Ezekiel

Contains visions and prophecies of judgment and restoration for Israel and the nations.

Chapter 20

1 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

*In the seventh year, fifth month, tenth day, some older people from Israel visited me to ask God for guidance and they sat with me.

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

*Then, the LORD's message came to me, saying,

3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.

*Son, tell the older people in Israel, "God says, 'Are you seeking me?' I swear, I won't let you ask me anything."

4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:

*Will you judge them, human helper, will you judge them? Help them understand the terrible actions of their ancestors.

5 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God;

*And tell them, The Lord God says: When I chose Israel and promised protection to the descendants of Jacob's family, I revealed myself to them in Egypt. I raised my hand and said, "I am the LORD, your God."

6 In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

*When I promised to guide them out of Egypt to a wonderful new land, filled with milk and honey, a land that's the best among all lands.

7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

*Then I told them, Get rid of all the bad things you look at, and don't let yourself be influenced by the gods of Egypt; I am the LORD, your God.

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

*But they refused to listen to me and didn't stop their bad habits or leave behind the Egyptian statues. So, I decided to unleash my anger on them while I was still in Egypt.

9 But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

*But I did it for my reputation, so it wouldn't be disgraced among non-believers. I showed myself to them while helping them leave Egypt.

10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

*So I made them leave Egypt's land and led them into the desert.

11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

*I shared my rules with them and showed them how to make good decisions. If someone follows these, they can truly live by them.

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

*I also gave them my special rest days as a sign for both of us, so they would understand that I'm the one who makes them holy and sets them apart.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

*But the people of Israel disobeyed me in the desert. They didn't follow my rules and they didn't respect my decisions. If someone follows these rules, they can live by them. They also badly disrespected my special day of rest. So I decided to show my anger on them in the desert to destroy them.

14 But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

*But I did it to protect my reputation, so it wouldn't be disgraced among non-believers, who saw me lead my people out of there.

15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

*I raised my hand to them in the desert, promising not to take them to the land I gave them, full of milk and honey, the best of all lands.

16 Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

*They didn't like my rules and didn't follow them, they dirtied my special rest day, because their hearts were focused on other gods.

17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

*So, even though I could have destroyed them, I didn't. I also didn't wipe them out while they were wandering in the wilderness.

18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

*But I told their kids in the desert, Don't follow your parents' rules or their decisions, and don't get involved with their idols.

19 I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;

*I am your God. Follow my rules and obey my decisions, and do them.

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

*And keep my special days holy; these days will show that I'm your God, and you belong to me.

21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

*Even though the children disobeyed me, they didn't follow my rules or keep my teachings. If someone follows these rules, they can live by them. They also broke my special day, the Sabbath. I decided to unleash my anger on them in the wilderness.

22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

*However, I pulled back my hand and worked to keep my name clean, so that the non-believers wouldn't see anything wrong when they saw what I had made for them.

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

*I raised my hand to them in the wilderness, promising to spread them among non-believers and scatter them across different lands.

24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.

*They didn't follow my rules, they disrespected my laws, they broke my special rest day, and they worshipped other gods instead of me.

25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;

*So I gave them bad rules and decisions that would make them unable to survive.

26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD.

*I made them unclean using their own offerings. They burned everything that opened the womb in a fire. I did this to make them empty and help them understand that I am the LORD.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

*So, tell the people of Israel this message from God: Your ancestors disrespected God by breaking his rules.

28 For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.

*When I led them to the land I promised them, they saw tall hills and lots of big trees. They started worshipping other gods by sacrificing and offering provoking gifts. They also burned sweet-smelling incense and poured out drink offerings to these false gods.

29 Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.

*Then I asked them, "Where are you going to the high place?" They called it Bamah up until now.

30 Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?

*So tell the people of Israel, God says, "Are you acting impure like your ancestors? And are you committing sinful acts like their detestable behaviors?"

31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.

*When you give gifts and sacrifice your children to idols, you become unclean. Why ask me, Israel, if I'll help you? I swear, as the living God, I won't be asked by you.

32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

*Whatever thoughts come to your mind should not happen, so you don't say you want to be like the people who don't follow God, serving only wood and stone.

33 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

*"I swear," says the Lord God, "using my powerful strength, an extended arm, and intense anger, I will govern you."

34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

*I will rescue you from among other groups of people, and gather you from the places where you have been spread out, using great power, and with my arm extended, and with intense anger.

35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

*I will take you to a deserted place among the people, and there I will talk with you directly.

36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.

*As I asked your ancestors in the desert of Egypt's land, so I will ask you too, says the Lord God.

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

*I will make you go through a test, and then I will make you part of my special agreement.

38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

*I will remove those who disobey and rebel from your midst. I will take them away from the place they are living in, and they won't enter the land of Israel. You will then understand that I am the Lord.

39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.

*"Dear Israel, God says this: You can choose to serve your idols, but don't use them to pretend you worship God. Stop polluting God's name with your fake worship and idols."

40 For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

*In God's special mountain, on Israel's tallest mountain, the Lord God says that all people from Israel living in the land must serve Him. He will accept their offerings, the first parts of their sacrifices, and all their sacred things.

41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

*I will welcome you with your good smell when I rescue you from others and collect you from the places where you were scattered. Then, I will be made holy through you among the non-believers.

42 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.

*You will understand that I am God when I take you to the land of Israel, the place where I promised to give land to your ancestors.

43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

*You will recall your actions and the wrong things you've done. You will dislike yourselves when you see how bad you've behaved.

44 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

*You will understand that I am the Lord when I act for my name's sake, not based on your evil actions or corrupt deeds, says the Lord God, to the people of Israel.

45 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

*Additionally, the LORD's message reached me, stating,

46 Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;

*Son of man, look southward and speak against the southern forest area.

47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

*Tell the southern forest, God says listen. He promises to start a fire in you. This fire will burn all green and dry trees. The flames won't go out, and it will burn everything from south to north.

48 And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

*And everyone will see that the LORD has started it; it will not be put out.

49 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

*Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! They say about me, 'Doesn't he just tell stories?'"

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