Idolatrous Elders Condemned 1There resorted vnto me certayne of the elders of Israel, and sate downe by me. 2Then came the word of the Lorde vnto me, saying: 3Thou sonne of man, these men haue set vp their idols in their heartes, and put the stumbling blocke of iniquitie before their face: shoulde I then aunswere them at their request? 4Therefore speake vnto them, and say vnto them, thus saith the Lorde God: Euery man of the house of Israel that setteth vp his idols in his heart, & putteth the stumbling blocke of his iniquitie before his face, and commeth to the prophete: vnto that man wyll I the Lord my selfe geue aunswere when he commeth, according to the multitude of his idols. 5That the house of Israel may be snared in their owne heartes, because they be cleane gone from me all of them thorowe their idols. 6Wherefore tell the house of Israel, thus saith the Lorde God: Returne and cause to returne from your idols, and turne your faces from all your abhominations. 7For euery man, whether he be of the house of Israel, or a straunger that soiourneth in Israel, whiche departeth from me, and setteth vp his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling blocke of his wickednesse before his face, and commeth to a prophete for to aske counsell at me through hym: vnto that man wyll I the Lorde geue aunswere by mine owne selfe. 8I wyll set my face against that man, and wyll make hym to be an example for other, yea and a common byworde, and wyll roote hym out of my people, that ye may knowe howe that I am the Lorde. 9And if that prophete be deceaued when he telleth a thing, then I the Lorde my selfe haue deceaued that prophete, and wyll stretche out my hande vpon him, to destroy him out of my people of Israel: 10And they shalbe punished for their wickednesse, according to the sinne of hym that asketh, shall the sinne of the prophete be: 11That the house of Israel be led no more from me through errour, and be no more defiled in all their transgressions: but that they may be my people, and I their God, saith the Lorde God. Four Dire Judgments 12And the worde of the Lorde came vnto me, saying: 13Thou sonne of man, when the lande sinneth against me by committing a trespasse, I wyll stretche out my hande vpon it, and breake their staffe of bread, and sende dearth vpon them, to destroy man and beast foorth of it. 14And though Noe, Daniel, and Iob, these three men were among them: yet shal they in their righteousnesse deliuer but their owne soules, saith the Lorde God. 15If I bryng noysome beastes into the lande, and they spoyle it, and it be so desolate that no man may passe through it for beastes, 16If these three men were also in the land: as truely as I liue saith the Lord God, they shall saue neither sonnes nor daughters, but be onlye deliuered them selues: & as for the land, it shalbe waste. 17Or if I bryng a sworde vpon this lande, and say, sworde go through the lande, so that I slay downe man and beast in it, 18And if these three men were therein: as truely as I liue saith the Lord God, they shall deliuer neither sonnes nor daughters, but only be saued theselues. 19If I sende a pestilence into this lande, and powre out my sore indignation vppon it in blood, so that I roote out of it both man and beast, 20And if Noe, Daniel, and Iob were therein, as truely as I liue saith the Lorde God, they shall deliuer neither sonne nor daughter, but saue their owne soules in their righteousnesse.
21Moreouer thus saith the Lorde God, Howe much more when I sende my foure troublous plagues vpon Hierusalem, the sworde, hunger, perillous beastes, and pestilence, to destroy man and beast out of it?
22Beholde, there shalbe a remnaunt saued therein, whiche shall bryng foorth their sonnes and daughters, beholde, they shall come foorth vnto you, and ye shall see their way and their enterprise, and ye shalbe comforted concerning the euyll that I haue brought vpon Hierusalem |
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