For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
The stranger - the proselyte, tolerated in Israel only on condition of worshipping no God but Yahweh (Leviticus 17:8-9).
Cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me - i:e., concerning my will. Henderson translates х low (H3807a)], 'for himself,' 'to inquire for his own satisfaction:' not "to inquire of him," as in the English version.
I the Lord will answer him by myself - not by word, but by deed, i:e., by judgments, marking my hand and direct agency, instead of answering him through the prophet he consults. Fairbairn translates, as it is the same Hebrew х biy (H871a)] as in the previous clause, "concerning me," it is natural that God should use the same expression in His reply as was used in the consultation of Him. But the sense, I think, is much the same. The hypocrite inquires of the prophet concerning God; and God, instead of replying through the prophet, replies for Himself concerning Himself.