Ezekiel 20

1Again it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that men from the elders of the house of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and they sat before me.

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2Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

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3'Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord: 'Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,' says the Lord, 'I will not answer your inquiries.' '

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4Shall I utterly take vengeance on them, son of man? Testify to them concerning the lawlessness of their fathers.

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5'You shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord: 'From the day I chose Israel and made Myself known to the seed of the house of Jacob, and to those in the land of Egypt, and helped them with My hand, saying, 'I am the Lord your God'-

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6in that day I helped them with My hand to lead them from the land of Egypt into the land I prepared for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, a land more abundant than all other lands.

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7I said to them, 'Let each of you cast away the abominations before his eyes, and not defile yourselves with the practices of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.'

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8But they fell away from Me and were unwilling to obey Me. They did not cast away the abominations before their eyes, nor abandon the practices of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out My anger and accomplish My wrath among them in the land of Egypt.

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9So I acted that My name would not at all be desecrated in the sight of the nations in the midst of whom they were, and among whom I made Myself known in their sight, to lead them out of Egypt.

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10'I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the desert.

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11I gave them My ordinances and made known My requirements to them, which if a man will do them, he shall live by them.

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12I also gave them My Sabbaths as a sign between Me and them, so they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

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13I said to the house of Israel in the desert, 'You shall walk in my ordinances.' But they did not walk in them, and they rejected my requirements, which if a man will do them, he shall live by them; and they desecrated my Sabbaths exceedingly. Thus I said I would pour out My anger upon them in the wilderness, to utterly destroy them.

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14So I acted that My name might not be at all desecrated before the nations before whose eyes I brought them out.

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15I swore an oath against them in the desert that I would no longer bring them into the land I gave them, a land flowing with milk and honey, a land sweeter than all other lands,

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16because they rejected My requirements and did not walk in My ordinances; instead, they desecrated My Sabbaths and walked after the inventions of their hearts.

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17Nevertheless My eye spared them from utter destruction, and I did not make an end to them in the wilderness.

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18'But I said to their children in the desert, 'Do not walk in the customs of your fathers, nor observe their requirements, nor have fellowship with their practices, nor defile yourself with them.

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19I am the Lord your God. Walk in My ordinances, keep My requirements and do them.

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20Sanctify My Sabbaths, and let them be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.'

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21But they rebelled against me, along with their children. They did not walk in My ordinances or keep My requirements, which if a man will do them, he shall live by them; and they desecrated My Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out My wrath upon them in the desert, to accomplish My wrath against them.

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22But I did this so My name would not be desecrated in the sight of the nations before whose eyes I brought them out.

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23Thus I swore an oath against them in the desert, that I might scatter them among the nations and disperse them in the countries,

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24because they did not keep My requirements and rejected My ordinances. They desecrated My Sabbaths, and their eyes went after the inventions of their fathers.

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25Therefore I gave them ordinances that were not good, and requirements in which they should not live.

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26I will defile them by their gifts, when I pass through upon everyone that opens the womb, that I may destroy them.' '

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27'Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord: 'Up to this point, your fathers provoked Me by the transgressions they committed against Me.

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28But I led them into the land I swore with an oath to give them, and they saw every high hill and every shade tree. There they sacrificed to their gods; and there they appointed fragrant offerings and poured out their drink offerings.

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29Then I said to them, 'What is this high place you go to?' So they call its name Bamah, to this day.' '

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30Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord: 'Do you defile yourselves with the lawlessness of your fathers, and commit fornication after their abominations?

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31You defile yourselves in the first fruits of your gifts with all your inventions to this very day. Shall I answer you, O house of Israel? As I live,' says the Lord, 'I will not answer you, nor will an answer occur to your spirit;

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32for it will not be as you say, 'We will be like the nations and like the tribes of the earth, to worship trees and stones.'

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33'Therefore, as I live,' says the Lord, 'I will reign over you with a mighty hand, with a high arm, and with anger poured out.

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34I shall lead you out from the peoples and will receive you from the countries where you were scattered, with a mighty hand, with a high arm, and with anger poured out.

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35I shall bring you into the desert of the peoples and will judge you face to face.

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36As I judged your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I shall judge you,' says the Lord.

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37'I will make you pass under my scepter and bring you in by number.

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38I will select the ungodly from among you, and those who revolted; for I shall lead them out of their sojourning, and they will not enter the land of Israel. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

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39'As for you, O house of Israel,' thus says the Lord and Master: 'Each of you put away your practices, and after this, if you listen to Me, you will no longer desecrate My holy name with your gifts and practices.

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40For upon My holy mountain, the high mountain,' says the Lord and Master, 'there all the house of Israel will serve Me to the end; and there I shall receive you, and look upon the first fruits of your offerings, together with all your holy objects.

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41I shall receive you as a fragrant aroma when I lead you out from the peoples, and receive you from the countries where you were scattered; and I shall be sanctified among you before the eyes of the peoples.

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42Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I lead you into the land of Israel, into the land I swore by an oath to give your fathers.

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43There you will remember all your ways and practices which defiled you; and you shall bewail yourselves for all your evil.

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44Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you in the way, that My name be not desecrated according to your evil ways and corrupt practices,' says the Lord.' '

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