Ezekiel 14:5

5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the nation of Israel. They have deserted me because of their disgusting idols.'

Ezekiel 14:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 14:5

That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart
By which they are ensnared, and drawn aside to their ruin; being given up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, and worship idols; God threatening to answer them by righteous judgments, and thereby take the wickedness, the hypocrisy, and idolatry, that were in their hearts, and expose and make it manifest unto others; or, by punishing them, to draw out the corruption and sin that were in them, that it might be seen what a wicked people they were. The Targum interprets the text in another way,

``that I may bring near the house of Israel, and put repentance into their hearts;''

because they are all estranged from me through their idols;
they grew shy of God and his worship, when they fell into idolatry. Alienation from God, from the life of God, from the law of God, from the worship of God, and of the affections from him, is owing to some idol or another set up in the heart, or before the eye; whatever is worshipped besides God, or gains the ascendant in the heart, alienates from him; and God will not admit of a rival, he cannot and will not bear it; and for this reason he inflicts punishment, or answers in a terrible way.

Ezekiel 14:5 In-Context

3 "Son of man, these people are devoted to their idols, and they are allowing themselves to fall into sin. Should they be allowed to ask me for help?

4 "So speak to them. Tell them, 'This is what the LORD says: Suppose an Israelite is devoted to idols and allows himself to fall into sin. Suppose he goes to a prophet [to ask for my help]. I, the LORD, will give that Israelite an answer, the answer that his many idols deserve.

5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the nation of Israel. They have deserted me because of their disgusting idols.'

6 "So tell the nation of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Change the way you think and act! Turn away from your idols, and don't return to any of your disgusting things.

7 Suppose an Israelite or a foreigner who lives in Israel deserts me by devoting himself to idols and by allowing himself to fall into sin. If he goes to a prophet to ask for my help, I, the LORD, will give him an answer.