And it came to pass in the seventh year
, in the fifth
month , the tenth
day of the month
, that certain
of the elders
of Israel
came
to enquire
of the LORD
, and sat
before
me.
Then came the word of the LORD
unto me, saying
,
Son of man
, speak
unto the elders
of Israel
, and say
unto them, Thus saith
the Lord
GOD
; Are ye come
to enquire
of me? As I live
, saith
the Lord
GOD
, I will not be enquired
of by you.
Wilt thou judge them, son
of man
, wilt thou judge
them ? cause them to know
the abominations
of their fathers
:
And say unto them, Thus saith
the Lord
GOD
; In the day
when I chose
Israel
, and lifted up
mine hand
unto the seed
of the house
of Jacob
, and made myself known
unto them in the land
of Egypt
, when I lifted
up mine hand
unto them, saying
, I am the LORD
your God
;
In the day that I lifted up
mine hand
unto them, to bring them forth
of the land
of Egypt
into a land
that I had espied
for them, flowing
with milk
and honey
, which is the glory
of all lands
:
Then said I unto them, Cast ye away
every man
the abominations
of his eyes
, and defile
not yourselves with the idols
of Egypt
: I am the LORD
your God
.
But they rebelled against me, and would
not hearken
unto me: they did not every man
cast away
the abominations
of their eyes
, neither did they forsake
the idols
of Egypt
: then I said
, I will pour out
my fury
upon them, to accomplish
my anger
against them in the midst
of the land
of Egypt
.
But I wrought for my name's
sake, that it should not be polluted
before
the heathen
, among
whom they were , in whose sight
I made myself known
unto them, in bringing them forth
out of the land
of Egypt
.
Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land
of Egypt
, and brought
them into the wilderness
.
And I gave them my statutes
, and shewed
them my judgments
, which if a man
do
, he shall even live
in them.
Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths
, to be a sign
between me and them, that they might know
that I am the LORD
that sanctify
them.
But the house of Israel
rebelled
against me in the wilderness
: they walked
not in my statutes
, and they despised
my judgments
, which if a man
do
, he shall even live
in them; and my sabbaths
they greatly
polluted
: then I said
, I would pour out
my fury
upon them in the wilderness
, to consume
them.
But I wrought for my name's
sake, that it should not be polluted
before
the heathen
, in whose sight
I brought them out
.
Yet also I lifted up my hand
unto them in the wilderness
, that I would not bring
them into the land
which I had given
them , flowing
with milk
and honey
, which is the glory
of all lands
;
Because they despised my judgments
, and walked
not in my statutes
, but polluted
my sabbaths
: for their heart
went
after
their idols
.
Nevertheless mine eye spared
them from destroying
them, neither did I make
an end
of them in the wilderness
.
But I said unto their children
in the wilderness
, Walk
ye not in the statutes
of your fathers
, neither observe
their judgments
, nor defile
yourselves with their idols
:
I am the LORD your God
; walk
in my statutes
, and keep
my judgments
, and do
them;
And hallow my sabbaths
; and they shall be a sign
between me and you, that ye may know
that I am the LORD
your God
.
Notwithstanding the children rebelled
against me: they walked
not in my statutes
, neither kept
my judgments
to do
them, which if a man
do
, he shall even live
in them; they polluted
my sabbaths
: then I said
, I would pour out
my fury
upon them, to accomplish
my anger
against them in the wilderness
.
Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand
, and wrought
for my name's
sake, that it should not be polluted
in the sight
of the heathen
, in whose sight
I brought them forth
.
I lifted up mine hand
unto them also in the wilderness
, that I would scatter
them among the heathen
, and disperse
them through the countries
;
Because they had not executed my judgments
, but had despised
my statutes
, and had polluted
my sabbaths
, and their eyes
were after
their fathers
' idols
.
Wherefore I gave them also statutes
that were not good
, and judgments
whereby they should not live
;
And I polluted them in their own gifts
, in that they caused to pass through
the fire all that openeth
the womb
, that I might make them desolate
, to the end that they might know
that I am the LORD
.
