Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 14:9
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.
9 11. Fate of the prophet who gives an answer to idolatrous inquirers: he and they shall perish together
9. be deceived when he hath spoken ] Rather, be deceived (or, enticed) and speak a word, i.e. a prophetic word, ch. Eze 12:25 seq. The meaning appears to be: if the prophet, entering into the “heart” of the idolaters, the circle and direction of their thoughts, and the general spirit which animates them, gives them a prophetic oracle which coincides with the line of their thoughts, and thus helps to foster their delusions, that prophet himself has been seduced or enticed; and it is the Lord who has enticed him. The passage has a resemblance to 1Ki 22:20. There a lying spirit came forth from the Lord and entered into the prophets of Ahab and deceived them, so that they entered into the designs of the wicked king and gave an answer favourable to him. Here it is the Lord himself who entices the prophet. In both cases this enticement or deception was in punishment for previous sin. Ezekiel does not appear to reflect upon the point whether the prophet before being deceived was true or false. The “prophet” became false when deceived, when he entered into the spirit and purposes of the idolaters, and spoke a word to them in the line of their sinful conduct and hopes. And this word merely hardened them in their mind and was a step towards taking them in their own heart ( Eze 14:5).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I the Lord hare deceived that prophet – A deep truth lies beneath these words, namely, that evil as well as good is under Gods direction. He turns it as He will, employing it to test the sincerity of men, and thus making it ultimately contribute to the purification of His people, to the confirmation of the righteous, to the increase of their glory and felicity. The case of the false prophets who deceived Ahab 1 Kings 22 is a striking representation of this principle. The Lord sends forth an evil spirit to persuade Ahab to his ruin. Toward the close of the kingdom of Judah false prophets were especially rife. The thoughts of mens hearts were revealed, the good separated from the bad, and the remnant of the people purged from the sins by which of late years the whole nation had been defiled.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. I the Lord have deceived that prophet] That is, he ran before he was sent; he willingly became the servant of Satan’s illusions; and I suffered this to take place, because he and his followers refused to consult and serve me. I have often had occasion to remark that it is common in the Hebrew language to state a thing as done by the Lord which he only suffers or permits to be done; for so absolute and universal is the government of God, that the smallest occurrence cannot take place without his will or permission.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The prophet, viz. the prophet who makes this his trade and gain, the false prophet, who speaks all serene and quiet, in hope of reward for his kind answer to those that desired to hear what might please them more than what God commanded, promised, or threatened.
Have deceived; permitted him to err, or. iustly left him in his blindness, that he shall not discern his own self-deceivings; or else when such prophet promiseth good, and thinks concurrence of all second causes tend to it, yet I will disappoint and frustrate, as Isa 44:25, if the confederacies to save were in likelihood sufficient, and it were no presumption to hope the best; and if your prophets on this ground promised you success, yet they shall deceive you, for I would defeat and disappoint them and you; so the sense would not carry a moral and culpable deceiving, but a just defeating and disappointing, or disabling, second causes, on which disappointment of hopes will follow. If Egypts arms had so weakened the Babylonians, that none but wounded men remained, yet the promise of your escape should fail you, O Israelites, for, Jer 37:10, these should rise up and burn your city.
