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Ezekiel 14:4

in Ezekiel 14

Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry,

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Every man of the house of Israel that taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I Jehovah will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols;

KJV

Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

This verse in Ezekiel 14

Commentary

9 notes on this verse
Omit “that cometh.” According to the multitiude of his idols - i. e., I will give him an answer as delusive as the idols which he serves. Compare Micaiah’s answer to Ahab 1Ki 22:15.

This site's exposition

I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry

on Ezekiel 14:4-5

The Lord will answer such a man himself, “according to his great idolatry,” a judgment given as an answer rather than a refusal. Verse 5 states, “so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel,” catching them where the idols were hidden.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Jerome

Commentary on Ezekiel · Written before 420.

proposed

(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 Puritans and the Awakening4 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

God will punish them as he usually punishes idolaters, that is, when they stand in need of his help he will send them to the gods whom they have chosen, Judg. x. Note, The judgment of God will dwell with men according to what they are really (that is, according to what their hearts are), not according to what they are in show and profession.

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

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

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

I will give him an answer that shall fill him with confusion, that shall make him repent of his daring impiety." He shall have his answer, not by the words of the prophet, but by the judgments of God. And I will set my face against that man, which denotes great displeasure against him and a fixed resolution to ruin him. God can outface the most impenitent sinner.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them,....
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

and cometh--and yet cometh, reigning himself to be a true worshipper of Jehovah. him that cometh--so the Hebrew Margin reads. But the Hebrew text reading is, "according to it, according to the multitude of his idols"; the anticipative clause with the pronoun not being pleonastic, but increasing the emphasis of the following clause with the noun.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

According to the multitude of his idols - I will treat him as an idolater, as a flagrant idolater.

The words behind it

34 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • לָכֵ֣ן<to> therefore

    lakhenH3651 →771 times

  • דַּבֵּר־speak

    daber-H1696 →1141 times

  • א֠וֹתָםwith them

    ʾotomH854 →929 times

  • וְאָמַרְתָּ֨and you will say

    veamartaH559 →5305 times

  • אֲלֵיהֶ֜םto them

    ʾaleihemH413 →5510 times

  • כֹּה־thus

    koh-H3541 →577 times

  • אָמַ֣ר׀he says

    ʾamarH559 →5305 times

  • אֲדֹנָ֣י[the] Lord

    ʾadonaiH136 →440 times

  • יְהוִ֗הYahweh

    yahwehH3069 →306 times

  • אִ֣ישׁa person

    ʾishH376 →1663 times

  • אִ֣ישׁa person

    ʾishH376 →1663 times

  • מִבֵּ֣יתfrom [the] house of

    mibeitH1004 →2046 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֡לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • אֲשֶׁר֩who

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • יַעֲלֶ֨הhe will bring up

    yaalehH5927 →890 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • גִּלּוּלָ֜יוidols his

    gilulavH1544 →48 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • לִבּ֗וֹheart his

    liboH3820 →595 times

  • וּמִכְשׁ֤וֹלand [the] stumbling block of

    umikhsholH4383 →14 times

  • עֲוֹנוֹ֙iniquity his

    avonoH5771 →233 times

  • יָשִׂים֙he will put

    yasimH7760 →584 times

  • נֹ֣כַחbefore

    nokhachH5227 →25 times

  • פָּנָ֔יוface his

    panavH6440 →2123 times

  • וּבָ֖אand he will go

    uva'H935 →2568 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הַנָּבִ֑יאthe prophet

    hanavi'H5030 →314 times

  • אֲנִ֣יI

    ʾaniH589 →874 times

  • יְהוָ֗הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • נַעֲנֵ֧יתִיI will let myself give an answer

    naaneitiH6030 →

  • ל֦וֹto him

    lo

  • בָ֖אhe came

    vah'H935 →2568 times

  • בְּרֹ֥בby [the] multitude of

    beroH7230 →149 times

  • גִּלּוּלָֽיו׃idols his

    gilulavH1544 →48 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 3:11

    Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.

    it leads to

    • Ecclesiastes 8:13

      Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

    • James 2:13

      For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

    • Psalms 120:3–4

      What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue?

    • Psalms 28:4

      Repay them according to their deeds and for their works of evil. Repay them for what their hands have done; bring back on them what they deserve.

  • Through

    Isaiah 66:4

    So I will choose their punishment and I will bring terror upon them, because I called and no one answered, I spoke and no one listened. But they did evil in My sight and…

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 65:12

      I will destine you for the sword, and you will all kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not listen; you did evil…

  • Through

    Ezekiel 2:7

    But speak My words to them, whether they listen or refuse to listen, for they are rebellious.

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 23:28

      Let the prophet who has a dream retell it, but let him who has My word speak it truthfully. For what is straw compared to grain?” declares the LORD.

    • Ezekiel 3:17

      “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.

    • Ezekiel 3:10

      “Son of man,” He added, “listen carefully to all the words I speak to you, and take them to heart.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

About Ezekiel

Ezekiel’s Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Ezekiel’s Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.