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Ezekiel 14
The Voice
Ezekiel 14
The Voice
At first glance, the naming of these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—seems odd. Noah and Job are, of course, central characters in the Scripture; and these heroes lived long before Ezekiel was called to be God’s prophet. But the Daniel most people know as the biblical prophet will achieve his fame long after Ezekiel dies. The Daniel mentioned here is not the biblical prophet but another Daniel (also known as Danel) whose story is found in an ancient Ugaritic text called the Epic of Aqhat. Like Noah and Job, Danel is an ancient non-Israelite who lives to an old age and becomes famous for his wisdom. Like Noah, he is surrounded by wicked people; like Job, he loses a son.
Perhaps God references these non-Israelite heroes—as opposed to the people’s Israelite ancestors—because Ezekiel’s audience is living outside of Israel. They would be able to identify with the foreign cultures in these accounts because they are surrounded by the strange customs and the novel stories of Babylon. These three men show an unusual level of devotion to God when the culture around them appears to be moving contrary to His way, so they are more appropriate examples than any Israelite ancestor—such as David, Solomon, or Josiah—who had all the benefits and blessings of God’s covenants.
14 Some of the elders of Israel approached me and sat down. 2 Then the word of the Eternal came to me with a message for them.
Eternal One: 3 Son of man, these men are devoted to breathless idols and have pursued things that cause them to stumble into sin. Why should I even bother to listen to their prayers? 4 Therefore tell them the Eternal Lord says to you, “Any Israelite who devotes himself to breathless idols and pursues things that will cause him to stumble into sin and still has the audacity to consult a prophet will be answered by Me, personally, in light of his pagan devotions. 5 I am going to recapture the hearts of Israel, all of whom have deserted Me for their idols.”
6 Therefore, tell the people of Israel the Eternal Lord commands you to repent! Turn away from your breathless idols, and relinquish all of your shocking ways! 7 When any Israelite—or any foreigner living in Israel—severs his relationship with Me, devotes himself to his idols, pursues anything that may cause him to stumble into sin, and then has the audacity to consult a prophet to ask questions of Me, I will answer the inquirer personally. 8 I will turn against him and make an example of him. I will cut him off from the midst of the people. Then you will know I am the Eternal.
9 Also, if a prophet is deceived into offering a message, it is I, the Eternal One, who has deceived him. I will raise My hand against him and cut him off from My people, Israel, until all memory of him is erased. 10 The prophet and the one who inquires of him will be equally guilty and equally punished, 11 so that the people of Israel will not lose their focus on Me or filthy themselves with any more of their rebellious evil. After this, they will be My people, and I will be their God.
So said the Eternal Lord.
12 The word of the Eternal came to me with a new message.
Eternal One: 13 Son of man, suppose the people of a particular country wander away from Me in pursuit of sin and I raise My hand against them destroying their food source, sending famine, and killing off the people and animals who live there; 14 even if these three legendary men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were all living in that country, they could save only themselves by their righteousness. 15 Suppose I send wild beasts into that land and they kill the people, and the place becomes so desolate and dangerous because of the animals that no one dares to travel through the land. 16 As surely as I, the Eternal Lord, live, even if these three men were living there, they could not save their own sons and daughters. Only those three righteous men would be saved, and the land would become a wilderness. 17 Suppose I bring war against that land and say to let the sword invade and pass through the land; 18 as surely as I, the Eternal Lord, live, even if these three men were living there, they could not save their own sons and daughters. Only those three righteous men would be saved. 19 Suppose I send a disease to spread across that land, flooding it with My anger in blood, infecting and killing people and animals alike; 20 as surely as I, the Eternal Lord, live, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were living there, they could not save their own sons or daughters. Only those three men would be saved because of their righteousness.
21 For this is what the Eternal Lord has to say:
Eternal One: It will be far worse when I send out My four tragic judgments upon Jerusalem—war, starvation, wild beasts, and disease—to kill the people and animals! 22-23 Still, a few survivors will remain—sons and daughters—who will join you in exile. They will come to you, and once you see how they behave and what they do, you will be comforted regarding the awful disaster I have poured out upon Jerusalem. For you will understand that every single judgment and catastrophe I have set against Jerusalem has been necessary.
Ezekiel 14
New International Version
Ezekiel 14
New International Version
Idolaters Condemned
14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.(A) 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts(B) and put wicked stumbling blocks(C) before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?(D) 4 Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. 5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted(E) me for their idols.’(F)
6 “Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent!(G) Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!(H)
7 “‘When any of the Israelites or any foreigner(I) residing in Israel separate themselves from me and set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block(J) before their faces and then go to a prophet to inquire(K) of me, I the Lord will answer them myself. 8 I will set my face against(L) them and make them an example(M) and a byword.(N) I will remove them from my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(O)
9 “‘And if the prophet(P) is enticed(Q) to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.(R) 10 They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer stray(S) from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people,(T) and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.(U)’”
Jerusalem’s Judgment Inescapable
12 The word of the Lord came to me: 13 “Son of man, if a country sins(V) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply(W) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,(X) 14 even if these three men—Noah,(Y) Daniel[a](Z) and Job(AA)—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,(AB) declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 “Or if I send wild beasts(AC) through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,(AD) 16 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.(AE)
17 “Or if I bring a sword(AF) against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,(AG) 18 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.
19 “Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath(AH) on it through bloodshed,(AI) killing its people and their animals,(AJ) 20 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.(AK)
21 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments(AL)—sword(AM) and famine(AN) and wild beasts and plague(AO)—to kill its men and their animals!(AP) 22 Yet there will be some survivors(AQ)—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it.(AR) They will come to you, and when you see their conduct(AS) and their actions, you will be consoled(AT) regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. 23 You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AU)”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 14:14 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature; also in verse 20
The Voice (VOICE)
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