New Living Translation
Ezekiel 20:3
3“Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing!’
Ezekiel 20:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.
- New International Version (NIV)“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” says the Lord God, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ’
Context of Ezekiel 20:3
1On August 14, during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, some of the leaders of Israel came to request a message from the Lord. They sat down in front of me to wait for his reply. 2Then this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will tell you nothing!’ 4“Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were. 5Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: When I chose Israel—when I revealed myself to the descendants of Jacob in Egypt—I took a solemn oath that I, the Lord, would be their God.
Read all of Ezekiel 20Ezekiel 20:3 word by word
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶת־זִקְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הֲלִדְרֹ֥שׁ אֹתִ֖י אַתֶּ֣ם בָּאִ֑ים חַי־אָ֙נִי֙ אִם־אִדָּרֵ֣שׁ לָכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
- Are ye comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to enquireדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
- I liveחַיchay · aliveH2416
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
Commentaries on Ezekiel 20:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3I will not be inquired of by you - I will not hear you. I will have nothing to do with you.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Enquire - As to the hope of deliverance from the Babylonians.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3In the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, five more years remained before Jerusalem's destruction. The leaders (literally elders) of Israel, who were the community's elders in exile, came to Ezekiel again, seeking a message from the Lord (compare Ezekiel 8:1; 14:1). Normally, it is good to seek a message from the Lord. But these leaders had already been judged because their motives were divided (see Ezekiel 14). They did not truly seek God with…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-323. The chapter falls into two great parts: Eze 20:1-32, the recital of the people's rebellions during five distinct periods: in Egypt, the wilderness, on the borders of Canaan when a new generation arose, in Canaan, and in the time of the prophet. I will not be inquired of by you--because their moral state precluded them from capability of knowing the will of God (Psa 66:18; Pr 28:9; Joh 7:17).Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 20:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries