以西结书 20
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
以色列人在埃及的罪行
20 第七年五月十日，有几个以色列的长老来求问耶和华，他们坐在我的面前。 2 耶和华的话临到我说： 3 “人子啊！你要告诉以色列的长老，对他们说：‘主耶和华这样说：你们来求问我吗？我指着我的永生起誓，我必不让你们求问我。这是主耶和华的宣告。’ 4 人子啊，你要审问他们吗？要审问他们吗？你要使他们知道他们列祖那些可憎的事， 5 对他们说：‘主耶和华这样说：在我拣选以色列的日子，我向雅各家的后裔举手起誓，又在埃及地向他们显现。我向他们举手起誓说：我是耶和华你们的 神。 6 那日，我向他们举手起誓，要把他们从埃及地领出来，到我为他们所选定的流奶与蜜之地，就是万邦中最荣美的地。 7 我对他们说：你们各人要拋弃你们眼中那些可憎的像，不可因埃及的偶像玷污自己：我是耶和华你们的 神。 8 但是他们背叛了我，不肯听从我；他们各人没有拋弃他们眼中那些可憎的像，没有离弃埃及的偶像。
“‘那时我说，我要把我的烈怒倾倒在他们身上，在埃及地向他们完全发尽我的怒气。 9 然而我为了我名的缘故没有这样作，免得我的名在他们寄居的列国的人眼中被亵渎，我把他们从埃及地领出来，在列国的人眼前向他们显现。
在旷野的罪行
10 “‘这样我把他们从埃及地领了出来，带到旷野。 11 我把我的律例赐给他们，把我的典章指示他们；人如果遵行，就必因此活着。 12 我又把我的安息日赐给他们，作我与他们之间的凭据，使他们知道我是使他们分别为圣的耶和华。 13 可是以色列家在旷野背叛了我，没有遵行我的律例，弃绝了我的典章（人如果遵行这些，就必因此活着），大大亵渎了我的安息日，那时我说我要把我的烈怒倒在他们身上，在旷野把他们灭绝。 14 然而我为了我名的缘故没有这样作，免得我的名在列国的人眼中被亵渎；我曾在他们眼前把以色列人领出来。 15 我在旷野也曾经向他们举手起誓，必不领他们到我赐给他们的流奶与蜜之地，就是万邦中最荣美的地。 16 因为他们弃绝了我的典章，没有遵行我的律例，亵渎了我的安息日；他们的心随从自己的偶像。 17 虽然这样，我的眼还是顾惜他们，不毁灭他们；我没有在旷野把他们灭绝。
18 “‘我在旷野对他们的儿女说：不要遵行你们祖先的律例，不要谨守他们的典章，也不要因他们的偶像玷污自己。 19 我是耶和华你们的 神；你们要遵行我的律例，谨守我的典章，把它们实行出来。 20 你们要把我的安息日分别为圣，作我与你们之间的凭据，使你们知道我是耶和华你们的 神。 21 可是他们的儿女背叛了我，没有遵行我的律例，也没有谨守实行我的典章（人如果遵行这些律例典章，就必因此活着），亵渎了我的安息日；那时我说我要把我的烈怒倒在他们身上，在旷野向他们发尽我的怒气。 22 然而我为了我名的缘故缩手，没有这样作，免得我名在列国的人眼中被亵渎；我曾在他们眼前把以色列人领出来。 23 我在旷野也曾经向他们举手起誓，要把他们分散在列国，四散在万邦； 24 因为他们没有遵守我的典章，弃绝了我的律例，亵渎了我的安息日，他们的眼目注视着他们祖先的偶像。 25 因此，我也把不好的律例和不能藉以存活的典章赐给他们； 26 他们使所有头生的都经火作供物，所以我让他们玷污自己，好叫他们惊惶，知道我是耶和华。’
在迦南的罪行
27 “因此，人子啊！你要告诉以色列家，对他们说：‘主耶和华这样说：你们的列祖在对我不忠的这事上亵渎了我。 28 我领他们到了我曾经举手起誓要赐给他们的那地，他们看见各高山和茂盛的树林，就在那里献祭，在那里奉上惹我发怒的供物，也在那里献上馨香的祭，并且在那里浇上他们的奠祭。’ 29 我问他们：‘你们所去的那高处是甚么地方？’于是那高处的名字叫巴麻，直到今日。 30 因此，你要对以色列家说：‘主耶和华这样说：你们还照着你们祖先所行的玷污自己吗？仍随着他们可憎的偶像行邪淫吗？ 31 你们奉上供物，使你们的儿子经火，用你们的一切偶像玷污自己，直到今日。以色列家啊，我怎能让你们向我求问呢？主耶和华说：我指着我的永生起誓：我决不让你们向我求问。这是主耶和华的宣告。 32 你们说：我们要像列国的人，像列邦的各族一样去事奉木头和石头。你们心里所起的这意念，必不能成就。
