That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
Parallel translations
- WEB that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.”’
- BSB so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’
- NKJV that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols.” ’
- NASB in order to take hold of the hearts of the house of Israel who have turned away from Me due to all their idols.” ’
- NLT I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God acts so as to lay hold of Israel's heart, since they have all become estranged from Him through their idols.
Overview
God's confronting response aims to recapture the hearts that idolatry has alienated from Him. His purpose in exposure is ultimately restorative—to reclaim a people who have drifted away. It reveals a God who pursues estranged hearts rather than abandoning them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Isa 1:4Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
- Zech 11:8Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.
- Hos 10:2Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.
- Jer 2:31–32O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?
- Rom 1:30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
- 2 Th 2:9–11Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
- Gal 6:7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
- Col 1:21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
- Jer 2:5Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
- Rom 1:28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
- Heb 3:12Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
- Rom 1:21–23Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
- Jer 2:11–13Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
- Zech 7:11–14But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
- Deut 32:15–16But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
- Ezek 14:9–10And 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.
- Rom 8:7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
- Eph 4:18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 14:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.