God's fourfold repetition of "stumbling block" (mikhshol) in verses 3, 4, 7, and 9 creates a literary trap, mirroring how the elders' hidden idols ensnare them in divine deception.
Ezekiel 14
Idolaters Seeking the Prophet
1Then some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.
2The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
3“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?
4Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him there according to the multitude of his idols,
5that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.”’
6“Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Return, and turn yourselves from your idols! Turn away your faces from all your abominations.
7“‘“For everyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live in Israel, who separates himself from me and takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet to inquire for himself of me, I the LORD will answer him by myself.
8I will set my face against that man and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
9“‘“If the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand on him, and will destroy him from among my people Israel.
10They will bear their iniquity. The iniquity of the prophet will be even as the iniquity of him who seeks him,
11that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God,” says the Lord GOD.’”
The Righteous Cannot Save the Wicked
12The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
13“Son of man, when a land sins against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand on it, and break the staff of its bread and send famine on it, and cut off from it man and animal—
14though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD.
15“If I cause evil animals to pass through the land, and they ravage it and it is made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the animals—
16though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They only would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.
17“Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land, so that I cut off from it man and animal’—
18though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only would be delivered themselves.
19“Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal—
20though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness.”
21For the Lord GOD says: “How much more when I send my four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword, the famine, the evil animals, and the pestilence—to cut off from it man and animal!
22Yet, behold, there will be left a remnant in it that will be carried out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they will come out to you, and you will see their way and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought on it.
23They will comfort you, when you see their way and their doings; then you will know that I have not done all that I have done in it without cause,” says the Lord GOD.
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Theme
God confronts the hypocrisy of Israelite elders who come seeking prophetic guidance while harboring idols in their hearts. The Lord declares He will respond to such inquirers according to their idolatry, calling them to genuine repentance. Through vivid examples of famine, wild beasts, sword, and pestilence, God emphasizes that even the most righteous individuals—Noah, Daniel, and Job—could only save themselves, not others, when divine judgment falls upon a sinful land.
Context
This chapter continues Ezekiel's ministry to the exiles, following his symbolic acts and oracles against Jerusalem's false security.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-5 Idolatrous Hearts Exposed God reveals that the visiting elders harbor idols in their hearts while seeking prophetic counsel.
- 6-8 Call to Repentance The Lord commands Israel to turn from their idols and warns of severe consequences for continued hypocrisy.
- 9-11 False Prophets and Divine Deception God declares that deceived prophets will share the guilt of those who seek them with impure hearts.
- 12-20 Individual Righteousness Cannot Save Others Through four scenarios of judgment, God illustrates that even the most righteous can only deliver themselves.
- 21-23 Jerusalem's Judgment and Remnant God applies this principle to Jerusalem, promising both severe judgment and a surviving remnant for instruction.
Idolaters Seeking the Prophet
14:1–14:11 prophecy solemn
God addresses the hypocrisy of idolatrous elders who seek prophetic guidance while harboring idols in their hearts. He calls for repentance and warns of judgment for those who persist in idolatry while seeking divine counsel.
person_contrast
God's fourfold repetition of "stumbling block" (mikhshol) in verses 3, 4, 7, and 9 creates a literary trap, mirroring how the elders' hidden idols ensnare them in divine deception.
The Righteous Cannot Save the Wicked
14:12–14:23 prophecy solemn
God declares that even the most righteous individuals cannot save others from divine judgment, using Noah, Daniel, and Job as examples. Despite severe judgment on Jerusalem, a remnant will survive to demonstrate God's justice.
person_contrast
Noah, Daniel, and Job—representing covenant faithfulness, wisdom, and patient endurance—appear together only here in Scripture, forming Ezekiel's ultimate triad of individual righteousness insufficient to avert collective judgment.
Insights
Noah, Daniel, and Job—representing covenant faithfulness, wisdom, and patient endurance—appear together only here in Scripture, forming Ezekiel's ultimate triad of individual righteousness insufficient to avert collective judgment.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Ezekiel 14:3 1 reference
Ezekiel 14:4 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 44:12 Lexical
Because they ministered to them before their idols, and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, the…
Ezekiel 18:30 Lexical
“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn your…
Ezekiel 20:39 Lexical
“‘As for you, house of Israel, the Lord GOD says: “Go, everyone serve his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not lis…
Ezekiel 23:49 Lexical
They will recompense your lewdness on you, and you will bear the sins of your idols. Then you will know that I am the Lo…
Ezekiel 16:36 Lexical
‘The Lord GOD says, “Because your filthiness was poured out, and your nakedness uncovered through your prostitution with…
Ezekiel 14:6 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 16:36 Lexical
‘The Lord GOD says, “Because your filthiness was poured out, and your nakedness uncovered through your prostitution with…
Ezekiel 33:25 Lexical
Therefore tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood. S…
Ezekiel 20:31 Lexical
When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols…
Ezekiel 30:13 Lexical
“‘The Lord GOD says: “I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease from Memphis. There will be no…
Ezekiel 44:12 Lexical
Because they ministered to them before their idols, and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, the…
Ezekiel 14:7 1 reference
Ezekiel 14:11 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 44:15 Lexical
“‘“But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who performed the duty of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went…
Ezekiel 18:30 Lexical
“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn your…
Ezekiel 20:31 Lexical
When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols…
Ezekiel 5:11 Lexical
Therefore as I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things,…
Ezekiel 20:44 Lexical
You will know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor ac…
Ezekiel 14:13 5 references
Lexicals 5
Psalms 105:16 Lexical
He called for a famine on the land. He destroyed the food supplies.
