1Then came certain anashim of the zekenim of Yisroel unto me, and sat before me.

2And the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,

3Ben adam, these anashim have set up their gillulim (idols) in their lev, and put the michshol (stumbling block) of their avon before their face; should I be inquired of at all by them?

4Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Every ish of Bais Yisroel that setteth up his gillulim in his lev, and putteth the michshol (stumbling block) of his avon before his face, and cometh to the navi; I Hashem will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his gillulim;

5That I may seize Bais Yisroel in their lev, who have become estranged from me, all of them, for their gillulim (idols).

6Therefore say unto Bais Yisroel, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Make teshuvah, and turn yourselves away from your gillulim (idols); and turn away your faces from all your to'avot (abominations).

7For every one of Bais Yisroel, or of the ger that sojourneth in Yisroel, which separateth himself from Me, and setteth up his gillulim (idols) in his lev (heart), and putteth the michshol (stumbling block) of his avon (iniquity) before his face, and cometh to a navi (prophet) to inquire of him concerning Me; I Hashem will answer him by Myself;

8And I will set My face against that ish, and will make him an ot (sign) and for meshalim (proverbs), ²⁵and I will cut him off from the midst of My people; and ye shall know that I am Hashem.

9And if the navi be induced to make a pronouncement, I Hashem have induced that navi, and I will stretch out My yad against him, and will make him shmad from the midst of My people Yisroel.

10And they shall bear the punishment of their avon; the punishment of the navi shall be even as the punishment of him that inquireth of him;

11That Bais Yisroel may go no more astray from Me, neither be made tameh any more with all their peysha'im; but that they may be My people, and I may be to them Elohim, saith Adonoi Hashem.

12The Devar Hashem came again to me, saying,

13Ben adam, when eretz sinneth against Me by persistent ma'al (faithlessness, treachery), then will I stretch out Mine yad upon it, and will break the matteh lechem thereof, and will send ra'av (famine) upon it, and will cut off adam and behemah from it;

14Though these three anashim — Noach, Daniel, and Iyov — were in it, they would deliver but their own nefesh by their tzedakah, saith Adonoi Hashem.

15If I cause chayyah ra'ah (wild beasts) to pass through ha'aretz, and they bereave it of children, so that it be desolate, that no one may pass through because of the beasts;

16Though these sheloshet ha'anashim were in the midst of it, as I live, saith Adonoi Hashem, they shall deliver neither banim nor banot; only they shall be delivered, but ha'aretz shall be desolate.

17Or if I bring a cherev upon that land, and say, Cherev, pass through ha'aretz; so that I cut off adam and behemah from it;

18Though these sheloshet ha'anashim were in it, as I live, saith Adonoi Hashem, they would deliver neither banim nor banot, but they only themselves would be delivered.

19Or if I send a dever (plague) into that land, and pour out My chemah (fury) upon it in dahm, to cut off from it adam and behemah;

20Though Noach, Daniel, and Iyov were in it, as I live, saith Adonoi Hashem, they would deliver neither ben nor bat; they would but deliver their own nefashot by their tzedakah.

21For thus saith Adonoi Hashem: How much worse will it be when I send My four severe judgments upon Yerushalayim — the cherev, and the ra'av (famine), and the chayyah ra'ah (wild beast), and the dever — to cut off from it adam and behemah?

22Yet, hinei, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought out, both banim and banot; behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their derech and their doings; and ye shall be consoled concerning the ra'ah that I have brought upon Yerushalayim, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.

23And they shall console you, when ye see their drakhim and their doings; and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith Adonoi Hashem.