1 ¶ Now it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

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

3 Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, The Lord GOD says; Have you come to consult me? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you.

4 Will you be their judge, son of man, will you judge them? remind them of the abominations committed by their fathers:

5 ¶ And say to them, The Lord GOD says; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up my hand in promise 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 God;

6 In the day that I lifted up my hand to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had chosen for them, the most beautiful of all the lands, flowing with milk and honey:

7 Then I said to them, Throw out the detestable gods you are looking to, 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: none of them threw away the detestable things that were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my wrath upon them, and let them feel my anger in the land of Egypt.

9 But I relented for my name’s sake, so that it would not be profaned before the heathen, among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them, as the one who would bring them out of the land of Egypt.

10 ¶ Therefore I caused them to leave the land of Egypt, and brought them into the desert.

11 And I gave them my laws, and taught them my judgments, in which there is life, for those who keep them.

12 In addition I also gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they did not live according to my laws, and rejected my instructions, in which there is life for those who keep them; and they grievously profaned my sabbaths: then I said, I will pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I relented for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the eyes of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

15 But I also lifted up my hand to them in the wilderness, swearing that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, the most beautiful of all the lands, flowing with milk and honey;

16 Because they despised my judgments, and did not live according to my laws, but profaned my sabbaths: because their hearts yearned for their idols.

17 Nevertheless my eye pitied them instead of destroying them, and I did not end their existence in the desert.

18 But in the desert I said to their children, Do not live according to the rules of your fathers, or follow their ways, or defile yourselves with their idols:

19 I am the LORD your God; follow my rules, and keep my instruction, and do what they require;

20 And keep my sabbaths holy; and they will be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.

21 Nevertheless the children rebelled against me: they did not follow my law, or keep my instruction, in which there is life for those who keep it; they profaned my sabbaths: then I said, I will pour out my wrath upon them, and let them feel the full force of anger against them in the desert.

22 But I held back my hand, and relented for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

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

24 Because they had not done what I said, but had despised my rules, and profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were looking to their fathers’ idols.

25 Therefore I also gave them statutes that were not good, and instructions that would not bring them life;

26 And I let them defile themselves with their own offerings, in that they caused all their firstborn to pass through the fire, in order to terrify them, so that they might know that I am the LORD.

27 ¶ Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, The Lord GOD says; Again in this your fathers blasphemed me, in that they were disloyal to me.

28 For when I brought them into the land, which I had lifted my hand in promise to give them, when they saw any high hill, or leafy tree, they offered their sacrifices there, and brought offerings there to make me angry: and there they made their sweet fragrance rise, and poured out their drink offerings.

29 Then I asked them, What is the high place to which you go? And the name of it is called Bamah to this day.

30 Therefore say to the house of Israel, The Lord GOD asks; Do you defile yourselves in the way your fathers did? and go lusting after their detestable occult practices?

31 For when you bring your gifts, by making your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day: so shall I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not let you consult me.

32 And when you say, Let us be like heathen, like the people of other countries, worshipping wood and stone, what you have in mind will never come to pass.

33 ¶ As I live, says the Lord GOD, with a mighty hand, and with an out-stretched arm, and with poured-out fury, I will be king over you:

34 And I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an out-stretched arm, and with poured out fury.

35 And I will bring you into the desert of the nations, and there I will contend with you face to face.

36 Just as I pleaded with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will plead with you, says the Lord GOD.

37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the discipline of the covenant:

38 And I will purge the rebels out from among you, and those who transgress against me: I will bring them out of the country where they are staying, but they will not enter the land of Israel: and you will know that I am the LORD.

39 As for you, O house of Israel, the Lord GOD says; Go on each of you, serve your idols; but as I live, you will eventually listen to me: however you will no longer pollute my holy name by your sacrifices, and with your idols.

40 For on my holy mountain, on the high hill of Israel, says the Lord GOD, that is where all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, will serve me: there I will receive them, and there I will accept your offerings, and your choicest gifts, with all your holy contributions.

41 I will accept you with a sweet fragrance, when I bring you out of the nations, and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

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

43 And there you will remember your ways, and all your doings, in which you have been defiled; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight because of all the evils that you have committed.

44 And you will know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you so as to honor my name, and not according to your wicked ways, or your corrupt doings, O house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.

45 ¶ The word of the LORD then came to me, saying,

46 Son of man, look toward the south, and preach against the south, and speak the word of God against the forest in the south;

47 And say to the forest in the south, Hear the word of the LORD; The Lord GOD says; Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it will destroy every green tree in you, and every dry tree: the raging flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to the north will be scorched by it.

48 And all flesh will see that I the LORD have kindled it: and it will never be put out.

49 Then I said, O Lord GOD! they say of me, Isn’t he only telling parables?