Ezekiel 20

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to consultYahweh and were sitting with me,	1 In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to consult the LORD and sat down before me.
2 when the word of Yahweh was addressed to me as fol ows,	2 Then the word of the LORD came to me:
3 'Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel. Say, "The Lord Yahweh says this: Have you come toconsult me? As I live, I wil not be consulted by you -- declares the Lord Yahweh."	3 Son of man, speak with the elders of Israel and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: Have you come to consult me? As I live! I swear I will not allow myself to be consulted by you, says the Lord GOD.
4 'Are you ready to judge them? Are you ready to judge them, son of man? Confront them with theloathsome practices of their ancestors.	4 Will you judge them? Will you judge, son of man? Make known to them the abominations of their ancestors
5 Say, "The Lord Yahweh says this: On the day when I chose Israel, when I pledged my word to theHouse of Jacob, I made myself known to them in Egypt; I pledged my word to them and said: I am Yahweh yourGod.	5 in these words: Thus speaks the Lord GOD: The day I chose Israel, I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob; in the land of Egypt I revealed myself to them and swore: I am the LORD, your God.
6 That day I pledged them my word that I would bring them out of Egypt to a country which I hadreconnoitred for them, a country flowing with milk and honey, and the loveliest of them al .	6 That day I swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt to the land I had scouted for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, a jewel among all lands.
7 And I said to them: Each of you must reject the horrors which attract you; do not pol ute yourselveswith the foul idols of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.	7 Then I said to them: Throw away, each of you, the detestable things that have held your eyes; do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD, your God.
8 But they rebel ed against me and would not listen to me. Not one of them rejected the horrors whichattracted them; they did not give up the foul idols of Egypt. I then resolved to vent my fury on them, to sate myanger on them in Egypt.	8 But they rebelled against me and refused to listen to me; none of them threw away the detestable things that had held their eyes, they did not abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I thought of pouring out my fury on them and spending my anger on them there in the land of Egypt;
9 But respect for my own name kept me from letting it be profaned in the eyes of the nations amongwhom they were living, and before whom I had made myself known to them and promised to bring them out ofEgypt.	9 but I acted for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they were, in whose presence I had made myself known to them, revealing that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt.
10 So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the desert.	10 Therefore I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the desert.
11 I gave them my laws and taught them my judgements, in whose observance people find life.	11 Then I gave them my statutes and made known to them my ordinances, which everyone must keep, to have life through them.
12 And I also gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between me and them, so that they might know that I,Yahweh, am the one who sanctifies them.	12 I also gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, to show that it was I, the LORD, who made them holy.
13 The House of Israel, however, rebel ed against me in the desert; they refused to keep my laws, theyscorned my judgements, in whose observance people find life, and they grossly profaned my Sabbaths. I thenresolved to vent my fury on them in the desert and destroy them.	13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They did not observe my statutes, and they despised my ordinances that bring life to those who keep them. My sabbaths, too, they desecrated grievously. Then I thought of pouring out my fury on them in the desert to put an end to them,
14 But respect for my own name kept me from letting it be profaned in the eyes of the nations, beforewhom I had brought them out.	14 but I acted for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose presence I had brought them out.
15 Even so, I pledged them my word in the desert that I would not lead them to the country which I hadgiven them, a country flowing with milk and honey, and the loveliest of them al ,	15 Nevertheless I swore to them in the desert not to bring them to the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, a jewel among all lands.
16 since they had scorned my judgements, had refused to keep my laws and had profaned mySabbaths, their hearts being attached to foul idols.	16 So much were their hearts devoted to their idols, they had not lived by my statutes, but despised my ordinances and desecrated my sabbaths.
17 In spite of this, I took pity on them; I refrained from destroying them and did not make an end of themin the desert.	17 But I looked on them with pity, not wanting to destroy them, so I did not put an end to them in the desert.
18 "I said to their children in the desert: Do not follow the laws of your ancestors, do not practise theirjudgements, do not defile yourselves with their foul idols.	18 Then I said to their children in the desert: Do not observe the statutes of your parents or keep their ordinances; do not defile yourselves with their idols.
19 I am Yahweh your God. Keep my laws, respect my judgements and practise them.	19 I am the LORD, your God: observe my statutes and be careful to keep my ordinances;
20 Keep my Sabbaths holy; let them be a sign between me and you, so that people may know that I amYahweh your God.	20 keep holy my sabbaths, as a sign between me and you to show that I am the LORD, your God.
21 Their children, however, rebel ed against me; they refused to keep my laws, they did not respect orpractise my judgements, which must be practised by al who want to live; they profaned my Sabbaths. I thenresolved to vent my fury on them, to sate my anger on them in the desert.	21 But their children rebelled against me: they did not observe my statutes or keep my ordinances that bring life to those who observe them, and my sabbaths they desecrated. Then I thought of pouring out my fury on them, of spending my anger on them in the desert;
22 But I restrained my hand; respect for my own name kept me from letting it be profaned in the eyes ofthe nations, before whom I had brought them out.	22 but I stayed my hand, acting for my name's sake, lest it be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose presence I brought them out.
23 Once again, however, I pledged them my word that I would scatter them throughout the nations anddisperse them in foreign countries,	23 Nevertheless I swore to them in the desert that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them over foreign lands;
24 because they had not fol owed my judgements but had rejected my laws and profaned my Sabbaths,their eyes being fastened on the foul idols of their ancestors.	24 for they did not keep my ordinances, but despised my statutes and desecrated my sabbaths, with eyes only for the idols of their fathers.