重归故土的应许
33 “‘我指着我的永生起誓：我必用大能的手，伸出来的膀臂，以及倒出来的烈怒，统治你们。这是主耶和华的宣告。 34 我必用大能的手，伸出来的膀臂，以及倒出来的烈怒，把你们从万族中领出来，从你们所分散到的列邦招聚你们。 35 我要把你们带到万族的旷野，在那里当面审判你们。 36 我怎样在埃及地的旷野审判你们的祖先，也必怎样审判你们。这是主耶和华的宣告。 37 我必使你们从牧人的杖下经过，使你们进入盟约的约束。 38 我必从你们中间除净那些背叛和得罪我的人，我虽把他们从寄居之地领出来，可是他们不得进入以色列地；这样，你们就知道我是耶和华。 39 以色列家啊，至于你们，主耶和华这样说：你们各人去事奉自己的偶像吧！只是将来你们必要听从我，不可再以你们的供物和偶像亵渎我的圣名。 40 在我的圣山，就是在以色列的高山，以色列全家所有的人都要在那地事奉我；我要在那里悦纳他们；在那里向你们要举祭和初熟的土产，以及一切圣物。这是主耶和华的宣告。 41 我从万族中把你们领出来，从你们所分散到的列邦召集你们的时候，我必悦纳你们，好象悦纳馨香的祭一样。我要在列国的人眼前，在你们中间显为圣。 42 我领你们进入以色列地，就是进入我曾经举手起誓要赐给你们祖先的地以后，你们就知道我是耶和华。 43 在那里你们要想起你们玷污自己的所作所为，又要为了自己所行的一切恶事而厌恶自己。 44 以色列家啊！为了我名的缘故，我没有照着你们的恶行和败坏的行为待你们，这样，你们就知道我是耶和华。这是主耶和华的宣告。’”
焚烧树林的比喻
45 耶和华的话临到我说： 46 “人子啊！你要面向南方，向南面发言，说预言攻击南地田野的树林， 47 对南地的树林说：‘你要听耶和华的话，主耶和华这样说：看哪！我要在你中间点起火来，吞灭你中间所有青绿和枯干的树；猛烈的火焰必不熄灭；从南到北遍地都要烧焦。 48 所有的人都必看见是我耶和华使这火燃起来；这火必不熄灭。’” 49 于是我说：“啊，主耶和华啊！人都指着我说：‘这人不是在说比喻吗？’”（本章第45~49节在《马索拉文本》为21:1~5）
Ezekiel 20
Living Bible
20 Late in July, six years after King Jeconiah was captured,[a] some of the elders of Israel came to ask instructions from the Lord and sat before me awaiting his reply.
2 Then the Lord gave me this message: 3 “Son of dust, say to the elders of Israel, ‘The Lord God says: How dare you come to ask my help? I swear that I will tell you nothing.’ 4 Judge them, son of dust; condemn them; tell them of all the sins of this nation from the times of their fathers until now. 5-6 Tell them, ‘The Lord God says: When I chose Israel and revealed myself to her in Egypt, I swore to her and her descendants that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, flowing as it were with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere.’
