Ezekiel 14:3-5

3 "Son of man, these men have 1set up their idols in their hearts and have 2put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be 3consulted by them at all?
4 "Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will be brought to give him an answer in the matter in view of the 4multitude of his idols,
5 in order to lay hold of 5the hearts of the house of Israel who are 6estranged from Me through all their idols."'

Ezekiel 14:3-5 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.

Cross References 6

  • 1. Ezekiel 20:16
  • 2. Ezekiel 7:19; Ezekiel 14:4, 7; Zephaniah 1:3
  • 3. Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 11:11; Ezekiel 20:3, 31
  • 4. 1 Kings 21:20-24; 2 Kings 1:16; Isaiah 66:4
  • 5. Jeremiah 17:10; Zechariah 7:12
  • 6. Isaiah 1:4; Jeremiah 2:11; Zechariah 11:8

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD, and so throughout the ch
  • [b]. Lit "it"
  • [c]. Lit "their"
  • [d]. Or "all estranged from Me through their idols"
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.