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.”’