Ezekiel 14:3
in Ezekiel 14“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?
KJV
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
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This verse in Ezekiel 14
Commentary
12 notes on this verseThe meaning is: Son of man, these men who sit before you have placed their impurities or thoughts in their hearts; and, according to Symmachus and Theodotion, idols and scandal, that is, the destruction and torment of their wickedness, they have set against their own face and thus they came to seek the word of the Lord.
This site's exposition
some of the elders of Israel
on Ezekiel 14:1-3
The Lord names their state first: “these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces.” Then he asks, “Should I consult with them in any way?” The question exposes men who seek a word from God while rivals hold their hearts.
This site's exposition
stumbling blocks before their faces
Idols in the heart name the inward loyalty, and the stumbling block before the face names the outward sin that trips them. Henry calls such sinners their own tempters. They stumble over what lies in plain sight.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
When the interior person perseveres according to the image of the Creator, then a person is born, and twice is the person made a person according to the exterior and the interior kind.
No one among us thinks that tortures are inflicted by anyone other than ourselves.
(Chapter 14, Verse 1 onwards) And the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I be consulted by them?
The Reformation1 voice
Ezekiel, indeed, might be touched and softened by pity when he saw them seeking God in this way. For this was a sign of repentance when they turned to the true and faithful servant of God. But since they had no sincerity, the Prophet is warned in time against supposing them to come with cordiality.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Note, Sinners are their own tempters ( every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust ), and so they are their own destroyers. If thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it; and thus they put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their own faces, and stumble upon it though they see it before their eyes.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
They are ordered to repent, or not to pretend to inquire of God, ver. 6-11. Tho' Noah, Daniel and Job were to pray for the people, yet they would not prevail, ver. 12-21.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-12-anchored-1-5
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
heart . . . face--The heart is first corrupted, and then the outward manifestation of idol-worship follows; they set their idols before their eyes. With all their pretense of consulting God now, they have not even put away their idols outwardly; implying gross contempt of God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
These men have set up their idols in their heart - Not only in their houses; in the streets; but they had them in their hearts. These were stumbling-blocks of iniquity; they fell over them, and broke the neck of their souls. And should God be inquired of by such miscreants as these?
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בֶּן־ | ben- | O son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אָדָ֗ם | ʾadam | humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| הֶעֱל֤וּ | heelu | they have brought up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| גִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙ | giluleihem | idols their | H1544 → | 48 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לִבָּ֔ם | libam | heart their | H3820 → | 595 times |
| וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹל | umikhshol | and [the] stumbling block of | H4383 → | 14 times |
| עֲוֹנָ֔ם | ʾavonam | iniquity their | H5771 → | 233 times |
| נָתְנ֖וּ | natenu | they have put | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| נֹ֣כַח | nokhach | before | H5227 → | 25 times |
| פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם | peneihem | faces their | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הַאִדָּרֹ֥שׁ | haidarosh | ¿ really <to be consulted> | H1875 → | 164 times |
| אִדָּרֵ֖שׁ | ʾidaresh | will I let myself be consulted | H1875 → | 164 times |
| לָהֶֽם׃ ס | lahem | by them |
בֶּן־O son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
אָדָ֗םhumankind
ʾadamH120 →551 times
הָאֲנָשִׁ֤יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
הֶעֱל֤וּthey have brought up
heeluH5927 →890 times
גִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙idols their
giluleihemH1544 →48 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
לִבָּ֔םheart their
libamH3820 →595 times
וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹלand [the] stumbling block of
umikhsholH4383 →14 times
עֲוֹנָ֔םiniquity their
ʾavonamH5771 →233 times
נָתְנ֖וּthey have put
natenuH5414 →2011 times
נֹ֣כַחbefore
nokhachH5227 →25 times
פְּנֵיהֶ֑םfaces their
peneihemH6440 →2123 times
הַאִדָּרֹ֥שׁ¿ really <to be consulted>
haidaroshH1875 →164 times
אִדָּרֵ֖שׁwill I let myself be consulted
ʾidareshH1875 →164 times
לָהֶֽם׃ סby them
lahem
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 1:15When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
it leads to
- Micah 3:4
Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.
- Proverbs 1:28
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
- Isaiah 59:2–3
But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.
- Zechariah 7:13
And just as I had called and they would not listen, so when they called I would not listen, says the LORD of Hosts.
- Jeremiah 7:8–10
But look, you keep trusting in deceptive words to no avail.
- Micah 3:4
Through
Ezekiel 7:19They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their…
it leads to
- Proverbs 11:4
Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
- Zephaniah 1:18
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He…
- Luke 12:19–20
Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
- Proverbs 11:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezekiel
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 3:8 and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 3:7.