| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down in front of me. | 1In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me. |
| 2Then the word of the LORD came to me: | 2And the word of the LORD came to me: |
| 3"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Have you come to inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign LORD.' | 3“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you. |
| 4"Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors | 4Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Let them know the abominations of their fathers, |
| 5and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, "I am the LORD your God." | 5and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God. |
| 6On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. | 6On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands. |
| 7And I said to them, "Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God." | 7And I said to them, ‘Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.’ |
| 8"'But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt. | 8But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. |
| 9But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. | 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 in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. |
| 10Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. | 10So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. |
| 11I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live. | 11I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live. |
| 12Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the LORD made them holy. | 12Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. |
| 13"'Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws--by which the person who obeys them will live--and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and destroy them in the wilderness. | 13But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them. |
| 14But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. | 14But I 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. |
| 15Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them--a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands-- | 15Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands, |
| 16because they rejected my laws and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts were devoted to their idols. | 16because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. |
| 17Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the wilderness. | 17Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness. |
| 18I said to their children in the wilderness, "Do not follow the statutes of your parents or keep their laws or defile yourselves with their idols. | 18“And I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, nor defile yourselves with their idols. |
| 19I am the LORD your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. | 19I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules, |
| 20Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God." | 20and keep my Sabbaths holy that they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’ |
| 21"'But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws, of which I said, "The person who obeys them will live by them," and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. | 21But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths. “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. |
| 22But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. | 22But I withheld 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 with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries, | 23Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries, |
| 24because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes lusted after their parents' idols. | 24because they had not obeyed my rules, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their fathers’ idols. |
| 25So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live; | 25Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, |
| 26I defiled them through their gifts--the sacrifice of every firstborn--that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the LORD.' | 26and I defiled them through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it that they might know that I am the LORD. |
| 27"Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In this also your ancestors blasphemed me by being unfaithful to me: | 27“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: In this also your fathers blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me. |
| 28When I brought them into the land I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings. | 28For when I had brought them into the land that I swore to give them, then wherever they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings. |
| 29Then I said to them: What is this high place you go to?'" (It is called Bamah to this day.) | 29(I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.) |
| 30"Therefore say to the Israelites: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images? | 30“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things? |
| 31When you offer your gifts--the sacrifice of your children in the fire--you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will not let you inquire of me. | 31When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you. |
| 32"'You say, "We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone." But what you have in mind will never happen. | 32“What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’ |
| 33As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. | 33“As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you. |
| 34I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered--with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. | 34I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. |
| 35I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. | 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 judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign LORD. | 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 the Lord GOD. |
| 37I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. | 37I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. |
| 38I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. | 38I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. |
| 39"'As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols. | 39“As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols. |
| 40For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices. | 40“For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings. |
| 41I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nations. | 41As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. |
| 42Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors. | 42And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers. |
| 43There you will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done. | 43And there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. |
| 44You will know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name's sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.'" | 44And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.” |
| 45The word of the LORD came to me: | 45And the word of the LORD came to me: |
| 46"Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest of the southland. | 46“Son of man, set your face toward the southland; preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb. |
| 47Say to the southern forest: 'Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it. | 47Say to the forest of the Negeb, 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 blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. |
| 48Everyone will see that I the LORD have kindled it; it will not be quenched.'" | 48All flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” |
| 49Then I said, "Sovereign LORD, they are saying of me, 'Isn't he just telling parables?'" | 49Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of parables?’” |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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