ULT EZE Chapter 20

◄ EZE 20 ► ║ ═ ©

20 Now it happened in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, men from the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh, and they sat to my face.2 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,3 “Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Is it to inquire of me that you are coming? As I live, I will surely not be inquired of by you— the declaration of the Lord Yahweh.’

4 Will you judge them? Will you judge, son of man? Make them know the abominations of their fathers.5 And say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day of my choosing Israel, I lifted up my hand to the seed of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt; and I lifted up my hand to them, saying, “I am Yahweh your God.”6 In that day I lifted up my hand to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt to a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey; it is a splendor for all the lands.7 And I said to them, “Each man, throw away the detestable things of his eyes, and with the idols of Egypt may you not defile yourselves. I am Yahweh your God.”8 But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. Each man did not throw away the detestable things of his eyes, and the idols of Egypt they did not forsake. So I said, I would pour out my wrath upon them, to bring my nose to an end 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 before the eyes of the nations in whose midst they were, to whom I made myself known before their eyes, to bring them out from the land of Egypt.

10 So I brought them out from the land of Egypt and brought them to the wilderness.11 And I gave to them my statutes, and my judgments I made known to them, which, if the man does them, then he will live by them.12 And also my Sabbaths I gave to them, to be for a sign between me and between them, to know that I am Yahweh, the one sanctifying them.13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. In my statutes they did not walk, and my judgments they rejected, which, if the man does them, then he will live by them; and my Sabbaths they profaned exceedingly. So I said, I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to bring them to an end.14 But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned before the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I brought them out.15 And also I, I lifted up my hand to them in the wilderness, so as not to bring them into the land that I had given, flowing with milk and honey— it is a splendor for all the lands—16 because they rejected my judgments, and in my statutes they did not walk, and my Sabbaths they profaned; for after their idols their heart was walking.17 But my eye had pity on them, from destroying them, and I did not make them a complete end in the wilderness.

18 And I said to their sons in the wilderness, “In the statutes of your fathers may you not walk, and their judgments may you not keep, and with their idols may you not defile yourselves.19 I am Yahweh your God. In my statutes walk, and my judgments keep and do them.20 And my Sabbaths sanctify, and they will be for a sign between me and between you, to know that I am Yahweh your God.”21 But the sons rebelled against me. In my statutes they did not walk, and my judgments they did not keep, to do them, which, if the man does them, then he will live by them; my Sabbaths they profaned. So I said, I, would pour out my wrath upon them, to bring my nose to an end against them in the wilderness.22 But I turned back my hand and acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned before the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I brought them out.23 Also I, I lifted up my hand to them in the wilderness, to scatter them among the nations and to disperse them among the lands,24 because my judgments they did not do, and my statutes they rejected, and my Sabbaths they profaned, and after the idols of their fathers their eyes were.25 And also I, I gave to them statutes not good, and judgments, by, which they would not live.26 And I defiled them by their gifts, in making every opener of the womb pass over, so that I might make them desolate, so that they would know that I am Yahweh.’

27 Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Still in this your fathers blasphemed me, in their committing unfaithfulness against me.28 And I brought them into the land that I lifted up my hand to give it to them, and they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and they sacrificed there their sacrifices, and they gave there the provocation of their offering, and they placed there the aroma of their pleasing offerings, and they poured out there their drink offerings.29 And I said to them, “What is the high place to which you are coming there?” And its name was called Bamah until this day.’

30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Is it in the way of your fathers that you are defiling yourselves, and after their detestable things that you are prostituting yourselves?31 And in the lifting up of your gifts, in making your sons pass over in the fire, you are defiling yourselves for all your idols until today. And I, shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live— the declaration of the Lord Yahweh— I will surely not be inquired of by you.32 And what is coming up on your spirit will surely not be, that you are saying, “We will be like the nations, like the clans of the lands, to serve wood and stone.”

33 As I live— the declaration of the Lord Yahweh— surely with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will reign over you.34 And I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands in which you were scattered, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out.35 And I will bring you to the wilderness of the peoples, and I will enter into judgment with you there, face to face.36 Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you— the declaration of the Lord Yahweh.37 And I will make you pass over under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.38 And I will purge out from you the rebels and the ones transgressing against me. From the land of their sojournings I will bring them out, but to the land of Israel he will not come. And you will know that I am Yahweh.39 And you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Each man, go, serve his idols; and afterward, if you are not listening to me. But the name of my holiness you will not profane any longer with your gifts and with your idols.

40 For on the mountain of my holiness, on the mountain of the height of Israel— the declaration of the Lord Yahweh— there all the house of Israel, all of it, will serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will seek your contributions and the first of your gifts, with all your holy things.41 With a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands in which you were scattered; and I will be sanctified among you before the eyes of the nations.42 And you will know that I am Yahweh, when I bring you to the land of Israel, to the land that I lifted up my hand to give it to your fathers.43 And there you will remember your ways and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves in your own faces because of all your evils that you did.44 And you will know that I am Yahweh, when I act with you for the sake of my name, not according to your evil ways and not according to your corrupt deeds, house of Israel— the declaration of the Lord Yahweh.’ ”

45 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,46 “Son of man, set your face the way of the south, and drip words against the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field of the Negev.47 And say to the forest of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh! Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am kindling in you a fire, and it will devour in you every fresh tree and every dry tree. The flame of the blaze will not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north will be scorched by it.48 And all flesh will see that I, Yahweh, have burned it. It will not be quenched.’ ”49 And I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! They are saying to me, ‘Is he not a speaker of parables?’ ”

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