Israel Keeps On Rebelling
1 Seven years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, some of Israel's leaders came to me on the tenth day of the fifth month. They sat down and asked for a message from the Lord. 2 Just then, the Lord God said:
3 Ezekiel, son of man, these leaders have come to find out what I want them to do. As surely as I live, I will not give them an answer of any kind.
4 Are you willing to warn them, Ezekiel? Then remind them of the disgusting sins of their ancestors.
5 Tell them that long ago I, the Lord God, chose Israel to be my own. I appeared to their ancestors in Egypt and made a solemn promise that I would be their God and the God of their descendants. 6 I swore that I would rescue them from Egypt and lead them to a land I had already chosen. This land was rich with milk and honey and was the most splendid land of all. 7 I told them to get rid of their disgusting idols and not to sin by worshiping the gods of Egypt. I reminded them that I was the Lord their God, 8 but they still rebelled against me. They refused to listen and kept on worshiping their idols and foreign gods.
In my anger, I decided to punish the Israelites in Egypt. 9 But that would have made me look like a liar, because I had already promised in front of everyone that I would lead them out of Egypt. 10 So I brought them out and led them into the desert. 11 I gave them my laws and teachings, so they would know how to live right. 12 And I commanded them to respect the Sabbath as a way of showing that they were holy and belonged to me. 13 But the Israelites rebelled against me in the desert. They refused to obey my laws and teachings, and they treated the Sabbath like any other day.
Then in my anger, I decided to destroy the Israelites in the desert once and for all. 14 But that would have disgraced me, because many other nations had seen me bring the Israelites out of Egypt. 15 Instead, I told them in the desert that I would not lead them into the beautiful, fertile land I had promised. 16 I said this because they had not only ignored my laws and teachings, but had disgraced my Sabbath and worshiped idols.
17 Yet, I felt sorry for them and could not let them die in the desert. 18 So I warned the children not to act like their parents or follow their evil ways or worship their idols. 19 I reminded them that I was the Lord their God and that they should obey my laws and teachings. 20 I told them to respect my Sabbath to show that they were my people and that I was the Lord their God. 21 But the children also rebelled against me. They refused to obey my laws and teachings, and they treated the Sabbath as any other day.
I became angry and decided to punish them in the desert. 22 But I did not. That would have disgraced me in front of the nations that had seen me bring the Israelites out of Egypt. 23 So I solemnly swore that I would scatter the people of Israel across the nations, 24 because they had disobeyed my laws and ignored my teachings; they had disgraced my Sabbath and worshiped the idols their ancestors had made. 25 I gave them laws that bring punishment instead of life, 26 and I let them offer me unacceptable sacrifices, including their first-born sons. I did this to horrify them and to let them know that I, the Lord, was punishing them.
27 Ezekiel, tell the people of Israel that their ancestors also rejected and insulted me 28 by offering sacrifices, incense, and wine to gods on every hill and under every large tree. I was very angry, because they did these things in the land I had given them! 29 I asked them where they went to worship those gods, and they answered, “At the local shrines.” And those places of worship are still called shrines.
30 Then ask the Israelites why they are following the example of their wicked ancestors 31 by worshiping idols and by sacrificing their own children as offerings. They commit these sins and still think they can ask me for a message. As surely as I am the living Lord God, I will give them no answer. 32 They may think they can be like other nations and get away with worshiping idols made of wood and stone. But that will never happen!
The Lord Promises To Restore Israel
The Lord said to the people of Israel:
33 As surely as I am the living Lord God, I will rule over you with my powerful arm. You will feel my fierce anger 34 and my power, when I gather you from the places where you are scattered 35 and lead you into a desert surrounded by nations. I will meet you there face to face. Then I will pass judgment on you 36 and punish you, just as I punished your ancestors in the desert near Egypt. 37 I will force each of you to obey the regulations of our solemn agreement. 38 I will separate the sinful rebels from the rest of you, and even though I will bring them from the nations where they live in exile, they won't be allowed to return to Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 Go ahead and worship your idols for now, you Israelites, because soon I will no longer let you dishonor me by offering gifts to them. You will have no choice but to obey me! 40 When that day comes, everyone in Israel will worship me on Mount Zion, my holy mountain in Jerusalem. I will once again call you my own, and I will accept your sacred offerings and sacrifices. 41 When I bring you home from the places where you are now scattered, I will be pleased with you, just as I am pleased with the smell of the smoke from your sacrifices. Every nation on earth will see that I am holy, 42 and you will know that I, the Lord, am the one who brought you back to Israel, the land I promised your ancestors. 43 Then you will remember your wicked sins, and you will hate yourselves for doing such horrible things. They have made you unacceptable to me, 44 so you deserve to be punished. But I will treat you in a way that will bring honor to my name, and you will know that I am the Lord God.
Fire from the South
45 The Lord said, 46 “Ezekiel, son of man, turn toward the south and warn the forests 47 that I, the Lord God, will start a fire that will burn up every tree, whether green or dry. Nothing will be able to put out the blaze of that fire as it spreads to the north and burns everything in its path. 48 Everyone will know that I started it, and that it cannot be stopped.”
49 But I complained, “Lord God, I don't want to do that! People already say I confuse them with my messages.”
ǃKhūb ǂâis tsî khoesi mâǃoas
1 Hûǁî kurib ǃnâ, koroǁî ǁkhâb di disiǁî tsēs ai gu ge ǀnî kaikhoegu Israeli diga ǃKhūba gu nî dîse hā tsî ti aiǃâ hā ge ǂû. 2 Tsîs ge ǃKhūb mîsa tita ǃoa ge hā: 3 “Khoenôa ǀgôatse, Israeli kaikhoegu ǀkha ǃhoa, î ǁîga nēti mîba: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî, tare-i ǃaroma go ra hā? Tita ǀkha go nî ǃhoase? Tita ûi hâs ao, tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî, tita ge sago xa ǃhoa-ūhe tide.’
4 “Khoenôa ǀgôatse, ǁîga ǁkharats nî? O agu ǁîgu aboxagu ui-uisa dīga ǂan, 5 î ǁîga nēti mîba: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: Tita ge Israelǁîna ǁhûi tsēsa, o ta ge Jakob ommi di surib ǃoa ge nū, tita ge Egipteb ǃnâ ǁîn ǃoa ge ǂanǂansen. Tita ge ǁîn ǃoa nū tsî ge mî: Tita ge ǃKhūta, sadu Elota.’ 6 ǁNā tsēs ai ta ge tita Egipteba xu ta nî ǂgaeǂguiǂui du tsî tita ge ôaǂui ǃhūb, daib tsî danib di ǃhūb, nau ǃhūgu hoagu xa a ǂkhaisab ǃoa nî ūsī du. 7 Tsî ta ge ǁîn ǃoa ge mî: ‘Sadu mûdi ǃnâ a ui-uixana aoxū, mâ-i hoa-i âdo, î tā Egipteb di ǁgôa-elogu ǀkha ǀuriǀurisen; tita ge ǃKhūtasadu Elota.’ 8 Xawen ge ǁîna tita ǃoagu ge khâikhâisen tsî tita ǃgâǂgao tama ge i; ǁîn di ǀgui-i xare-i ge ǁîn mûdi di ui-uisa xūna xu bē tama ge i, tamas ka ion ge Egipteb ǁgôa-eloga ǂhara tama ge i. O ta ge ti ǁaiba ta ge ǁîn ai nî ǁhōǂui tsî ta ge ti ǁaiba ǁîn ǃoagu Egipteb ǁaegu nî sîsenū. 9 Xawe tita ge ti ǀons ǃaroma ge dī, îs ǁîsa tā sadu ǁanǃnâ hâ ǁaedi xa ǃanuoǃnâ kaihe. ǁÎn mûǁae ta ge ti ǁaesa Egipteba xu ǂgaeǂguiǂuis ǀkha ge ǂanǂansen.
10 “ǁNāti ta ge tita ǁîna Egipteba xu ǂgaeǂguiǂui tsî ǁîna ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ge ǂgaeǂguiǂgā. 11 Tita ge ǁîna ti ǂnûiǂgāde mā tsî ti ǂhanuga ge ǂanǂan. ǁÎde ga ǃkhōǀgaipe khoe-i hoa-i ge ǁîde xu nî ûi. 12 ǁKhāti ta ge ǁîna ti Sabattsēsa ge mā, tita tsî ǁîn ǁaegu hâ ǃgaeǀhaos di saos ase, tita ǃKhūta ǁîna ge ǃanuǃanu ǃkhaisan nî ǂanse. 13 Xaweb ge Israeli ommi dina ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ti ǃoagu ge khâikhâisen; ǁîn ge ti ǂnûiǂgāde ǃkhōǀgaipe tama ge i, tsî ti ǂhanuga ge ǂhara, ǁîgats ga dī, ots nî ûi ga; ǁkhātin ge ǁîna ti Sabattsēsa ge ǃanuoǃnâ kai. O ta ge ti ǁaiba ta ga ǁîn ai ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁhōǂui ti ge ǂâi, ǁîn ǀkha ta nî toase. 14 Xawe ta ge nēsa ti ǀons ǃaroma ge di, ǁîs ǁaedi mûǁae ǃanuoǃnâ kaihe tidese, ǁîn di mûǁae ta ge ǁîna ǂgaeǂguiǂui xui-ao. 15 Xawe ta ge ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁîna ge nūba, ǁîna ta ǁnā ǃhūb hîa ta ge mîmâibab ǃnâ ǂgaeǂguiǂgā nî tidesa, ǁnā ǃhūb daib tsî danib dib, hoa ǃhūgu xa ǂkhaisaba. 16 ǁÎn ge ti ǂhanuga ǂhara tsî ti ǂnûiǂgāde ǃkhōǀgaipe tama ge i tsî ti Sabattsēsa ge ǃanuoǃnâ kai; ǁîn ǂgaogu ge ǁîn ǁgôa-eloga saoǃgon xui-ao.
17 “Xawes ge ti mûsa ǁîna ge ǀkhom tsî ta ge ǁîna hîkākā tama ge i tamas ka io ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁîna toa-ū tama ge i. 18 Tita ge ǁîn ôan ǃoa ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ge mî: ‘Tā sadu în di ǂnûiǂgāde sao, tamas ka io ǁîn ǂhanuga ǃkhōǀgaipe, tamas ka io ǁîn ǁgôa-elogu ǀkha ǃanuoǃnâ kaisen. 19 Tita ǃKhūta ge sadu Elota; ti ǂnûiǂgāde sao, î ǂōrisase ti ǂhanuga ǃkhōǀgaipe. 20 ǁKhāti ti Sabattsēsa khai, îs ǁîsa ǁgauǁgaus ase tita tsî sadu ǁaegu hâ, î du tita ǃKhūta a sadu Elo ǃkhaisa ǂan.’
21 “Xawen ge ǀgôana ti ǃoagu ge khâikhâisen; ǁîn ge ti ǂnûiǂgāde ǃkhōǀgaipe tama ge hâ i, xawe ti ǂhanuga ge ǂhara, ǁîgats ga dī, ots nî ûiga; ǁkhātin ge ǁîna ti Sabattsēsa ge ǃanuoǃnâ kai. O ta ge ti ǁaiba ta ga ǁîn ai ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁhōǂui ti ge ǂâi tsî ti ǁaiba ǁîn ǃoagu ūhâse. 22 Xawe ta ge ti ǃomma ge ǂgae-oa tsî ti ǀons ǃaroma ǁnāsa ge dī, ǁîs ǁaedi mûǁae ǃanuoǃnâ kaihe tidese, ǁîn di mûǁae ta ge ǁîna ǂgaeǂguiǂui xui-ao. 23 Xawe ta ge tita ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁîna ge nūba, ǁîna ta ǁaedi ǃnâ nî ǂapaǂoa kai tsî ǁîna ǃhūgu ǃnâ ǀgaruǀgaru ǃkhaisa. 24 ǁÎn ti ǂhanuga ǃkhōǀgaipe tama ge hâ i, xawen ge ti ǂnûiǂgāde ǂhara tsî ti Sabattsēsa ge ǃanuoǃnâ kai, tsî ǁîn mûdi ge ǁîn aboxagu ǁgôa-elogu ai ge ǃammâisa i.
