Ezekiel 14
1 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me.
2 And the word of the LORD came to me:
3 “Son of man, these men have set up their detestable idols in their hearts and put the stumbling block of their guilt before their faces. Should I really let them consult me?
4 Therefore speak to them and say: ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: «Anyone from the house of Israel who sets up his detestable idols in his heart, puts the stumbling block of his guilt before his face, and then comes to the prophet—I, the LORD, will answer him according to the multitude of his detestable idols.
5 In this way I will take hold of the house of Israel by their hearts, because they have all turned away from me because of their detestable idols.»’
6 Therefore say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: «Turn back; turn away from your detestable idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.»’
7 For anyone from the house of Israel, or any foreigner living in Israel, who turns away from me, sets up his detestable idols in his heart, puts the stumbling block of his guilt before his face, and then comes to the prophet to consult me—I, the LORD, will answer him myself.
8 I will set my face against that man, make him a sign and a proverb, and cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
9 And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, it is I, the LORD, who have deceived that prophet. I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.
10 They will bear their guilt: the guilt of the one who consults will be the same as the guilt of the prophet.
11 Then the house of Israel will no longer stray from me or defile themselves with all their transgressions. They will be my people, and I will be their God, says the Lord GOD.”
12 The word of the LORD came to me:
13 “Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting unfaithfully, I will stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread. I will send famine against it and cut off people and animals from it.
14 Even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, they could save only their own lives by their righteousness, says the Lord GOD.
15 Or I could send wild animals through the land, and they would leave it childless; it would become a desolate place with no one passing through, because of the animals.
16 Even if these three men were in it—as I live, says the Lord GOD—they could save neither sons nor daughters. Only they themselves would be saved, and the land would become desolate.
17 Or I could bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through the land!’ Then I would cut off people and animals from it.
18 Even if these three men were in it—as I live, says the Lord GOD—they could save neither sons nor daughters. Only they themselves would be saved.
19 Or I could send a plague against that land and pour out my fury on it in bloodshed, to cut off people and animals from it.
20 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it—as I live, says the Lord GOD—they could save neither son nor daughter. By their righteousness they could save only their own lives.
21 For thus says the Lord GOD: ‘How much more when I send my four terrible judgments against Jerusalem—sword, famine, wild animals, and plague—to cut off people and animals from it!
22 But look, a group of survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and you will see their way of life and their actions. Then you will be comforted about the disaster I brought on Jerusalem, all that I brought on it.
23 They will comfort you when you see their way of life and their actions, and you will know that I did not act without cause in everything I did in it, says the Lord GOD.’”
Read and listen to this chapter in the Shalem app, free: narration, chapter video and reading progress. Get the app