Ezekiel:20

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* And it came to pass in the seventh year , in the fifth month , the tenth day of the month , that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the LORD , and sat before me . * Then came the word of the LORD unto me , saying , * Son of man , speak unto the elders of Israel Yisra #el #, and say unto them , Thus saith the Lord GOD ; Are ye come to enquire of me ? As I live , saith the Lord GOD , I will not be enquired of by you . * Wilt thou judge them , son of man , wilt thou judge them ? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers : * And say unto them , Thus saith the Lord GOD ; In the day when I chose Israel Yisra #el #, and lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob Ya #aqob #, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt , when I lifted up mine hand unto them , saying , I am the LORD your God ; * In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them , to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them , flowing with milk and honey , which is the glory of all lands : * Then said I unto them , Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes , and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt : I am the LORD your God . * But they rebelled against me , and would not hearken unto me : they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes , neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt : then I said , I will pour out my fury upon them , to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt . * But I wrought for my names sake , that it should not be polluted before the heathen , among whom they were , in whose sight I made myself known unto them , in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt . * Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt , and brought them into the wilderness . * And I gave them my statutes , and shewed them my judgments , which if a man do , he shall even 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 the LORD that sanctify them . * But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness : they walked not in my statutes , and they despised my judgments , which if a man do , he shall even live in them ; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted : then I said , I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness , to consume them . * But I wrought for my names sake , that it should not be polluted before the heathen , in whose sight I brought them out . * Yet also I lifted up my hand unto 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 despised my judgments , and walked not in my statutes , but polluted my sabbaths : for their heart went after their idols . * Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them , neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness . * But I said unto their children in the wilderness , Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers , neither observe their judgments , nor defile yourselves with their idols : * I am the LORD your God ; walk in my statutes , and keep my judgments , and do them ; * And hallow my sabbaths ; and they shall be a sign between me and you , that ye may know that I am the LORD your God . * Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me : they walked not in my statutes , neither kept my judgments to do them , which if a man do , he shall even live in them ; they polluted my sabbaths : then I said , I would pour out my fury upon them , to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness . * Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand , and wrought for my names sake , that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen , in whose sight I brought them forth . * I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness , that I would scatter them among the heathen , and disperse them through the countries ; * Because they had not executed my judgments , but had despised my statutes , and had polluted my sabbaths , and their eyes were after their fathers idols . * Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good , and judgments whereby they should not live ; * And I polluted them in their own gifts , in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb , that I might make them desolate , to the end that they might know that I am the LORD . * Therefore , son of man , speak unto the house of Israel Yisra #el #, and say unto them , Thus saith the Lord GOD ; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me , in that they have committed a trespass against me . * For when I had brought them into the land , for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them , then they saw every high hill gib #ah #, and all the thick trees , and they offered there their sacrifices , and there they presented the provocation of their offering : there also they made their sweet savour , and poured out there their drink offerings . * Then I said unto them , What is the high place whereunto ye go ? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day . * Wherefore say unto the house of Israel Yisra #el #, Thus saith the Lord GOD ; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers ? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations ? * For when ye offer your gifts , when ye make your sons to pass through the fire , ye pollute yourselves with all your idols , even unto this day : and shall I be enquired of by you , O house of Israel Yisra #el #? As I live , saith the Lord GOD , I will not be enquired of by you . * And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all , that ye say , We will be as the heathen , as the families of the countries , to serve wood and stone . * As I live , saith the Lord GOD , surely with a mighty hand , and with a stretched out arm , and with fury poured out , will I rule over you : * And I will bring you out from the people , and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered , with a mighty hand , and with a stretched out arm , and with fury poured out . * And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people , and there will I plead with you face to face . * Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt , so will I plead with you , saith the Lord GOD . * And I will cause you to pass under the rod , and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant : * And I will purge out from among you the rebels , and them that transgress against me : I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn , and they shall not enter into the land of Israel Yisra #el #: and ye shall know that I am the LORD . * As for you , O house of Israel Yisra #el #, thus saith the Lord GOD ; Go ye , serve ye every one his idols , and hereafter also , if ye will not hearken unto me : but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts , and with your idols . * For in mine holy mountain , in the mountain of the height of Israel Yisra #el #, saith the Lord GOD , there shall all the house of Israel Yisra #el #, all of them in the land , serve me : there will I accept them , and there will I require your offerings , and the firstfruits of your oblations mas #eth #, with all your holy things . * I will accept you with your sweet savour , when I bring you out from the people , and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered ; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen . * And ye shall know that I am the LORD , when I shall bring you into the land of Israel Yisra #el #, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers . * And there shall ye remember your ways , and all your doings , wherein ye have been defiled ; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed . * And ye shall know that I am the LORD , when I have wrought with you for my names sake , not according to your wicked ways , nor according to your corrupt doings , O ye house of Israel Yisra #el #, saith the Lord GOD . * Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me , saying , * Son of man , set thy face toward the south , and drop thy word toward the south , and prophesy against the forest of the south field ; * And say to the forest of the south , Hear the word of the LORD ; Thus saith the Lord GOD ; Behold , I will kindle a fire in thee , and it shall devour every green tree in thee , and every dry tree : the flaming flame shall not be quenched , and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein . * And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it : it shall not be quenched . * Then said I , Ah Lord GOD ! they say of me , Doth he not speak parables ?

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