30 Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Will you defile yourselves in the way of your (A)fathers and adulterously pursue their detestable things? 31 And [a]when you offer your gifts, when you (B)make your sons pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live,” declares the Lord God, “I certainly will not be inquired of by you. 32 And whatever (C)comes [b]into your mind certainly will not come about, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the families of the lands, (D)serving wood and stone.’

God Will Restore Israel to Her Land

33 “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “with a mighty hand and with an (E)outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I assuredly shall be (F)king over you. 34 I will (G)bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with (H)wrath poured out; 35 and I will bring you into the (I)wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36 Just as I (J)entered into judgment with your fathers in the (K)wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” declares the Lord God. 37 “I will make you (L)pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38 and I will (M)purge from you the rebels and those who revolt against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they reside, but they will (N)not enter the [c]land of Israel. So you will know that I am the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 20:31 Lit in your lifting up
  2. Ezekiel 20:32 Lit upon your spirit
  3. Ezekiel 20:38 Lit ground; or soil

Rebellious Israel Renewed

30 “Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves(A) the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?(B) 31 When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children(C) 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.(D)

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(E) and with outpoured wrath.(F) 34 I will bring you from the nations(G) and gather(H) you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand(I) and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.(J) 35 I will bring you into the wilderness(K) of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment(L) 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.(M) 37 I will take note of you as you pass under my rod,(N) and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.(O) 38 I will purge(P) 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.(Q)

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