23. And in the desert I swore to the Israelites that I would scatter them among the nations and spread them among the countries,
24. because they had not obeyed my laws. They had rejected my rules and dishonored my Sabbaths and worshiped the idols of their parents.
25. I also allowed them to follow rules that were not good and laws by which they could not live.
26. I let the Israelites make themselves unclean by the gifts they brought to their gods when they sacrificed their first children in the fire. I wanted to terrify them so they would know that I am the Lord.’
27. “So, human, speak to the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Your ancestors spoke against me by being unfaithful to me in another way.
28. When I had brought them into the land I promised to give them, they saw every high hill and every leafy tree. There they offered their sacrifices to gods. They brought offerings that made me angry and burned their incense and poured out their drink offerings.
29. Then I said to them: What is this high place where you go to worship?’ ” (It is still called High Place today.)
30. “So say to the people of Israel: ‘This is what the Lord God says: Are you going to make yourselves unclean as your ancestors did? Are you going to be unfaithful and desire their hateful idols?
31. When you offer your children as gifts and sacrifice them in the fire, you are making yourselves unclean with all your idols even today. So, people of Israel, should I let you ask me questions? As surely as I live, says the Lord God, I will not accept questions from you.
32. “ ‘What you want will not come true. You say, “We want to be like the other nations, like the people in other lands. We want to worship idols made of wood and stone.”
33. As surely as I live, says the Lord God, I will use my great power and strength and anger to rule over you.
34. I will bring you out from the foreign nations. With my great power and strength and anger I will gather you from the lands where you are scattered.
35. I will bring you among the nations as I brought your ancestors into the desert with Moses. There I will judge you face to face.
36. I will judge you the same way I judged your ancestors in the desert of the land of Egypt, says the Lord God.
37. I will count you like sheep and will bring you into line with my agreement.
38. I will get rid of those who refuse to obey me and who turn against me. I will bring them out of the land where they are now living, but they will never enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39. “ ‘This is what the Lord God says: People of Israel, go serve your idols for now. But later you will listen to me; you will not continue to dishonor my holy name with your gifts and gods.
40. On my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, all Israel will serve me in the land, says the Lord God. There I will accept you. There I will expect your offerings, the first harvest of your offerings, and all your holy gifts.
41. I will accept you like the pleasing smell of sacrifices when I bring you out from the foreign nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered. Then through you I will show how holy I am so the nations will see.
42. When I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I promised your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord.