The book of the prophet Ezekiel 20 The abominations of the house of Israel after the exodus.

 

The book of the prophet Ezekiel 20

The abominations of the house of Israel after the exodus.

 

1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and they sat before me.

2 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

3 Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Do you come to consult me? As surely as I live, you will not consult me,” declares the Sovereign Lord.’

4 Would you judge them, son of man, would you judge them? Make them know the abominations of their fathers;

5 And say to them, “Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I chose Israel, I raised my hand to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, and I raised my hand to them, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God.’”

6 On that day I raised my hand to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land that I had foreseen for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands.

7 Then he said to them, “Each of you must throw away the abominations you have in your eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

8 But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; no one cast away the abominations of their eyes or forsook the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and expend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose eyes I had revealed myself to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

10 And I brought them out of the land of Egypt, and led them into the wilderness.

11 And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which, if a man does them, he shall live by them.

12 I also gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between me and them, so they would know that I am the Lord who makes them holy.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not walk in my statutes and rejected my ordinances, which, if a man does them, he shall live by them; and they greatly profaned my Sabbaths; and I said that I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom I brought them out.

15 Yet I lifted up my hand against them in the wilderness, that I would not let them enter the land which I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands;

16 Because they rejected my judgments, and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

17 Nevertheless, my eye spared them, so as not to destroy them or consume them in the desert.

18 But I said to his children in the wilderness, “Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep 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 keep my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between me and you, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.

21 But the children also rebelled against me, and did not walk in my statutes, nor keep my judgments, which, if a man does them, he shall live by them; they profaned my Sabbaths, therefore I said that I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness.

22 But I withheld my hand, and did it for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.

23 I also raised my hand to them in the wilderness, to scatter them among the nations, and to disperse them throughout the lands;

24 Because they did not execute my judgments, and rejected my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes went after the idols of their fathers.

25 Therefore I also gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances by which they could not live;

26 And I defiled them with their own gifts, in which they caused everything that opens the womb to pass through the fire, to destroy them, so that they might know that I am the Lord.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: In this also your fathers blasphemed me and transgressed against me.’

28 For when I had brought them into the land which I had swore to give to them, they looked at every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offerings, there they set their sweet incense, and there they poured out their drink offerings.

29 And I said to them, “What is this high place to which you are going?” And its name has been Bamah to this day.

30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Do you defile yourselves in the manner of your fathers? And do you prostitute yourselves with their abominations?

31 And when you offer your gifts and make your children pass through the fire, are you not defiled with all your idols to this day? And would you consult me, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord God, you shall not consult me.

32 And what came into your mind will by no means happen when you say, “We will be like the nations, like the other generations of the earth, serving wood and stone.”

33 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will rule over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out,

34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you have been scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with outpoured wrath.

35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

36 As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord God.

37 And I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

38 And I will separate from among you the rebels, and those who have transgressed against me; I will bring them out of the land of their sojournings , but they shall not return to the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am the Lord.

39 As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go, each of you serve your idols, since you will not listen to me; but do not profane my holy name any longer with your gifts and your idols.

40 For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there all the house of Israel, all of them in that land, shall serve me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your heave offerings, and the firstfruits of your gifts, with all your holy things.

41 I will delight in you with a sweet-smelling aroma, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.

42 And you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you back to the land of Israel, the land I swore to give to your ancestors.

43 And there you will remember your ways and all your deeds by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the wickedness you have committed.

44 And you will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.

45 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

46 Son of man, set your face toward the south, and speak against 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 says the Lord God: Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall consume every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, but every face shall be scorched by it, from the south even to the north.

48 And all flesh shall see that I, the Lord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.

49 Then I said, “Ah, Lord Jehovah! They say of me, ‘Is this not a teller of parables?’”