Ezekiel 22:14

14 "Can 1your heart endure, or can your hands be strong in the days that I will deal with you? 2I, the LORD, have spoken and will act.

Ezekiel 22:14 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 22:14

Can thine heart endure
Or "stand" F4: surely it must fall within thee; become like water, and melt as wax, be it ever so hard and adamantine: or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee?
surely they must become weak, and drop, and not be able to hold a weapon for defence: and, if this would be the case, when God should deal with the Jews for their sins, by sending the Chaldean army to besiege their city, and take it; how will it be with sinners at the day of judgment, and to all eternity, when the awful sentence shall be pronounced, "go ye cursed"; when the wrath of God shall be poured out upon them; when they shall be cast into hell, where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched? this will be intolerable by the most stout hearted sinner; no heart will be strong enough to stand up under it, or hands to keep it off: I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it;
he who is the mighty God, the eternal and unchangeable Jehovah; he has said it, that he will deal with impenitent sinners in a way of wrath, and he will be as good as his word; he will certainly accomplish it; it is in vain for men to flatter themselves to the contrary; or to put away the evil day far from them; it shall surely be. The Targum is,

``I have decreed by my word, and I will establish it.''

FOOTNOTES:

F4 (dmeyh) "num quid stabit cor tuum?" Paginus, Montanus; "consistet" Munster, Vatablus, Piscator; "perstabit", Junius and Tremellius, Polanus; "constabit", Coeccius, Starckius.

Ezekiel 22:14 In-Context

12 "In you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and profits, and you have injured your neighbors for gain by oppression, and you have forgotten Me," declares the Lord GOD.
13 "Behold, then, I smite My hand at your dishonest gain which you have acquired and at the bloodshed which is among you.
14 "Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong in the days that I will deal with you? I, the LORD , have spoken and will act.
15 "I will scatter you among the nations and I will disperse you through the lands, and I will consume your uncleanness from you.
16 "You will profane yourself in the sight of the nations, and you will know that I am the LORD .""'

Cross References 2

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