Ezekiel 14
Legacy Standard Bible
Idolatrous Elders Punished
14 Then some (A)elders of Israel came to me and (B)sat down before me. 2 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 3 “Son of man, these men have (C)set up their idols in their hearts and have (D)put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be (E)inquired by them at all? 4 Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I Yahweh will be brought to give him an answer [a]in light of it, [b]in light of the (F)multitude of his idols, 5 in order to seize the house of Israel by (G)their heart, those who are [c](H)estranged from Me through all their idols.”’
6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “[d](I)Turn back and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your (J)abominations. 7 For anyone of the house of Israel or of the (K)sojourners who sojourn in Israel who separates himself from Me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me for himself, (L)I, Yahweh, will be brought to answer him in My own person. 8 I will (M)set My face against that man and make him a (N)sign and [e]a proverb, and I will cut him off from among My people. So you will know that I am Yahweh.
9 “But if the prophet is enticed to speak a word, it is I, Yahweh, who have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and (O)destroy him from among My people Israel. 10 They will bear the punishment of their iniquity; as the iniquity of the inquirer is, so the iniquity of the prophet will be, 11 in order that the house of Israel may no longer (P)wander from Me and no longer (Q)defile themselves with all their transgressions. Thus they will be (R)My people, and I shall be their God,”’ declares Lord Yahweh.”
Calamitous Judgments of Jerusalem
12 Then the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 13 “Son of man, if a country sins against Me by (S)committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, break its (T)staff of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and beast, 14 even (U)though these three men, (V)Noah, (W)Daniel, and (X)Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver (Y)themselves,” declares Lord Yahweh. 15 “If I were to cause (Z)wild beasts to pass through the land and they bereaved it of children and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, 16 though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. (AA)They alone would be delivered, but the country would become desolate. 17 Or if I should (AB)bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and (AC)cut off man and beast from it,’ 18 even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. 19 Or if I should send a (AD)plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it to cut off man and beast from it, 20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”
21 For thus says Lord Yahweh, “How much more when (AE)I send My four calamitous judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague to cut off man and beast from it! 22 Yet, behold, [f]survivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come forth to you, and you will (AF)see their way and actions; then you will be (AG)comforted for the calamity which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it. 23 Then they will comfort you when you see their way and actions, so you will know that I have not done (AH)in vain all that I did [g]to it,” declares Lord Yahweh.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 14:4 Or when he comes with; lit by it
- Ezekiel 14:4 Or when he comes with; lit by it
- Ezekiel 14:5 Or all estranged from Me through their idols
- Ezekiel 14:6 Or Repent
- Ezekiel 14:8 Lit proverbs
- Ezekiel 14:22 Lit escaped ones
- Ezekiel 14:23 Or in
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
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