Jehovah’s Past Dealings with His People

20 Now in the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Jehovah, and sat before me. 2 Then this word of Jehovah came to me: 3 Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ’Thus saith Jehovah: "Have ye come to consult me? As I live, saith Jehovah, I will not be consulted by you."’ 4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? Cause them to know the abomination of their fathers; 5 5 and say to them,’Thus saith Jehovah: "In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them, in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am Jehovah, your God; 6 in that day I swore to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands. 7 And I said to them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God."’

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hear me; they did not cast away the abominations of their eyes, nor forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish mine anger against them in the mi9 But I acted for my name’s sake, lest it should be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which the:v were, in whose sight I had made myself known to them, in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

10 So I caused them to go out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. 11 .And I gave them my statutes, and showed them mine ordinances, which if a man do he shall live thereby. 12 Moreover I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that it is I, Jehovah, who sanctifieth them. 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they rejected mine ordinances, which if a man keep he shall live thereby; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the ·wilderness to consume them. 14 But I acted for my name’s sake, lest it should be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out. 15 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands; 16 because they had rejected mine ordinances, and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them, and I destroyed them not, neither did I completely destroy them in the wilderness.

18 And I said to the children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their ordinances, nor defile yoursehes with their idols. 19 I am Jehovah your God; walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them; 20 and keep my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am Jehovah your God. 21 But the children rebelled against me; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept mine ordinances to do them, which if a man do he shall live thereby; they profaned my sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish mine anger against them in the wilderness. 22 Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and acted for my name’s sake, lest it should be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth. 23 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries, 24 because they had not executed mine ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my sabbaths, and because their eyes were turned toward the idols of their fathers 25 Moreover I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances wherein they should not live; 26 and I defiled them by their own gifts, through causing all their first-born to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate, so that they might know that I am Jehovah.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, ’Thus saith Jehovah: "In this also have your fathers blasphemed me, committing a trespass against me. 28 For when I had brought them into the land, which I swore to give to them, and whenever they saw any high hill, or leafy tree, they offered there their sacrifice, and there they presented their sweet savor, and they poured out there their libations. 20 Then I said to them, What meaneth the high place to which ye go? So it has been called a high place to this day."’

30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ’Thus saith Jehovah: "Do ye defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers, play the harlot after their abominations, 31 and defile yourselves with all your idols by offering your gifts, by making your sons to pass through the fire, even to this day? and shall I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As I live," saith Jehovah, "I will not be consulted by you; 32 and that which cometh into your mind shall not be, in that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the lands, to serve wood and stone."’

33 ’As I live,’ saith Jehovah, ’surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you; 34 and I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the lands wherein you are scattered, with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out; 35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face. 36 Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you,’ saith Jehovah. 37 ’And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you by talc :z 38 and I will purge out from among you the rebels, and those who transgress against me; I will bring them forth out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.’

39 As for .vou, O house of Israel, thus saith Jehovah: ’Go, let every man serve his idols! But afterwards ye shall surely hear me; no more profane my holy name with your gifts and with your idols; 40 but on my holy mountain,’ saith Jehovah, ’there shall all the house of Israel, all of them serve me; there will I accept them and there will I require your offerings and the chief of your obligations with all your consecrated things. 41 Your sweet savors will I accept, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered and through you my holiness will be made evident in the sight of the nations. 42 And ye shall know thnt I am Jehovah, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers. 43 And there ye shall remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have defiled yourselves: and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evil deeds that ye have committed. 44 And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have dealt with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel,’ saith Jehovah.