Stretch out my hand upon him; remarkably punish his falsehood, and in severity destroy him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. I the Lord have deceived thatprophetnot directly, but through Satan and his ministers; notmerely permissively, but by overruling their evil to serve thepurposes of His righteous judgment, to be a touchstone toseparate the precious from the vile, and to “prove” Hispeople (Deu 13:3; 1Ki 22:23;Jer 4:10; 2Th 2:11;2Th 2:12). Evil comes not fromGod, though God overrules it to serve His will (Job 12:16;Jas 1:3). This declaration of Godis intended to answer their objection, “Jeremiah and Ezekiel arebut two opposed to the many prophets who announce ‘peace’ to us.””Nay, deceive not yourselves, those prophets of yours aredeluding you, and I permit them to do so as a righteous judgment onyour wilful blindness.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing,…. That is pleasing to men, and is not true, in hope of reward and applause, but it never comes to pass, and his expectations are not answered:
I the Lord have deceived that prophet; by sending a lying spirit to him, as to Ahab’s prophets, 1Ki 22:22; by giving him up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, and publish it, 2Th 2:11; and to his own heart’s lusts; being willing, for the sake of gain, to prophesy smooth things, though false to the people, promising them peace when there was none; and then by frustrating his predictions, and disappointing him of his ends and views. R. Saadiah interprets this, as Kimchi observes, of God revealing and making it manifest that he was deceived; but more is meant by it than this, or even a bare permission; for though God is not the author of sin, yet he wills it to be done for wise ends and purposes, and sometimes in a way of judgment, as a punishment for sin; and which was the case here; both with respect to the prophet that deceived, who as the fruit of his sin, his covetousness, was given up in just judgment to a reprobate mind; and the people that were deceived, who, rejecting the true prophets of the Lord, were willing to have smooth things prophesied to them:
and I will stretch out my hand upon them; his avenging hand; the stroke of his power, as the Targum; a heavy one, and that for giving heed to a lying spirit; for uttering falsehood, and that with a wicked design, to gain the applause of the people, or for filthy lucre’s sake:
and I will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel; by some sore judgment or sudden death, and so be made a public example of.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Here God meets that foolish thought in which many minds are rapt up. When they had their own impostors at hand, they thought that all God’s threats could be repelled as it were by a shield. Jeremiah and Ezekiel threaten us, say they, but we have others to cheer us with good hope: they promise that all things shall be joyful and prosperous to us: since, therefore, only two or three deprive us of the hope of safety, and others, and those, too, far more numerous, promise us security, we have no need to despair. Since they thus oppose their impostors to the true prophets, and imagine a kind of conflict, in which imposture prevails and God’s truth is vanquished, he says there is no reason why the flatteries of the false prophets should deceive you. For if you say that they bear also the prophetic name and office, I reply, that they err through your fault; for I deceive them because your impiety deserves it. This may as yet be obscure, but I will endeavor to explain it by a familiar example. At this time we see that many through sloth withdraw themselves from all fear, and promise themselves freedom from punishment, while they reject all care for God. O, say they, what have I to do with religion? for this only occasions me trouble; whoever wishes to give himself up seriously to God amidst, these dissension’s and divisions will enter a labyrinth. Since, therefore, many think themselves free from fault, even if they reject God, this doctrine may be turned against them. There are, indeed, at this day dissension’s in religion which disturb many; but do you think that this happens rashly: Oh! we know not which party to follow: inquire; for God has not so given the rein to Satan and his ministers, that the Church is disturbed, and men are mutually opposed by chance. But when this happens by the just judgment of God, it is certain that no one can be deceived unless of his own accord. For the Prophet takes that principle from Moses, whenever false prophets come forth, that this is a proof of faithfulness and of sincere piety. Thy God tries thee, says Moses, whether you love him. (Deu 8:3.) Since, therefore, no false prophet arises without the just judgment of God, and since God wishes to distinguish between sincere worshipers and hypocrites, it follows that no one can be excused on this pretext, of differing opinions which arise by wise ordination. For since God wishes to make an experiment, as I have said, concerning his servants and sons, and since false prophets so mingle all things, and involve the clear daylight in darkness, no one who truly and heartily seeks God shall be entangled among their snares.
