Parallel Bible results for "ezekiel 20"

Ezekiel 20

Revised Standard Version RSV

1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

2 And the word of the LORD came to me:

3 "Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then let them know the abominations of their fathers,

5 and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the seed of the house of Jacob, making myself known to them in the land of Egypt, I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God.

6 On that day I swore to them that I would 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 most glorious of all lands.

7 And I said to them, Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

8 But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not every man cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. "Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they dwelt, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

10 So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.

11 I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, by whose observance man shall live.

12 Moreover I gave them my sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I the LORD sanctify them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not walk in my statutes but rejected my ordinances, by whose observance man shall live; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned. "Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them.

14 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.

15 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands,

16 because they rejected my ordinances and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.

17 Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness.

18 "And I said to their children in the wilderness, Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

19 I the LORD am your God; walk in my statutes, and be careful to observe my ordinances,

20 and hallow my sabbaths that they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I the LORD am your God.

21 But the children rebelled against me; they did not walk in my statutes, and were not careful to observe my ordinances, by whose observance man shall live; they profaned my sabbaths. "Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness.

22 But I withheld my hand, and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.

23 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries,

24 because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their fathers' idols.

25 Moreover I gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not have life;

26 and I defiled them through their very gifts in making them offer by fire all their first-born, that I might horrify them; I did it that they might know that I am the LORD.

27 "Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: In this again your fathers blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me.

28 For when I had brought them into the land which I swore to give them, then wherever they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and presented the provocation of their offering; there they sent up their soothing odors, and there they poured out their drink offerings.

29 (I said to them, What is the high place to which you go? So its name is called Bamah to this day.)

30 Wherefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go astray after their detestable things?

31 When you offer your gifts and sacrifice your sons by fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

32 "What is in your mind shall never happen--the thought, 'Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.'

33 "As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you.

34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out;

35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

36 As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, says the Lord GOD.

37 I will make you pass under the rod, and I will let you go in by number.

38 I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

39 "As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.

40 "For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord GOD, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land; there I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings.

41 As a pleasing odor I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations.

42 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country which I swore to give to your fathers.

43 And there you shall remember your ways and all the doings with which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed.

44 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, says the Lord GOD."

45 And the word of the LORD came to me:

46 "Son of man, set your face toward the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb;

47 say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it.

48 All flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it; it shall not be quenched."

49 Then I said, "Ah Lord GOD! they are saying of me, 'Is he not a maker of allegories?'"

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 On the tenth day of the fifth month in the seventh year, some of the leaders of Israel came to ask for the LORD's help. They sat in front of me.

2 Then the LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

3 "Son of man, speak to the leaders of Israel. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Are you coming to ask me for help? As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, you will not be allowed to ask me for help.'

4 "Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Tell them about the disgusting things their ancestors did.

5 Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: When I chose Israel, I raised my hand and swore an oath to the descendants of Jacob's family. I made myself known to them in Egypt. I made a promise to them and said, "I am the LORD your God."

6 At that time I promised to bring them out of Egypt to a land that I had chosen for them. This land is the most beautiful land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

7 I said to them, "Get rid of the detestable idols that you look to for help. Don't dishonor yourselves with the disgusting idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

8 "'But they rebelled against me and refused to listen to me. Not one of them got rid of the detestable idols that they looked to for help. They didn't abandon the disgusting idols of Egypt. So I was going to pour out my fury on them and unleash my anger on them in Egypt.

9 But I acted so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations where they were living. While other nations were watching, I made myself known to them by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.

10 "'So I brought the Israelites out of Egypt and led them into the desert.

11 I gave them my laws and made my rules known to them. If people obey them they will live.

12 I also gave them certain days to worship me as a sign between us so that they would know that I, the LORD, made them holy.

13 "'But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They didn't live by my laws, and they rejected my rules. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them in the desert and completely wipe them out.

14 But I acted so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations who had watched me bring the Israelites out [of Egypt].

15 I also swore an oath to them in the desert. I swore that I would not bring them into the land that I had promised to give them. This land is the most beautiful land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

16 They rejected my rules, and they didn't live by my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, because their hearts chased disgusting idols.

