以西结书 20
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
以色列人的悖逆
20 第七年五月十日，有几个以色列的长老来到我这里，坐在我面前。 2 耶和华对我说： 3 “人子啊，你要告诉他们，主耶和华这样说，‘你们是来求问我吗？我凭我的永恒起誓，我决不让你们求问。’ 4 人子啊，你要审判他们？你要审判他们？要使他们知道他们祖先所做的可憎之事。 5 你要告诉他们，主耶和华这样说，‘我拣选以色列那日，曾向雅各家的后裔起誓，又在埃及向他们显现，告诉他们我是他们的上帝耶和华。 6 那日我向他们起誓，要带领他们离开埃及，到我为他们预备的奶蜜之乡，世上最佳美的地方。 7 我告诉他们要除掉他们祭拜的可憎之物，不可让埃及的偶像玷污自己，因为我是他们的上帝耶和华。
8 “‘然而，他们却背叛我，不听我的话，没有除去他们祭拜的可憎之物和埃及的偶像。我本想在埃及向他们发烈怒，倾倒我的怒火， 9 但我没有这样做，以免我的名在他们寄居的列邦面前被亵渎。因为列邦亲眼看见我向以色列人显现，把他们带出埃及。 10 于是，我带他们离开埃及，进入旷野， 11 向他们颁布我的律例和典章，若有人遵守，就必活着。 12 我又让他们遵守我的安息日，作为我与他们之间的记号，好叫他们知道是我耶和华使他们成为圣洁之民。
13 “‘可是，以色列人却在旷野背叛我，不遵行我的律例和典章——遵行的人必活着，大肆亵渎我的安息日。我本想在旷野向他们发烈怒，灭绝他们。 14 但我没有这样做，以免我的名在周围列邦面前被亵渎，因为列邦亲眼看见我向以色列人显现，把他们带出埃及。 15 我在旷野曾向他们发誓，不带他们进入我赐给他们的那奶蜜之乡，那世上最佳美的地方， 16 因为他们不遵守我的典章，不顺从我的律例，亵渎我的安息日，心恋偶像。 17 但我怜悯他们，没有毁灭他们，没有在旷野把他们全部灭绝。
18 “‘我在旷野曾对他们的子孙说，不要效法你们祖先的律例，不要遵守他们的规条，不要拜他们的偶像，以致玷污自己。 19 我是你们的上帝耶和华，你们要恪守我的律例，谨遵我的典章， 20 尊我定的安息日为圣日，作为我与你们之间的记号，使你们知道我是你们的上帝耶和华。
21 “‘可是，他们的子孙却背叛我，不恪守我的律例，不谨遵我的典章——遵守的人必活着。他们亵渎我的安息日。我本想在旷野向他们发烈怒，倾倒我的怒气， 22 但我没有这样做，以免我的名在周围列邦面前被亵渎，因为列邦亲眼看见我向以色列人显现，把他们带出埃及。 23 我在旷野起誓要把他们驱散到列国，分散到列邦， 24 因为他们不遵行我的典章，弃绝我的律例，亵渎我的安息日，眼睛恋慕他们祖先的偶像。 25 所以，我任由他们效法无用的律例，遵守无法使人活着的规条， 26 任由他们把自己的长子烧作祭物献给偶像，以致玷污自己——好使他们充满恐惧，这样他们便知道我是耶和华。’
27 “人子啊，你要告诉以色列人，主耶和华这样说，‘你们的祖先背信弃义，亵渎了我。 28 当我引领他们进入我曾起誓要赐给他们的土地时，他们在所见的每一处高山或密林献祭，焚烧馨香的祭牲，向偶像奠酒，惹我发怒。 29 我问他们，你们所去的高处是什么地方？’从此，那高处一直叫巴麻。
30 “所以，你要告诉以色列人，主耶和华这样说，‘你们仍像你们祖先一样与可憎的偶像苟合，玷污自己吗？ 31 你们至今仍把自己的儿子烧作祭物献给偶像，玷污自己吗？以色列人啊，我会让你们求问吗？主耶和华说，我凭我的永恒起誓，我决不让你们求问。
32 “‘你们说要像外族人一样去供奉木头石头，你们的想法绝不能实现！’
33 “主耶和华说，‘我凭我的永恒起誓，我要发烈怒，伸出大能的臂膀治理你们。 34 我要发烈怒，伸出大能的臂膀把你们从列国中领出来，从你们散居的列邦聚集你们， 35 领你们进入外族人的旷野，面对面地审判你们， 36 就像我从前在埃及的旷野审判你们的祖先一样。这是主耶和华说的。 37 我要对你们严加管教[a]，使你们遵守我的约。 38 我要铲除你们中间叛逆和犯罪的人。虽然我要领他们离开寄居之地，他们却不能回以色列。这样，你们就知道我是耶和华。’
39 “主耶和华说，‘你们以色列人若不听我的话，就去供奉你们的偶像吧！但将来你们必不再向偶像献祭物亵渎我的圣名！’
40 “主耶和华说，‘在我的圣山，就是以色列的高山上，所有的以色列人都要事奉我，我要在那里悦纳你们，要求你们献上供物、最好的礼物和一切圣物。 41 当我把你们从列国领出来，从你们散居的列邦聚集起来时，你们必如馨香之祭一样蒙我悦纳，我必当着列国的面在你们中间彰显我的圣洁。 42 我要把你们带回我起誓应许给你们祖先的以色列，这样你们就知道我是耶和华。 43 你们在那里会想起以往玷污自己的行径，并因自己的一切恶行而憎恶自己。’ 44 主耶和华说，‘以色列人啊，我为了自己的名，没有照你们的邪恶行径惩罚你们，这样你们便知道我是耶和华。’”
45 耶和华对我说： 46 “人子啊，你要面向南方，说预言斥责南地的树林。 47 你要对南地的树林说，‘你要听耶和华的话。主耶和华说，我要在你那里燃起火来，烧毁你所有的青树和枯树。这不熄的烈火要从南到北烧焦一切。 48 这样，世人便知道这烈火是我耶和华点燃的，它绝不会熄灭。’” 49 于是我说：“唉，主耶和华啊，他们在议论我说，‘这人岂不是在说比喻吗？’”
Footnotes
- 20:37 “对你们严加管教”希伯来文是“让你们在杖下经过”。
Ezekiel 20
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 20
