﻿Ezekiel.
Chapter 20.
In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to consult the LORD and sat before me. 
The word of the LORD came to me: 
“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Have you come to consult me? As I live, I will not let you consult me, declares the Lord GOD.’ 
Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Make them know the abominations of their fathers. 
Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I chose Israel, I raised my hand to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I raised my hand to them, saying, “I am the LORD your God.” 
On that day I raised my hand to them, swearing to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands. 
I said to them, “Each of you must cast away the detestable things before his eyes. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” 
But they rebelled against me and were unwilling to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the land of Egypt. 
But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they were. In their sight I had made myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 
So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness. 
I gave them my statutes and made my ordinances known to them, by which a person will live if he carries them out. 
I also gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. 
But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my statutes and rejected my ordinances, by which a person will live if he carries them out. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness to destroy them. 
But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the sight of the nations before whose eyes I had brought them out. 
I also raised my hand to them in the wilderness, swearing not to bring them into the land I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands, 
because they rejected my ordinances, did not follow my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths, for their heart followed their idols. 
Yet my eye spared them from destruction, and I did not make a complete end of them in the wilderness. 
I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your fathers, keep their ordinances, or defile yourselves with their idols. 
I am the LORD your God. Follow my statutes, keep my ordinances, and carry them out. 
Keep my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between me and you, so that you will know that I am the LORD your God.” 
But the children rebelled against me. They did not follow my statutes or keep my ordinances to carry them out, by which a person will live if he carries them out. They profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. 
But I withdrew my hand and acted for the sake of my name, so that it would not be profaned in the sight of the nations before whose eyes I had brought them out. 
I also raised my hand to them in the wilderness, swearing to scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the countries, 
because they did not carry out my ordinances, rejected my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes followed their fathers’ idols. 
I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live. 
I defiled them through their gifts, when they offered every firstborn of the womb, so that I might devastate them, so that they would know that I am the LORD.’ 
Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: In this too your fathers blasphemed me by acting unfaithfully against me. 
I brought them into the land I had raised my hand to give them. They saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices, there they presented their provoking offerings, there they set their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings. 
I said to them, “What is this high place where you go?” So its name is called Bamah to this day.’ 
Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Do you defile yourselves in the way of your fathers and prostitute yourselves after their detestable things? 
When you present your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Should I let you consult me, house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not let you consult me. 
What rises in your spirit will never happen, when you say, “We will be like the nations, like the families of the countries, serving wood and stone.” 
As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will rule over you with a mighty hand, an outstretched arm, and wrath poured out. 
I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, with a mighty hand, an outstretched arm, and wrath poured out. 
I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples and enter into judgment with you there face to face. 
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. 
I will make you pass under the rod and bring you into the bond of the covenant. 
I will separate from among you the rebels and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they reside, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 
As for you, house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Each of you, go and serve your idols—and afterward too, if you will not listen to me. But you must no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and your idols. 
For on my holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there the entire house of Israel, all of it, will serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your gifts, with all your holy things. 
I will accept you as a pleasing aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered. I will show my holiness in you in the sight of the nations. 
You will know that I am the LORD when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the land I raised my hand to give to your fathers. 
There you will remember your ways and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evil you have done. 
You will know that I am the LORD when I deal with you for the sake of my name, rather than according to your evil ways and your corrupt deeds, house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.’” 
The word of the LORD came to me: 
“Son of man, set your face toward the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field of the Negev. 
Say to the forest of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I will kindle a fire in you, and it will consume every green tree and every dry tree in you. Its blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it. 
All flesh will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it. It will not be quenched.’” 
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a teller of parables?’” 
