Ezekiel 20

1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, some of Israel’s elders came to inquire of the Lord and sat before me. 2 The Lord’s word came to me. 3 “Son of man, tell the elders of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you come to inquire of me? As I live, I will not answer you, says the Lord.’” 4 “Son of man, will I punish them completely? Testify to them about their ancestors’ lawless deeds.” 5 “Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: On the day I chose the house of Israel, I revealed myself to the offspring of Jacob’s house in Egypt and helped them with my hand, saying, “I am the Lord your God.”’” 6 “‘That day I helped them with my hand and brought them from Egypt into the land I had prepared for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, sweeter than every other land.’” [c] 7 “‘I told them, “Each of you must throw away the detestable things before your eyes. Do not defile yourselves with Egypt’s practices. I am the Lord your God.”’” 8 “‘But they rebelled against me and refused to listen. They did not throw away the detestable things before their eyes or abandon Egypt’s practices. Then I said I would pour out my wrath and bring my anger against them to its end there in Egypt.’” 9 “‘But I acted so that my name would not be treated as common before the nations among whom they lived. Before those nations’ eyes I had revealed myself to Israel by bringing them out of Egypt.’” 10 “‘I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.’” 11 “‘I gave them my decrees and made my rules known to them. The person who follows them will live by them.’” 12 “‘I also gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between me and them so they would know that I am the Lord who makes them holy.’” 13 “‘I told the house of Israel in the wilderness, “Walk in my decrees.” But they did not walk in them and rejected my rules, though the person who follows them will live by them. They treated my Sabbaths as utterly common. Then I said I would pour out my wrath and consume them in the wilderness.’” 14 “‘But I acted so that my name would not be treated as common before the nations whose eyes had seen me bring them out.’” 15 “‘In the wilderness I raised my hand against them once and for all, swearing not to bring them into the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, sweeter than every other land.’” 16 “‘They had rejected my rules, refused to walk in my decrees, treated my Sabbaths as common, and followed their hearts’ devisings.’” 17 “‘Yet my eye spared them. I did not destroy them completely or bring them to an end in the wilderness.’” 18 “‘I told their children in the wilderness, “Do not walk in your ancestors’ practices, keep their rules, join in their doings, or defile yourselves with them.”’” 19 “‘I am the Lord your God. Walk in my decrees, keep my rules, and follow them.’” 20 “‘Make my Sabbaths holy. Let them be a sign between me and you, so you will know that I am the Lord your God.’” 21 “‘But their children provoked me. They did not walk in my decrees or keep my rules, though the person who follows them will live by them. They treated my Sabbaths as common. Then I said I would pour out my wrath and bring my anger against them to its end in the wilderness.’” 22 “‘But I acted so that my name would not be treated as common before the nations whose eyes had seen me bring them out.’” 23 “‘In the wilderness I raised my hand against them, swearing to scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries.’” 24 “‘They did not keep my rules, rejected my decrees, treated my Sabbaths as common, and followed their fathers’ devisings with their eyes.’” 25 “‘So I gave them decrees that were not good and rules by which they could not live.’” † 26 “‘And I will defile them through their gifts, when I pass over everything that opens the womb, so that I may destroy them.’” 27 “Therefore, son of man, tell the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord says: Your ancestors continued provoking me by the offenses they committed against me.’” 28 “‘I brought them into the land I had raised my hand to give them. They saw every high hill and shady tree, sacrificed to their gods there, offered a pleasing smell, and poured out drink offerings.’” 29 “I said to them, ‘What is this High Place where you go?’ So they called it High Place, as it is called to this day.” [a] 30 “Therefore, tell the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do you defile yourselves with your ancestors’ lawless deeds and go whoring after their detestable things?’” 31 “‘To this day you defile yourselves with the firstfruits of your gifts and your portions set apart, with all your devisings. House of Israel, should I answer you? As I live, says the Lord, I will not answer you, and what you imagine will not happen.’” 32 “‘It will not be as you say: “We will become like the nations and tribes of the earth, worshiping wood and stones.”’” 33 “‘As I live, says the Lord, I will reign over you with a strong hand, an uplifted arm, and wrath poured out.’” 34 “‘I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you were scattered, with a strong hand, an uplifted arm, and wrath poured out.’” 35 “‘I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and judge you there face to face.’” 36 “‘Just as I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord.’” 37 “‘I will make you pass beneath my rod and bring you in by count.’” 38 “‘I will separate the ungodly and rebellious from among you. I will lead them out of the place where they live as foreigners, but they will not enter Israel’s land. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 39 “‘As for you, house of Israel, this is what the Lord God says: Each of you, put away your practices. After this, even if you will not listen to me, you will no longer treat my holy name as common through your gifts and your practices.’” 40 “‘On my holy mountain, the high mountain, the whole house of Israel will serve me forever, says the Lord God. There I will accept you, and there I will look for your firstfruits and the firstfruits of your portions set apart, with all your holy things.’” 41 “‘I will accept you as a pleasing smell when I bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you were scattered. I will be made holy among you before the nations.’” 42 “‘When I bring you into Israel’s land, the land I raised my hand to give your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord.’” 43 “‘There you will remember your conduct and the practices with which you defiled yourselves, and you will mourn over all your wickedness.’” 44 “Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake rather than according to your evil conduct and corrupt practices, says the Lord.” 45 The Lord’s word came to me. 46 “Son of man, set your face toward Teman, look toward Darom, and prophesy against the forest of Negev.” [b] 47 “Say to the forest of Negev, ‘Hear the Lord’s word. This is what the Lord God says: Look, I will kindle a fire in you. It will consume every green tree and every dry tree. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it.’” 48 “Everyone will know that I, the Lord, kindled it. It will not be extinguished.” 49 I said, 49 “No, Lord God! They say to me, ‘Is this not a parable being told?’”