The Babylonian Exile

Because against My judgments they did kick, And in My statutes they have not walked, And My sabbaths they have polluted, For after their idols their heart is going.

And Mine eye hath pity on them--against destroying them, And I have not made of them an end in the wilderness.

And I say to their sons in the wilderness: In the statutes of your fathers ye walk not, And their judgments ye do not observe, And with their idols ye are not defiled.

I am Jehovah your God, in My statutes walk, And My judgments observe, and do them,

And My sabbaths sanctify, And they have been for a sign between Me and you, To know that I, Jehovah, am your God.

And--the sons rebel against Me, In My statutes they have not walked, And My judgments they have not observed--to do them, Which the man who doth--liveth by them. My sabbaths they have polluted, And I say to pour out My fury upon them, To complete Mine anger against them in the wilderness.

And I have turned back My hand, And I do it for My name's sake, Not to pollute it before the eyes of the nations, Before whose eyes I brought them out.

I also, I have lifted up My hand to them in the wilderness, To scatter them among nations, And to spread them through lands.

Because My judgments they have not done, And My statutes they have despised, And My sabbaths they have polluted, And after idols of their fathers have their eyes been.

And I also, I have given to them statutes not good, And judgments by which they do not live.

And I defile them by their own gifts, By causing to pass away every opener of a womb, So that I make them desolate, So that they know that I am Jehovah.

Therefore, speak unto the house of Israel, son of man, and thou hast said unto them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Still in this have your fathers reviled Me, In their committing against Me a trespass.

And I bring them in unto the land, That I did lift up My hand to give to them, And they see every high hill, and every thick tree, And they sacrifice there their sacrifices, And give there the provocation of their offering, And make there their sweet fragrance, And they pour out there their libations.

And I say unto them: What is the high place whither ye are going in? And its name is called `high place' to this day.

Therefore, say unto the house of Israel: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: In the way of your fathers are ye defiled? And after their detestable things go a-whoring?

And in the offering of your gifts, In causing your sons to pass through fire, Ye are defiled by all your idols to this day, And I am sought by you, O house of Israel! I live--an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, I am not sought by you.

And that which is going up on your mind, It is not at all--in that ye are saying: We will be as the nations, as the families of the lands, To serve wood and stone.

I live--an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Do not I, with a strong hand, And with a stretched-out arm, And with fury poured out--rule over you?

And I have brought you forth from the peoples, And assembled you from the lands In which ye have been scattered, With a strong hand and with a stretched-out arm, And with fury poured out.

And I have brought you in unto the wilderness of the peoples, And have been judged with you there face to face.

As I was judged with your fathers, In the wilderness of the land of Egypt, So I am judged with you, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

And I have caused you to pass under the rod, And brought you into the bond of the covenant,

And cleared out from you the rebels, And them transgressing against Me, From the land of their sojournings I bring them out, And unto the land of Israel they come not, And ye have known that I am Jehovah.

And ye, O house of Israel, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Each his idols--go--serve ye, And, afterwards, if ye are not hearkening to me, And My holy name ye do not pollute any more by your gifts, and by your idols.

For, in My holy mountain, In the mountain of the height of Israel, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, There serve Me do all the house of Israel, All of it, in the land--there I accept them, And there I do seek your heave-offerings, And with the first-fruit of your gifts, With all your holy things.