Ezekiel 14:10-20

10 And they shall bear their wickedness; by the wickedness of the asker, so the wickedness of the prophet shall be; (And they shall bear their wickedness; as the wickedness of the asker, so shall be the wickedness of the prophet;)

11 that the house of Israel err no more from me, neither be defouled in all their trespassings; but that it be into a people to me, and I be into God to them, saith the Lord of hosts. (so that the house of Israel no more go astray from me, nor be defiled with all their trespassings; but that they shall become my people, and I shall become their God, saith the Lord of hosts.)

12 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,

13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me, that it trespassing do trespass (that trespassing it do trespass), I shall stretch forth mine hand on it, and I shall all-break the staff of bread thereof; and I shall send hunger into it, and I shall slay of it man and beast.

14 And if these three men, Noe, Daniel, and Job, be in the midst thereof, they by their rightfulness shall deliver their souls, saith the Lord of hosts. (And even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in its midst, they would only be able to save their own souls, or their own lives, by their righteousness, saith the Lord of hosts.)

15 That if also I bring in worst beasts on the land, that I destroy it, and if it is without (a) way, for that no passer is for the beasts, (And if I should bring in evil, or wild, beasts on the land, so that I destroy it, and it is without a safe way, so that no one can pass through because of those beasts,)

16 and these three men that be before-said, be therein, I live, saith the Lord God, for they shall neither deliver sons, neither daughters, but they alone shall be delivered; forsooth the land shall be made desolate. (and if these three men who were spoken of before, were there, as I live, saith the Lord God, they would not be able to save even their own sons, or their own daughters, but they alone would be saved; and the land would be made desolate.)

17 Either if I bring in (a) sword on that land, and I say to the sword, Pass thou through the land, and I slay of it man and beast,

18 and these three men be in the midst thereof, I live, saith the Lord God, that they shall not deliver sons neither daughters, but they alone shall be delivered. (and if these three men were in its midst, as I live, saith the Lord God, they would not be able to save even their own sons, or their own daughters, but they alone would be saved.)

19 Forsooth if I bring in also pestilence on that land, and I shed out mine indignation on it in blood, that I do away from it man and beast, (And if I also bring in pestilence upon that land, and I pour out my indignation upon it in blood, so that I do away man and beast from it,)

20 and Noe, and Daniel, and Job, be in the midst thereof, I live, saith the Lord God, for they shall not deliver a son and a daughter, but they by their rightfulness shall deliver their souls. (and if Noah, and Daniel, and Job, were in its midst, as I live, saith the Lord God, they would not be able to save even their own son, or their own daughter, but they would save only their own souls, or their own lives, by their righteousness.)

Ezekiel 14:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 14

In this chapter are contained the displeasure of God at hypocritical idolaters that sought unto him, and at the false prophets; the judgments that should come upon them, and which should not be averted by the intercession of the best of men; and yet a promise that a remnant should be saved. The elders of Israel are said to sit before the prophet, Eze 14:1; to whom the Lord gives an account of them, Eze 14:2,3; and orders the prophet what he should say to them, that the Lord would answer them himself, Eze 14:4,5; and that he should bid the house of Israel repent and turn from their idols, or else the Lord would set his face against them, and cut them off, both them and the false prophets they sought unto; and this is threatened in order to reform them, and continue them his covenant people, Eze 14:6-11; and then the judgment of famine is particularly threatened; to avert which, the prayers of the best of men would be of no effect, Eze 14:12-14; and next the judgment of noisome beasts, with the same intimation, Eze 14:15,16; likewise the sword, Eze 14:17,18; and also the pestilence, Eze 14:19,20; and much less when they should be all sent together, Eze 14:21; and the chapter is concluded with a promise that a remnant should be saved; which would be a comfort to the captives of Babylon, and accounts for what the Lord had done, or would do, in Jerusalem, Eze 14:22,23.