20:39 “‘As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Each of you go and serve your idols, 1 if you will not listen to me. 2 But my holy name will not be profaned 3 again by your sacrifices 4 and your idols. 20:40 For there on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord, all the house of Israel will serve me, all of them 5 in the land. I will accept them there, and there I will seek your contributions and your choice gifts, with all your holy things. 20:41 When I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, I will accept you along with your soothing aroma. I will display my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 20:42 Then you will know that I am the Lord when I bring you to the land of Israel, to the land I swore 6 to give to your fathers. 20:43 And there you will remember your conduct 7 and all your deeds by which you defiled yourselves. You will despise yourselves 8 because of all the evil deeds you have done. 20:44 Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for the sake of my reputation and not according to your wicked conduct and corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord.’”
1 sn Compare the irony here to Amos 4:4 and Jer 44:25.
2 tn Heb “and after, if you will not listen to me.” The translation leaves out “and after” for smoothness. The text is difficult. M. Greenberg (Ezekiel [AB], 1:374) suggests that it may mean “but afterwards, if you will not listen to me…” with an unspoken threat.
3 sn A similar concept may be found in Lev 18:21; 20:3.
4 tn Or “gifts.”
5 tn Heb “all of it.”
9 tn Heb “I lifted up my hand.”
13 tn Heb “ways.”
14 tn Heb “loathe yourselves in your faces.”