¹ 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?

---

¹ And it came to pass in the seventh ^H7637 year, ^H8141 in the fifth ^H2549 month, the tenth ^H6218 day of the month, ^H2320 that certain ^H582 of the elders ^H2205 of Israel ^H3478 came ^H935 to enquire ^H1875 of the LORD, ^H3068 and sat ^H3427 before ^H6440 me.

² Then came the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 unto me, saying, ^H559

³ Son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 speak ^H1696 unto the elders ^H2205 of Israel, ^H3478 and say ^H559 unto them, Thus saith ^H559 the Lord ^H136 GOD; ^H3069 Are ye come ^H935 to enquire ^H1875 of me? As I live, ^H2416 saith ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD, ^H3069 I will not be enquired ^H1875 of by you.

⁴ Wilt thou judge ^H8199 them, son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 wilt thou judge ^H8199 them? cause them to know ^H3045 the abominations ^H8441 of their fathers: ^H1

⁵ And say ^H559 unto them, Thus saith ^H559 the Lord ^H136 GOD; ^H3069 In the day ^H3117 when I chose ^H977 Israel, ^H3478 and lifted up ^H5375 mine hand ^H3027 unto the seed ^H2233 of the house ^H1004 of Jacob, ^H3290 and made myself known ^H3045 unto them in the land ^H776 of Egypt, ^H4714 when I lifted ^H5375 up mine hand ^H3027 unto them, saying, ^H559 I am the LORD ^H3068 your God; ^H430

⁶ In the day ^H3117 that I lifted up ^H5375 mine hand ^H3027 unto them, to bring them forth ^H3318 of the land ^H776 of Egypt ^H4714 into a land ^H776 that I had espied ^H8446 for them, flowing ^H2100 with milk ^H2461 and honey, ^H1706 which is the glory ^H6643 of all lands: ^H776

⁷ Then said ^H559 I unto them, Cast ye away ^H7993 every man ^H376 the abominations ^H8251 of his eyes, ^H5869 and defile ^H2930 not yourselves with the idols ^H1544 of Egypt: ^H4714 I am the LORD ^H3068 your God. ^H430

⁸ But they rebelled ^H4784 against me, and would ^H14 not hearken ^H8085 unto me: they did not every man ^H376 cast away ^H7993 the abominations ^H8251 of their eyes, ^H5869 neither did they forsake ^H5800 the idols ^H1544 of Egypt: ^H4714 then I said, ^H559 I will pour out ^H8210 my fury ^H2534 upon them, to accomplish ^H3615 my anger ^H639 against them in the midst ^H8432 of the land ^H776 of Egypt. ^H4714

⁹ But I wrought ^H6213 for my name's ^H8034 sake, that it should not be polluted ^H2490 before ^H5869 the heathen, ^H1471 among ^H8432 whom they were, in whose sight ^H5869 I made myself known ^H3045 unto them, in bringing them forth ^H3318 out of the land ^H776 of Egypt. ^H4714

¹⁰ Wherefore I caused them to go forth ^H3318 out of the land ^H776 of Egypt, ^H4714 and brought ^H935 them into the wilderness. ^H4057

¹¹ And I gave ^H5414 them my statutes, ^H2708 and shewed ^H3045 them my judgments, ^H4941 which if a man ^H120 do, ^H6213 he shall even live ^H2425 in them.

¹² Moreover also I gave ^H5414 them my sabbaths, ^H7676 to be a sign ^H226 between me and them, that they might know ^H3045 that I am the LORD ^H3068 that sanctify ^H6942 them.

¹³ But the house ^H1004 of Israel ^H3478 rebelled ^H4784 against me in the wilderness: ^H4057 they walked ^H1980 not in my statutes, ^H2708 and they despised ^H3988 my judgments, ^H4941 which if a man ^H120 do, ^H6213 he shall even live ^H2425 in them; and my sabbaths ^H7676 they greatly ^H3966 polluted: ^H2490 then I said, ^H559 I would pour out ^H8210 my fury ^H2534 upon them in the wilderness, ^H4057 to consume ^H3615 them.

