Punishment and restoration

30 Therefore, say this to the Israeli people [MTY]: 'This is what Yahweh the Lord says: “You are going to [RHQ] defile yourselves like your ancestors did by strongly desiringto worship their disgusting statues of idols. 31 When you sacrifice your children in the fire, you are still continuing to make yourselves unacceptable to me byworshiping your many idols. You Israeli people, should I allow you to inquirewhat I want you to do? I, Yahweh the Lord, say that as surely as I am alive, I will not answer if you inquire.'

32 You say, ‘We want to be like the other nations, like the other people-groups in the world. We want to worshipidols made of wood and stonelike they do.’ But what you want will never happen. 33 I, Yahweh your Lord, say that as surely as I am alive, I will use my great power [DOU, MTY] to rule over you, and show that I am angry with you. 34 With my great power I will gather you from the places to which you have been scattered, 35 and I will bring you to a desertthat is surrounded by other nations. There, while I am looking at you, I will judge you. 36 I will punish you, like I punished your ancestors in the desert near Egypt. 37 I will count you [MTY] as you walk by, and I will force you to obey the agreement that I made with you. 38 I will get rid of those people among you who rebel [DOU] against me. Although I will bring them out ofBabylonia, where they are now living, they will not enter Israel. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, have the power to do what I say that I will do.

39 As for you Israeli people [MTY], this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: 'Go and worship your idols now [IRO], each of you. But afterwards, you will surely heed me and no longer dishonor me [MTY] by taking gifts to your idols. 40 I, Yahweh your Lord, declare that there on my sacred hill, Zion, that high hill in Israel, you will bring gifts to me, and I will accept them. I will require you to bring to me gifts and offerings there, and your sacrifices that are dedicated to me. 41 When I bring you out from the other nations [DOU] to which you have been scattered, I will accept youas though you were fragrant incense. By doing that, I will show the people of other nations that I have set you apart to belong to me. 42 Then, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land that I solemnly promised with my hand lifted up that I would give to your ancestors, you will know that I, Yahweh, have done it. 43 And therein Israel you will remember how you conducted your lives previously, you will remember the actions that caused you to become unacceptable to me, and you will hate/despise yourselves for all the evil things that you have done. 44 When I act toward you Israeli people to protect my reputation, and not just because of your evil deeds and corrupt behavior, you Israeli people will know that I, Yahweh, have the power to do what I say that I will do.' That is what Yahweh the Lord declares.”