God

Do I take any pleasure at all in having the wicked person die?" asks Adonai ELOHIM. "Wouldn't I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

"So now you say, 'ADONAI's way isn't fair.' Listen, house of Isra'el! Is it my way that is unfair? or your ways that are unfair?

Yet the house of Isra'el says, 'ADONAI's way isn't fair.' House of Isra'el, is it my ways that are unfair, or your ways that are unfair?

Therefore, house of Isra'el, I will judge each of you according to his ways," says Adonai ELOHIM. "Repent, and turn yourselves away from all your transgressions, so that they will not be a stumblingblock that brings guilt upon you.

I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," says Adonai ELOHIM, "so turn yourselves around, and live!

On the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year, some of Isra'el's leaders came to consult ADONAI and sat with me;

and the word of ADONAI came to me:

"Human being, speak to Isra'el's leaders; tell them that Adonai ELOHIM asks, 'Have you come to consult me? As I live,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'I swear that I will not let you consult me.'

Tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'Back on the day when I chose Isra'el, I raised my hand to the descendants of the house of Ya'akov. I revealed myself to them in the land of Egypt when I raised my hand to them and said, "I am ADONAI your God."

On the day I raised my hand to them, pledging to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had reconnoitered for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands,

I told them, "Each of you is to throw away the detestable things that draw your eyes. Do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am ADONAI your God."

"'But they rebelled against me and wouldn't listen to me; they did not, each of them, throw away the detestable things that drew their eyes; and they did not abandon the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them and spend my anger on them there in the land of Egypt.

But concern for my own reputation kept me from letting it be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they were living, in the sight of whom I had made myself known to them, in order to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

So I had them leave the land of Egypt and brought them into the desert.

I gave them my laws and showed them my rulings; if a person obeys them, he will have life through them.

I gave them my shabbats as a sign between me and them, so that they would know that I, ADONAI, am the one who makes them holy.

"'But the house of Isra'el rebelled against me in the desert. They did not live by my laws; and they rejected my rulings, which, if a person does, he will have life through them; moreover, they greatly profaned my shabbats. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them in the desert, in order to destroy them.

But concern for my own reputation kept me from letting it be profaned in the sight of the nations who had seen when I brought them out.

Yet I also raised my hand and swore to them in the desert that I would not bring them into the land I was giving them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands;

because they had rejected my rulings, did not live by my laws and profaned my shabbats; since their hearts went after their idols.

However, I spared them from complete destruction; I did not completely finish them off in the desert.

"'I said to their children in the desert, "Don't live by the laws of your fathers, observe their rulings or defile yourselves with their idols.

I am ADONAI your God; live by my laws, observe my rulings, and obey them,

and keep my shabbats holy; and they will be a sign between me and you, so that you will know that I am ADONAI your God."

"'But the children too rebelled against me. They did not live by my laws or observe my rulings, to obey them, which, if a person does, he will have life by them; and they profaned my shabbats. Then I said I would pour out my fury on them and spend my anger on them in the desert.