Ezekiel, 20

1. In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to consult the LORD and sat down before me.

1. In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to consult Yahweh and were sitting with me,

2. Then the word of the LORD came to me:

2. when the word of Yahweh was addressed to me as follows,

3. Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: Have you come to consult me? As I live! I swear I will not allow myself to be consulted by you, says the Lord GOD.

3. 'Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel. Say, "The Lord Yahweh says this: Have you come to consult me? As I live, I will not be consulted by you -- declares the Lord Yahweh."

4. Will you judge them? Will you judge, son of man? Make known to them the abominations of their ancestors

4. 'Are you ready to judge them? Are you ready to judge them, son of man? Confront them with the loathsome practices of their ancestors.

5. in these words: Thus speaks the Lord GOD: The day I chose Israel, I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob; in the land of Egypt I revealed myself to them and swore: I am the LORD, your God.

5. Say, "The Lord Yahweh says this: On the day when I chose Israel, when I pledged my word to the House of Jacob, I made myself known to them in Egypt; I pledged my word to them and said: I am Yahweh your God.

6. That day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt to the land I had scouted for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, a jewel among all lands.

6. That day I pledged them my word that I would bring them out of Egypt to a country which I had reconnoitred for them, a country flowing with milk and honey, and the loveliest of them all.

7. Then I said to them: Throw away, each of you, the detestable things that have held your eyes; do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD, your God.

7. And I said to them: Each of you must reject the horrors which attract you; do not pollute yourselves with the foul idols of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.

8. But they rebelled against me and refused to listen to me; none of them threw away the detestable things that had held their eyes, they did not abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I thought of pouring out my fury on them and spending my anger on them there in the land of Egypt;

8. But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me. Not one of them rejected the horrors which attracted them; they did not give up the foul idols of Egypt. I then resolved to vent my fury on them, to sate my anger on them in Egypt.

9. but I acted for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they were, in whose presence I had made myself known to them, revealing that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt.

9. But respect for my own name kept me from letting it be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were living, and before whom I had made myself known to them and promised to bring them out of Egypt.

10. Therefore I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the desert.

10. So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the desert.

11. Then I gave them my statutes and made known to them my ordinances, which everyone must keep, to have life through them.

11. I gave them my laws and taught them my judgements, in whose observance people find life.

12. I also gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, to show that it was I, the LORD, who made them holy.

12. And I also gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between me and them, so that they might know that I, Yahweh, am the one who sanctifies them.

13. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They did not observe my statutes, and they despised my ordinances that bring life to those who keep them. My sabbaths, too, they desecrated grievously. Then I thought of pouring out my fury on them in the desert to put an end to them,

13. The House of Israel, however, rebelled against me in the desert; they refused to keep my laws, they scorned my judgements, in whose observance people find life, and they grossly profaned my Sabbaths. I then resolved to vent my fury on them in the desert and destroy them.

14. but I acted for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose presence I had brought them out.

14. But respect for my own name kept me from letting it be profaned in the eyes of the nations, before whom I had brought them out.

15. Nevertheless I swore to them in the desert not to bring them to the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, a jewel among all lands.

15. Even so, I pledged them my word in the desert that I would not lead them to the country which I had given them, a country flowing with milk and honey, and the loveliest of them all,

16. So much were their hearts devoted to their idols, they had not lived by my statutes, but despised my ordinances and desecrated my sabbaths.

16. since they had scorned my judgements, had refused to keep my laws and had profaned my Sabbaths, their hearts being attached to foul idols.

17. But I looked on them with pity, not wanting to destroy them, so I did not put an end to them in the desert.

17. In spite of this, I took pity on them; I refrained from destroying them and did not make an end of them in the desert.

18. Then I said to their children in the desert: Do not observe the statutes of your parents or keep their ordinances; do not defile yourselves with their idols.

18. "I said to their children in the desert: Do not follow the laws of your ancestors, do not practise their judgements, do not defile yourselves with their foul idols.

19. I am the LORD, your God: observe my statutes and be careful to keep my ordinances;

19. I am Yahweh your God. Keep my laws, respect my judgements and practise them.

20. keep holy my sabbaths, as a sign between me and you to show that I am the LORD, your God.

20. Keep my Sabbaths holy; let them be a sign between me and you, so that people may know that I am Yahweh your God.

21. But their children rebelled against me: they did not observe my statutes or keep my ordinances that bring life to those who observe them, and my sabbaths they desecrated. Then I thought of pouring out my fury on them, of spending my anger on them in the desert;

21. Their children, however, rebelled against me; they refused to keep my laws, they did not respect or practise my judgements, which must be practised by all who want to live; they profaned my Sabbaths. I then resolved to vent my fury on them, to sate my anger on them in the desert.

22. but I stayed my hand, acting for my name's sake, lest it be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose presence I brought them out.

22. But I restrained my hand; respect for my own name kept me from letting it be profaned in the eyes of the nations, before whom I had brought them out.

23. Nevertheless I swore to them in the desert that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them over foreign lands;

23. Once again, however, I pledged them my word that I would scatter them throughout the nations and disperse them in foreign countries,

24. for they did not keep my ordinances, but despised my statutes and desecrated my sabbaths, with eyes only for the idols of their fathers.