25 And for this reason I gave them laws that were not good and judgements by which they could neverlive;	25 Therefore I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances through which they could not live.
26 and I pol uted them with their own offerings, making them sacrifice every first-born son in order to filthem with revulsion, so that they would know that I am Yahweh."	26 I let them become defiled by their gifts, by their immolation of every first-born, so as to make them an object of horror.
27 'For this reason, son of man, speak to the House of Israel. Say to them, "The Lord Yahweh says this:Here is another way by which your ancestors outraged me by their infidelity.	27 Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord GOD: In this way also your fathers blasphemed me, breaking faith with me:
28 Once I had brought them into the country which I had pledged my word to give them, they then sawal sorts of high hil s, al kinds of leafy trees, and there they performed their sacrifices and made offerings thatprovoked my anger; there they set out their pleasing smel and poured their libations.	28 when I had brought them to the land I had sworn to give them, and they saw all its high hills and leafy trees, there they offered their sacrifices (there they brought their offensive offerings), there they sent up appeasing odors, and there they poured out their libations.
29 I then said to them: What is this high place where you go? And they gave, and stil give it, the nameof Bamah."	29 I asked them: To what sort of high place do you betake yourselves?--and so they call it a high place even to the present day.
30 'So, say to the House of Israel, "The Lord Yahweh says this: If you are pol uting yourselves as yourancestors did by fornicating with their horrors-	30 Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers? Will you lust after their detestable idols?
31 for by offering your gifts and by burning your children as sacrifices, you have been pol utingyourselves with al your foul idols to this very day -- shal I let myself be consulted by you, House of Israel? As Ilive -- declares Lord Yahweh -- I shal not let myself be consulted by you.	31 By offering your gifts, by making your children pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols even to this day. Shall I let myself be consulted by you, house of Israel? As I live! says the Lord GOD: I swear I will not let myself be consulted by you.
32 And what you sometimes imagine wil never be so, when you say: We shal be like the peoples, thetribes of foreign lands, worshipping wood and stone.	32 What you are thinking of shall never happen: "We shall be like the nations, like the peoples of foreign lands, serving wood and stone."
33 As I live I swear it -- declares the Lord Yahweh -- I am the one who will reign over you, with a stronghand and outstretched arm, once my fury is sated.	33 As I live, says the Lord GOD, with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, with poured-out wrath, I swear I will be king over you!
34 With a strong hand and outstretched arm, once my fury is sated, I shall bring you back from thepeoples and gather you again from the countries throughout which you have been scattered.	34 With a mighty hand and outstretched arm, with poured-out wrath, I will bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries over which you are scattered;
35 I shal lead you into the desert of the nations and there I shal judge you face to face.	35 then I will lead you to the desert of the peoples, where I will enter into judgment with you face to face.
36 As I judged your ancestors in the desert of Egypt, so wil I judge you -- declares the Lord Yahweh.	36 Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, says the Lord GOD.
37 I shal make you pass under the crook, bring you to respect the covenant	37 I will count you with the staff and bring back but a small number.
38 and rid you of the rebels who have revolted against me; I shall bring them out of the country wherethey are staying, but they will not enter the country of Israel, and you wil know that I am Yahweh.	38 I will separate from you those who have rebelled and transgressed against me; from the land where they sojourned as aliens I will bring them out, but they shall not return to the land of Israel. Thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
39 House of Israel, Lord Yahweh says this: Go on, all of you, worship your foul idols, but later we shal see if you don't listen to me! Then you wil stop profaning my holy name with your offerings and your foul idols.	39 As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Come, each one of you, destroy your idols! Then listen to me, and never again profane my holy name with your gifts and your idols.
40 For on my holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel -- declares the Lord Yahweh -- is where thewhole House of Israel, everyone in the country, wil worship me. There I shal accept and there expect yourpresents, your choicest offering and al your consecrated gifts.	40 For on my holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord GOD, there the whole house of Israel without exception shall worship me; there I will accept them, and there I will claim your tributes and the first fruits of your offerings, and all that you dedicate.
41 I shal welcome you like a pleasing smell when I bring you back from the peoples and gather youfrom the countries throughout which you have been scattered, and through you I shal display my holiness for althe nations to see;	41 As a pleasing odor I will accept you, when I have brought you from among the nations and gathered you out of the countries over which you were scattered; and by means of you I will manifest my holiness in the sight of the nations.
42 and you wil know that I am Yahweh, when I bring you back to the soil of Israel, to the country which Ipledged my word to give to your ancestors.	42 Thus you shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you back to the land of Israel, the land which I swore to give to your fathers.
43 There you wil remember your past behaviour and al the actions by which you have defiledyourselves, and you wil loathe yourselves for al the wrongs which you have committed.	43 There you shall recall your conduct and all the deeds by which you defiled yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves because of all the evil things you did.
44 And you wil know that I am Yahweh, when I treat you as respect for my own name requires, and notas your wicked behaviour and corrupt actions deserve, House of Israel -- declares the Lord Yahweh." '	44 And you shall know that I am the LORD when I deal with you thus, for my name's sake, and not according to your evil conduct and corrupt actions, O house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.