Ezekiel 14:3 "Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?

◄ Ezekiel 14:3 ►

New International Version
“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?

New Living Translation
“Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?

English Standard Version
“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?

Berean Standard Bible
“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?

King James Bible
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?

New King James Version
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?

New American Standard Bible
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put in front of their faces the stumbling block of their wrongdoing. Should I let Myself be consulted by them at all?

NASB 1995
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all?

NASB 1977
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all?

Legacy Standard Bible
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be inquired by them at all?

Amplified Bible
“Son of man, these men have set up [and honored] their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the [vile] stumbling block of their wickedness and guilt; should I [permit Myself to] be consulted by them at all?

Christian Standard Bible
“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and have put their sinful stumbling blocks in front of themselves. Should I actually let them inquire of me?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and have put sinful stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I be consulted by them at all?”

American Standard Version
Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?

Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel, son of man, these men have started worshiping idols, though they know it will cause them to sin even more. So I refuse to give them a message!

English Revised Version
Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Son of man, these people are devoted to their idols, and they are allowing themselves to fall into sin. Should they be allowed to ask me for help?

Good News Translation
"Mortal man," he said, "these men have given their hearts to idols and are letting idols lead them into sin. Do they think I will give them an answer?

International Standard Version
"Son of Man, these men have taken idols into their hearts. They've placed the stumbling block that is their own iniquity right in front of their faces. Should I be consulted by them at all?

Majority Standard Bible
“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?

NET Bible
"Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek me?

New Heart English Bible
"Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?

Webster's Bible Translation
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?

World English Bible
“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
“Son of man, these men have caused their idols to go up on their heart, and they have put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their faces; am I inquired of at all by them?

Young's Literal Translation
'Son of man, these men have caused their idols to go up on their heart, and the stumbling-block of their iniquity they have put over-against their faces; am I inquired of at all by them?

Smith's Literal Translation
Son of man, these men brought up their blocks upon their heart, and they gave the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face: shall I be sought out, shall I be sought oat for them?

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Son of man, these men have placed their uncleannesses in their hearts, and have set up before their face the stumblingblock of their iniquity : and shall I answer when they inquire of me?

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Son of man, these men have placed their uncleanness in their hearts, and they have stationed the scandal of their iniquities before their face. So why should I respond when they inquire of me?

New American Bible
Son of man, these men keep the memory of their idols alive in their hearts, setting the stumbling block of their sin before them. Should I allow myself to be consulted by them?

New Revised Standard Version
Mortal, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and placed their iniquity as a stumbling block before them; shall I let myself be consulted by them?

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces; I will seek vengeance from them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols on their hearts, and the stumbling block of their evils they placed before their faces. I shall exact vengeance from them

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their mind, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face; should I be inquired of at all by them?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Son of man, these men have conceived their devices in their hearts, and have set before their faces the punishment of their iniquities: shall I indeed answer them?

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Idolatrous Elders Condemned
…2And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 3“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way? 4Therefore 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,…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Jeremiah 17:9-10
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? / I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.

Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.

Matthew 15:8-9
‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

James 4:3
And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.

Psalm 66:18
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

1 John 5:21
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Romans 1:21-23
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

2 Kings 17:9-12
The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities. / They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. / They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. ...

Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10:14
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Deuteronomy 29:18-19
Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Make sure there is no root among you that bears such poisonous and bitter fruit, / because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself, saying, ‘I will have peace, even though I walk in the stubbornness of my own heart.’ This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.

Hosea 4:12
My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.

1 Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

2 Corinthians 6:16-17
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” / “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

Treasury of Scripture

Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?

these men

Ezekiel 14:3,7
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them? …

Ezekiel 6:9
And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

Ezekiel 11:21
But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.

and put

Ezekiel 3:20
Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Ezekiel 7:19
They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.