17 But I had compassion on them. I didn't destroy them or completely wipe them out in the desert.

18 I said to their children in the desert, "Don't live by the laws of your ancestors. Don't obey their rules or dishonor yourselves with their disgusting idols.

19 I am the LORD your God. Live by my laws. Obey my rules and follow them.

20 Set apart certain holy days to worship me. This will be a sign between me and you so that you will know that I am the LORD your God."

21 "'But they rebelled against me. They didn't live by my laws, and they didn't obey my rules and follow them. If people obey them, they will live. They dishonored the days to worship me. So I was going to pour out my fury on them and unleash my anger on them in the desert.

22 But I didn't use my power so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations who had watched me bring the Israelites out [of Egypt].

23 I raised my hand and swore an oath to them in the desert. I promised to scatter them among the nations and force them into other countries.

24 They didn't follow my rules, and they rejected my laws. They dishonored the days to worship me, and they looked to their ancestors' disgusting idols for help.

25 I also allowed them to follow laws that were no good and rules by which they could not live.

26 I let them dishonor themselves when they sacrificed all their firstborn sons as gifts [to their false gods]. I terrified them so that they would know that I am the LORD.'

27 "Speak to the nation of Israel, son of man. Tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Your ancestors insulted me again because they were unfaithful to me.

28 I brought them to the land that I promised to give them. When they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, they made sacrifices and brought offerings there to make me angry. There they offered their sacrifices and poured out their wine offerings.

29 Then I asked them, "What is this worship site you're going to?"' (So it is still called 'worship site' today.)

30 "Tell the nation of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Will you dishonor yourselves the way your ancestors did? Will you chase their detestable idols like a prostitute?

31 You offer your children as sacrifices by burning them alive. You dishonor yourselves with all your disgusting idols to this day. Should you be allowed to ask me for help, nation of Israel? "'As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, you won't be allowed to ask me for help.

32 What you have in mind will never happen. You think that you want to be like other nations, like the different people in other countries. You want to serve wood and stone.

33 "'As I live, declares the Almighty LORD, I will rule you with a mighty hand and a powerful arm, and I will pour out my fury.

34 I will bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where I have scattered you with my mighty hand and powerful arm. I will pour out my fury.

35 I will bring you into the desert of the nations. There I will put you on trial face to face.

36 I will put you on trial as I put your ancestors on trial in the desert of Egypt, declares the Almighty LORD.

37 Then I will make you suffer punishment and make you keep the terms of the promise.

38 I will get rid of rebels and those who do wrong against me. I will bring you out of the land where you are living. You will never enter Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

39 "'Nation of Israel, this is what the Almighty LORD says: Serve your disgusting idols. But afterwards, you will listen to me. You will no longer dishonor my holy name with your gifts and your disgusting idols.

40 "'The entire nation of Israel, everyone in the land, will worship me on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Almighty LORD. There I will accept you. There I will look for your offerings, your best gifts, and all your holy gifts.

41 When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, I will accept you as if you were a pleasing sacrifice. Through you I will reveal myself as holy to the nations that are watching.

42 Then you will know that I am the LORD, because I will bring you to the land of Israel, the land that I promised to give your ancestors.

43 There you will remember the way you lived and everything you did to dishonor yourselves. You will be disgusted by every wrong thing that you did.

44 Then you will know that I am the LORD, because I will deal with you for the sake of my name. I will not deal with you based on the evil and corrupt things that you have done, nation of Israel, declares the Almighty LORD.'"

45 The LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

46 "Son of man, turn to the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest in the Negev.

47 Tell the forest in the Negev, 'Listen to the word of the LORD. This is what the Almighty LORD says: I am about to set fire to you to destroy all your green trees and all your dry trees. The blazing fire will not be put out. It will burn the whole land from the south to the north.

48 Then everyone will know that I, the LORD, started the fire. It will never be put out.'"

49 Then I said, "Oh no! Almighty LORD, no! The people already say that I'm only telling stories."