Ezekiel 6:12

12 He that is far, shall die by pestilence. Forsooth he that is nigh, shall fall by sword. And he that is left and besieged, shall die by hunger. And I shall [ful]fill mine indignation in them. (He who is far off, shall die by pestilence. And he who is near, shall fall by the sword. And he who is left and besieged, shall die by famine. And so I shall fulfill my indignation upon them.)

Ezekiel 6:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 6:12

He that is far off shall die of the pestilence
That flies from the enemy into the wilderness, or into other countries, thinking himself safe there, the plague shall seize him, and he shall die of that; there is no fleeing from God, and escaping his hand; when he resolves to punish for sin, he has various ways to execute his wrath: and he that is near shall fall by the sword;
that is out of the city, and near it, attempting to get away; but within the reach of the enemy, shall be slain by him: and he that remaineth, and is besieged, shall die by the famine;
that abides in the city, and does not attempt to go out; but continues in the siege, hoping the enemy will be obliged to depart, shall perish by the grievous famine. The Targum is,

``he that remains, and goes into the cities of siege, shall die with famine:''
thus will I accomplish my fury upon them;
which before had been gradually, by little and little, falling upon them, in order to bring them to repentance; but being incorrigible, wrath is brought upon them to the uttermost; and God fulfils the whole counsel of his will in their destruction.

Ezekiel 6:12 In-Context

10 And they shall know, that I the Lord spake not in vain, that I should do this evil to them. (And they shall know, that I the Lord spoke not in vain, that I would do this evil to them.)
11 The Lord God saith these things, Smite thine hand, and hurtle thy foot, and say, Alas! to all abominations of the evils of the house of Israel; for they shall fall down by sword, hunger, and pestilence. (The Lord God saith these things, Strike thy hand, and hurtle thy foot, and say, Alas! for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel; for they shall fall down by the sword, and famine, and pestilence.)
12 He that is far, shall die by pestilence. Forsooth he that is nigh, shall fall by sword. And he that is left and besieged, shall die by hunger. And I shall [ful]fill mine indignation in them. (He who is far off, shall die by pestilence. And he who is near, shall fall by the sword. And he who is left and besieged, shall die by famine. And so I shall fulfill my indignation upon them.)
13 And ye shall know, that I am the Lord, when your slain men shall be in the midst of your idols, in the compass of your altars, in each high little hill, and in all the highnesses of mountains, and under each tree full of wood, and under each oak full of boughs, that is, a place where they burnt incense sweet smelling to all their idols (And ye shall know, that I am the Lord, when your slain shall be in the midst of your idols, all around your altars, on each high little hill, and on all the highnesses of the mountains, and under every thick tree, and under every oak with many branches, that is, the place where they burned sweet smelling incense to all their idols.)
14 And I shall stretch forth mine hand on them, and I shall make their land desolate and destitute, from (the) desert (unto) Diblath, in all the dwellings of them; and they shall know, that I am the Lord. (And I shall stretch forth my hand upon them, and I shall make their land a desolate wasteland, from the desert unto Riblah, in all their dwelling places; and they shall know, that I am the Lord.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.