¹⁴ But I wrought ^H6213 for my name's ^H8034 sake, that it should not be polluted ^H2490 before ^H5869 the heathen, ^H1471 in whose sight ^H5869 I brought them out. ^H3318

¹⁵ Yet also I lifted up ^H5375 my hand ^H3027 unto them in the wilderness, ^H4057 that I would not bring ^H935 them into the land ^H776 which I had given ^H5414 them, flowing ^H2100 with milk ^H2461 and honey, ^H1706 which is the glory ^H6643 of all lands; ^H776

¹⁶ Because they despised ^H3988 my judgments, ^H4941 and walked ^H1980 not in my statutes, ^H2708 but polluted ^H2490 my sabbaths: ^H7676 for their heart ^H3820 went ^H1980 after ^H310 their idols. ^H1544

¹⁷ Nevertheless mine eye ^H5869 spared ^H2347 them from destroying ^H7843 them, neither did I make ^H6213 an end ^H3617 of them in the wilderness. ^H4057

¹⁸ But I said ^H559 unto their children ^H1121 in the wilderness, ^H4057 Walk ^H3212 ye not in the statutes ^H2706 of your fathers, ^H1 neither observe ^H8104 their judgments, ^H4941 nor defile ^H2930 yourselves with their idols: ^H1544

¹⁹ I am the LORD ^H3068 your God; ^H430 walk ^H3212 in my statutes, ^H2708 and keep ^H8104 my judgments, ^H4941 and do ^H6213 them;

²⁰ And hallow ^H6942 my sabbaths; ^H7676 and they shall be a sign ^H226 between me and you, that ye may know ^H3045 that I am the LORD ^H3068 your God. ^H430

²¹ Notwithstanding the children ^H1121 rebelled ^H4784 against me: they walked ^H1980 not in my statutes, ^H2708 neither kept ^H8104 my judgments ^H4941 to do ^H6213 them, which if a man ^H120 do, ^H6213 he shall even live ^H2425 in them; they polluted ^H2490 my sabbaths: ^H7676 then I said, ^H559 I would pour out ^H8210 my fury ^H2534 upon them, to accomplish ^H3615 my anger ^H639 against them in the wilderness. ^H4057

²² Nevertheless I withdrew ^H7725 mine hand, ^H3027 and wrought ^H6213 for my name's ^H8034 sake, that it should not be polluted ^H2490 in the sight ^H5869 of the heathen, ^H1471 in whose sight ^H5869 I brought them forth. ^H3318

²³ I lifted up ^H5375 mine hand ^H3027 unto them also in the wilderness, ^H4057 that I would scatter ^H6327 them among the heathen, ^H1471 and disperse ^H2219 them through the countries; ^H776

²⁴ Because they had not executed ^H6213 my judgments, ^H4941 but had despised ^H3988 my statutes, ^H2708 and had polluted ^H2490 my sabbaths, ^H7676 and their eyes ^H5869 were after ^H310 their fathers' ^H1 idols. ^H1544

²⁵ Wherefore I gave ^H5414 them also statutes ^H2706 that were not good, ^H2896 and judgments ^H4941 whereby they should not live; ^H2421

²⁶ And I polluted ^H2930 them in their own gifts, ^H4979 in that they caused to pass through ^H5674 the fire all that openeth ^H6363 the womb, ^H7356 that I might make them desolate, ^H8074 to the end that they might know ^H3045 that I am the LORD. ^H3068

²⁷ Therefore, son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 speak ^H1696 unto the house ^H1004 of Israel, ^H3478 and say ^H559 unto them, Thus saith ^H559 the Lord ^H136 GOD; ^H3069 Yet in this your fathers ^H1 have blasphemed ^H1442 me, in that they have committed ^H4603 a trespass ^H4604 against me.

²⁸ For when I had brought ^H935 them into the land, ^H776 for the which I lifted up ^H5375 mine hand ^H3027 to give ^H5414 it to them, then they saw ^H7200 every high ^H7311 hill, ^H1389 and all the thick ^H5687 trees, ^H6086 and they offered ^H2076 there their sacrifices, ^H2077 and there they presented ^H5414 the provocation ^H3708 of their offering: ^H7133 there also they made ^H7760 their sweet ^H5207 savour, ^H7381 and poured out ^H5258 there their drink offerings. ^H5262

²⁹ Then I said ^H559 unto them, What is the high place ^H1116 whereunto ye go? ^H935 And the name ^H8034 thereof is called ^H7121 Bamah ^H1117 unto this day. ^H3117

³⁰ Wherefore say ^H559 unto the house ^H1004 of Israel, ^H3478 Thus saith ^H559 the Lord ^H136 GOD; ^H3069 Are ye polluted ^H2930 after the manner ^H1870 of your fathers? ^H1 and commit ye whoredom ^H2181 after ^H310 their abominations? ^H8251

³¹ For when ye offer ^H5375 your gifts, ^H4979 when ye make your sons ^H1121 to pass through ^H5674 the fire, ^H784 ye pollute ^H2930 yourselves with all your idols, ^H1544 even unto this day: ^H3117 and shall I be enquired ^H1875 of by you, O house ^H1004 of Israel? ^H3478 As I live, ^H2416 saith ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD, ^H3069 I will not be enquired ^H1875 of by you.