25 “ǁKhāti ta ge ǃgâi tama ǂnûiǂgādi tsî ǂhanugu ǁîgu ǃoan ge ûi ǁoa iga ǁîna ge mā. 26 Tita ge ǁîna ǁîn ǁguibadi ǂûdi ǃnâ-u ge ǀuriǀuri, ǁîn ǂguroǃnaesagu ge ǀaes ǃnâ-u ge ǃkharu kaihe, ǁîna ta nî ǃaoǃaose, tita a ǃKhū ǃkhaisan nî ǂanse.
27 “ǁNā-amaga, khoenôa ǀgôatse, Israeli ommi din ǀkha ǃoa, î ǁîn ǃoa mî: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: Nēs ǃnâgu ge ǁkhawa sadu aboxaga ge mîǁgaiǁgai te, ǀhôagao ǀgaub ai tita dī-ūs ǀkha. 28 Tita ge ǁnā ǃhūb hîa ta mā du ta nî ti a nūba dub ǃnâ ge ǂgaeǂguiǂgā du, o du ge mâ ǃnâu-i tsî ǂnarexa hai-i hoa-i hîa du gere mû-i hoa-i tawa ǁguibade gere ǁguiba tsî ti ǁaiba ra ǂoeǂoe ǁguibade gere dī. ǁNāpan ge ǁîna ǃgâihamxūse ība ǁguibade sîǃapa tsî ǂnâǁguibade gere ǁguiba.’ 29 O ta ge ǁîn ǃoa ge mî: ‘Mâsa ǁnā ǀgapi ǃkhais ǁîs ǁga du ra ǃgûsa?’ ǁÎs ge nētsēs kōse Bamas ti ge ǀonǂgaihe. 30 ǁNā-amaga Israeli ommi ǃoa mî: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: Sadu aboxagu di ǀgaub ǀguib ǀkha du kha nî ǃanuoǃnâ kaisen tsî ǁîgu di ui-uisa dīxūn xa nî ǁnāǁgôa kaisen?’ 31 Sadu māde du ga ǁguiba tsî sadu ôana ǀaes ǃnâ-u a ǃkharu kai, o du ge nētsēs kōse sadu ǁgôa-elogu hoagu ǀkha ra ǃanuoǃnâ kaisen. Israeli ommi dido, o du kha nî ôa te? ‘Tita ûi hâs ao,’ tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: ‘Tita ge sadu xa ôakaisen tide.’ 32 Sadu ǃnâ hâ ǂâis ge tātsē ī tide: ‘A da ǁaedi khami ī, nau ǃhūgu di ǃhaodi khami, î da hain tsî ǀuin tsîna ǀgoreǀî.’
Elob ge ǁkhara tsî ra ǀûba
33 “ǃKhūb Elob ge ra mî: ‘Tita ûi hâs ao, amase ǁkhāsiba ūhâ ǃommi tsî ǀhōǂuisa ǁôab ǀkha tsî ǁhōǂuisa ǁaib ǀkha, ta ge tita sadu ǂama gao-aose nî hâ. 34 Tita ge khoena xu nî ūǂui du tsî ǃhūgu ǁîgu ǃnâ du ge ǂapaǂoa ga xu nî ǀhaoǀhao du, ǁkhāsiba ūhâ ǃommi tsî ǀhōǂuisa ǁôab ǀkha tsî ǁhōǂuisa ǁaixasib ǀkha. 35 Tsî tita ge khoen di ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ūǀkhī du tsî ǁnāpa ta ge tita sadu ǀkha aisa xu ais ǁga ǀgoraǃgâs ǃnâ nî ǂgâ. 36 Egipteb di ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ta ge sadu aboxagu ǀkha ǀgoraǃgâs ǃnâ ǂgâ hâ i, khami ta ge sadu ǀkha ǀgoraǃgâs ǃnâ nî ǂgâ,’
tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî.37 “Tita ge ǀkharub ǃnaka nî ǃkharu kai du tsî ta ge ǃgaeǀhaos di ǁgui-aidi ǃnâ nî ǂgâxa-ū. 38 Khâikhâisen-aon sadu ǁaegu hân tsî tita ǃoagu ra ǁore khoen tsîna ta ge sadu ǁaeguba xu nî ūǂui. Tita ge ǃhaokhoesen ǁan hâ ǃhūba xu ǁîna nî ūǂui, xawen ge Israelǃhūb ǃnâ ǂgâ tide. O du ge tita a ǃKhū ǃkhaisa nî ǂan.”
