1 Then some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.

2 And the Word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I be inquired of at all by them?

4 Therefore speak to them, and say to them, Thus says the Lord Jehovah: Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I, Jehovah will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols,

5 that I may catch the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from Me through their idols.

6 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Jehovah: Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.

7 For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the stranger who sojourns in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I Jehovah will answer him by Myself.

8 I will set My face against that man and make him desolate as a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. And you shall know that I am Jehovah.

9 And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I Jehovah have induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from the midst of My people Israel.

10 And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired,

11 that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me, nor be defiled anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be My people and I may be their God, says the Lord Jehovah.

12 The Word of Jehovah came again to me, saying:

13 Son of man, when a land sins against Me by acting treacherously unfaithfully, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of food, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it.

14 And although these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Lord Jehovah.

15 If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they bereave it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts,

16 although these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord Jehovah, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.

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

18 although these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord Jehovah, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.

19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast,

20 although Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord Jehovah, they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.

21 For thus says the Lord Jehovah: How much more shall it be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem; the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence; to cut off man and beast from it!

22 Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it.

23 And they will comfort you when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause, all that I have done in it, says the Lord Jehovah.