Ezekiel 14

Chapter 14

The Idolatry of Israel’s Leaders

1 Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with me,2 this message came to me from the LORD:3 “Son of man, these leaders have set up idolst in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?4 Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the LORD, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves.

5 I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’
6 “Therefore, tell the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your detestable sins.7 I, the LORD, will answer all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts and so fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice.

8 I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, eliminating them from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
9 “‘And if a prophet is deceived into giving a message, it is because I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet. I will lift my fist against such prophets and cut them off from the community of Israel.10 False prophets and those who seek their guidance will all be punished for their sins.

11 In this way, the people of Israel will learn not to stray from me, polluting themselves with sin. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!’”

The Certainty of the LORD’s Judgment

12 Then this message came to me from the LORD:13 “Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals.

14 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, says the Sovereign LORD.
15 “Or suppose I were to send wild animals to invade the country, kill the people, and make the land too desolate and dangerous to pass through.

16 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be made desolate.
17 “Or suppose I were to bring war against the land, and I sent enemy armies to destroy both people and animals.

18 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.
19 “Or suppose I were to pour out my fury by sending an epidemic into the land, and the disease killed people and animals alike.

20 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved by their righteousness.
21 “Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How terrible it will be when all four of these dreadful punishments fall upon Jerusalem—war, famine, wild animals, and disease—destroying all her people and animals.22 Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem.

23 When you meet them and see their behavior, you will understand that these things are not being done to Israel without cause. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!”

EZEKIEL 14

Ezekiel Encourages the People //To Turn Back //to the [Lord]

1 One day, some of Israel's leaders came to me and asked for a message from the [Lord].

2 While they were there, the [Lord] said:

3 Ezekiel, son of man, these men have started worshiping idols, though they know it will cause them to sin even more. So I refuse to give them a message!
4 Tell the people of Israel that if they sin by worshiping idols and then go to a prophet to find out what I say, I will give them the answer their sins deserve.

5 When they hear my message, maybe they will see that they need to turn back to me and stop worshiping those idols.

6 Now, Ezekiel, tell everyone in Israel:
I am the [Lord] God. Stop worshiping those idols I hate so much and come back to me.
7 Suppose one of you Israelites or a foreigner living in Israel rejects me and starts worshiping idols. If you then go to a prophet to find out what I say, I will answer

8 by turning against you. I will make you a warning to anyone who might think of doing the same thing, and you will no longer belong to my people. Then you will know that I am the [Lord] and that you have sinned against me.
9 If a prophet gives a false message, I am the one who caused that prophet to lie. But I will still reject him and cut him off from my people, 10 and anyone who goes to that prophet for a message will be punished in the same way.

11 I will do this, so that you will come back to me and stop destroying yourselves with these disgusting sins. So turn back to me! Then I will be your God, and you will be my people. I, the [Lord] God, make this promise.

Judgment on a Sinful Nation

12 The [Lord] God said:
13 Ezekiel, son of man, suppose an entire nation sins against me, and I punish it by destroying the crops and letting its people and livestock starve to death.

14 t Even if Noah, Daniel, t and Job were living in that nation, their faithfulness would not save anyone but themselves.
15 Or suppose I punish a nation by sending wild animals to eat people and scare away every passerby, so that the land becomes a barren desert.

16 As surely as I live, I promise that even if these three men lived in that nation, their own children would not be spared. The three men would live, but the land would be an empty desert.
17 Or suppose I send an enemy to attack a sinful nation and kill its people and livestock.

18 If these three men were in that nation when I punished it, not even their children would be spared. Only the three men would live.
19 And suppose I am so angry that I send a deadly disease to wipe out the people and livestock of a sinful nation.

20 Again, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were living there, I, the [Lord], promise that the children of these faithful men would also die. Only the three of them would be spared.
21  t I am the [Lord] God, and I promise to punish Jerusalem severely. I will send war, starvation, wild animals, and deadly disease to slaughter its people and livestock. 22 And those who survive will be taken from their country and led here to Babylonia. Ezekiel, when you see how sinful they are, you will know why I did all these things to Jerusalem. 23 You will be convinced that I, the [Lord] God, was right in doing what I did.