Ezekiel 20 – NIVUK & CCB

New International Version – UK

Ezekiel 20:1-49

Rebellious Israel purged

1In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.

2Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3‘Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: have you come to enquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you enquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

4‘Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors 5and say to them: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: on the day I chose Israel, I swore with uplifted hand 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.’ 6On that day I swore 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, the most beautiful of all lands. 7And I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

8‘ “But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt. 9But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt. I did it to keep my name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. 10Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live. 12Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.

13‘ “Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws – by which the person who obeys them will live – and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and destroy them in the wilderness. 14But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 15Also with uplifted hand I swore 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 – 16because they rejected my laws and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts were devoted to their idols. 17Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the wilderness. 18I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not follow the statutes of your parents or keep their laws or defile yourselves with their idols. 19I am the Lord your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 20Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’

21‘ “But the children rebelled against me: they did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws, 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 against them in the wilderness. 22But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. 23Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries, 24because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths, and their eyes lusted after their parents’ idols. 25So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live; 26I defiled them through their gifts – the sacrifice of every firstborn – that I might fill them with horror so that they would know that I am the Lord.”

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 blasphemed me by being unfaithful to me: 28when I brought them into the land 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. 29Then I said to them: what is this high place you go to?” ’ (It is called Bamah20:29 Bamah means high place. to this day.)

Rebellious Israel renewed

30‘Therefore say to the Israelites: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: will you defile yourselves the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images? 31When you offer your gifts – the sacrifice of your children in the fire – you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you enquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you enquire of me.

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. 33As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. 34I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered – with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. 35I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. 36As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord. 37I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38I will purge 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.

39‘ “As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterwards you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols. 40For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, 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 and your choice gifts,20:40 Or and the gifts of your firstfruits along with all your holy sacrifices. 41I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy through you in the sight of the nations. 42Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors. 43There you will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done. 44You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.” ’

Prophecy against the south

45The word of the Lord came to me: 46‘Son of man, set your face towards the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest of the southland. 47Say to the southern forest: “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 all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it. 48Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it; it will not be quenched.” ’

49Then I said, ‘Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me, “Isn’t he just telling parables?” ’20:49 In Hebrew texts 20:45-49 is numbered 21:1-5.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

以西结书 20:1-49

以色列人的悖逆

1第七年五月十日,有几个以色列的长老来到我这里,坐在我面前。 2耶和华对我说: 3“人子啊,你要告诉他们,主耶和华这样说,‘你们是来求问我吗?我凭我的永恒起誓,我决不让你们求问。’ 4人子啊,你要审判他们?你要审判他们?要使他们知道他们祖先所做的可憎之事。 5你要告诉他们,主耶和华这样说,‘我拣选以色列那日,曾向雅各家的后裔起誓,又在埃及向他们显现,告诉他们我是他们的上帝耶和华。 6那日我向他们起誓,要带领他们离开埃及,到我为他们预备的奶蜜之乡,世上最佳美的地方。 7我告诉他们要除掉他们祭拜的可憎之物,不可让埃及的偶像玷污自己,因为我是他们的上帝耶和华。

8“‘然而,他们却背叛我,不听我的话,没有除去他们祭拜的可憎之物和埃及的偶像。我本想在埃及向他们发烈怒,倾倒我的怒火, 9但我没有这样做,以免我的名在他们寄居的列邦面前被亵渎。因为列邦亲眼看见我向以色列人显现,把他们带出埃及10于是,我带他们离开埃及,进入旷野, 11向他们颁布我的律例和典章,若有人遵守,就必活着。 12我又让他们遵守我的安息日,作为我与他们之间的记号,好叫他们知道是我耶和华使他们成为圣洁之民。

13“‘可是,以色列人却在旷野背叛我,不遵行我的律例和典章——遵行的人必活着,大肆亵渎我的安息日。我本想在旷野向他们发烈怒,灭绝他们。 14但我没有这样做,以免我的名在周围列邦面前被亵渎,因为列邦亲眼看见我向以色列人显现,把他们带出埃及15我在旷野曾向他们发誓,不带他们进入我赐给他们的那奶蜜之乡,那世上最佳美的地方, 16因为他们不遵守我的典章,不顺从我的律例,亵渎我的安息日,心恋偶像。 17但我怜悯他们,没有毁灭他们,没有在旷野把他们全部灭绝。

18“‘我在旷野曾对他们的子孙说,不要效法你们祖先的律例,不要遵守他们的规条,不要拜他们的偶像,以致玷污自己。 19我是你们的上帝耶和华,你们要恪守我的律例,谨遵我的典章, 20尊我定的安息日为圣日,作为我与你们之间的记号,使你们知道我是你们的上帝耶和华。

21“‘可是,他们的子孙却背叛我,不恪守我的律例,不谨遵我的典章——遵守的人必活着。他们亵渎我的安息日。我本想在旷野向他们发烈怒,倾倒我的怒气, 22但我没有这样做,以免我的名在周围列邦面前被亵渎,因为列邦亲眼看见我向以色列人显现,把他们带出埃及23我在旷野起誓要把他们驱散到列国,分散到列邦, 24因为他们不遵行我的典章,弃绝我的律例,亵渎我的安息日,眼睛恋慕他们祖先的偶像。 25所以,我任由他们效法无用的律例,遵守无法使人活着的规条, 26任由他们把自己的长子烧作祭物献给偶像,以致玷污自己——好使他们充满恐惧,这样他们便知道我是耶和华。’

27“人子啊,你要告诉以色列人,主耶和华这样说,‘你们的祖先背信弃义,亵渎了我。 28当我引领他们进入我曾起誓要赐给他们的土地时,他们在所见的每一处高山或密林献祭,焚烧馨香的祭牲,向偶像奠酒,惹我发怒。 29我问他们,你们所去的高处是什么地方?’从此,那高处一直叫巴麻

30“所以,你要告诉以色列人,主耶和华这样说,‘你们仍像你们祖先一样与可憎的偶像苟合,玷污自己吗? 31你们至今仍把自己的儿子烧作祭物献给偶像,玷污自己吗?以色列人啊,我会让你们求问吗?主耶和华说,我凭我的永恒起誓,我决不让你们求问。

32“‘你们说要像外族人一样去供奉木头石头,你们的想法绝不能实现!’

33“主耶和华说,‘我凭我的永恒起誓,我要发烈怒,伸出大能的臂膀治理你们。 34我要发烈怒,伸出大能的臂膀把你们从列国中领出来,从你们散居的列邦聚集你们, 35领你们进入外族人的旷野,面对面地审判你们, 36就像我从前在埃及的旷野审判你们的祖先一样。这是主耶和华说的。 37我要对你们严加管教20:37 对你们严加管教”希伯来文是“让你们在杖下经过”。,使你们遵守我的约。 38我要铲除你们中间叛逆和犯罪的人。虽然我要领他们离开寄居之地,他们却不能回以色列。这样,你们就知道我是耶和华。’

39“主耶和华说,‘你们以色列人若不听我的话,就去供奉你们的偶像吧!但将来你们必不再向偶像献祭物亵渎我的圣名!’

40“主耶和华说,‘在我的圣山,就是以色列的高山上,所有的以色列人都要事奉我,我要在那里悦纳你们,要求你们献上供物、最好的礼物和一切圣物。 41当我把你们从列国领出来,从你们散居的列邦聚集起来时,你们必如馨香之祭一样蒙我悦纳,我必当着列国的面在你们中间彰显我的圣洁。 42我要把你们带回我起誓应许给你们祖先的以色列,这样你们就知道我是耶和华。 43你们在那里会想起以往玷污自己的行径,并因自己的一切恶行而憎恶自己。’ 44主耶和华说,‘以色列人啊,我为了自己的名,没有照你们的邪恶行径惩罚你们,这样你们便知道我是耶和华。’”

45耶和华对我说: 46“人子啊,你要面向南方,说预言斥责南地的树林。 47你要对南地的树林说,‘你要听耶和华的话。主耶和华说,我要在你那里燃起火来,烧毁你所有的青树和枯树。这不熄的烈火要从南到北烧焦一切。 48这样,世人便知道这烈火是我耶和华点燃的,它绝不会熄灭。’” 49于是我说:“唉,主耶和华啊,他们在议论我说,‘这人岂不是在说比喻吗?’”