1	And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month , the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came# to enquire# of the LORD, and sat# before me.
			2	Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying# ,
			3	Son of man, speak# unto the elders of Israel, and say# unto them, Thus saith# the Lord GOD; Are ye come# to enquire# of me? As I live, saith# the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired# of by you.
			4	Wilt thou judge# them, son of man, wilt thou judge# them ? cause them to know# the abominations of their fathers: [Wilt...: or, Wilt thou plead for them]
			5	And say# unto them, Thus saith# the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose# Israel, and lifted up# mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known# unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted# up mine hand unto them, saying# , I am the LORD your God; [lifted...: or, sware]
			6	In the day that I lifted up# mine hand unto them, to bring them forth# of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied# for them, flowing# with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:
			7	Then said# I unto them, Cast ye away# every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile# not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
			8	But they rebelled# against me, and would# not hearken# unto me: they did not every man cast away# the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake# the idols of Egypt: then I said# , I will pour out# my fury upon them, to accomplish# my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.
			9	But I wrought# for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted# before the heathen, among whom they were , in whose sight I made myself known# unto them, in bringing them forth# out of the land of Egypt.
			10	Wherefore I caused them to go forth# out of the land of Egypt, and brought# them into the wilderness.
			11	And I gave# them my statutes, and shewed# them my judgments, which if a man do# , he shall even live# in them. [shewed...: Heb. made them to know]
			12	Moreover also I gave# them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know# that I am the LORD that sanctify# them.
			13	But the house of Israel rebelled# against me in the wilderness: they walked# not in my statutes, and they despised# my judgments, which if a man do# , he shall even live# in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted# : then I said# , I would pour out# my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume# them.
			14	But I wrought# for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted# before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out# .
			15	Yet also I lifted up# my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring# them into the land which I had given# them , flowing# with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;
			16	Because they despised# my judgments, and walked# not in my statutes, but polluted# my sabbaths: for their heart went# after their idols.
			17	Nevertheless mine eye spared# them from destroying# them, neither did I make# an end of them in the wilderness.
			18	But I said# unto their children in the wilderness, Walk# ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe# their judgments, nor defile# yourselves with their idols:
			19	I am the LORD your God; walk# in my statutes, and keep# my judgments, and do# them;
			20	And hallow# my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know# that I am the LORD your God.
			21	Notwithstanding the children rebelled# against me: they walked# not in my statutes, neither kept# my judgments to do# them, which if a man do# , he shall even live# in them; they polluted# my sabbaths: then I said# , I would pour out# my fury upon them, to accomplish# my anger against them in the wilderness.
			22	Nevertheless I withdrew# mine hand, and wrought# for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted# in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth# .
			23	I lifted up# mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter# them among the heathen, and disperse# them through the countries;
			24	Because they had not executed# my judgments, but had despised# my statutes, and had polluted# my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.
			25	Wherefore I gave# them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live# ;
			26	And I polluted# them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through# the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate# , to the end that they might know# that I am the LORD.
			27	Therefore, son of man, speak# unto the house of Israel, and say# unto them, Thus saith# the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed# me, in that they have committed# a trespass against me. [committed...: Heb. trespassed a trespass]
			28	For when I had brought# them into the land, for the which I lifted up# mine hand to give# it to them, then they saw# every high# hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered# there their sacrifices, and there they presented# the provocation of their offering: there also they made# their sweet savour, and poured out# there their drink offerings.
			29	Then I said# unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go# ? And the name thereof is called# Bamah unto this day. [I said...: or, I told them what the high place was, or, Bamah]
			30	Wherefore say# unto the house of Israel, Thus saith# the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted# after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom# after their abominations?
			31	For when ye offer# your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through# the fire, ye pollute# yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired# of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith# the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired# of by you.
			32	And that which cometh# into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say# , We will be# as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve# wood and stone.
			33	As I live, saith# the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out# arm, and with fury poured out# , will I rule# over you:
			34	And I will bring you out# from the people, and will gather# you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered# , with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out# arm, and with fury poured out# .
			35	And I will bring# you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead# with you face to face.
			36	Like as I pleaded# with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead# with you, saith# the Lord GOD.
			37	And I will cause you to pass# under the rod, and I will bring# you into the bond of the covenant: [bond: or, delivering]
			38	And I will purge out# from among you the rebels# , and them that transgress# against me: I will bring them forth# out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter# into the land of Israel: and ye shall know# that I am the LORD.
			39	As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith# the Lord GOD; Go# ye, serve# ye every one his idols, and hereafter also , if ye will not hearken# unto me: but pollute# ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.
			40	For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith# the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve# me: there will I accept# them, and there will I require# your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. [firstfruits: or, chief]
			41	I will accept# you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out# from the people, and gather# you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered# ; and I will be sanctified# in you before the heathen. [sweet...: Heb. savour of rest]
			42	And ye shall know# that I am the LORD, when I shall bring# you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up# mine hand to give# it to your fathers.
			43	And there shall ye remember# your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled# ; and ye shall lothe# yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed# .
			44	And ye shall know# that I am the LORD, when I have wrought# with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt# doings, O ye house of Israel, saith# the Lord GOD.
			45	Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying# ,
			46	Son of man, set# thy face toward the south, and drop# thy word toward the south, and prophesy# against the forest of the south field;
			47	And say# to the forest of the south, Hear# the word of the LORD; Thus saith# the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle# a fire in thee, and it shall devour# every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched# , and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned# therein.
			48	And all flesh shall see# that I the LORD have kindled# it: it shall not be quenched# .
			49	Then said# I, Ah Lord GOD! they say# of me, Doth he not speak# parables?