1And 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. 2Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying , 3Son 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. 4Wilt thou judge them, son of man , wilt thou judge them ? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers : 5And 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 ; 6In 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 : 7Then 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 . 8But 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 . 9But 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 . 10Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt , and brought them into the wilderness .
God's Judgment and Restoration
11And I gave them my statutes , and shewed them my judgments , which if a man do , he shall even live in them. 12Moreover 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. 13But 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. 14But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen , in whose sight I brought them out . 15Yet 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 ; 16Because they despised my judgments , and walked not in my statutes , but polluted my sabbaths : for their heart went after their idols . 17Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness . 18But 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 : 19I am the LORD your God ; walk in my statutes , and keep my judgments , and do them; 20And hallow my sabbaths ; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God .
The Consequences of Disobedience
21Notwithstanding 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 . 22Nevertheless 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 . 23I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness , that I would scatter them among the heathen , and disperse them through the countries ; 24Because they had not executed my judgments , but had despised my statutes , and had polluted my sabbaths , and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols . 25Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good , and judgments whereby they should not live ; 26And 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 . 27Therefore, 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. 28For 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 . 29Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go ? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day .
A Call to Repentance and Renewal
30Wherefore 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 ? 31For 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. 32And 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 . 33As 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: 34And 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 . 35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people , and there will I plead with you face to face . 36Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt , so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD . 37And I will cause you to pass under the rod , and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant : 38And 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 . 39As 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 . 40For 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 . 41I 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 . 42And 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 . 43And 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 . 44And 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 . 45Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying , 46Son of man , set thy face toward the south , and drop thy word toward the south , and prophesy against the forest of the south field ; 47And 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. 48And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched . 49Then said I, Ah Lord GOD ! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables ?