Israel's Rebellions

1And 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 inquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

2Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,

3Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD; Have you come to inquire of me? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

4Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:

5And say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up my hand unto the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up my hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;

6In the day that I lifted up my hand unto them, to bring them forth from the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

7Then said I unto them, Cast you away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

8But 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.

9But I acted for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the nations, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

10Therefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

11And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man does, he shall even live by them.

12Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctifies them.

13But 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 does, he shall even live by them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14But I acted for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.

15Yet 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;

16Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17Nevertheless my eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

18But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk you not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

19I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;

20And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.

21Yet 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 by 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.

22Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and acted for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.

23I lifted up my hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries;

24Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers' idols.

25Therefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they should not live;

26And I defiled them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that opens the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD.

27Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus says the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

28For when I had brought them into the land, for I lifted up my 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 aroma, and poured out there their drink offerings.

29Then I said unto them, What is the high place to which you go? And its name is called Bamah unto this day.

30Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD; Are you defiled after the manner of your fathers? and commit you harlotry after their abominations?

31For when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

32And that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, that you say, We will be as the Gentiles, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

God Will Judge and Restore

33As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

34And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.

35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.

36Like I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, says the Lord GOD.

37And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:

38And 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 you shall know that I am the LORD.

39As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD; Go, serve everyone his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not hearken unto me: but defile my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.

40For on my holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, says 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 offerings, with all your holy things.

41I will accept you with your sweet aroma, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the nations.

42And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I lifted up my hand in an oath to give it to your fathers.

43And there shall you remember your ways, and all your doings, in which you have been defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed.

44And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O you house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.

A Fire Kindled Against the South

45Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

46Son of man, set your face toward the south, and proclaim your word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;

47And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned in it.

48And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

49Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Does he not speak parables?