Ezekiel 5:12-17

12 The third part of thee shall die by pestilence, and shall be wasted by hunger in the midst of thee; and the third part of thee shall fall down by sword in thy compass; forsooth I shall scatter thy third part into each wind, and I shall draw out a sword after them. (A third part of thee shall die by pestilence, and shall be wasted by famine in the midst of thee; and a third part of thee shall fall down by the sword all around thee; and I shall scatter a third part of thee into each wind, and then I shall draw out a sword to go after them.)
13 And I shall [ful]fill my strong vengeance, and I shall make mine indignation to rest in them, and I shall be comforted. And they shall know, that I the Lord spake in my fervent love, when I shall [ful]fill all mine indignation in them. (And I shall fulfill my strong vengeance, and I shall make my indignation to rest upon them, and then I shall be comforted, or shall be satisfied. And they shall know, that I the Lord spoke in my jealous anger, when I shall fulfill all my indignation upon them.)
14 And I shall give thee into desert, [and] into shame to heathen men that be in thy compass, in the sight of each that passeth forth. (And I shall make thee into desolation, and into shame to the heathen who be all around thee, and before each person who passeth by.)
15 And thou shalt be shame and blasphemy, ensample and wondering, among heathen men that be in thy compass, when I shall make dooms in thee, in strong vengeance, and indignation, and in blamings of ire. I the Lord have spoken, (And thou shalt be shame and blasphemy, and example and wondering, among the heathen who be all around thee, when I shall bring in judgements, or pass sentence, upon thee, in strong vengeance, and indignation, and in blamings of anger. I the Lord have spoken,)
16 when I shall send into them the worst arrows of hunger, that shall bear death; and which I shall send, that I lose you (when I shall send into you the worst arrows of famine, that shall carry death; and which I shall send, so that I destroy you). And I shall gather hunger [up]on you, and I shall all-break in you the firmness of bread.
17 And I shall send into you hunger, and worst beasts, till to the death; and pestilence and blood shall pass by thee, and I shall bring in [a] sword on thee; I the Lord spake. (And so I shall send into you famine, and evil, or wild, beasts, unto the death; and pestilence and blood, or slaughter, shall pass through thee, and I shall bring in a sword upon thee; I the Lord spoke.)

Ezekiel 5:12-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 5

This chapter is of the same argument with the former; and contains a type of Jerusalem's destruction; an explanation of that type; what were the reasons of God's judgments on that city; and the nature, rise, and end of them. The type is in Eze 5:1-4; the explanation of that type is in Eze 5:5; the reasons of the severe judgments threatened are changing the statutes of the Lord, and not walking in them, and defiling the sanctuary with their abominations, Eze 5:6-11; an account of the judgments of God, answerable to each of the parts in the type, Eze 5:12; the ends of these judgments are, with respect to God, the accomplishment of his anger, and the satisfaction of his justice; with respect to the Jews, bringing them to an acknowledgment that he had spoken in his zeal; and, with respect to the nations, their instruction and astonishment, Eze 5:13-15; and the chapter is concluded with an assurance that these judgments would be sent, Eze 5:16,17.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.