Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 14
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezekiel 14
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezekiel 14
"Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me." — Ezekiel 14:1 (ASV)
Elders of Israel: Some of the fellow-exiles of Ezekiel, among whom he ministered.
"Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Every man of the house of Israel that taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I Jehovah will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols;" — Ezekiel 14:4 (ASV)
Omit “that cometh.”
According to the multitude of his idols – that is, I will give him an answer as delusive as the idols which he serves. Compare Micaiah’s answer to Ahab (1 Kings 22:15).
"that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols." — Ezekiel 14:5 (ASV)
That I may take ... — that is, that I may take them as in a snare, deceived by their own heart.
"For every one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that separateth himself from me, and taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet to inquire for himself of me; I Jehovah will answer him by myself:" — Ezekiel 14:7 (ASV)
The stranger - Those who sojourned among Israel, though they were not of Israel, were bound to abstain from idol-worship (Leviticus 17:10; Leviticus 20:2).
By myself - Or, as in (Ezekiel 14:4), according to Myself. He who comes to inquire with a heart full of idolatry will have his answer,
- according to the multitude of his idols - in delusion,
- “according to the holiness of God” - in punishment.
The inquiry was hypocritical and unreal - but God will answer not by the mouth, but by the hand; not by word, but by deed; not by speech, but by a scourge.
"and I 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 the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah." — Ezekiel 14:8 (ASV)
Will make him - Or, I will make him amazed (Ezekiel 32:10); or, astonished, so as to be a sign and a proverb.
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