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: