1Then came certain of the elders of Yashar'el (Israel) unto me, and sat before me.
2And the word of Yahuah (LORD) came unto me, saying,
3Son of Adam, 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?
4Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus says Adonai Yahuah (the Lord GOD); Every man of the house of Yashar'el (Israel) that sets up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet; I Yahuah (LORD) will answer him that comes according to the multitude of his idols;
5That I may take the house of Yashar'el (Israel) in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
6Therefore say unto the house of Yashar'el (Israel), Thus says Adonai Yahuah (the Lord GOD); Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
7For every one of the house of Yashar'el (Israel), or of the stranger that sojourns in Yashar'el (Israel), which separateth himself from me, and sets up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and comes to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I Yahuah (LORD) will answer him by myself:
8And 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 you shall know that I am Yahuah (LORD).
9And if the prophet be deceived when he has spoken a thing, I Yahuah (LORD) have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Yashar'el (Israel).
10And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeks unto him;
11That the house of Yashar'el (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 Elohim (God), says Adonai Yahuah (the Lord GOD).
12The word of Yahuah (LORD) came again to me, saying,
13Son of Adam, when the land sins against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out my 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:
14Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, says Adonai Yahuah (the Lord GOD).
15If 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:
16Though these three men were in it, as I live, says Adonai Yahuah (the Lord GOD), they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
17Or 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:
18Though these three men were in it, as I live, says Adonai Yahuah (the Lord GOD), they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
19Or 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:
20Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, says Adonai Yahuah (the Lord GOD), they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
21For thus says Adonai Yahuah (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?
22Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and you shall see their way and their doings: and you shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.
23And they shall comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings: and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, says Adonai Yahuah (the Lord GOD).