But Ezekiel will proceed still further, as I have previously hinted, namely, that all impostures and errors do not spring up rashly, but proceed from the ingratitude of the people itself. For if they had not so willingly given themselves up to the false prophets, God would doubtless have spared them. But, since false prophets abounded on every side, and were so plentiful everywhere, hence it may be understood that, the people were worthy of such impostures. Now then we perceive the meaning of the Holy Spirit when God pronounces that he is the author of all the error which the false prophets were thus scattering abroad. For it is not sufficient to observe merely the sound of the words, and then to illicit the substance of the prophetic teaching; but we must attend to the Spirit’s purpose. I have already explained why the Prophet says this, namely, that the Israelites should cease to turn their backs according to their custom, saying, that if they remained in doubt amidst various opinions, this ought not to be imputed to them as a crime. For he answers, that the false prophets only took this license, because the people deserved to be blinded: and in fine, he says that Satan’s lies multiplied not at random or at the will of men, but because God repays a graceless and perfidious people with a just recompense. So Paul says that error has a divine efficacy, when men prefer embracing a lie to the truth (2Th 2:11), and do not submit themselves to God, but rather shake off his yoke. Now, therefore, whoever wishes to excuse himself under the pretext of simplicity for not acquiescing in God’s word, this answer is at hand — that all things are thus mingled by God’s just decree. Since, therefore, Satan eclipses the light whenever clouds are scattered to disturb the weak, we here find God to be the author of it, since man’s impiety deserves it. For the Prophet does not here discourse profanely about God’s absolute power, as they say; but when he brings forward God’s name, he takes it for granted that God is not delighted with such disturbance, when false prophets seize upon his name. It is certain, then, that God does not delight in such deception; but the cause must be thought, as we shall soon see: the cause is not always manifest; but without controversy this is fixed, that God punishes men justly, when true religion is so rent asunder by divisions, and truth is obscured by falsehood.
We must hold, then, that God does not rage like a tyrant, but exercises just judgment. Besides, this passage teaches us that neither impostures nor deceptions arise without God’s permission. This seems at first sight absurd, for God seems to contend with himself when he gives license to Satan to pervert sound doctrine: and if this happens by God’s authority, it seems perfectly contradictory to itself. But let us always remember this, that God’s judgments are not without reason called a profound abyss (Psa 36:6), that when we see rebellious men acting as they do in these times, we should not wish to comprehend what far surpasses even the sense of angels. Soberly, therefore, and reverently must we judge of God’s works, and especially of his secret counsels. But with the aid of reverence and modesty, it will be easy to reconcile these two things — that God begets, and cherishes, and defends his Church, and confirms the teaching of his prophets, all the while that he permits it to be torn and distracted by intestine broils. Why so? He acts thus that he may punish the wickedness of men as often as he pleases when he sees them abuse his goodness and indulgence. When God lights up the flame of his doctrine, this is the sign of his inestimable pity; when he suffers the Church to be disturbed, and men to be in some degree dissipated, this is to be imputed to the wickedness of men. Whatever be the explanation, he pronounces that he deceived the false prophets, because Satan could not utter a single word unless he were permitted, and not only so, but even ordered; while God exercises his wrath against the wicked.
In another sense Jeremiah says that he was deceived (Jer 20:7). I am deceived, but you Jehovah have deceived me: for there he speaks ironically. For when ungodly men boasted that so many of his prophecies were delusive, and derided him as a foolish and misguided man, he says, If I am deceived, you, O Lord, have deceived me. We see, then, that by false irony he reproves the petulance of those who despised his prophecies; and finally, he shows that God was the author of his teaching. But in this place God pronounces without a figure that he deceived the false prophets. If any one now objects, that nothing is more remote from God’s nature than to deceive, the answer is at hand. Although the metaphor is rather rough, yet we know that God transfers to himself by a figure of speech what properly does not belong to him. He is said to laugh at the impious; but we know that it is not agreeable to his nature to ridicule, to laugh, to see, and to sleep. (Psa 2:4; Psa 37:13.) And so in this place, I confess, there is an improper form of speaking; but the sense is not doubtful — that all impostures are scattered abroad by God — since Satan, as I have said, can never utter the slightest word unless commanded by God. But the kind of deceit which will solve this difficulty for us is described in the sacred history. For when Ahab had a great crowd of false prophets, Micah alone stood firm, and faithfully discharged his duty to God: when brought before king Ahab, he immediately blows away their boastings — Behold! all my prophets predict victory: he answers — I saw God sitting on his throne; and when all the armies of heaven were collected before him, God inquired, Who shall deceive Ahab? And a spirit offered himself, namely, a devil, and said, I will deceive him, because I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. God answers, Depart, and thus it shall be. (1Kg 22:0; 2Ch 18:0.) Afterwards it follows, Therefore the Lord put a lie in the mouth of all those prophets. Here he distinctly shows us the manner in which God maddens the false prophets, and deceives them, namely, since he sends forth Satan to fill them with his lies. Since, then, they are impelled by Satan, the father of lies, what can they do but lie and deceive? The whole of this, then, depends on the just judgments of God, as this place teaches. God, therefore, does not deceive, so to speak, without an agency, but uses Satan and impostors as organs of his vengeance. If any one flies to that subtle distinction between ordering and permitting, he is easily refuted by the context. For that cannot be called mere permission when God willingly seeks for some one to deceive Ahab, and then he himself orders Satan to go forth and do so. But the last clause which I have quoted takes away all doubt, since God put a lie in the mouth of the prophets, that is, suggested a lie to all the false prophets. If God suggests, we shall see that Satan flies forth not only by his permission to scatter his impostures; but since God wished to use his aid, so he afforded it on this condition and to this end. But we shall leave the rest for the next lecture.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) And if the prophet be deceived.The exact sense of the original is, If a prophet be persuaded and speak a word, I the LORD have persuaded that prophet. The thought is thus in close connection with what precedes; in Eze. 14:3-4; Eze. 14:7, the Lord has refused to allow an answer through the prophet to the hypocritical enquirer; but if the prophet, by giving the desired answer, allows himself to become a partaker of the sin which God abhors, then God will treat him according to that general method of dealing with sin which is here described. He persuades the prophet in the same sense in which He hardened Pharaohs heart, by making such persuasion the natural consequence of the immutable moral laws which He has ordained. Men are held back from sin only by Gods own Holy Spirit drawing them towards Himself. When they set this aside by transgressing Gods commands, the inevitable tendencythe tendency under the moral laws God has establishedis to further sin. Hence the prophet who allowed himself to be persuaded, contrary to Gods command, to answer the hypocritical enquirer at all, would inevitably be persuaded further to answer him according to his desires. God does not force men either to receive the truth or to act righteously. If, notwithstanding His remonstrances, their hearts are set upon wrong, He will even give them up and send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie (2Th. 2:11). We are too often told in Scripture of this method of the Divine dealing to leave any room for us to misunderstand the principle. The result is a terrible one, but it is quite in keeping with all we can observe of the Divine work in nature. The man that refuses the medicine, must sink under the disease. The principle is clearly exemplified in the case of Ahab (1Ki. 22:19-23), where the Lord is represented as sending a lying spirit into the mouths of the prophets, that they might counsel the king to the wrong course he was already determined to take. God is declared to do this because it was the result under His moral laws of the wicked and domineering spirit of the king who had driven away the true prophets and gathered around himself those who were willing to pervert their office and prophesy falsely to gratify his wishes. Of course this is not to suppose that God can ever be the author of sin and deceit; but He has ordained that sin shall punish itself, and when the heart rejects Him, He withdraws His Spirit from it and gives it up to its own delusions. Thus when Sauls heart became alienated from God, and the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, the evil spirit, which came instead, is said to be from the LORD (1Sa. 16:14). This kind of judgment is necessarily more common in times of great and general declension from the right. Hence false prophets were especially abundant towards the close of the kingdom of Judah, and form a marked characteristic in the New Testament prophecies of the last days. No more terrible judgment can be imagined than that of thus giving up the sinner to the consequences of his own sin.
Will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.This is not the word which is so often used in the penalties of the law, will cut him off from my people. The latter refers only to excommunication, to exclusion from the privileges of the chosen people; but this means that the untrue prophet shall literally be destroyed, like Balaam (Num. 31:8), among the enemies of God with whom he had cast in his lot.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. When he hath spoken a thing Literally, and speaketh a thing.
I the Lord have deceived that prophet The prophecy was false and did not come from God (Eze 13:4; Eze 13:6); but the prophet who willfully follows a lie will soon lose the power to know the truth. This is God’s punishment for sin: that a man’s own “ways” and “abominations” fall upon him (Eze 7:3; Eze 9:10; Eze 11:21), and is the rod by which he is chastised (Eze 7:11; Eze 7:20; note Eze 14:5). These liars (Eze 13:7-8) at first hope that the prophecy which comes from their own hearts may be true (Eze 13:6); at last by the action of this well-known mental law they are made to believe the lies they tell. It is one of God’s laws that rebellion against the truth blinds a man’s eyes so that he cannot see the truth (Eze 12:1). He who speaks seeing “nothing” (xiii, 3) shall presently see a false vision and be himself deceived; but this will not do away with his guilt. No teaching of Scripture was more emphasized by Jesus than this (Mat 13:14; Joh 12:40; see also Act 28:26; Rom 11:8; 2Co 3:14). They who call evil good and good evil in order to deceive others will in the end be themselves deceived. The Hebrews, who took no interest in “second causes” and knew nothing of psychological laws, naturally and properly referred to God directly that which is now seen to be the inevitable result of willful falsehood according to the eternal laws of mind established by the Creator from the beginning.
The above explanation is given because of the ordinary supposition that the “deception” spoken of refers to the substance of the prophecy; but the connection indicates very clearly that it has reference particularly to the outcome of such prophesying. The Lord has blinded the prophet’s eyes not to his own wickedness, nor even necessarily to the sequence of historical events, but to the results which shall come to him personally through these falsehoods. He expects praise and reward, and does not see his own destruction which shall surely come because of it.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I Yahweh have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand on him, and will destroy him from among my people Israel. And they will bear their iniquity. The iniquity of the prophet will be on the same level as the iniquity of the one who seeks to him.”
For those who persisted in idolatry God would even provide false prophets, prophets who were deceived. In a sense people receive the teachers that they deserve. If they do not want God’s pure word, then God will allow them teachers who go astray from the word. And both the teachers and they will be destroyed together. Judgment will come on them and they will be rooted out from among God’s people. And from it God’s people will learn their lesson.
‘I Yahweh have deceived that prophet.’ This could be said because God was seen as the ‘first cause’ of everything. We would say ‘He allowed it’. The prophet would be deceived because his mind was closed to God and he was a man-pleaser not a God-pleaser (Isa 8:20). That was not God’s doing. The people would have false prophets because they did not want to listen to true prophets. They would choose them for themselves. But God would allow it because they had first chosen their own way and closed their minds to the truth. If they hardened their hearts, God would allow more things that would further harden their hearts. The judgment of God on those who pursued idolatry would be in allowing them to continue in it until it destroyed them (compare Lev 20:3-6; Deu 28:36; Hos 4:17; and see Paul’s vivid description of the process for all nations in Rom 1:18-32). Thus in the end what happened was in the permissive will of God (compare Isa 45:7; Amo 3:6).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 14:9. If the prophet be deceived The reader will observe, that Ezekiel, or God by Ezekiel, is here speaking of false prophets or anti-prophets, as described in the foregoing chapter; such as had set themselves up in opposition to the true prophets of God. They were prophets that prophesied out of their own hearts: ch. Eze 13:2; Eze 13:17. They were foolish prophets that followed their own spirit, and saw nothing of truth: Eze 14:3. They were such as had seen vanity and lying divination, pretended to be God’s prophets, when the Lord had not sent them: Eze 14:6-7. They seduced the people, saying, Peace, when there was no peace: Eze 14:10; Eze 14:16. Of one of the prophets of this wicked stamp Ezekiel is here speaking, as may easily be perceived by what is said in this same verse, that God will stretch out his hand upon the prophet, and will destroy him: (see for remarkable instances, Jer 28:15-17; Jer 29:21; Jer 22:3 l, 32.): and in the next verse it is added; that