39 Sadu xasa, Israeli ommi dido, nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: “ǃGû, sadu ǁgôa-eloga sī ǃoaba, mâ-i hoa-i âdo nēsi tsî nēs khaoǃgâs tsîna, tita du ga ǃgâ tama io. Xawe du ge ǃaruǀî ti ǀonsa sadu mādi tsî ǁgôa-elogu tsîn ǀkha ǃanuoǃnâ kai tide. 40 Ti ǃanu ǃhommi, Israeli di ǀgapi ǃhommi ai, tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî, hoaraga ommi Israeli dib ge ǁnāpa, hoaragana, ǃhūb ǃnâ nî ǃoaba te. ǁNāpa ta ge tita ǁîna nî ǃkhōǃoa tsî ǁnāpa ta ge sado xu ǁguibade ǃâubasen tsî sadu ǁhûiǂuisa māde, sadu hoaraga ǃnâu xūn hoan ǀkha. 41 ǃGâihamxūse ta ge nî ǃkhōǃoa du, khoena xu ta ga ūǂui du tsî ta ga ǂapaǂoa ǃnâ du hâ ǃhūga xu ǀhaoǀhao duo. Tsî ta ge ǁaedi mûǁae ti ǃanusiba sadu ǃnâ nî ǁapoǁapo. 42 Tita ga Israelǃhūb, sadu aboxaga ta nî māse ta ge nūba dub ǃnâ ǂgaeǂguiǂgā du, o du ge tita a ǃKhū ǃkhaisa nî ǂan. 43 ǁNāpa du ge sadu daogu tsî hoaraga dīgu ǁîgu ǀkha du ge ǀuriǀurisen ga nî ǂâihō. Sadu ge dī du ge ǂkhabadīgu xa nî uixasen. 44 Ti ǀons ǃaroma ta ga ǁkhara du, o du ge tita a ǃKhū ǃkhaisa nî ǂan; sadu ǂkhaba daogu ǃoa, tamas ka io ǀhôagao dīga xu tama, Israeli omtse,”
tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî.ǃKhawagasǀkhāb ǃnâ hâ ǀaes
45 ǃKhūb di mîs ge tita ǃoa ge hā: 46 “Khoenôa ǀgôatse, sa aisa ǃkhawagasǀkhābǀî ǃoa, ǃkhawagas ǃoagu aoǁnâ, î haiǀgoms Negeb ǃnâ hâs ǃoagu kēbo. 47 Negeb di haiǀgomsa mîba, ǃKhūb di mîsa ǁnâu: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: “Tita ge sats ǃnâ ǀaesa nî khau tsî ǁîs ge sats ǃnâ hâ ǃam hai-i tamas ka io ǂnâsa hai-i hoa-e nî ǂhubiǂui. ǂHubi ra ǀaeb di ǁhabub ge ǀarihe tide tsî hoaraga aidi ǃkhawagasǀkhāb tsî ǀapasǀkhāb didi hoadi ge ǁîb xa nî hîkākāhe. 48 Hoaraga ǁgans ge tita ǃKhūta ge nē ǀaeba ǃkhāri ǃkhaisa nî mû, ǁîb ge ǀarihe tide.” ’ ”
49 O ta ge ge mî: “O, ǃKhū Elotse! ǁÎn ge tita xa ra mî: ‘ǁÎba kha ǂkhōdi di kuru-ao tamaba?’ ”
