Ezekiel 14:3 NIV

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

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 14:3

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? read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-5

Idolatry. It certainly seems strange that, at this period of their national history, the Israelites should be chargeable with the folly and sin of idolatry. The admonitions against this offence had been so numerous, and the chastisements following its commission had been so severe, that the reader of Old Testament history is surprised to find that at so late a period the temptation had not been outgrown. I. THE MULTITUDE AND VARIETY OF THE IDOLATRIES OF ISRAEL . The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-11

Disastrous answers to prayer. Ezekiel's predictions had been so gloomy and adverse, that the ciders of Israel in Babylon were staggered. They could not acquiesce in their nation's ruin. Hopeful that some message more favourable might come from God, they sought the prophet's presence. We must not place these elders in the same category with those in Jerusalem who preferred the flattering speeches of the false prophets. Nevertheless, they were not right at heart. The taint of idolatry was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-11

Hypocritical inquirers of God. "Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me," etc. In the former chapter false prophets and prophetesses were severely rebuked by the Lord God through his true prophet. In this one certain elders who came to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord through him, while their hearts were given up to idols, are reproved, exhorted, and warned. The paragraph before us presents the following connected topics for consideration, which we will notice in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:3

These men, etc. The prophet, taught by the word of the Lord, reads the hearts of those who came to him. The words do not imply, rather they exclude, the open practice of idolatry. The sin of the inquirers was that they had set up idols ( gillulim , Ezekiel's favourite word; see note on Ezekiel 6:4 ) in their hearts. The LXX . gives διανοήματα ,"thoughts of their hearts," as if to express this. They were hankering after the old false worships in which they had once, taken part. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:3

Idols in the heart. I. THE HEART IS THE SEAT OF IDOLATRY . There may be splendid temples in a city, containing innumerable idols—horrible monsters or beautiful statues, works of marble, ivory, or gold. Yet if the people do not worship them no sin is committed. We have many idols in our museums. The idols in a missionary society's museum do no harm to its custodians. On the ether hand, though no idol temple stands in our land, and the last vestige of the old heathenism has... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 14:2-3

Ezekiel 14:2-3. And the word of the Lord came unto me To acquaint me with the real character of these men, and what I should say to them. These men have set up their idols in their hearts They are not only inclined to idolatry in their hearts, but they have actually set up idols and worshipped them. It seems, however, that their idolatry consisted, not in entirely deserting, but in corrupting and polluting the service of the true God, intermixing it with foreign worship and superstitions,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-11

Idolatry in the heart (14:1-11)Once again the leaders of the exiles came to see if Ezekiel had any helpful advice for them. He did, but not of the kind they were seeking. Although these men were outwardly loyal to Yahweh, inwardly they were attracted to the Babylonian gods. God told Ezekiel that he would not speak to such people through his prophet, but would speak directly. He would speak in a decisive act of judgment that would remove this tendency towards idolatry from the hearts of his... read more

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

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 14:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-5

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-11

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-11

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 14:3

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 14:2-3

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 14:1-11

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