the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him; which words carry a plain intimation, that the prophet here spoken of is understood to have been as bad as the idolaters who are here supposed to consult him, and to have been as much a false prophet, as they were false worshippers; alike in temper and principles, and therefore also to be punished alike, for encouraging idol-worship under false pretences to inspiration. Having seen then what kind of a prophet the text speaks of, it will now be the easier to explain the rest. God declares that he will deceive,will disappoint or infatuate such a prophet first, and next destroy him: he will give him up first to strong delusions, and then to destruction. The text may not improperly be rendered thus, If the prophet be infatuated when he speaketh a thing, I the Lord will infatuate that prophet still more. So the sense of the passage may amount nearly to the same with that of St. Paul, 1Co 1:20. (or however the verb here may bear the like signification as there); God hath made foolish the wisdom of the world; or to that which Isaiah says, ch. Eze 44:25 that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, or lying prophets, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise-men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish. But it is observable, that Isaiah subjoins in the verse immediately following; that confirmeth the word of his servant (Isaiah the true prophet) and performeth the counsel of his messengers. Compare 1Sa 3:19-20 whence it may be perceived how God illuminates the understandings and ratifies the predictions of his own true prophets, while he infatuates the counsels and disappoints the lying confidence of evil men and seducers. See Waterland’s Scripture Vindicated, part 3: p. 100.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
There is somewhat most awful in what the Lord here saith of deceiving the Prophet. The sense seems to be this. When men heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and turn away from the truth, and are turned unto fables, the Lord gives them up to strong delusions to believe a lie. Awful judgment! 2Ti 4:3-4 ; Job 12:16 . But I beg the Reader, when he hath paid due attention to this part of the subject, not to overlook, but earnestly keep in view, the Lord’s design in all this, and the over-ruling power of God to make good spring out of evil, for Israel’s sake his glory. That the house of Israel go not anymore astray, but remember their covenant relations to God; that they may be my people, and I their God, with the Lord God: Oh! how blessed, how infinitely blessed and gracious this is!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 14:9 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.
Ver. 9. I the Lord have deceived that prophet. ] I had not only a permissive, but an active hand in that imposture; not as a sin, but as a punishment of other sins. See 1Ki 22:20 Job 12:16 Jer 4:10 2Th 2:11 .
And I will stretch out mine hand upon him,
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 14:9-11
9But if the prophet is prevailed upon to speak a word, it is I, the LORD, who have prevailed upon that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. 10They will bear the punishment of their iniquity; as the iniquity of the inquirer is, so the iniquity of the prophet will be, 11in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Thus they will be My people, and I shall be their God,’ declares the Lord GOD.
Eze 14:9 YHWH reveals Himself to true prophets, but hides His word from false prophets. He uses them for His own purposes (i.e., 1Ki 22:22-23). These false prophets were prophesying peace and security (cf. Jer 14:15), but they were lying! The refusal of Judah to repent caused YHWH’s judgment to come!
YHWH uses even evil for His purposes and plans! One way the ancient Hebrew Scriptures demonstrated monotheism was by attributing all causality to God (i.e., Deu 32:39; Job 5:18; Job 12:13-25; Isa 30:26; Isa 45:7; Hos 6:1; Amo 3:6).
Eze 14:11 The purpose of judgment is restoration (cf. Eze 14:22-23)! However, for this to occur, some other things must happen first.
1. Israel may no longer stray (BDB 1073, KB 1766, Qal IMPERFECT, cf. Eze 44:10; Eze 44:15; Eze 48:11)
2. Israel no longer defile themselves (BDB 379, KB 375, Hiphil IMPERFECT, cf. Eze 37:23)
If these criteria are not met, then they will not be His covenant people (cf. Eze 11:20; Eze 34:30; Eze 36:28; Eze 37:27; Exo 6:7; Lev 11:45; Lev 22:33; Lev 25:38; Lev 26:12; Lev 26:44-45).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
have deceived. Hebrew idioms = have permitted him to be deceived: i.e. as a judicial punishment for his own deception of the People.
