1 En in die sewende jaar, in die vyfde maand, op die tiende van die maand, het daar manne uit die oudstes van Israel gekom om die HERE te raadpleeg; en hulle het voor my gaan sit.
2 Toe het die woord van die HERE tot my gekom en gesê:
3 Mensekind, spreek met die oudstes van Israel en sê vir hulle: So spreek die Here HERE: Kom julle om My te raadpleeg? So waar as Ek leef, gewis, Ek laat my deur julle nie raadpleeg nie, spreek die Here HERE.
4 Wil jy hulle oordeel, wil jy oordeel, mensekind? Maak hulle dan die gruwels van hulle vaders bekend,
5 en sê aan hulle: So spreek die Here HERE: Die dag toe Ek Israel uitverkies het, het Ek my hand opgehef vir die geslag van die huis van Jakob en My aan hulle bekend gemaak in Egipteland; ja, Ek het my hand vir hulle opgehef en gesê: Ek is die HERE julle God.
6 Op die dag het Ek my hand vir hulle opgehef, om hulle uit Egipteland uit te lei na 'n land wat Ek vir hulle uitgesoek het, wat oorloop van melk en heuning -- 'n sieraad is dit van al die lande.
7 En Ek het aan hulle gesê: Gooi weg, elkeen die verfoeisels van sy oë, en verontreinig julle nie met die drekgode van Egipte nie: Ek is die HERE julle God.
8 Maar hulle was wederstrewig teen My en wou na My nie luister nie; niemand het die verfoeisels van sy oë weggegooi of die drekgode van Egipte laat staan nie. Toe het Ek gesê dat Ek my grimmigheid oor hulle sal uitgiet, om my toorn teen hulle te laat uitwoed in Egipteland.
9 Maar Ek het gehandel ter wille van my Naam, dat dit nie ontheilig sou word voor die oë van die nasies onder wie hulle gewees het nie, voor wie se oë Ek My bekend gemaak het aan hulle, om hulle uit Egipteland uit te lei.
10 En Ek het hulle uit Egipteland uitgelei en hulle in die woestyn gebring.
11 En Ek het hulle my insettinge gegee en my verordeninge aan hulle bekend gemaak, wat die mens moet doen, dat hy daardeur kan lewe.
12 Daarby het Ek ook my sabbatte aan hulle gegee om 'n teken te wees tussen My en hulle, dat hulle kan weet dat dit Ek, die HERE, is wat hulle heilig.
13 Maar die huis van Israel was wederstrewig teen My in die woestyn; hulle het nie in my insettinge gewandel nie en my verordeninge verwerp, wat die mens moet doen, dat hy daardeur kan lewe; en my sabbatte het hulle baie ontheilig. Toe het Ek gesê dat Ek my grimmigheid oor hulle sal uitgiet in die woestyn om hulle te vernietig.
14 Maar Ek het gehandel ter wille van my Naam, dat dit nie ontheilig sou word voor die oë van die nasies voor wie se oë Ek hulle uitgelei het nie.
15 So het Ek dan ook my hand vir hulle opgehef in die woestyn, dat Ek hulle nie sou bring in die land wat Ek aan hulle gegee het nie, wat oorloop van melk en heuning -- 'n sieraad is dit van al die lande;
16 omdat hulle my verordeninge verwerp het en in my insettinge nie gewandel het nie en my sabbatte ontheilig het; want hulle hart het agter hul drekgode aan geloop.
17 Maar my oog het hulle verskoon, sodat Ek hulle nie verdelg het nie en geen einde aan hulle gemaak het in die woestyn nie.
18 Maar Ek het aan hulle kinders in die woestyn gesê: Wandel nie in die insettinge van julle vaders nie en onderhou nie hulle verordeninge nie en verontreinig julle nie met hulle drekgode nie.
19 Ek is die HERE julle God; wandel in my insettinge en onderhou my verordeninge en doen dit.
20 En heilig my sabbatte; en hulle sal 'n teken wees tussen My en julle, dat julle kan weet dat Ek die HERE julle God is.