24. because they had not followed my judgements but had rejected my laws and profaned my Sabbaths, their eyes being fastened on the foul idols of their ancestors.

25. Therefore I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances through which they could not live.

25. And for this reason I gave them laws that were not good and judgements by which they could never live;

26. I let them become defiled by their gifts, by their immolation of every first-born, so as to make them an object of horror.

26. and I polluted them with their own offerings, making them sacrifice every first-born son in order to fill them with revulsion, so that they would know that I am Yahweh."

27. Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord GOD: In this way also your fathers blasphemed me, breaking faith with me:

27. 'For this reason, son of man, speak to the House of Israel. Say to them, "The Lord Yahweh says this: Here is another way by which your ancestors outraged me by their infidelity.

28. when I had brought them to the land I had sworn to give them, and they saw all its high hills and leafy trees, there they offered their sacrifices (there they brought their offensive offerings), there they sent up appeasing odors, and there they poured out their libations.

28. Once I had brought them into the country which I had pledged my word to give them, they then saw all sorts of high hills, all kinds of leafy trees, and there they performed their sacrifices and made offerings that provoked my anger; there they set out their pleasing smell and poured their libations.

29. I asked them: To what sort of high place do you betake yourselves?--and so they call it a high place even to the present day.

29. I then said to them: What is this high place where you go? And they gave, and still give it, the name of Bamah."

30. Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers? Will you lust after their detestable idols?

30. 'So, say to the House of Israel, "The Lord Yahweh says this: If you are polluting yourselves as your ancestors did by fornicating with their horrors-

31. By offering your gifts, by making your children pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols even to this day. Shall I let myself be consulted by you, house of Israel? As I live! says the Lord GOD: I swear I will not let myself be consulted by you.

31. for by offering your gifts and by burning your children as sacrifices, you have been polluting yourselves with all your foul idols to this very day -- shall I let myself be consulted by you, House of Israel? As I live -- declares Lord Yahweh -- I shall not let myself be consulted by you.

32. What you are thinking of shall never happen: "We shall be like the nations, like the peoples of foreign lands, serving wood and stone."

32. And what you sometimes imagine will never be so, when you say: We shall be like the peoples, the tribes of foreign lands, worshipping wood and stone.

33. As I live, says the Lord GOD, with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, with poured-out wrath, I swear I will be king over you!

33. As I live I swear it -- declares the Lord Yahweh -- I am the one who will reign over you, with a strong hand and outstretched arm, once my fury is sated.

34. With a mighty hand and outstretched arm, with poured-out wrath, I will bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries over which you are scattered;

34. With a strong hand and outstretched arm, once my fury is sated, I shall bring you back from the peoples and gather you again from the countries throughout which you have been scattered.

35. then I will lead you to the desert of the peoples, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

35. I shall lead you into the desert of the nations and there I shall judge you face to face.

36. Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, says the Lord GOD.

36. As I judged your ancestors in the desert of Egypt, so will I judge you -- declares the Lord Yahweh.

37. I will count you with the staff and bring back but a small number.

37. I shall make you pass under the crook, bring you to respect the covenant

38. I will separate from you those who have rebelled and transgressed against me; from the land where they sojourned as aliens I will bring them out, but they shall not return to the land of Israel. Thus you shall know that I am the LORD.

38. and rid you of the rebels who have revolted against me; I shall bring them out of the country where they are staying, but they will not enter the country of Israel, and you will know that I am Yahweh.

39. As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Come, each one of you, destroy your idols! Then listen to me, and never again profane my holy name with your gifts and your idols.

39. House of Israel, Lord Yahweh says this: Go on, all of you, worship your foul idols, but later we shall see if you don't listen to me! Then you will stop profaning my holy name with your offerings and your foul idols.

40. For on my holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord GOD, there the whole house of Israel without exception shall worship me; there I will accept them, and there I will claim your tributes and the first fruits of your offerings, and all that you dedicate.

40. For on my holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel -- declares the Lord Yahweh -- is where the whole House of Israel, everyone in the country, will worship me. There I shall accept and there expect your presents, your choicest offering and all your consecrated gifts.

41. As a pleasing odor I will accept you, when I have brought you from among the nations and gathered you out of the countries over which you were scattered; and by means of you I will manifest my holiness in the sight of the nations.

41. I shall welcome you like a pleasing smell when I bring you back from the peoples and gather you from the countries throughout which you have been scattered, and through you I shall display my holiness for all the nations to see;

42. Thus you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you back to the land of Israel, the land which I swore to give to your fathers.

42. and you will know that I am Yahweh, when I bring you back to the soil of Israel, to the country which I pledged my word to give to your ancestors.

43. There you shall recall your conduct and all the deeds by which you defiled yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves because of all the evil things you did.

43. There you will remember your past behaviour and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the wrongs which you have committed.

44. And you shall know that I am the LORD when I deal with you thus, for my name's sake, and not according to your evil conduct and corrupt actions, O house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.

44. And you will know that I am Yahweh, when I treat you as respect for my own name requires, and not as your wicked behaviour and corrupt actions deserve, House of Israel -- declares the Lord Yahweh." '