1Now it happened in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, that men from the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh, and they sat before me.
2And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
3“Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel and say to them: Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, I will not be inquired of by you — declaration of the Lord Yahweh.”
4Will you judge them? Will you judge, son of man? Make known to them the abominations of their fathers,
5and say to them: Thus says the Lord Yahweh: On the day I chose Israel, I lifted my hand to the offspring of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I lifted my hand to them, saying, ‘I am Yahweh your God.’
6On that day I lifted my hand to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey — the beauty of all the lands.
7And I said to them, ‘Let each cast away the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.’
8But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me; not one cast away the detestable things of his eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were, in whose sight I had made myself known to them, in bringing them out from the land of Egypt.
10So I brought them out from the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.
11And I gave them my statutes and made known to them my judgments, which, if a person does them, he will live by them.
12Also my sabbaths I gave to them, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.
13But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not walk in my statutes, and they rejected my judgments — which, if a person does them, he will live by them — and my sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to finish them off.
14But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.
15And I also lifted my hand to them in the wilderness, swearing not to bring them into the land I had given, flowing with milk and honey — the beauty of all the lands —
16because they rejected my judgments and did not walk in my statutes and profaned my sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
17Yet my eye spared them from destroying them, and I did not make an end of them in the wilderness.
18And I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, and do not keep their judgments, and do not defile yourselves with their idols.
19I am Yahweh your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them.
20And sanctify my sabbaths, and they will be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.’
21But the children rebelled against me; they did not walk in my statutes, and they did not keep my judgments to do them — which, if a person does them, he will live by them — and they profaned my sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to spend my anger against them in the wilderness.
22But I turned back my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.
23I also lifted my hand to them in the wilderness, swearing to scatter them among the nations and to disperse them through the lands,
24because they did not do my judgments and rejected my statutes and profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were after the idols of their fathers.
25And I also gave them statutes that were not good and judgments by which they could not live,
26and I defiled them by their gifts, in their making pass over every one that opens the womb, so that I might devastate them, so that they would know that I am Yahweh.
27Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them: Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In this also your fathers blasphemed me, by acting treacherously against me with treachery.
28For when I brought them into the land I had lifted my hand to give to them, they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they slaughtered their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there they set their soothing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings.
29And I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name has been called Bamah to this day.
30Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Will you defile yourselves in the way of your fathers, and go whoring after their detestable things?
31When you offer up your gifts, when you pass your sons through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you.
32And what comes up in your spirit shall never come to pass—when you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the clans of the lands, serving wood and stone.’
33As I live, declares the Lord Yahweh, surely with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath I will reign as king over you.
34And I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you were scattered, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.
35And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face,
36just 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 Yahweh.
37And I will make you 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 those who transgress against me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.
39As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Go, each of you, serve your idols! But afterward you will surely listen to me, and you will no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and with your idols.
40For on my holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord Yahweh, there all the house of Israel, all of it, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your offerings, with all your holy things.
41As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you were scattered, and I will show myself holy through you in the sight of the nations.
42Then you will know that I am Yahweh, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the land that I lifted my hand to give to your fathers.
43And there you will remember your ways and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have done.
44Then you will know that I am Yahweh, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord Yahweh.
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