Israel’s History of Infidelity. 1 In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month,[a] some of the elders of Israel came to consult the Lord and sat down before me.(A) 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Have you come to consult me? As I live, I will not allow myself to be consulted by you!—oracle of the Lord God.
4 Will you judge them? Will you judge, son of man? Tell them about the abominations of their ancestors,(B) 5 and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: The day I chose Israel, I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob; I revealed myself to them in the land of Egypt and swore to them, saying: I am the Lord, your God. 6 That day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt to the land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, a jewel among all lands.(C) 7 Then I said to them: Throw away, each of you, the detestable things[b] that held your eyes; do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord, your God.(D)
8 But they rebelled and refused to listen to me; none of them threw away the detestable things that held their eyes, nor did they abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I considered pouring out my fury and spending my anger against them there in the land of Egypt.(E) 9 I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be desecrated in the eyes of the nations among whom they were: in the eyes of the nations I had made myself known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.(F) 10 Therefore I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 (G)Then I gave them my statutes and made known to them my ordinances, so that everyone who keeps them has life through them. 12 (H)I also gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, to show that it is I, the Lord, who makes them holy.
13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not observe my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances that bring life to those who keep them. My sabbaths, too, they desecrated grievously. Then I considered pouring out my fury on them in the wilderness to put an end to them,(I) 14 but I acted for the sake of my name, so it would not be desecrated in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.(J) 15 Nevertheless in the wilderness I swore to them that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, a jewel among all the lands. 16 Their hearts followed after their idols so closely that they did not live by my statutes, but rejected my ordinances and desecrated my sabbaths. 17 But I looked on them with pity, not wanting to destroy them, so I did not put an end to them in the wilderness.
