Ezekiel 14

1Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.

2The word of the LORD came to me: 3Son of man, these men have taken idols into their hearts and placed before their faces the stumbling block that leads them into guilt. Should I let them consult me at all?

4Therefore speak to them and tell them: The Lord GOD says this: When anyone of the house of Israel sets up idols in their heart, puts the stumbling block of their guilt before their face, and then goes to the prophet, I the LORD myself will give that person an answer, as the great number of their idols deserves, 5so that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who have all turned away from me to their idols.

6Therefore say to the house of Israel: The Lord GOD says this: Repent! Turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your detestable practices. 7For if anyone of the house of Israel, or of the outsiders who live in Israel, separates themselves from me, sets up idols in their heart, puts the stumbling block of their guilt before their face, and then comes to a prophet to inquire of me through him, I the LORD will answer that person myself. 8I will set my face against that person and make them a sign and a byword. I will cut them off from my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

9And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a message, it is I, the LORD, who have deceived that prophet. I will raise my hand against him and wipe him out from among my people Israel. 10Both will bear their guilt; the guilt of the prophet will be the same as the guilt of the one who consulted him, 11so that the house of Israel will no longer stray from me or defile themselves with all their rebellions. They will be my own people, and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.

12The word of the LORD came to me: 13Son of man, suppose a land sins against me by being unfaithful, and I stretch out my hand against it, break its supply of bread, send famine on it and cut off from it both people and animals, 14even if these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job, were living there, their righteousness would save only themselves, declares the Lord GOD. 15Or if I sent wild animals through the land and they left it childless, so that it became a desolation that no one would pass through because of the animals, 16even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they could not rescue sons or daughters. They alone would be rescued, and the land would become a desolation. 17Or if I brought a sword against that land and said, “Let the sword pass through the land,” and cut off from it both people and animals, 18even if these three men were in it, as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they could not rescue sons or daughters; they alone would be rescued. 19Or if I sent plague into that land and poured out my wrath on it in bloodshed, to cut off from it both people and animals, 20even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.

21For the Lord GOD says this: How much worse it will be when I send my four terrible judgments against Jerusalem, sword, famine, wild animals and plague, to cut off from it both people and animals! 22Yet there will be survivors left in it, sons and daughters brought out of it. When they come out to you and you see their conduct and their actions, you will be consoled over the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem, over everything I have brought on it. 23They will console you when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I did not act without reason in all that I did there, declares the Lord GOD.