Yechezkel 6:12

12 He that is far off shall die by dever; and he that is near shall fall by cherev; and he that surviveth and is besieged shall die by ra’av (famine); thus will I accomplish My chemah (fury) upon them.

Yechezkel 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.

Yechezkel 6:12 In-Context

10 And they shall know that I am Hashem, and that I have not served warning el-chinnom (in vain) that I would bring hara’ah hazot upon them.

11 Thus saith Adonoi Hashem; strike with thine hand, and stamp with thy regel, and say, Alas for kol to’avot ra’ot Bais Yisroel! For they shall fall by cherev (sword), by ra’av (famine), and by dever (plague).

12 He that is far off shall die by dever; and he that is near shall fall by cherev; and he that surviveth and is besieged shall die by ra’av (famine); thus will I accomplish My chemah (fury) upon them.

13 Then shall ye know that I am Hashem, when their slain shall be among their gillulim all around their mizbechot, upon every givah ramah (high hill), in all the tops of the harim, and under every spreading tree, and under every leafy elah (oak tree), the makom (place) where they did offer rei’ach nicho’ach to all their gillulim.

14 So will I stretch out My yad upon them, and make HaAretz desolate, yes, more desolate than the midbar toward Divlah, in all their moshevot (dwellings); then they shall know that I am Hashem.