Israel’s Rebellion in Egypt

1And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth, on the tenth of the month, that came men from the elders of Israel to inquire of YHWH, and they sat before me.

2And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: 3“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: Have you⁺ come to inquire of Me? As I live, I will not be inquired of by you⁺, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.

4Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Make known to them the abominations of their fathers, 5and say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: On the day of my choosing Israel, I lifted My hand to the seed of the house of Jacob, and I made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt. And I lifted My hand to them, saying, ‘I am YHWH your⁺ God.’

6On that day I lifted My hand to them to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey—the glory it is of all the lands! 7And I said to them, ‘Each man must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and with the idols of Egypt you⁺ shall not defile yourselves! I am YHWH your⁺ God.’

8And they rebelled against Me, and they were not willing to listen to Me. Each man, the abominations of their eyes, they did not cast away, and the idols of Egypt they did not forsake. And I said, I will pour out My fury upon them, to complete My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt! 9And I acted for the sake of My name, for it not to be profaned before the eyes of the nations, among whom they were, who before their eyes I had made Myself known to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt.

Israel’s Rebellion in the Wilderness

10And I brought them out from the land of Egypt, and I brought them into the wilderness. 11And I gave to them My statutes, and I made known to them My ordinances, which the man who does them, he will live by them.† 12And also My Sabbaths I gave to them to be as a sign between Me and between them, that they might know that I am YHWH, the One sanctifying them.

13And the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. In My statutes they did not walk, and My ordinances they rejected, which the man who does them, he will live by them. And My Sabbaths they defiled greatly. And I said to pour out My fury on them in the wilderness to put an end to them! 14And I acted for the sake of My name, for it not to be profaned before the eyes of the nations, who before their eyes I had brought them out.

15And also I lifted My hand to them in the wilderness not to bring them into the land that I had given, flowing with milk and honey—the glory it is of all the lands, 16because My ordinances they rejected, and My statutes they did not walk in them, and My Sabbaths they profaned, for their heart was walking after their idols. 17And My eye showed pity to them from destroying them, and I did not make a complete end of them in the wilderness.

18And I said to their sons in the wilderness, ‘In the statutes of your⁺ fathers you⁺ shall not walk, and their ordinances you⁺ shall not keep, and with their idols you⁺ shall not defile yourselves. 19I am YHWH your⁺ God; in My statutes you must walk, and My ordinances you must keep and do them, 20and My Sabbaths keep holy, that they may be as a sign between Me and between you⁺, to know that I am YHWH your⁺ God.’

21And the sons also rebelled against Me. In My statutes they did not walk, and My ordinances they did not keep to do them, which a man does them, and he will live by them. My Sabbaths they profaned, and I said to pour out My fury on them to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness. 22And I turned back My hand, and I acted for the sake of My name not to be profaned in the eyes of the nations who before their eyes I had brought them out.

23I also, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness to scatter them among the nations and to scatter them among the lands, 24because My ordinances they had not done, and My statutes they had rejected, and My Sabbaths they had profaned, and their eyes were after the idols of their fathers.

25And also I gave to them statutes not good, and ordinances by which they could not live. 26And I made them unclean through their gifts, in making pass through all their firstborn, so that I might make them desolate, so that they would know that I am YHWH.

Israel’s Rebellion in the Land

27Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, thus says the Lord YHWH: Also in this your⁺ fathers, in their being unfaithful to Me, blasphemed Me in unfaithfulness. 28And I brought them into the land that I had lifted up My hand to give it to them, and they saw all the high hills and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices, and there was provocation by their offerings, and there they sent up their pleasing aroma, and there they poured out their drink offerings. 29And I said to them, ‘What is this high place to which you⁺ are going there?’

And its name is called Bamah† to this day.

30Therefore say to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: In the way of your⁺ fathers will you⁺ be defiling yourselves and prostituting yourselves after their abominations? 31For in your lifting up your⁺ gifts, and making your⁺ sons pass through the fire, you⁺ are defiling yourselves with all your⁺ idols, even to this day. And shall I be consulted by you⁺, O house of Israel? As I live, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, I will not be consulted by you⁺!

32And the thing coming up upon your⁺ mind, not at all shall come to pass—that you⁺ say, let us become like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, ministering to wood and stone!’

Judgment and Restoration

33As I live—a declaration of the Lord YHWH—if not with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with fury poured out I will rule over you⁺! 34And I will bring out you⁺ from the peoples, and I will gather you⁺† from the lands to which you⁺ have been scattered in them, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with fury poured out. 35And I will bring you⁺ into the wilderness of the peoples, and I will enter into judgment with you⁺ there, face to face!

36As I entered into judgment with your⁺ fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt,† so I will enter into judgment with you⁺, a declaration of the Lord YHWH. 37And I will make you⁺ pass under the rod, and I will bring you⁺ into the bond of the covenant. 38And I will purge from among you⁺ those rebelling and those transgressing against Me; from the land of their sojourning I will bring out them, and into the land of Israel they will not come. And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH.

39And you⁺, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: Let each man go and serve his idols, and afterward, if you⁺ are not listening to Me; and the name of My holiness you⁺ will profane no more with your⁺ gifts and with your⁺ idols!

40For on the mountain of My holiness, on the mountain of the height of Israel, a declaration of the Lord YHWH, there they will serve Me—all the house of Israel, all of them in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will seek out your⁺ contributions and the firstfruits of your⁺ sacrifices with all your⁺ holy things. 41With a pleasing

aroma I will accept you⁺, in My bringing you⁺ out from the peoples and in My gathering you⁺ from the lands to which you⁺ have been scattered in them; and I will show My holiness in you⁺ before the eyes of the nations. 42And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH, in My bringing you⁺ to the land of Israel, to the land that I lifted My hand to give it to your⁺ fathers.

43And you⁺ will remember there your⁺ ways, and all your⁺ deeds with which you⁺ defiled yourselves in them, and you⁺ will be loathsome in your⁺ own sight for all the evils that you⁺ have done. 44And you⁺ will know that I am YHWH, in my dealing with you⁺ for the sake of My name, not according to your⁺ evil ways and your⁺ corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, a declaration of the Lord YHWH.”

A Prophecy against the South

45And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: 46“Son of man, set your face to the way of Teman,† and preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest of the land of the Negev. 47And say to the forest of the Negev, Hear the word of YHWH, thus says the Lord YHWH: Behold, I am going to kindle in you a fire, and it will devour in you every moist tree and every dry tree; the blazing flame will not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north will be scorched by it! 48And all flesh will see that I, YHWH, have kindled it l it will not be quenched.”

49And I said: “Ah, Lord YHWH! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not one telling parables?’”