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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The most striking thing here is that God declares, "I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet." This doesn't mean God causes sin, but that He sovereignly allows or even directs false prophets to speak their deceptive words as a judgment for people who want to be deceived, ultimately purifying His people by revealing what's false.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Ezekiel is addressing elders from Israel who have come to inquire of the Lord, yet their hearts are clearly set on idolatry. God declares that He will not be sought by such people and that He will personally respond to them, not with His word of comfort, but with judgment. This sets the stage for God's pronouncement on false prophets who would give these idolaters the comforting messages they desire, warning that both the prophet and the inquirer will face severe destruction.
How can a loving God 'deceive' a prophet? This verse sounds harsh, but it reveals a profound truth about God's justice and sovereignty.
Ezekiel 14:9 declares that if a prophet is deceived and speaks falsely, the LORD says, "I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet." This doesn't mean God is the author of sin, but rather that He sovereignly allows or even directs deception as a judgment.
A Judgment of Abandonment
When people, including prophets, turn their hearts away from God and chase after their own desires or seek comforting lies, God doesn't always intervene to stop them. Instead, He may 'give them up' to the very delusions they crave. This is a judicial act, a consequence of their rejection of His truth.
Proving Sincerity
This divine allowance of deception serves as a test. It separates those who are genuinely seeking God from those who are merely looking for validation for their sinful paths. Like a surgeon's scalpel, it exposes what's truly in the heart.
What does it mean for a prophet to be 'deceived'? It's not just a passive mistake but an active participation in falsehood with severe outcomes.
The prophet in Ezekiel 14:9 isn't just a victim of God's judgment; he is a participant in his own downfall. The deception he experiences is a direct consequence of his own choices.
Agreeing with Sinful Desires
Ask a follow-up
This prophet, often a false prophet seeking favor or reward, falls into deception when he crafts a message that aligns with the idolatrous hearts of those consulting him. Instead of speaking God's truth, he speaks a 'word' that caters to their delusions and hopes, thereby becoming complicit in their sin.
Utter Destruction
The consequence is devastating: "I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel." This isn't mere excommunication; it's annihilation. It signifies a complete removal, a stark warning that corrupting God's message and leading His people astray carries the most severe penalties.
Understand the original words
patah · Hebrew Verb
The act of God sovereignly allowing or judicialy hardening someone in their deception as a consequence of their refusal to seek the truth. It demonstrates God's control over all things, including the judgment of those who suppress the truth.
This verse addresses the crisis of deceptive prophets during the Babylonian exile. Many in Jerusalem, clinging to false hope, sought out prophets who would tell them what they wanted to hear—that disaster would not come. Ezekiel, ministering to those already in exile, confronts this spiritual delusion, revealing that God, in judgment, would allow these deceptive prophets to lead people astray, ultimately bringing destruction upon both the prophets and those who followed them.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports Jewish nobles, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile, a period of intense spiritual testing for the people of Judah.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Jerusalem falls, and King Jehoiachin and thousands more Jews are exiled to Babylon. Ezekiel himself is among this group, ministering to the exiles.
c. 589-582 BC— this verse
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Jerusalem is besieged and ultimately destroyed by the Babylonians. This catastrophic event is a fulfillment of prophetic warnings about disobedience.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of the Temple
The First Temple in Jerusalem, a symbol of God's presence, is destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. This event deeply impacts the identity and faith of the exiles.
This passage describes a similar scenario where a 'lying spirit' is sent by the LORD to deceive Ahab's prophets, illustrating God's sovereignty in judgment even through deceptive means.
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12Paul references a similar theme, explaining that God sends 'strong delusion' to those who refuse to love the truth, which directly parallels the idea of God allowing prophets to be deceived as a consequence of their sin.
Jeremiah 23:13-14Jeremiah condemns prophets who prophesy falsely by the power of Baal and engage in adultery and lies, showing the severe judgment that awaits prophets who lead God's people astray with deceptive messages.
Deuteronomy 13:3This passage warns against prophets or dreamers who try to lead people to follow other gods, stating that the LORD tests the people's loyalty by such prophets, mirroring the test and judgment seen in Ezekiel.
cambridgeEzekiel 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. Ezekiel 12:25 seq . The meaning appears to be: if the prophet,…
barnesEzekiel 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."
I the Lord hare deceived that prophet - A deep truth lies beneath these words, namely, that evil as well as good is under God's 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 t…
The most striking thing here is that God declares, "I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet." This doesn't mean God causes sin, but that He sovereignly allows or even directs false prophets to speak their deceptive words as a judgment for people who want to be deceived, ultimately purifying His people by revealing what's false.
The prophet Ezekiel is addressing elders from Israel who have come to inquire of the Lord, yet their hearts are clearly set on idolatry. God declares that He will not be sought by such people and that He will personally respond to them, not with His word of comfort, but with judgment. This sets the stage for God's pronouncement on false prophets who would give these idolaters the comforting messages they desire, warning that both the prophet and the inquirer will face severe destruction.
The prophet Ezekiel is addressing elders from Israel who have come to inquire of the Lord, yet their hearts are clearly set on idolatry. God declares that He will not be sought by such people and that He will personally respond to them, not with His word of comfort, but with judgment. This sets the stage for God's pronouncement on false prophets who would give these idolaters the comforting messages they desire, warning that both the prophet and the inquirer will face severe destruction.
"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." — The most striking thing here is that God declares, "I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet." This doesn't mean God causes sin, but that He sovereignly allows or even directs false prophets to spea…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026