Ezekiel 14 9

Ezekiel 14:9 kjv

And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

Ezekiel 14:9 nkjv

"And if the prophet is induced to speak anything, I the LORD have induced that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.

Ezekiel 14:9 niv

"?'And if the prophet is enticed 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.

Ezekiel 14:9 esv

And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

Ezekiel 14:9 nlt

"'And if a prophet is deceived into giving a message, it is because I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet. I will lift my fist against such prophets and cut them off from the community of Israel.

Ezekiel 14 verses

Ezekiel 14 9 Meaning

Ezekiel 14:9 describes God's direct role in the deception of a false prophet who claims to speak for Him. If a prophet, seeking divine guidance for people whose hearts are set on idols, is enticed or led astray to utter a false word, God Himself takes responsibility for this deception. This divine act is not a deception in the sense of lying, but rather an orchestration or permission that reveals the prophet's unrighteousness and the people's idolatrous hearts. Following this, the Lord declares a severe judgment: He will punish that prophet directly and utterly remove them from the community of Israel.

Ezekiel 14 9 Context

Ezekiel 14 opens with elders of Israel coming to inquire of the LORD. However, God immediately reveals that these elders have "taken their idols into their hearts" (Ezek 14:3) and are consulting Him with impure motives, implying their worship is hypocritical and insincere. God declares He will answer them according to their idolatry, not according to His true nature. He warns against both the idolatrous inquirer (vv. 7-8) and, in this verse (v. 9), the prophet who gives a false message under these circumstances. This entire passage emphasizes God's holiness, His intolerance for idolatry and insincere worship, and His direct intervention in judgment. Historically, the setting is during the Babylonian exile, a time when many sought answers from prophets, making the discernment of true and false prophecy critically important. This verse specifically addresses a situation where the false prophet becomes an instrument in God's judicial process against the sin of both the prophet and the people who seek their false words.

Ezekiel 14 9 Word analysis

• And if the prophet (וְהַנָּבִיא, wəhan·nā·ḇîʾ): The Hebrew nāḇîʾ denotes one called by God to speak His message. Here, the emphasis is on a presumed legitimate messenger who turns astray, rather than an obvious charlatan. This is critical for the theological understanding that follows.

• is deceived (יְפֻתֶּה, yəfuttəh): From the Hebrew verb פָּתָה (patah), meaning to be persuaded, enticed, or deceived. The Hophal stem here means "to be made to deceive" or "to be persuaded into error," indicating a passive role, yet with underlying culpability for opening oneself to such an enticement. It suggests vulnerability to spiritual manipulation, which is eventually orchestrated by God.

• and speaks a word (וְדִבֶּר דָּבָר, wəḏibber ḏāḇār): The phrase implies the utterance of a prophecy or divine message, specifically one presented as from God. In this context, the spoken "word" will be a false one, leading people astray or giving them false comfort.

• I the LORD have deceived that prophet (אֲנִי יְהוָה פִּתֵּיתִי אֵת הַנָּבִיא הַהוּא, ʾănî Yahweh pittêṯî ʾēṯ han·nā·ḇîʾ hahū):

  • I the LORD (ʾănî Yahweh): Emphasizes the supreme, sovereign, covenantal God. His declaration of action is weighty and undeniable.
  • have deceived (pittêṯî): This is the Piel stem of patah, meaning to actively entice, persuade, or cause to be deceived. This verb shift from passive (v. 9a) to active (v. 9b) is crucial: God directly causes the deception to serve His judicial purpose. This is not God tempting to sin, but rather an act of allowing and using existing evil in the prophet's heart or mind, perhaps by sending a lying spirit or allowing circumstances to encourage their falsehood, leading to their exposure and judgment. It clarifies that such a significant spiritual event is under divine control.

• and I will stretch out my hand against him (וְנָטִיתִי אֶת יָדִי עָלָיו, wənāṭîṭî ʾeṯ yāḏî ʿālāyw): A strong biblical idiom denoting divine action for judgment or punishment. It signifies a decisive, active intervention of God's power.

• and destroy him (וְהִשְׁמַדְתִּיו, wəhišmaḏtîw): From the Hifil stem of שָׁמַד (shamadh), meaning to utterly annihilate, exterminate, or remove. This emphasizes the finality and severity of God's judgment upon the false prophet.

• from the midst of my people Israel (מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, mittôḵ ʿammî Yiśrāʾēl): This signifies not only physical removal (potentially death or exile) but also an excommunication—a separation from the covenant community, implying loss of all spiritual privileges and identity associated with being one of God's people.

• "And if the prophet is deceived... I the LORD have deceived that prophet": This paradox highlights God's absolute sovereignty. It's not a mere "allowing" but an active orchestration that reveals latent wickedness. The prophet, perhaps driven by self-interest or desire to please, makes himself open to deceit, and God, in judgment, allows that deception to solidify and lead to the prophet's downfall, thereby exposing him.

• "I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him": This phrase group signifies divine, irresistible judgment. God's intervention is not gentle correction but a definitive, devastating act to remove a harmful influence and uphold His justice.

• "from the midst of my people Israel": This emphasizes the communal and spiritual consequence. False prophets corrupt the community and lead the people astray from God. Their removal protects the integrity and spiritual health of the true covenant community.

Ezekiel 14 9 Bonus section

The theological concept of God "deceiving" in this verse and others (e.g., 1 Kgs 22:23; 2 Thess 2:11) does not imply moral compromise on God's part. Instead, it is understood as a form of divine judicial act or active permission. God, being holy and righteous, cannot truly be the source of evil or falsehood in the sense of initiating it. However, in judgment, He might withdraw His restraining grace, allow existing sin and corruption to fully manifest, or orchestrate circumstances that lead to the downfall and exposure of those who have willingly set their hearts against Him. The "deception" here is ultimately a tool for justice, revealing hearts and securing accountability. It confirms that the prophet's own integrity was already flawed, making him susceptible to delivering a false word, which God then uses to seal their fate and teach His people a stern lesson. This further underscores God's control over both light and darkness, good and evil outcomes, for the purpose of His righteous administration of justice and ultimate glory.

Ezekiel 14 9 Commentary

Ezekiel 14:9 reveals a profound theological truth about divine sovereignty and judicial process. When people, particularly spiritual leaders like prophets, are already disposed to falsehood or cater to idolatrous desires, God, in His sovereign judgment, may "deceive" them. This deception is not akin to God lying or enticing innocent people to sin (Jas 1:13). Rather, it's a judicial act where God permits or even actively facilitates a path of delusion that reveals and confirms the prophet's already compromised heart and the people's idolatry (as seen in the earlier verses of the chapter). It ensures that judgment aligns perfectly with the underlying spiritual corruption. The patah verb transition—from the prophet being passively deceived to God actively deceiving him—underscores that ultimately, even deceptive spiritual manifestations are under God's control. The severe consequences—God's "outstretched hand" and "destruction from the midst of Israel"—highlight the seriousness of tampering with divine truth and leading God's people astray. It serves as a stern warning that spiritual leaders have an immense responsibility, and any deviation or willingness to compromise God's word, especially to please people, invites God's swift and definitive judgment. It also reminds the people of Israel that they cannot escape accountability by claiming their prophets misled them; they are complicit in seeking false messages due to their own idolatry.