Ezekiel 20
Expanded Bible
Israel Has Refused God
20 It was the seventh year [C since Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month [C August 14, 591 bc]. Some of the elders of Israel came to ask about the Lord and sat down in front of me.
2 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 3 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], speak to the elders of Israel and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: Did you come to ·ask me questions [inquire of/consult me]? As surely as I live, I will not let you ·ask me questions [inquire of/consult me].’
4 “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, ·human [T son of man; 2:1]? Let them know the ·hateful [detestable; abominable] things their ·ancestors [fathers] did. 5 Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says: ·When [L On the day when] I chose Israel, I ·made a promise [L lifted my hand] to the ·descendants [offspring; seed] of Jacob. I made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, and I ·promised them [L lifted my hand to them, saying], “I am the Lord your God.” 6 ·At that time [On that day] I ·promised them I would [L lifted my hand to them to] bring them out of Egypt into a land I had ·found [searched out] for them, a ·fertile land [land flowing with milk and honey; Ex. 3:8], the ·best [most beautiful] land in the world. 7 I said to them, “Each one of you must throw away the ·hateful idols [detestable/abominable things] you have ·seen and liked [L set your eyes on]. Don’t ·make yourselves unclean [defile yourselves] with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
8 “‘But they ·turned [rebelled] against me and refused to listen to me. They did not throw away the ·hateful idols [detestable/abominable things] which they ·saw and liked [L set your eyes on]; they did not give up the idols of Egypt. Then I decided to pour out my anger against them while they were still in Egypt. 9 But I acted for the sake of my name so it would not be ·dishonored [profaned; C ritually] in ·full view [L the eyes] of the nations where the Israelites lived. I made myself known to ·the Israelites [L them] by bringing them out of Egypt ·while the nations were watching [before their eyes]. 10 So I took them out of Egypt and brought them into the ·desert [wilderness]. 11 I gave them my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and told them about my ·laws [judgments], by which people will live if they ·obey [do; practice] them. 12 I also gave them my Sabbaths [Ex. 20:8–11; Deut. 5:12–15] to be a sign [Ex. 31:13] between us so they would know that I am the Lord who ·made them holy [sanctified them; set them apart].
13 “‘But in the ·desert [wilderness] ·Israel [L the house of Israel] ·turned [rebelled] against me. They did not follow my ·rules [statutes], and they rejected my ·laws [rules; judgments], by which people will live if they obey them. They ·dishonored [desecrated; profaned; C ritually] my Sabbaths. Then I decided to pour out my ·anger [wrath] against them and destroy them in the ·desert [wilderness]. 14 But I acted for the sake of my name so it would not be ·dishonored [profaned; C ritually] in ·full view [L the eyes] of the nations ·who watched as [before whose eyes] I had brought the Israelites out of Egypt. 15 And in the ·desert [wilderness] I ·swore [L lifted my hand] to the Israelites that I would not bring them into the land I had given them. It is a ·fertile land [land flowing with milk and honey; Ex. 3:8], the ·best [most beautiful] land in the world. 16 This was because they rejected my ·laws [judgments] and did not ·follow [L walk in] my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements]. They ·dishonored [desecrated; profaned; C ritually] my Sabbaths and ·wanted to worship [L their hearts went after] their idols. 17 But I ·had pity on [or spared] them. I did not destroy them or put an end to them in the ·desert [wilderness]. 18 I said to their children in the ·desert [wilderness], “Don’t ·live by [L walk in] the ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] of your ·parents [fathers], or obey their ·laws [judgments]. Don’t ·make yourselves unclean [defile yourselves] with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God. ·Live by [L Walk in] my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements], obey my ·laws [judgments], and follow them. 20 Keep my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between me and you [Ex. 31:13]. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.”
21 “‘But the children turned against me. They did not ·live by [walk in] my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements], nor were they careful to obey my ·laws [judgments], by which people will live if they obey them. They ·dishonored [desecrated; profaned; C ritually] my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out my anger and ·rage [L vent/exhaust my rage] against them in the ·desert [wilderness]. 22 But I ·held back my anger [L withdrew my hand]. I acted for the sake of my name so it would not be ·dishonored [profaned; C ritually] in ·full view [L the eyes] of the nations ·who watched as [L before whose eyes] I brought the Israelites out. 23 And in the ·desert [wilderness] I swore to the Israelites that I would scatter them among the nations and spread them among the ·countries [lands], 24 because they had not obeyed my ·laws [judgments]. They had rejected my ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements] and ·dishonored [profaned; C ritually] my Sabbaths and ·worshiped [L set their eyes on] the idols of their ·parents [fathers]. 25 I also allowed them to follow ·rules [statutes] that were not good and ·laws [judgments] by which they could not live. 26 I ·let the Israelites make themselves unclean [L defiled them; C ritually] by the gifts they brought to their gods when they sacrificed their first children in the fire [16:20–21]. I wanted to ·terrify [or devastate] them so they would know that I am the Lord.’
