children; your mother was an Hittite, and your rather an Amorite. ... 46 And thine eldest sister is Samaria, (he and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy youngerfister, thatdwelletii at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

_ 4.7 Yet hast thou not walked after their Ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that -were a very little thing, thou wait corrupted more than they in ail thy ways.

4.8 As I live, faith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, <he nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.

49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulnel'sof bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did (he strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I (aw good.

. 51 Neither hath Samaria committed1 half of thy fins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and haft justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.

51 Thou also, which hast judged thy sifters, bear thine own-shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded allo, and bear thy (hame, in that thou hast justified thy listers.

53 When I (hall bringagain their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, theniuill I bringagain the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:

54. That thou mayest bear thine own tame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.

55 When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, (hall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters /hall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters (hall return to your former estate.

56 For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride,

57 Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about.

58 Thou hast borne thy lewdnese and

thine abominations, faith the Lord.

59 For thus faith the Lord God ; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hath despised the oath m breaking the covenant.

60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.

61 Then thou (halt remember thy ways, and be afliamed, when thou (halt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them untotheefordaughters, but not by thy covenant. . ..

62 And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou (halt know that I am the Lo R D: .'7

63 That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and neveropenthymouda any more because of thy (hame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, faith the Lord God.

CHAP. XVII.

1 By two eagles and a vine, 11 is stewed

Cod's judgement upon Jerusalem.' ■%%

God promifeth to plant the cedar of the

gospel. ;i

AN D the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house 01" Israel;

3 And say, Thus faith the Lord God; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, fulloffeathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:

4. He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick: he set it in a city of merchants.

5 He took also of the feed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, ana set it as a willow tree.

6 And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him i so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and (hot forth sprigs.

7 There was also another great eagle with great wingsand many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and (hot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.

8 It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that itmightbnngforth branches, and that it might bear fruit, thaf it might be a goodly vine.

9 Say thou, Thus faith the Lord Go t%\ Shall it prosper? (hall he not pull up the

roots roots thereof, and cut offthe fruit thereof, that it wither? it (hall wither in all the leave* cf her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck »: up by the roots thereof.

10 Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it (hall wither in the furrows where it grew.

11 f[ Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, faying,

i» Say now to the rebellions house, Know ye not what these things mean? tel 1 »iirffl,Behold,thekingofBabyloniscome to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and lea them with him to Babylon;

i j And hath taken of the king's feed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:

i .j. That the kingdom might be base, feat it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might ftand.

i jBut herebelled against him in fending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shallhe prosper Mhall he escape that doeth such things f or (hall he break the covenant, and be delivered?

16 As I live, faith the Lord Gon, surely in the place inhere the king dnuelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he (hall die.

17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make sorhimia-thewar, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

18 Seeing be despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he (hall not escape.

19 Therefore thus faith the Lord God; dt I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.

10 And I will spread my net upon him, and he (hall 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.

ti And all his fugitives with all his bands (hall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye (hall know that I the Lou D have spoken it.

sa f Thus faith the Lord Go D ; I will

high cedar, and wili set it; I will crop ort from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will pia.it i upon an high mountain and eminent:

25 In the mountain of the height of Israel will 1 plant it: and it (hall briny forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be 1 goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all (owl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof lhall they dwell.

»4 And ail the trees of tiie field (hall 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 nourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it.

CHAP. XVIII. 1 God reprrvet/i trie unjust parable cf four

grates. 15 He det'endeth his justice, 31

andexhorteth to repentance. * I 'HE word of the Lord came unto X me again, saying,

xWhatraean ye.that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten four grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

I As 1 live, faith the Lord Goo, ye shall not have eccafan any more to ulc this proverb in Israel.

4- Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the foul that sinneth, itlhalldie.

5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wise, neither hath come near to a mtnstruous woman,

7 And hath not oppressed any, to/bith restored to the debtor his pledge, hith spoiled none liy violence, hat'1 given hit bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

8 He that hath not fciven forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgement between man and man,

9 Hath wal k ed in my statutes, ami hath kept my judgements, to deal truly; he o just, he (hall surely live, faith the Lord God.

10 If he beget a son thdt is a robber, a fhedder of blood, and that doeth tbehke to any one of these things,

II And that doeth not any of those*" ties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wiff,

1 I Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hatb not reHis •ways are equal.

stored the pledge, and hath, lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken incrcaie: Ihall he then live? he Audi not live: he hath done all these abominations; he Ihall surely die; his blood Ihall be upon him.

14. Now, lo,if he begat a ("on, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,

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

16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,

17 Tliat hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgements, hath walked in my statutes; lie ihall not die for the iniquity of his father, he Ihall surely live.

1U As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he Ihall die in his iniquity.

19 Yet fay ye, Why? doth not the son beai* the iniquity of the father ? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, an./hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he Ihall surely live.

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

»i But if the wicked will turn from all his fins that lie hath committed, and keep all my statutes, aud do that which is lawful and right, he ihall surely live, he Ihall not die.

