Ezekiel 7:16-22

16 1And if any survivors escape, they will be on the mountains, like 2doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, each one over his iniquity.
17 3All hands are feeble, and all knees turn to water.
18 4They put on sackcloth, and 5horror covers them. Shame is on all faces, and 6baldness on all their heads.
19 They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an unclean thing. 7Their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. 8For it was 9the stumbling block of their iniquity.
20 10His beautiful ornament they used for pride, and 11they made their abominable images and their detestable things of it. Therefore 12I make it an unclean thing to them.
21 And I will give it into the hands of 13foreigners for prey, 14and to the wicked of the earth for spoil, and 15they shall profane it.
22 I will turn my face from them, and 16they shall profane my treasured[a] place. Robbers shall enter 17and profane it.

Ezekiel 7:16-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 7

This chapter contains a prophecy of the speedy destruction of the Jews, as being just at hand; of the particular judgments that should come upon them; of the horror that should seize them, and the distress that all ranks of men among them should be in, a few only escaping, who are described as in mournful circumstances. The destruction in general is denounced as being very near; the end being come, which is often repeated; and as it is represented as sudden, so without mercy; which is declared, Eze 7:1-14; the particular judgments, sword, pestilence, and famine, are mentioned in Eze 7:15, and the few that should escape are compared to mourning doves, Eze 7:16; the trembling, horror, and shame that should be upon all, are intimated in Eze 7:17,18; the unprofitableness of their gold and silver to deliver them, and the unsatisfying nature of these things, are expressed, Eze 7:19; the profanation and destruction of their temple are prophesied of, Eze 7:20-22; and for their murder, rapine, and oppression, it is threatened that their houses should be possessed by the worst of Heathens, and their holy places defiled; and one calamity should come upon another; when their application to prophets, priests, and ancient men for counsel, would be in, vain, Eze 7:23-26; and king, prince, and people, should be in the most melancholy and distressed circumstances, Eze 7:27.

Cross References 17

  • 1. Ezekiel 6:8
  • 2. [Isaiah 38:14]
  • 3. Ezekiel 21:7; Isaiah 13:7; Jeremiah 6:24
  • 4. Isaiah 15:2, 3; Lamentations 2:10
  • 5. Psalms 55:5
  • 6. See Isaiah 3:24
  • 7. Proverbs 11:4; Zephaniah 1:18
  • 8. [1 Timothy 6:10]
  • 9. Ezekiel 14:3, 4, 7; Ezekiel 44:12
  • 10. [Isaiah 64:11]
  • 11. [Ezekiel 16:17]; See Ezekiel 8:5-16
  • 12. [Ezekiel 9:7; Ezekiel 24:21; Ezekiel 25:3]
  • 13. See Ezekiel 28:7
  • 14. [ver. 24; Ezekiel 23:46]
  • 15. [See ver. 20 above]
  • 16. [See ver. 20 above]
  • 17. [See ver. 20 above]

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.