Chapter 14

Then came⁴ certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat⁴ before me.

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,²

Son of man, these men have set up⁵² their idols in their heart, and put¹ the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired¹¹ of at all⁹ by them?

Therefore speak¹⁶ unto them, and say¹ unto them, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; Every man ³⁷⁶ of the house of Israel that setteth up⁵⁵ his idols in his heart, and putteth⁴ the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh¹ to the prophet; I the LORD will answer⁸ him that cometh¹ according to the multitude of his idols;

That I may take² the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged⁸ from me through their idols.

Therefore say³ unto the house of Israel, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; Repent,³ and turn⁵⁴ [yourselves] from your idols; and turn away⁵⁴ your faces from all your abominations.

For every one ³⁷⁶ of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth⁴ in Israel, which separateth¹¹ himself from me, and setteth up⁴ his idols in his heart, and putteth⁴ the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh¹ to a prophet to enquire² of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer¹² him by myself:

And I will set¹ my face against that man, and will make⁵² him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off⁵² from the midst of my people; and ye shall know¹ that I [am] the LORD.

And if the prophet be deceived²⁹ when he hath spoken¹⁴ a thing, I the LORD have deceived¹⁴ that prophet, and I will stretch out¹ my hand upon him, and will destroy⁵² him from the midst of my people Israel.

And they shall bear¹ the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh⁶ [unto him];

That the house of Israel may go no more astray⁴ from me, neither be polluted¹⁰¹ any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith⁷ the Lord GOD.

The word of the LORD came again to me, saying,²

Son of man, when the land sinneth⁴ against me by trespassing² grievously, then will I stretch out¹ mine hand upon it, and will break¹ the staff of the bread thereof, and will send⁵² famine upon it, and will cut off⁵² man and beast from it:

Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver¹⁷ [but] their own souls by their righteousness, saith⁷ the Lord GOD.

If I cause noisome beasts to pass⁵⁵ through the land, and they spoil¹⁴ it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through⁶ because of the beasts:

[Though] these three men [were] in it, [as] I live, saith⁷ the Lord GOD, they shall deliver⁵⁵ neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered,¹¹ but the land shall be desolate.

Or [if] I bring⁵⁵ a sword upon that land, and say,¹ Sword, go⁴ through the land; so that I cut off⁵² man and beast from it:

Though these three men [were] in it, [as] I live, saith⁷ the Lord GOD, they shall deliver⁵⁵ neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered¹¹ themselves.

Or [if] I send¹⁷ a pestilence into that land, and pour out¹ my fury upon it in blood, to cut off⁵³ from it man and beast:

Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, [were] in it, [as] I live, saith⁷ the Lord GOD, they shall deliver⁵⁵ neither son nor daughter; they shall [but] deliver⁵⁵ their own souls by their righteousness.

For thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; How much more when I send¹⁴ my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off⁵³ from it man and beast?

Yet, behold, therein shall be left⁸ a remnant that shall be brought forth,⁹⁴ [both] sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth⁶ unto you, and ye shall see¹ their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted⁸ concerning the evil that I have brought⁵² upon Jerusalem, [even] concerning all that I have brought⁵² upon it.

And they shall comfort¹⁴ you, when ye see⁴ their ways and their doings: and ye shall know¹ that I have not done¹ without cause all that I have done¹ in it, saith⁷ the Lord GOD.