Bible Strands
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Ezekiel delivers Yahweh’s declaration to the house of Israel immediately after commanding them to turn from idols and abominations. The prophecy addresses both native Israelites and resident foreigners who maintain idolatrous practices.
The words — The supplied Hebrew ya.Gur (H1481) translates as he sojourns, while Ger (H1616) denotes a sojourner. These terms specify that the resident foreigner is included in the covenant community subject to this warning.
The thread — This warning against foreign residents participating in covenant life while practicing idolatry parallels Exodus 12:48 on circumcision for Passover participants. The command to publicly announce Israel's transgression echoes Isaiah 58:1.
Why it lands — The text states that approaching a prophet while harboring idols or placing a stumbling block before one's face triggers direct divine confrontation. It requires readers to verify that spiritual inquiries are not accompanied by unrepentant allegiance to other powers.
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
For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the Lord will answer him by myself:
Cross-references
- Exodus 12:48 If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.
- Isaiah 58:1 “Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins.
- Exodus 20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant or livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates.
- Leviticus 16:29 This is to be a permanent statute for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month, you shall humble yourselves and not do any work—whether the native or the foreigner who resides among you—
- Leviticus 20:2 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the land are to stone him.
- Leviticus 24:22 You are to have the same standard of law for the foreign resident and the native; for I am the LORD your God.’”
- Numbers 15:15 The assembly is to have the same statute both for you and for the foreign resident; it is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD.
- Numbers 15:29 You shall have the same law for the one who acts in error, whether he is a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you.
- 2 Kings 8:8 So the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand, go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD through him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”
- Jeremiah 21:1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said,