Therefore, son of man
, speak
unto the house
of Israel
, and say
unto them, Thus saith
the Lord
GOD
; Yet in this your fathers
have blasphemed
me, in that they have committed
a trespass
against me.
For when I had brought them into the land
, for the which I lifted up
mine hand
to give
it to them, then they saw
every high
hill
, and all the thick
trees
, and they offered
there their sacrifices
, and there they presented
the provocation
of their offering
: there also they made
their sweet
savour
, and poured out
there their drink offerings
.
Then I said unto them, What is the high place
whereunto ye go
? And the name
thereof is called
Bamah
unto this day
.
Wherefore say unto the house
of Israel
, Thus saith
the Lord
GOD
; Are ye polluted
after the manner
of your fathers
? and commit ye whoredom
after
their abominations
?
For when ye offer your gifts
, when ye make your sons
to pass through
the fire
, ye pollute
yourselves with all your idols
, even unto this day
: and shall I be enquired
of by you, O house
of Israel
? As I live
, saith
the Lord
GOD
, I will not be enquired
of by you.
And that which cometh into your mind
shall not be at all, that ye say
, We will be
as the heathen
, as the families
of the countries
, to serve
wood
and stone
.
As I live, saith
the Lord
GOD
, surely with a mighty
hand
, and with a stretched out
arm
, and with fury
poured out
, will I rule
over you:
And I will bring you out from the people
, and will gather
you out of the countries
wherein ye are scattered
, with a mighty
hand
, and with a stretched out
arm
, and with fury
poured out
.
And I will bring you into the wilderness
of the people
, and there will I plead
with you face
to face
.
Like as I pleaded with your fathers
in the wilderness
of the land
of Egypt
, so will I plead
with you, saith
the Lord
GOD
.
And I will cause you to pass under the rod
, and I will bring
you into the bond
of the covenant
:
And I will purge out from among you the rebels
, and them that transgress
against me: I will bring them forth
out of the country
where they sojourn
, and they shall not enter
into the land
of Israel
: and ye shall know
that I am the LORD
.
As for you, O house of Israel
, thus saith
the Lord
GOD
; Go
ye, serve
ye every one
his idols
, and hereafter
also , if ye will not hearken
unto me: but pollute
ye my holy
name
no more with your gifts
, and with your idols
.
For in mine holy mountain
, in the mountain
of the height
of Israel
, saith
the Lord
GOD
, there shall all the house
of Israel
, all of them in the land
, serve
me: there will I accept
them, and there will I require
your offerings
, and the firstfruits
of your oblations
, with all your holy things
.
I will accept you with your sweet
savour
, when I bring you out
from the people
, and gather
you out of the countries
wherein ye have been scattered
; and I will be sanctified
in you before
the heathen
.
And ye shall know that I am the LORD
, when I shall bring
you into the land
of Israel
, into the country
for the which I lifted up
mine hand
to give
it to your fathers
.
And there shall ye remember your ways
, and all your doings
, wherein ye have been defiled
; and ye shall lothe
yourselves in your own sight
for all your evils
that ye have committed
.
And ye shall know that I am the LORD
, when I have wrought
with you for my name's
sake, not according to your wicked
ways
, nor according to your corrupt
doings
, O ye house
of Israel
, saith
the Lord
GOD
.
Moreover the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying
,
Son of man
, set
thy face
toward
the south
, and drop
thy word toward the south
, and prophesy
against the forest
of the south
field
;
And say to the forest
of the south
, Hear
the word
of the LORD
; Thus saith
the Lord
GOD
; Behold, I will kindle
a fire
in thee, and it shall devour
every green
tree
in thee, and every dry
tree
: the flaming
flame
shall not be quenched
, and all faces
from the south
to the north
shall be burned
therein.
And all flesh shall see
that I the LORD
have kindled
it: it shall not be quenched
.
Then said I, Ah
Lord
GOD
! they say
of me, Doth he not speak
parables
?