Ezekiel 20
New Living Translation
The Rebellion of Israel
20 On August 14,[a] during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, some of the leaders of Israel came to request a message from the Lord. They sat down in front of me to wait for his reply. 2 Then this message came to me from the Lord: 3 “Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing!’
4 “Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were. 5 Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the Lord, would be their God. 6 I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere. 7 Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with the idols[b] of Egypt, for I am the Lord your God.’
8 “But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They did not get rid of the vile images they were obsessed with, or forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I threatened to pour out my fury on them to satisfy my anger while they were still in Egypt. 9 But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name. I would not allow shame to be brought on my name among the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. 10 So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness. 11 There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them. 12 And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the Lord, who had set them apart to be holy.
13 “But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my decrees there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my regulations even though obedience would have given them life. They also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the wilderness. 14 But again I held back in order to protect the honor of my name before the nations who had seen my power in bringing Israel out of Egypt. 15 But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would not bring them into the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful place on earth. 16 For they had rejected my regulations, refused to follow my decrees, and violated my Sabbath days. Their hearts were given to their idols. 17 Nevertheless, I took pity on them and held back from destroying them in the wilderness.
18 “Then I warned their children not to follow in their parents’ footsteps, defiling themselves with their idols. 19 ‘I am the Lord your God,’ I told them. ‘Follow my decrees, pay attention to my regulations, 20 and keep my Sabbath days holy, for they are a sign to remind you that I am the Lord your God.’
21 “But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So again I threatened to pour out my fury on them in the wilderness. 22 Nevertheless, I withdrew my judgment against them to protect the honor of my name before the nations that had seen my power in bringing them out of Egypt. 23 But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would scatter them among all the nations 24 because they did not obey my regulations. They scorned my decrees by violating my Sabbath days and longing for the idols of their ancestors. 25 I gave them over to worthless decrees and regulations that would not lead to life. 26 I let them pollute themselves[c] with the very gifts I had given them, and I allowed them to give their firstborn children as offerings to their gods—so I might devastate them and remind them that I alone am the Lord.
Judgment and Restoration
27 “Therefore, son of man, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: Your ancestors continued to blaspheme and betray me, 28 for when I brought them into the land I had promised them, they offered sacrifices on every high hill and under every green tree they saw! They roused my fury as they offered up sacrifices to their gods. They brought their perfumes and incense and poured out their liquid offerings to them. 29 I said to them, ‘What is this high place where you are going?’ (This kind of pagan shrine has been called Bamah—‘high place’—ever since.)
30 “Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: Do you plan to pollute yourselves just as your ancestors did? Do you intend to keep prostituting yourselves by worshiping vile images? 31 For when you offer gifts to them and give your little children to be burned as sacrifices,[d] you continue to pollute yourselves with idols to this day. Should I allow you to ask for a message from me, O people of Israel? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing.
32 “You say, ‘We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.’ But what you have in mind will never happen. 33 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will rule over you with an iron fist in great anger and with awesome power. 34 And in anger I will reach out with my strong hand and powerful arm, and I will bring you back[e] from the lands where you are scattered. 35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will judge you face to face. 36 I will judge you there just as I did your ancestors in the wilderness after bringing them out of Egypt, says the Sovereign Lord. 37 I will examine you carefully and hold you to the terms of the covenant. 38 I will purge you of all those who rebel and revolt against me. I will bring them out of the countries where they are in exile, but they will never enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 “As for you, O people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go right ahead and worship your idols, but sooner or later you will obey me and will stop bringing shame on my holy name by worshiping idols. 40 For on my holy mountain, the great mountain of Israel, says the Sovereign Lord, the people of Israel will someday worship me, and I will accept them. There I will require that you bring me all your offerings and choice gifts and sacrifices. 41 When I bring you home from exile, you will be like a pleasing sacrifice to me. And I will display my holiness through you as all the nations watch. 42 Then when I have brought you home to the land I promised with a solemn oath to give to your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord. 43 You will look back on all the ways you defiled yourselves and will hate yourselves because of the evil you have done. 44 You will know that I am the Lord, O people of Israel, when I have honored my name by treating you mercifully in spite of your wickedness. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
Judgment against the Negev
45 [f]Then this message came to me from the Lord: 46 “Son of man, turn and face the south[g] and speak out against it; prophesy against the brushlands of the Negev. 47 Tell the southern wilderness, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Hear the word of the Lord! I will set you on fire, and every tree, both green and dry, will be burned. The terrible flames will not be quenched and will scorch everything from south to north. 48 And everyone in the world will see that I, the Lord, have set this fire. It will not be put out.’”
49 Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me, ‘He only talks in riddles!’”
Footnotes
- 20:1 Hebrew In the fifth month, on the tenth day, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This day was August 14, 591 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
- 20:7 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung; also in 20:8, 16, 18, 24, 31, 39.
- 20:25-26 Or I gave them worthless decrees and regulations. . . . I polluted them.
- 20:31 Or and make your little children pass through the fire.
- 20:34 Greek version reads I will welcome you. Compare 2 Cor 6:17.
- 20:45 Verses 20:45-49 are numbered 21:1-5 in Hebrew text.
- 20:46 Hebrew toward Teman.
Ezekiel 20
International Standard Version
A Prophecy against Israel’s Elders
20 On the seventh year, on the tenth day[a] of the fifth month, men came from the elders of Israel to seek the Lord. They sat down in front of me.
2 “Son of Man,” the Lord told me, 3 “Tell the elders of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God asks, “Did you come to inquire of me? As long as I live, I won’t let myself be sought by you,” declares the Lord God.’
4 “Will you judge them? Son of Man, will you indeed judge them? Teach them about the detestable things that their ancestors did. 5 Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says, “The day I chose Israel, when I made my commitment[b] to the descendants of Jacob’s house, I revealed myself to them in the land of Egypt and I made my promise to them with the words, ‘I am the Lord your God.’ 6 That day I promised to bring them out of the land of Egypt to the land that I had explored for them—a land flowing with milk and honey. It’s the most beautiful of all lands. 7 Then I told them, ‘Each of you are to abandon your detestable practices.[c] You are not to defile yourselves with Egypt’s idols. I am the Lord your God.’”’”
A Brief History of Israel’s Rebellion
8 “But they rebelled against me and weren’t willing to obey me. None of them abandoned their detestable practices[d] or their Egyptian idols. So I said, ‘I’ll pour out my anger on them, extending my fury in the middle of the land of Egypt.’ 9 I did this so my reputation[e] might not be tarnished among the nations where they were living, among whom I made myself known in their presence when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. 10 I brought them out of the land of Egypt to bring them to the wilderness 11 where I gave them my statutes and revealed my ordinances to them, which if a person[f] observes, he’ll live by them. 12 Also, I instituted[g] my Sabbath for them as a sign between me and them, so they would know that I am the Lord, who has set them apart.”
Israel Rebels in the Wilderness
13 “But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They didn’t live by[h] my statutes. They despised my ordinances, which if a person observes, he’ll live by them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my anger on them and bring them to an end in the wilderness. 14 I did this so my reputation wouldn’t be tarnished among the nations in whose presence I had brought them out.
15 “Moreover, I solemnly swore to them in the wilderness that I wouldn’t bring them to the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands— 16 because they kept on rejecting my ordinances. They didn’t live life consistent with my statutes, they profaned my Sabbaths, and their hearts followed[i] their idols. 17 Even then, I[j] looked on them with compassion and didn’t completely destroy them in the wilderness. 18 I told their children in the wilderness, ‘You are not to follow the statutes of your ancestors, observe their ordinances, or be defiled by their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God. You are to follow my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them. 20 You are to make my Sabbaths holy, and you are to let them serve as a sign between you and me, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’”
More of Israel’s Rebellion
21 “But they rebelled against me. They didn’t live according to my statutes, observe my ordinances, or practice them, by which a person will live. They also kept profaning my Sabbaths. So I said that I was going to pour out my anger on them and in my anger I’m going to bring about a complete end to them in the wilderness. 22 But I withdrew my decision[k] so my reputation wouldn’t be tarnished among the nations before whose eyes I brought them out.
23 “Furthermore, I solemnly swore in the wilderness to disperse them among the nations and scatter them to other[l] lands 24 because they didn’t observe my ordinances. Instead, they rejected my statutes, profaned my Sabbaths, and worshipped[m] their ancestors’ idols. 25 So I gave them statutes that weren’t good and ordinances by which they could not live. 26 I made them unclean because of their offerings, so they made all their firstborn[n] to pass through the fire, so that I could make them astonished. Then they’ll know that I am the Lord.”
