified in you before the heathen.

⁴² “And you shall know that I am the LORD when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the land for which I lifted up My Hand to give to your fathers.

⁴³ “And there you shall remember your ways, and all your works in which you have been defiled. And you shall judge yourselves worthy to be cut off, for all your evils that you have committed.

⁴⁴ “And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for My Name’s sake and not after your wicked ways or according to your corrupt works, O you House of Israel,” says the Lord GOD.”’”

⁴⁵ Moreover, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying:

⁴⁶ “Son of man, set your face toward the way of Teman, and drop your Word toward the South, and prophesy toward the forest of the field of the South,

⁴⁷ “and say to the forest of the South, ‘Hear the Word of the LORD: “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, I will kindle a fire in you. And it shall devour all the green wood in you, and all the dry wood. The continual flame shall not be quenched. And every face from the South to the North shall be burnt in it.

⁴⁸ ‘And all flesh shall see that I, the LORD, have kindled it. It shall not be quenched.”’” Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they say of me, ‘Does not he speak parables?’”