以西结书 14
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
斥責崇拜偶像的罪
14 有幾個以色列的長老來見我，在我面前坐下。 2 耶和華的話就臨到我說： 3 “人子啊！這些人已經把他們的偶像接到心裡去，把那陷他們在罪孽中的絆腳石放在自己面前，我怎能讓他們向我求問呢？ 4 因此，你要告訴他們，對他們說：‘主耶和華這樣說：以色列家的人中，凡把他的偶像接到心裡去，把那陷自己在罪孽中的絆腳石放在自己面前，卻又來見先知的，我耶和華必按他拜眾多偶像的罪報應他， 5 好奪回以色列家的心。他們眾人因自己的偶像，與我疏遠。’
勸人民離棄偶像歸向真神
6 “因此，你要對以色列家說：‘主耶和華這樣說：回轉吧！轉離你們的偶像！轉臉離棄你們一切可憎之物吧！ 7 因為以色列家的人中，或是在以色列寄居的外族人中，凡與我疏遠，把他們的偶像接到心裡去，把那陷自己在罪孽中的絆腳石放在自己面前，卻又來見先知，要為自己求問我的，我耶和華必親自報應他； 8 我必向那人變臉，使他成為別人的鑒戒和譏笑的對象；我要把他從我子民中剪除；你們就知道我是耶和華。 9 如果有先知被欺騙說一句話，是我耶和華任那先知受欺騙的；我必伸手攻擊他，把他從我子民以色列中除滅。 10 他們必擔當自己的罪孽；求問的人的罪孽怎樣，先知的罪孽也必怎樣。 11 這樣，以色列家必不再走迷路離開我，也不再因他們的一切過犯玷污自己；他們要作我的子民，我要作他們的 神。這是主耶和華的宣告。’”
義人得救惡人滅亡
12 耶和華的話又臨到我說： 13 “人子啊！如果一國行了不忠的事得罪我，我就必伸手攻擊那國，斷絕那地的糧食，使饑荒臨到那地，使人和牲畜都從那地剪除， 14 即使有挪亞、但以理和約伯這三個人，他們也只能因自己的義救自己的性命。這是主耶和華的宣告。 15 如果我使猛獸經過那地，蹂躪那地，使它荒涼，以致因為這些獸的緣故，沒有人敢經過； 16 即使有這三個人在其中，我指著我的永生起誓，他們只能救自己，連兒女也不能救，那地卻仍然荒涼。這是主耶和華的宣告。 17 如果我使刀劍臨到那地，說：‘願刀劍經過那地，好讓我把人和牲畜從那地剪除。’ 18 即使有這三個人在其中，主耶和華說：我指著我的永生起誓，他們只能救自己，連兒女也不能救。 19 如果我使瘟疫流行那地，藉著流血的事把我的烈怒傾倒在那地上，使人和牲畜都從那地剪除； 20 即使當中有挪亞、但以理和約伯，我指著我的永生起誓，他們只能因自己的義救自己的性命，連兒女也不能救。這是主耶和華的宣告。”
21 主耶和華這樣說：“我打發刀劍、饑荒、猛獸和瘟疫這四樣可怕的刑罰臨到耶路撒冷，要把人和牲畜從那裡剪除的時候，那情況豈不更嚴重嗎？ 22 其中將有剩下逃脫的人，連同兒女被帶出來，他們來到你們那裡，你們看見他們的所行所為，就會因我降給耶路撒冷的一切災禍，得了安慰。 23 你們看見了他們的所行所為，就必得安慰，因為你們知道我在耶路撒冷所行的一切，並不是無緣無故的。這是耶和華的宣告。”
Ezekiel 14
The Voice
At first glance, the naming of these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—seems odd. Noah and Job are, of course, central characters in the Scripture; and these heroes lived long before Ezekiel was called to be God’s prophet. But the Daniel most people know as the biblical prophet will achieve his fame long after Ezekiel dies. The Daniel mentioned here is not the biblical prophet but another Daniel (also known as Danel) whose story is found in an ancient Ugaritic text called the Epic of Aqhat. Like Noah and Job, Danel is an ancient non-Israelite who lives to an old age and becomes famous for his wisdom. Like Noah, he is surrounded by wicked people; like Job, he loses a son.
Perhaps God references these non-Israelite heroes—as opposed to the people’s Israelite ancestors—because Ezekiel’s audience is living outside of Israel. They would be able to identify with the foreign cultures in these accounts because they are surrounded by the strange customs and the novel stories of Babylon. These three men show an unusual level of devotion to God when the culture around them appears to be moving contrary to His way, so they are more appropriate examples than any Israelite ancestor—such as David, Solomon, or Josiah—who had all the benefits and blessings of God’s covenants.
14 Some of the elders of Israel approached me and sat down. 2 Then the word of the Eternal came to me with a message for them.
Eternal One: 3 Son of man, these men are devoted to breathless idols and have pursued things that cause them to stumble into sin. Why should I even bother to listen to their prayers? 4 Therefore tell them the Eternal Lord says to you, “Any Israelite who devotes himself to breathless idols and pursues things that will cause him to stumble into sin and still has the audacity to consult a prophet will be answered by Me, personally, in light of his pagan devotions. 5 I am going to recapture the hearts of Israel, all of whom have deserted Me for their idols.”
