1 Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me, and sat before me. 2 The word of the LORD came to me: 3 "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and put their iniquity as a stumbling block before their faces. Should I allow them to request anything from me? 4 Therefore speak to them, and tell them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: Every one of the house of Israel that takes his idols into his heart, and puts their iniquity as a stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols. 5 So that I may capture the hearts of the house of Israel, I will do this because they are all estranged from me on account of their idols.' 6 Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: Repent, and turn from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.' 7 For every one of the house of Israel, or the stranger who lives in Israel, who separates himself from me, and takes his idols into his heart, and puts their iniquity as a stumbling block before his face, and comes to the prophet to inquire of me for himself; I the LORD will answer him myself. 8 I will set my face against that one, and will make him an example and a proverbial byword. I will cut him off from the midst of my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 9 If the prophet is fooled into speaking a prophetic word, I, the LORD, have fooled that prophet. I will stretch out my hand against him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. 10 They will each bear their punishment; the punishment of the one who inquires will be the same as the punishment of the prophet, 11 so that the house of Israel may no longer go astray from me, nor defile themselves any more with all their transgressions. So they may be my people, and I may be their God, says the sovereign LORD." 12 The word of the LORD came to me: 13 "Son of man, when a land sins against me by being unfaithful, and I stretch out my hand against it, and break its staff of bread, and send famine upon it, and cut off from both people and animals; 14 even though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, says the sovereign LORD. 15 If I send wild animals to pass through the land and they ravage it, and make it desolate, so that no one may pass through because of the wild animals; 16 even though these three men were in it, as I live, says the sovereign LORD, they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved, but the land would become desolate. 17 Or if I bring a sword against that land, and say, 'Sword, go through the land;' so that I cut off both people and animals from it 18 even though these three men were in it, as I live, says the sovereign LORD, they would save neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be saved. 19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath upon it with bloodshed, to cut off both people and animals from it; 20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, says the sovereign LORD, they would save neither son nor daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness. 21 For thus says the sovereign LORD: How much worse will it be when I send my four severe judgments against Jerusalem--the sword, the famine, evil beasts, and pestilence,--to cut off both people and animals from it! 22 Yet, there will be a remnant that will be left behind, both sons and daughters who will come out to you, and you will see their way and their doings; and you will be comforted concerning the catastrophe that I brought against Jerusalem, for all that I have brought upon it. 23 They will comfort you, when you see their way and their doings; and you will know that I have not done all that I have done in it without a reason, says the sovereign LORD."