Chapter 20

And 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 came¹ to enquire² of the LORD, and sat⁴ before me.

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

Son of man, speak¹⁶ unto the elders of Israel, and say¹ unto them, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; Are ye come⁶ to enquire² of me? [As] I live, saith⁷ the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired¹¹ of by you.

Wilt thou judge⁴ them, son of man, wilt thou judge⁴ [them]? cause them to know⁵⁴ the abominations of their fathers:

And say¹ unto them, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose² Israel, and lifted up⁴ mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known¹¹ unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up⁴ mine hand unto them, saying,² I [am] the LORD your God;

In the day [that] I lifted up¹ mine hand unto them, to bring them forth⁵³ of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied¹ for them, flowing⁶ with milk and honey, which [is] the glory of all lands:

Then said⁴ I unto them, Cast ye away⁵⁴ every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile¹⁰¹ not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God.

But they rebelled⁵⁵ against me, and would¹ not hearken² unto me: they did not every man cast away⁵² the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake¹ the idols of Egypt: then I said,⁴ I will pour out² my fury upon them, to accomplish¹⁵ my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

But I wrought⁴ for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted⁹ before the heathen, among whom they [were], in whose sight I made myself known⁸ unto them, in bringing them forth⁵³ out of the land of Egypt.

Wherefore I caused them to go forth⁵⁵ out of the land of Egypt, and brought⁵⁵ them into the wilderness.

And I gave⁴ them my statutes, and shewed⁵² them my judgments, which [if] a man do,⁴ he shall even live¹ in them.

Moreover also I gave¹ them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know² that I [am] the LORD that sanctify¹⁸ them.

But the house of Israel rebelled⁵⁵ against me in the wilderness: they walked¹ not in my statutes, and they despised¹ my judgments, which [if] a man do,⁴ he shall even live¹ in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted:¹⁴ then I said,⁴ I would pour out² my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume¹⁵ them.

But I wrought⁴ for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted⁹ before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.⁵²

Yet also I lifted up¹ my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring⁵³ them into the land which I had given¹ [them], flowing⁶ with milk and honey, which [is] the glory of all lands;

Because they despised¹ my judgments, and walked¹ not in my statutes, but polluted¹⁴ my sabbaths: for their heart went⁶ after their idols.

Nevertheless mine eye spared⁴ them from destroying¹⁵ them, neither did I make¹ an end of them in the wilderness.

But I said⁴ unto their children in the wilderness, Walk⁴ ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe⁴ their judgments, nor defile¹⁰¹ yourselves with their idols:

I [am] the LORD your God; walk³ in my statutes, and keep³ my judgments, and do³ them;

And hallow¹⁶ my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know² that I [am] the LORD your God.

Notwithstanding the children rebelled⁵⁵ against me: they walked¹ not in my statutes, neither kept¹ my judgments to do² them, which [if] a man do,⁴ he shall even live¹ in them; they polluted¹⁴ my sabbaths: then I said,⁴ I would pour out² my fury upon them, to accomplish¹⁵ my anger against them in the wilderness.

Nevertheless I withdrew⁵² mine hand, and wrought⁴ for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted⁹ in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.⁵²

I lifted up¹ mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter⁵³ them among the heathen, and disperse¹⁵ them through the countries;

Because they had not executed¹ my judgments, but had despised¹ my statutes, and had polluted¹⁴ my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

Wherefore I gave¹ them also statutes [that were] not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;⁴

And I polluted¹⁷ them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through⁵³ [the fire] all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate,⁵⁵ to the end that they might know⁴ that I [am] the LORD.

Therefore, son of man, speak¹⁶ unto the house of Israel, and say¹ unto them, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed¹⁴ me, in that they have committed² a trespass against me.

[For] when I had brought⁵⁵ them into the land, [for] the which I lifted up¹ mine hand to give² it to them, then they saw⁴ every high⁶ hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered⁴ there their sacrifices, and there they presented⁴ the provocation of their offering: there also they made⁴ their sweet savour, and poured out⁵⁵ there their drink offerings.

Then I said⁴ unto them, What [is] the high place whereunto ye go?⁶ And the name thereof is called¹¹ Bamah unto this day.

Wherefore say³ unto the house of Israel, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted¹² after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom⁶ after their abominations?

For when ye offer² your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through⁵³ the fire, ye pollute¹² yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired¹¹ of by you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith⁷ the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired¹¹ of by you.

And that which cometh⁶ into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say,⁶ We will be⁴ as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve¹⁵ wood and stone.

[As] I live, saith⁷ the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out⁷ arm, and with fury poured out,⁷ will I rule⁴ over you:

And I will bring you out⁵² from the people, and will gather¹⁴ you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered,⁸ with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out⁷ arm, and with fury poured out.⁷

And I will bring⁵² you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead⁸ with you face to face.

Like as I pleaded⁸ with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead¹¹ with you, saith⁷ the Lord GOD.

And I will cause you to pass⁵² under the rod, and I will bring⁵² you into the bond of the covenant:

And I will purge out¹ from among you the rebels,⁶ and them that transgress⁶ against me: I will bring them forth⁵⁵ out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter⁴ into the land of Israel: and ye shall know¹ that I [am] the LORD.

As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; Go³ ye, serve³ ye every one his idols, and hereafter [also], if ye will not hearken⁶ unto me: but pollute¹⁷ ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.

For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith⁷ the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve⁴ me: there will I accept⁴ them, and there will I require⁴ your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

I will accept⁴ you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out⁵³ from the people, and gather¹⁴ you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered;⁸ and I will be sanctified⁸ in you before the heathen.

And ye shall know¹ that I [am] the LORD, when I shall bring⁵³ you into the land of Israel, into the country [for] the which I lifted up¹ mine hand to give² it to your fathers.

And there shall ye remember¹ your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled;⁸ and ye shall lothe⁸ yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.¹

And ye shall know¹ that I [am] the LORD, when I have wrought² with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt¹² doings, O ye house of Israel, saith⁷ the Lord GOD.

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

Son of man, set³ thy face toward the south, and drop⁵⁴ [thy word] toward the south, and prophesy¹⁰ against the forest of the south field;

And say¹ to the forest of the south, Hear³ the word of the LORD; Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle⁵⁶ a fire in thee, and it shall devour¹ every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched,⁴ and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned⁸ therein.

And all flesh shall see¹ that I the LORD have kindled¹⁴ it: it shall not be quenched.⁴

Then said⁴ I, Ah Lord GOD! they say⁶ of me, Doth he not speak¹⁸ parables?