7 “Then I said to them: ‘Get rid of every idol; do not defile yourselves with the Egyptian gods, for I am the Lord your God.’ 8 But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They didn’t get rid of their idols nor forsake the gods of Egypt. Then I thought, I will pour out my fury upon them and fulfill my anger against them while they are still in Egypt.
9-10 “But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name, lest the Egyptians laugh at Israel’s God who couldn’t keep them from harm. So I brought my people out of Egypt right before the Egyptians’ eyes and led them into the wilderness. 11 There I gave them my laws so they could live by keeping them. If anyone keeps them, he will live. 12 And I gave them the Sabbath—a day of rest every seventh day—as a symbol between them and me, to remind them that it is I, the Lord, who sanctifies them—that they are truly my people.
13 “But Israel rebelled against me. There in the wilderness they refused my laws. They would not obey my rules even though obeying them means life. And they misused my Sabbaths. Then I thought, I will pour out my fury upon them and utterly consume them in the desert.
14 “But again I refrained in order to protect the honor of my name, lest the nations who saw me bring them out of Egypt would say that it was because I couldn’t care for them that I destroyed them. 15 But I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them, a land full of milk and honey, the choicest spot on earth, 16 because they laughed at my laws, ignored my wishes, and violated my Sabbaths—their hearts were with their idols! 17 Nevertheless, I spared them. I didn’t finish them off in the wilderness.
18 “Then I spoke to their children and said: ‘Don’t follow your fathers’ footsteps. Don’t defile yourselves with their idols, 19 for I am the Lord your God. Follow my laws; keep my ordinances; 20 hallow my Sabbaths; for they are a symbol of the contract between us to help you remember that I am the Lord your God.’
21 “But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused my laws—the laws that if a person keeps them, he will live. And they defiled my Sabbaths. So then I said: ‘Now at last I will pour out my fury upon you in the wilderness.’
22 “Nevertheless, again I withdrew my judgment against them to protect my name among the nations who had seen my power in bringing them out of Egypt. 23-24 But I took a solemn oath against them while they were in the wilderness that I would scatter them, dispersing them to the ends of the earth because they did not obey my laws but scorned them and violated my Sabbaths and longed for their fathers’ idols. 25 I let them adopt[b] customs and laws which were worthless. Through the keeping of them they could not attain life. 26 In the hope that they would draw back in horror and know that I alone am God, I let them pollute themselves with the very gifts I gave them. They burnt their firstborn children as offerings to their gods!
27-28 “Son of dust, tell them that the Lord God says: Your fathers continued to blaspheme and betray me when I brought them into the land I promised them, for they offered sacrifices and incense on every high hill and under every tree! They roused my fury as they offered up their sacrifices to those ‘gods.’ They brought their perfumes and incense and poured out their drink offerings to them! 29 I said to them: ‘What is this place of sacrifice[c] where you go?’ And so it is still called ‘The Place of Sacrifice’—that is how it got its name.
30 “The Lord God wants to know whether you are going to pollute yourselves just as your fathers did and keep on worshiping idols. 31 For when you offer gifts to them and give your little sons to be burned to ashes as you do even today, shall I listen to you or help you, Israel? As I live,” the Lord God says, “I will not give you any message, though you have come to me to ask.
32 “What you have in mind will not be done—to be like the nations all around you, serving gods of wood and stone. 33 I will rule you with an iron fist and in great anger and with power. 34 With might and fury I will bring you out from the lands where you are scattered, 35-36 and will bring you into my desert judgment hall.[d] I will judge you there and get rid of the rebels, just as I did in the wilderness after I brought you out of Egypt. 37 I will count you carefully and let only a small quota return. 38 And the others—the rebels and all those who sin against me—I will purge from among you. They shall not enter Israel, but I will bring them out of the countries where they are in exile. And when that happens, you will know I am the Lord.
