Israel’s Rebellion
Ezekiel 20In the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of YHWH, and sat before me.
The word of YHWH came to me, saying, “Son of humanity, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, ‘Lord YHWH says: “Have y’all come to inquire of me? As I live,” declares Lord YHWH, “I will not let y’all inquire of me.”’
“Will you judge them, son of humanity? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers. Tell them, ‘Lord YHWH says: “In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, ‘I am YHWH y’all’s God;’ in that day I swore to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands. I said to them, ‘Each of y’all must throw away the detestable things before your eyes. Y’all must not defile yourselves* with the idols of Egypt. I am YHWH y’all’s God.’
“‘“But they rebelled against me and wouldn’t listen to me. They didn’t all throw away the detestable things before their eyes. And they didn’t forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the middle of the land of Egypt. But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. So I caused them to go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he will live in them. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am YHWH who sanctifies them.
“‘“But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They didn’t walk in my statutes and they rejected my ordinances, by which if a person keeps, they will live in them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them. But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out. Moreover also I swore to 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, because they rejected my ordinances, and didn’t walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn’t destroy them. I didn’t make a full end of them in the wilderness. I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Y’all must not walk in the statutes of your* parents. Y’all must not keep their ordinances or defile yourselves* with their idols. I am YHWH y’all’s God. Y’all are to walk in my statutes, keep my ordinances, and do them. Y’all are to make my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between me and y’all, that y’all may know that I am YHWH y’all’s God.’
“‘“But the children rebelled against me. They didn’t walk in my statutes, and didn’t keep my ordinances to do them, by which if a person keeps, they will live in them. They profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. Nevertheless I withdrew my hand and worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out. Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries, because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols. Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they couldn’t live. I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused all that opens the womb to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am YHWH.”’
“Therefore, son of humanity, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, ‘Lord YHWH says: “Moreover, in this y’all’s ancestors have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me. For when I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There they also made their pleasant aroma, and there they poured out their drink offerings. Then I said to them, ‘What is this high place y’all are going to?’ And its name is called Bamah+20:29 “Bamah” means “High Place”. to this day.”’
“Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘Lord YHWH says: “Are y’all defiling yourselves* the way y’all’s ancestostors did by prostituting yourselves* with their detestable idols? When y’all offer your* gifts, when y’all make your* sons pass through the fire, y’all pollute yourselves* with all your* idols to this day. Should I let y’all inquire of me, house of Israel? As I live, says Lord YHWH, I will not let y’all inquire of me!
YHWH Will Be King Over Israel
“‘“What comes into y’all’s mind will never happen when y’all say, ‘We will be like the nations and the tribes of the lands who serve wood and stone.’ As I live,” says Lord YHWH, “I will be king over y’all with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. I will bring y’all out from the nations and will gather y’all from the lands where y’all have been scattered—with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. I will bring y’all into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will enter into judgment with y’all face to face. Just as I entered into judgment with y’all’s ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with y’all,” says Lord YHWH. “I make y’all pass under the rod, and I will bring y’all into the bond of the covenant. I will purge y’all of the rebels who disobey me. I will bring them out of the land where they are living, but they will not enter into the land of Israel. Then y’all will know that I am YHWH.”
“‘As for y’all, house of Israel, Lord YHWH says: “Every one of y’all should go and serve your idols! But later y’all will listen to me, and y’all will no longer profane my holy name with y’all’s gifts and idols. For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel,” says Lord YHWH, “there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require y’all’s offerings and the first fruits of y’all’s offerings, with all your* holy things. I will accept y’all as a pleasant aroma when I bring y’all out from the peoples and gather y’all from the lands where y’all have been scattered. I will be proved holy through y’all in the sight of the nations. Y’all will know that I am YHWH when I bring y’all into the land of Israel, into the land which I swore to give to y’all’s ancestors. There y’all will remember your* ways, and all your* deeds in which y’all have defiled yourselves*. Then y’all will loathe yourselves* in your* own sight for all the evil deeds that y’all have committed. Y’all will know that I am YHWH, when I have dealt with y’all for my name’s sake, not according to your* evil ways, nor according to your* corrupt doings, house of Israel,” says Lord YHWH.’”
Prophecy Against the South
The word of YHWH came to me, saying, “Son of humanity, set your face toward the south, and preach toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the south. Tell the forest of the south, ‘Hear the word of YHWH: Lord YHWH says, “I am about to kindle a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree. The burning flame will not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north will be burned by it. All flesh will see that I, YHWH, have kindled it. It will not be quenched.”’”
Then I said, “Ah Lord YHWH! They say of me, ‘Isn’t he a speaker of parables?’”