“1 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 came to
enquire of the LORD, and sat before me. 2 Then came the word of the LORD
unto me, saying, 3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say
unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? [As] I
live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. 4 Wilt thou
judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge [them]? cause them to know the
abominations of their fathers:”
“5 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose
Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and
made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine
hand unto them, saying, I [am] the LORD your God; 6 In the day [that] I
lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt
into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey,
which [is] the glory of all lands: 7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away
every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with
the idols of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God. 8 But they rebelled
against me, and would not hearken unto 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 will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish
my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 9 But I wrought
for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen,
among whom they [were], in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in
bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.”
“10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and
brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them my statutes, and
shewed them my judgments, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in
them. 12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me
and them, that they might know that I [am] the LORD that sanctify them.
13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they
walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which [if] a
man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly
polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the
wilderness, to consume them. 14 But I wrought for my name’s sake, that
it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought
them out. 15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto 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; 16
Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but
polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. 17
Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I
make an end of them in the wilderness. 18 But I said unto their children
in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither
observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: 19 I
[am] the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and
do them; 20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me
and you, that ye may know that I [am] the LORD your God. 21
Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my
statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which [if] a man do, he
shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would
pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the
wilderness. 22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my
name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen,
in whose sight I brought them forth. 23 I lifted up mine hand unto them
also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and
disperse them through the countries; 24 Because they had not executed my
judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths,
and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols. 25 Wherefore I gave them
also statutes [that were] not good, and judgments whereby they should
not live; 26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused
to pass through [the fire] all that openeth the womb, that I might make
them desolate, to the end that they might know that I [am] the LORD.”
“27 Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say
unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have
blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. 28
[For] when I had brought them into the land, [for] the which I lifted up
mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the
thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they
presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their
sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings. 29 Then I said
unto them, What [is] the high place whereunto ye go? And the name
thereof is called Bamah unto this day. 30 Wherefore say unto the house
of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of
your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? 31 For
when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the
fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and
shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith the
Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. 32 And that which cometh
into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the
heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.”
“33 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and
with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over
you: 34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you
out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and
with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 35 And I will bring
you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you
face to face. 36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness
of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. 37
And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into
the bond of the covenant: 38 And I will purge out from among you the
rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out
of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the
land of Israel: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD. 39 As for you, O
house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his
idols, and hereafter [also], if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute
ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols. 40 For in
mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the
Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land,
serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your
offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy
things. 41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you
out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have
been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. 42
And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I shall bring you into the
land of Israel, into the country [for] the which I lifted up mine hand
to give it to your fathers. 43 And there shall ye remember your ways,
and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe
yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.
44 And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have wrought with you
for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to
your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.”
“45 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 46 Son of man,
set thy face toward the south, and drop [thy word] toward the south, and
prophesy against the forest of the south field; 47 And say to the forest
of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green
tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be
quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned
therein. 48 And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it
shall not be quenched. 49 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth
he not speak parables?” (Ezekiel 20:1-49 AV)
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