New American Standard Bible

Ezekiel 20:27-39 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

27. "Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed Me by acting treacherously against Me.

28. When I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There also they made their soothing aroma and there they poured out their drink offerings.

29. Then I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you go?' So its name is called Bamah to this day."'

30. Therefore, say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and play the harlot after their detestable things?

31. When you offer your gifts, when you cause your sons to pass through the fire, you are defiling yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live," declares the Lord God, "I will not be inquired of by you.

32. What comes into your mind will not come about, when you say: 'We will be like the nations, like the tribes of the lands, serving wood and stone.'

33. "As I live," declares the Lord God, "surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you.

34. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out;

35. and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.

36. As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you," declares the Lord God.

37. "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;

38. and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. Thus you will know that I am the Lord.

39. "As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord God, "Go, serve everyone his idols; but later you will surely listen to Me, and My holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols.