18Then another message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 2“Why do you quote this proverb concerning the land of Israel: ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste’?H4911H4912H127H3478H559H1H398H1155H1121H8127H6949 3As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you will not quote this proverb anymore in Israel.H2416H5002H136H3069H4911H4912H3478 4For all people are mine to judge—both parents and children alike. And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die.H5315H5315H1H5315H1121H5315H2398H4191 5“Suppose a certain man is righteous and does what is just and right.H376H6662H6213H4941H6666 6He does not feast in the mountains before Israel’s idols or worship them. He does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period.H398H2022H5375H5869H1544H1004H3478H2930H7453H802H7126H5079H802 7He is a merciful creditor, not keeping the items given as security by poor debtors. He does not rob the poor but instead gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy.H3238H376H7725H2326H2258H1497H1500H5414H3899H7457H3680H5903H899 8He grants loans without interest, stays away from injustice, is honest and fair when judging others,H5414H5392H3947H8636H7725H3027H5766H6213H571H4941H376H376 9and faithfully obeys my decrees and regulations. Anyone who does these things is just and will surely live, says the Sovereign Lord.H1980H2708H8104H4941H6213H571H6662H2421H2421H5002H136H3069 10“But suppose that man has a son who grows up to be a robber or murderer and refuses to do what is right.H3205H1121H6530H8210H1818H6213H251H259 11And that son does all the evil things his father would never do—he worships idols on the mountains, commits adultery,H6213H398H2022H2930H7453H802 12oppresses the poor and helpless, steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem their security, worships idols, commits detestable sins,H3238H6041H34H1497H1500H7725H2258H5375H5869H1544H6213H8441 13and lends money at excessive interest. Should such a sinful person live? No! He must die and must take full blame.H5414H5392H3947H8636H2425H2421H6213H8441H4191H4191H1818 14“But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of life.H3205H1121H7200H1H2403H6213H7200H6213H2004 15This son refuses to worship idols on the mountains and does not commit adultery.H398H2022H5375H5869H1544H1004H3478H2930H7453H802 16He does not exploit the poor, but instead is fair to debtors and does not rob them. He gives food to the hungry and provides clothes for the needy.H3238H376H2254H2258H1497H1500H5414H3899H7457H3680H5903H899 17He helps the poor, does not lend money at interest, and obeys all my regulations and decrees. Such a person will not die because of his father’s sins; he will surely live.H7725H3027H6041H3947H5392H8636H6213H4941H1980H2708H4191H5771H1H2421H2421 18But the father will die for his many sins—for being cruel, robbing people, and doing what was clearly wrong among his people.H1H6233H6231H1497H251H1499H6213H2896H8432H5971H4191H5771 19“‘What?’ you ask. ‘Doesn’t the child pay for the parent’s sins?’ No! For if the child does what is just and right and keeps my decrees, that child will surely live.H559H1121H5375H5771H1H1121H6213H4941H6666H8104H2708H6213H2421H2421 20The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness.H5315H2398H4191H1121H5375H5771H1H1H5375H5771H1121H6666H6662H7564H7563 21But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.H7563H7725H2403H6213H8104H2708H6213H4941H6666H2421H2421H4191 22All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.H6588H6213H2142H6666H6213H2421 23“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.H2654H2654H7563H4194H5002H136H3069H7725H1870H2421 24However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.H6662H7725H6666H6213H5766H6213H8441H7563H6213H2425H6666H6213H2142H4603H4604H2403H2398H4191 25“Yet you say, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one not doing what’s right, or is it you?H559H1870H136H8505H8085H1004H3478H1870H8505H1870H8505 26When righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things, they will die for it. Yes, they will die because of their sinful deeds.H6662H7725H6666H6213H5766H4191H5766H6213H4191 27And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives.H7563H7725H7564H6213H6213H4941H6666H2421H5315H2421 28They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die.H7200H7725H6588H6213H2421H2421H4191 29And yet the people of Israel keep saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ O people of Israel, it is you who are not doing what’s right, not I.H559H1004H3478H1870H136H8505H1004H3478H1870H8505H1870H8505 30“Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign Lord. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you!H8199H1004H3478H376H1870H5002H136H3069H7725H7725H6588H5771H4383 31Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel?H7993H6588H6586H6213H2319H3820H2319H7307H4191H1004H3478 32I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live!H2654H4194H4191H5002H136H3069H7725H2421
