^{1 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} So I made them go out of the land of Egypt and took them into the waste land.

^{11 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} I am the Lord your God; be guided by my rules and keep my orders and do them:

^{20 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And further, I gave them rules which were not good and orders in which there was no life for them;

^{26 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And I will make you go under the rod and will make you small in number:

^{38 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And all flesh will see that I the Lord have had it lighted: it will not be put out.

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

^{1 Ref} 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 Ref} `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 Ref} Dost thou judge them? Dost thou judge, son of man? The abominations of their fathers cause them to know,

^{5 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And I bring them out of the land of Egypt, And I bring them in unto the wilderness,

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

^{12 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And Mine eye hath pity on them -- against destroying them, And I have not made of them an end in the wilderness.

^{18 Ref} 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 Ref} I `am' Jehovah your God, in My statutes walk, And My judgments observe, and do them,

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

^{21 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And I also, I have given to them statutes not good, And judgments by which they do not live.

^{26 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And I have brought you in unto the wilderness of the peoples, And have been judged with you there face to face.

^{36 Ref} 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 Ref} And I have caused you to pass under the rod, And brought you into the bond of the covenant,

^{38 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And seen have all flesh, that I, Jehovah, have kindled it -- it is not quenched.'

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