Ezekiel 14:4
in Ezekiel 14Therefore 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;
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This verse in Ezekiel 14
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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
(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
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.
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
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 & Brown1802–1910
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
According to the multitude of his idols - I will treat him as an idolater, as a flagrant idolater.
The words behind it
34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לָכֵ֣ן | lakhen | <to> therefore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| דַּבֵּר־ | daber- | speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| א֠וֹתָם | ʾotom | with them | H854 → | 929 times |
| וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ | veamarta | and you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם | ʾaleihem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כֹּה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֣ר׀ | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֣י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יְהוִ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3069 → | 306 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִבֵּ֣ית | mibeit | from [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֩ | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יַעֲלֶ֨ה | yaaleh | he will bring up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| גִּלּוּלָ֜יו | gilulav | idols his | H1544 → | 48 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לִבּ֗וֹ | libo | heart his | H3820 → | 595 times |
| וּמִכְשׁ֤וֹל | umikhshol | and [the] stumbling block of | H4383 → | 14 times |
| עֲוֹנוֹ֙ | avono | iniquity his | H5771 → | 233 times |
| יָשִׂים֙ | yasim | he will put | H7760 → | 584 times |
| נֹ֣כַח | nokhach | before | H5227 → | 25 times |
| פָּנָ֔יו | panav | face his | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| וּבָ֖א | uva' | and he will go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַנָּבִ֑יא | hanavi' | the prophet | H5030 → | 314 times |
| אֲנִ֣י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| נַעֲנֵ֧יתִי | naaneiti | I will let myself give an answer | H6030 → | |
| ל֦וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| בָ֖א | vah' | he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בְּרֹ֥ב | bero | by [the] multitude of | H7230 → | 149 times |
| גִּלּוּלָֽיו׃ | gilulav | idols his | H1544 → | 48 times |
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 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 3:11Woe 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.
- Ecclesiastes 8:13
Through
Isaiah 66:4So 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…
- Isaiah 65:12
Through
Ezekiel 2:7But 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.
- Jeremiah 23:28
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezekiel

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.