³² And that which cometh ^H5927 into your mind ^H7307 shall not be at all, that ye say, ^H559 We will be ^H1961 as the heathen, ^H1471 as the families ^H4940 of the countries, ^H776 to serve ^H8334 wood ^H6086 and stone. ^H68

³³ As I live, ^H2416 saith ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD, ^H3069 surely with a mighty ^H2389 hand, ^H3027 and with a stretched out ^H5186 arm, ^H2220 and with fury ^H2534 poured out, ^H8210 will I rule ^H4427 over you:

³⁴ And I will bring you out ^H3318 from the people, ^H5971 and will gather ^H6908 you out of the countries ^H776 wherein ye are scattered, ^H6327 with a mighty ^H2389 hand, ^H3027 and with a stretched out ^H5186 arm, ^H2220 and with fury ^H2534 poured out. ^H8210

³⁵ And I will bring ^H935 you into the wilderness ^H4057 of the people, ^H5971 and there will I plead ^H8199 with you face ^H6440 to face. ^H6440

³⁶ Like as I pleaded ^H8199 with your fathers ^H1 in the wilderness ^H4057 of the land ^H776 of Egypt, ^H4714 so will I plead ^H8199 with you, saith ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD. ^H3069

³⁷ And I will cause you to pass ^H5674 under the rod, ^H7626 and I will bring ^H935 you into the bond ^H4562 of the covenant: ^H1285

³⁸ And I will purge out ^H1305 from among you the rebels, ^H4775 and them that transgress ^H6586 against me: I will bring them forth ^H3318 out of the country ^H776 where they sojourn, ^H4033 and they shall not enter ^H935 into the land ^H127 of Israel: ^H3478 and ye shall know ^H3045 that I am the LORD. ^H3068

³⁹ As for you, O house ^H1004 of Israel, ^H3478 thus saith ^H559 the Lord ^H136 GOD; ^H3069 Go ^H3212 ye, serve ^H5647 ye every one ^H376 his idols, ^H1544 and hereafter ^H310 also, if ye will not hearken ^H8085 unto me: but pollute ^H2490 ye my holy ^H6944 name ^H8034 no more with your gifts, ^H4979 and with your idols. ^H1544

⁴⁰ For in mine holy ^H6944 mountain, ^H2022 in the mountain ^H2022 of the height ^H4791 of Israel, ^H3478 saith ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD, ^H3069 there shall all the house ^H1004 of Israel, ^H3478 all of them in the land, ^H776 serve ^H5647 me: there will I accept ^H7521 them, and there will I require ^H1875 your offerings, ^H8641 and the firstfruits ^H7225 of your oblations, ^H4864 with all your holy things. ^H6944

⁴¹ I will accept ^H7521 you with your sweet ^H5207 savour, ^H7381 when I bring you out ^H3318 from the people, ^H5971 and gather ^H6908 you out of the countries ^H776 wherein ye have been scattered; ^H6327 and I will be sanctified ^H6942 in you before ^H5869 the heathen. ^H1471

⁴² And ye shall know ^H3045 that I am the LORD, ^H3068 when I shall bring ^H935 you into the land ^H127 of Israel, ^H3478 into the country ^H776 for the which I lifted up ^H5375 mine hand ^H3027 to give ^H5414 it to your fathers. ^H1

⁴³ And there shall ye remember ^H2142 your ways, ^H1870 and all your doings, ^H5949 wherein ye have been defiled; ^H2930 and ye shall lothe ^H6962 yourselves in your own sight ^H6440 for all your evils ^H7451 that ye have committed. ^H6213

⁴⁴ And ye shall know ^H3045 that I am the LORD, ^H3068 when I have wrought ^H6213 with you for my name's ^H8034 sake, not according to your wicked ^H7451 ways, ^H1870 nor according to your corrupt ^H7843 doings, ^H5949 O ye house ^H1004 of Israel, ^H3478 saith ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD. ^H3069

⁴⁵ Moreover the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 came unto me, saying, ^H559