18 Then I said to their children in the wilderness: Do not follow the statutes of your parents. Do not keep their ordinances. Do not defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I am the Lord, your God: follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances; 20 keep holy my sabbaths as a sign between me and you so that you may know that I am the Lord, your God.(K) 21 But their children rebelled against me: they did not follow my statutes or keep my ordinances that bring life to those who observe them; my sabbaths they desecrated. Then I considered pouring out my fury on them, spending my anger against them in the wilderness; 22 but I stayed my hand, acting for the sake of my name, lest it be desecrated in the eyes of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 Nevertheless I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them in other lands, 24 because they did not carry out my ordinances, but rejected my statutes and desecrated my sabbaths, having eyes only for the idols of their ancestors. 25 Therefore I gave them statutes that were not good,[c] and ordinances through which they could not have life.(L) 26 I let them become defiled by their offerings, by having them make a fiery offering of every womb’s firstborn, in order to ruin them so they might know that I am the Lord.(M)
27 Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord God: In this way also your ancestors blasphemed me, breaking faith with me. 28 When I brought them to the land I had sworn to give them, and they saw all its high hills and leafy trees, there they offered sacrifices, there they made offerings to provoke me, there they sent up sweet-smelling oblations, there they poured out their libations.(N) 29 So I said to them, “What is this high place[d] to which you go?” Thus its name became “high place” even to this day.(O) 30 Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Will you defile yourselves in the way your ancestors did? Will you lust after their detestable idols? 31 By offering your gifts, by making your children pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols even to this day. Shall I let myself be consulted by you, house of Israel? As I live—oracle of the Lord God—I swear I will not let myself be consulted by you!(P)
32 What has entered your mind shall never happen: You are thinking, “We shall be like the nations, like the peoples of foreign lands, serving wood and stone.” 33 As I live—oracle of the Lord God—with mighty hand and outstretched arm, with wrath poured out, I swear I will be king over you!(Q) 34 With mighty hand and outstretched arm, with wrath poured out, I will bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries over which you are scattered;(R) 35 [e]I will lead you to the wilderness of the peoples and enter into judgment with you face to face. 36 Just as I entered into judgment with your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you—oracle of the Lord God. 37 Thus I will make you pass under the staff[f] and will impose on you the terms of the covenant.(S) 38 I will sort out from you those who defied me and rebelled against me; from the land where they resided as aliens I will bring them out, but they shall not return to the land of Israel. Thus you shall know that I am the Lord.
39 As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: Go! each of you, and worship your idols. Listen to me! You shall never again desecrate my holy name with your offerings and your idols!(T) 40 For on my holy mountain,[g] on the highest mountain in Israel—oracle of the Lord God—there the whole house of Israel shall worship me; there in the land I will accept them all, there I will claim your tributes, the best of your offerings, from all your holy things.(U) 41 As a sweet-smelling oblation I will accept you, when I bring you from among the nations and gather you out of the lands over which you were scattered; and through you I will manifest my holiness in the sight of the nations.(V) 42 Thus you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you back to the soil of Israel, the land I swore to give your ancestors. 43 There you shall remember your ways, all the deeds by which you defiled yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves because of all the evil you did.(W) 44 And you shall know that I am the Lord when I deal with you thus, for the sake of my name, not according to your evil ways and wanton deeds, house of Israel—oracle of the Lord God.(X)
Footnotes
- 20:1 The seventh year…the fifth month: August 14, 591 B.C.
- 20:7 Detestable things: in the Book of Ezekiel, Israel’s continued worship of idols in Egypt and in the wilderness, despite the Lord’s powerful deeds on their behalf, is the reason God punishes them so severely; they must learn and acknowledge that he is their only Lord. Cf., e.g., Exodus (5:1–6:9; 14:10–30; 16:1–36) and Numbers (11:1–15; 14:1–12; 20:1–9), where the people’s failure to trust Moses and the Lord brings punishment.
- 20:25–26 I gave them statutes that were not good: because Israel rejected the Lord’s life-giving laws, he “gave” laws (e.g., the sacrifice of every firstborn) that would lead only to death and destruction. Dt 12:29–31; Jer 7:31; 19:4–5 may address a popular assumption that the Lord accepted and perhaps required child sacrifice, especially as evidence of great trust during national emergencies (2 Kgs 3:27; Mi 6:7). By combining language from Ex 22:28 with the vocabulary of child sacrifice, Ezekiel suggests that firstborn sons were regularly sacrificed in Israel.
- 20:29 High place: a cultic site, originally a hilltop, but often a raised platform in a sacred area. Until Deuteronomy’s insistence that official and legitimate worship of the Lord take place only in Jerusalem, these local shrines were popular places for worship (e.g., 1 Sm 9–10) or for consulting the Lord (1 Kgs 3:4–5). In order to unite the Kingdom of Judah politically and religiously, Dt 12:2 demands destruction of the high places. Ezekiel, like other prophets, condemns Israelite worship at these places and identifies this illegitimate worship as one reason for the punishment of exile.
- 20:35–38 Exile among other lands occasions a new exodus and a new wilderness journey back to Israel. The Lord will eliminate the rebellious, as he did on the first journey, and use the surviving remnant to reveal his power to the nations.
- 20:37 Pass under the staff: in Lv 27:32–33, a method of counting off animals to select those to be dedicated for the tithe. In Ezekiel, on the other hand, those who survive the selection process are marked for destruction for violating the covenant.