21 Maar die kinders was wederstrewig teen My: hulle het nie gewandel in my insettinge en my verordeninge nie onderhou om dit te doen nie -- wat die mens moet doen, dat hy daardeur kan lewe; hulle het my sabbatte ontheilig. Toe het Ek gesê dat Ek my grimmigheid oor hulle sal uitgiet, om my toorn te laat uitwoed teen hulle in die woestyn.
22 Maar Ek het my hand teruggetrek en gehandel ter wille van my Naam, dat dit nie ontheilig sou word voor die oë van die nasies voor wie se oë Ek hulle uitgelei het nie.
23 Tog het Âk my hand vir hulle opgehef in die woestyn, dat Ek hulle sal versprei onder die nasies en hulle sal verstrooi in die lande;
24 omdat hulle my verordeninge nie gehou het nie, maar my insettinge verwerp het en my sabbatte ontheilig het en hulle oë agter die drekgode van hulle vaders aan was.
25 So het Âk dan ook aan hulle insettinge gegee wat nie goed was nie, en verordeninge waardeur hulle nie sou lewe nie.
26 En Ek het hulle verontreinig deur hulle offergawes, omdat hulle deur die vuur laat deurgaan het alles wat die moederskoot open; sodat Ek hulle kon vernietig, dat hulle sou weet dat Ek die HERE is.
27 Daarom, mensekind, spreek met die huis van Israel en sê vir hulle: So spreek die Here HERE: Verder het julle vaders My in hierdie saak smaadheid aangedoen, dat hulle troubreuk teen My begaan het:
28 toe Ek hulle in die land gebring het waaroor Ek my hand opgehef het om dit aan hulle te gee, het hulle uitgekyk na al die hoë heuwels en al die digte bome, en hulle het daar hul offers geslag en daar hul aanstootlike offergawe gegee en daar hul lieflike offergeur gebring en daar hul drankoffers uitgegiet.
29 Toe het Ek aan hulle gesê: Wat is dit vir 'n hoogte waarheen julle gaan? En hulle het dit Hoogte genoem tot vandag toe.
30 Daarom, sê aan die huis van Israel: So spreek die Here HERE: Wat? Julle is verontreinig in die weg van julle vaders, en julle hoereer agter hulle verfoeisels aan;
31 ja, deur die aanbieding van julle offergawes, deur julle seuns deur die vuur te laat gaan, is julle verontreinig met al jul drekgode tot vandag toe -- en sou Ek My deur julle laat raadpleeg, o huis van Israel? So waar as Ek leef, spreek die Here HERE, Ek laat My deur julle nie raadpleeg nie!
32 En wat in julle gees opgeklim het, sal sekerlik nie gebeur nie -- dat julle sê: Ons wil soos die nasies, soos die geslagte van die lande wees, deur hout en klip te dien.
33 So waar as Ek leef, spreek die Here HERE, Ek sal gewis met 'n sterke hand en met 'n uitgestrekte arm en met uitgestorte grimmigheid oor julle regeer.
34 En Ek sal julle uit die volke uitlei en julle versamel uit die lande waarin julle verstrooi is, deur 'n sterke hand en deur 'n uitgestrekte arm en deur uitgestorte grimmigheid.
35 En Ek sal julle bring in die woestyn van die volke, en Ek sal daar met julle in die gerig tree van aangesig tot aangesig.
36 Soos Ek met julle vaders in die woestyn van Egipteland in die gerig getree het, so sal Ek met julle in die gerig tree, spreek die Here HERE.
37 En Ek sal julle onder die herderstaf laat deurgaan en julle bring in die band van die verbond.
38 En Ek sal uit julle afsonder die wat opstandig is en teen My oortree; Ek sal hulle uit die land van hul vreemdelingskap uitlei, maar hulle sal in die land van Israel nie kom nie; en julle sal weet dat Ek die HERE is.
39 Maar julle, o huis van Israel, so sê die Here HERE: Gaan weg en dien elkeen sy drekgode; maar hiern -- sekerlik sal julle na My luister en my heilige Naam nie meer ontheilig met julle offergawes en julle drekgode nie.
40 Want op my heilige berg, op die verhewe berg van Israel, spreek die Here HERE, daar sal die hele huis van Israel, hulle almal, My dien in die land; daar sal Ek 'n behae in hulle hê en daar sal Ek julle offergawes eis en die eerstelinge van julle aanbiedinge by al julle heilige gawes.
41 As 'n lieflike geur sal Ek 'n behae in julle hê wanneer Ek julle uit die volke uitlei en julle uit die lande versamel waarin julle verstrooi was, en Ek sal My in julle as die Heilige laat ken voor die oë van die nasies.
42 En julle sal weet dat Ek die HERE is as Ek julle in die land van Israel bring, in die land waar Ek my hand oor opgehef het om dit aan julle vaders te gee.
43 Daar sal julle dan dink aan julle weë en al julle handelinge waarmee julle jul verontreinig het, en julle sal vir julself walglik wees vanweë al jul slegte dinge wat julle gedoen het.
44 En julle sal weet dat Ek die HERE is as Ek met julle handel ter wille van my Naam en nie volgens julle verkeerde weë of julle verdorwe handelinge nie, o huis van Israel, spreek die Here HERE.
45 Verder het die woord van die HERE tot my gekom en gesê:
46 Mensekind, rig jou aangesig na die suide en laat jou rede druppel teen die suide en profeteer teen die bosveld, die Suidland,
47 en sê aan die bos van die Suidland: Hoor die woord van die HERE: So spreek die Here HERE: Kyk, Ek steek 'n vuur in jou aan wat in jou elke groen boom en elke droë boom sal verteer; die uitslaande vlam sal nie uitgeblus word nie, maar daardeur sal alle aangesigte verbrand word van die Suidland af tot die noorde toe;
48 en alle vlees sal sien dat Ek, die HERE, dit aangesteek het; dit sal nie uitgeblus word nie.
49 Toe sê ek: Ag, Here HERE, hulle sê vir my: Spreek hy nie altyd in gelykenisse nie?
1 Now it came about in the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, that certain of the responsible men of Israel came to get directions from the Lord and were seated before me.
2 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
3 Son of man, say to the responsible men of Israel, This is what the Lord has said: Have you come to get directions from me? By my life, says the Lord, you will get no directions from me.
4 Will you be their judge, O son of man, will you be their judge? make clear to them the disgusting ways of their fathers,
5 And say to them, This is what the Lord has said: In the day when I took Israel for myself, when I made an oath to the seed of the family of Jacob, and I gave them knowledge of myself in the land of Egypt, saying to them with an oath, I am the Lord your God;
6 In that day I gave my oath to take them out of the land of Egypt into a land which I had been searching out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands:
7 And I said to them, Let every man among you put away the disgusting things to which his eyes are turned, and do not make yourselves unclean with the images of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.
8 But they would not be controlled by me, and did not give ear to me; they did not put away the disgusting things to which their eyes were turned, or give up the images of Egypt: then I said I would let loose my passion on them to give full effect to my wrath against them in the land of Egypt.
9 And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean before the eyes of the nations among whom they were, and before whose eyes I gave them knowledge of myself, by taking them out of the land of Egypt.
10 So I made them go out of the land of Egypt and took them into the waste land.
11 And I gave them my rules and made clear to them my orders, which, if a man keeps them, will be life to him.
12 And further, I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, so that it might be clear that I, who make them holy, am the Lord.
13 But the children of Israel would not be controlled by me in the waste land: they were not guided by my rules, and they were turned away from my orders, which, if a man does them, will be life to him; and they had no respect for my Sabbaths: then I said that I would let loose my passion on them in the waste land, and put an end to them.
14 And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean in the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had taken them out.
15 And further, I gave my oath to them in the waste land, that I would not take them into the land which I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all lands;
16 Because they were turned away from my orders, and were not guided by my rules, and had no respect for my Sabbaths: for their hearts went after their images.
17 But still my eye had pity on them and I kept them from destruction and did not put an end to them completely in the waste land.