⁴⁶ Son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 set ^H7760 thy face ^H6440 toward ^H1870 the south, ^H8486 and drop ^H5197 thy word toward the south, ^H1864 and prophesy ^H5012 against the forest ^H3293 of the south ^H5045 field; ^H7704

⁴⁷ And say ^H559 to the forest ^H3293 of the south, ^H5045 Hear ^H8085 the word ^H1697 of the LORD; ^H3068 Thus saith ^H559 the Lord ^H136 GOD; ^H3069 Behold, I will kindle ^H3341 a fire ^H784 in thee, and it shall devour ^H398 every green ^H3892 tree ^H6086 in thee, and every dry ^H3002 tree: ^H6086 the flaming ^H3852 flame ^H7957 shall not be quenched, ^H3518 and all faces ^H6440 from the south ^H5045 to the north ^H6828 shall be burned ^H6866 therein.

⁴⁸ And all flesh ^H1320 shall see ^H7200 that I the LORD ^H3068 have kindled ^H1197 it: it shall not be quenched. ^H3518

⁴⁹ Then said ^H559 I, Ah ^H162 Lord ^H136 GOD! ^H3069 they say ^H559 of me, Doth he not speak ^H4911 parables? ^H4912

---

¹ 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 inquire of Jehovah, and sat before me.

² And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

³ Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Is it to inquire of me that ye are come? As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired 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 Jehovah: In the day when I chose Israel, and sware unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I sware unto them, saying, I am Jehovah your God;

⁶ in that day I sware unto them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.

⁷ And I said unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am Jehovah 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 would pour out my wrath 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 profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁰ So 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 showed them mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall 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 Jehovah that sanctifieth them.

¹³ But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they rejected mine ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

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

¹⁵ Moreover also I sware 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 rejected mine ordinances, and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

¹⁷ Nevertheless mine eye spared them, and I destroyed them not, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.

¹⁸ And I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

¹⁹ I am Jehovah your God: walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, 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 Jehovah your God.

²¹ But the children rebelled against me; they walked not in my statutes, neither kept mine ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

²² Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.

²³ Moreover I sware unto them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries;

²⁴ because they had not executed mine ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

²⁵ Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances wherein 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 Jehovah.

²⁷ Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

²⁸ For when I had brought them into the land, which I sware to give unto them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their sweet savor, and they poured out there their drink-offerings.

²⁹ Then I said unto them, What meaneth the high place whereunto ye go? So the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.

³⁰ Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Do ye pollute yourselves after the manner of your fathers? and play ye the harlot after their abominations?

³¹ and when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, do ye pollute yourselves with all your idols unto this day? and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you;

³² and that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, in that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

³³ As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you:

³⁴ and I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out;

³⁵ and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.

³⁶ Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, saith the Lord Jehovah.

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 land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.

³⁹ As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Go ye, serve every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me; but my holy name shall ye no more profane with your gifts, and with your idols.

⁴⁰ For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first-fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

⁴¹ As a sweet savor will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.

⁴² And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I sware to give unto your fathers.

⁴³ And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have polluted yourselves; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

⁴⁴ And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah.

⁴⁵ And the word of Jehovah 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 field in the South;

⁴⁷ and say to the forest of the South, Hear the word of Jehovah: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, 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 burnt thereby.

⁴⁸ And all flesh shall see that I, Jehovah, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.

⁴⁹ Then said I, Ah Lord Jehovah! they say of me, Is he not a speaker of parables?

---

¹ And it cometh to pass, in the seventh year, in the fifth `month', in the tenth of the month, come in have certain of the elders of Israel to seek Jehovah, and they sit before me;

² and there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

³ `Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: To seek Me are ye coming in? I live -- I am not sought by you -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

⁴ Dost thou judge them? Dost thou judge, son of man? The abominations of their fathers cause them to know,

⁵ and thou hast said unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: In the day of My fixing on Israel, I lift up My hand, To the seed of the house of Jacob, And am known to them in the land of Egypt, And I lift up My hand to them, Saying, I `am' Jehovah your God.

⁶ In that day I did lift up My hand to them, To bring them forth from the land of Egypt, Unto a land that I spied out for them, Flowing with milk and honey, A beauty it `is' to all the lands,

⁷ And I say unto them, Let each cast away the detestable things of his eyes, And with the idols of Egypt be not defiled, I `am' Jehovah your God.

⁸ And -- they rebel against Me, And have not been willing to hearken to Me, Each, the detestable things of their eyes, They have not cast away, And the idols of Egypt have not forsaken, And I say -- to pour out My fury on them, To complete Mine anger against them, In the midst of the land of Egypt.