Ezekiel 44:12
Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity.

should

Ezekiel 20:3
Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

1 Samuel 28:6
And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

2 Kings 3:13
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

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Block Cause Caused Consulted Directions Ear Enquired Face Faces Fall False. Gods Heart Hearts Idols Iniquity Inquire Inquired Mind Over-Against Right Sin Stumbling Stumblingblock Stumbling-Block Wicked

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Ezekiel 14

1. God answers idolaters according to their own heart
6. They are exhorted to repent, for fear of judgments, by means of seduced prophets
12. God's irrevocable sentence of famine
15. of wild beasts
17. of the sword
19. and of pestilence
22. A remnant shall be reserved for example of others

Berean Study Bible

Son of man
This phrase is a frequent address to Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and role as a representative of the people. In Hebrew, "ben adam" underscores the prophet's connection to mankind, highlighting the contrast between human frailty and divine authority. It serves as a reminder of Ezekiel's mission to convey God's messages to Israel, acting as a bridge between the divine and the earthly.

these men
Referring to the elders of Israel who approached Ezekiel, "these men" indicates individuals who should have been spiritual leaders. Historically, the elders held positions of authority and were expected to guide the people in righteousness. Their presence before Ezekiel suggests a recognition of his prophetic authority, yet their hearts were not aligned with God's will.

have set up idols in their hearts
This phrase reveals the internal nature of idolatry, extending beyond physical idols to the spiritual and emotional realm. The Hebrew word for "idols," "gillulim," often implies detestable things, highlighting the abomination of placing anything above God. The heart, in Hebrew thought, is the center of will and emotion, indicating that these men have allowed their inner desires to replace their devotion to God.

put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces
The imagery of "stumbling blocks" suggests obstacles that lead to sin and separation from God. In Hebrew, "mikshol" refers to something that causes one to fall. Historically, this can be seen as a metaphor for the temptations and false beliefs that the Israelites allowed to obstruct their relationship with God. It underscores the danger of allowing anything to divert one's focus from divine truth.

Should I let them inquire of Me at all?
This rhetorical question from God challenges the sincerity of those seeking divine guidance while harboring idolatry. It reflects God's holiness and justice, questioning whether He should entertain the requests of those whose hearts are divided. The question serves as a call to repentance, urging the people to examine their loyalties and return to genuine worship.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Have set up their idols in their heart.--It was not the open idolatry of Judaea which is reproved among these elders of the captivity; that had already passed away, but still their heart was not right. Like Lot's wife, they longed for that which they dared not do. With such a disposition, they were in the greatest danger, putting "the stumbling-block of their iniquity," the temptation to sin, directly before them. And not only so, but they kept themselves in a state of alienation from God, so that it was idle to imagine He would allow Himself to be enquired of by them. The question implies the negative answer which is fully expressed in the following verses.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 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. The stumbling block (see Ezekiel 3:20) of their iniquity was set up there. That divided heart, the "double mind" of James 1:8, made true inquiry, as it made true prayer for guidance, impossible. Shall I be inquired of at all, etc.? The "at all" represents the emphatic iteration of the verb in the Hebrew. The Vulgate, Numquid interrogatus respondebo eis? gives a fair paraphrase.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

“Son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man,
אָדָ֗ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

these
הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

men
הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים (hā·’ă·nā·šîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

have set up
הֶעֱל֤וּ (he·‘ĕ·lū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

idols
גִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙ (ḡil·lū·lê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1544: A log, an idol

in
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

their hearts
לִבָּ֔ם (lib·bām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

and put
נָתְנ֖וּ (nā·ṯə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

wicked
עֲוֺנָ֔ם (‘ă·wō·nām)
Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5771: Iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity

stumbling blocks
וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹל (ū·miḵ·šō·wl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4383: A stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, a stumbling block

before
נֹ֣כַח (nō·ḵaḥ)
Preposition
Strong's 5227: The front part, opposite, in front of, forward, in behalf of

their faces.
פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם (pə·nê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

Should I consult with them
הַאִדָּרֹ֥שׁ (ha·’id·dā·rōš)
Verb - Nifal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship

in any way?
אִדָּרֵ֖שׁ (’id·dā·rêš)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship

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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 14:3 Son of man these men have taken (Ezek. Eze Ezk)