Idolaters Condemned

14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.^{(A) 2} Then the word of the Lord came to me: ³ “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts^(B) and put wicked stumbling blocks^(C) before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?^{(D) 4} Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. ⁵ I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted^(E) me for their idols.’^(F)

⁶ “Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent!^(G) Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!^(H)

⁷ “‘When any of the Israelites or any foreigner^(I) residing in Israel separate themselves from me and set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block^(J) before their faces and then go to a prophet to inquire^(K) of me, I the Lord will answer them myself. ⁸ I will set my face against^(L) them and make them an example^(M) and a byword.^(N) I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(O)

⁹ “‘And if the prophet^(P) is enticed^(Q) to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.^{(R) 10} They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. ¹¹ Then the people of Israel will no longer stray^(S) from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people,^(T) and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(U)’”

Jerusalem’s Judgment Inescapable

¹² The word of the Lord came to me: ¹³ “Son of man, if a country sins^(V) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply^(W) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,^{(X) 14} even if these three men—Noah,^(Y) Daniel^[a](Z) and Job^(AA)—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,^(AB) declares the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁵ “Or if I send wild beasts^(AC) through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,^{(AD) 16} as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.^(AE)

¹⁷ “Or if I bring a sword^(AF) against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,^{(AG) 18} as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

¹⁹ “Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath^(AH) on it through bloodshed,^(AI) killing its people and their animals,^{(AJ) 20} as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.^(AK)

²¹ “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments^(AL)—sword^(AM) and famine^(AN) and wild beasts and plague^(AO)—to kill its men and their animals!^{(AP) 22} Yet there will be some survivors^(AQ)—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it.^(AR) They will come to you, and when you see their conduct^(AS) and their actions, you will be consoled^(AT) regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. ²³ You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(AU)”

Jerusalem as a Useless Vine

15 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, how is the wood of a vine^(AV) different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest? ³ Is wood ever taken from it to make anything useful?^(AW) Do they make pegs^(AX) from it to hang things on? ⁴ And after it is thrown on the fire as fuel and the fire burns both ends and chars the middle, is it then useful for anything?^{(AY) 5} If it was not useful for anything when it was whole, how much less can it be made into something useful when the fire has burned it and it is charred?

⁶ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As I have given the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest as fuel for the fire, so will I treat the people living in Jerusalem. ⁷ I will set my face against^(AZ) them. Although they have come out of the fire^(BA), the fire will yet consume them. And when I set my face against them, you will know that I am the Lord.^{(BB) 8} I will make the land desolate^(BC) because they have been unfaithful,^(BD) declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Jerusalem as an Adulterous Wife

16 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, confront^(BE) Jerusalem with her detestable practices^{(BF) 3} and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry^(BG) and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father^(BH) was an Amorite^(BI) and your mother a Hittite.^{(BJ) 4} On the day you were born^(BK) your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. ⁵ No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.

⁶ “‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”^{[b](BL) 7} I made you grow^(BM) like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.^(BN)

⁸ “‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment^(BO) over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant^(BP) with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.^(BQ)

⁹ “‘I bathed you with water and washed^(BR) the blood from you and put ointments on you. ¹⁰ I clothed you with an embroidered^(BS) dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen^(BT) and covered you with costly garments.^{(BU) 11} I adorned you with jewelry:^(BV) I put bracelets^(BW) on your arms and a necklace^(BX) around your neck, ¹² and I put a ring on your nose,^(BY) earrings^(BZ) on your ears and a beautiful crown^(CA) on your head.^{(CB) 13} So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes^(CC) were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil^(CD) and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.^{(CE) 14} And your fame^(CF) spread among the nations on account of your beauty,^(CG) because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(CH)

¹⁵ “‘But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by^(CI) and your beauty became his.^{(CJ) 16} You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places,^(CK) where you carried on your prostitution.^(CL) You went to him, and he possessed your beauty.^{[c] 17} You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.^{(CM) 18} And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense^(CN) before them. ¹⁹ Also the food I provided for you—the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat—you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(CO)

²⁰ “‘And you took your sons and daughters^(CP) whom you bore to me^(CQ) and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough?^{(CR) 21} You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.^{(CS) 22} In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth,^(CT) when you were naked and bare,^(CU) kicking about in your blood.^(CV)

²³ “‘Woe!^(CW) Woe to you, declares the Sovereign Lord. In addition to all your other wickedness, ²⁴ you built a mound for yourself and made a lofty shrine^(CX) in every public square.^{(CY) 25} At every street corner^(CZ) you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, spreading your legs with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by.^{(DA) 26} You engaged in prostitution^(DB) with the Egyptians,^(DC) your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger^(DD) with your increasing promiscuity.^{(DE) 27} So I stretched out my hand^(DF) against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over^(DG) to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines,^(DH) who were shocked by your lewd conduct. ²⁸ You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians^(DI) too, because you were insatiable; and even after that, you still were not satisfied.^{(DJ) 29} Then you increased your promiscuity to include Babylonia,^[d](DK) a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied.^(DL)

³⁰ “‘I am filled with fury against you,^[e] declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute!^{(DM) 31} When you built your mounds at every street corner and made your lofty shrines^(DN) in every public square, you were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment.

³² “‘You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband! ³³ All prostitutes receive gifts,^(DO) but you give gifts^(DP) to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors.^{(DQ) 34} So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you.

