Ezekiel 22:4

4 You have become guilty of murder and have become unclean by your idols which you have made. So you have brought your time of punishment near; you have come to the end of your years. That is why I have made you a shame to the nations and why all lands laugh at you.

Ezekiel 22:4 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 22:4

Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed
Not only she contracted guilt by the innocent blood she shed, but she was tried and found guilty; her guilt was notorious, plain, and evident, as well as exceeding great, and much aggravated: and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made:
she not only made them, in doing which she sinned; but polluted herself with them, by worshipping them; her mind and conscience were defiled with them; and which brought such a stain and pollution, as could not be removed by anything that she could do: there are both pollution and guilt in sin, and neither can be removed but by the blood of Christ; and, unless removed that way, punishment must follow: and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy
years;
to full age, to ripeness for judgment; she had hastened by her sins her days of affliction and distress appointed for her, and was come to years of maturity to suffer for her sins; the years of her captivity, which would soon take place; years in which she would have no pleasure: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the Heathen, and a mocking
to all countries;
who, instead of praising them for their idolatry, would deride them for leaving the God of their fathers, which they did not; and insult over them in their affliction and distress, though they joined with them in idolatrous practices.

Ezekiel 22:4 In-Context

2 "And you, human, will you judge? Will you judge the city of murderers? Then tell her about all her hateful acts.
3 You are to say: 'This is what the Lord God says: You are a city that kills those who come to live there. You make yourself unclean by making idols.
4 You have become guilty of murder and have become unclean by your idols which you have made. So you have brought your time of punishment near; you have come to the end of your years. That is why I have made you a shame to the nations and why all lands laugh at you.
5 Those near and those far away laugh at you with your bad name, you city full of confusion.
6 "'Jerusalem, see how each ruler of Israel in you has been trying to kill people.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.