Ezekiel 20:3 kjv
Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.
Ezekiel 20:3 nkjv
"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Have you come to inquire of Me? As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I will not be inquired of by you." '
Ezekiel 20:3 niv
"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Have you come to inquire of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign LORD.'
Ezekiel 20:3 esv
"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD, Is it to inquire of me that you come? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.
Ezekiel 20:3 nlt
"Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, I will tell you nothing!'
Ezekiel 20 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 29:13 | The Lord says: "These people...honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me..." | Hypocritical worship rejected |
| Matt 15:8 | 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me...' | Jesus quoting Isaiah, against hypocrisy |
| Ezek 14:3 | "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts..." | Elders' internal idolatry revealed |
| Ezek 14:7 | "For anyone...who sets up his idols in his heart...and then comes to the prophet to inquire of me, I the LORD will answer him myself." | God will answer with judgment |
| Amos 5:21-24 | "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies...Let justice roll down like waters..." | Rituals without righteousness are rejected |
| Prov 28:9 | If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. | Disobedience renders prayer futile |
| Zech 7:4-7 | "When you fasted and mourned...was it for me that you fasted...?" | Insincere fasting is not for God |
| Jer 7:16 | "Do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, for I will not hear them." | God forbids intercession for stubborn people |
| Jer 14:11-12 | "Do not pray for the welfare of this people. Though they fast, I will not hear their cry..." | God's refusal to hear due to sin |
| 1 Sam 28:6 | When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him... | God's silence to a disobedient king |
| Prov 1:28 | Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. | God's non-response to persistent rejection |
| Hos 5:6 | With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the LORD, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. | God withdrawing from an unfaithful people |
| Micah 3:7 | The seers shall be put to shame...for there is no answer from God. | Judgment upon false prophets/God's silence |
| Isa 1:15 | When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you...your hands are full of blood. | God ignoring prayers due to sin |
| Deut 32:40 | For I lift up My hand to heaven and say, ‘As I live, I swear forever...’ | God's oath for judgment |
| Gen 22:16 | "By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD..." | God's oath, emphasizing certainty |
| Heb 6:13 | When God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself... | God's oath based on His own being |
| Ezek 20:30 | "Therefore say to the house of Israel: 'Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves...and then inquire of me?'" | Reiterating the impossibility of dual loyalty |
| Isa 65:24 | "Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear." | God's readiness to answer a repentant people |
| Jer 29:13 | You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. | Promise to those who seek genuinely |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him. | Condition for true seeking |
Ezekiel 20 verses
Ezekiel 20 3 Meaning
Ezekiel 20:3 conveys God's resolute refusal to be consulted by the elders of Israel. They approached Ezekiel seeking a word from the Lord, likely for an oracle of hope or confirmation of their own desires, but God, through a solemn oath, declared He would not allow Himself to be inquired of by them. This pronouncement unmasked their spiritual hypocrisy and insincere motives, highlighting a long-standing pattern of rebellion and idolatry that rendered their present inquiry detestable to a holy God.
Ezekiel 20 3 Context
Ezekiel 20:3 is situated early in a lengthy oracle addressed to the elders of Israel. These elders had come to Ezekiel, who was in exile in Babylon, seeking an oracle from God. This was a common practice for seeking divine guidance or revelation through a prophet. However, their inquiry was not born out of true repentance or a sincere desire to obey God.
The preceding chapter (Ezekiel 19) concludes a series of laments over the fall of the Davidic dynasty. Ezekiel 20 opens in the seventh year of Jehaichin's exile, on the tenth day of the fifth month, roughly 591 BC. This date marks the sixth time (and fifth specific dating) Ezekiel received a word from the Lord.
Historically, Judah had been in rebellion against God for generations, leading to their current state of exile. The elders, though living in Babylon and seemingly seeking God, represented a leadership that harbored "idols in their hearts" (Ezek 14:3), desiring favorable answers rather than confronting their deep-seated idolatry and disobedience. The entire chapter 20 then unfolds as a historical summary of Israel's chronic rebellion, from Egypt through the wilderness and into the promised land, repeatedly defying God's laws and turning to idols, culminating in the exilic generation's continued stubbornness. God's refusal to be inquired of, therefore, serves as the starting point for a comprehensive indictment of their historical and current spiritual state.
Ezekiel 20 3 Word analysis
- Son of man (Hebrew: ben-ʾāḏām): A consistent title used by God for Ezekiel throughout the book. It emphasizes Ezekiel's humanity and his humble origin, contrasting him with the divine speaker. It sets the prophet as a representative human figure to deliver God's message, especially in light of the fallen humanity of his audience.
