וַיָּב֤וֹא אֵלַי֙ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים מִזִּקְנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ לְפָנָֽי׃ {פ}
Certain elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me.
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ And the word of GOD came to me:
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הֶעֱל֤וּ גִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙ עַל־לִבָּ֔ם וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹל עֲוֺנָ֔ם נָתְנ֖וּ נֹ֣כַח פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם הַאִדָּרֹ֥שׁ אִדָּרֵ֖שׁ לָהֶֽם׃ {ס} O mortal, these men have turned their thoughts upon their fetishes and set their minds upon the sin through which they stumbled: Shall I respond to their inquiry?
לָכֵ֣ן דַּבֵּר־א֠וֹתָ֠ם וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה אִ֣ישׁ אִ֣ישׁ מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ יַעֲלֶ֨ה אֶת־גִּלּוּלָ֜יו אֶל־לִבּ֗וֹ וּמִכְשׁ֤וֹל עֲוֺנוֹ֙ יָשִׂים֙ נֹ֣כַח פָּנָ֔יו וּבָ֖א אֶל־הַנָּבִ֑יא אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה נַעֲנֵ֧יתִי ל֦וֹ (בה) [בָ֖א] בְּרֹ֥ב גִּלּוּלָֽיו׃ Now speak to them and tell them: Thus said the Sovereign GOD: If anyone at all of the House of Israel turns their thoughts upon their fetishes and sets their mind upon the sin through which they stumbled, and yet comes to the prophet, I, GOD, will respond as they come withaas they come with Emendation yields “directly, because of”; cf. v. 7. their multitude of fetishes.
לְמַ֛עַן תְּפֹ֥שׂ אֶת־בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּלִבָּ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָזֹ֙רוּ֙ מֵֽעָלַ֔י בְּגִלּוּלֵיהֶ֖ם כֻּלָּֽם׃ {ס} Thus I will hold the House of Israel to account for their thoughts, because they have all been estranged from Me through their fetishes.
לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֣ר ׀ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה שׁ֣וּבוּ וְהָשִׁ֔יבוּ מֵעַ֖ל גִּלּוּלֵיכֶ֑ם וּמֵעַ֥ל כׇּל־תּוֹעֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם הָשִׁ֥יבוּ פְנֵיכֶֽם׃ Now say to the House of Israel: Thus said the Sovereign GOD: Repent, and turn back from your fetishes and turn your minds away from all your abominations.
כִּי֩ אִ֨ישׁ אִ֜ישׁ מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וּמֵהַגֵּר֮ אֲשֶׁר־יָג֣וּר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וְיִנָּזֵ֣ר מֵאַחֲרַ֗י וְיַ֤עַל גִּלּוּלָיו֙ אֶל־לִבּ֔וֹ וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹל עֲוֺנ֔וֹ יָשִׂ֖ים נֹ֣כַח פָּנָ֑יו וּבָ֤א אֶל־הַנָּבִיא֙ לִדְרׇשׁ־ל֣וֹ בִ֔י אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה נַעֲנֶה־לּ֖וֹ בִּֽי׃ For if anyone at all of the House of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, breaks away from Me and turns their thoughts upon their fetishes and sets their mind upon the sins through which they stumbled, and then goes to the prophet to inquire of Me through him, I, GOD, will respond directly.
וְנָתַתִּ֨י פָנַ֜י בָּאִ֣ישׁ הַה֗וּא וַהֲשִׂמֹתִ֙יהוּ֙ לְא֣וֹת וְלִמְשָׁלִ֔ים וְהִכְרַתִּ֖יו מִתּ֣וֹךְ עַמִּ֑י וִידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּי־אֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס} I will set My face against that party and make them a sign and a byword, and I will cut them off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am GOD.
וְהַנָּבִ֤יא כִֽי־יְפֻתֶּה֙ וְדִבֶּ֣ר דָּבָ֔ר אֲנִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ פִּתֵּ֔יתִי אֵ֖ת הַנָּבִ֣יא הַה֑וּא וְנָטִ֤יתִי אֶת־יָדִי֙ עָלָ֔יו וְהִ֨שְׁמַדְתִּ֔יו מִתּ֖וֹךְ עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ And if a prophet is seduced and does speak a word [to such people], it was I, GOD, who seduced that prophet; I will stretch out My hand and destroy that prophetbthat prophet Heb. “him.” from among My people Israel.
וְנָשְׂא֖וּ עֲוֺנָ֑ם כַּעֲוֺן֙ הַדֹּרֵ֔שׁ כַּעֲוֺ֥ן הַנָּבִ֖יא יִהְיֶֽה׃ Thus they shall bear their punishment: The punishment of the inquirer and the punishment of the prophet shall be the same,
לְ֠מַ֠עַן לֹא־יִתְע֨וּ ע֤וֹד בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵֽאַחֲרַ֔י וְלֹא־יִטַּמְּא֥וּ ע֖וֹד בְּכׇל־פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֑ם וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֗ם וַאֲנִי֙ אֶהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ {פ}
so that the House of Israel may never again stray from Me and defile itself with all its transgressions. Then they shall be My people and I will be their God—declares the Sovereign GOD.