⁹ And I do `it' for My name's sake, Not to pollute `it' before the eyes of the nations, In whose midst they `are', Before whose eyes I became known to them, To bring them out from the land of Egypt.

¹⁰ And I bring them out of the land of Egypt, And I bring them in unto the wilderness,

¹¹ And I give to them My statutes, And my judgments I caused them to know, Which the man who doth -- liveth by them.

¹² And also My sabbaths I have given to them, To be for a sign between Me and them, To know that I `am' Jehovah their sanctifier.

¹³ And -- rebel against me do the house of Israel in the wilderness, In My statutes they have not walked, And My judgments they have despised, Which the man who doth -- liveth by them. And My sabbaths they have greatly polluted, And I say to pour out My fury on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

¹⁴ And I do `it' for My name's sake, Not to pollute `it' before the eyes of the nations, Before whose eyes I brought them forth.

¹⁵ And also, I, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, Not to bring them in to the land that I had given, Flowing with milk and honey, A beauty it `is' to all the lands,

¹⁶ Because against My judgments they did kick, And in My statutes they have not walked, And My sabbaths they have polluted, For after their idols their heart is going.

¹⁷ And Mine eye hath pity on them -- against destroying them, And I have not made of them an end in the wilderness.

¹⁸ And I say to their sons in the wilderness: In the statutes of your fathers ye walk not, And their judgments ye do not observe, And with their idols ye are not defiled.

¹⁹ I `am' Jehovah your God, in My statutes walk, And My judgments observe, and do them,

²⁰ And My sabbaths sanctify, And they have been for a sign between Me and you, To know that I, Jehovah, `am' your God.

²¹ And -- the sons rebel against Me, In My statutes they have not walked, And My judgments they have not observed -- to do them, Which the man who doth -- liveth by them. My sabbaths they have polluted, And I say to pour out My fury upon them, To complete Mine anger against them in the wilderness.

²² And I have turned back My hand, And I do `it' for My name's sake, Not to pollute `it' before the eyes of the nations, Before whose eyes I brought them out.

²³ I also, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, To scatter them among nations, And to spread them through lands.

²⁴ Because My judgments they have not done, And My statutes they have despised, And My sabbaths they have polluted, And after idols of their fathers have their eyes been.

²⁵ And I also, I have given to them statutes not good, And judgments by which they do not live.

²⁶ And I defile them by their own gifts, By causing to pass away every opener of a womb, So that I make them desolate, So that they know that I `am' Jehovah.

²⁷ Therefore, speak unto the house of Israel, son of man, and thou hast said unto them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Still in this have your fathers reviled Me, In their committing against Me a trespass.

²⁸ And I bring them in unto the land, That I did lift up My hand to give to them, And they see every high hill, and every thick tree, And they sacrifice there their sacrifices, And give there the provocation of their offering, And make there their sweet fragrance, And they pour out there their libations.

²⁹ And I say unto them: What `is' the high place whither ye are going in? And its name is called `high place' to this day.

³⁰ Therefore, say unto the house of Israel: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: In the way of your fathers are ye defiled? And after their detestable things go a-whoring?

³¹ And in the offering of your gifts, In causing your sons to pass through fire, Ye are defiled by all your idols to this day, And I am sought by you, O house of Israel! I live -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, I am not sought by you.

³² And that which is going up on your mind, It is not at all -- in that ye are saying: We will be as the nations, as the families of the lands, To serve wood and stone.

³³ I live -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Do not I, with a strong hand, And with a stretched-out arm, And with fury poured out -- rule over you?

³⁴ And I have brought you forth from the peoples, And assembled you from the lands In which ye have been scattered, With a strong hand and with a stretched-out arm, And with fury poured out.

³⁵ And I have brought you in unto the wilderness of the peoples, And have been judged with you there face to face.

³⁶ As I was judged with your fathers, In the wilderness of the land of Egypt, So I am judged with you, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

³⁷ And I have caused you to pass under the rod, And brought you into the bond of the covenant,

³⁸ And cleared out from you the rebels, And them transgressing against Me, From the land of their sojournings I bring them out, And unto the land of Israel they come not, And ye have known that I `am' Jehovah.

³⁹ And ye, O house of Israel, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Each his idols -- go -- serve ye, And, afterwards, if ye are not hearkening to me, And My holy name ye do not pollute any more by your gifts, and by your idols.