39 “O Israel,” the Lord God says: “If you insist on worshiping your idols, go right ahead, but then don’t bring your gifts to me as well! Such desecration of my holy name must stop!
40 “For at Jerusalem in my holy mountain,” says the Lord, “all Israel shall worship me. There I will accept you and require you to bring me your offerings and the finest of your gifts. 41 You will be to me as an offering of perfumed incense when I bring you back from exile, and the nations will see the great change in your hearts. 42 Then, when I have brought you home to the land I promised your fathers, you will know I am the Lord. 43 Then you will look back at all your sins and loathe yourselves because of the evil you have done. 44 And when I have honored my name by blessing you despite your wickedness, then, O Israel, you will know I am the Lord.”
45 Then this message came to me from the Lord:
46 “Son of dust, look toward Jerusalem and speak out against it and the forest lands of the Negeb. 47 Prophesy to it and say: ‘Hear the word of the Lord. I will set you on fire, O forest, and every tree will die, green and dry alike. The terrible flames will not be quenched, and they will scorch the world. 48 And all the world will see that I, the Lord, have set the fire. It shall not be put out.’”
49 Then I said, “O Lord God, they say of me, ‘He only talks in riddles!’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 20:1 six years after King Jeconiah was captured, literally, “in the seventh year of Jeconiah’s captivity.”
- Ezekiel 20:25 let them adopt, literally, “gave them.” Through the keeping of them they could not attain life, literally, “Ordinances by which they could not have life.” Doubtless, the reference is to the pagan customs of vv. 18 and 26. In contrast, see v. 11.
- Ezekiel 20:29 place of sacrifice, literally, “bamah”—a hilltop area where sacrifices were made to the gods.
- Ezekiel 20:35 my desert judgment hall, literally, “the wilderness of the people,” meaning the Syro-Arabian deserts, peopled by nomadic tribes. This desert would be traversed in returning to Israel from Babylon.
Ezekiel 20
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Israel’s Rebellion
20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, some of Israel’s elders came to enquire of the Lord,(A) and they sat down in front of me. 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 ‘Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel and tell them, “This is what the Lord God says: Are you coming to enquire of me? As I live, I will not let you enquire of me.(B) This is the declaration of the Lord God.”
4 ‘Will you pass judgement against them, will you pass judgement, son of man? Explain the detestable practices of their ancestors to them.(C) 5 Say to them, “This is what the Lord God says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath[a](D) to the descendants of Jacob’s house and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God.’(E) 6 On that day I swore[b] to them that I would bring them out(F) of the land of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,(G) the most beautiful of all lands.(H) 7 I also said to them, ‘Throw away, each of you, the abhorrent things that you prize,[c] and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt.(I) I am the Lord your God.’(J)
8 ‘ “But they rebelled against me and were unwilling to listen to me. None of them threw away the abhorrent things that they prized,[d] and they did not abandon the idols of Egypt. So I considered pouring out my wrath on them,(K) exhausting my anger against them within the land of Egypt. 9 But I acted for the sake of my name,(L) so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations they were living among, in whose sight I had made myself known to Israel by bringing them out of Egypt.
10 ‘ “So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.(M) 11 Then I gave them my statutes and explained my ordinances to them – the person who does them will live by them.(N) 12 I also gave them my Sabbaths to serve as a sign between me and them,(O) so that they would know that I am the Lord who consecrates them.
