There resorted unto me certain of the elders of Israel, and sat down by me.

Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,

"Thou son of man, these men bear their idols in their hearts, and go purposely upon the stumbling block of their own wickedness: how dare they then ask counsel at me?

Therefore speak unto them, and say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Every man of the house of Israel that beareth his Idols in his heart, purposing to stumble in his own wickedness, and cometh to a prophet, to enquire anything at me by him: unto that man will I the LORD myself give answer, according to the multitude of his idols:

that the house of Israel may be snared in their own hearts, because they be clean gone from me, for their Idols' sakes.'

Wherefore, tell the house of Israel, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Be converted, forsake your idols, and turn your faces from all your abominations.

For every man, whether he be of the house of Israel, or a stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which departeth from me, and carrieth idols in his heart, purposing to go still stumbling in his own wickedness, and cometh to a Prophet, for to ask counsel at me through him: unto that man will I the LORD give answer, by mine own self.

I will set my face against that man. And will make him to be an example for others; yea, and a common byword. And will root him out of my people, that he may know how that I am the LORD.

And if that Prophet be deceived, when he telleth him a word: then I the LORD myself have deceived that Prophet, and will stretch forth mine hand upon him, to root him out of my people of Israel:

and they both shall be punished for their wickedness. According to the sin of him that asketh, shall the sin of the Prophet be:

that the house of Israel be led no more from me through error, and be no more defiled in their wickedness: but that they may be my people, and I their God, sayeth the LORD God.'"

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

"Thou son of man, when the land sinneth against me and goeth forth in wickedness: I will stretch out mine hand upon it, and destroy all the provision of their bread, and send dearth upon them, to destroy man and beast in the land.

And though Noah, Daniel and Job these three men were among them, yet shall they in their righteousness deliver but their own souls, sayeth the LORD God.

If I bring noisome beasts into the land to waste it up, and it be so desolate that no man may go therein for beasts;

if these three men also were in the land, as truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, they shall save neither sons nor daughters, but be only delivered themselves: and as for the land, it shall be waste.

Or if I bring a sword into the land, and charge it to go through the land, so that I slay down man and beast in it,

and if these three men were therein: As truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only be saved themselves.

If I send a pestilence into the land, and pour out my sore indignation upon it in blood, so that I root out of it both man and beast,

and if Noah, Daniel and Job were therein: as truly as I live, sayeth the LORD God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but save their own souls in their righteousness.

Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD God: Though I send my four troublous plagues upon Jerusalem - the sword, hunger, perilous beasts, and pestilence, to destroy man and beast out of it -

yet shall there be a remnant saved therein, which shall bring forth their sons and daughters. Behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way, and what they take in hand, and ye shall be comforted, as touching all the plagues that I have brought upon Jerusalem.

They shall comfort you, when ye see their way and works: and ye shall know how that it is not without a cause, that I have done so against Jerusalem, as I did, sayeth the LORD God.