⁴⁰ For, in My holy mountain, In the mountain of the height of Israel, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, There serve Me do all the house of Israel, All of it, in the land -- there I accept them, And there I do seek your heave-offerings, And with the first-fruit of your gifts, With all your holy things.

⁴¹ With sweet fragrance I do accept you, In My bringing you out from the peoples, And I have assembled you from the lands In which ye have been scattered, And I have been sanctified in you Before the eyes of the nations.

⁴² And ye have known that I `am' Jehovah, In My bringing you to the ground of Israel, Unto the land that I did lift up My hand To give it to your fathers,

⁴³ And ye have remembered there your ways, And all your doings, In which ye have been defiled, And ye have been loathsome in your own faces, For all your evils that ye have done.

⁴⁴ And ye have known that I `am' Jehovah, In My dealing with you for My name's sake, Not according to your evil ways, And according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.'

⁴⁵ And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

⁴⁶ Son of man, set thy face the way of Teman, and prophesy unto the south, and prophesy unto the forest of the field -- the south;

⁴⁷ and thou hast said to the forest of the south: Hear a word of Jehovah: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I am kindling in thee a fire, And it hath devoured in thee every moist tree, and every dry tree, Not quenched is the glowing flames, And burnt by it have been all faces from south to north.

⁴⁸ And seen have all flesh, that I, Jehovah, have kindled it -- it is not quenched.'

⁴⁹ And I say, `Ah, Lord Jehovah, They are saying of me, Is he not using similes?

---

¹ And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth [month], the tenth of the month, [that] certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Jehovah, and they sat before me.

² And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

³ Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Are ye come to inquire of me? [As] I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you.

⁴ Wilt thou judge them, wilt thou judge, son of man? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers,

⁵ and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up my hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up my hand unto them, saying, I [am] Jehovah your God,

⁶ in that day I lifted up my hand unto them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the ornament of all lands;

⁷ and I said unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I [am] Jehovah your God.

⁸ But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: none of them cast away the abominations of his eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I thought to pour out my fury upon them, so as to accomplish mine 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 profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they were, in whose sight I had made myself known unto them in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁰ And 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 made known unto them mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them.

¹² And I also gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I [am] Jehovah that hallow them.

¹³ But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they rejected mine ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned: and 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 profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.

¹⁵ And I also lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land that I had given [them], flowing with milk and honey, which is the ornament of all lands;

¹⁶ because they rejected mine ordinances and walked not in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

¹⁷ But mine eye spared them so as not to destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.

¹⁸ And I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk not in the statutes of your fathers, neither keep their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

¹⁹ I [am] Jehovah your God: walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, 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] Jehovah your God.

²¹ And the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept mine ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live by them; they profaned my sabbaths: and I said I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish mine anger against them in the wilderness.

²² But I withdrew my hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.

²³ I lifted up my hand also unto them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries;

²⁴ because they performed not mine ordinances, and rejected my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

²⁵ And I also gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances whereby they should not live;

²⁶ and I defiled them by their own gifts, in that they devoted all that opened the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I [am] Jehovah.

²⁷ Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have wrought unfaithfulness against me.

²⁸ When I had brought them into the land which I had lifted up my hand to give unto 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; and there they placed their sweet savour, and there poured out their drink-offerings.

²⁹ And I said unto them, What is the high place whither ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.

³⁰ Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Do ye defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers? and do ye commit fornication after their abominations?

³¹ And when ye offer your gifts, making your sons to pass through the fire, ye defile yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day; and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I will not be inquired of by you.

³² And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, in serving wood and stone.

³³ [As] I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, verily with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, will I reign over you.

³⁴ And I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out;

³⁵ and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.

³⁶ Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, saith the Lord Jehovah.

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, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I [am] Jehovah.

³⁹ As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Go ye, serve every one his idols henceforth also, if none of you will hearken unto me; but profane my holy name no more with your gifts and with your idols.

⁴⁰ For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah, there shall all the house of Israel serve me, the whole of it, in the land; there will I accept them, and there will I require your heave-offerings and the first-fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things.

⁴¹ As a sweet savour will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you in the sight of the nations.

⁴² And ye shall know that I [am] Jehovah, when I have brought you into the land of Israel, into the country which I lifted up my hand to give to your fathers.

⁴³ And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils which ye have committed.

⁴⁴ And ye shall know that I [am] Jehovah, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah.

⁴⁵ And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

⁴⁶ Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop [words] against the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;

⁴⁷ and say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of Jehovah. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flashing flame shall not be quenched; and all that it meets from the south to the north shall be burned thereby.

