Ezekiel 14

Idolatrous Elders Condemned

(Romans 14:13–23; 1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

1Then some of the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 cameH935 and sat downH3427 before meH6440. 2And the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 3“SonH1121 of manH120, theseH428 menH582 have set upH5927 idolsH1544 inH5921 their heartsH3820 and putH5414 wickedH5771 stumbling blocksH4383 beforeH5227 their facesH6440. Should I consultH1875 with them in any wayH1875?

4ThereforeH3651 speakH1696 to themH854 and tellH559 themH413 that this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘WhenH834 anyH376 IsraeliteH1004H3478 sets upH5927 idolsH1544 inH413 his heartH3820 and putsH7760 a wickedH5771 stumbling blockH4383 beforeH5227 his faceH6440, and then comesH935 toH413 the prophetH5030, IH589 the LORDH3068 will answerH6030 him according to his greatH7230 idolatryH1544, 5so thatH4616 I may take holdH8610 of the heartsH3820 of theH1004 people of IsraelH3478. ForH834 because of their idolsH1544, they are allH3605 estrangedH2114 from MeH5921.’

6ThereforeH3651 tellH559H413 the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 that this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘RepentH7725 and turn awayH7725 fromH5921 your idolsH1544; turn your facesH6440 awayH7725 fromH5921 allH3605 your abominationsH8441. 7For whenH3588 anyH376 IsraeliteH1004H3478 or any foreignerH1616 dwellingH1481 in IsraelH3478 separates himselfH5144 from MeH310, sets upH5927 idolsH1544 inH413 his heartH3820, and putsH7760 a wickedH5771 stumbling blockH4383 beforeH5227 his faceH6440, and then comesH935 toH413 the prophetH5030 to inquireH1875 of Me, IH589 the LORDH3068 will answerH6030 him Myself. 8I will setH5414 My faceH6440 against thatH1931 manH376 and make himH7760 a signH226 and a proverbH4912; I will cut him offH3772 from amongH8432 My peopleH5971. Then you will knowH3045 thatH3588 IH589 am the LORDH3068.

9But ifH3588 the prophetH5030 is enticedH6601 to speakH1696 a messageH1697, then it was IH589 the LORDH3068 who enticedH6601 himH1931H5030, and I will stretch outH5186 My handH3027 against himH5921 and destroy himH8045 from amongH8432 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478. 10They will bearH5375 their punishmentH5771—the punishmentH5771 of the inquirerH1875 will beH1961 the same as thatH5771 of the prophetH5030— 11in order thatH4616 the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 may noH3808 longerH5750 strayH8582 from MeH310 and noH3808 longerH5750 defile themselvesH2930 with allH3605 their transgressionsH6588. Then they will beH1961 My peopleH5971 and IH589 will beH1961 their GodH430, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069.’”

Four Dire Judgments

12And the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 to meH413, sayingH559, 13“SonH1121 of manH120, ifH3588 a landH776 sinsH2398 against Me by acting unfaithfullyH4603H4604, and I stretch outH5186 My handH3027 against itH5921 to cut offH7665 its supplyH42941 of foodH3899, to sendH7971 famineH7458 upon it, and to cut offH3772 from itH4480 both manH120 and beastH929, 14then even if theseH428 threeH7969 menH582—NoahH5146, DanielH1840, and JobH347—wereH1961 in itH8432, their righteousnessH1992H6666 could deliverH5337 only themselvesH5315, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069.

15Or ifH3863 I send wildH7451H5674 beastsH2416 through the landH776 to leave it childlessH7921 and desolateH8077, with no manH1097 passing through itH5674 for fearH6440 of the beastsH2416, 16then as surelyH589 as I liveH2416, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069, even if theseH428 threeH7969 menH582 were in itH8432, they could notH518 deliverH5337 their own sonsH1121 orH518 daughtersH1323. TheyH1992 aloneH905 would be deliveredH5337, but the landH776 would beH1961 desolateH8077.

17OrH176 if I bringH935 a swordH2719 againstH5921 thatH1931 landH776 and sayH559, ‘Let a swordH2719 passH5674 through itH776,’ so that I cut offH3772 from itH4480 both manH120 and beastH929, 18then as surelyH589 as I liveH2416, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069, even if theseH428 threeH7969 menH582 were in itH8432, they could notH3808 deliverH5337 their own sonsH1121 or daughtersH1323. TheyH1992 aloneH905 would be deliveredH5337.

19OrH176 if I sendH7971 a plagueH1698 intoH413 thatH1931 landH776 and pour outH8210 My wrathH2534 upon itH5921 through bloodshedH1818, cutting offH3772 from itH4480 both manH120 and beastH929, 20then as surelyH589 as I liveH2416, declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069, even if NoahH5146, DanielH1840, and JobH347 were in itH8432, they could notH518 deliverH5337 their own sonsH1121 orH518 daughtersH1323. Their righteousnessH1992H6666 could deliverH5337 only themselvesH5315.

21ForH3588 this is whatH3541 the LordH136 GODH3069 saysH559: ‘How much worseH637 will it be whenH3588 I sendH7971 againstH413 JerusalemH3389 My fourH702 direH7451 judgmentsH8201—swordH2719, famineH7458, wildH7451 beastsH2416, and plagueH1698—in order to cut offH3772 from itH4480 both manH120 and beastH929?

22Yet, beholdH2009, some survivorsH6413 will be leftH3498 in it—sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323H2005 who will be brought outH3318. They will come outH3318 to youH413, and when you seeH7200 their conductH1870 and actionsH5949, you will be comfortedH5162 regardingH5921 the disasterH7451 I have broughtH935 uponH5921 JerusalemH3389—allH3605 thatH834 I have broughtH935 upon itH5921. 23They will bring you consolationH5162 whenH3588 you seeH7200 their conductH1870 and actionsH5949, and you will knowH3045 thatH3588 it was notH3808 without causeH2600 that I have doneH6213 allH3605 these things within it,’ declaresH5002 the LordH136 GODH3069.”