Ezekiel 14

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 14

Hearing the word, and prayer, are two great ordinances of God, in which we are to give honour to him and may hope to find favour and acceptance with him; and yet in this chapter, to our great surprise, we find some waiting upon God in the one and some in the other and yet not meeting with success as they expected. I. The elders of Israel come to hear the word, and enquire of the prophet, but, because they are not duly qualified, they meet with a rebuke instead of acceptance (Ezek. 14:1-5) and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-11

Here is, I. The address which some of the elders of Israel made to the prophet, as an oracle, to enquire of the Lord by him. They came, and sat before him, Ezek. 14:1. It is probable that they were not of those who were now his fellow-captives, and constantly attended his ministry (such as those we read of Ezek. 8:1), but some occasional hearers, some of the grandees of Jerusalem who had come upon business to Babylon, perhaps public business, on an embassy from the king, and in their way... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 14:12-21

The scope of these verses is to show, I. That national sins bring national judgments. When virtue is ruined and laid waste every thing else will soon be ruined and laid waste too (Ezek. 14:13): When the land sins against me, when vice and wickedness become epidemical, when the land sins by trespassing grievously, when the sinners have become very numerous and their sins very heinous, when gross impieties and immoralities universally prevail, then will I stretch forth my hand upon it, for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 14

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 14 In this chapter are contained the displeasure of God at hypocritical idolaters that sought unto him, and at the false prophets; the judgments that should come upon them, and which should not be averted by the intercession of the best of men; and yet a promise that a remnant should be saved. The elders of Israel are said to sit before the prophet, Ezekiel 14:1 ; to whom the Lord gives an account of them, Ezekiel 14:2 ; and orders the prophet what he should say... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1

Then came certain, of the elders of Israel unto me ,.... The Syriac version adds, "to consult the Lord"; by the prophet. These, according to Kimchi, were the elders of the captivity, the heads of the captives that were now in Babylon with Ezekiel: but there are others that think they were some that came from Jerusalem to Babylon on some business or another; and having heard much of the prophet, came to visit him, and to hear his prophecies, and inquire of the Lord by him: and sat before... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 14:2

And the word of the Lord came unto me ,.... While the elders were sitting before him, and whispered secretly and powerfully the following things in his ears: saying ; as follows: read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 14:3

Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart ,.... Though they look so grave and demure, seem so devout and religious, and hear with so much attention and reverence, and express such a desire of consulting me by thee, they are no other than idolaters; and though they are at such a distance from their native place, and have not their idols with them, yet they have them in their fancy and imagination, and their hearts are after them, and are set upon them; these engross their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 14:4

Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them ,.... That is, speak unto them as a prophet, and as from the Lord, and say what follows; so the Targum, "prophesy 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 stumbling block of his iniquity before his face ; let him be who he will, one in public office, an elder of Israel, or a private person; no respect will be had, no distinction made, nor... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 14:5

That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart ,.... By which they are ensnared, and drawn aside to their ruin; being given up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, and worship idols; God threatening to answer them by righteous judgments, and thereby take the wickedness, the hypocrisy, and idolatry, that were in their hearts, and expose and make it manifest unto others; or, by punishing them, to draw out the corruption and sin that were in them, that it might be seen what a wicked... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 14:6

Therefore say unto the house of Israel ,.... Deliver out the following exhortation to repentance unto them; for God's end, in all his threatenings and judgments, is to bring men to repentance: thus saith the Lord God, repent, and turn yourselves from your idols ; or, "turn, and cause to be turned from your idols" F23 שובו והשיבו "convertimini, et facite converti", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus. ; turn yourselves from the worship of idols, as the Targum, and do all that in you... read more

Group of Brands