Ezekiel 14:1

Idolatrous Elders Punished

1 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.

Ezekiel 14:1 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 14:1

Then came certain, of the elders of Israel unto me
The Syriac version adds, "to consult the Lord"; by the prophet. These, according to Kimchi, were the elders of the captivity, the heads of the captives that were now in Babylon with Ezekiel: but there are others that think they were some that came from Jerusalem to Babylon on some business or another; and having heard much of the prophet, came to visit him, and to hear his prophecies, and inquire of the Lord by him: and sat before me;
silent and pensive, as persons in anxiety and distress; or as hearers of him, for sitting is a hearing gesture; they sat and heard with great attention, gravity, and seriousness, with seeming affection and reverence; and all this was not in a visionary way, but was a real fact; see ( Ezekiel 33:31 Ezekiel 33:32 ) .

Ezekiel 14:1 In-Context

1 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.

2 Then the word of the Lord came to me:

3 "Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and have put sinful stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I be consulted by them at all?

4 "Therefore, speak to them and tell them: This is what the Lord God says: When anyone from the house of Israel sets up idols in his heart, puts a sinful stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I, the Lord, will answer him appropriately. [I will answer him] according to his many idols,

5 so that I may take hold of the house of Israel by their hearts, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.