- 20:40 Holy mountain: the Temple mount and Jerusalem in contrast to “every high hill” in v. 28 (cf. the royal Zion theology in Ps 48:2). Acceptable worship takes place here among a restored people, a theme taken up in chaps. 40–48 (cf. 40:2).
Ezekiel 20
New King James Version
The Rebellions of Israel
20 It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that (A)certain 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, (B)“I will not be inquired of by you.” ’ 4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then (C)make known to them the abominations of their fathers.
5 “Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On the day when (D)I chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myself (E)known to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying, (F)‘I am the Lord your God.’ 6 On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them, (G)to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, (H)‘flowing with milk and honey,’ (I)the glory of all lands. 7 Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, (J)throw away (K)the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with (L)the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’ 8 But they rebelled against Me and would not [a]obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, ‘I will (M)pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’ 9 (N)But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom they were, in whose sight I had made Myself (O)known to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
10 “Therefore I (P)made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 (Q)And I gave them My statutes and [b]showed them My judgments, (R)‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ 12 Moreover I also gave them My (S)Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13 Yet the house of Israel (T)rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they (U)despised My judgments, (V)‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatly (W)defiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in the (X)wilderness, to consume them. 14 (Y)But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 15 So (Z)I also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, (AA)‘flowing with milk and honey,’ (AB)the glory of all lands, 16 (AC)because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; for (AD)their heart went after their idols. 17 (AE)Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.
18 “But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God: (AF)Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; 20 (AG)hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’
21 “Notwithstanding, (AH)the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments, (AI)‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness. 22 Nevertheless I [c]withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, that (AJ)I would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries, 24 (AK)because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, and (AL)their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.
25 “Therefore (AM)I also gave them up to statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live; 26 and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all [d]their firstborn to pass (AN)through the fire, that I might make them desolate and that they (AO)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: “In this too your fathers have (AP)blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me. 28 When I brought them into the land concerning which I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, and (AQ)they saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up their (AR)sweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings. 29 Then I said to them, ‘What is this [e]high place to which you go?’ So its name is called [f]Bamah to this day.” ’ 30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your (AS)fathers, and committing harlotry according to their (AT)abominations? 31 For when you offer (AU)your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will (AV)not be inquired of by you. 32 (AW)What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’
God Will Restore Israel
33 “As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely with a mighty hand, (AX)with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there (AY)I will plead My case with you face to face. 36 (AZ)Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,” says the Lord God.
37 “I will make you (BA)pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the (BB)covenant; 38 (BC)I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but (BD)they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 “As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the Lord God: (BE)“Go, serve every one of you his idols—and hereafter—if you will not obey Me; (BF)but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols. 40 For (BG)on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel,” says the Lord God, “there (BH)all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there (BI)I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your [g]sacrifices, together with all your holy things. 41 I will accept you as a (BJ)sweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles. 42 (BK)Then you shall know that I am the Lord, (BL)when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers. 43 And (BM)there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and (BN)you shall [h]loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed. 44 (BO)Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have dealt with you (BP)for My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel,” says the Lord God.’ ”
Fire in the Forest
45 Furthermore the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 46 (BQ)“Son of man, set your face toward the south; [i]preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the [j]South, 47 and say to the forest of the South, ‘Hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, (BR)I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour (BS)every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces (BT)from the south to the north shall be scorched by it. 48 All flesh shall see that I, the Lord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” ’ ”
49 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! They say of me, ‘Does he not speak (BU)parables?’ ”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 20:8 Lit. listen to
- Ezekiel 20:11 Lit. made known to
- Ezekiel 20:22 Refrained from judgment
- Ezekiel 20:26 Lit. that open the womb
- Ezekiel 20:29 Place for pagan worship
- Ezekiel 20:29 Lit. High Place
- Ezekiel 20:40 offerings
- Ezekiel 20:43 Or despise
- Ezekiel 20:46 proclaim, lit. drop
- Ezekiel 20:46 Heb. Negev
Ezekiel 20
King James Version
20 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lord, and sat before me.
2 Then came the word of the Lord unto me, saying,
3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.
4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:
5 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God;
6 In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:
7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.
12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.
13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.
14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.
15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto 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 lands;
16 Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.
18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor 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 hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.
21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.
23 I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;
24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.
25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.
27 Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.
28 For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.
29 Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name whereof is called Bamah unto this day.
30 Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?
31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.
32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.
33 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:
34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.
35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God.
37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.
40 For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.
41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.
42 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.
43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.
44 And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God.
45 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
46 Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
48 And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.
49 Then said I, Ah Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
