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Ezekiel 17-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Ezekiel 17-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Two Eagles and the Vine
17 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 O mortal, propound a riddle and speak an allegory to the house of Israel.(A) 3 Say: Thus says the Lord God:
A great eagle with great wings and long pinions,
rich in plumage of many colors,
came to the Lebanon.
He took the top of the cedar,(B)
4 broke off its topmost shoot;
he carried it to a land of trade,
set it in a city of merchants.
5 Then he took a seedling from the land,
placed it in fertile soil;
a plant[a] by abundant waters,
he set it like a willow twig.(C)
6 It sprouted and became a vine
spreading out but low;
its branches turned toward him;
its roots remained where it stood.
So it became a vine;
it brought forth branches,
put forth foliage.
7 There was another great eagle
with great wings and much plumage.
And see! This vine stretched out
its roots toward him;
it shot out its branches toward him
from the bed where it was planted
so that he might water it.(D)
8 It had been transplanted
to good soil by abundant waters,
so that it might produce branches
and bear fruit
and become a noble vine.
9 Say: Thus says the Lord God:
Will it prosper?
Will he not pull up its roots,
cause its fruit to rot[b] and wither,
its fresh sprouting leaves to fade?
No strong arm or mighty army will be needed
to pull it from its roots.
10 Look, it has been transplanted. Will it thrive?
When the east wind strikes it,
will it not utterly wither,
wither on the bed where it grew?(E)
11 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 12 Say now to the rebellious house: Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them: The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and its officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon.(F) 13 He took one of the royal offspring and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath (he had taken away the chief men of the land),(G) 14 so that the kingdom might be humble and not lift itself up and that by keeping his covenant it might stand.(H) 15 But he rebelled against him by sending ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape?(I) 16 As I live, says the Lord God, surely in the place where the king resides who made him king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant with him he broke—in Babylon he shall die.(J) 17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in war, when ramps are cast up and siege walls built to cut off many lives.(K) 18 Because he despised the oath and broke the covenant, because he gave his hand and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.(L) 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: As I live, I will surely return upon his head my oath that he despised and my covenant that he broke. 20 I will spread my net over him, and he shall be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgment with him there for the treason he has committed against me.(M) 21 All the pick[c] of his troops shall fall by the sword, and the survivors shall be scattered to every wind, and you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken.(N)
Israel Exalted at Last
22 Thus says the Lord God:
I myself will take a sprig
from the lofty top of the cedar;
I will set it out.
I will break off a tender shoot
from the topmost of its young twigs;
I myself will transplant it
on a high and lofty mountain.(O)
23 On the mountain height of Israel
I will transplant it,
and it will produce boughs and bear fruit
and become a noble cedar.
Under it every kind of bird will live;
in the shade of its branches will nest
winged creatures of every kind.(P)
24 All the trees of the field shall know
that I am the Lord.
I bring low the high tree;
I make high the low tree;
I dry up the green tree
and make the dry tree flourish.
I the Lord have spoken;
I will accomplish it.(Q)
Individual Retribution
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”?(R) 3 As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins who shall die.(S)
5 If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right— 6 if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period,(T) 7 does not oppress anyone but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,(U) 8 does not take advance or accrued interest, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between contending parties,(V) 9 follows my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances, acting faithfully—such a one is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord God.(W)
10 If he has a son who is violent, a shedder of blood,(X) 11 who does any of these things (though his father[d] does none of them), who eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbor’s wife, 12 oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination,(Y) 13 takes advance or accrued interest, shall he then live? He shall not. He has done all these abominable things; he shall surely be put to death; his blood shall be upon himself.(Z)
14 But if this son has a son who sees all the sins that his father has done, considers, and does not do likewise,(AA) 15 who does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife, 16 does not wrong anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,(AB) 17 withholds his hand from iniquity,[e] takes no advance or accrued interest, observes my ordinances, and follows my statutes, he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, he died for his iniquity.
