1 Some of the elders of Israel came to me. They sat down to talk with me.
2 The word of the Lord came to me. He said,
3 “Son of man, these men came to talk to you. But they still have their filthy idols. They kept the things that made them sin. They still worship those statues, so why do they come to me for advice? Should I answer their questions?
4 But I will give them an answer. You must tell them this: ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: If any Israelites come to a prophet and ask me for advice, I myself will answer their questions. I, the Lord, will answer them even if they still have their filthy idols, even if they kept the things that made them sin, and even if they still worship those statues. I will speak to them in spite of all their filthy idols.
5 This is because I want to touch their hearts. I want to show them that I love them, even though they left me for their filthy idols.’
6 “So tell the family of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Come back to me and leave your filthy idols. Turn away from those terrible, false gods.
7 If any Israelites or foreigners who live in Israel come to me for advice, I will give them an answer. I, the Lord, will answer them even if they still have their filthy idols, even if they kept the things that made them sin, and even if they worship those statues. This is the answer I will give them:
8 I will turn against them and destroy them. They will be an example to others. People will laugh at them. I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord!
9 And if a prophet is foolish enough to give his own answer, I, the Lord, will show him how foolish he is! I will use my power against him. I will destroy him and remove him from among my people, Israel.
10 So both the one who came for advice and the prophet who gave an answer will get the same punishment.
11 Why? So that those prophets will stop leading my people away from me, and my people will stop being filthy with sin. Then they will be my special people, and I will be their God.’” This is what the Lord GOD said.
12 Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said,
13 “Son of man, I will punish any nation that leaves me and sins against me. I will stop their food supply. I might cause a famine and remove the people and animals from that country.
14 I would punish that country even if Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there. They could save their own lives by their goodness, but they could not save the whole country.” This is what the Lord GOD said.
15 “Or I might send wild animals through that country to kill all the people. Then no one would travel through that country because of the wild animals.
16 If Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, those three men could save their own lives. But I promise by my own life that they could not save the lives of other people—not even their own sons and daughters! That evil country would be destroyed.” This is what the Lord GOD said.
17 “Or I might send an enemy army to fight against that country. The soldiers would destroy that country—I would remove all the people and animals from that country.
18 If Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, those three men could save their own lives. But I promise by my own life that they could not save the lives of other people—not even their own sons and daughters! That evil country would be destroyed.” This is what the Lord GOD said.
19 “Or I might send a disease against that country. I will pour my anger down on the people. I will remove all the people and animals from that country.
20 If Noah, Daniel, and Job lived there, those three men could save their own lives because they are good men. But I promise by my own life that they could not save the lives of other people—not even their own sons and daughters!” This is what the Lord GOD said.
21 Then the Lord GOD said, “So think how bad it will be for Jerusalem. I will send all four of those punishments against that city! I will send enemy soldiers, hunger, disease, and wild animals against that city. I will remove all the people and animals from that country.
22 Some of the people will escape from that country. They will bring their sons and daughters and come to you for help. Then you will see how bad those people really are, and you will feel better about all the troubles that I am bringing to Jerusalem.
23 You will see how they live and all the bad things they do. Then you will know that I had a good reason for punishing them.” This is what the Lord GOD said.