Ezekiel 7:16

16 The fugitives who escape will flee to the mountains. Like doves of the valleys, they will all moan, each for their own sins.

Ezekiel 7:16 in Other Translations

16 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.

16 And if any survivors escape, they will be on the mountains, like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, each one over his iniquity.

16 The survivors who escape to the mountains will moan like doves, weeping for their sins.

16 Survivors run for the hills. They moan like doves in the valleys, Each one moaning for his own sins.

16 The survivors among them will escape and live on the mountains like doves of the valley, all of them moaning, each over his own iniquity.

Ezekiel 7:16 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 7:16

But they that escape of them shall escape
Some few should escape the pestilence, famine, and sword, and flee to the mountains, where they should live a very miserable and uncomfortable life; so that this is no contradiction to the wrath of God being upon the whole multitude, ( Ezekiel 7:12 Ezekiel 7:14 ) ; as it follows: and shall be on the mountains;
whither they shall flee, when the city is broken up and taken; and so the Syriac version reads it, in connection with the preceding words, "and they that escape of them shall escape to the mountains"; barren and desert places, where they shall find no subsistence, nor have any agreeable company and conversation, but live in solitude and distress: like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, everyone for his
iniquity:
like doves that live in valleys, or gather together there, and hide themselves in the holes of the rocks, on the sides of the valleys, from birds of prey; or are so called, to distinguish them from wild doves, which, when they have lost their mates, make a very mournful noise, though not loud and clamorous. So those Jews that escaped, being in such an uncomfortable condition, turned out of house and home, and deprived of their substance, should lament their fate; not in loud cries, lest they should be heard by the enemy and taken, but in secret sighs, and in a mournful tone; acknowledging to God, and to one another, their sins; they now became sensible of, which brought these calamities upon them. So God's people, the remnant according to the election of grace, who "escape" the general ruin sin has brought on mankind, are for the most part "upon the mountains", in an afflicted and persecuted state; they are like "doves" for their harmlessness, amiableness, cleanness, modesty chastity, sociableness, and timorous disposition; and like doves "of the valleys", in a low estate, through corruption, temptation, desertion, affliction, and persecution; and "mourn" over their own "iniquity", the sin of their nature, their unbelief and various transgressions being committed against a God of love, contrary to his grace, grieving to his Spirit, and dishonourable to his Gospel; and being what break their bereave them of comfort, and deprive them of communion with God.

Ezekiel 7:16 In-Context

14 “ ‘They have blown the trumpet, they have made all things ready, but no one will go into battle, for my wrath is on the whole crowd.

15 Outside is the sword; inside are plague and famine. Those in the country will die by the sword; those in the city will be devoured by famine and plague.

16 The fugitives who escape will flee to the mountains. Like doves of the valleys, they will all moan, each for their own sins.

17 Every hand will go limp; every leg will be wet with urine.

18 They will put on sackcloth and be clothed with terror. Every face will be covered with shame, and every head will be shaved.

Cross References

• 1. S Isaiah 10:20; S Jeremiah 41:16; Jeremiah 42:17
• 2. S Genesis 8:8; S Isaiah 59:11
• 3. S Ezra 9:15; Jeremiah 9:19; S Ezekiel 6:8