19 Yet you say, “Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?” When the son has done what is lawful and right and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live.(AC) 20 The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be their own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be their own.(AD)
21 But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die.(AE) 22 None of the transgressions that they have committed shall be remembered against them, for the righteousness that they have done they shall live.(AF) 23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live?(AG) 24 But when the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered, for the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die.(AH)
25 Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?(AI) 26 When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed, they shall die. 27 Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. 28 Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin.[f](AJ) 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?(AK) 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.(AL)
Israel Degraded
19 As for you, raise up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,(AM) 2 and say:
What a lioness was your mother
among lions!
She lay down among young lions,
rearing her cubs.(AN)
3 She raised up one of her cubs;
he became a young lion,
and he learned to catch prey;
he devoured humans.(AO)
4 The nations heard about him;
he was caught in their pit,
and they brought him with hooks
to the land of Egypt.(AP)
5 When she saw that she was thwarted,
that her hope was lost,
she took another of her cubs
and made him a young lion.(AQ)
6 He prowled among the lions;
he became a young lion,
and he learned to catch prey;
he devoured people.(AR)
7 And he ravaged their strongholds[g]
and laid waste their towns;
the land was appalled, and all in it,
at the sound of his roaring.(AS)
8 The nations set upon him
from the provinces all around;
they spread their net over him;
he was caught in their pit.(AT)
9 With hooks they put him in a neck collar
and brought him to the king of Babylon;
they brought him into custody,
so that his voice should be heard no more
on the mountains of Israel.(AU)
10 Your mother was like a vine in a vineyard[h]
transplanted by the water,
fruitful and full of branches
from abundant water.(AV)
11 Its strongest stem became
a ruler’s scepter;[i]
it towered aloft
among the clouds;
it stood out in its height
with its mass of branches.(AW)
12 But it was plucked up in fury,
cast down to the ground;
the east wind dried it up;
its fruit was stripped off;
its strong stem was withered;
the fire consumed it.(AX)
13 Now it is transplanted into the wilderness,
into a dry and thirsty land.(AY)
14 And fire has gone out from its stem,
has consumed its branches and fruit,
so that there remains in it no strong stem,
no scepter for ruling.
This is a lamentation, and it is used as a lamentation.(AZ)
Israel’s Continuing Rebellion
20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain elders of Israel came to consult the Lord and sat down before me.(BA) 2 And the word of the Lord came to me: 3 Mortal, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Why are you coming? To consult me? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be consulted by you. 4 Will you judge them, mortal; will you judge them? Then let them know the abominations of their ancestors(BB) 5 and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore 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.”(BC) 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.(BD) 7 And I said to them, “Cast away the detestable things on which your eyes feast, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.”(BE) 8 But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; not one of them cast away the detestable things on which their eyes feasted, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.
Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.(BF) 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.(BG) 10 So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.(BH) 11 I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, by whose observance everyone shall live.(BI) 12 Moreover, I gave them my Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, so that they might know that I the Lord sanctify them.(BJ) 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not observe my statutes but rejected my ordinances, by whose observance everyone shall live, and my Sabbaths they greatly profaned.
Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make an end of them.(BK) 14 But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. 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,(BL) 16 because they rejected my ordinances and did not observe my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, for their heart went after their idols.(BM) 17 Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make an end of them in the wilderness.
18 I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents, nor observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I the Lord am your God; follow my statutes, be careful to observe my ordinances,(BN) 20 and hallow my Sabbaths that they may be a sign between me and you, so that you may know that I the Lord am your God.” 21 But the children rebelled against me; they did not follow my statutes and were not careful to observe my ordinances, by whose observance everyone shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths.
Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness.(BO) 22 But I withheld my hand and acted for the sake of my name, so that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out.(BP) 23 Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries,(BQ) 24 because they had not executed my ordinances but had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their ancestors’ idols. 25 Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live.(BR) 26 I defiled them through their very gifts, in their offering up all their firstborn, in order that I might horrify them, so that they might know that I am the Lord.(BS)
27 Therefore, mortal, speak to the house of Israel and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: In this again your ancestors blasphemed me by dealing treacherously with me.(BT) 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 presented the provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing odors, and there they poured out their drink offerings.(BU) 29 (I said to them, “What is the high place to which you go? So it is called Bamah[j] to this day.”) 30 Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your ancestors and go astray after their detestable things? 31 When you offer your gifts and make your children pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be consulted by you.(BV)
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.”
God Will Restore Israel
33 As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you.(BW) 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, 35 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.(BX) 36 As I entered into judgment with your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, says the Lord God.(BY) 37 I will make you pass under the staff and will bring you within the bond of the covenant.(BZ) 38 I will purge out the rebels among you and those who transgress against me; I will bring them out of the land where they reside as aliens, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.(CA)
39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: Go serve your idols, every one of you 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.(CB)
40 For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, says 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 things.(CC) 41 As a pleasing odor 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.(CD) 42 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 ancestors.(CE) 43 There you shall remember your ways and all the deeds by which you have polluted yourselves, and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed.(CF) 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 or corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, says the Lord God.(CG)
A Prophecy against the Negeb
45 [k]The word of the Lord came to me: 46 Mortal, set your face toward the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb;(CH) 47 say to the forest of the Negeb: Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God: 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.(CI) 48 All flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.(CJ) 49 Then I said, “Ah Lord God! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of allegories?’ ”(CK)
Footnotes
- 17.5 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- 17.9 Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain
- 17.21 Or fugitives
- 18.11 Heb he
- 18.17 Gk: Heb the poor
- 18.30 Or so that they shall not be a stumbling block of iniquity to you
- 19.7 Tg: Heb his widows
- 19.10 Cn: Heb in your blood
- 19.11 Heb Its strongest stems became rulers’ scepters
- 20.29 That is, high place
- 20.45 21.1 in Heb
Ezekiel 17-20
New International Version
Ezekiel 17-20
New International Version
Two Eagles and a Vine
17 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable.(A) 3 Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: A great eagle(B) with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon.(C) Taking hold of the top of a cedar, 4 he broke off(D) its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.
5 “‘He took one of the seedlings of the land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water,(E) 6 and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches(F) turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.(G)
7 “‘But there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him for water.(H) 8 It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches,(I) bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’
9 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers? All its new growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots.(J) 10 It has been planted,(K) but will it thrive? Will it not wither completely when the east wind strikes it—wither away in the plot where it grew?(L)’”
11 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Say to this rebellious people, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?(M)’ Say to them: ‘The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles,(N) bringing them back with him to Babylon.(O) 13 Then he took a member of the royal family and made a treaty(P) with him, putting him under oath.(Q) He also carried away the leading men(R) of the land, 14 so that the kingdom would be brought low,(S) unable to rise again, surviving only by keeping his treaty. 15 But the king rebelled(T) against him by sending his envoys to Egypt(U) to get horses and a large army.(V) Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and yet escape?(W)
16 “‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, he shall die(X) in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke.(Y) 17 Pharaoh(Z) with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in war, when ramps(AA) are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives.(AB) 18 He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge(AC) and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.
19 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, I will repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant.(AD) 20 I will spread my net(AE) for him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment(AF) on him there because he was unfaithful(AG) to me. 21 All his choice troops will fall by the sword,(AH) and the survivors(AI) will be scattered to the winds.(AJ) Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken.(AK)
22 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot(AL) from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain.(AM) 23 On the mountain heights(AN) of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit(AO) and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.(AP) 24 All the trees of the forest(AQ) will know that I the Lord bring down(AR) the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.(AS)
“‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.(AT)’”
The One Who Sins Will Die
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:
“‘The parents eat sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?(AU)
3 “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb(AV) in Israel. 4 For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins(AW) is the one who will die.(AX)
5 “Suppose there is a righteous man
who does what is just and right.
