Contra la idolatría
1Unos ancianos de Israel vinieron a visitarme y se sentaron frente a mí. 2La palabra del Señor vino a mí y me dijo: 3«Hijo de hombre, estas personas han hecho de su corazón un altar de ídolos y han puesto piedras de tropiezo que los hacen pecar. ¿Cómo voy a permitir que me consulten? 4Por tanto, habla con ellos y adviérteles que así dice el Señor y Dios: “A todo israelita que haya hecho de su corazón un altar de ídolos y que, después de haber colocado a su paso piedras de tropiezo que lo hagan pecar, consulte al profeta, yo el Señor le responderé según la multitud de sus ídolos. 5Así cautivaré el corazón de los israelitas que por causa de todos esos ídolos se hayan alejado de mí”.
6»Por tanto, adviértele al pueblo de Israel que así dice el Señor y Dios: “¡Arrepiéntanse! Apártense de una vez y por todas de su idolatría y de todas sus abominaciones”. 7Yo, el Señor, seré quien responda a todo israelita o extranjero que resida en Israel y que se haya alejado de mí, haya hecho de su corazón un altar de ídolos o haya colocado ante sí piedras de tropiezo que lo hagan pecar y luego haya acudido al profeta para consultarme. 8Me enfrentaré a él; haré de él una señal de escarmiento; lo eliminaré de mi pueblo. Así sabrán que yo soy el Señor.
9»Si un profeta es seducido y pronuncia un mensaje, será porque yo, el Señor, lo he seducido. Así que levantaré mi mano contra él y lo haré pedazos en presencia de mi pueblo. 10Tanto el profeta como quien lo haya consultado cargarán con la misma culpa, 11para que el pueblo de Israel ya no se aparte de mí ni vuelva a mancharse con sus pecados. Entonces ellos serán mi pueblo y yo seré su Dios, afirma el Señor y Dios».
Contra falsas esperanzas
12La palabra del Señor vino a mí y me dijo: 13«Hijo de hombre, si un país peca contra mí y persiste en su infidelidad, yo levantaré mi mano contra él; haré escasear los alimentos y lo sumiré en el hambre; arrasaré a sus habitantes y a sus animales. 14Y si Noé, Daniel14:14 Daniel. Alt. Danel; también en v. 20. y Job vivieran en ese país, solo ellos se salvarían por su justicia. Lo afirmo yo, el Señor y Dios.
15»Y, si por todo el país yo mandara bestias feroces que lo arrasaran y lo convirtieran en desierto desolado, de modo que por temor a las fieras nadie se atreviera a pasar, 16aunque esos tres hombres vivieran allí, tan cierto como que yo vivo, dice el Señor y Dios, ni sus hijos ni sus hijas sobrevivirían. Solo ellos se salvarían y el país quedaría desolado.
17»Y, si yo enviara guerra sobre ese país y dejara que la espada arrasara la tierra y eliminara a sus habitantes y a sus animales, 18y aunque aquellos tres hombres vivieran allí, tan cierto como que yo vivo, dice el Señor y Dios, ni sus hijos ni sus hijas sobrevivirían. Solo ellos se salvarían.
19»Y, si yo enviara plaga a ese país y derramara sobre él mi ira mortal para eliminar a sus habitantes y a sus animales, 20aunque Noé, Daniel y Job vivieran allí, tan cierto como que yo vivo, dice el Señor y Dios, ni sus hijos ni sus hijas sobrevivirían. Solo ellos se salvarían por su justicia.
21»Así dice el Señor y Dios: ¡Peor será cuando mande contra Jerusalén mis cuatro castigos fatales: la espada, el hambre, las bestias feroces y la plaga! Con ellas arrasaré a sus habitantes y a sus animales. 22Sin embargo, quedarán algunos sobrevivientes que serán liberados y harán salir del exilio a sus hijos y a sus hijas. Cuando lleguen adonde están ustedes, y ustedes vean su conducta y sus obras, se consolarán del desastre que envié contra Jerusalén y de todo lo que hice contra ella. 23Ustedes se consolarán cuando vean la conducta y las obras de esa gente; sabrán que lo que hice contra Jerusalén no fue sin razón, afirma el Señor y Dios».
The Lord Judges Those Who Worship Other Gods
1Some of the elders of Israel came to see me. They sat down with me. 2Then a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 3“Son of man, these men have thought about nothing but other gods. They have fallen into the evil trap of worshiping them. Should I let these men ask me for any advice? 4Speak to them. Tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “Suppose any of the Israelites think about other gods. And they fall into the evil trap of worshiping them. Then they go to a prophet to ask for advice. If they do, I myself will tell the prophet to answer them in keeping with their worship of many gods. 5I will win back the hearts of the people of Israel. All of them have deserted me for their other gods.” ’
6“So speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “Turn away from your sins! Also turn away from your gods. Give up all the evil things you have done. I hate them.
7“ ‘ “Suppose any of the Israelites or any outsiders who live in Israel separate themselves from me. And they think about other gods. They fall into the evil trap of worshiping them. Then they go to a prophet to ask me for advice. If they do, I myself will tell the prophet to answer them. 8I will turn against them. I will make an example out of them. People will talk about the bad things that happen to them. I will remove them from you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
9“ ‘ “Suppose that prophet is stirred up to give a prophecy. Then I am the one who has stirred him up. And I will reach out my powerful hand against him. I will destroy him from among my people Israel. 10The prophet will be as much to blame as the one who asks him for advice. Both of them will be guilty. 11Then the people of Israel will no longer wander away from me. And they will not make themselves ‘unclean’ anymore with their many sins. They will be my people. And I will be their God,” ’ announces the Lord and King.”
Jerusalem Can’t Escape the Lord’s Judgment
12A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 13“Son of man, suppose the people in a certain country sin against me. And they are not faithful to me. So I reach out my powerful hand against them. I cut off their food supply. I make them very hungry. I kill them and their animals. 14And suppose Noah, Daniel and Job were in that country. Then these three men could save only themselves by doing what is right,” announces the Lord and King.
15“Or suppose I send wild animals through that country. And they kill all its children. It becomes a dry and empty desert. No one can pass through it because of the animals. 16And suppose these three men were in that country. Then they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved. But the land would become a dry and empty desert. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King.
17“Or suppose I send swords to kill the people in that country. And I say, ‘Let swords sweep all through the land.’ And I kill its people and their animals. 18And suppose these three men were in that country. Then they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King.
19“Or suppose I send a plague into that land. And I pour out my great anger on it by spilling blood. I kill its people and their animals. 20And suppose Noah, Daniel and Job were in that land. Then they could not save their own sons or daughters. They could save only themselves by doing what is right. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King.
21The Lord and King says, “It will get much worse. I will punish Jerusalem in four horrible ways. There will be war, hunger, wild animals and plague. They will destroy the people and their animals. 22But some people will be left alive. Some children will be brought out of the city. They will come to you. You will see how they act and the way they live. And you will be comforted in spite of all the trouble I brought on Jerusalem. 23You will be comforted when you see how they act and the way they live. Then you will know that I did not do anything there without a reason,” announces the Lord and King.
