EzekielChapter 14

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¹Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down in front of me. ²The word of the LORD came to me. He said, ³"Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts. They have put wicked stumbling blocks in front of their faces. Should I let them ask me for anything at all? ⁴So speak to them. Tell them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: Suppose any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block in front of his face. Then he comes to the prophet. I, the LORD, will answer him as his great idol worship deserves. ⁵I will do this to take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For they have all turned away from me because of their idols.' ⁶So tell the house of Israel, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: Turn back to God! Turn away from your idols. Turn your faces away from all your disgusting acts. ⁷Suppose any Israelite, or any foreigner living in Israel, separates himself from me. He sets up idols in his heart. He puts a wicked stumbling block in front of his face. Then he comes to the prophet to ask me something. I, the LORD, will answer him myself. ⁸I will turn my face against that man. I will make him a warning sign and a saying people repeat. I will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD. ⁹But if the prophet is tricked into speaking a message, then I, the LORD, have tricked that prophet. I will stretch out my hand against him. I will destroy him from among my people Israel. ¹⁰They will both carry the punishment for their sin. The one who asks will get the same punishment as the prophet. ¹¹I will do this so that the house of Israel will no longer wander away from me. They will no longer make themselves unclean with all their sins. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God, says the Lord GOD.'" ¹²The word of the LORD came to me. He said, ¹³"Son of man, suppose a land sins against me by being unfaithful. And I stretch out my hand against it. I cut off its food supply and send famine on it. I wipe out both people and animals from it. ¹⁴Then even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, their righteousness could save only themselves, says the Lord GOD. ¹⁵Or suppose I send wild animals through the land. They leave it with no children and empty. No one passes through it because of the animals. ¹⁶Then as surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. Only they would be saved. And the land would become empty. ¹⁷Or suppose I bring a sword against that land. I say, 'Let a sword go through the land.' And I wipe out both people and animals from it. ¹⁸Then as surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. Only they would be saved. ¹⁹Or suppose I send a disease into that land. I pour out my fury on it with bloodshed. I wipe out both people and animals from it. ²⁰Then as surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could save only themselves. ²¹For this is what the Lord GOD says: 'It will be so much worse when I send my four terrible punishments against Jerusalem! I will send the sword, famine, wild animals, and disease. I will send them to wipe out both people and animals from it. ²²But look, some survivors will be left in it. Some sons and daughters will be brought out. They will come out to you. You will see how they live and what they do. Then you will be comforted about the disaster I brought on Jerusalem, all that I brought on it. ²³They will comfort you when you see how they live and what they do. Then you will know that I had good reason for all I have done in it,' says the Lord GOD."