Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 14:11

"that the house of Israel may go no more 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, saith the Lord Jehovah." — Ezekiel 14:11 (ASV)

May go no more astray. — This reveals the purpose of all the previous severity of judgment: that Israel may be brought to true repentance and be reunited in communion with God.

The prophet is now directed, in a distinct communication, to address the thought that was evidently in the minds of the people: that Jerusalem would still be spared for the sake of the righteous dwelling there, as had been promised to Abraham even in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:23–32). The course of thought is this: If any land should sin as grievously as Israel had done, and God should send a judgment, it would not be spared, though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it. This is repeated in connection with each of four successively mentioned judgments. Then the climax is reached: that Jerusalem can much less be spared when all these judgments are combined. In the end, the justice of God's dealings will be acknowledged.

A few years earlier, Jeremiah (Jeremiah 14:15) had uttered a very similar prophecy in connection with the denunciation of false prophets (Jeremiah 14:13; Jeremiah 14:15). In this prophecy, not only is he himself forbidden to intercede for the people (Jeremiah 14:11), but it is also said (Jeremiah 15:1) that the presence of Moses and Samuel would be ineffective.