The Abominations of the Fathers of Israel

1Now it happened in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, that [†]some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh and sat before me. 2And the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 3“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Do you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “I will not be inquired of by you.”’ 4Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? Make them know the abominations of their fathers 5and say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “On the day when I chose Israel and [†]swore to the seed of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am Yahweh your God, 6on that day I swore to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had [†]selected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands. 7I said to them, ‘Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.’ 8But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; each one did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.

Then I said I would pour out My wrath on them, to [†]spend My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 9But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10So I took them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11I gave them My statutes and made them know My judgments, which, if a man does them, he will live by them. 12And I also gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies them. 13But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes, and they rejected My judgments, which, if a man does them, he will live by them; and My sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to completely destroy them. 14But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, before whose sight I had brought them out. 15Also I swore to 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 rejected My judgments, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My sabbaths, for their heart continually walked after their idols. 17Yet My eye had pity on them rather than bringing them to ruin, and I did not make of them a complete destruction in the wilderness.

18“I said to their [†]children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers and do not keep their judgments and do not defile yourselves with their idols. 19I am Yahweh your God; walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them. 20Keep My sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.’ 21But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to do My judgments, which, if a man does them, he will live by them; they profaned My sabbaths. So I said I would pour out My wrath on them, to spend My anger against them in the wilderness. 22But I turned back My hand and acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 23Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and [†]disperse them among the lands 24because they had not done My judgments, but had rejected My statutes and had profaned My sabbaths, and their eyes were going after the idols of their fathers. 25And I also gave them statutes that were not good and judgments by which they could not live; 26and I pronounced them unclean because of their gifts, in that they caused all [†]their firstborn to pass through the fire so that I might make them desolate, in order that they might know that I am Yahweh.”’

27“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me by acting unfaithfully against Me. 28Indeed, I brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, and they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they gave the provocation of their offering. There also they made their soothing aroma, and there they poured out their drink offerings. 29Then I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you are going?’ So its name is called [†]Bamah to this day.”’ 30Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Will you defile yourselves in the way of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things? 31[†]And when you offer your gifts, when you cause your sons to pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “I will not be inquired of by you. 32And what comes upon your spirit will not happen, when you say: ‘We will be like the nations, like the families of the lands, to minister to wood and stone.’

Yahweh Judges His People

33“As I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “surely with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you. 34And I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; 35and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” declares Lord Yahweh. 37“And I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 38and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the [†]land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am Yahweh.

39“As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says Lord Yahweh, “Go, serve everyone his idols; [†]but after this you will surely listen to Me, and My holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols. 40For on My holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel,” declares Lord Yahweh, “there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land; there I will accept them, and there I will [†]seek your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your holy things. 41[†]As a soothing aroma I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered; and I will prove Myself holy among you in the sight of the nations. 42And you will know that I am Yahweh, when I bring you onto the ground of Israel, into the land which I swore to give to your fathers. 43And there you will remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves to your own faces for all the evil things that you have done. 44Then you will know that I am Yahweh when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel,” declares Lord Yahweh.’”

45[†]Now the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 46“Son of man, set your face toward [†]Teman and speak, dripping out words, against the south and prophesy against the forest [†]land of the Negev 47and say to the forest of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh: thus says Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it will consume every [†]green tree in you, as well as every dry tree; the blazing flame will not be quenched, and [†]the whole surface from south to north will be scorched by it. 48And all flesh will see that I, Yahweh, have made it burn; it shall not be quenched.”’” 49Then I said, “Ah Lord Yahweh! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not just speaking parables?’”