Ezekiel 14:7

7 Suppose an Israelite or a foreigner who lives in Israel deserts me by devoting himself to idols and by allowing himself to fall into sin. If he goes to a prophet to ask for my help, I, the LORD, will give him an answer.

Ezekiel 14:7 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 14:7

For everyone of the house of Israel
King and subjects, princes and people, high and low, rich and poor, of every rank, sex, and age: or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel;
the proselytes; whether of righteousness, such as were circumcised, and embraced the Jewish religion; or of the gate, who were only inhabitants with them; one as another were obliged to worship the God of Israel, and abstain from idolatry; there was but one law to the Israelite and to the stranger, respecting this matter: which separateth himself from me;
from the worship of God, and so from communion with him; turns his back on him, and becomes an apostate from him, by joining himself with idols: and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block
of his iniquity before his face;
these things are repeated, partly to observe the heinousness of the sin they were guilty of; and partly to show the stupidity of this people, which required things to be said over and over, before they could take them in, and be convinced of their evil: and cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me;
this explains what such persons would come to a prophet for, ( Ezekiel 14:4 ) ; and exposes their hypocrisy: I the Lord will answer him by myself;
not by the prophet to whom he comes, but by himself: or, "in my word", as the Targum; yet not by words, but by blows; not in mercy, but in wrath; and in such manner, that it shall appear to come from the Lord, and to be according to truth and justice.

Ezekiel 14:7 In-Context

5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the nation of Israel. They have deserted me because of their disgusting idols.'

6 "So tell the nation of Israel, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says: Change the way you think and act! Turn away from your idols, and don't return to any of your disgusting things.

7 Suppose an Israelite or a foreigner who lives in Israel deserts me by devoting himself to idols and by allowing himself to fall into sin. If he goes to a prophet to ask for my help, I, the LORD, will give him an answer.

8 I will reject him, and I will make an example of him. I will exclude him from my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

9 "'If a prophet is tricked into giving a prophecy, it is I, the LORD, who tricked the prophet. I will use my power against you and destroy you from among my people Israel.