Ezekiel 5:16 Lexical
when I send on them the evil arrows of famine that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you. I will increas…
Joshua 7:1 Lexical
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, th…
Ezekiel 18:24 Lexical
“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominati…
Leviticus 5:15 Lexical
“If anyone commits a trespass, and sins unwittingly regarding the LORD’s holy things, then he shall bring his trespass o…
Ezekiel 14:14 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 45:9 Lexical
“‘The Lord GOD says: “Enough, you princes of Israel! Remove violence and plunder, and execute justice and righteousness!…
Ezekiel 32:32 Lexical
“For I have put his terror in the land of the living. He will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain…
Ezekiel 36:23 Lexical
I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the n…
Ezekiel 31:18 Lexical
“‘To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet you will be brought down with the tre…
Ezekiel 26:5 Lexical
She will be a place for the spreading of nets in the middle of the sea; for I have spoken it,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘She w…
Ezekiel 14:16 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 15:8 Lexical
I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,” says the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 31:18 Lexical
“‘To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet you will be brought down with the tre…
Ezekiel 26:5 Lexical
She will be a place for the spreading of nets in the middle of the sea; for I have spoken it,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘She w…
Ezekiel 17:16 Lexical
“‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, a…
Ezekiel 32:32 Lexical
“For I have put his terror in the land of the living. He will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain…
Ezekiel 14:17 1 reference
Ezekiel 14:18 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 17:16 Lexical
“‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, a…
Ezekiel 32:32 Lexical
“For I have put his terror in the land of the living. He will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain…
Ezekiel 36:23 Lexical
I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the n…
Ezekiel 31:18 Lexical
“‘To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet you will be brought down with the tre…
Ezekiel 26:5 Lexical
She will be a place for the spreading of nets in the middle of the sea; for I have spoken it,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘She w…
Ezekiel 14:19 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 30:15 Lexical
I will pour my wrath on Sin, the stronghold of Egypt. I will cut off the multitude of No.
Ezekiel 16:38 Lexical
I will judge you as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and je…
Ezekiel 36:18 Lexical
Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land, and because they had defile…
Leviticus 17:13 Lexical
“‘Whatever man there is of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who takes in h…
Leviticus 17:4 Lexical
and hasn’t brought it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to offer it as an offering to the LORD before the LORD’s tabern…
Ezekiel 14:20 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 45:9 Lexical
“‘The Lord GOD says: “Enough, you princes of Israel! Remove violence and plunder, and execute justice and righteousness!…
Ezekiel 36:23 Lexical
I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the n…
Ezekiel 31:18 Lexical
“‘To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet you will be brought down with the tre…
Ezekiel 26:5 Lexical
She will be a place for the spreading of nets in the middle of the sea; for I have spoken it,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘She w…
Ezekiel 17:16 Lexical
“‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, a…
Ezekiel 14:21 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 6:11 Lexical
“The Lord GOD says: ‘Strike with your hand, and stamp with your foot, and say, “Alas!”, because of all the evil abominat…
Ezekiel 29:8 Lexical
“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will bring a sword on you, and will cut off man and animal from you.
Ezekiel 25:13 Lexical
therefore the Lord GOD says, “I will stretch out my hand on Edom, and will cut off man and animal from it; and I will ma…
Ezekiel 33:27 Lexical
“You shall tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “As I live, surely those who are in the waste places will fall by the sword. I…
Jeremiah 14:13 Lexical
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets tell them, ‘You will not see the sword, neither will you have famine; b…
Ezekiel 14:23 3 references
Lexicals 3
Ezekiel 24:14 Lexical
“‘“I, the LORD, have spoken it. It will happen, and I will do it. I won’t go back. I won’t spare. I won’t repent. Accord…
Ezekiel 20:44 Lexical
You will know that I am the LORD, when I have dealt with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor ac…
Ezekiel 32:31 Lexical
“Pharaoh will see them and will be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword,”…
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
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