Ezekiel 7:10-27

10 The day of disaster is coming. Violence is flourishing. Pride is at its height.
11 Violence produces more wickedness. Nothing of theirs will remain, nothing of their wealth, their splendor, or their glory.
12 The time is coming. The day is near when buying and selling will have no more meaning, because God's punishment will fall on everyone alike.
13 No merchants will live long enough to get back what they have lost, because God's anger is on everyone. Those who are evil cannot survive.
14 The trumpet blows, and everyone gets ready. But no one goes off to war, for God's anger will fall on everyone alike.
15 There is fighting in the streets, and sickness and hunger in the houses. Anyone who is out in the country will die in the fighting, and anyone in the city will be a victim of sickness and hunger.
16 Some will escape to the mountains like doves frightened from the valleys. All of them will moan over their sins.
17 Everyone's hands will be weak, and their knees will shake.
18 They will put on sackcloth and they will tremble all over. Their heads will be shaved, and they will all be disgraced.
19 They will throw their gold and silver away in the streets like garbage, because neither silver nor gold can save them when the Lord pours out his fury. They cannot use it to satisfy their desires or fill their stomachs. Gold and silver led them into sin.
20 Once they were proud of their beautiful jewels, but they used them to make disgusting idols. That is why the Lord has made their wealth repulsive to them.
21 "I will let foreigners rob them," says the Lord, "and lawbreakers will take all their wealth and defile it.
22 I will not interfere when my treasured Temple is profaned, when robbers break into it and defile it.
23 "Everything is in confusion - the land is full of murders and the cities are full of violence.
24 I will bring the most evil nations here and let them have your homes. Your strongest men will lose their confidence when I let the nations profane the places where you worship.
25 Despair is coming. You will look for peace and never find it.
26 One disaster will follow another, and a steady stream of bad news will pour in. You will beg the prophets to reveal what they foresee. The priests will have nothing to teach the people, and the elders will have no advice to give.
27 The king will mourn, the prince will give up hope, and the people will shake with fear. I will punish you for all you have done, and will judge you in the same way as you have judged others. This will show you that I am the Lord."

Ezekiel 7:10-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 7

This chapter contains a prophecy of the speedy destruction of the Jews, as being just at hand; of the particular judgments that should come upon them; of the horror that should seize them, and the distress that all ranks of men among them should be in, a few only escaping, who are described as in mournful circumstances. The destruction in general is denounced as being very near; the end being come, which is often repeated; and as it is represented as sudden, so without mercy; which is declared, Eze 7:1-14; the particular judgments, sword, pestilence, and famine, are mentioned in Eze 7:15, and the few that should escape are compared to mourning doves, Eze 7:16; the trembling, horror, and shame that should be upon all, are intimated in Eze 7:17,18; the unprofitableness of their gold and silver to deliver them, and the unsatisfying nature of these things, are expressed, Eze 7:19; the profanation and destruction of their temple are prophesied of, Eze 7:20-22; and for their murder, rapine, and oppression, it is threatened that their houses should be possessed by the worst of Heathens, and their holy places defiled; and one calamity should come upon another; when their application to prophets, priests, and ancient men for counsel, would be in, vain, Eze 7:23-26; and king, prince, and people, should be in the most melancholy and distressed circumstances, Eze 7:27.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. [Probable text] Pride is at its height; [Hebrew unclear.]
  • [b]. [Verse 13 in Hebrew is unclear.]
  • [c]. [Verse 16 in Hebrew is unclear.]
  • [d]. [One ancient translation] Everything is in confusion; [Hebrew unclear.]
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.