The Rebellions of Israel
1 It came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifthmonth,on the tenthdayof the month,thatcertain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of theLord, and sat before me.
2 Then the word of theLordcame to me, saying,
3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the LordGod: “Have you come to inquire of Me?AsI live,” says the LordGod,“I will not be inquired of by you.” ’
4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judgethem?Thenmake known to them the abominations of their fathers.
5 “Say to them, ‘Thus says the LordGod: “On the day whenI chose Israel and raised My hand in an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made Myselfknown to them in the land of Egypt, I raised My hand in an oath to them, saying,‘IamtheLordyour God.’
6 On that day I raised My hand in an oath to them,to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them,‘flowing with milk and honey,’the glory of all lands.
7 Then I said to them, ‘Each of you,throw awaythe abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves withthe idols of Egypt. IamtheLordyour God.’
8 But they rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said, ‘I willpour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.’
9 But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles among whom theywere,in whose sight I had made Myselfknown to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
10 “Therefore Imade them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.
11 And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments,‘which,ifa man does, he shall live by them.’
12 Moreover I also gave them MySabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that IamtheLordwho sanctifies them.
13 Yet the house of Israelrebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; theydespised My judgments,‘which,ifa man does, he shall live by them’; and they greatlydefiled My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them in thewilderness, to consume them.
14 But I acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out.
15 SoI also raised My hand in an oath to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had giventhem,‘flowing with milk and honey,’the glory of all lands,
16 because they despised My judgments and did not walk in My statutes, but profaned My Sabbaths; fortheir heart went after their idols.
17 Nevertheless My eye spared them from destruction. I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.
18 “But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols.
19 IamtheLordyour God:Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them;
20 hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that IamtheLordyour God.’
21 “Notwithstanding,the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments,‘which,ifa man does, he shall live by them’; but they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger against them in the wilderness.
22 Nevertheless I withdrew My hand and acted for My name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the Gentiles, in whose sight I had brought them out.
23 Also I raised My hand in an oath to those in the wilderness, thatI would scatter them among the Gentiles and disperse them throughout the countries,
24 because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, profaned My Sabbaths, andtheir eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.
25 “ThereforeI also gave them up to statutesthatwerenot good, and judgments by which they could not live;
26 and I pronounced them unclean because of their ritual gifts, in that they caused all their firstborn to passthroughthefire,that I might make them desolate and that theymight know that I am theLord.” ’
27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the LordGod: “In this too your fathers haveblasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me.
28 When I brought them into the landconcerningwhich I had raised My hand in an oath to give them, andthey saw all the high hills and all the thick trees, there they offered their sacrifices and provoked Me with their offerings. There they also sent up theirsweet aroma and poured out their drink offerings.
29 Then I said to them, ‘Whatisthis high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.” ’
30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the LordGod: “Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of yourfathers, and committing harlotry according to theirabominations?
31 For when you offeryour gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel?AsI live,” says the LordGod, “I willnot be inquired of by you.
32 What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’
God Will Restore Israel
33 “AsI live,” says the LordGod, “surely with a mighty hand,with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you.
34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.
35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and thereI will plead My case with you face to face.
36 Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,” says the LordGod.
37 “I will make youpass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of thecovenant;
38 I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, butthey shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that IamtheLord.
39 “As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the LordGod:“Go, serve every one of you his idols—and hereafter—if you will not obey Me;but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols.
40 Foron My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel,” says the LordGod, “thereall the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; thereI will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things.
41 I will accept you as asweet aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles.
42 Then you shall know that IamtheLord,when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the countryforwhich I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers.
43 Andthere you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; andyou shall loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed.
44 Then you shall know that IamtheLord, when I have dealt with youfor My name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel,” says the LordGod.’ ”
Fire in the Forest
45 Furthermore the word of theLordcame to me, saying,
46 “Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South,
47 and say to the forest of the South, ‘Hear the word of theLord! Thus says the LordGod: “Behold,I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devourevery green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all facesfrom the south to the north shall be scorched by it.
48 All flesh shall see that I, theLord, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” ’ ”
49 Then I said, “Ah, LordGod! They say of me, ‘Does he not speakparables?’ ”