²⁵ From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again^(A) I sent you my servants^(B) the prophets.^(C)

⁴ And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets^(A) to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.^(B)

The Fall of Jerusalem^(A)(B)

¹⁵ The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers^(C) again and again,^(D) because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place.

¹⁰ At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹ He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. ¹² He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

³⁴ When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants^(A) to the tenants to collect his fruit.

³⁵ “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.^{(B) 36} Then he sent other servants^(C) to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.

² “Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.^{(A) 3} They became prostitutes in Egypt,^(B) engaging in prostitution^(C) from their youth.^(D) In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed.^(E)

⁵ and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose^(A) Israel, I swore with uplifted hand^(B) to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.^(C)” ⁶ On that day I swore^(D) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(E) the most beautiful of all lands.^{(F) 7} And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images^(G) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols^(H) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.^(I)”

⁸ “‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;^(J) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.^(K) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.^{(L) 9} But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.^(M) I did it to keep my name from being profaned^(N) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. ¹⁰ Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.^{(O) 11} I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.^{(P) 12} Also I gave them my Sabbaths^(Q) as a sign^(R) between us,^(S) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.^(T)

¹³ “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled^(U) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws^(V)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.^(W) So I said I would pour out my wrath^(X) on them and destroy^(Y) them in the wilderness.^{(Z) 14} But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned^(AA) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.^{(AB) 15} Also with uplifted hand I swore^(AC) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands^(AD)— ¹⁶ because they rejected my laws^(AE) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts^(AF) were devoted to their idols.^{(AG) 17} Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy^(AH) them or put an end to them in the wilderness. ¹⁸ I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents^(AI) or keep their laws or defile yourselves^(AJ) with their idols. ¹⁹ I am the Lord your God;^(AK) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.^{(AL) 20} Keep my Sabbaths^(AM) holy, that they may be a sign^(AN) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.^(AO)”

²¹ “‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws,^(AP) of which I said, “The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger^(AQ) against them in the wilderness.^{(AR) 22} But I withheld^(AS) my hand, and for the sake of my name^(AT) I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ²³ Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter^(AU) them through the countries, ²⁴ because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees^(AV) and desecrated my Sabbaths,^(AW) and their eyes lusted after^(AX) their parents’ idols.^{(AY) 25} So I gave^(AZ) them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;^{(BA) 26} I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice^(BB) of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord.^(BC)’

²⁷ “Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors^(BD) blasphemed^(BE) me by being unfaithful to me:^{(BF) 28} When I brought them into the land^(BG) I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.^{(BH) 29} Then I said to them: What is this high place^(BI) you go to?’” (It is called Bamah^[a] to this day.)

Rebellious Israel Renewed

³⁰ “Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves^(BJ) the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?^{(BK) 31} When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children^(BL) in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.^(BM)

³² “‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen.

³ He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.^(A)

³⁰ “The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth;^(A) indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger^(B) with what their hands have made,^(C) declares the Lord. ³¹ From the day it was built until now, this city^(D) has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove^(E) it from my sight.