³⁵ “‘Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the Lord! ³⁶ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you poured out your lust and exposed your naked body in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children’s blood,^{(DR) 37} therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip^(DS) you in front of them, and they will see you stark naked.^{(DT) 38} I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood;^(DU) I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger.^{(DV) 39} Then I will deliver you into the hands^(DW) of your lovers, and they will tear down your mounds and destroy your lofty shrines. They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you stark naked.^{(DX) 40} They will bring a mob against you, who will stone^(DY) you and hack you to pieces with their swords. ⁴¹ They will burn down^(DZ) your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women.^(EA) I will put a stop^(EB) to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers. ⁴² Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry.^(EC)

⁴³ “‘Because you did not remember^(ED) the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down^(EE) on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?^(EF)

⁴⁴ “‘Everyone who quotes proverbs^(EG) will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” ⁴⁵ You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised^(EH) her husband^(EI) and her children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.^{(EJ) 46} Your older sister^(EK) was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom.^{(EL) 47} You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they.^{(EM) 48} As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign^(EN) Lord, your sister Sodom^(EO) and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.^(EP)

⁴⁹ “‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom:^(EQ) She and her daughters were arrogant,^(ER) overfed and unconcerned;^(ES) they did not help the poor and needy.^{(ET) 50} They were haughty^(EU) and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.^{(EV) 51} Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done.^{(EW) 52} Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous^(EX) than you. So then, be ashamed and bear^(EY) your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.

⁵³ “‘However, I will restore^(EZ) the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them,^{(FA) 54} so that you may bear your disgrace^(FB) and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. ⁵⁵ And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before.^{(FC) 56} You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride, ⁵⁷ before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned^(FD) by the daughters of Edom^[f](FE) and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you. ⁵⁸ You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord.^(FF)

⁵⁹ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant.^{(FG) 60} Yet I will remember the covenant^(FH) I made with you in the days of your youth,^(FI) and I will establish an everlasting covenant^(FJ) with you. ⁶¹ Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed^(FK) when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters,^(FL) but not on the basis of my covenant with you. ⁶² So I will establish my covenant^(FM) with you, and you will know that I am the Lord.^{(FN) 63} Then, when I make atonement^(FO) for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed^(FP) and never again open your mouth^(FQ) because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(FR)’”

Two Eagles and a Vine

17 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable.^{(FS) 3} Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: A great eagle^(FT) with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon.^(FU) Taking hold of the top of a cedar, ⁴ he broke off^(FV) its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.

⁵ “‘He took one of the seedlings of the land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water,^{(FW) 6} and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches^(FX) turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.^(FY)

⁷ “‘But there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him for water.^{(FZ) 8} It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches,^(GA) bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’

⁹ “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers? All its new growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots.^{(GB) 10} It has been planted,^(GC) but will it thrive? Will it not wither completely when the east wind strikes it—wither away in the plot where it grew?^(GD)’”

¹¹ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ¹² “Say to this rebellious people, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?^(GE)’ Say to them: ‘The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles,^(GF) bringing them back with him to Babylon.^{(GG) 13} Then he took a member of the royal family and made a treaty^(GH) with him, putting him under oath.^(GI) He also carried away the leading men^(GJ) of the land, ¹⁴ so that the kingdom would be brought low,^(GK) unable to rise again, surviving only by keeping his treaty. ¹⁵ But the king rebelled^(GL) against him by sending his envoys to Egypt^(GM) to get horses and a large army.^(GN) Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and yet escape?^(GO)

¹⁶ “‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, he shall die^(GP) in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke.^{(GQ) 17} Pharaoh^(GR) with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in war, when ramps^(GS) are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives.^{(GT) 18} He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge^(GU) and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.

¹⁹ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, I will repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant.^{(GV) 20} I will spread my net^(GW) for him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment^(GX) on him there because he was unfaithful^(GY) to me. ²¹ All his choice troops will fall by the sword,^(GZ) and the survivors^(HA) will be scattered to the winds.^(HB) Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken.^(HC)

²² “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot^(HD) from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain.^{(HE) 23} On the mountain heights^(HF) of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit^(HG) and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.^{(HH) 24} All the trees of the forest^(HI) will know that I the Lord bring down^(HJ) the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.^(HK)

“‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.^(HL)’”

The One Who Sins Will Die

18 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

³ “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb^(HN) in Israel. ⁴ For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins^(HO) is the one who will die.^(HP)

¹⁰ “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood^(ID) or does any of these other things^{[g] 11} (though the father has done none of them):

Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.^(IJ)

¹⁴ “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:^(IK)

He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. ¹⁸ But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.

¹⁹ “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live.^{(IQ) 20} The one who sins is the one who will die.^(IR) The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.^(IS)

²¹ “But if^(IT) a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees^(IU) and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.^{(IV) 22} None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.^{(IW) 23} Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased^(IX) when they turn from their ways and live?^(IY)

²⁴ “But if a righteous person turns^(IZ) from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness^(JA) they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.^(JB)

²⁵ “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’^(JC) Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust?^(JD) Is it not your ways that are unjust? ²⁶ If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. ²⁷ But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.^{(JE) 28} Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.^{(JF) 29} Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

³⁰ “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent!^(JG) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.^{(JH) 31} Rid^(JI) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart^(JJ) and a new spirit. Why^(JK) will you die, people of Israel?^{(JL) 32} For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent^(JM) and live!^(JN)