Ezekiel 14:13-23

13 “Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,
14 even if these three men—Noah, Daniel[a] and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign LORD.
15 “Or if I send wild beasts through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,
16 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.
17 “Or if I bring a sword against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,
18 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.
19 “Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath on it through bloodshed, killing its people and their animals,
20 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.
21 “For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments—sword and famine and wild beasts and plague—to kill its men and their animals!
22 Yet there will be some survivors—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it. They will come to you, and when you see their conduct and their actions, you will be consoled regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it.
23 You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign LORD.”

Ezekiel 14:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 14

In this chapter are contained the displeasure of God at hypocritical idolaters that sought unto him, and at the false prophets; the judgments that should come upon them, and which should not be averted by the intercession of the best of men; and yet a promise that a remnant should be saved. The elders of Israel are said to sit before the prophet, Eze 14:1; to whom the Lord gives an account of them, Eze 14:2,3; and orders the prophet what he should say to them, that the Lord would answer them himself, Eze 14:4,5; and that he should bid the house of Israel repent and turn from their idols, or else the Lord would set his face against them, and cut them off, both them and the false prophets they sought unto; and this is threatened in order to reform them, and continue them his covenant people, Eze 14:6-11; and then the judgment of famine is particularly threatened; to avert which, the prayers of the best of men would be of no effect, Eze 14:12-14; and next the judgment of noisome beasts, with the same intimation, Eze 14:15,16; likewise the sword, Eze 14:17,18; and also the pestilence, Eze 14:19,20; and much less when they should be all sent together, Eze 14:21; and the chapter is concluded with a promise that a remnant should be saved; which would be a comfort to the captives of Babylon, and accounts for what the Lord had done, or would do, in Jerusalem, Eze 14:22,23.

Cross References 26

  • 1. S Proverbs 13:21
  • 2. S Leviticus 26:26
  • 3. S Ezekiel 5:16; Ezekiel 6:14; Ezekiel 15:8
  • 4. Genesis 6:8
  • 5. ver 20; Ezekiel 28:3; Daniel 1:6; Daniel 6:13
  • 6. S Job 1:1
  • 7. S Genesis 6:9; S Job 42:9; Jeremiah 15:1; S Ezekiel 3:19; Ezekiel 18:20
  • 8. Ezekiel 5:17
  • 9. S Leviticus 26:22
  • 10. S Genesis 19:29; Ezekiel 18:20
  • 11. S Leviticus 26:25; S Jeremiah 25:27; S Jeremiah 42:16; Ezekiel 5:12; Ezekiel 21:3-4
  • 12. Ezekiel 25:13; Zephaniah 1:3
  • 13. S Ezekiel 7:8
  • 14. S Isaiah 34:3
  • 15. Jeremiah 14:12; Ezekiel 38:22
  • 16. S ver 14
  • 17. S Numbers 33:4
  • 18. Isaiah 31:8; Isaiah 34:6; Isaiah 66:16; Ezekiel 21:3,19
  • 19. S 2 Samuel 24:13
  • 20. S Jeremiah 14:12; Jeremiah 27:8
  • 21. S Jeremiah 15:3; S Ezekiel 5:17; Ezekiel 33:27; Amos 4:6-10; Revelation 6:8
  • 22. S Jeremiah 41:16
  • 23. S Ezekiel 12:16
  • 24. Ezekiel 20:43
  • 25. Ezekiel 31:16; Ezekiel 32:31
  • 26. S Jeremiah 22:8-9; Ezekiel 8:6-18; S Ezekiel 9:9

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "Danel" , a man of renown in ancient literature; also in verse 20
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