19“Sing this funeral song for the princes of Israel.H5375H7015H5387H3478 2“What is your mother? A lioness among lions! She lay down among the young lions and reared her cubs.H559H517H3833H7257H738H7235H1482H8432H3715 3She raised one of her cubs to become a strong young lion. He learned to hunt and devour prey, and he became a man-eater.H5927H259H1482H3715H3925H2963H2964H398H120 4Then the nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him away with hooks to the land of Egypt.H1471H8085H8610H7845H935H2397H776H4714 5“When the lioness saw that her hopes for him were gone, she took another of her cubs and taught him to be a strong young lion.H7200H3176H8615H6H3947H259H1482H7760H3715 6He prowled among the other lions and stood out among them in his strength. He learned to hunt and devour prey, and he, too, became a man-eater.H1980H8432H738H3715H3925H2963H2964H398H120 7He demolished fortresses and destroyed their towns and cities. Their farms were desolated, and their crops were destroyed. The land and its people trembled in fear when they heard him roar.H3045H490H2717H5892H776H3456H4393H6963H7581 8Then the armies of the nations attacked him, surrounding him from every direction. They threw a net over him and captured him in their pit.H1471H5414H5439H4082H6566H7568H8610H7845 9With hooks, they dragged him into a cage and brought him before the king of Babylon. They held him in captivity, so his voice could never again be heard on the mountains of Israel.H5414H5474H2397H935H4428H894H935H4685H6963H8085H2022H3478 10“Your mother was like a vine planted by the water’s edge. It had lush, green foliage because of the abundant water.H517H1612H1818H1818H8362H4325H6509H6058H7227H4325 11Its branches became strong—strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter. It grew very tall, towering above all others. It stood out because of its height and its many lush branches.H5797H4294H7626H4910H6967H1361H5688H7200H1363H7230H1808 12But the vine was uprooted in fury and thrown down to the ground. The desert wind dried up its fruit and tore off its strong branches, so that it withered and was destroyed by fire.H5428H2534H7993H776H6921H7307H3001H6529H5797H4294H6561H3001H784H398 13Now the vine is transplanted to the wilderness, where the ground is hard and dry.H8362H4057H6723H6772H776 14A fire has burst out from its branches and devoured its fruit. Its remaining limbs are not strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter. “This is a funeral song, and it will be used in a funeral.”H784H3318H4294H905H398H6529H5797H4294H7626H4910H7015H7015
20On August 14, during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, some of the leaders of Israel came to request a message from the Lord. They sat down in front of me to wait for his reply.H7637H8141H2549H6218H2320H582H2205H3478H935H1875H3068H3427H6440 2Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 3“Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing!’H1121H120H1696H2205H3478H559H559H136H3069H935H1875H2416H5002H136H3069H1875 4“Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were.H8199H1121H120H8199H3045H8441H1 5Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the Lord, would be their God.H559H559H136H3069H3117H977H3478H5375H3027H2233H1004H3290H3045H776H4714H5375H3027H559H3068H430 6I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere.H3117H5375H3027H3318H776H4714H776H8446H2100H2461H1706H6643H776 7Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, get rid of the vile images you are so obsessed with. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, for I am the Lord your God.’H559H7993H376H8251H5869H2930H1544H4714H3068H430 8“But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They did not get rid of the vile images they were obsessed with, or forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I threatened to pour out my fury on them to satisfy my anger while they were still in Egypt.H4784H14H8085H376H7993H8251H5869H5800H1544H4714H559H8210H2534H3615H639H8432H776H4714 9But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name. I would not allow shame to be brought on my name among the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.H6213H8034H2490H5869H1471H8432H5869H3045H3318H776H4714 10So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness.H3318H776H4714H935H4057 11There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them.H5414H2708H3045H4941H120H6213H2425 12And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the Lord, who had set them apart to be holy.H5414H7676H226H3045H3068H6942 13“But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my decrees there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my regulations even though obedience would have given them life. They also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the wilderness.H1004H3478H4784H4057H1980H2708H3988H4941H120H6213H2425H7676H3966H2490H559H8210H2534H4057H3615 14But again I held back in order to protect the honor of my name before the nations who had seen my power in bringing Israel out of Egypt.H6213H8034H2490H5869H1471H5869H3318 15But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would not bring them into the land I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful place on earth.H5375H3027H4057H935H776H5414H2100H2461H1706H6643H776 16For they had rejected my regulations, refused to follow my decrees, and violated my Sabbath days. Their hearts were given to their idols.H3988H4941H1980H2708H2490H7676H3820H1980H310H1544 17Nevertheless, I took pity on them and held back from destroying them in the wilderness.H5869H2347H7843H6213H3617H4057 18“Then I warned their children not to follow in their parents’ footsteps, defiling themselves with their idols.H559H1121H4057H3212H2706H1H8104H4941H2930H1544 19‘I am the Lord your God,’ I told them. ‘Follow my decrees, pay attention to my regulations,H3068H430H3212H2708H8104H4941H6213 20and keep my Sabbath days holy, for they are a sign to remind you that I am the Lord your God.’H6942H7676H226H3045H3068H430 21“But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So again I threatened to pour out my fury on them in the wilderness.H1121H4784H1980H2708H8104H4941H6213H120H6213H2425H2490H7676H559H8210H2534H3615H639H4057 22Nevertheless, I withdrew my judgment against them to protect the honor of my name before the nations that had seen my power in bringing them out of