Ezekiel 14:9-19

9 "But if the prophet is deceived and speaks a message, it was I, the Lord, who deceived that prophet. I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.

10 They will bear their punishment-the punishment of the one who inquires will be the same as that of the prophet-

11 in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from following Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God."^[a] [This is] the declaration of the Lord God .

Four Devastating Judgments

12 The word of the Lord came to me:

13 "Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of bread, to send famine through it, and to wipe out [both] man and animal from it,

14 even [if] these three men-Noah, Daniel, and Job-were in it, they would deliver [only] themselves by their righteousness." [This is] the declaration of the Lord God .

15 "If I allow dangerous animals to pass through the land and depopulate it so that it becomes desolate, with no one passing through [it] for [fear of] the animals,

16 even [if] these three men were in it, as I live"-the declaration of the Lord God -"they could not deliver [their] sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.

17 "Or if I bring a sword against that land and say: Let a sword pass through it, so that I wipe out [both] man and animal from it,

18 even [if] these three men were in it, as I live"-the declaration of the Lord God -"they could not deliver [their] sons or daughters, but they alone would be delivered.

19 "Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath on it with bloodshed to wipe out [both] man and animal from it,

Ezekiel 14:9-19 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ezk 11:20