T.1 -'-11 his transgressions that he hath committed, they Ihall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteouliiess that he hath done he (hall liv<:.

»3 Have I anv pleasure at all that the wicked ihould die ? faith the Lord Goo: and not that he Ihould return from his ways, and live?

14. But when the righteous tnrneth

away from his righteousness,- and com

.mitteth iniquity, and doeth according

to all the abominations that the wicked

man doeth, llnil he live.' Ail bis righte

ousness that he hath done Ihall not ho mentioned 1 in his trespass *hat he hatrj trespassed, and in his lin that he hath, sinned, in them Ihall he die.

15 fl Yet yesay, The way of the Lo % 9 is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; is not my way equal { are not your ways unequal i

16 Whenarighteousffumturnethaway from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done Ihall he die.

17 Again, when the wicked masturneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he sliall (ave his foul alive.

18 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he Ihall surely live, he Ihall not die.

19 Yet faith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O houle of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?

3oThereforeI willjudge you, Ohouse of Israel, every one according to his ways, faith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions ; so iniquity Ihall not be your ruin.

31 <fl Castaway from you all yourtransgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel t

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

CHAP. XIX. A lamentation for the princes of Israel,

under the parable of lions' luiulps taken

in a pit.

MOREOVER take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

x And say, What /'/ thy mother r A lion ess: ihe lay down among lions, (lie nourilhed her whelps among young lions.

3 And (lie brought up oneof her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.

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

5 Now when (he saw that (he had waited, and her hope was lost, then Ihe 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.

7 And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities5 and the

lan£ tlod refufith to be consulted. E Z E

land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.

8 Then the nations set againit him on every side 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 thekingof Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice ihould no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

10 Thy mother it like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters: me was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

11 And (he had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and (he appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.

12 But me was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire consumed them.

I 3 And now slie is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground.

14. And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, <which hath devoured her fruit, so that he hath no strong rod to he a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and mail be for a lamentation.

CHAP. XX. 1 Cod refufith to be consulted by the elders

of Israel. 5 The story of their rebellions.

33 He promiseth to gather them.

AN D it came to pals in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day ot the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to enquire of the Lor D, and sat before me.

z Then came the word of the Lor D unto me, saying,

3 Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus faith the Lord Gon; Are ye come to enquire of me ? At I live, faith the Lord Go D , I will not be enquired of by you.

4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:

5 fl And fay unto them, Thus faith the Lord Go D; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up mine hand unto the feed of thehouseof Jacob, and made myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine hand unto them, saying, I am the Lord your God;

6 In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had es•pied for them, flowing with milk and ho

K I E L The story of Israel's rebellion.

ney, which is the glory of all lands:

7 Then laid I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lor D your God.

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 did, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

9 But I wrought for my name's fake, that it fliould not be polluted before tbe heathen, among whom they tuere, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

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

11 And I gave them my statutes, and (hewed them my judgements, which 1/ a man do, he sliall even live in them.

ii Moreover also I gave them mr 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 statutes, and they despised my judgements, which if 3. man do, he sliall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, 1 would pour out my fury upon-them in the wilderness, to consume them.

14 But I wrought for my name's fake, that it (hould not be polluted before the heathen, in whole sight I brought them out.

15 Yet also I listed up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I h*d given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

16 Because they despised my judgements, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroy ing them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the ft* ■ tutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgements, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

19 I am the Lord your God j wTM* in my statutes, and keep myjudgemwits, and do them;

ao And hallow my fattbitlu; »ndjj«?

Israets rtbillion in Egypt, &t. Chap

shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.

21 Notwithstandingthe children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgements to do them, which z/'a man do, he mail even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I will pour put my fury upon them, to accomplifh my anger against them in the wilderness.

»* Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's fake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

23 I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;

24 Because they had not executed my judgements, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgements whereby they mould not live;

26 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through thtfire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lor P .

»7Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus faith the Lord God; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

28 For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink offerings.

29 Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go? And the name thereof is called Bamah unto this day.

30 Wherefore fay unto the" house of Israel, thus faith the Lord God; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?

31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto'this day: and shall 1 be enquired of by you, O house of Israel! As I live, faith the Lord God, I will nut

.xx. God's promise to gather thejk.

be enquired of by yon. *

32 And that which cometli into youj1 mind (hall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood ,-ind stonei

33 fl As I live, faith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

34. And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out os the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out,

35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, faith the LordGo D.

37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: •

38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye mail know that I am the Lor n.

39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus faith the Lord God; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto mt; but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.

40 For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Ilrael, faith the Lord Gon, there (hall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people^ and gather you out of the countries wherein ye lnve been 1'catteredj and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

42 And ye (hall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you'into the land of Israel, into the country far the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers. • •'

43 And there ft>»!) ye remember your ways,and all your'doings,where'inyehave been defiled; and ve (hell lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

- 44. And ye shall know that I am the

Lor D,'when I have wrought with you

foV 'my iiaine's like, not according to

u your