13 ‘ “But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness.(P) They did not follow my statutes and they rejected my ordinances – the person who does them will live by them.(Q) They also completely profaned my Sabbaths.(R) So I considered pouring out my wrath on them in the wilderness to put an end to them.(S) 14 But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 15 However, I swore to them(T) in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them – the most beautiful of all lands, flowing with milk and honey – 16 because they rejected my ordinances, profaned my Sabbaths, and did not follow my statutes. For their hearts went after their idols.(U) 17 Yet I spared them from destruction and did not bring them to an end in the wilderness.(V)
18 ‘ “Then I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Don’t follow the statutes of your fathers, defile yourselves with their idols, or keep their ordinances.(W) 19 I am the Lord your God. Follow my statutes, keep my ordinances, and practise them.(X) 20 Keep my Sabbaths holy,(Y) and they will be a sign between me and you, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’
21 ‘ “But the children rebelled against me.(Z) They did not follow my statutes or carefully keep my ordinances – the person who does them will live by them. They also profaned my Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out my wrath on them and exhausting my anger against them in the wilderness. 22 But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I brought them out. 23 However, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.(AA) 24 For they did not practise my ordinances but rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed(AB) on their fathers’ idols. 25 I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances(AC) they could not live by. 26 When they sacrificed every firstborn in the fire,[e](AD) I defiled them through their gifts in order to devastate them so that they would know that I am the Lord.”(AE)
27 ‘Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, “This is what the Lord God says: In this way also your ancestors blasphemed me by(AF) committing treachery against me: 28 When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree,(AG) they offered their sacrifices and presented their offensive offerings there. They also sent up their pleasing aromas and poured out their drink offerings there. 29 So I asked them, ‘What is this high place you are going to? ’ And it is still called Bamah[f] today.”
30 ‘Therefore say to the house of Israel, “This is what the Lord God says: Are you defiling yourselves the way your ancestors did,(AH) and prostituting yourselves with their abhorrent things? 31 When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your children in the fire,[g](AI) you still continue to defile yourselves with all your idols today. So should I let you enquire of me, house of Israel? As I live – this is the declaration of the Lord God – I will not let you enquire of me!
Israel’s Restoration
32 ‘ “When you say, ‘Let’s be like the nations, like the clans of other countries, serving wood and stone,’(AJ) what you have in mind will never happen.(AK) 33 As I live – the declaration of the Lord God – I will reign over you with a strong hand, an outstretched arm,(AL) and outpoured wrath. 34 I will bring you from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you were scattered,(AM) with a strong hand, an outstretched arm,(AN) and outpoured wrath. 35 I will lead you into the wilderness of the peoples(AO) and enter into judgement with you there face to face. 36 Just as I entered into judgement with your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt,(AP) so I will enter into judgement with you. This is the declaration of the Lord God. 37 I will make you pass under the rod(AQ) and will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38 I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against me.(AR) I will bring them out of the land where they live as foreign residents, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 ‘ “As for you, house of Israel, this is what the Lord God says: Go and serve your idols, each of you. But afterwards you will surely listen to me, and you will no longer defile my holy name with your gifts and idols.(AS) 40 For on my holy mountain, Israel’s high mountain – the declaration of the Lord God – there the entire house of Israel, all of them,(AT) will serve me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your contributions and choicest gifts,(AU) all your holy offerings. 41 When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will demonstrate my holiness through you in the sight of the nations.(AV) 42 When I lead you into the land of Israel, the land I swore to give your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord.(AW) 43 There you will remember your ways and all your deeds by which you have defiled yourself,(AX) and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil things you have done.(AY) 44 You will know that I am the Lord,(AZ) house of Israel, when I have dealt with you for the sake of my name(BA) rather than according to your evil ways and corrupt acts. This is the declaration of the Lord God.” ’
Fire in the South
45 The word of the Lord came to me: 46 ‘Son of man, face the south and preach against it. Prophesy against the forest land in the Negev,(BB) 47 and say to the forest there, “Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says: I am about to ignite a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The blazing flame will not be extinguished, and every face from the south to the north will be scorched by it. 48 Then all humanity will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it.(BC) It will not be extinguished.” ’
49 Then I said, ‘Oh, Lord God, they are saying of me, “Isn’t he just composing parables? ” ’(BD)
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