- speak to the elders of Israel: "Speak" (דַּבֵּר, dabbēr) is an imperative command. The "elders of Israel" (ziqnê yiśrāʾēl) represent the religious and civic leadership among the exiles, bearing the responsibility for the community's spiritual well-being. They sought counsel, but their hearts were compromised.
- Thus says the Lord God: The standard, authoritative prophetic formula. "Thus says" (kōh ʾāmar) establishes that the following words are not Ezekiel's, but a direct divine utterance from Yahweh. "Lord God" (ʾăḏōnāy YHWH) combines the title for Master with the personal covenant name of God, emphasizing His sovereign authority and covenant relationship, even in judgment.
- Have you come to inquire of me? (הֲלִדְרֹשׁ אֹתִי אַתֶּם בָּאִים, halidrōš ʾōṯî ʾattem bāʾîm): This is a rhetorical question designed to expose their true, polluted intentions. "Inquire" (לִדְרֹשׁ, lidrōš) means to seek, search, consult, or diligently investigate, often in a spiritual sense or for divine guidance. The preposition li- denotes purpose: "for the purpose of inquiring." God recognizes the pretense of their spiritual consultation.
- As I live (חַי־אָנִי, ḥay-ʾānî): A most solemn divine oath. It literally means "I live," indicating that God's very existence, His being, is staked on the truthfulness of the statement that follows. It underscores the absolute certainty and irreversibility of the decree.
- declares the Lord God: Again, the reinforcing statement of divine authority (nəʾum ʾăḏōnāy YHWH), authenticating the oath.
- I will not be inquired of by you (לֹא אֶדָּרֵשׁ לָכֶם, lōʾ ʾedāreš lāḵem): "I will not be inquired of" (lōʾ ʾedāreš) is a clear, categorical, and negative declaration. The verb "to be inquired of" is in the Niphal (passive) stem, suggesting "I will not allow myself to be sought/consulted" by them. This is an emphatic rejection of their specific act of seeking. It’s not about God’s unavailability to repentant hearts, but His rejection of their hypocritical, insincere approach, rooted in their idolatrous hearts and unconfessed sin. It points to a judicial hardening of their access to divine counsel due to persistent rebellion.
Ezekiel 20 3 Bonus section
The profound implications of God declaring, "I will not be inquired of by you," extend beyond just refusing an answer; it signifies a withdrawal of divine guidance and favor for those who approach Him with defiled hearts. This is a severe form of judgment in the ancient Near East, as divine counsel was often sought for critical decisions. By saying "I will not allow myself to be sought by you," God underscores their total separation from Him. This particular rejection also forms a powerful theological counter-polemic against the common pagan practice of divining from idols or omens, where a response, even a false one, was almost always expected upon proper ritual. God's refusal highlights His sovereignty; He is not merely a force to be appeased or compelled into revelation but a personal, holy God who judges the heart's true intent. This event sets the stage for God's lengthy historical review in the rest of Ezekiel 20, demonstrating why He has reached this decisive conclusion, linking the current generation's hypocrisy directly to Israel's consistent history of rebellion.
Ezekiel 20 3 Commentary
Ezekiel 20:3 serves as a stern declaration of God's discerning justice. The elders of Israel, appearing devout by coming to the prophet to "inquire of the Lord," are met not with a customary oracle, but with a direct rebuke. God’s absolute "As I live...I will not be inquired of by you" signifies the impossibility of genuine divine communion where the human heart remains committed to sin and idolatry. It exposes the spiritual sickness within the elders—their external show of religiosity masked an internal landscape cluttered with "idols in their hearts" (Ezek 14:3), which God, being omniscient, saw clearly.
This refusal is not a sign of God's remoteness, but of His holiness and justice. He cannot be manipulated by superficial piety or partial obedience. His divine oath underscores the certainty of this pronouncement and the gravity of their spiritual state. For God to entertain their inquiries would be to compromise His character and condone their hypocrisy. Therefore, His silence is an active form of judgment, allowing the elders to face the consequences of their unrepentant hearts and illustrating that true inquiry of God requires a contrite spirit, genuine faith, and a sincere desire to obey.
- Example: A person might pray for success in an unethical business venture, yet God will not "answer" in the way they expect, because His character would never sanction such an endeavor.
- Example: Believers cannot pray for God to bless their unbiblical choices and expect divine approval; instead, true inquiry aligns with God’s will, seeking repentance and guidance towards righteousness.