I will stretch out, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 6:20, &c.)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
if the: Eze 20:25, 2Sa 12:11, 2Sa 12:12, 1Ki 22:20-23, Job 12:16, Psa 81:11, Psa 81:12, Isa 63:16, Isa 66:4, Jer 4:10, 2Th 2:9-12
I the: That is, I have suffered him to be deceived; I have given him up to “strong delusions to believe a lie,” as a just judgment upon him for going after idols, and setting up false pretensions to inspiration. God, according to the genius of the Hebrew language, is often said to do a thing, which he only suffers, or permits.
and I will: Eze 16:27, Isa 5:25, Isa 9:12, Isa 9:17, Isa 9:21, Isa 10:4
Reciprocal: Lev 23:30 – General 2Sa 16:11 – the Lord 2Sa 24:1 – moved 1Ki 22:23 – the Lord 2Ch 18:19 – Who shall entice 2Ch 18:22 – the lord hath Isa 29:10 – hath closed Jer 6:15 – therefore Jer 15:6 – stretch Jer 27:10 – they Jer 38:23 – shalt cause Eze 13:2 – prophesy against Eze 13:9 – mine Eze 14:5 – I may Eze 25:7 – I will stretch Hos 9:7 – the multitude Zec 13:2 – cause Mat 15:14 – And if Joh 12:40 – hath 2Th 2:11 – God 2Ti 3:13 – being Rev 8:8 – the third Rev 13:14 – deceiveth Rev 16:14 – the spirits
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 14:9. I the Lord have deceived that prophet applies to a case where a man has so persisted in his false teaching that God would suffer him to believe Ills own falsehood. The result of such a course would be his own undoing. Paul reveals a similar attitude of God toward the followers of the man of sin in 2Th 2:11.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 14:9-12. And if the prophet be deceived Or, seduced. This is to be understood of the false prophets, whose practices are reproved throughout the whole foregoing chapter. I the Lord have deceived that prophet I Jehovah have suffered him to be deceived; I have given him up to strong delusions, as a just judgment upon him for going after idols, and setting up false pretences to inspiration, 2Th 2:11-12. Or the words may signify, I will disappoint the expectations of those prophets who seduce my people, by speaking peace to them. For I will bring upon them those evils which they, with great assurance, have declared shall never come to pass. Thus Bishop Newcome, When any false prophet is deceived, the probable event proving contrary to his prophecy, I Jehovah have so superintended the course of things as to deceive that prophet.
And I will, &c. Or, Yea, I will stretch out my hand upon him Remarkably punish his falsehood, and in severity destroy him. And they Both the deceiver and the deceived; shall bear the punishment of their iniquity There is so great a parity in the folly and impiety of both the seducing prophets and the seduced people, that it is hard to say, whose sin is greatest. The punishment of the prophet shall be, &c. Their punishments shall be as similar as they made their sins: both shall be cut off and destroyed. That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me The judgments I will inflict upon the false prophets, and those that consult them, shall be an instruction to my people to continue steady to me and my worship, and not hanker after the idolatrous practices of the neighbouring nations.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:9 And if the prophet be {f} 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.
(f) The prophet declares that God for man’s ingratitude raises up false prophets to seduce them that delight in lies rather than in the truth of God, and thus he punishes sin with sin, 1Ki 22:20; 1Ki 22:22 and destroys those prophets as well as the people.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
If the idolater prevailed on the false prophet to speak, it was Yahweh in His sovereignty who allowed that prophet to speak (cf. Deu 13:1-5; 1Ki 22:23). [Note: See Robert B. Chisholm Jr., "Does God Deceive?" Bibliotheca Sacra 155:617 (January-March 1998):23-25.]
"Such a statement is only intelligible when we remember that ancient habits of thought [frequently] overlooked secondary causes, and attributed events directly to the action of God." [Note: Cooke, p. 151.]
The Lord would also judge the false prophet with death.