And it came to passin the seventhyear, in the fifth month , the tenth day of the month, that certainof the eldersof Israelcameto inquireof the LORD, and satbeforeme. Then camethe wordof the LORDuntome, saying, Sonof man, speakunto the eldersof Israel, and sayuntothem, Thussaiththe LordGOD; Are yecometo inquireof me? As Ilive, saiththe LordGOD, I will notbe inquiredof by you. Wilt thou judgethem, sonof man, wilt thou judge them ? cause them to knowthe abominationsof their fathers: And sayuntothem, Thussaiththe LordGOD; In the daywhen I choseIsrael, and lifted upmine handunto the seedof the houseof Jacob, and made myself knownunto them in the landof Egypt, when I lifted upmine handunto them, saying, I am the LORDyour God; In the day that I lifted upmine handunto them, to bring them forthof the landof Egyptintoa landthatI had espiedfor them, flowingwith milkand honey, which is the gloryof alllands: Then saidI untothem, Cast ye awayevery manthe abominationsof his eyes, and defile not yourselveswith the idolsof Egypt: I am the LORDyour God. But they rebelledagainst me, and wouldnothearkenuntome: they did notevery mancast awaythe abominationsof their eyes, neitherdid they forsakethe idolsof Egypt: then I said, I will pour outmy furyuponthem, to accomplishmy angeragainst them in the midstof the landof Egypt. But I wroughtfor my name's sake, that it should notbe pollutedbeforethe heathen, amongwhomthey were , in whosesightI made myself knownuntothem, in bringing them forthout of the landof Egypt. Wherefore I caused them to goout of the landof Egypt, and broughtthem intothe wilderness. And I gavethem my statutes, and showedthem my judgments, which if a mando, he shall even livein them. Moreover alsoI gavethem my sabbaths, to bea signbetweenme and them, that they might knowthatI am the LORDthat sanctifythem. But the houseof Israelrebelledagainst me in the wilderness: they walkednotin my statutes, and they despisedmy judgments, which if a mando, he shall even livein them; and my sabbathsthey greatlypolluted: then I said, I would pour outmy furyuponthem in the wilderness, to consumethem. But I wroughtfor my name's sake, that it should notbe pollutedbeforethe heathen, in whosesightI brought them out. Yet alsoIlifted upmy handunto them in the wilderness, that I would notbringthem intothe landwhichI had given them , flowingwith milkand honey, which is the gloryof alllands; Becausethey despisedmy judgments, and walkednotin my statutes, but pollutedmy sabbaths: fortheir heartwentaftertheir idols. Nevertheless mine eyesparedthem from destroyingthem, neitherdid I makean endof them in the wilderness. But I saiduntotheir childrenin the wilderness, Walkye notin the statutesof your fathers, neitherobservetheir judgments, nordefile yourselveswith their idols: I am the LORDyour God; walkin my statutes, and keepmy judgments, and dothem; And hallowmy sabbaths; and they shall bea signbetweenme and you, that ye may knowthatI am the LORDyour God. Notwithstanding the childrenrebelledagainst me: they walkednotin my statutes, neitherkeptmy judgmentsto dothem, which if a mando, he shall even livein them; they pollutedmy sabbaths: then I said, I would pour outmy furyuponthem, to accomplishmy angeragainst them in the wilderness. Nevertheless I withdrewmine hand, and wroughtfor my name's sake, that it should notbe pollutedin the sightof the heathen, in whosesightI brought them forth. Ilifted upmine handunto them alsoin the wilderness, that I would scatterthem among the heathen, and dispersethem through the countries; Becausethey had notexecutedmy judgments, but had despisedmy statutes, and had pollutedmy sabbaths, and their eyeswereaftertheir fathers' idols. Wherefore Igavethem alsostatutes that were notgood, and judgmentswhereby they should notlive; And I pollutedthem in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire allthat openeththe womb, thatI might make them desolate, to the endthatthey might knowthatI am the LORD. Therefore, sonof man, speakuntothe houseof Israel, and sayuntothem, Thussaiththe LordGOD; Yetin thisyour fathershave blasphemedme, in that they have committeda trespassagainst me. For when I had broughtthem intothe land, for the whichI lifted upmine handto giveit to them, then they saweveryhighhill, and allthe thicktrees, and they offeredtheretheir sacrifices, and therethey presentedthe provocationof their offering: therealso they madetheir sweetsavor, and poured outtheretheir drink offerings. Then I saiduntothem, What is the high placewhereuntoyego? And the namethereof is calledBamahuntothisday. Whereforesayuntothe houseof Israel, Thussaiththe LordGOD; Are yepollutedafter the mannerof your fathers? and commit ye whoredomaftertheir abominations? For when ye offeryour gifts, when ye make your sonsto passthrough the fire, yepollute yourselveswith allyour idols, even untothis day: and shall Ibe inquired ofby you, O houseof Israel? As Ilive, saiththe LordGOD, I will notbe inquired ofby you. And that which comethintoyour mindshall notbe at all, thatyesay, We will beas the heathen, as the familiesof the countries, to servewoodand stone. As Ilive, saiththe LordGOD, surelywith a mightyhand, and with a stretched outarm, and with furypoured out, will I ruleoveryou: And I will bring you outfromthe people, and will gatheryou out ofthe countrieswhereinye are scattered, with a mightyhand, and with a stretched outarm, and with furypoured out. And I will bringyou intothe wildernessof the people, and therewill I pleadwithyou facetoface. Like asI pleadedwithyour fathersin the wildernessof the landof Egypt, sowill I pleadwithyou, saiththe LordGOD. And I will cause you to passunderthe rod, and I will bringyou into the bondof the covenant: And I will purge outfromamong you the rebels, and them that transgressagainst me: I will bring them forthout of the countrywhere they sojourn, and they shall notenterintothe landof Israel: and ye shall knowthatI am the LORD. As for you, O houseof Israel, thussaiththe LordGOD; Goye, serveye every onehis idols, and hereafter also , ifye will nothearkenuntome: but polluteye my holynamenomorewith your gifts, and with your idols. Forin mine holymountain, in the mountainof the heightof Israel, saiththe LordGOD, thereshall allthe houseof Israel, allof them in the land, serveme: therewill I acceptthem, and therewill I requireyour offerings, and the firstfruitsof your oblations, with allyour holy things. I will acceptyou with your sweetsavor, when I bring you outfromthe people, and gatheryou out ofthe countrieswhereinye have been scattered; and I will be sanctifiedin you beforethe heathen. And ye shall knowthatI am the LORD, when I shall bringyou intothe landof Israel, intothe country for the whichI lifted upmine handto giveit to your fathers. And thereshall ye rememberyour ways, and allyour doings, whereinye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselvesin your own sightfor allyour evilsthatye have committed. And ye shall knowthatI am the LORD, when I have wroughtwithyou for my name's sake, notaccording to your wickedways, nor according to your corruptdoings, O ye houseof Israel, saiththe LordGOD. Moreover the wordof the LORDcameuntome, saying, Sonof man, setthy facetowardthe south, and drop thy word towardthe south, and prophesyagainstthe forestof the southfield; And sayto the forestof the south, Hearthe wordof the LORD; Thussaiththe LordGOD; Behold, I will kindlea firein thee, and it shall devoureverygreentreein thee, and everydrytree: the flamingflameshall notbe quenched, and allfacesfrom the southto the northshall be burnedtherein. And allfleshshall seethatIthe LORDhave kindledit: it shall notbe quenched. Then saidI, AhLordGOD! theysayof me, Doth henotspeakparables?