Ezekiel 20:3

3 Mortal, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Why are you coming? To consult me? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be consulted by you.

Ezekiel 20:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:3

Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them,
&c.] Give them this for an answer from me: thus saith the Lord God, are ye come to inquire of me?
no; not seriously, heartily, and in good earnest, determining to abide by the advice and counsel that might be given; or how can you have the face to inquire of me, when guilty of such abominations? [as] I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you;
knowing their wickedness and hypocrisy, which were detestable to him, and therefore would not hear what they had to say, nor give them any answer, or direct them what they should do. Sad is the case of persons when the Lord will not be inquired of by them! it is plain he has no favours to bestow upon them; for, when he has, he will put them upon inquiring of him for them, to do them unto them, ( Ezekiel 36:37 ) ; this was the case of Saul, whom God, when he inquired of him, would not answer in any of his usual ways, ( 1 Samuel 28:6 ) .

Ezekiel 20:3 In-Context

1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain elders of Israel came to consult the Lord, and sat down before me.
2 And the word of the Lord came to me:
3 Mortal, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Why are you coming? To consult me? As I live, says the Lord God, I will not be consulted by you.
4 Will you judge them, mortal, will you judge them? Then let them know the abominations of their ancestors,
5 and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob—making myself known to them in the land of Egypt—I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.