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The Idolatry of Israel’s Leaders

14 Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with me, this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols[a] in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the Lord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves. I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’

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Footnotes

  1. 14:3 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung; also in 14:4, 5, 6, 7.

Well-Deserved Judgment

14 Then some men from Israel’s elders came to me and sat down in front of me. The Lord’s message came to me: “Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity[a] right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek[b] me? Therefore speak to them and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When anyone from the house of Israel erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet, I the Lord am determined to answer him personally according to the enormity of his idolatry.[c] I will do this in order to capture the hearts of the house of Israel, who have alienated themselves from me on account of all their idols.’

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 14:3 tn Heb “the stumbling block of their iniquity.” This phrase is unique to the prophet Ezekiel.
  2. Ezekiel 14:3 tn Or “I will not reveal myself to them.” The Hebrew word is used in a technical sense here of seeking an oracle from a prophet (2 Kgs 1:16; 3:11; 8:8).
  3. Ezekiel 14:4 tn Heb “in accordance with the multitude of his idols.”