| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 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 of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to seek the LORD, and they sat down in front of me. |
| 2Then the word of the LORD came to me: | 2The 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 tell them: 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me, declares the sovereign LORD.' |
| 4"Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors | 4"Are you willing to pronounce judgment? Are you willing to pronounce judgment, son of man? Then confront them with the abominable practices 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: "'This is what the sovereign LORD says: On the day I chose Israel I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, "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 bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land which I had picked out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful 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." | 7I said to them, "Each of you must get rid of the detestable idols you keep before 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 refused to listen to me; no one got rid of their detestable idols, nor did they abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent 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. | 9I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations among whom they lived, before whom I revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. |
| 10Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. | 10"'So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them to 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 revealed my regulations to them. The one who carries them out will live by them! |
| 12Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the LORD made them holy. | 12I also gave them my Sabbaths as a reminder of our relationship, so that they would know that I, the LORD, sanctify 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 follow my statutes and they rejected my regulations (the one who obeys them will live by them), and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out my rage on them in the wilderness and destroy 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. | 14I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before 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-- | 15I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them to the land I had given them--a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful 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. | 16I did this because they rejected my regulations, did not follow my statutes, and desecrated my Sabbaths; for their hearts followed their idols. |
| 17Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the wilderness. | 17Yet I had pity on them and did not destroy them, so I did not make an 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"'But I said to their children in the wilderness, "Do not follow the practices of your fathers; do not observe their regulations, 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; follow my statutes, observe my regulations, and carry them out. |
| 20Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God." | 20Treat my Sabbaths as holy and they will be a reminder of our relationship, and then you will 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. | 21"'But the children rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out (the one who obeys them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out my rage on them and fully vent 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 refrained from doing so, and acted instead for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before 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, | 23I also swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands. |
| 24because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes lusted after their parents' idols. | 24I did this because they did not observe my regulations, they rejected my statutes, they desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers' idols. |
| 25So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live; | 25I also gave them decrees which were not good and regulations by which they could not live. |
| 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.' | 26I declared them to be defiled because of their sacrifices--they caused all their first born to pass through the fire--so that I would devastate them, so that they will 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, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: In this way too your fathers blasphemed me when they were unfaithful to 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. | 28I brought them to the land which I swore to give them, but whenever they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there and presented the offerings that provoke me to anger. They offered their soothing aroma there and 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.) | 29So I said to them, What is this high place you go to?'" (So it is called "High Place" 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, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers and engage in prostitution with detestable idols? |
| 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 sacrifices--when you make your sons pass through the fire--you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, I will not allow you to seek me! |
| 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 you plan will never happen. You say, "We will be like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of 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. | 33As surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm, and with an outpouring of rage, 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 nations, and will gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm and with an outpouring of rage! |
| 35I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. | 35I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, 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. | 36Just as 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 sovereign LORD. |
| 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 shepherd's staff, 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 eliminate from among you the rebels and those who revolt against me. I will bring them out from the land where they have been residing, but they will not come to 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, this is what the sovereign LORD says: Each of you go and serve your idols, if you will not listen to me. But my holy name will not be profaned again by your sacrifices 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. | 40For there on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the sovereign LORD, all the house of Israel will serve me, all of them in the land. I will accept them there, and there I will seek your contributions and your choice gifts, with all your holy things. |
| 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. | 41When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display 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. | 42Then you will know that I am the LORD when I bring you to the land of Israel, to the land 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 will remember your conduct and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves. You will despise yourselves because of all the evil deeds you have done. |
| 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.'" | 44Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for the sake of my reputation and not according to your wicked conduct and corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign LORD.'" |
| 45The word of the LORD came to me: | 45The 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, turn toward the south, and speak out against the south. Prophesy against the open scrub land of the Negev, |
| 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. | 47and say to the scrub land of the Negev, 'Hear the word of the LORD: This is what the sovereign LORD says: Look here, I am about to start a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The flaming fire will not be extinguished, and the whole surface of the ground from the Negev to the north will be scorched by it. |
| 48Everyone will see that I the LORD have kindled it; it will not be quenched.'" | 48And everyone will see that I, the LORD, have burned it; it will not be extinguished.'" |
| 49Then I said, "Sovereign LORD, they are saying of me, 'Isn't he just telling parables?'" | 49Then I said, "O sovereign LORD! They are saying of me, 'Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?'" |
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