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ The word of GOD came to me:
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם אֶ֚רֶץ כִּ֤י תֶֽחֱטָא־לִי֙ לִמְעׇל־מַ֔עַל וְנָטִ֤יתִי יָדִי֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ וְשָׁבַ֥רְתִּי לָ֖הּ מַטֵּה־לָ֑חֶם וְהִשְׁלַחְתִּי־בָ֣הּ רָעָ֔ב וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה אָדָ֥ם וּבְהֵמָֽה׃ O mortal, if a land were to sin against Me and commit a trespass, and I stretched out My hand against it and broke its staff of bread, and sent famine against it and cut off human and animal from it,
וְ֠הָי֠וּ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ נֹ֖חַ (דנאל) [דָּנִיֵּ֣אל] וְאִיּ֑וֹב הֵ֤מָּה בְצִדְקָתָם֙ יְנַצְּל֣וּ נַפְשָׁ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—should be in it, they would by their righteousness save only themselves—declares the Sovereign GOD.
לוּ־חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֛ה אַעֲבִ֥יר בָּאָ֖רֶץ וְשִׁכְּלָ֑תָּה וְהָיְתָ֤ה שְׁמָמָה֙ מִבְּלִ֣י עוֹבֵ֔ר מִפְּנֵ֖י הַחַיָּֽה׃ Or, if I were to send wild beasts to roam the land and they depopulated it, and it became a desolation with none passing through it because of the beasts,
שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵלֶּה֮ בְּתוֹכָהּ֒ חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה אִם־בָּנִ֥ים וְאִם־בָּנ֖וֹת יַצִּ֑ילוּ הֵ֤מָּה לְבַדָּם֙ יִנָּצֵ֔לוּ וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּהְיֶ֥ה שְׁמָמָֽה׃ as I live—declares the Sovereign GOD—those three men in it would save neither sons nor daughters; they alone would be saved, but the land would become a desolation.
א֛וֹ חֶ֥רֶב אָבִ֖יא עַל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֑יא וְאָמַרְתִּ֗י חֶ֚רֶב תַּעֲבֹ֣ר בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה אָדָ֥ם וּבְהֵמָֽה׃ Or, if I were to bring the sword upon that land and say, “Let a sword sweep through the land so that I may cut off from it human and animal,”
וּשְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֘לֶּה֮ בְּתוֹכָהּ֒ חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה לֹ֥א יַצִּ֖ילוּ בָּנִ֣ים וּבָנ֑וֹת כִּ֛י הֵ֥ם לְבַדָּ֖ם יִנָּצֵֽלוּ׃ if those three men should be in it, as I live—declares the Sovereign GOD—they would save neither sons nor daughters, but they alone would be saved.
א֛וֹ דֶּ֥בֶר אֲשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֑יא וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֨י חֲמָתִ֤י עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ בְּדָ֔ם לְהַכְרִ֥ית מִמֶּ֖נָּה אָדָ֥ם וּבְהֵמָֽה׃ Or, if I let loose a pestilence against that land, and poured out My fury upon it in blood, cutting off from it human and animal,
וְנֹ֨חַ (דנאל) [דָּנִיֵּ֣אל] וְאִיּוֹב֮ בְּתוֹכָהּ֒ חַי־אָ֗נִי נְאֻם֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה אִם־בֵּ֥ן אִם־בַּ֖ת יַצִּ֑ילוּ הֵ֥מָּה בְצִדְקָתָ֖ם יַצִּ֥ילוּ נַפְשָֽׁם׃ {פ}
should Noah, Daniel, and Job be in it, as I live—declares the Sovereign GOD—they would save neither son nor daughter; they would save themselves alone by their righteousness.
כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה אַ֣ף כִּֽי־אַרְבַּ֣עַת שְׁפָטַ֣י ׀ הָרָעִ֡ים חֶ֠רֶב וְרָעָ֞ב וְחַיָּ֤ה רָעָה֙ וָדֶ֔בֶר שִׁלַּ֖חְתִּי אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לְהַכְרִ֥ית מִמֶּ֖נָּה אָדָ֥ם וּבְהֵמָֽה׃ Assuredly, thus said the Sovereign GOD: How much less [should any escape] now that I have let loose against Jerusalem all four of My terrible punishments—the sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence—to cut off human and animal from it!
וְהִנֵּ֨ה נֽוֹתְרָה־בָּ֜הּ פְּלֵטָ֗ה הַֽמּוּצָאִים֮ בָּנִ֣ים וּבָנוֹת֒ הִנָּם֙ יוֹצְאִ֣ים אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וּרְאִיתֶ֥ם אֶת־דַּרְכָּ֖ם וְאֶת־עֲלִילוֹתָ֑ם וְנִחַמְתֶּ֗ם עַל־הָרָעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֵבֵ֙אתִי֙ עַל־יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֵבֵ֖אתִי עָלֶֽיהָ׃ Yet there are survivors left of it, sons and daughters who are being brought out.csons and daughters who are being brought out Several ancient versions read “who are bringing out sons and daughters.” They are coming out to you; and when you see their ways and their deeds, you will be consoled for the disaster that I brought on Jerusalem, for all that I brought on it.
וְנִחֲמ֣וּ אֶתְכֶ֔ם כִּֽי־תִרְא֥וּ אֶת־דַּרְכָּ֖ם וְאֶת־עֲלִילוֹתָ֑ם וִידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּי֩ לֹ֨א חִנָּ֤ם עָשִׂ֙יתִי֙ אֵ֣ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֣יתִי בָ֔הּ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ {פ}
You will be consoled through them, when you see their ways and their deeds and realize that not without cause did I do all that I did in it—declares the Sovereign GOD.