Rebellion in Egypt
1 On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the seventh year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord and sat before me.
2 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, I will not be inquired of by you, declares the Lord.
4 Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Let them know the abominations of their fathers. 5 Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: On the day when I chose Israel and swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore an oath to them, saying, I am the Lord your God, 6 on that day I swore 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, which is the glory of all lands. 7 I said to them: Each of you throw away the abominations before his eyes. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
8 But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me. None of them threw away the abominations before their eyes. They also did not forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them to satisfy 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 in the sight of the nations among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
10 So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and into the wilderness. 11 I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he will live by 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 who sanctifies them.
13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keeps, he shall live by them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them. 14 But I acted for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.
15 Moreover 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, 16 because they rejected my ordinances and did not walk in my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, for their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them. I did not make a complete end of them in the wilderness. 18 I told their children in the wilderness: Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers. Do not observe their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.”
Rebellion in the Desert
19 “I am the Lord your God. Walk in my statutes, keep my ordinances, and do them. 20 Make my Sabbaths holy. They shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.
21 But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and did not keep my ordinances or do them, which if a man does, he shall live in them. They profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to satisfy 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 nations, in whose sight I brought them out. 23 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries 24 because they had not executed my ordinances but had rejected my statutes and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers’ idols.
25 Therefore I gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live. 26 I defiled them through their own gifts when they made their firstborn children pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate so that they might know that I am the Lord.”
Rebellion in the Land
27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and tell them that the Lord God says: Moreover, in this manner your fathers have blasphemed me, committing trespasses against me. 28 For 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 pagan sacrifices, and there they presented their offensive offerings. There they also offered their sweet incense, and there they poured out their drink offerings. 29 Then I asked them: What is this high place where you are going? So it is called Bamah to this day.
30 Therefore tell the house of Israel that the Lord God says: Will you pollute yourselves in the ways of your fathers? Will you play the prostitute after their abominations? 31 When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, do you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day? Should I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you!
32 That which you have in mind will never be, when you say, ‘We will be like other the nations, like the families of other countries, serving wood and stone.’ ”
Judgment and Restoration
33 “As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you. 34 I will bring you out with a mighty hand from the peoples and will gather you out from the countries in which you were scattered, with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out.
35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. 36 Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord God. 37 I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38 I will purge from among you, the rebels and those who disobey me. I will bring them out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 As for you, house of Israel, the Lord God says: Everyone of you, go serve your idols, if you will not listen to me. But do not profane my holy name any longer with your gifts and with your idols. 40 For on my holy mountain, on the mountain at the height of Israel, declares the Lord God, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things. 41 I will accept you as a sweet fragrance when I bring you out from the nations and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered. I will manifest my holiness through you in the sight of the nations.
42 You will know that I am the Lord when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers. 43 There you will remember your ways, and all your deeds in which you have defiled yourselves. Then you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evil that you have committed. 44 You will know that I am the Lord, when I have dealt with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, you house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”
A Prophecy against the South
45 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 46 “Son of man, set your face toward the south and preach toward the south and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South. 47 Tell the forest of the South: Hear the word of the Lord. The Lord God says: I am starting a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The burning flame will not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north will be burned by it. 48 All flesh will see that I, the Lord, have started it. It will not be quenched.”
49 Then I said, “O Lord God! They say of me, ‘Isn’t he just a riddle teller?’ ”