Ezekiel 7:13-23

13 For he that selleth, shall not turn again to that that he sold, and yet the life of them is in livers (For he who selleth, shall not return to what he sold, and yet their life is in the living); for why the vision, either revelation, to all the multitude thereof shall not go again, and a man shall not be strengthened in the wickedness of his life.

14 Sing ye with a trump, all men be made ready, and none is that shall go to battle (but no one shall go out to battle); for why my wrath is on all the people thereof.

15 Sword is without, pestilence and hunger within; he that is in the field, shall die by sword; and they that be in the city, shall be devoured by pestilence and hunger. (The sword is outside, pestilence and famine within; he who is in the field, shall die by sword; and they who be in the city, shall be devoured by pestilence and famine.)

16 And they shall be saved that flee of them; and they shall be as (the) culvers of great valleys in [the] hills, all-quaking, each man in his wickedness. (But those of them who flee shall be saved; and they shall be on the great hills, like the doves of the valleys, all-shaking, or trembling, each person in their wickedness.)

17 All hands shall be benumbed, and all knees shall flow with waters. (Every hand shall be numb, or be limp, and every knee shall tremble and sweat.)

18 And they shall gird them with hair-shirts, and inward dread shall cover them; and shame shall be in each face, and baldness shall be in all the heads of them. (And they shall gird themselves with hair-shirts, and inward fear shall cause them to tremble; and shame shall be on every face, and baldness shall be on all their heads.)

19 The silver of them shall be cast out, and the gold of them shall be into a dunghill; the silver of them and the gold of them shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the strong vengeance of the Lord. They shall not [ful]fill their soul(s), and the wombs of them shall not be filled; for it is made the cause of stumbling (out) of their wickedness.

20 And they setted the ornament of their brooches into pride; and they made of it the images of their abominations and simulacra. For this thing I gave it to them, into uncleanness.

21 And I shall give it into the hands of aliens, to ravish, and to the unpious men of (the) earth, into prey, and they shall defoul it. (And I shall give it into the hands of strangers, or of foreigners, to rob, and to the unpious of the earth, for prey, and they shall defile it.)

22 And I shall turn away my face from them, and they shall defoul my private (place); and knaves shall enter into it, and shall defoul it.

23 Make thou a closing together; for the land is full of doom of bloods (for the land is full of the judgement of bloodshed), and the city is full of wickedness.

Ezekiel 7:13-23 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.