Book of Ezekiel_Chapter 20

On the tenth day of the fifth month in the seventh year, some elders of Israel came to inquire about the Lord and sat before me.

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Son of man, tell the elders of Israel, saying, Thus says the Lord GOD, Have you come to inquire of me? As I live forever, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be questioned by you.

Son of man, do you want to interrogate them? Make them aware of the detestable things of their ancestors,

And he said to them, This is what the Lord Jehovah has said: On that day, I chose Israel and swore to the descendants of the Jacob family, to appear to them in the land of Egypt, saying, I am the Lord your God.

On that day, I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey, which I had observed for them. That land is glorious among all nations.

I said to them, “Each of you must abandon the detestable thing that your eyes love, and do not defile yourself with the idols of Egypt.”. I am the Lord your God.

But they rebelled against me, refused to listen to me, did not abandon the detestable things that their eyes loved, and did not abandon the idols of Egypt. And I said, I will pour out my wrath upon them, and accomplish the judgment of my anger against them in the land of Egypt.

But I did not do so for the sake of my name, so that my name may not be blasphemed in the eyes of the nations where they dwell. I led them out of the land of Egypt and revealed myself to these nations in their eyes.

So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness,

Give them my laws, and shew them my judgments. If a person follows it, they will live because of it.

And I will give them my Sabbath as a sign between me and them, so that they may know that I, the Lord, have made them holy.

But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness, not following my laws, and despised my judgments (if a man does them, he will live by them), greatly violating my Sabbath. I said, Pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, and destroy them.

But for the sake of my name, I did not do so, lest my name be blasphemed in the eyes of the nations who brought them out of Egypt.

And I swear to them in the wilderness that I will not bring them into the land that I have given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is glorious among all nations.

Because they despise my laws, do not obey my laws, and violate my Sabbath; their hearts follow their idols.

Nevertheless, my eyes still spare them, not destroying them, not completely destroying them in the wilderness.

I said to their children in the wilderness, Do not follow your father’s laws, do not keep their evil rules, and do not defile yourself with their idols.

I am the Lord your God, and you shall follow my laws and keep and do my judgments,

And make my Sabbath holy. This day is a witness between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.

But their children have rebelled against me, not obeying my laws, and not keeping and walking in my laws (if a man does, he will live by it), and have violated my Sabbath. I said, Pour out my wrath upon them, and accomplish the judgment of my anger against them in the wilderness.

Nevertheless, I withdrew my hand for the sake of my name and did not do so, lest my name be blasphemed in the eyes of the nations whom I brought out of Egypt.

And I swear to them in the wilderness that I will scatter them among the nations, and scatter them among the nations.

Because they did not follow my laws, but despised my laws and violated my Sabbath. Their eyes looked up to their father’s idol.

I also allow them to follow unsightly laws and abide by evil rules that cannot keep people alive.

I will let them defile themselves in this offering, so that they may be desolate and know that I am the Lord, because they have burned all the firstborn.

Son of man, speak to the house of Israel, saying, Thus says the Lord GOD, Your ancestors have blasphemed me in their sins against me.

Because I brought them to the land that I swore to give them, and they saw every high mountain and every dense tree, and there they offered sacrifices, offering offerings that angered me, burning fragrant offerings, and pouring out drink offerings.

I said to them, “What is the high place you are going up to called?”? The name of that high place is Bama until today.

So you must say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord has said: Do you still defile yourself according to the ways of your ancestors?’? Do they still engage in debauchery according to their detestable practices?

Do you still defile yourself with all your idols even to this day when you offer offerings to make your son go through the fire? O house of Israel, shall I be asked by you? As I live forever, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be questioned by you.

You say, we will go and serve wood and stone like the nations and the clans of nations. The intention you have set cannot be fulfilled.

As I live forever, declares the Lord GOD, I will surely reign over you with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and an overflowing wrath.

I will bring you out of the people with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and an overflowing anger, and gather you from the nations scattered.

I will take you to the wilderness of the Gentiles and punish you face to face there.

As I punished your ancestors in the wilderness of Egypt, so will I punish you. This is what the Lord Jehovah has said.

I will make you pass under the rod, and you will be bound by the covenant.

I will remove from among you those who have rebelled and sinned against me, and bring them out of their place of sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. You will know that I am the Lord.

As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: From now on, if you do not listen to me, let you go and serve your idols, but do not desecrate my holy name again because of your offerings and idols.

And the Lord GOD said, In my holy mountain, which is high in Israel, all the whole house of Israel shall serve me. I will accept you there and offer you offerings, firstfruits, and all holy things.

I will bring you out of the nations and gather you from the scattered nations, and at that time I will accept you as a fragrant offering, to be holy in the eyes of the nations.

When I bring you into the land of Israel, which I swore to give to your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord.

Remember your actions and deeds that have defiled you there, and despise yourself for all the evil deeds you have done.

O house of Israel, for the sake of my name, I have not dealt with you according to your evil deeds and your evil deeds, declares the Lord GOD. You will know that I am the Lord.

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Son of man, face south and drop prophecies against the forests of the fields in the south.

Say to the forest in the south, listen to the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord GOD says: “I will set fire in your midst, devouring all the green and withered trees in your midst, and the fierce flame will not go out.”. From south to north, people’s faces are scorched.

All flesh will know that I, the Lord, have set fire to the fire, and it will not go out.

So I said, hey. O Lord GOD, all men speak of me, saying, Is not he a parable?