Ezekiel 6:12

12 He who is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he who is near shall fall by the sword; and he who remains and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my wrath on 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 They shall know that I am the LORD: I have not said in vain that I would do this evil to them.

11 Thus says the Lord GOD: Smite with your hand, and stamp with your foot, and say, Alas! because of all the evil abominations of the house of Yisra'el; for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

12 He who is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he who is near shall fall by the sword; and he who remains and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my wrath on them.

13 You shall know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the places where they offered sweet savor to all their idols.

14 I will stretch out my hand on them, and make the land desolate and waste, from the wilderness toward Diblah, throughout all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.