Ezekiel - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 566

EZEKIEL.

20-22 21--3

22 26 28 by them. They profancd My Sab- baths,—-—thereforc I threatened to pour My indignation upon them in the Desert. However I withdrew My hand, and acted for My NAME,-s0 that it might not be degraded in the sight of the heathen, in whose pre~ sence I had brought them out. Yet I raised My hand to them inthe Desert to scatter them among the Nations, and to disperse them in the countries, because they had not practised My Decrees, and had re- jected My Institutions, and profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes followed the Idols of their fathers. And I consequently appointed them Imper- fect Institutions, and Decrees that could not give life to them! Thus I made them polluted in the gifts to themselves——in coming upon every 33 34 opener of the womb,—s0 thatl might fix them, and that they might learn that I am the EvER~r.1v1NG. ‘Therefore, son of man, speak to

the House of Israel, and tell them, Thus says the MxG1~1‘1‘Y LoRD,--Your fathersalways outraged Me thus, with resolute perversity. However I brought them to the country I had raised My hand to give them, and they admired all its lofty hills, and all its shady woods, and sacrificed their sacrifices there, and presented their offensive gifts, and placed there sweet perfume, and drank their drinks! But _I asked them, ‘What are these Columns that you go to, and whose name is called at the Column to this day ? ’ Consequently say this to the

House of Israel, ‘ Thus the MIGHTY LORD asks, Will you corrupt your- selves in the same way as your ancestors, and fornicate as filthily as them? and offer your foul gifts to this day, in passing your children through the tire to all your idols? Why should I answer you, House of says the I will not be con- sulted by you! Yet what arises in your mind shall not beeffected,-··when you say, ‘We will become like the heathen,———like the families of the countries, and worship wood and says the M1GH‘1‘Y if I will not reign over you with a strong hand, and directing arm, and with pouring indignation; and bring you out from the Peoples, and I have scattered you with a strong hand, and directing arm, and pouring indignation, and bring you to the desert of the Peoples, and judge you there face to face, as I judged your ancestors in the desert of the land of the Mitzeraim, so I will judge you,’ and pass you under the rod, and bring you to the bonds of the Treaty. But I will expel from you the rebels and revolters against Me. I will bring them from the country where they were lodged, but they shall not enter the land of Israel ;—-·then you will learn that I am the Evan-1.1vmo.——But you, of the House of Israel,~——go everyone and serve his idols, and afterwards, if you will not obey Me, yet do not again outrage My HOLY N AME with your gifts and your idolatries,—forin my Holy Hill, and the High Mountain says the Mionrr Loan, ‘ all the House of Israel will serve Me perfectly in the lands of their country, and I will there demand your wav-

ings, and first fruits, and gifts, with all 35 37 39

your consecrations. I will delight 4: in your perfumes, when I bring you out from the Peoples, and collect from the countries where I had scat- tered you, and I will make My NAME respected through you in the sight of the heathen. Then you will learn 42 that I am the Evan-L1v1NG, when I have brought you to the soil of Israel, the land that I raised My hand to

give to your ancestors, and you will then reflect upon your courses and all your ways by whichyou corrupted yourselves, and be loathsome in your own eyes, because of all the vices you have practised. You will also recog- nise that I, the Evan-Livmc, work for you because of My NAME,-~—~not because of your vicious ways and says the EVER-Livmc. Wir §n¤m nf hlyrmatt. The command of the Lord came to me again to say: ‘Son of Adam! Set your face to-

wards Theman, and set i_t to the south wind, and preach against the forest of the south country, and say to the forest of the south, ‘ Listen to the message of the EvaR·x.1v1Nol Thus says the Micnrv Loan! I will light a tire in you, and devour all your green trees, and every withered tree.

collect you from the countries where I It will burn unquenchably, and every- 566 43 4 5. 21