6 He does not eat at the mountain(AY) shrines
or look to the idols(AZ) of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife
or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.(BA)
7 He does not oppress(BB) anyone,
but returns what he took in pledge(BC) for a loan.
He does not commit robbery(BD)
but gives his food to the hungry(BE)
and provides clothing for the naked.(BF)
8 He does not lend to them at interest
or take a profit from them.(BG)
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
and judges fairly(BH) between two parties.
9 He follows my decrees(BI)
and faithfully keeps my laws.
That man is righteous;(BJ)
he will surely live,(BK)
declares the Sovereign Lord.
10 “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood(BL) or does any of these other things[a] 11 (though the father has done none of them):
“He eats at the mountain shrines.(BM)
He defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12 He oppresses the poor(BN) and needy.
He commits robbery.
He does not return what he took in pledge.(BO)
He looks to the idols.
He does detestable things.(BP)
13 He lends at interest and takes a profit.(BQ)
Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.(BR)
14 “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:(BS)
15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines(BT)
or look to the idols(BU) of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16 He does not oppress anyone
or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry(BV)
and provides clothing for the naked.(BW)
17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws(BX) and follows my decrees.
He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.
19 “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live.(BY) 20 The one who sins is the one who will die.(BZ) The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.(CA)
21 “But if(CB) a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees(CC) and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.(CD) 22 None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.(CE) 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased(CF) when they turn from their ways and live?(CG)
24 “But if a righteous person turns(CH) from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness(CI) they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.(CJ)
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’(CK) Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust?(CL) Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26 If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. 27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.(CM) 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.(CN) 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent!(CO) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.(CP) 31 Rid(CQ) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart(CR) and a new spirit. Why(CS) will you die, people of Israel?(CT) 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent(CU) and live!(CV)
A Lament Over Israel’s Princes
19 “Take up a lament(CW) concerning the princes(CX) of Israel 2 and say:
“‘What a lioness(CY) was your mother
among the lions!
She lay down among them
and reared her cubs.(CZ)
3 She brought up one of her cubs,
and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.
4 The nations heard about him,
and he was trapped in their pit.
They led him with hooks(DA)
to the land of Egypt.(DB)
5 “‘When she saw her hope unfulfilled,
her expectation gone,
she took another of her cubs(DC)
and made him a strong lion.(DD)
6 He prowled among the lions,
for he was now a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
and he became a man-eater.(DE)
7 He broke down[b] their strongholds
and devastated(DF) their towns.
The land and all who were in it
were terrified by his roaring.
8 Then the nations(DG) came against him,
those from regions round about.
They spread their net(DH) for him,
and he was trapped in their pit.(DI)
9 With hooks(DJ) they pulled him into a cage
and brought him to the king of Babylon.(DK)
They put him in prison,
so his roar(DL) was heard no longer
on the mountains of Israel.(DM)
10 “‘Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard[c](DN)
planted by the water;(DO)
it was fruitful and full of branches
because of abundant water.(DP)
11 Its branches were strong,
fit for a ruler’s scepter.
It towered high
above the thick foliage,
conspicuous for its height
and for its many branches.(DQ)
12 But it was uprooted(DR) in fury
and thrown to the ground.
The east wind(DS) made it shrivel,
it was stripped of its fruit;
its strong branches withered
and fire consumed them.(DT)
13 Now it is planted in the desert,(DU)
in a dry and thirsty land.(DV)
14 Fire spread from one of its main[d] branches
and consumed(DW) its fruit.
No strong branch is left on it
fit for a ruler’s scepter.’(DX)
“This is a lament(DY) and is to be used as a lament.”
