The Meaning of Ezekiel 14:4 Explained

Ezekiel 14:4

KJV: Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

YLT: Therefore, speak with them, and thou hast said unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Every one of the house of Israel who causeth his idols to go up unto his heart, and the stumbling-block of his iniquity setteth over-against his face, and hath gone in unto the prophet -- I Jehovah have given an answer to him for this, for the abundance of his idols,

Darby: Therefore speak to them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet, I Jehovah will answer him according to this, according to the multitude of his idols:

ASV: Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Every man of the house of Israel that taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I Jehovah will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore speak  unto them, and say  unto them, Thus saith  the Lord  GOD;  Every man  of the house  of Israel  that setteth up  his idols  in his heart,  and putteth  the stumblingblock  of his iniquity  before  his face,  and cometh  to the prophet;  I the LORD  will answer  him that cometh  according to the multitude  of his idols; 

What does Ezekiel 14:4 Mean?

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 14:4 mean?

Therefore speak to them and say to them thus says the Lord GOD man Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up - his idols in his heart and what [causes] him to stumble into iniquity puts before him then comes to the prophet I Yahweh will answer him - who comes according to the multitude of his idols
לָכֵ֣ן דַּבֵּר־ א֠וֹתָם וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּה־ אָמַ֣ר ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אִ֣ישׁ אִ֣ישׁ מִבֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ יַעֲלֶ֨ה אֶת־ גִּלּוּלָ֜יו אֶל־ לִבּ֗וֹ וּמִכְשׁ֤וֹל עֲוֺנוֹ֙ יָשִׂים֙ נֹ֣כַח פָּנָ֔יו וּבָ֖א אֶל־ הַנָּבִ֑יא אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֗ה נַעֲנֵ֧יתִי ל֦וֹ [בה] (בָ֖א) בְּרֹ֥ב גִּלּוּלָֽיו

דַּבֵּר־  speak 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
א֠וֹתָם  to  them 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֨  and  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
כֹּה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר ׀  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲדֹנָ֣י  the  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
יְהוִ֗ה  GOD 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
אִ֣ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אִ֣ישׁ  Everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִבֵּ֣ית  of  the  house 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יַעֲלֶ֨ה  sets  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
גִּלּוּלָ֜יו  his  idols 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: גִּלּוּלִים  
Sense: idols.
לִבּ֗וֹ  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
וּמִכְשׁ֤וֹל  and  what  [causes]  him  to  stumble 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִכְשֹׁול  
Sense: a stumbling, means or occasion of stumbling, stumbling block.
עֲוֺנוֹ֙  into  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
יָשִׂים֙  puts 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
נֹ֣כַח  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: נׄכַח  
Sense: be in front of adv.
וּבָ֖א  then  comes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַנָּבִ֑יא  the  prophet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
נַעֲנֵ֧יתִי  will  answer 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
[בה]  - 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
(בָ֖א)  who  comes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
בְּרֹ֥ב  according  to  the  multitude 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹב  
Sense: multitude, abundance, greatness.
גִּלּוּלָֽיו  of  his  idols 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: גִּלּוּלִים  
Sense: idols.