⁴⁸ And all flesh shall see that I Jehovah have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

⁴⁹ And I said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

---

¹ It happened in the seventh year, in the fifth [month], the tenth [day] of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh, and sat before me.

² The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

³ Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you.

⁴ Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;

⁵ and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am Yahweh your God;

⁶ in that day I swore to them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.

⁷ I said to them, Cast you away every man the abominations of his eyes, and don't defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.

⁸ But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to 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 would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

⁹ But I worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁰ So I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

¹¹ I gave them my statutes, and shown them my ordinances, which if a man do, he shall 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 Yahweh who sanctifies them.

¹³ But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they didn't walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.

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

¹⁵ Moreover also I swore to 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 rejected my ordinances, and didn't walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

¹⁷ Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn't destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.

¹⁸ I said to their children in the wilderness, Don't you walk in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

¹⁹ I am Yahweh your God: walk in my statutes, and keep my ordinances, and do them;

²⁰ and make my Sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.

²¹ But the children rebelled against me; they didn't walk in my statutes, neither kept my ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them; they profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

²² Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and worked for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.

²³ Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries;

²⁴ because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

²⁵ Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should not live;

²⁶ and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through [the fire] all that opens the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am Yahweh.

²⁷ Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In this moreover have your fathers blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

²⁸ For when I had brought them into the land, which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their sweet savor, and they poured out there their drink-offerings.

²⁹ Then I said to them, What means the high place whereunto you go? So the name of it is called Bamah to this day.

³⁰ Therefore tell the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Do you pollute yourselves after the manner of your fathers? and play you the prostitute after their abominations?

³¹ and when you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? and shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you;

³² and that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that you say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

³³ As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, will I be king over you:

³⁴ and I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out;

³⁵ and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.

³⁶ Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, says the Lord Yahweh.

³⁷ 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 those who disobey against me; I will bring them forth out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.

³⁹ As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Go you, serve everyone his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name shall you no more profane with your gifts, and with your idols.

⁴⁰ For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things.

⁴¹ As a sweet savor will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.

⁴² You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers.

⁴³ There shall you remember your ways, and all your doings, in which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed.

⁴⁴ You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have dealt with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh.

⁴⁵ The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

⁴⁶ Son of man, set your face toward the south, and drop [your word] toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South;

⁴⁷ and tell the forest of the South, Hear the word of Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burnt thereby.

⁴⁸ All flesh shall see that I, Yahweh, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.

⁴⁹ Then said I, Ah Lord Yahweh! they say of me, Isn't he a speaker of parables?

---

¹ Now it came about in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the responsible men of Israel came to get directions from the Lord and were seated before me.

² Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

³ Son of man, say to the responsible men of Israel, This is what the Lord has said: Have you come to get directions from me? By my life, says the Lord, you will get no directions from me.

⁴ Will you be their judge, O son of man, will you be their judge? make clear to them the disgusting ways of their fathers,

⁵ And say to them, This is what the Lord has said: In the day when I took Israel for myself, when I made an oath to the seed of the family of Jacob, and I gave them knowledge of myself in the land of Egypt, saying to them with an oath, I am the Lord your God;

⁶ In that day I gave my oath to take them out of the land of Egypt into a land which I had been searching out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands:

⁷ And I said to them, Let every man among you put away the disgusting things to which his eyes are turned, and do not make yourselves unclean with the images of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.

⁸ But they would not be controlled by me, and did not give ear to me; they did not put away the disgusting things to which their eyes were turned, or give up the images of Egypt: then I said I would let loose my passion on them to give full effect to my wrath against them in the land of Egypt.

⁹ And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean before the eyes of the nations among whom they were, and before whose eyes I gave them knowledge of myself, by taking them out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁰ So I made them go out of the land of Egypt and took them into the waste land.

¹¹ And I gave them my rules and made clear to them my orders, which, if a man keeps them, will be life to him.

¹² And further, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, so that it might be clear that I, who make them holy, am the Lord.

¹³ But the children of Israel would not be controlled by me in the waste land: they were not guided by my rules, and they were turned away from my orders, which, if a man does them, will be life to him; and they had no respect for my Sabbaths: then I said that I would let loose my passion on them in the waste land, and put an end to them.

¹⁴ And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean in the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had taken them out.

¹⁵ And further, I gave my oath to them in the waste land, that I would not take them into the land which I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands;

¹⁶ Because they were turned away from my orders, and were not guided by my rules, and had no respect for my Sabbaths: for their hearts went after their images.

