Ezekiel 14

Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.

1Some of the leaders of Israel came to me. They sat down in front of me.

2And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2Then the LORD spoke to me. He said:

3Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

3"Son of man, these men love false gods in their hearts. They have put things in front of them that make them do wrong. Should I let them ask Me anything at all?

Note"Stumblingblock" means something you trip over. Here it means something that makes a person do wrong.

4Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

4So talk to them. Tell them the Lord GOD says this: 'Suppose an Israelite loves false gods in his heart. He puts things before him that make him do wrong. Then he comes to the prophet, the man who speaks for God. I the LORD will answer him. My answer will match all the false gods he loves.

5That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

5I will do this to take hold of the hearts of My people Israel. They have all turned away from Me because of their false gods.'

6Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

6So tell the people of Israel that the Lord GOD says this: 'Be sorry and stop. Turn away from your false gods. Turn your faces away from all the awful things you do.

7For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:

7This is true for any Israelite. It is also true for any foreigner living in Israel. Suppose someone pulls away from Me. He loves false gods in his heart. He puts things before him that make him do wrong. Then he comes to the prophet to ask about Me. I the LORD will answer him Myself.

8And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

8I will turn against that man. People will point at him and tell his story as a warning. I will cut him off from among My people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

Note"A sign and a proverb" means people will talk about him as an example of what not to do.

9And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

9And if a prophet is drawn into speaking a message, I the LORD drew him into it. I will reach out My hand against him. I will destroy him from among My people Israel.

10And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;

10They will both carry the weight of their wrong. The prophet and the one who asked will get the same punishment.

11That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.

11Then the people of Israel will not wander away from Me again. They will not make themselves dirty with their sins anymore. They will be My people, and I will be their God, says the Lord GOD.'"

12The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,

12The LORD spoke to me again. He said:

13Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

13"Son of man, suppose a land sins against Me and is very unfaithful. Then I will reach out My hand against it. I will take away its supply of bread. I will send hunger there. I will cut off both people and animals.

Note"Break the staff of the bread" is an old way of saying "take away the food people depend on."

14Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.

14Even if these three men lived there, it would not change this. Noah, Daniel, and Job did what was right. But their good lives would save only themselves, says the Lord GOD.

15If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:

15Or suppose I send wild animals through the land. They hurt it and leave it empty. No one can even walk through, because of the animals.

16Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.

16As surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, even if these three men lived there, they could not save their own sons or daughters. Only they would be saved. The land would still be empty.

17Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:

17Or suppose I bring war on that land. I say, 'Let the sword go through the land.' So I cut off both people and animals.

18Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.

18As surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, even if these three men lived there, they could not save their own sons or daughters. Only they would be saved.

19Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:

19Or suppose I send a deadly sickness into that land. I pour out My anger there, and blood is spilled. I cut off both people and animals.

20Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

20As surely as I live, says the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, they could not save their own son or daughter. Their good lives would save only themselves.

21For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

21The Lord GOD says this: 'How much worse it will be for Jerusalem. I will send four terrible punishments there: war, hunger, wild animals, and deadly sickness. They will cut off both people and animals.

22Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.

22But listen. Some people will still be left alive there. Sons and daughters will be brought out. They will come out to you. You will see how they live and what they do. Then you will feel better about the trouble I brought on Jerusalem.

23And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.

23They will comfort you when you see how they live and what they do. Then you will know I had good reason for all I did there, says the Lord GOD.'"