1 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.

2 The word of the LORD came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I let them consult me at all?

4 Therefore speak to them and say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: If anyone of the house of Israel sets up his idols in his heart, puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet, I, the LORD, will answer the one who comes according to the multitude of his idols, 5 in order to seize the house of Israel by their hearts, for they have all become estranged from me through their idols.’

6 Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Repent and turn away from your idols. Turn your faces away from all your abominations. 7 For if anyone of the house of Israel or any foreigner residing in Israel separates himself from following me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet to consult me through him, I, the LORD, will answer him myself. 8 I will set my face against that man, make him a sign and a subject of proverbs, and cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

9 If a prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet. I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 10 They will bear their guilt. The guilt of the one who consults the prophet will be the same as the guilt of the prophet, 11 so that the house of Israel may no longer stray from following me or defile themselves with all their transgressions. They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’ ”

12 The word of the LORD came to me: 13 “Son of man, if a land sins against me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out my hand against it, break its staff of bread, send famine upon it, and cut off people and animals from it, 14 even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord GOD. 15 If I made wild beasts pass through the land and bereave it, so that it became desolate and no one passed through because of the beasts, 16 even if these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would save neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be saved, and the land would be desolate. 17 Or if I brought a sword upon that land and said, ‘Sword, pass through the land,’ and cut off people and animals from it, 18 even if these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would save neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be saved. 19 Or if I sent pestilence into that land and poured out my wrath upon it in blood, to cut off people and animals from it, 20 even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would save neither son nor daughter. They would save only their own lives by their righteousness.

21 For this is what the Lord GOD says: How much more when I send my four terrible judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence—against Jerusalem, to cut off people and animals from it! 22 Yet there will be survivors left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their deeds. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it. 23 They will comfort you when you see their ways and their deeds. You will know that I have not done all that I have done in it without cause, declares the Lord GOD.”