27 “So, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], speak to the ·people [L house] of Israel. Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Your ·ancestors [fathers] ·spoke against [blasphemed] me by being unfaithful to me in another way. 28 When I had brought them into the land I ·promised [L lifted my hand] to give them, they saw every high hill and every leafy tree. There they offered their sacrifices to gods. They brought offerings that ·made me angry [provoked my anger] and burned their incense and poured out their drink offerings. 29 Then I said to them: What is this high place where you go to worship?’” (It is still called ·High Place [L Bamah] today.)
30 “So say to the ·people [L house] of Israel: ‘This is what the Lord God says: Are you going to ·make yourselves unclean [defile yourselves; C ritually] as your ·ancestors [fathers] did? Are you going to ·be unfaithful and desire [prostitute yourselves with] their ·hateful idols [detestable/abominable things]? 31 When you offer your children as gifts and sacrifice them in the fire, you ·are making yourselves unclean [defile yourselves; C ritually] with all your idols even today. So, ·people [L house] of Israel, should I let you ·ask me questions [consult with me]? As surely as I live, says the Lord God, I will not ·accept questions from you [let you seek/inquire of me].
32 “‘What you ·want [or plan] will not come true. You say, “We want to be like the other nations, like the ·people [clans; families] in other lands. We want to worship ·idols made of wood and stone [L wood and stone].” 33 As surely as I live, says the Lord God, ·I will use my great power and strength and anger to [L with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm I will; Deut. 4:34; 5:15] ·rule [be king] over you. 34 I will bring you out from the foreign nations. With ·my great power and strength [L a mighty hand and an outstretched arm] and anger I will gather you from the lands where you are scattered. 35 I will bring you into the ·desert [wilderness] of the ·peoples [nations]. There I will judge you face to face. 36 I will judge you the same way I judged your ·ancestors [fathers] in the ·desert [wilderness] of the land of Egypt, says the Lord God. 37 I will ·count you like sheep [L make you pass under the rod/shepherd’s staff; Lev. 27:32] and will bring you into ·line with [L the bond of] my ·agreement [covenant; treaty]. 38 I will ·get rid of [purge out] those who ·refuse to obey me [revolt] and ·who turn [rebel] against me. I will bring them out of the land where they are now living, but they will never enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 “‘This is what the Lord God says: ·People [L House] of Israel, go serve your idols for now. ·But later you will [or …if you will not] listen to me; you will not continue to ·dishonor [profane; C ritually] my holy name with your gifts and ·gods [idols]. 40 [L For] On my holy mountain [C Mount Zion; Ps. 2:6; 3:4; 15:1], the high mountain of Israel, all [L the house of] Israel will serve me in the land, says the Lord God. There I will accept you. There I will ·expect [require] your ·offerings [contributions], ·the first harvest of your offerings [or your choicest gifts], and all your holy gifts. 41 I will accept you like ·the pleasing smell of sacrifices [a pleasing aroma; a fragrant incense; Ps. 141:2] when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered. Then through you I will ·show how holy I am [manifest/display my holiness] ·so the nations will see [L in the eyes/sight of the nations]. 42 When I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I ·promised [swore to] your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord. 43 There you will remember ·everything you did [L your ways and deeds] that ·made you unclean [defiled you; C ritually], and then you will ·hate [despise; loathe] yourselves for all the evil things you have done. 44 I will deal with you for the sake of my name, not because of your evil ways or ·unclean [corrupt] actions. Then you will know I am the Lord, ·people [L house] of Israel, says the Lord God.’”
Babylon, the Lord’s Sword
45 Now the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 46 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], ·look [L set your face] toward the south. Prophesy against the south and against the ·forest [or shrubland] of the ·southern area [L Negev]. 47 Say to that ·forest [or shrubland]: ‘Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord God says: I am ready to start a fire in you that will destroy all your green trees and all your dry trees. The flames that burn will not be put out. Every face from south to north will ·feel their heat [or be scorched by it]. 48 Then all ·the people [L flesh] will see that I, the Lord, have ·started the fire [kindled it]. It will not be ·put out [extinguished].’”
49 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! The people are saying about me, ‘·He is only [L Isn’t he just…?] telling ·stories [parables].’”
Ezekiel 20
King James Version
20 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lord, and sat before me.
2 Then came the word of the Lord unto me, saying,
3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.
4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:
5 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God;
6 In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:
7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
9 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.
10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in 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 that sanctify them.
13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.
14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.
15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto 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 despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.
17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.
18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:
19 I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;
20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.
21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.
23 I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;
24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.
25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.
27 Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.
28 For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.
29 Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name whereof is called Bamah unto this day.
30 Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?
31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.
32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.
33 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:
34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.
35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God.
37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.
40 For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.
41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.
42 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.
43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.
44 And ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God.
45 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
46 Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
48 And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.
49 Then said I, Ah Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
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