Ezekiel 20:1-29
Expanded Bible
Israel Has Refused God
20 It was the seventh year [C since Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month [C August 14, 591 bc]. Some of the elders of Israel came to ask about the Lord and sat down in front of me.
2 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 3 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], speak to the elders of Israel and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: Did you come to ·ask me questions [inquire of/consult me]? As surely as I live, I will not let you ·ask me questions [inquire of/consult me].’
4 “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, ·human [T son of man; 2:1]? Let them know the ·hateful [detestable; abominable] things their ·ancestors [fathers] did. 5 Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: ·When [L On the day when] I chose Israel, I ·made a promise [L lifted my hand] to the ·descendants [offspring; seed] of Jacob. I made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, and I ·promised them [L lifted my hand to them, saying], “I am the Lord your God.” 6 ·At that time [On that day] I ·promised them I would [L lifted my hand to them to] bring them out of Egypt into a land I had ·found [searched out] for them, a ·fertile land [land flowing with milk and honey; Ex. 3:8], the ·best [most beautiful] land in the world. 7 I said to them, “Each one of you must throw away the ·hateful idols [detestable/abominable things] you have ·seen and liked [L set your eyes on]. Don’t ·make yourselves unclean [defile yourselves] with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
8 “‘But they ·turned [rebelled] against me and refused to listen to me. They did not throw away the ·hateful idols [detestable/abominable things] which they ·saw and liked [L set your eyes on]; they did not give up the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out my anger against them while they were still in Egypt. 9 But I acted for the sake of my name so it would not be ·dishonored [profaned; C ritually] in ·full view [L the eyes] of the nations where the Israelites lived. I made myself known to ·the Israelites [L them] by bringing them out of Egypt ·while the nations were watching [before their eyes]. 10 So I took them out of Egypt and brought them into the ·desert [wilderness]. 11 I gave them my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and told them about my ·laws [judgments], by which people will live if they ·obey [do; practice] them. 12 I also gave them my Sabbaths [Ex. 20:8–11; Deut. 5:12–15] to be a sign [Ex. 31:13] between us so they would know that I am the Lord who ·made them holy [sanctified them; set them apart].
13 “‘But in the ·desert [wilderness] ·Israel [L the house of Israel] ·turned [rebelled] against me. They did not follow my ·rules [statutes], and they rejected my ·laws [rules; judgments], by which people will live if they obey them. They ·dishonored [desecrated; profaned; C ritually] my Sabbaths. Then I decided to pour out my ·anger [wrath] against them and destroy them in the ·desert [wilderness]. 14 But I acted for the sake of my name so it would not be ·dishonored [profaned; C ritually] in ·full view [L the eyes] of the nations ·who watched as [before whose eyes] I had brought the Israelites out of Egypt. 15 And in the ·desert [wilderness] I ·swore [L lifted my hand] to the Israelites that I would not bring them into the land I had given them. It is a ·fertile land [land flowing with milk and honey; Ex. 3:8], the ·best [most beautiful] land in the world. 16 This was because they rejected my ·laws [judgments] and did not ·follow [L walk in] my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements]. They ·dishonored [desecrated; profaned; C ritually] my Sabbaths and ·wanted to worship [L their hearts went after] their idols. 17 But I ·had pity on [or spared] them. I did not destroy them or put an end to them in the ·desert [wilderness]. 18 I said to their children in the ·desert [wilderness], “Don’t ·live by [L walk in] the ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] of your ·parents [fathers], or obey their ·laws [judgments]. Don’t ·make yourselves unclean [defile yourselves] with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God. ·Live by [L Walk in] my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements], obey my ·laws [judgments], and follow them. 20 Keep my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between me and you [Ex. 31:13]. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”
21 “‘But the children turned against me. They did not ·live by [walk in] my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements], nor were they careful to obey my ·laws [judgments], by which people will live if they obey them. They ·dishonored [desecrated; profaned; C ritually] my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out my anger and ·rage [L vent/exhaust my rage] against them in the ·desert [wilderness]. 22 But I ·held back my anger [L withdrew my hand]. I acted for the sake of my name so it would not be ·dishonored [profaned; C ritually] in ·full view [L the eyes] of the nations ·who watched as [L before whose eyes] I brought the Israelites out. 23 And in the ·desert [wilderness] I swore to the Israelites that I would scatter them among the nations and spread them among the ·countries [lands], 24 because they had not obeyed my ·laws [judgments]. They had rejected my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and ·dishonored [profaned; C ritually] my Sabbaths and ·worshiped [L set their eyes on] the idols of their ·parents [fathers]. 25 I also allowed them to follow ·rules [statutes] that were not good and ·laws [judgments] by which they could not live. 26 I ·let the Israelites make themselves unclean [L defiled them; C ritually] by the gifts they brought to their gods when they sacrificed their first children in the fire [16:20–21]. I wanted to ·terrify [or devastate] them so they would know that I am the Lord.’
27 “So, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], speak to the ·people [L house] of Israel. Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Your ·ancestors [fathers] ·spoke against [blasphemed] me by being unfaithful to me in another way. 28 When I had brought them into the land I ·promised [L lifted my hand] to give them, they saw every high hill and every leafy tree. There they offered their sacrifices to gods. They brought offerings that ·made me angry [provoked my anger] and burned their incense and poured out their drink offerings. 29 Then I said to them: What is this high place where you go to worship?’” (It is still called ·High Place [L Bamah] today.)
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