¶ In the seventh year, the tenth day of the fifth Month, it happened, that certain of the elders of Israel came unto me, for to ask counsel at the LORD, and sat them down by me.
Then came the word of the LORD unto me on this manner:
Thou son of man: speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them: Thus sayeth the Lord GOD: Are ye come hither to ask anything at me? As truly as I live, (sayeth the Lord GOD)
I will give you no answer. Wilt thou not reprove them (thou son of man) wilt thou not reprove them? Shew them the abominations of their forefathers:
¶ and tell them: Thus sayeth the Lord GOD: In the day when I chose Israel, and lift up mine hand upon the seed of the house of Iacob, and shewed myself unto them in the land of Egypt; Yea when I lift up mine hand over them, and said: I am the LORD your God,
even in the day that I lift up mine hand over them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt, into a land that I have provided for them, which floweth with milk and honey, and it is a pleasant land among all other:
Then said I unto them: Cast away every man the abominations that he hath before him, and defile not yourselves with the Idols of Egypt, for I am the LORD your God.
But they rebelled against me, and would not follow me: to cast away every man the abominations of his eyes, and to forsake the Idols of Egypt. Then I made me to pour my indignation over them, and to satisfy my wrath upon them: Yea even in the middest of the land of Egypt.
But I would not do it, for my name's sake: that it should not be unhallowed before the Heathen, among whom they dwelt, and among whom I shewed my self unto them, that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt.
¶ Now when I had carried them out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
I gave them my comandments, and shewed them my laws: which who so keepeth shall live in them.
I gave them also my holy days, to be a token betwixt me and them, and thereby to know, that I am the LORD, which halloweth them.
And yet the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness, they would not walk in my comandments, they have cast away my laws (which whoso keepeth should live in them) and my Sabbath days have they greatly unhallowed. Then I made me to pour out my indignation upon them, and to consume them in the wilderness;
Yet I would not do it, for my name's sake: lest it should be dishonoured before the Heathen, from the which I had carried them away.
But I swore unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land, which I gave them: a land that floweth with milk and honey, and is a pleasure of all lands:
and that because they refused my laws, and walked not in my comandments, but had unhallowed my Sabbaths, for their heart was gone after their Idols.
Nevertheless mine eye spared them, so that I would not utterly slay them, and consume them in the wilderness.
Moreover, I said unto their sons in the wilderness: walk not in the statutes of your forefathers, keep not their ordinances, and defile not yourselves with their idols,
for I am the LORD your God. But walk in my statutes, keep my laws and do them,
hallow my Sabbaths: for they are a token betwixt me and you, that ye may know, how that I am the LORD.
Notwithstanding, their sons rebelled against me also: they walked not in my statutes, they kept not my laws to fulfill them (which he that doth shall live in them) neither hallowed they my Sabbath days. Then I made me again to pour out my indignation over them, and to satisfy my wrath upon them in the wilderness.
Nevertheless, I withdrew my hand for my name's sake, lest it should be unhallowed among the Heathen, before whom I had brought them forth.
I lift up mine hand over them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the Heathen, and strow them among the nations:
because they had not kept my laws, but cast aside my comandments, unhallowed my Sabbaths, and lift up their eyes to their fathers' Idols.
Wherefore I gave them also comandments not good, and laws thorow the which they should not live,
and I unhallowed them in their own gifts (when I appointed for my self all their firstborn) to make them desolate: that they might know, how that I am the LORD.
¶ Therefore (O thou son of man) tell the house of Israel, thus sayeth the Lord GOD: Beside all this, your forefathers have yet blasphemed me more, and greatly offended against me:
For after I had brought them into the land, that I promised to give them, when they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees: they made their offerings, and provoked me with their oblations, making sweet saviours there, and poured out their drink offerings.
Then I ask them; What have ye to do with all, that ye go thither? And therefore is it called the high place unto this day.
Wherefore, speak unto the house of Israel: Thus sayeth the Lord GOD: Ye are even as unclean as your forefathers, and commit whoredom also with their abominations.
In all your idols, where unto ye bring your oblations, and to whose honour ye burn your children: ye defile your selves, even unto this day: how dare ye then come, and ask any question at me? O ye household of Israel? As truly as I live (sayeth the Lord GOD) ye get no answer of me:
and as for the thing that ye go about, it shall not come to pass, where as ye say: we will be as the Heathen, and do as other people in the land, wood and stone will we worship.
¶ As truly as I live, sayeth the Lord GOD, I myself will rule you with a mighty hand, with a stretched out arm, and with indignation poured out over you:
and will bring you out of the nations and lands, wherein ye are scattered: and gather you together with a mighty hand, with a stretched out arm and with indignation poured out upon you:
and will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there I will reason with you face to face.
Like as I punished your forefathers in the wilderness, so will I punish you also, sayeth the Lord GOD.
I will bring you under my jurisdiction, and under the bond of the covenant.
The forsakers also and the transgressors will I take from among you, and bring them out of the land of your habitations: As for the land of Israel, they shall not come in it: that they may know, how that I am the LORD.
Go now then (sayeth the Lord GOD) ye house of Israel, cast away, and destroy every man his Idols: then shall ye hear me, and no more blaspheme my holy name with your offerings and Idols.
But upon my holy hill, even upon the high hill of Israel shall all the house of Israel and all that is in the land, worship me: and in the same place will I favour them, and there will I require your heave offerings, and the firstlings of your oblations, with all your holy things.
I will accept your sweet savour, when I bring you from the nations, and gather you together out of the lands, wherein ye be scattered: that I may be hallowed in you before the Heathen.
and that ye may know, that I am the LORD, which have brought you into the land of Israel: Yea into the same land, that I swore to give unto your forefathers.
There shall ye call to remembrance your own ways and all your imaginations, wherein ye have been defiled: and ye shall be displeased with your own selves, for all your wickedness, that ye have done.
And ye shall know, that I am the LORD: when I entreat you after my name, not after your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt works: O ye house of Israel, sayeth the LORD.
¶ Moreover, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:
Thou son of man, set thy face toward the south, and speak to the south wind,
and say to the wood toward the south: Hear the word of the LORD, thus sayeth the Lord GOD: Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, that shall consume thee green trees with the dry. No man shall be able to quench his flame, but all that looketh from the south to the north shall be brent therein.
And all flesh shall see, that I the LORD have kindled it, so that no man may quench it. Then said I: O LORD, they will say of me: Tush, they are but fables that he telleth.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.