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Of prophetesses and their pillows.

EZEKIEL.

God's irrevocable judgments. say, The LORD saith it, albeit I have not spoken? 2 And the word of the LORD came unto me, 8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because saying,

ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, 3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God. in their heart, and put the stumbling-block of 9 And my hand shall be upon the prophets that their iniquity before their face: should I be insee vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not quired of at all by them?

be in the assembly of my people, neither shall 4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto they be written in the writing of the house of them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord his heart, and putteth the stumbling-block of GOD. his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the

10 ¶ Because, even because they have seduced prophet; I the LORD will answer him that my people, saying, Peace; and there was no cometh according to the multitude of his idols; peace; and one built up a wall, and lo, others 5 That I may take the house of Israel in their daubed it with untempered mortar: own heart, because they are all estranged from 11 Say unto them which daub it with untem- me through their idols. pered mortar, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.

12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?

6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord Gon; I will idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingeven rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh and there shall be an overflowing shower in to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me; mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to I the LORD will answer him by myself:

consume it.

14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

8 And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 9 And if the prophet be deceived when he bath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered mortar, and will say unto you, The 10 And they shall bear the punishment of their wall is no more, neither they that daubed it; iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall 16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophe-be even as the punishment of him that seeketh sy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions unto him;

of

peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the 11 That the house of Israel may go no more Lord God. astray from me, neither be polluted any more 17 ¶ Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face with all their transgressions; but that they may against the daughters of thy people, which pro- be my people, and I may be their God, saith phesy out of their own heart; and prophesy the Lord GoD. thou against them,

12 1 The word of the LORD came again to me, 18 And say,Thus saith the Lord God; Wo to saying, the women that sew pillows to all arm-holes, 13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against and make kerchiefs upon the head of every sta- me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch ture to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of out my hand upon it, and will break the staff of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, come unto you? and will cut off inan and beast from it: 19 And will ye pollute me among my people 14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?

20 Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly. 21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord Gon. 15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts:

16 Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. 17 Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:

22 Because with lies ye have made the heart 18 Though these three men were in it, as I live, of the righteous sad, whom I have not made saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, sons nor daughters, but they only shall be dethat he should not return from his wicked way, Livered themselves. by promising him life;

19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, 23 Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off divine divinations: for I will deliver my people from it man and beast: out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

THEN

CHAP. XIV

Israel exhorted to repent.

20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

HEN came certain of the eiders of Israel 21 For thus saith the Lord GoD; How much unto me, and sat before me. more when I send my four sore judgments upon

A remnant shall be reserved.

CHAP. XV, XVI. Monstrous whoredom of Jerusalem: Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee from it man and beast? with silk.

22 11 Yet, behold, therein shall be left a rem- 111 decked thee also with ornaments, and I put nant that shall be brought forth, both sons and bracelets upon thy hands,and a chain on thy neck. daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto 12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earyou, and ye shall see their way and their do-rings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon ings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the thy head. evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even 13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; concerning all that I have brought upon it.

23 And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings; and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that have done in it, saith the Lord God.

CHAP. XV.

The rejection of Jerusalem.

I

and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and
broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and
honey, and oil; and thou wast exceeding beau-
tiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
14 And thy renown went forth among the hea-
then for thy beauty: for it was perfect through
my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith

AND the word of the LORD came unto me, the Lord GOD.

saying,

2 Son of man, What is the vine-tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

3 Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon ?

4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?

5 Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?

6 ¶ Therefore thus saith the Lord GoD; As the vine-tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.

8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD

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2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,

15 ¶ But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.

16 And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so. 17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst comunit whoredom with them.

18 And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.

19 My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD. 20 Moreover, thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, 21 That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?

22 And in all thine abominations and thy

whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days

of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.

23 And it came to pass, after all thy wicked3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Je-ness, (wo, wo unto thee! saith the Lord GOD,) rusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the 24 That thou hast also built unto thee an emiland of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, nent place, and hast made thee a high place in and thy mother a Hittite. every street.

4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

25 Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms. 26 Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger.

5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. 6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thec 27 Behold, therefore I have stretched out my polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordiwhen thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said nary food, and delivered thee unto the will of unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philis7 I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of tines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way. the field, and thou hast increased and waxen 28 Thou hast played the whore also with the great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thy breasts are fashioned, and thy hair is grown, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet whereas thou wast naked and bare. couldest not be satisfied.

