Ezekiel 20 — BSB

Israel’s Rebellion in Egypt

20Verse 1In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down before me.^{Verse 2}Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,^{Verse 3}“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Have you come to inquire of Me? As surely as I live, I will not be consulted by you, declares the Lord GOD.^{Verse 4}Will you judge them, will you judge them, son of man? Confront them with the abominations of their fathers^{Verse 5}and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt. With an uplifted hand I said to them, ‘I am the LORD your God.’^{Verse 6}On that day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands.^{Verse 7}And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’^{Verse 8}But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt.^{Verse 9}But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they were living, in whose sight I had revealed Myself to Israel by bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

Israel’s Rebellion in the Wilderness

^{Verse 10}So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.^{Verse 11}And I gave them My statutes and made known to them My ordinances—for the man who does these things will live by them.^{+Verse 12}I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between us, so that they would know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.^{Verse 13}Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they utterly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and put an end to them in the wilderness.^{Verse 14}But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.^{Verse 15}Moreover, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands—^{Verse 16}because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.^{Verse 17}Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or bring them to an end in the wilderness.^{Verse 18}In the wilderness I said to their children: ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers or keep their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.^{Verse 19}I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them.^{Verse 20}Keep My Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’^{Verse 21}But the children rebelled against Me. They did not walk in My statutes or carefully observe My ordinances—though the man who does these things will live by them—and they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the wilderness.^{Verse 22}But I withheld My hand and acted for the sake of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.^{Verse 23}However, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.^{Verse 24}For they did not practice My ordinances, but they rejected My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, fixing their eyes on the idols of their fathers.^{Verse 25}I also gave them over to statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.^{Verse 26}And I pronounced them unclean through their gifts—the sacrifice of every firstborn in the fire—so that I might devastate them, in order that they would know that I am the LORD.

Israel’s Rebellion in the Land

^{Verse 27}Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: In this way also your fathers blasphemed Me by their unfaithfulness against Me.^{Verse 28}When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, presented offerings that provoked Me, sent up their fragrant incense, and poured out their drink offerings.^{Verse 29}So I asked them: ‘What is this high place to which you go?’
(And to this day it is called Bamah.⁺)^{Verse 30}Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did, prostituting yourselves with their abominations?^{Verse 31}When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your sons in the fire,⁺you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you!^{Verse 32}When you say, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of the lands, serving wood and stone,’ what you have in mind will never come to pass.

Judgment and Restoration

^{Verse 33}As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will rule over you.^{Verse 34}With a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you⁺from the lands to which you have been scattered.^{Verse 35}And I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face.^{Verse 36}Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt,⁺so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord GOD.^{Verse 37}I will make you pass under the rod and will bring you into the bond of the covenant.^{Verse 38}And I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land in which they dwell, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.^{Verse 39}And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols.^{Verse 40}For on My holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Lord GOD, there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your offerings and choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices.^{Verse 41}When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will show My holiness through you in the sight of the nations.^{Verse 42}Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land that I swore to give your fathers.^{Verse 43}There you will remember your ways and all the deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evils you have done.^{Verse 44}Then you will know, O house of Israel, that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for the sake of My name and not according to your wicked ways and corrupt acts, declares the Lord GOD.”

A Prophecy against the South

^{Verse 45}Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,^{Verse 46}“Son of man, set your face toward the south,⁺preach against it, and prophesy against the forest of the Negev.^{Verse 47}Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched.^{Verse 48}Then all people will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it; it will not be quenched.”^{Verse 49}Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”