Ezekiel 44:12

Because they ministered unto them before their idols,.... Had officiated for them in the priest's office, their idols being in the courts of the Lord at the same time; or preached unto them false doctrines, such as are not agreeable to the word of God; and led them into superstition and will worship, and confirmed them therein:

and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; or, "were for a stumbling block of iniquity" h; unto them the means of their stumbling and falling; by their ministrations, teaching them unsound doctrine; and by their practices and example, leading them into a way of false worship, and dissoluteness of life and conversation; who ought to have been examples to them in word and conversation, in faith and purity:

therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord; to smite and afflict them, and chastise them for the same; or, "upon them", or "concerning them" i; and so it may be expressive of an oath, of which lifting up the hand is a sign; wherefore, that what the Lord had said of them might be believed and expected, he swears to it:

and they shall bear their iniquity; which is repeated for the confirmation and certainty of it; see Ezekiel 44:10, what is meant by it follows.

h למכשול עון "in offendiculum iniquitatis", Pagninus, Montanus; "offendiculo ad iniquitatem", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "offendiculo pravitatis", Starckius. i עליהם "super eos", Pagninus, Montanus; "super ipsos", Starckius; "super ipsis", Cocceius.