The rebellions of Israel

1And 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 the Lord, and sat before me.   ask for guidance

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

3Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God; Are you^p come to inquire of Me? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you^p.   Adonai^p.f. Jehovah^s.f.; asked for guidance

4Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:   vile, detestable things

5And say to them, Thus says the Lord God; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up My hand to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up My hand to them, saying, I am the Lord your^p God;   promised; offspring

6In the day that I lifted up My hand to 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:   searched out

7Then said I to them, Cast you^p away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves^p with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your^p God.

8But they rebelled against Me, and would not hearken 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 will pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9But 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 to them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.   acted

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

11And I gave them My statutes, and showed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

12Moreover 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.

13But 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.

14But I wrought for My name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

15Yet also I lifted up My hand 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;

16Because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17Nevertheless My eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

18But I said to their children in the wilderness, Walk you^p not in the statutes of your^p fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves^p with their idols:

19I am the Lord your^p God; walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them;

20And hallow My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you^p, that you^p may know that I am the Lord your^p God.   honor

21Notwithstanding 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.

22Nevertheless I withdrew My 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.

23I lifted up My hand to them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;

24Because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, and had polluted My sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.

25Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;   ROM 1:24

26And 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 the Lord.   empty, barren

27Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God; Yet in this your^p fathers have blasphemed Me, in that they have committed a trespass against Me.   reviled, offended

28For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up My 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 savor, and poured out there their drink offerings.   aroma

29Then I said to them, What is the high place whereto you^p go? And the name thereof is called Bamah to this day.   pagan shrine

30Why say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God; Are you^p polluted after the manner of your^p fathers? and commit you^p whoredom after their abominations?

31For when you^p offer your^p gifts, when you^p make your^p sons to pass through the fire, you^p pollute yourselves^p with all your^p idols, even to this day: and shall I be inquired of by you^p, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you^p.

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