Ezekiel 14:11
in Ezekiel 14in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
that the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord Jehovah.
KJV
That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord God.
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This verse in Ezekiel 14
Commentary
8 notes on this verseIt is fitting that the person who has been estranged from me, and has placed his thoughts in his heart, and the torment or punishment of his wickedness before his face, should receive witness that it is written in Isaiah: Walk in the light of your fire, and in the flame that you have kindled (Isaiah 50:11). For each person kindles the ardor of flames for himself, and prepares punishments, while he does not want to correct the errors of his mistaken heart with repentance, but remains in errors, deserving the burning of flames.
This site's exposition
if the prophet is enticed to speak a message
on Ezekiel 14:9-11
The hardest verse says, “if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him.” Henry and Wesley set it beside the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. The purpose is corrective: “that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me.”
This site's exposition
may no longer stray from Me
The words My people and their God form the covenant formula of Leviticus 26:12 and Jeremiah 31:33. Judgment on the false prophet serves that covenant. Henry says those God takes into covenant must first be cleansed of sin.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
I want to have them as my people and to be their God, attending to them with every care.
(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 Awakening2 voices
Note, Those whom God takes into covenant with himself must first be cleansed from the pollutions of sin; and those who are so cleansed shall not only be saved from ruin, but be entitled to all the privileges of God's people. Destruction of the People Determined; The Variety of the Divine Judgment;
That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
“God,” it has been said, “punishes sins by means of sins,” but the end is the re-establishment of righteousness.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Like the iniquity of the inquirer, so will be the iniquity of the prophet Like the iniquity of the one who comes to learn and does not learn, so will be the iniquity of the false prophets.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And they shall bear their sins; the sin of the one who comes to learn and does not learn shall be exactly like the sin of the false prophets.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לְ֠מַעַן | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִתְע֨וּ | yitu | they will wander | H8582 → | 50 times |
| ע֤וֹד | od | again | H5750 → | 490 times |
| בֵּֽית־ | beit- | [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| מֵאַֽחֲרַ֔י | meacharai | from after me | H310 → | 715 times |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִטַּמְּא֥וּ | yitameu | they will make themselves unclean | H2930 → | 162 times |
| ע֖וֹד | od | again | H5750 → | 490 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | by all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֑ם | pisheihem | transgressions their | H6588 → | 93 times |
| וְהָ֥יוּ | vehayu | and they will become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִ֣י | li | for me | ||
| לְעָ֗ם | leam | <into> a people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וַֽאֲנִי֙ | vaani | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| אֶהְיֶ֤ה | ʾehyeh | I will become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לָהֶם֙ | lahem | for them | ||
| לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים | lelohim | <into> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| נְאֻ֖ם | neum | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| אֲדֹנָ֥י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יְהוִֽה׃ פ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3069 → | 306 times |
לְ֠מַעַןso that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִתְע֨וּthey will wander
yituH8582 →50 times
ע֤וֹדagain
odH5750 →490 times
בֵּֽית־[the] house of
beit-H1004 →2046 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
מֵאַֽחֲרַ֔יfrom after me
meacharaiH310 →715 times
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִטַּמְּא֥וּthey will make themselves unclean
yitameuH2930 →162 times
ע֖וֹדagain
odH5750 →490 times
בְּכָל־by all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֑םtransgressions their
pisheihemH6588 →93 times
וְהָ֥יוּand they will become
vehayuH1961 →3559 times
לִ֣יfor me
li
לְעָ֗ם<into> a people
leamH5971 →1873 times
וַֽאֲנִי֙and I
vaaniH589 →874 times
אֶהְיֶ֤הI will become
ʾehyehH1961 →3559 times
לָהֶם֙for them
lahem
לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים<into> God
lelohimH430 →2601 times
נְאֻ֖ם[the] utterance of
neumH5002 →376 times
אֲדֹנָ֥י[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
יְהוִֽה׃ פYahweh
yahwehH3069 →306 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
Revelation 21:7The one who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 6:18
And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
- Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And…
- Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will…
- Revelation 2:11
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.
- 1 John 3:1–3
Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is…
- 2 Corinthians 6:18
Through
Ezekiel 37:23They will no longer defile themselves with their idols or detestable images, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse…
it leads to
- Revelation 21:3–4
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will…
- 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- Ezekiel 36:28–29
Then you will live in the land that I gave your forefathers; you will be My people, and I will be your God.
- Revelation 21:3–4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON EZEKIEL 4:11.