EzekielChapter 20

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¹It was the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month. Some of the elders of Israel came to ask the LORD for a message. They sat down in front of me. ²Then the LORD gave me this message. He said, ³"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel. Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Have you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, I will not let you ask me anything, declares the Lord GOD. ⁴Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then face them with the disgusting things their fathers did. ⁵Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I chose Israel, I made a promise to the people of the family of Jacob. I swore an oath to them. I showed them who I am in the land of Egypt. With my hand raised, I said to them, 'I am the LORD your God.' ⁶On that day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt. I would bring them into a land that I had searched out for them. It was a land flowing with milk and honey. It was the most beautiful of all lands. ⁷And I said to them, 'Each of you must throw away the disgusting idols that you look at. You must not make yourselves unclean with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.' ⁸But they rebelled against me. They refused to listen to me. Not one of them threw away the disgusting idols they looked at. They did not give up the idols of Egypt. So I decided to pour out my fury on them. I would let my anger loose on them in the land of Egypt. ⁹But I acted for the sake of my name. I did not want it to be dishonored in front of the nations where they were living. Those nations had watched me show myself to Israel. They saw me bring Israel out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁰So I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I led them into the wilderness. ¹¹I gave them my rules. I taught them my laws. The person who obeys them will live by them. ¹²I also gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between me and them. Then they would know that I am the LORD who makes them holy. ¹³But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my rules. They turned away from my laws, even though the person who obeys them will live by them. And they completely dishonored my Sabbaths. Then I decided to pour out my fury on them. I would put an end to them in the wilderness. ¹⁴But I acted for the sake of my name. I did not want it to be dishonored in front of the nations. Those nations had watched me bring Israel out. ¹⁵Also, with my hand raised, I swore to them in the wilderness. I swore that I would not bring them into the land I had given them. It was a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. ¹⁶I did this because they kept turning away from my laws. They refused to live by my rules. They dishonored my Sabbaths. Their hearts kept going after their idols. ¹⁷But I felt sorry for them. I did not destroy them. I did not put an end to them in the wilderness. ¹⁸In the wilderness I said to their children, 'Do not follow the rules of your fathers. Do not keep their laws. Do not make yourselves unclean with their idols. ¹⁹I am the LORD your God. Follow my rules. Keep my laws and obey them. ²⁰Keep my Sabbaths holy. Let them be a sign between me and you. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.' ²¹But the children rebelled against me. They did not follow my rules. They were not careful to obey my laws, even though the person who obeys them will live by them. They dishonored my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out my fury on them. I would let my anger loose on them in the wilderness. ²²But I held back my hand. I acted for the sake of my name. I did not want it to be dishonored in front of the nations. Those nations had watched me bring Israel out. ²³But with my hand raised, I also swore to them in the wilderness. I swore that I would scatter them among the nations. I would spread them out through many lands. ²⁴This was because they did not obey my laws. They turned away from my rules. They dishonored my Sabbaths. Their eyes were set on the idols of their fathers. ²⁵I also handed them over to rules that were not good. I gave them over to laws that could not give them life. ²⁶I declared them unclean because of their gifts. They burned every firstborn child in the fire as a sacrifice. I did this so I could fill them with horror. Then they would know that I am the LORD. ²⁷So, son of man, speak to the people of Israel. Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your fathers also insulted me in this way. They were unfaithful to me. ²⁸I brought them into the land that I had sworn to give them. Then whenever they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there. They gave offerings that made me angry. They burned their sweet-smelling incense. They poured out their drink offerings. ²⁹So I asked them, 'What is this high place you go to?' (It is still called Bamah today.)a ³⁰So tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Will you make yourselves unclean the way your fathers did? Will you be unfaithful like a prostitute by chasing their disgusting idols? ³¹You offer your gifts. You burn your sons in the fire as sacrifices. To this day you keep making yourselves unclean with all your idols. So should I let you ask me for a message, people of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not let you ask me anything! ³²You say, 'Let us be like the nations. Let us be like the peoples of other lands, who worship wood and stone.' But what you have in mind will never happen. ³³As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will rule over you. I will rule with a strong hand and a powerful arm. I will rule with my anger poured out. ³⁴With a strong hand and a powerful arm and my anger poured out, I will bring you out from the peoples. I will gather you from the lands where you have been scattered. ³⁵I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations. There I will judge you face to face. ³⁶I judged your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt. In the same way, I will judge you, declares the Lord GOD. ³⁷I will make you pass under my rod. I will bring you under the bond of the covenant. ³⁸I will clear out from among you those who rebel and sin against me. I will bring them out of the land where they are living. But they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. ³⁹As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But later you will surely listen to me. You will no longer dishonor my holy name with your gifts and your idols. ⁴⁰For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, all the people of Israel will serve me in the land, declares the Lord GOD. All of them will be there. There I will accept them. There I will ask for your offerings and your best gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices. ⁴¹I will bring you from the peoples. I will gather you from the lands where you have been scattered. Then I will accept you like a sweet-smelling offering. I will show that I am holy through you while the nations watch. ⁴²Then you will know that I am the LORD. You will know it when I bring you into the land of Israel. It is the land I swore to give your fathers. ⁴³There you will remember your ways. You will remember all the things you did that made you unclean. And you will hate yourselves for all the evil things you have done. ⁴⁴Then you will know that I am the LORD, people of Israel. You will know it when I have dealt with you for the sake of my name. I will not treat you as your wicked ways and evil acts deserve, declares the Lord GOD." ⁴⁵Now the LORD gave me this message. He said, ⁴⁶"Son of man, turn your face toward the south. Preach against it. Prophesy against the forest of the Negev. ⁴⁷Say to the forest of the Negev, 'Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to start a fire in you. It will burn up all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be put out. Every face from south to north will be scorched by it. ⁴⁸Then all people will see that I, the LORD, have started it. It will not be put out.'" ⁴⁹Then I said, "Oh, Lord GOD, they are saying about me, 'Isn't he just telling stories?'"