CHAPTER 14
“Son
of man,
these
men
have set up
idols
in
their hearts
and put
wicked
stumbling blocks
before
their faces.
Should I consult with them
in any way?
Therefore,
speak
to them
and tell them
that this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘When
any
Israelite
sets up
idols
in
his heart
and puts
a wicked
stumbling block
before
his face,
and then comes
to
the prophet,
I
the LORD
will answer him
according to his great
idolatry,
so that
I may take hold
of the hearts
of the people
of Israel.
For
because of their idols,
they are all
estranged
from Me.’
Therefore
tell
the house
of Israel
that this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘Repent
and turn away
from
your idols;
turn your faces
away
from
all
your abominations.
For when
any
Israelite
or any foreigner
dwelling
in Israel
separates himself
from Me,
sets up
idols
in
his heart,
and puts
a wicked
stumbling block
before
his face,
and then comes
to
the prophet
to inquire of Me,
I
the LORD
will answer
him
Myself.
I will set
My face
against that
man
and make
him a sign
and a proverb;
I will cut him off
from among
My people.
Then you will know
that
I
am the LORD.
But if
the prophet
is enticed
to speak
a message,
then it was I
the LORD
who enticed
him,
and I will stretch out
My hand
against him
and destroy him
from among
My people
Israel.
They will bear
their punishment—
the punishment
of the inquirer
will be
the same as that
of the prophet—
in order that
the house
of Israel
may no
longer
stray
from Me
and no
longer
defile themselves
with all
their transgressions.
Then they will be
My people
and I
will be
their God,
declares
the Lord
GOD.’”
“Son
of man,
if
a land
sins
against Me
by acting unfaithfully,
and I stretch out
My hand
against it
to cut off
its supply
of bread,
to send
famine through it,
and to cut off
from it
both man
and beast,
then even if these
three
men—
Noah,
Daniel,
and Job—
were
in it,
their righteousness
could deliver
only themselves,
declares
the Lord
GOD.
Or if
I send wild
beasts
through the land
and they bereave it
so that it becomes
desolate,
with no man
passing through
for fear
of the beasts,
then as surely
as I live,
declares
the Lord
GOD,
even if these
three
men
were in it,
they could not
deliver
their own sons
or
daughters.
They
alone
would be saved,
but the land
would be
desolate.
Or
if I bring
a sword
against
that
land
and say,
‘Let a sword
pass
through it,’
so that I cut off
from it
both man
and beast,
then as surely
as I live,
declares
the Lord
GOD,
even if these
three
men
were in it,
they could not
deliver
their sons
or daughters;
they
alone
would be saved.
Or
if I send
a plague
into
that
land
and pour out
My wrath
upon it
through bloodshed,
cutting off
from it
both man
and beast,
then as surely
as I live,
declares
the Lord
GOD,
even if Noah,
Daniel,
and Job
were in it,
they could deliver
neither
son
nor
daughter.
Their righteousness
could save
only themselves.
For
this is what
the Lord
GOD
says:
‘How much worse
will it be when
I send
against
Jerusalem
My four
dire
judgments—
sword,
famine,
wild
beasts,
and plague—
in order to cut off
from it
both man
and beast?
Yet, behold,
some survivors
will be left in it—
sons
and daughters
who will be brought out.
They will come out
to you,
and when you see
their conduct
and actions,
you will be consoled
regarding
the disaster
I have brought
upon
Jerusalem—
everything
that
I have brought
upon it.
They will bring you consolation
when
you see
their conduct
and actions,
and you will know
that
it was not
without cause
that I have done
all
these things
within it,
declares
the Lord
GOD.’”