1. In the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lord, and sat before me.
2. the Lord’s word came to me, saying,
3. “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Is it to enquire of me that you have come? As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “I will not be enquired of by you.”’
4. “Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.
5. Tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God;’
6. in that day I swore to them, to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.
7. I said to them, ‘Each of you throw away the abominations of his eyes. Don’t defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’
8. “‘“But they rebelled against me, and would not listen to me. They didn’t all throw away the abominations of their eyes. They also didn’t forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the middle of the land of Egypt.
9. But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, amongst which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
10. So I caused them to go out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.
11. I gave them my statutes, and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he will live in them.
12. Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
13. “‘“But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They didn’t walk in my statutes, and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keeps, he shall live in them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.
14. But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.
15. Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;
16. because they rejected my ordinances, and didn’t walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
17. Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn’t destroy them. I didn’t make a full end of them in the wilderness.
18. I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Don’t walk in the statutes of your fathers. Don’t observe their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.
19. I am the Lord your God. Walk in my statutes, keep my ordinances, and do them.
20. Make my Sabbaths holy. They shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’