The Blasphemy of Israel’s Ancestors
27 “Therefore, Son of Man, you are to speak to the children of Israel and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Your ancestors also blasphemed me in their treacherous behavior against me. 28 I brought them to the land that I had promised to give them. But whenever they saw any high hill and or any leafy tree, they slaughtered their sacrifices there and presented their offerings that provoked my anger. There they presented their pleasing aromas and poured out their drink offering. 29 So I asked them, ‘What is the high place to which you’re going?’ That’s why the name of the place has been called Bamah[o] to this day.”’
30 “Therefore you are to say to Israel’s house, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Will you defile yourselves like your ancestors did by acting as a prostitute, consistent with their horrible deeds? 31 When you present your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with your idols to this day. Should I be inquired of by you, you house of Israel? As I live,” declares the Lord, “I certainly won’t be inquired of by you.” 32 The thing that you’re imagining[p] is never going to happen, since you’re thinking, “We’ll be like the nations, like the clans of other[q] lands who serve gods made from wood and stone.”’”
The Coming Discipline of Israel
33 “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “with my powerful hand and outstretched arm, along with my wrath poured out, I’ll reign as king over you. 34 I’ll bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you were scattered. With a powerful hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, 35 I’ll bring you into the wilderness of the nations. I’ll judge you right there, face to face. 36 Just as I judged your ancestors in the wilderness in the land of Egypt, so I’ll judge you,” declares the Lord. 37 “I’ll cause you to pass under the rod until I will have brought you into the bond of the covenant. 38 I’ll eliminate the rebels among you, along with those who are transgressing against me. I’ll bring them out of the land where you’ve lived, but they won’t be able to enter the land of Israel. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord.”
The Coming Regathering of Israel
39 And now, you house of Israel, this is what the Lord God says, “Go ahead and serve your idols, both now and later, but later you’ll listen to me, and you won’t profane my sacred name again by your offerings and idols. 40 For on my holy mountain, on Israel’s high mountains,” declares the Lord God, “the whole of Israel’s house—all of it—will serve me there in the land. I’ll accept them there. And there I’ll demand your offerings, the first fruits of your portions of all your sacred things.
41 “When I will have brought you from among the people and have gathered you from the lands where you were scattered, I’ll accept you as a pleasing aroma. I’ll reveal my holiness among you, and the entire world will see it. 42 Then you’ll know that I, the Lord, brought you to the land of Israel, to the land that I promised to give to your ancestors. 43 You’ll remember all your practices and evil actions by which you’ve become defiled. You’ll loathe yourselves[r] because of all the evil things you’ve done. 44 Then you’ll know that I am the Lord, when I will have dealt with you for the benefit of my own reputation and not according to your evil attitudes or corrupt practices, you house of Israel,” declares the Lord God.
Coming Judgment on the South
45 [s]This message came to me from the Lord: 46 “Son of Man, turn to the south and oppose it, talking toward the south. 47 Prophesy against the forest of the Negev,[t] ‘Listen to this message from the Lord. This is what the Lord God says: “Look out! I’m about to ignite a fire and set it against you. It will devour every tree—whether green or dry—that lives in you. This powerful flame will not be extinguishable, and the entire surface from south to north will be scorched by it. 48 Then everyone[u] will see that I, the Lord, have kindled it, because it won’t be extinguished.”’”
Ezekiel’s Complaint to God
49 Then I said, “O Lord God! They’re saying about me, ‘Isn’t he one to propound parables?’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 20:1 The Heb. lacks day
- Ezekiel 20:5 Lit. When I lifted my hand, and so throughout.
- Ezekiel 20:7 Lit. practices before your eyes
- Ezekiel 20:8 Lit. practices before their eyes
- Ezekiel 20:9 Lit. name
- Ezekiel 20:11 Lit. man
- Ezekiel 20:12 Lit. gave
- Ezekiel 20:13 Lit. walk in
- Ezekiel 20:16 Lit. walked
- Ezekiel 20:17 Lit. my eyes
- Ezekiel 20:22 Lit. hand
- Ezekiel 20:23 The Heb. lacks other
- Ezekiel 20:24 Lit. Their eyes went after
- Ezekiel 20:26 Lit. their first to open the womb
- Ezekiel 20:29 The Heb. name Bamah means What is?
- Ezekiel 20:32 Lit. that is coming upon your spirits
- Ezekiel 20:32 The Heb. lacks other
- Ezekiel 20:43 Lit. your souls in your own sight
- Ezekiel 20:45 This v. is 21:1 1n MT
- Ezekiel 20:47 I.e. southern region of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40
- Ezekiel 20:48 Lit. Then all flesh
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