| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1On the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, men came from the elders of Israel to seek the LORD. They sat down in front of me. | 1In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, some of Israel's elders came to consult the LORD, and they sat down in front of me. |
| 2"Son of Man," the LORD told me, | 2Then the word of the LORD came to me: " |
| 3"Tell the elders of Israel, 'This is what the Lord GOD asks, "Did you come to inquire of me? As long as I live, I won't let myself be sought by you," declares the Lord GOD.' | 3Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel and tell them: This is what the Lord GOD says: Are you coming to consult Me? As I live, I will not be consulted by you." This is the declaration of the Lord GOD." |
| 4"Will you judge them? Son of Man, will you indeed judge them? Teach them about the detestable things that their ancestors did. | 4Will you pass judgment against them, will you pass judgment, son of man? Explain the detestable practices of their fathers to them. |
| 5Tell them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says, "The day I chose Israel, when I made my commitment to the descendants of Jacob's house, I revealed myself to them in the land of Egypt and I made my promise to them with the words, 'I am the LORD your God.' | 5Say to them: This is what the Lord GOD says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath to the descendants of Jacob's house and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, saying: I am Yahweh your God. |
| 6That day I promised to bring them out of the land of Egypt to the land that I had explored for them—a land flowing with milk and honey. It's the most beautiful of all lands. | 6On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands. |
| 7Then I told them, 'Each of you are to abandon your detestable practices. You are not to defile yourselves with Egypt's idols. I am the LORD your God.'"'" | 7I also said to them: Each of you must throw away the detestable things that are before your eyes and not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God." |
| 8"But they rebelled against me and weren't willing to obey me. None of them abandoned their detestable practices or their Egyptian idols. So I said, 'I'll pour out my anger on them, extending my fury in the middle of the land of Egypt.' | 8But they rebelled against Me and were unwilling to listen to Me. None of them threw away the detestable things that were before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them, exhausting My anger against them within the land of Egypt. |
| 9I did this so my reputation might not be tarnished among the nations where they were living, among whom I made myself known in their presence when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. | 9But I acted because of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations they were living among, in whose sight I had made Myself known to Israel by bringing them out of Egypt." |
| 10I brought them out of the land of Egypt to bring them to the wilderness | 10So I brought them out of the land of Egypt and led them into the wilderness. |
| 11where I gave them my statutes and revealed my ordinances to them, which if a person observes, he'll live by them. | 11Then I gave them My statutes and explained My ordinances to them--the person who does them will live by them. |
| 12Also, I instituted my Sabbath for them as a sign between me and them, so they would know that I am the LORD, who has set them apart." | 12I also gave them My Sabbaths to serve as a sign between Me and them, so they will know that I am Yahweh who sets them apart as holy." |
| 13"But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They didn't live by my statutes. They despised my ordinances, which if a person observes, he'll live by them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my anger on them and bring them to an end in the wilderness. | 13But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances--the person who does them will live by them. They also completely profaned My Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them in the wilderness to put an end to them. |
| 14I did this so my reputation wouldn't be tarnished among the nations in whose presence I had brought them out. | 14But I acted because of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. |
| 15"Moreover, I solemnly swore to them in the wilderness that I wouldn't bring them to the land that I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands— | 15However, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them--the most beautiful of all lands, flowing with milk and honey-- |
| 16because they kept on rejecting my ordinances. They didn't live life consistent with my statutes, they profaned my Sabbaths, and their hearts followed their idols. | 16because they rejected My ordinances, profaned My Sabbaths, and did not follow My statutes. For their hearts went after their idols. |
| 17Even then, I looked on them with compassion and didn't completely destroy them in the wilderness. | 17But I spared them from destruction and did not bring them to an end in the wilderness." |
| 18I told their children in the wilderness, 'You are not to follow the statutes of your ancestors, observe their ordinances, or be defiled by their idols. | 18Then I said to their children in the wilderness: Don't follow the statutes of your fathers, defile yourselves with their idols, or keep their ordinances. |
| 19I am the LORD your God. You are to follow my statutes, observe my ordinances, and keep them. | 19I am Yahweh your God. Follow My statutes, keep My ordinances, and practice them. |
| 20You are to make my Sabbaths holy, and you are to let them serve as a sign between you and me, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.'" | 20Keep My Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between Me and you, so you may know that I am Yahweh your God." |
| 21"But they rebelled against me. They didn't live according to my statutes, observe my ordinances, or practice them, by which a person will live. They also kept profaning my Sabbaths. So I said that I was going to pour out my anger on them and in my anger I'm going to bring about a complete end to them in the wilderness. | 21But the children rebelled against Me. They did not follow My statutes or carefully keep My ordinances--the person who does them will live by them. They also profaned My Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them and exhausting My anger against them in the wilderness. |
| 22But I withdrew my decision so my reputation wouldn't be tarnished among the nations before whose eyes I brought them out. | 22But I withheld My hand and acted because of My name, so that it would not be profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I brought them out. |
| 23"Futhermore, I solemnly swore in the wilderness to disperse them among the nations and scatter them to other lands | 23However, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries. |
| 24because they didn't observe my ordinances. Instead, they rejected my statutes, profaned my Sabbaths, and worshipped their ancestors' idols. | 24For they did not practice My ordinances but rejected My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were fixed on their fathers' idols. |
| 25So I gave them statutes that weren't good and ordinances by which they could not live. | 25I also gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances they could not live by. |
| 26I made them unclean because of their offerings, so they made all their firstborn to pass through the fire, so that I could make them astonished. Then they'll know that I am the LORD." | 26When they made every firstborn pass through the fire, I defiled them through their gifts in order to devastate them so they would know that I am Yahweh." |
| 27"Therefore, Son of Man, you are to speak to the children of Israel and tell them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "Your ancestors also blasphemed me in their treacherous behavior against me. | 27Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them: This is what the Lord GOD says: In this way also your fathers blasphemed Me by committing treachery against Me: |
| 28I brought them to the land that I had promised to give them. But whenever they saw any high hill and or any leafy tree, they slaughtered their sacrifices there and presented their offerings that provoked my anger. There they presented their pleasing aromas and poured out their drink offering. | 28When I brought them into the land that I swore to give them and they saw any high hill or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices and presented their offensive offerings there. They also sent up their pleasing aromas and poured out their drink offerings there. |
| 29So I asked them, 'What is the high place to which you're going?' That's why the name of the place has been called Bamah to this day."' | 29So I asked them: What is this high place you are going to? And it is called High Place to this day." |
| 30"Therefore you are to say to Israel's house, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: "Will you defile yourselves like your ancestors did by acting as a prostitute, consistent with their horrible deeds? | 30Therefore say to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord GOD says: Are you defiling yourselves the way your fathers did, and prostituting yourselves with their detestable things? |
| 31When you present your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with your idols to this day. Should I be inquired of by you, you house of Israel? As I live," declares the LORD, "I certainly won't be inquired of by you." | 31When you offer your gifts, making your children pass through the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, house of Israel? As I live"--this is the declaration of the Lord GOD--"I will not be consulted by you!" |
| 32The thing that you're imagining is never going to happen, since you're thinking, "We'll be like the nations, like the clans of other lands who serve gods made from wood and stone."'" | 32When you say, 'Let us be like the nations, like the peoples of other countries, worshiping wood and stone,' what you have in mind will never happen. |
| 33"As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "with my powerful hand and outstretched arm, along with my wrath poured out, I'll reign as king over you. | 33As I live"--the declaration of the Lord GOD--"I will rule over you with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath. |
| 34I'll bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you were scattered. With a powerful hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, | 34I will bring you from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you were scattered, with a strong hand, an outstretched arm, and outpoured wrath. |
| 35I'll bring you into the wilderness of the nations. I'll judge you right there, face to face. | 35I will lead you into the wilderness of the peoples and enter into judgment with you there face to face. |
| 36Just as I judged your ancestors in the wilderness in the land of Egypt, so I'll judge you," declares the LORD. | 36Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you." This is the declaration of the Lord GOD." |
| 37"I'll cause you to pass under the rod until I will have brought you into the bond of the covenant. | 37I will make you pass under the rod and will bring you into the bond of the covenant. |
| 38I'll eliminate the rebels among you, along with those who are transgressing against me. I'll bring them out of the land where you've lived, but they won't be able to enter the land of Israel. Then you'll know that I am the LORD." | 38And I will also purge you of those who rebel and transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land where they live as foreign residents, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am Yahweh." |
| 39And now, you house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says, "Go ahead and serve your idols, both now and later, but later you'll listen to me, and you won't profane my sacred name again by your offerings and idols. | 39As for you, house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, each of you. But afterward you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols. |
| 40For on my holy mountain, on Israel's high mountains," declares the Lord GOD, "the whole of Israel's house—all of it—will serve me there in the land. I'll accept them there. And there I'll demand your offerings, the first fruits of your portions of all your sacred things. | 40For on My holy mountain, Israel's high mountain"--the declaration of the Lord GOD--"there the entire house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land. There I will accept them and will require your contributions and choicest gifts, all your holy offerings. |
| 41"When I will have brought you from among the people and have gathered you from the lands where you were scattered, I'll accept you as a pleasing aroma. I'll reveal my holiness among you, and the entire world will see it. | 41When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will demonstrate My holiness through you in the sight of the nations. |
| 42Then you'll know that I, the LORD, brought you to the land of Israel, to the land that I promised to give to your ancestors. | 42When I lead you into the land of Israel, the land I swore to give your fathers, you will know that I am Yahweh. |
| 43You'll remember all your practices and evil actions by which you've become defiled. You'll loathe yourselves because of all the evil things you've done. | 43There you will remember your ways and all your deeds that you have defiled yourselves with, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil things you have done. |
| 44Then you'll know that I am the LORD, when I will have dealt with you for the benefit of my own reputation and not according to your evil attitudes or corrupt practices, you house of Israel," declares the Lord GOD. | 44You will know that I am Yahweh, house of Israel, when I have dealt with you because of My name rather than according to your evil ways and corrupt acts." This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. |
| 45 This message came to me from the LORD: | 45The word of the LORD came to me: " |
| 46"Son of Man, turn to the south and oppose it, talking toward the south. | 46Son of man, face the south and preach against it. Prophesy against the forest land in the Negev, |
| 47Prophesy against the forest of the Negev, 'Listen to this message from the LORD. This is what the Lord GOD says: "Look out! I'm about to ignite a fire and set it against you. It will devour every tree—whether green or dry—that lives in you. This powerful flame will not be extinguishable, and the entire surface from south to north will be scorched by it. | 47and say to the forest there: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The blazing flame will not be extinguished, and every face from the south to the north will be scorched by it. |
| 48Then everyone will see that I, the LORD, have kindled it, because it won't be extinguished."'" | 48Then all people will see that I, Yahweh, have kindled it. It will not be extinguished." |
| 49Then I said, "O Lord GOD! They're saying about me, 'Isn't he one to propound parables?'" | 49Then I said, "Oh, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, 'Isn't he just posing riddles?" |
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