18 And I said to their children in the waste land, Do not be guided by the rules of your fathers or keep their orders or make yourselves unclean with their images:
19 I am the Lord your God; be guided by my rules and keep my orders and do them:
20 And keep my Sabbaths holy; and they will be a sign between me and you so that it may be clear to you that I am the Lord your God.
21 But the children would not be controlled by me; they were not guided by my rules, and they did not keep and do my orders, which, if a man does them, will be life to him; and they had no respect for my Sabbaths: then I said I would let loose my passion on them to give full effect to my wrath against them in the waste land.
22 And I was acting for the honour of my name, so that it might not be made unclean in the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had taken them out.
23 Further, I gave my oath to them in the waste land that I would send them wandering among the nations, driving them out among the countries;
24 Because they had not done my orders, but had been turned away from my rules, and had not given respect to my Sabbaths, and their eyes were turned to the images of their fathers.
25 And further, I gave them rules which were not good and orders in which there was no life for them;
26 I made them unclean in the offerings they gave, causing them to make every first child go through the fire, so that I might put an end to them.
27 For this cause, son of man, say to the children of Israel, This is what the Lord has said: In this your fathers have further put shame on my name by doing wrong against me.
28 For when I had taken them into the land which I made an oath to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every branching tree and made their offerings there, moving me to wrath by their offerings; and there the sweet smell of their offerings went up and their drink offerings were drained out.
29 Then I said to them, What is this high place where you go to no purpose? And it is named Bamah to this day.
30 For this cause say to the children of Israel, This is what the Lord has said: Are you making yourselves unclean as your fathers did? are you being untrue to me by going after their disgusting works?
31 And when you give your offerings, causing your sons to go through the fire, you make yourselves unclean with all your images to this day; and will you come to me for directions, O children of Israel? By my life, says the Lord, you will get no direction from me.
32 And that which comes into your minds will never take place; when you say, We will be like the nations, like the families of the countries, servants of wood and stone;
33 By my life, says the Lord, truly, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with burning wrath let loose, I will be King over you:
34 And I will take you out from the peoples and get you together out of the countries where you are wandering, with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with burning wrath let loose:
35 And I will take you into the waste land of the peoples, and there I will take up the cause with you face to face.
36 As I took up the cause with your fathers in the waste land of the land of Egypt, so will I take up the cause with you says the Lord.
37 And I will make you go under the rod and will make you small in number:
38 Clearing out from among you all those who are uncontrolled and who are sinning against me; I will take them out of the land where they are living, but they will not come into the land of Israel: and you will be certain that I am the Lord.
39 As for you, O children of Israel, the Lord has said: Let every man completely put away his images and give ear to me: and let my holy name no longer be shamed by your offerings and your images.
40 For in my holy mountain, in the high mountain of Israel, says the Lord, there all the children of Israel, all of them, will be my servants in the land; there I will take pleasure in them, and there I will be worshipped with your offerings and the first-fruits of the things you give, and with all your holy things.
41 I will take pleasure in you as in a sweet smell, when I take you out from the peoples and get you together from the countries where you have been sent in flight; and I will make myself holy in you before the eyes of the nations.
42 And you will be certain that I am the Lord, when I take you into the land of Israel, into the country which I made an oath to give to your fathers.
43 And there, at the memory of your ways and of all the things you did to make yourselves unclean, you will have bitter hate for yourselves because of all the evil things you have done.
44 And you will be certain that I am the Lord, when I take you in hand for the honour of my name, and not for your evil ways or your unclean doings, O children of Israel, says the Lord.
45 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
46 Son of man, let your face be turned to the south, let your words be dropped to the south, and be a prophet against the woodland of the South;
47 And say to the woodland of the South, Give ear to the words of the Lord: this is what the Lord has said: See, I will have a fire lighted in you, for the destruction of every green tree in you and every dry tree: the flaming flame will not be put out, and all faces from the south to the north will be burned by it.
48 And all flesh will see that I the Lord have had it lighted: it will not be put out.
49 Then I said, Ah, Lord! they say of me, Is he not a maker of stories?