of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by its roots. 10 Yes, behold, being planted, shall it prosper shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew. 11 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

12 Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon hath come to Jerusalem, and hath taken its king, and its princes, and led them with him to Babylon;

13 And hath taken of the king's seed, and made covenant with him, and hath 4 taken an oath from him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:

14 That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, 5 but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.

15 But he rebelled against him in sending his embassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?

16 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Surely in the place where the king dwelleth

made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.

CHAP. XVIII.

1 God reproveth the unjust parable of sour grapes: 5 He showeth how he dealeth with a just father, 10 with a wicked son of a just father, 14 with a just son of a wicked father, 19 with a wicked man repenting, 24 with a just man revolting: 25 He defendeth his justice, 31 and exhorteth to repentance.

HE word of the LORD came to me

THE

again, saying,

2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The a fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

3 As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use, this proverb in Israel.

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

5¶ But if a man is just, and doeth that which is 1 lawful and right,

6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to

pised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.

17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many per

sons:

18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.

19 Therefore thus saith the Lord God;

As I live, surely my oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even that will I recompense upon his own head.

Lev. 18. 20.

Lev. 18. 19.

& 20. 18.

Ex. 22. 21. Lev. 19. 15. & 25. 14.

9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.

10 ¶ If he begetteth a son that is a 2 robber, a shedder of blood, and a that doeth the like to any one of these things, 11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the moun

bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered towards

Ex. 22. 26.

ƒ Deut. 15.7. Isa. 58. 7.

Ex. 22. 25. Lev. 25. 36.

mountain and eminent:

house.

eth to his

5

nation.

4

13 Hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

14 T Now lo, if he begetteth a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,

15 That hath not eaten upon the mounHeb.bloodstains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to Heb. hath the idols of the house of Israel, hath not not pledged defiled his neighbor's wife, or, taken to the pledge, 16 Neither hath oppressed any, 5 hath pledge. not withheld the pledge, neither hath stripped by violence, but hath given his

bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,

17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received interest nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his faother, he shall surely live.

18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, stripped his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

Before CHRIST, 698.

Deut.24.16. 2 Kings 14.

6.2 Chr. 25.

4. Jer.31.29.

19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is i c. 33. 11. lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

k c. 33. 20.

21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which Mat. 3. 2. is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned to him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

23 Have I any pleasure at all that the 6 or, others. wicked should die saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

m Jer. 32. 39. c. 11. 19. &

24 T But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to 36. 26. all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

25 Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

c. 33. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 9.

2 Kings 23. 34. Jer. 22.

11. 12.

26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for 1 or, their his iniquity that he hath done shall he widows.

die.

27 Again, when a wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he 2 or, in hath committed, and doeth that which is hooks. lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

28 Because he considereth and turn-3 or, In thy eth away from all his transgressions that quietness, he hath committed, he shall surely live, likeness. or, in thy he shall not die.

29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

30 Therefore I will judge you, O

1 A lamentation for the princes of Israel, un. der the parable of lions' whelps taken in a pit: 10 and for Jerusalem, under the parable of a wasted vine.

Mation for the princes of Israel,

OREOVER take thou up a lament

2 And say, What is thy mother: A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.

3 And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured

men.

4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains to the land of a Egypt. 5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.

6 And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured

men.

7 And he knew 1 their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fullness of it, by the noise of his roaring.

8 Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.

9 And they put him in custody 2 in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

10 Thy mother is like a vine 3 in thy blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

11 And she had strong rods for the scepters of them that bore rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her hight with the multitude of her branches.,

12 But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them.

13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground.

14 And fire hath gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a scepter to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.

CHAP. XX.

his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent,"

Israel. 5 He showeth the story of their rebellions in Egypt, 10 in the wilderness, 27 and

by the gospel. 45 Under the name of a for- CHRIST, est, he showeth the destruction of Jerusalem.

AND it came to pass in the seventh

593.

year, in the fifth month, the tentl day of the month, that certain of the elor, plead ders of Israel came to inquire of the for them. LORD, and sat before me.

2 Then came the word of the LORD to me, saying, 3 Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.

4 Wilt thou a judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers: 5 And say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and 2 lifted up my hand to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up my hand to them, saying, I am the LORD your God;

6 In the day that I lifted up my hand to them, to bring them forth from the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands: 7 Then said I to them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken to me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth from the land of Egypt.

C

10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth from the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

11 And I gave them my statutes, and 3 showed them my judgments, & which if a man doeth, he shall even live in them. 12 Moreover also I gave them mye sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.

13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man doeth, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them

out.

15 Yet also I lifted up my hand to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given

2

c. 22. 2. &

23.36.

or, swore, & so ver. 6, &c.

¿Ex. 3. 8. & 4.31.

them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

16 Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17 Nevertheless my eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. ⚫

18 But I said to their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

19 I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;

20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.

21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man doeth, he shall even live in them: they profaned my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilder

23 I lifted up my hand to them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;

24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they should not live;

26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all the first-born, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD.

27 Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GoD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have 4 committed a trespass against me.

28 For when I had brought them into the land, for which I lifted up my hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savor, and poured out there their drink-offerings.

29 Then 5 I said to them, What is the high place to which ye go? and its name is called Bamah to this day.

30 Wherefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GoD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fa

thers? and commit ye lewd deeds after their abominations?

31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even to this day: and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

33 As I live, saith the Lord GoD, surely with a mighty hand, and with an out-stretched arm, and with fury poured] out, will I rule over you:

Before CHRIST, 593.

6 or, a de

livering.

34 And. I will bring you out from the 7 or, chief. people, and will gather you out of the countries in which ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an out-stretched arm, and with fury poured out.

35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

36 As I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.

37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

38 And I will purge ont from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken to me: but profane ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.

40 For on my holy mountain, on the mountain of the hight of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the 7 first fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. 41 I will accept you with your s sweet savor, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries in which ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

8 Heb. savor of rest.

rupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GoD.

45 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

46 Son of man, set thy face towards the south, and drop thy word towards the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;

47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord Gop; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

48 And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

49 Then said I, Ah Lord Gon! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables? CHAP. XXI.

1 Ezekiel prophesieth against Jerusalem with a sign of sighing. 8 The sharp and bright sword, 18 against Jerusalem, 25 against the kingdom, 28 and against the Ammonites.

A

1 Heb. shall

2 or, It is the rod of my son, it despiseth every tree.

5 That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn my sword out of its sheath: it shall not return any more.

6 Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.

7 And it shall be, when they say to thee, Why sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees 1 shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.

8 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

9 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:

10 It is sharpened to make a grievous slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? 2 it contemneth the rod of my son, as eve

sword with

11 And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: the sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

12 Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: 3 terrors by rea