Then some ^aelders of Israel came to me and ^bsat down before me. 2 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 3 “Son of man, these men have ^aset up their idols in their hearts and have ^bput right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be ^cinquired by them at all? 4 Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I Yahweh will be brought to give him an answer ¹in light of it, ²in light of the ^amultitude of his idols, 5 in order to seize the house of Israel by ^atheir heart, those who are ^1bestranged from Me through all their idols.”’

6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “^1aTurn back and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your ^babominations. 7 For anyone of the house of Israel or of the ^asojourners who sojourn in Israel who separates himself from Me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me for himself, ^bI, Yahweh, will be brought to answer him in My own person. 8 I will ^aset My face against that man and make him a ^bsign and ¹a proverb, and I will cut him off from among My people. So you will know that I am Yahweh.

9 “But if the prophet is enticed to speak a word, it is I, Yahweh, who have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and ^adestroy him from among My people Israel. 10 They will bear the punishment of their iniquity; as the iniquity of the inquirer is, so the iniquity of the prophet will be, 11 in order that the house of Israel may no longer ^awander from Me and no longer ^bdefile themselves with all their transgressions. Thus they will be ^cMy people, and I shall be their God,”’ declares Lord Yahweh.”

12 Then the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 13 “Son of man, if a country sins against Me by ^acommitting unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, break its ^bstaff of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and beast, 14 even ^athough these three men, ^bNoah, ^cDaniel, and ^dJob were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver ^ethemselves,” declares Lord Yahweh. 15 “If I were to cause ^awild beasts to pass through the land and they bereaved it of children and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, 16 though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. ^aThey alone would be delivered, but the country would become desolate. 17 Or if I should ^abring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and ^bcut off man and beast from it,’ 18 even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. 19 Or if I should send a ^aplague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it to cut off man and beast from it, 20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares Lord Yahweh, “they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”

21 For thus says Lord Yahweh, “How much more when ^aI send My four calamitous judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague to cut off man and beast from it! 22 Yet, behold, ¹survivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come forth to you, and you will ^asee their way and actions; then you will be ^bcomforted for the calamity which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it. 23 Then they will comfort you when you see their way and actions, so you will know that I have not done ^ain vain all that I did ¹to it,” declares Lord Yahweh.