14 Then
came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. 2 And
the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 3 Son
of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the
stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired
of at all by them? 4 Therefore
speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man
of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth
the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the
prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude
of his idols; 5 That
I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all
estranged from me through their idols. 6 Therefore
say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn
yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. 7 For
every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in
Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in
his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face,
and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will
answer him by myself: 8 And
I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb,
and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know
that I am the LORD. 9 And
if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have
deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will
destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. 10 And
they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the
prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him; 11 That
the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted
any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people,
and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.
12
The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 13 Son
of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then
will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread
thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from
it: 14 Though
these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver
but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. 15 If
I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that
it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 16 Though
these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver
neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall
be desolate. 17 Or
if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land;
so that I cut off man and beast from it: 18 Though
these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver
neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. 19 Or
if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood,
to cut off from it man and beast: 20 Though
Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall
deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls
by their righteousness. 21 For
thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments
upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the
pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? 22 Yet,
behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both
sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall
see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the
evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have
brought upon it. 23 And
they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye
shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it,
saith the Lord GOD.