The Meaning of Ezekiel 14:3 Explained

Ezekiel 14:3

KJV: 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?

YLT: '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?

Darby: 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?

ASV: 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?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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? 

What does Ezekiel 14:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord revealed to His servant that these elders (along with the elders in Jerusalem, cf. Ezekiel 8:7-12) had been nursing idolatry in their hearts. The word translated "idols" in this passage is gillulim, Ezekiel"s favorite term for idols. It means pellets of dung literally (cf. Ezekiel 6:4-6; Ezekiel 6:9; Ezekiel 6:13; et al.). These elders had put right in front of them the very thing that caused them to stumble in sin. That Isaiah , instead of trying to avoid temptation (cf. 2 Timothy 2:22) they cherished the worship of other deities. In view of what follows, this appears to have included seeking false prophets and prophetesses to obtain guidance ( Ezekiel 14:4; Ezekiel 14:7; Ezekiel 14:9; cf. ch13). In the following verses it becomes clear that the prophets these elders consulted were false prophets (cf. Ezekiel 14:9-10). Yahweh asked rhetorically whether He should respond to their requests in view of their trust in other gods (cf. Psalm 66:18; 1 Kings 18:21; James 1:8).
"This verse is important for those who come to Scripture seeking guidance. No true direction can be given to those who have erected idols in their hearts [1]." [2]

Context Summary

Ezekiel 14:1-6 - 12-23, Reaping As We Sow
It is useless to approach God with prayers and inquiries for guidance, as long as our hearts are filled with secret sins and cherished idols. If we regard iniquity in our hearts God cannot hear us. It often happens when men purpose a certain evil course, that everything seems to favor them. For a striking example of this, see 1 Kings 22:6; 1 Kings 22:15. The second paragraph describes the inveteracy of their sin. Jeremiah had affirmed that Judah's guilt was too great to be pardoned upon the intercession of Moses or of Samuel, Jeremiah 14:2; Jeremiah 15:1. Ezekiel adds three other revered names. In the four hypothetical cases of famine, noisome beasts, the sword, and pestilence, such men would succeed only in saving their own lives; but even in such cases there would be an elect remnant, who would be comforted as they recognized the evidences of the divine rectitude. Yes, as we look back on the history of our race we shall be comforted; we shall feel that God could have done no other; we shall reap the blessing which has been evolved out of events and movements that we had misunderstood or feared. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 14:3 mean?

Son of man men these have set up their idols in their hearts that which [causes] them to stumble into iniquity put before them Should at all I let Myself be inquired of by them -
בֶּן־ אָדָ֗ם הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הֶעֱל֤וּ גִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙ עַל־ לִבָּ֔ם וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹל עֲוֺנָ֔ם נָתְנ֖וּ נֹ֣כַח פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם הַאִדָּרֹ֥שׁ אִדָּרֵ֖שׁ לָהֶֽם ס

בֶּן־  Son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אָדָ֗ם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֤ים  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
הֶעֱל֤וּ  have  set  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
גִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙  their  idols 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גִּלּוּלִים  
Sense: idols.
לִבָּ֔ם  their  hearts 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
וּמִכְשׁ֣וֹל  that  which  [causes]  them  to  stumble 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִכְשֹׁול  
Sense: a stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, stumbling block.
עֲוֺנָ֔ם  into  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
נָתְנ֖וּ  put 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
נֹ֣כַח  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: נׄכַח  
Sense: be in front of adv.
הַאִדָּרֹ֥שׁ  Should  at  all 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Infinitive absolute
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
אִדָּרֵ֖שׁ  I  let  Myself  be  inquired  of 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
לָהֶֽם  by  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation