Ezekiel 14

Idols in the heart

1Some of Israel’s elders came to me and sat down before me. 2The word of the LORD came to me: 3“Son of man, these men have raised their idols in their hearts and set the stumbling block of their guilt before their faces. Should I really let them consult me? 4Therefore speak to them. Tell them: This is what the Lord GOD says: If anyone of the house of Israel raises idols in their heart, sets the stumbling block of their guilt before their face, and comes to the prophet, I, the LORD, will answer that person when they come, according to their many idols. 5I will seize the house of Israel by their hearts, for all of them have estranged themselves from me through their idols. 6Therefore tell the house of Israel: This is what the Lord GOD says: Turn back! Turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. 7If anyone of the house of Israel, or any foreigner residing in Israel, turns away from following me, raises idols in their heart, and sets the stumbling block of their guilt before their face, then comes to a prophet to consult me, I, the LORD, will answer that person myself. 8I will set my face against that person and make them a sign and a byword. I will cut them off from my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 9If a prophet is deceived into speaking a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet. I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 10They will bear their guilt. The guilt of the one who consults will be like the guilt of the prophet, 11so that the house of Israel may no longer wander away from me or defile themselves with all their rebellions. They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.”

Four judgments

12The word of the LORD came to me: 13“Son of man, if a land sins against me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out my hand against it, break its staff of bread, send famine into it, and cut off humans and animals from it, 14even if these three men were in it—Noah, Daniel, and Job—they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord GOD. 15If I send wild beasts through the land and they bereave it, leaving it so desolate that no one passes through because of the beasts, 16even if these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would save neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be saved, and the land would be desolate. 17Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Sword, pass through the land,’ cutting off humans and animals from it, 18even if these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would save neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be saved. 19Or if I send plague into that land and pour out my fury on it in bloodshed, cutting off humans and animals from it, 20even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would save neither son nor daughter. By their righteousness they would save only their own lives. 21“For this is what the Lord GOD says: How much more when I send my four terrible judgments against Jerusalem—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—to cut off humans and animals from it! 22Yet some survivors will remain in it, sons and daughters brought out. They will come to you, and you will see their ways and their deeds. Then you will be consoled over the disaster I brought upon Jerusalem, over everything I brought upon it. 23They will console you when you see their ways and their deeds. Then you will know that I did nothing I did there without cause, declares the Lord GOD.”