Say unto them Declare my will clearly and faithfully; Every man of the house of Israel Whoever he be, rich or poor, mighty or mean; that setteth up his idols in his heart That is attached in his heart to any species of idolatry; and cometh to the prophet As if he were desirous to know what is best to be done, that he might do it; or what is the will of God, that he might comply with it: and what will be the issue of these times and affairs; I the Lord will answer him that cometh And that in a way but little to his satisfaction; according to the multitude of his idols According to his real iniquity, not according to his pretended piety: I will declare the greatness of his sin by the greatness of his punishment; he has multiplied his idols, and I will multiply his sorrows. That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart That I may lay open what is in their hearts, and discover their hypocrisy and impiety; or, that I may reprove and convince them, from their own words and behaviour, what a base part they act, and that their inward and secret wickedness is perfectly known to me. Because they are estranged from me through their idols It is always through some idol or other that the hearts of men are estranged from God. Some creature has gained that place in the heart which belongs to none but God.

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