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Ezekiel 20

New International Reader’s Version



1 It was the seventh year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to ask the LORD for advice. They sat down with me. 2 Then a message from the LORD came to me. The LORD said, 3 ‘Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel. Tell them, “The LORD and King says, ‘Have you come to ask me for advice? I will not let you do that,’ announces the LORD and King. ‘And that is just as sure as I am alive.’ ” 4 ‘Are you going to judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Tell them the evil things done by their people of long ago. I hate those things. 5 Tell them, “The LORD and King says, ‘I chose Israel. On that day I raised my hand and made a promise. I made a promise to the members of Jacob’s family line. I made myself known to them in Egypt. I raised my hand and told them, “I am the LORD your God.” 6 On that day I promised I would bring them out of Egypt. I told them I would take them to a land I had found for them. It had plenty of milk and honey. It was the most beautiful land of all. 7 I said to them, “Each of you must get rid of the statues of the evil gods you worship. Do not make yourselves ‘unclean’ by worshipping the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” 8 ‘ “ ‘But they refused to obey me. They would not listen to me. They did not get rid of the evil gods they worshipped. And they did not turn away from Egypt’s gods. So I said I would pour out all my great anger on them in Egypt. 9 I wanted my name to be honoured. So I brought my people out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being treated as if it were not holy. I didn’t want this to happen in front of the nations around my people. I had made myself known to Israel in the sight of those nations. 10 So I led them out of Egypt. I brought them into the Desert of Sinai. 11 I gave them my rules. I made my laws known to them. The person who obeys them will live by them. 12 I also told them to observe my Sabbath days. That is the sign of the covenant I made with them. I wanted them to know that I made them holy. I am the LORD. 13 ‘ “ ‘But in the desert the people of Israel refused to obey me. They did not follow my rules. They turned their backs on my laws. The person who obeys them will live by them. They totally misused my Sabbath days. So I said I would pour out my great anger on them. I would destroy them in the desert. 14 But I wanted my name to be honoured. I kept it from being treated as if it were not holy. I did not want that to happen in front of the nations. They had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt. 15 I also raised my hand and made a promise in the desert. I told my people I would not bring them into the land I had given them. It had plenty of milk and honey. It was the most beautiful land of all. 16 But they turned their backs on my laws. They did not obey my rules. They misused my Sabbath days. Their hearts were committed to worshipping the statues of their gods. 17 Then I felt sorry for them. So I did not destroy them. I did not put an end to them in the desert. 18 I spoke to their children there. I said, “Do not follow the rules your parents gave you. Do not obey their laws. Do not make yourselves ‘unclean’ by worshipping their gods. 19 I am the LORD your God. So follow my rules. Be careful to obey my laws. 20 Keep my Sabbath days holy. That is the sign of the covenant I made with you. You will know that I am the LORD your God.” 21 ‘ “ ‘But their children refused to obey me. They did not follow my rules. They were not careful to keep my laws. The person who obeys them will live by them. They misused my Sabbath days. So I said I would pour out all my great anger on them in the desert. 22 But I kept myself from punishing them at that time. I wanted my name to be honoured. So I kept it from being treated as if it were not holy. I did not want that to happen in front of the nations. They had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt. 23 I also raised my hand and made a promise in the desert. I told my people I would scatter them among the nations. I would send them to other countries. 24 They had not obeyed my laws. They had turned their backs on my rules. They had misused my Sabbath days. They only wanted to worship the statues of their parents’ gods. 25 So I let them follow other rules. Those other rules were not good. I let them have laws they could not live by. 26 I let them become “unclean” by offering sacrifices to other gods. They even sacrificed the first male child born in each family. I wanted to fill them with horror. Then they would know that I am the LORD.’ ” 27 ‘Son of man, speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, “The LORD and King says, ‘Your people spoke evil things against me long ago. They were unfaithful to me. 28 But I brought them into the land. I had promised to give the land to them. Then they offered sacrifices that made me very angry. They did it on every high hill and under every green tree. There they brought their sweet-smelling incense. And there they poured out their drink offerings. 29 Then I said to them, “What is this high place you go to?” ’ ” ’ That high place is called Bamah to this day. 



