Ezekiel 5:17

17 I will send famine and dangerous animals against you. They will leave you childless, [Jerusalem]. Plague and bloodshed will sweep through you, and I will bring a sword against you. I, the Lord, have spoken."^[a]

Ezekiel 5:17 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 5:17

So will I send upon you famine, and evil beasts
Famine is repeated for the further confirmation of it; and "evil beasts" are added, by whom are meant, not the Chaldeans, comparable to such; but literally lions, wolves, hears which are threatened the Jews, in case of disobedience, ( Leviticus 26:22 ) ; and which sometimes were sent, ( 2 Kings 17:24 ) ; and they shall bereave thee;
that is, of her children, whom the evil beasts should destroy; they not being able to defend themselves against them, as men can: and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee, and I will bring the
sword upon thee;
the pestilence, famine, sword, which is meant by blood, and evil beasts, are the Lord's four sore judgments; see ( Ezekiel 14:21 ) . I the Lord have spoken [it]:
who was able to perform it, and did, both at the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and by Titus.

Ezekiel 5:17 In-Context

15 So you will be a disgrace and a taunt, a warning and a horror, to the nations around you when I execute judgments against you in anger, wrath, and furious rebukes. I, the Lord, have spoken.

16 When I shoot deadly arrows of famine at them, arrows for destruction that I will send to destroy you, [inhabitants of Jerusalem], I will intensify the famine against you and cut off your supply of bread.

17 I will send famine and dangerous animals against you. They will leave you childless, [Jerusalem]. Plague and bloodshed will sweep through you, and I will bring a sword against you. I, the Lord, have spoken."

Footnotes

• [a]. Lv 26:6; Dt 32:23-25