Bible Strands
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?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord speaks through Ezekiel to a group of Israelite elders who have approached him seeking divine guidance. This occurs immediately after the Lord’s command to Ezekiel to confront these men about their spiritual condition.
The words — גִלּֽוּלֵי/הֶם֙ (gi.lu.lei./Hem) translates literally to "their idols," while לִבָּ֔/ם (li.Ba/m) means "their heart." The text states these men have placed these idols on their hearts and set wicked stumbling blocks before their faces.
The thread — The motif of setting up idols in the heart appears in Ezekiel 14:7, which extends the warning to both Israelites and foreign residents. The theme of God withholding attention from corrupted prayer is echoed in Isaiah 1:15.
Why it lands — The text demands a reader acknowledge that internal idolatry and deliberate sin block divine communication. It asks the reader to remove internal obstacles before expecting any answer from God.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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 enquired of at all by them?
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 14:7 For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself.
- Ezekiel 7:19 They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.
- Isaiah 1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Ezekiel 20:3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Have you come to inquire of Me? As surely as I live, I will not be consulted by you, declares the Lord GOD.
- Ezekiel 20:16 because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.
- Proverbs 28:9 Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
- Ezekiel 14:4 Therefore 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,
- Ezekiel 20:31 When you offer your gifts, sacrificing your sons in the fire, you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. So should I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you!
- Ezekiel 44:12 Because they ministered before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I swore with an uplifted hand concerning them that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity, declares the Lord GOD.
- 1 Samuel 28:6 He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.