The Book of Ezekiel (WEB)
20: 1It happened 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 Yahweh, and sat before me. 20:2The word of Yahweh came to
me, saying, 20:3Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh:
Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired
of by you. 20:4Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the
abominations of their fathers; 20:5and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In 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; 20:6in that day I swore to
them, to bring them forth out of 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. 20:7I said to them, Cast you away
every man the abominations of his eyes, and don't defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am
Yahweh your God. 20:8But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to 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 would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the
land of Egypt. 20:9But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the
nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them
forth out of the land of Egypt. 20:10So I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and
brought them into the wilderness. 20:11I gave them my statutes, and shown them my ordinances,
which if a man do, he shall live in them. 20:12Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign
between me and them, that they might know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies them. 20:13But the
house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they didn't walk in my statutes, and they
rejected my ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly
profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.
20:14But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in
whose sight I brought them out. 20:15Moreover also 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; 20:16because they rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and
profaned my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. 20:17Nevertheless my eye spared them,
and I didn't destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness. 20:18I said to their
children in the wilderness, Don't you walk in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their
ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 20:19I am Yahweh your God: walk in my statutes,
and keep my ordinances, and do them; 20:20and make my Sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign
between me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God. 20:21But the children rebelled
against me; they didn't walk in my statutes, neither kept my ordinances to do them, which if a man
do, he shall live in them; they profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on
them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. 20:22Nevertheless I withdrew my
hand, and worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in
whose sight I brought them forth. 20:23Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would
scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries; 20:24because they had not
executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their
eyes were after their fathers' idols. 20:25Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and
ordinances in which they should not live; 20:26and I polluted 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 Yahweh. 20:27Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of
Israel, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed
me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. 20:28For when I had brought them into the
land, which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they
offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also
they made their sweet savor, and they poured out there their drink-offerings. 20:29Then I said to
them, What means the high place whereunto you go? So the name of it is called Bamah to this
day. 20:30Therefore tell the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Do you pollute yourselves
after the manner of your fathers? and play you the prostitute after their abominations? 20:31and when
you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves
with all your idols to this day? and shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says
the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you; 20:32and that which comes into your mind shall
not be at all, in that you say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve
wood and stone. 20:33As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely with a mighty hand, and with an
outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you: 20:34and I will bring you out
from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a
mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out; 20:35and I will bring you
into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.
20:36Like as 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 Yahweh. 20:37I will cause you to pass under the rod,
and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; 20:38and I will purge out from among you the
rebels, and those who disobey against me; I will bring them forth out of the land where they
sojourn, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.
20:39As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Go you, serve everyone his idols, and
hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name shall you no more profane with your
gifts, and with your idols. 20:40For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, says
the Lord Yahweh, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I
accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your offerings, with all
your holy things. 20:41As a sweet savor will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples,
and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in
you in the sight of the nations. 20:42You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I shall bring you into
the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers. 20:43There shall you
remember your ways, and all your doings, in which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall
loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed. 20:44You shall know
that I am Yahweh, when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil
ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh. 20:45The
word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 20:46Son of man, set your face toward the south, and drop
your word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South; 20:47and tell
the forest of the South, Hear the word of Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh, 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 burnt thereby.
20:48All flesh shall see that I, Yahweh, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched. 20:49Then said I, Ah
Lord Yahweh! they say of me, Isn't he a speaker of parables?
World English Bible