Ezekiel 14
New Living Translation
The Idolatry of Israel’s Leaders
14 Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with me, 2 this message came to me from the Lord: 3 “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols[a] in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? 4 Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the Lord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves. 5 I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’
6 “Therefore, tell the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your detestable sins. 7 I, the Lord, will answer all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts and so fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice. 8 I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, eliminating them from among my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
9 “‘And if a prophet is deceived into giving a message, it is because I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet. I will lift my fist against such prophets and cut them off from the community of Israel. 10 False prophets and those who seek their guidance will all be punished for their sins. 11 In this way, the people of Israel will learn not to stray from me, polluting themselves with sin. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!’”
The Certainty of the Lord’s Judgment
12 Then this message came to me from the Lord: 13 “Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals. 14 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, says the Sovereign Lord.
15 “Or suppose I were to send wild animals to invade the country, kill the people, and make the land too desolate and dangerous to pass through. 16 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be made desolate.
17 “Or suppose I were to bring war against the land, and I sent enemy armies to destroy both people and animals. 18 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.
19 “Or suppose I were to pour out my fury by sending an epidemic into the land, and the disease killed people and animals alike. 20 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved by their righteousness.
21 “Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How terrible it will be when all four of these dreadful punishments fall upon Jerusalem—war, famine, wild animals, and disease—destroying all her people and animals. 22 Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem. 23 When you meet them and see their behavior, you will understand that these things are not being done to Israel without cause. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
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
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