¹⁷ But still my eye had pity on them and I kept them from destruction and did not put an end to them completely in the waste land.

¹⁸ And I said to their children in the waste land, Do not be guided by the rules of your fathers or keep their orders or make yourselves unclean with their images:

¹⁹ I am the Lord your God; be guided by my rules and keep my orders and do them:

²⁰ And keep my Sabbaths holy; and they will be a sign between me and you so that it may be clear to you that I am the Lord your God.

²¹ But the children would not be controlled by me; they were not guided by my rules, and they did not keep and do my orders, which, if a man does them, will be life to him; and they had no respect for my Sabbaths: then I said I would let loose my passion on them to give full effect to my wrath against them in the waste land.

²² And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean in the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had taken them out.

²³ Further, I gave my oath to them in the waste land that I would send them wandering among the nations, driving them out among the countries;

²⁴ Because they had not done my orders, but had been turned away from my rules, and had not given respect to my Sabbaths, and their eyes were turned to the images of their fathers.

²⁵ And further, I gave them rules which were not good and orders in which there was no life for them;

²⁶ I made them unclean in the offerings they gave, causing them to make every first child go through the fire, so that I might put an end to them.

²⁷ For this cause, son of man, say to the children of Israel, This is what the Lord has said: In this your fathers have further put shame on my name by doing wrong against me.

²⁸ For when I had taken them into the land which I made an oath to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every branching tree and made their offerings there, moving me to wrath by their offerings; and there the sweet smell of their offerings went up and their drink offerings were drained out.

²⁹ Then I said to them, What is this high place where you go to no purpose? And it is named Bamah to this day.

³⁰ For this cause say to the children of Israel, This is what the Lord has said: Are you making yourselves unclean as your fathers did? are you being untrue to me by going after their disgusting works?

³¹ And when you give your offerings, causing your sons to go through the fire, you make yourselves unclean with all your images to this day; and will you come to me for directions, O children of Israel? By my life, says the Lord, you will get no direction from me.

³² And that which comes into your minds will never take place; when you say, We will be like the nations, like the families of the countries, servants of wood and stone;

³³ By my life, says the Lord, truly, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with burning wrath let loose, I will be King over you:

³⁴ And I will take you out from the peoples and get you together out of the countries where you are wandering, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with burning wrath let loose:

³⁵ And I will take you into the waste land of the peoples, and there I will take up the cause with you face to face.

³⁶ As I took up the cause with your fathers in the waste land of the land of Egypt, so will I take up the cause with you says the Lord.

³⁷ And I will make you go under the rod and will make you small in number:

³⁸ Clearing out from among you all those who are uncontrolled and who are sinning against me; I will take them out of the land where they are living, but they will not come into the land of Israel: and you will be certain that I am the Lord.

³⁹ As for you, O children of Israel, the Lord has said: Let every man completely put away his images and give ear to me: and let my holy name no longer be shamed by your offerings and your images.

⁴⁰ For in my holy mountain, in the high mountain of Israel, says the Lord, there all the children of Israel, all of them, will be my servants in the land; there I will take pleasure in them, and there I will be worshipped with your offerings and the first-fruits of the things you give, and with all your holy things.

⁴¹ I will take pleasure in you as in a sweet smell, when I take you out from the peoples and get you together from the countries where you have been sent in flight; and I will make myself holy in you before the eyes of the nations.

⁴² And you will be certain that I am the Lord, when I take you into the land of Israel, into the country which I made an oath to give to your fathers.

⁴³ And there, at the memory of your ways and of all the things you did to make yourselves unclean, you will have bitter hate for yourselves because of all the evil things you have done.

⁴⁴ And you will be certain that I am the Lord, when I take you in hand for the honour of my name, and not for your evil ways or your unclean doings, O children of Israel, says the Lord.

⁴⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

⁴⁶ Son of man, let your face be turned to the south, let your words be dropped to the south, and be a prophet against the woodland of the South;

⁴⁷ And say to the woodland of the South, Give ear to the words of the Lord: this is what the Lord has said: See, I will have a fire lighted in you, for the destruction of every green tree in you and every dry tree: the flaming flame will not be put out, and all faces from the south to the north will be burned by it.

⁴⁸ And all flesh will see that I the Lord have had it lighted: it will not be put out.

⁴⁹ Then I said, Ah, Lord! they say of me, Is he not a maker of stories?