8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon 29 Thou hast, moreover, multiplied thy fornithee, behold, thy time was the time of love; cation in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered yet thou wast not satisfied herewith. thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and en- 30 How weak is thy heart, saith the Lord GOD, tered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord seeing thou doest all these things, the work of GOD, and thou becamest mine. an imperious, whorish woman;

9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, 131 In that thou buildest thine eminent place in thoroughly washed away tny blood from thee, the head of every way, and makest thy high and I anointed thee with oil. place in every street; and hast not been as a

10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, harlot, in that thou scornest bire;

Jerusalem's grievous judgment.

EZEKIEL.

Mercy is promised her in the end 32 But as a wife that committeth adultery, tions more than they, and hast justified thy sisters which taketh strangers instead of her husband in all thine abominations which thou hast done. 33 They give gifts to all whores: but thou 52 Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast that they may come unto thee on every side for committed more abominable, than they: they thy whoredom. are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou con34 And the contrary is in thee from other wo-founded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou men in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth hast justified thy sisters. thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee; therefore thou art contrary.

53 When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:

35 Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD: 36 Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy filth- 54 That thou mayest bear thine own shame, iness was poured out, and thy nakedness dis-and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast covered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, done, in that thou art a comfort unto them. and with all the idols of thy abominations, and 55 When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, by the blood of thy children, which thou didst shall return to their former estate, and Samaria give unto them; and her daughters shall return to their former

37 Behold, therefore, I will gather all thy lovers, estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and ail to your former estate.

them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou 56 For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by hast hated; I will even gather them round about thy mouth in the day of thy pride,

against thee, and will discover thy nakedness 57 Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. the time of thy reproach of the daughters of 38 And I will judge thee, as women that break Syria, and all that are round about her, the wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee give thee blood in fury and jealousy. round about.

39 And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.

58 Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD. 59 For thus saith the Lord Gon; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. 40 They shall also bring up a company against 60 Nevertheless, I will remember my covethee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and nant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I thrust thee through with their swords. will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.

41 And they shall burn thy houses with fire, 61 Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, many women and I will cause thee to cease thine elder and thy younger: and I will give from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy no hire any more.

42 So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.

covenant.

62 And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: 63 That thou mayest remember, and be con43 Because thou hast not remembered the days founded, and never open thy mouth any more of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these because of thy shame, when I am pacified tothings; behold, therefore, I also will recompense ward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the thy way upon thy head, saith the Lord GoD: Lord God. and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.

CHAP. XVII.

Parable of the two eagles, &.c. 44 Kehold, every one that useth proverbs AND the word of the LORD came unto me, shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As saying, is the mother, so is her daughter.

2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a

45 Thou art thy mother's daughter, that loath-parable unto the house of Israel ; eth her husband and her children; and thon art 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord God; A great the sister of thy sisters, which loathed their eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of husbands and their children: your mother was feathers, which had divers colours, came unto a Hittite, and your father an Amorite. Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the

46 And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and cedar: her daughters that dwell at thy left hand and 4 He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a hand, is Sodom and her daughters. city of merchants.

47 Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, 5 He took also of the seed of the land, and nor done after their abominations; but as if that planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted great waters, and set it as a willow-tree. more than they, in all thy ways. 6 And it grew, and became a spreading vine of

48 As I live, saith the Lord GoD, Sodom thy low stature, whose branches turned toward him, sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as and the roots thereof were under him: so it bethou hast done, thou and thy daughters. came a vine, and brought forth branches, and

49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister shot forth sprigs. Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance 7 There was also another great eagle with great of idleness was in her and in her daughters, nei- wings and many feathers: and behold, this vine ther did she strengthen the hand of the poor and did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth needy. her branches toward him, that he might water 50 And they were haughty, and committed it by the furrows of her plantation. abomination before me: therefore I took them 8 It was planted in a good soil by great waters, away as I saw good. that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine. 9 Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shail

51 Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy cins: but thou hast multiplied thine abomina

The cedar of the gospel promised.

CHAP. XVIII.

God's dealings with mon: it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots there-father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the of, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither soul that sinneth, it shall die.

it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, 5 But if a man be just, and do that which is even without great power or many people to lawful and right, pluck it up by the roots thereof.