6 Therefore, tell the people of Israel the Eternal Lord commands you to repent! Turn away from your breathless idols, and relinquish all of your shocking ways! 7 When any Israelite—or any foreigner living in Israel—severs his relationship with Me, devotes himself to his idols, pursues anything that may cause him to stumble into sin, and then has the audacity to consult a prophet to ask questions of Me, I will answer the inquirer personally. 8 I will turn against him and make an example of him. I will cut him off from the midst of the people. Then you will know I am the Eternal.
9 Also, if a prophet is deceived into offering a message, it is I, the Eternal One, who has deceived him. I will raise My hand against him and cut him off from My people, Israel, until all memory of him is erased. 10 The prophet and the one who inquires of him will be equally guilty and equally punished, 11 so that the people of Israel will not lose their focus on Me or filthy themselves with any more of their rebellious evil. After this, they will be My people, and I will be their God.
So said the Eternal Lord.
12 The word of the Eternal came to me with a new message.
Eternal One: 13 Son of man, suppose the people of a particular country wander away from Me in pursuit of sin and I raise My hand against them destroying their food source, sending famine, and killing off the people and animals who live there; 14 even if these three legendary men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were all living in that country, they could save only themselves by their righteousness. 15 Suppose I send wild beasts into that land and they kill the people, and the place becomes so desolate and dangerous because of the animals that no one dares to travel through the land. 16 As surely as I, the Eternal Lord, live, even if these three men were living there, they could not save their own sons and daughters. Only those three righteous men would be saved, and the land would become a wilderness. 17 Suppose I bring war against that land and say to let the sword invade and pass through the land; 18 as surely as I, the Eternal Lord, live, even if these three men were living there, they could not save their own sons and daughters. Only those three righteous men would be saved. 19 Suppose I send a disease to spread across that land, flooding it with My anger in blood, infecting and killing people and animals alike; 20 as surely as I, the Eternal Lord, live, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were living there, they could not save their own sons or daughters. Only those three men would be saved because of their righteousness.
21 For this is what the Eternal Lord has to say:
Eternal One: It will be far worse when I send out My four tragic judgments upon Jerusalem—war, starvation, wild beasts, and disease—to kill the people and animals! 22-23 Still, a few survivors will remain—sons and daughters—who will join you in exile. They will come to you, and once you see how they behave and what they do, you will be comforted regarding the awful disaster I have poured out upon Jerusalem. For you will understand that every single judgment and catastrophe I have set against Jerusalem has been necessary.
Ezekiel 14
Christian Standard Bible
Idolatrous Elders Punished
14 Some of the elders of Israel came(A) to me and sat down in front of me.(B) 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and have put their sinful stumbling blocks in front of themselves.(C) Should I actually let them inquire of me?(D)
4 “Therefore, speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: When anyone from the house of Israel sets up idols in his heart and puts his sinful stumbling block in front of himself, and then comes to the prophet, I, the Lord, will answer him appropriately.[a] I will answer him according to his many idols, 5 so that I may take hold of the house of Israel by their hearts. They are all estranged from me because of their idols.’
6 “Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Repent and turn away(E) from your idols; turn your faces away from all your detestable things. 7 For when anyone from the house of Israel or from the aliens who reside in Israel separates himself from me, setting up idols in his heart and putting his sinful stumbling block in front of himself, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of me, I, the Lord, will answer him myself. 8 I will turn against that one and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among my people.(F) Then you will know that I am the Lord.
9 “‘But if the prophet is deceived and speaks a message, it was I, the Lord, who deceived that prophet.(G) I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.(H) 10 They will bear their punishment—the punishment of the one who inquires will be the same as that of the prophet— 11 in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from following me and no longer defile themselves(I) with all their transgressions. Then they will be my people and I will be their God.(J) This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”
Four Devastating Judgments
12 The word of the Lord came to me: 13 “Son of man, suppose a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its supply of bread,(K) to send famine through it, and to wipe out both people and animals from it. 14 Even if these three men(L)—Noah,(M) Daniel,(N) and Job(O)—were in it, they would rescue only themselves by their righteousness.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.
15 “Suppose I allow dangerous animals(P) to pass through the land and depopulate it so that it becomes desolate, with no one passing through it for fear of the animals. 16 Even if these three men were in it, as I live”—the declaration of the Lord God—“they could not rescue their sons or daughters. They alone would be rescued, but the land would be desolate.(Q)
17 “Or suppose I bring a sword(R) against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I wipe out both people and animals from it.(S) 18 Even if these three men were in it, as I live”—the declaration of the Lord God—“they could not rescue their sons or daughters, but they alone would be rescued.
19 “Or suppose I send a plague into that land(T) and pour out my wrath on it with bloodshed to wipe out both people and animals from it. 20 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live”—the declaration of the Lord God—“they could not rescue their son or daughter. They would rescue only themselves by their righteousness.
21 “For this is what the Lord God says: How much worse will it be when I send my four(U) devastating judgments against Jerusalem—sword, famine, dangerous animals, and plague—in order to wipe out both people and animals from it! 22 Even so, there will be survivors left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. Indeed, they will come out to you, and you will observe their conduct and actions.(V) Then you will be consoled about the devastation I have brought on Jerusalem, about all I have brought on it. 23 They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done what I did to it.”(W) This is the declaration of the Lord God.
Footnotes
- 14:4 Alt Hb tradition reads him who comes
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.