Woe to the Idolatrous Elders
Ezekiel 14, verse 1. Now some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. Ezekiel 14, verse 2. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 14, verse 3. “Son of man, these men devised inventions in their hearts, and placed before their face the stumbling block of their wrongdoings. Shall I indeed answer them? Ezekiel 14, verse 4. Therefore speak to them, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Any man of the house of Israel who devises inventions in his heart, and places before his face the stumbling block of his wrongdoing, and then comes to the prophet, I, the Lord, will answer him according to the things in which his mind is entangled, Ezekiel 14, verse 5. so as to lead astray the house of Israel according to their hearts, which are completely alienated from Me in their inventions.’” Ezekiel 14, verse 6. “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord and Master: “Be converted and turn away from your practices and all your ungodliness; then turn your faces back again. Ezekiel 14, verse 7. For any man from the house of Israel, or the resident aliens who sojourn in Israel, who alienates himself from Me, and devises inventions in his heart, and places before his face the stumbling block of his wrongdoing, and comes to the prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, then I, the Lord, will answer him according to the things that entangle his mind. Ezekiel 14, verse 8. I shall set My face against that man, and make him desolate and ruined, and remove him from the midst of My people. You shall know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 14, verse 9. If the prophet is led astray and speaks, I, the Lord, have led that prophet astray; and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from the midst of My people Israel. Ezekiel 14, verse 10. So they shall bear their wrongdoing—the one who inquired shall bear his wrongdoing according to his wrong, and likewise it shall be for the prophet, Ezekiel 14, verse 11. so the house of Israel may not stray from Me, nor be defiled any longer with all their transgressions, but be My people and I their God,” says the Lord.’”
Four Punishments
Ezekiel 14, verse 12. Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Ezekiel 14, verse 13. “Son of man, if a land sins against Me by committing a trespass, I shall stretch out My hand against it. I shall cut off its supply of bread, send famine upon it, and remove man and cattle from it. Ezekiel 14, verse 14. Even though these three men: Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord. Ezekiel 14, verse 15. “If again I bring wild animals upon the land and punish it, and it becomes desolate because men fear the wild animals, Ezekiel 14, verse 16. even though these three men were in the land, as I live,” says the Lord, “neither sons nor daughters would be saved. Instead, only they themselves would be delivered, but the land would be desolate. Ezekiel 14, verse 17. “Or again, if I should bring a sword on that land and say, ‘Let a sword go through the land,’ and I removed man and cattle from it, Ezekiel 14, verse 18. even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered. Ezekiel 14, verse 19. “Or if I should send death upon the land and pour out My anger upon it in blood, to destroy both man and cattle from it, Ezekiel 14, verse 20. and Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord, “neither sons nor daughters would be left. Only they by their righteousness would deliver their souls.” Ezekiel 14, verse 21. Thus says the Lord: “But even if I send upon Jerusalem My four evil punishments—sword, famine, wild animals, and death—to destroy from it both man and cattle, Ezekiel 14, verse 22. yet behold, the remnant in it, those of it who are saved, who bring out sons and daughters from it, behold, these shall go forth to you. You will see their ways and inventions and be sorry over the evils I brought upon Jerusalem, even all the evils I brought upon it. Ezekiel 14, verse 23. Then they will console you, because you will see their ways and their inventions; and you will know I have not done in vain whatever I did in it,” says the Lord.