And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. Ezekiel 39:23
“Hiding of face” is a Semitic idiom which means refusal to see the petitioner or the rejection of an appeal. In the East when a judge or a government official is unwilling to hear a certain complaint he refuses to see the persons who come to see him. He does not allow them to come before his presence.
The Jews had trespassed against their God and had broken his covenant and transgressed his commandments. When they prayed to God he hid his face from them; that is, he refused to hear them. He knew that their repentance was insincere. Therefore they were left without guidance and finally defeated by their enemies.
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