Idolatrous Elders Punished

1Then some elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me. 2And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 3“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be inquired by them at all? 4Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I Yahweh will be brought to give him an answer [†]in light of it, [†]in light of the multitude of his idols, 5in order to seize the house of Israel by their heart, those who are [†]estranged from Me through all their idols.”’

6“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “[†]Turn back and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. 7For anyone of the house of Israel or of the sojourners who sojourn in Israel who separates himself from Me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me for himself, I, Yahweh, will be brought to answer him in My own person. 8I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and [†]a proverb, and I will cut him off from among My people. So you will know that I am Yahweh.

9“But if the prophet is enticed to speak a word, it is I, Yahweh, who have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. 10They will bear the punishment of their iniquity; as the iniquity of the inquirer is, so the iniquity of the prophet will be, 11in order that the house of Israel may no longer wander from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Thus they will be My people, and I shall be their God,”’ declares Lord Yahweh.”

Calamitous Judgments of Jerusalem

12Then the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 13“Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, break its staff of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and beast, 14even though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,” declares Lord Yahweh. 15“If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land and they bereaved it of children and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, 16though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would become desolate. 17Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,’ 18even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. 19Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it to cut off man and beast from it, 20even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”

21For thus says Lord Yahweh, “How much more when I send My four calamitous judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague to cut off man and beast from it! 22Yet, behold, [†]survivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come forth to you, and you will see their way and actions; then you will be comforted for the calamity which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it. 23Then they will comfort you when you see their way and actions, so you will know that I have not done in vain all that I did [†]to it,” declares Lord Yahweh.