Egypt.H7725H3027H6213H8034H2490H5869H1471H5869H3318 23But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would scatter them among all the nationsH5375H3027H4057H6327H1471H2219H776 24because they did not obey my regulations. They scorned my decrees by violating my Sabbath days and longing for the idols of their ancestors.H6213H4941H3988H2708H2490H7676H5869H310H1H1544 25I gave them over to worthless decrees and regulations that would not lead to life.H5414H2706H2896H4941H2421 26I let them pollute themselves with the very gifts I had given them, and I allowed them to give their firstborn children as offerings to their gods—so I might devastate them and remind them that I alone am the Lord.H2930H4979H5674H6363H7356H8074H3045H3068 27“Therefore, son of man, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: Your ancestors continued to blaspheme and betray me,H1121H120H1696H1004H3478H559H559H136H3069H1H1442H4603H4604 28for when I brought them into the land I had promised them, they offered sacrifices on every high hill and under every green tree they saw! They roused my fury as they offered up sacrifices to their gods. They brought their perfumes and incense and poured out their liquid offerings to them.H935H776H5375H3027H5414H7200H7311H1389H5687H6086H2076H2077H5414H3708H7133H7760H5207H7381H5258H5262 29I said to them, ‘What is this high place where you are going?’ (This kind of pagan shrine has been called Bamah—‘high place’—ever since.)H559H1116H935H8034H7121H1117H3117 30“Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: Do you plan to pollute yourselves just as your ancestors did? Do you intend to keep prostituting yourselves by worshiping vile images?H559H1004H3478H559H136H3069H2930H1870H1H2181H310H8251 31For when you offer gifts to them and give your little children to be burned as sacrifices, you continue to pollute yourselves with idols to this day. Should I allow you to ask for a message from me, O people of Israel? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing.H5375H4979H1121H5674H784H2930H1544H3117H1875H1004H3478H2416H5002H136H3069H1875 32“You say, ‘We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone.’ But what you have in mind will never happen.H5927H7307H559H1961H1471H4940H776H8334H6086H68 33As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will rule over you with an iron fist in great anger and with awesome power.H2416H5002H136H3069H2389H3027H5186H2220H2534H8210H4427 34And in anger I will reach out with my strong hand and powerful arm, and I will bring you back from the lands where you are scattered.H3318H5971H6908H776H6327H2389H3027H5186H2220H2534H8210 35I will bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and there I will judge you face to face.H935H4057H5971H8199H6440H6440 36I will judge you there just as I did your ancestors in the wilderness after bringing them out of Egypt, says the Sovereign Lord.H8199H1H4057H776H4714H8199H5002H136H3069 37I will examine you carefully and hold you to the terms of the covenant.H5674H7626H935H4562H1285 38I will purge you of all those who rebel and revolt against me. I will bring them out of the countries where they are in exile, but they will never enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.H1305H4775H6586H3318H776H4033H935H127H3478H3045H3068 39“As for you, O people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go right ahead and worship your idols, but sooner or later you will obey me and will stop bringing shame on my holy name by worshiping idols.H1004H3478H559H136H3069H3212H5647H376H1544H310H8085H2490H6944H8034H4979H1544 40For on my holy mountain, the great mountain of Israel, says the Sovereign Lord, the people of Israel will someday worship me, and I will accept them. There I will require that you bring me all your offerings and choice gifts and sacrifices.H6944H2022H2022H4791H3478H5002H136H3069H1004H3478H776H5647H7521H1875H8641H7225H4864H6944 41When I bring you home from exile, you will be like a pleasing sacrifice to me. And I will display my holiness through you as all the nations watch.H7521H5207H7381H3318H5971H6908H776H6327H6942H5869H1471 42Then when I have brought you home to the land I promised with a solemn oath to give to your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord.H3045H3068H935H127H3478H776H5375H3027H5414H1 43You will look back on all the ways you defiled yourselves and will hate yourselves because of the evil you have done.H2142H1870H5949H2930H6962H6440H7451H6213 44You will know that I am the Lord, O people of Israel, when I have honored my name by treating you mercifully in spite of your wickedness. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”H3045H3068H6213H8034H7451H1870H7843H5949H1004H3478H5002H136H3069 45Then this message came to me from the Lord:H1697H3068H559 46“Son of man, turn and face the south and speak out against it; prophesy against the brushlands of the Negev.H1121H120H7760H6440H1870H8486H5197H1864H5012H3293H5045H7704 47Tell the southern wilderness, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Hear the word of the Lord! I will set you on fire, and every tree, both green and dry, will be burned. The terrible flames will not be quenched and will scorch everything from south to north.H559H3293H5045H8085H1697H3068H559H136H3069H3341H784H398H3892H6086H3002H6086H3852H7957H3518H6440H5045H6828H6866 48And everyone in the world will see that I, the Lord, have set this fire. It will not be put out.’”H1320H7200H3068H1197H3518 49Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me, ‘He only talks in riddles!’”H559H162H136H3069H559H4911H4912
Dublin, OH
or worship them. He does not commit adultery or have intercourse with a woman during her menstrual period.H398
