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Ezekiel 20
Living Bible
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
New International Version
Ezekiel 20
New International Version
Rebellious Israel Purged
20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire(A) of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.(B)
2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, speak to the elders(C) of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire(D) of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(E)’
4 “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors(F) 5 and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose(G) Israel, I swore with uplifted hand(H) to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.(I)” 6 On that day I swore(J) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,(K) the most beautiful of all lands.(L) 7 And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images(M) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols(N) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.(O)”
8 “‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;(P) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.(Q) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.(R) 9 But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.(S) I did it to keep my name from being profaned(T) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. 10 Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.(U) 11 I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.(V) 12 Also I gave them my Sabbaths(W) as a sign(X) between us,(Y) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.(Z)
13 “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled(AA) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws(AB)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.(AC) So I said I would pour out my wrath(AD) on them and destroy(AE) them in the wilderness.(AF) 14 But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned(AG) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.(AH) 15 Also with uplifted hand I swore(AI) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands(AJ)— 16 because they rejected my laws(AK) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts(AL) were devoted to their idols.(AM) 17 Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy(AN) them or put an end to them in the wilderness. 18 I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents(AO) or keep their laws or defile yourselves(AP) with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God;(AQ) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.(AR) 20 Keep my Sabbaths(AS) holy, that they may be a sign(AT) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.(AU)”
21 “‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws,(AV) of which I said, “The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger(AW) against them in the wilderness.(AX) 22 But I withheld(AY) my hand, and for the sake of my name(AZ) I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter(BA) them through the countries, 24 because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees(BB) and desecrated my Sabbaths,(BC) and their eyes lusted after(BD) their parents’ idols.(BE) 25 So I gave(BF) them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;(BG) 26 I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice(BH) of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord.(BI)’
27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors(BJ) blasphemed(BK) me by being unfaithful to me:(BL) 28 When I brought them into the land(BM) I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.(BN) 29 Then I said to them: What is this high place(BO) you go to?’” (It is called Bamah[a] to this day.)
Rebellious Israel Renewed
30 “Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves(BP) the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?(BQ) 31 When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children(BR) in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.(BS)
32 “‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. 33 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm(BT) and with outpoured wrath.(BU) 34 I will bring you from the nations(BV) and gather(BW) you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand(BX) and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.(BY) 35 I will bring you into the wilderness(BZ) of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment(CA) upon you. 36 As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CB) 37 I will take note of you as you pass under my rod,(CC) and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.(CD) 38 I will purge(CE) you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(CF)
39 “‘As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols,(CG) every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name(CH) with your gifts and idols.(CI) 40 For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel,(CJ) declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings(CK) and your choice gifts,[b] along with all your holy sacrifices.(CL) 41 I will accept you as fragrant incense(CM) when I bring you out from the nations and gather(CN) you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy(CO) through you in the sight of the nations.(CP) 42 Then you will know that I am the Lord,(CQ) when I bring you into the land of Israel,(CR) the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.(CS) 43 There you will remember your conduct(CT) and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves(CU) for all the evil you have done.(CV) 44 You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake(CW) and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.(CX)’”
Prophecy Against the South
45 The word of the Lord came to me: 46 “Son of man, set your face toward(CY) the south; preach against the south and prophesy against(CZ) the forest of the southland.(DA) 47 Say to the southern forest:(DB) ‘Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume(DC) all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north(DD) will be scorched by it.(DE) 48 Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it; it will not be quenched.(DF)’”
49 Then I said, “Sovereign Lord,(DG) they are saying of me, ‘Isn’t he just telling parables?(DH)’”[c]
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 20:29 Bamah means high place.
- Ezekiel 20:40 Or and the gifts of your firstfruits
- Ezekiel 20:49 In Hebrew texts 20:45-49 is numbered 21:1-5.
Ezekiel 20
King James Version
Ezekiel 20
King James Version
20 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lord, and sat before me.
2 Then came the word of the Lord unto me, saying,
3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.
4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:
5 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God;
6 In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:
7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.
12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.
13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.
14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.
15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;
16 Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.
18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:
19 I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;
20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.
21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.
23 I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;
24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.
25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.
27 Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.
28 For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.
29 Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name whereof is called Bamah unto this day.
30 Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?
31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.
32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.
33 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:
34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.
35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God.
37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.
40 For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.
41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.
42 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.
43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.
44 And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God.
45 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
46 Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
48 And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.
49 Then said I, Ah Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
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