Rebellious Israel Purged
20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire(DZ) of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.(EA)
2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, speak to the elders(EB) of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire(EC) of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(ED)’
4 “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors(EE) 5 and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose(EF) Israel, I swore with uplifted hand(EG) to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.(EH)” 6 On that day I swore(EI) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,(EJ) the most beautiful of all lands.(EK) 7 And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images(EL) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols(EM) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.(EN)”
8 “‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;(EO) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.(EP) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.(EQ) 9 But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.(ER) I did it to keep my name from being profaned(ES) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. 10 Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.(ET) 11 I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.(EU) 12 Also I gave them my Sabbaths(EV) as a sign(EW) between us,(EX) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.(EY)
13 “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled(EZ) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws(FA)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.(FB) So I said I would pour out my wrath(FC) on them and destroy(FD) them in the wilderness.(FE) 14 But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned(FF) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.(FG) 15 Also with uplifted hand I swore(FH) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands(FI)— 16 because they rejected my laws(FJ) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts(FK) were devoted to their idols.(FL) 17 Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy(FM) them or put an end to them in the wilderness. 18 I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents(FN) or keep their laws or defile yourselves(FO) with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God;(FP) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.(FQ) 20 Keep my Sabbaths(FR) holy, that they may be a sign(FS) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.(FT)”
21 “‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws,(FU) of which I said, “The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger(FV) against them in the wilderness.(FW) 22 But I withheld(FX) my hand, and for the sake of my name(FY) I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter(FZ) them through the countries, 24 because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees(GA) and desecrated my Sabbaths,(GB) and their eyes lusted after(GC) their parents’ idols.(GD) 25 So I gave(GE) them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;(GF) 26 I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice(GG) of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord.(GH)’
27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors(GI) blasphemed(GJ) me by being unfaithful to me:(GK) 28 When I brought them into the land(GL) I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.(GM) 29 Then I said to them: What is this high place(GN) you go to?’” (It is called Bamah[e] to this day.)
Rebellious Israel Renewed
30 “Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves(GO) the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?(GP) 31 When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children(GQ) in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.(GR)
32 “‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. 33 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm(GS) and with outpoured wrath.(GT) 34 I will bring you from the nations(GU) and gather(GV) you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand(GW) and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.(GX) 35 I will bring you into the wilderness(GY) of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment(GZ) upon you. 36 As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord.(HA) 37 I will take note of you as you pass under my rod,(HB) and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.(HC) 38 I will purge(HD) you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(HE)
39 “‘As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols,(HF) every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name(HG) with your gifts and idols.(HH) 40 For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel,(HI) declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings(HJ) and your choice gifts,[f] along with all your holy sacrifices.(HK) 41 I will accept you as fragrant incense(HL) when I bring you out from the nations and gather(HM) you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy(HN) through you in the sight of the nations.(HO) 42 Then you will know that I am the Lord,(HP) when I bring you into the land of Israel,(HQ) the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.(HR) 43 There you will remember your conduct(HS) and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves(HT) for all the evil you have done.(HU) 44 You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake(HV) and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.(HW)’”
Prophecy Against the South
45 The word of the Lord came to me: 46 “Son of man, set your face toward(HX) the south; preach against the south and prophesy against(HY) the forest of the southland.(HZ) 47 Say to the southern forest:(IA) ‘Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume(IB) all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north(IC) will be scorched by it.(ID) 48 Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it; it will not be quenched.(IE)’”
49 Then I said, “Sovereign Lord,(IF) they are saying of me, ‘Isn’t he just telling parables?(IG)’”[g]
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 18:10 Or things to a brother
- Ezekiel 19:7 Targum (see Septuagint); Hebrew He knew
- Ezekiel 19:10 Two Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts your blood
- Ezekiel 19:14 Or from under its
- Ezekiel 20:29 Bamah means high place.
- Ezekiel 20:40 Or and the gifts of your firstfruits
- Ezekiel 20:49 In Hebrew texts 20:45-49 is numbered 21:1-5.
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