Ezekiel 20
A History Told Back to Them, Generation by Generation
← Ezekiel 19 · Ezekiel: all chapters · Ezekiel 21 →
The Elders Come to Inquire
20:1In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth of the month, men from the elders of the house of Israel came to question the Lord and sat before me.
20:2The Lord’s word came to me, saying,
20:3“Son of man, speak to Israel’s elders and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: Have you come to question Me? As I live, I will certainly not answer you, says the Lord.’
20:4Shall I indeed exact retribution upon them? Son of man, solemnly testify to them about their fathers’ lawlessness,
From the Day I Chose Israel
20:5and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: From the day I chose the house of Israel, I became known to the seed of Jacob’s house and was known to them in Egypt’s land. I supported them with My hand, saying, “I am the Lord your God.”
20:6On that day I supported them with My hand to bring them out of Egypt’s land into the land I prepared for them, a land flowing with milk and honey; it is a honeycomb compared with all the earth.
20:7I said to them, “Let each cast away the abominations of his eyes, and do not be defiled by Egypt’s practices. I am the Lord your God.”
20:8They revolted from Me and would not listen to Me. They did not cast away the abominations of their eyes or abandon Egypt’s practices. I said I would pour My wrath upon them and complete My anger in them in the midst of Egypt’s land.
20:9I acted so that My name would not be profaned at all before the nations among whom they are, among whom I was known to them before their eyes by bringing them out of Egypt’s land.
I Gave Them My Sabbaths
20:10I brought them out of Egypt’s land and brought them into the wilderness,
20:11and gave them My commands and made My ordinances known to them, which a person shall do and live by them.
20:12I gave them My sabbaths as a sign between Me and them, so that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
20:13I said to the house of Israel in the wilderness, “Walk in My commands.” But they did not walk, and they rejected My ordinances, which a person shall do and live by them; they greatly profaned My sabbaths. I said I would pour My wrath upon them in the wilderness to consume them utterly.
20:14I acted so that My name would not be profaned at all before the nations from whom I brought them out before their eyes.
20:15I too raised My hand against them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them at all into the land I gave them, a land flowing with milk and honey, a honeycomb compared with all the earth,
20:16because they rejected My ordinances, did not walk in My commands, and were profaning My sabbaths, and they followed the reflections of their hearts.
20:17My eye spared them from obliteration, and I did not make a complete end of them in the wilderness.
The Children in the Wilderness
20:18I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not walk in your fathers’ ordinances, do not keep their judgments, do not mix yourselves with their practices, and do not be defiled.
20:19I am the Lord your God. Walk in My commands, keep My ordinances and carry them out,
20:20and sanctify My sabbaths; let it be a sign between Me and you, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.”
20:21Their children too embittered Me. They did not walk in My commands or keep My ordinances to carry them out, which a person shall do and live by them; they were profaning My sabbaths. I said I would pour My wrath upon them in the wilderness and complete My anger upon them.
20:22I acted so that My name would not be profaned at all before the nations from whom I brought them out before their eyes.
20:23I raised My hand against them in the wilderness, to scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the countries,
20:24because they did not carry out My ordinances, rejected My commands and were profaning My sabbaths, while their eyes followed their fathers’ reflections.
20:25I too gave them commands that were not good, and ordinances in which they would not live.
20:26I will defile them through their gifts, when I pass through every opener of the womb, so that I may destroy them.
They Blasphemed Me in the Land
20:27Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: To this extent your fathers angered Me in the transgressions they committed against Me.
20:28I brought them into the land I raised My hand to give them. They saw every high hill and every shady tree; there they sacrificed to their gods, there they set a fragrant aroma, and there they poured their libations.
20:29I said to them, “What is Abama, that you go in there?” They called its name Abama to this very day.’
Shall I Be Inquired of by You?
20:30Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord: Are you being defiled in your fathers’ lawlessness and prostituting yourselves after their abominations?
20:31In the firstfruits of your gifts, in your separations, you are being defiled with all your reflections to this very day. Shall I answer you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord, I will certainly not answer you, nor shall this rise upon your spirit.
20:32It will not be as you say: “We will be like the nations and like the tribes of the earth, serving woods and stones.”
Into the Wilderness of the Peoples
20:33Therefore, as I live, says the Lord, with a mighty hand, a high arm and outpoured wrath I will reign over you.
20:34I will bring you out from the peoples and receive you from the countries where you were scattered, with a mighty hand, a high arm and outpoured wrath.
20:35I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples and contend with you there, face to face.
20:36As I contended with your fathers in the wilderness of Egypt’s land, so I will judge you, says the Lord.
20:37I will lead you beneath My rod and bring you in by number,
20:38and select from you the impious and those who have revolted, for I will bring them out of their sojourning, but they will not enter Israel’s land. You will recognize that I am the Lord.
20:39And you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord, the Lord: Each of you, remove his practices! After these things, if you are not listening to Me, you shall no longer profane My holy name with your gifts and practices.
Upon My Holy Mountain
20:40For upon My holy mountain, upon a high mountain, says the Lord, the Lord, there the whole house of Israel will serve Me to the end. There I will accept, and there I will attend to your firstfruits and the firstfruits of your separations, with all your holy things.
20:41As a fragrant aroma I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples and receive you from the countries where you were scattered. I will be sanctified among you before the eyes of the peoples.
20:42You will recognize that I am the Lord when I bring you into Israel’s land, into the land for which I raised My hand to give it to your fathers.
20:43There you will remember your ways and your practices by which you were being defiled; you will beat your faces over all your evils.
20:44You will recognize that I am the Lord when I deal thus with you so that My name may not be profaned according to your evil ways and corrupt practices, says the Lord.’”
← Ezekiel 19 · Ezekiel: all chapters · Ezekiel 21 →
Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.