30 The LORD said to me, ‘Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, “Here is what the LORD and King says. ‘Are you going to make yourselves “unclean” the way your people of long ago did? Are you also going to want to worship the statues of their evil gods? 31 You make yourselves “unclean” by offering sacrifices to other gods. You even sacrifice your children in the fire. You continue to do these things to this day. People of Israel, should I let you ask me for advice? I will not let you do that,’ announces the LORD and King. ‘And that is just as sure as I am alive. 32 ‘ “ ‘You say, “We want to be like the other nations. We want to be like all the other people in the world. They serve gods made out of wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. 33 I will rule over you by reaching out my mighty hand and powerful arm. I will pour my great anger out on you,’ announces the LORD and King. ‘And that is just as sure as I am alive. 34 I will bring you back from the nations. I will gather you together from the countries where you have been scattered. I will reach out my mighty hand and powerful arm. I will pour my great anger out on you. 35 I will send you among the nations. There I will judge you face to face. It will be as if I were judging you in the desert again. 36 Long ago, I judged your people in the desert of Egypt. In the same way, I will judge you,’ announces the LORD and King. 37 ‘I will take note of you as you pass under my shepherd’s stick. I will separate those who obey me from those who do not. And I will give the blessings of the covenant to those of you who obey me. 38 I will get rid of those among you who turn against me. They refuse to obey me. I will bring them out of the land where they are living. But they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 39 ‘ “ ‘People of Israel, the LORD and King says, “Go, every one of you! Serve your gods. But later you will listen to me. You will no longer treat my name as if it were not holy. You will not offer sacrifices to other gods anymore. 40 People of Israel, you will all serve me,” announces the LORD and King. “You will serve me on my high and holy mountain in Jerusalem. There I will accept you. I will require your offerings and your finest gifts. I want you to bring them along with all your other holy sacrifices. 41 I will bring you back from the nations. I will gather you together from the countries where you have been scattered. Then I will accept you as if you were sweet-smelling incense. I will show that I am holy among you. The nations will see it. 42 I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Long ago I raised my hand and made a promise. I promised to give that land to your people of long ago. 43 There you will remember your conduct. You will think about everything you did that made you ‘unclean’. And you will hate yourselves because of all the evil things you have done. 44 People of Israel, I will deal with you for the honour of my name. I will not deal with you based on your evil conduct and sinful practices. Then you will know that I am the LORD,” announces the LORD and King.’ ” ’ 



45 A message from the LORD came to me. The LORD said, 46 ‘Son of man, turn your attention to Judah in the south. Preach against it. Prophesy against its forests. 47 Tell them, “Listen to the LORD’s message. The LORD and King says, ‘I am about to set you on fire. The fire will destroy all your trees. It will burn down green trees and dry trees alike. The blazing flame will not be put out. The faces of everyone from south to north will be burned by it. 48 Everyone will see that I started the fire. It will not be put out. I am the LORD.’ ” ’ 49 Then I said, ‘LORD and King, people are talking about me. They are saying, “Isn’t he just telling stories?” ’ 

