Ezekiel 14

1 Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down before me.

2 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?

4 Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry,

5 so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’

6 Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your abominations.

7 For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself.

8 I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among My people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

9 But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.

10 They will bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer will be the same as that of the prophet—

11 in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’”

12 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

13 “Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,

14 then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.

15 Or if I send wild beasts through the land to leave it childless and desolate, with no man passing through it for fear of the beasts,

16 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.

17 Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast,

18 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered.

19 Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast,

20 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.

21 For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—in order to cut off from it both man and beast?

22 Yet, behold, some survivors will be left in it—sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their conduct and actions, you will be comforted regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem—all that I have brought upon it.

23 They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done all these things within it,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

1 ¶ Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.

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

3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn [yourselves] from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:

8 And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

10 And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh [unto him];

11 That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.

12 ¶ The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,

13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver [but] their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.

15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:

16 [Though] these three men [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.

17 Or [if] I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:

18 Though these three men [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.

19 Or [if] I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:

20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall [but] deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, [both] sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, [even] concerning all that I have brought upon it.

23 And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.

1 And there came unto me certain of the elders of Israel, and sat down before me.

2 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

3 Son of man, these men cleave with their hearts unto their idols, and hold the offence of their iniquity. Shall I then answer them when they ask me?

4 Speak therefore unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the LORD GOD; Whosoever of the house of Israel shall cleave with his heart unto his idols, and shall hold the offence of his iniquity, and shall come unto the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry,

5 That the house of Israel might be deceived in their heart, because they have all departed from me through idolatry.

6 Therefore shalt thou say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the LORD GOD; Return, and turn away from your idolatry, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

7 For whatsoever man of the house of Israel, or stranger that sojourneth in Israel, shall depart from me, and cleave unto his idols with his heart, and hold his idolatry in vexation, and come unto the prophet to enquire of me by him, I the LORD will answer him myself.

8 And I will set my face against them, and they shall be desolate, and become a sign and a proverb: and I will cut them off from among my people, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

9 But if a deceived prophet speak any thing, I the LORD will again cause him to be deceived, and will stretch out mine hand upon him, and cut him off from among my people Israel.

10 So shall they both bear their iniquity: as the iniquity of the questioner, so shall be the iniquity of the prophet,

11 That they deceive not the house of Israel from me, neither defile themselves any more in all their transgressions: but they shall be my people, and I will be their God, saith the LORD GOD.

12 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

13 Son of man, if a land sin against me, and spurn me, I will stretch out mine hand upon it, and will take away the store of bread, and will send a plague therein, and will destroy both man and beast within.

14 And if the three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they alone would save their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.

15 And if I should bring evil beasts into the land, and they should cleanse the people, and make it desolate, that no man should walk therein before the beasts,

16 And these three men were in it: as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall save neither sons nor daughters, but themselves only; and the land shall be desolate.

17 Or if I bring the sword upon the land, and say, Sword, pass through the land, and cut off both man and beast,

18 And the three men were within: as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall save neither sons nor daughters, but they alone shall be saved.

19 Or if I send pestilence upon the land, and pour out my fury upon it, and bring down blood, to cut off both man and beast,

20 And Noah, and Daniel, and Job, were in it: as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they would save neither sons nor daughters, but their own souls only by their righteousness.

21 For thus saith the LORD GOD; If I send my four evil judgments, the sword, and the famine, and the beasts, and the pestilence, upon Jerusalem, to cut off both man and beast from therein,

22 And, behold, some of the remnant that are within shall come forth, and shall bring forth sons and daughters, and shall come unto you, and ye shall see how they fare, and comfort yourselves concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and all that I have brought upon her.

23 They shall be your consolation, when ye shall see how they fare, and shall know that I have not done without a cause what I have done within, saith the LORD GOD.