6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, nel

10 Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper?ther hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neightoucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where bour's wife, neither hath come near to a menit grew. struous woman,

11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

12 Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and bath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon; 13 And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him he hath also taken the mighty of the land: 14 That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.

15 But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or, shall he break the covenant, and be delivered ?

7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 8 Ile that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, 9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.

10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things,

11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the niountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,

12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, 16 As I live, saith the Lord GoD, surely in the and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath place where the king dwelleth that made him committed abomination,

king, whose oath he despised, and whose cove- 13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken nant he brake, even with him in the midst of increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: Babylon he shall die. he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. 14 Now lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,

17 Neither shall Pharaoh, with his mighty army and great company, make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hatli not defiled his neighbour's wife,

18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. 19 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and 16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withmy covenant that he hath broken, even it will I holden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by viorecompense upon his own head. lence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, 17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, bath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me. 21 And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.

18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that 22 Thus saith the Lord Gon, I will also take which is not good among his people, lo, even he of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will shall die in his iniquity.

set it; I will crop off from the top of his young 19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon a high the iniquity of the father? When the son hath mountain and eminent: done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

23 In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it. CHAP. XVIII.

Unjust parable of sour grapes. HE word of the LORD ca:ue unto me again, saying,

THE

2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? 3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not 24 But when the righteous turneth away from have occasion any more to use this proverb in his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and Israel. doeth according to all the abominations that the 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his right

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eousness that he hath done shall not be men-[ tioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed,

Israel's manifold rebellions CHAP. XX.

Israel's rebellions in Egypt, &c.

and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall AND it came to pass in the seventh year, in

be die.

the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, 25 Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not that certain of the elders of Israel came to in equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my quire of the LORD, and sat before me. way equal? are not your ways unequal? 2 Then came the word of the LORD unto me, 26 When a righteous man turneth away from saving, his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and 3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done, and say unto thein, Thus saith the Lord GOD; shall he die. Are ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith 27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you. from his wickedness that he hath committed,¦ 4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man? wilt thou and doeth that which is lawful and right, he judge them? cause them to know the abominashall save his soul alive. tions of their fathers:

28 Because he considereth and turneth away 5 11 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord from all his transgressions that he hath commit- GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted ted, he shall surely live, he shall not die. up my hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, 29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of and made myself known unto them in the land the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are of Egypt, when I lifted up my hand unto them, not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? saying, I am the LORD your God;

30 Therefore, I will judge you, O house of Is- 6 In the day that I lifted up my hand unto them, rael, every one according to his ways, saith the to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from land that I had espied for them, flowing with all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands: your ruin. 7 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every

31 Cast away from you all your transgres- man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not sions, whereby ye have transgressed: and make yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will LORD your God. ye die, O house of Israel?

32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

CHAP. XIX:

Parable of the lion's whelps.

8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of

MOREOVER, take thou up a lamentation Egypt.

for the princes of Israel,

9 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it 2 And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: should not be polluted before the heathen, among she lay down among fions, she nourished her whom they were, in whose sight I made myself whelps among young lions. known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

3 And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.

4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken In their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.

5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.

6 And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men.

10 Wherefore, I caused then to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness."

11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judginents, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

12 Moreover, also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my sta7 And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid tutes, and they despised my judgments, which if waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and a man do, he shall even live in them: and my the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring. sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I 8 Then the nations set against him on every would pour out my fury upon them in the wilside from the provinces, and spread their net over him he was taken in their pit.

9 And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

derness, to consume them.

14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into 10 T Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, the land which I had given them, flowing with planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; of branches by reason of many waters. 16 Because they despised my judgments, and 11 And she had strong rods for the sceptres of walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabthem that bare rule, and her stature was exalt-baths: for their heart went after their idols. ed among the thick branches, and she appeared 17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from deIn her height with the multitude of her branches. stroying them, neither did I make an end of them 12 But she was plucked up in fury, she was in the wilderness.

cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried 18 But I said unto their children in the wilderup her fruit: her strong rods were broken and ness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, withered; the fire consumed them. neither observe their judgments, nor defile your

13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, selves with their idols:

in a dry and thirsty ground.

19 I am the LORD your God; walk in my sta14 And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, tutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath 20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a a sign between me and you, that ye may know Jamentation, and shall be for a lamentation. that I am the LORD your God.

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