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Ezekiel 20

English Standard Version



1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me. (Eze 1:2; Eze 8:1; Eze 14:1; Eze 24:1; Eze 26:1; Eze 29:1; Eze 29:17; Eze 30:20; Eze 31:1; Eze 32:1; Eze 32:17; Eze 33:21; Eze 40:1) 2 And the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you. (Eze 2:1; Eze 14:3; Eze 16:48) 4 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Let them know the abominations of their fathers, (Eze 16:2; Eze 22:2; Eze 23:36) 5 and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore[1] to the offspring of the house of Jacob, making myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God. (Ge 14:22; Ex 3:8; Ex 4:31; Ex 6:2; Ex 6:7; Eze 20:15; Eze 20:23; Eze 20:28; Eze 20:42; Eze 36:7; Eze 47:14) 6 On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands. (Ex 3:8; Jer 3:19; Eze 20:15; Zec 7:14) 7 And I said to them, ‘Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.’ (Ex 20:2; Le 18:3; Eze 18:31; Eze 20:8; Eze 20:18; Eze 20:19; Eze 20:24) 8 But they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. None of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. (Eze 5:13; Eze 20:7; Eze 20:21) 9 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. (Ps 106:8; Isa 48:11; Eze 20:14; Eze 20:22; Eze 20:44) 10 So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. (Ex 13:18; Ex 13:20) 11 I gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live. (Le 18:5; De 4:8; Ne 9:13; Ps 147:19; Eze 18:9; Ro 10:5; Ga 3:12) 12 Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. (Ex 20:8; Le 21:23; De 5:12; Eze 20:13; Eze 20:16; Eze 20:21; Eze 20:24; Eze 37:28) 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned. “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them. (Eze 20:21; Eze 20:24; Eze 22:8; Eze 23:38) 14 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. (Eze 20:9) 15 Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands, (Ex 3:8; Nu 14:28; Ps 95:11; Eze 20:5; Eze 20:6) 16 because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. (Nu 15:39; Ps 78:37; Eze 20:24) 17 Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make a full end of them in the wilderness. (Eze 5:11; Eze 11:13) 18 “And I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, nor defile yourselves with their idols. (Jos 24:14; Eze 2:3; Eze 20:7; Eze 20:21; 1Pe 1:18) 19 I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules, (Ex 20:2; De 5:32; Eze 20:5) 20 and keep my Sabbaths holy that they may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’ (Ge 9:12; Ge 17:11; Jer 17:22; Eze 20:12) 21 But the children rebelled against me. They did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths. “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. (De 31:27; Eze 20:8; Eze 20:13; Eze 20:16) 22 But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. (Eze 20:9; Eze 20:14; Eze 20:44) 23 Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries, (De 28:64; Eze 20:5; Eze 20:15) 24 because they had not obeyed my rules, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their fathers’ idols. (Eze 20:16) 25 Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, (Ps 81:12; Eze 20:39; Ac 7:42; Ro 1:24; Ro 1:28; 2Th 2:11) 26 and I defiled them through their very gifts in their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it that they might know that I am the Lord. (Eze 6:7; Eze 16:20; Eze 20:31) 27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: In this also your fathers blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me. (Eze 2:1; Eze 14:13) 28 For when I had brought them into the land that I swore to give them, then wherever they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings. (Eze 6:13; Eze 8:17; Eze 20:5) 29 (I said to them, ‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah[2] to this day.) (Eze 20:40) 30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things? (Ps 106:39; Eze 20:7) 31 When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire,[3] you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you. (Eze 14:3; Eze 16:48; Eze 20:26) 32 “What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’ (De 4:28; 2Ki 19:18; Jer 44:17; Eze 11:5; Da 5:4; Da 5:23; Re 9:20) 



33 “As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you. (Jer 21:5; Eze 20:8; Eze 20:31) 34 I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. (Jer 31:8) 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. (De 5:4; Eze 17:20; Eze 20:10; Ho 2:14) 36 As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord God. (Nu 14:20; Nu 14:28) 37 I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. (Le 27:32) 38 I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. (Eze 6:7; Eze 13:9; Eze 20:35; Eze 34:17; Eze 34:20; Eze 34:22; Mt 25:32) 39 “As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols. (Jud 10:14; Jer 44:25; Eze 20:25; Eze 39:7; Eze 43:7) 40 “For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord God, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings. (Isa 56:7; Isa 60:7; Eze 17:23; Eze 28:14; Eze 39:25; Eze 43:27; Mal 3:4; Ro 12:1) 41 As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. (Nu 20:12; Isa 8:13; Eze 20:34; Eze 28:22; Eze 36:23; Eze 38:16; Eze 38:23; Eze 39:27) 42 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your fathers. (Eze 6:7; Eze 20:5) 43 And there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. (Eze 6:9) 44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.” (Ps 103:10; Eze 20:9; Eze 20:14; Eze 20:22) 45 [4] And the word of the Lord came to me: 46 “Son of man, set your face toward the southland;[5] preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb. (Isa 55:10; Eze 2:1; Eze 21:2; Am 7:16) 47 Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. (Jer 21:14; Eze 17:24; Eze 21:4; Lu 23:31) 48 All flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” (Isa 30:33; Isa 40:5) 49 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of parables?’” (Eze 4:14; Eze 17:2; Eze 24:3) 

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