Ezekiel 7

The first part of the Book of Ezekiel (chapters 4–24) brings together prophecies of judgment against Jerusalem and Judah. Chapter 7 follows Ezekiel 6, which rebukes the idolatry practiced on the mountains of Israel, and concludes this section by proclaiming "the end": judgment has come upon the entire land.

Outline

• Verses 1–4 The LORD tells the "son of man" that an end has come upon the four corners of the land of Israel. He declares that He will recompense the people according to their abominations.
• Verses 5–9 The words "evil," "an end is come," and "it is come" are repeated. The LORD declares that He will neither spare nor have pity, but will judge the people according to their ways.
• Verses 10–13 "The rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded," and violence "is risen up into a rod of wickedness." Because wrath falls upon the whole multitude, buying and selling lose all meaning.
• Verses 14–18 The trumpet is blown, but no one goes to battle. "The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within," and those who escape mourn "like doves of the valleys." The people gird themselves with sackcloth and are covered with shame.
• Verses 19–22 The people cast their silver and gold into the streets. Because they made idols from their beautiful ornaments, these become plunder for strangers, and the LORD's "secret place" is defiled.
• Verses 23–27 The command is given: "Make a chain." Because of bloodshed and violence, the worst of the heathen take possession of the people's houses and holy places. Vision fails the prophet, the law perishes from the priest, and counsel from the elders; king, prince, and people alike tremble in fear.

Key Verses

• Ezekiel 7:2 "An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land" – the first proclamation of "the end," the keyword that governs the entire chapter.
• Ezekiel 7:19 "Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them" – frequently cited as a classic verse on the uselessness of wealth in the day of judgment.
• Ezekiel 7:27 "They shall know that I am the LORD" – a recurring expression in Ezekiel, showing that the purpose of judgment is that the LORD be known.

People and Places

• Ezekiel: A prophet from a priestly family who ministered among the exiles in Babylon. In this chapter he is addressed as "son of man."
• The LORD: The speaker of the word that declares judgment.
• The land of Israel: The object of judgment. In context it is read as referring to Jerusalem and Judah.
• The sanctuary: The "secret place" and "holy places" of verses 22 and 24 are commonly interpreted as the Temple in Jerusalem.

Points for Reflection

• In Ezekiel, "son of man" is understood to mean a human being, that is, a term addressing the prophet as a frail mortal. Its usage is distinct from the title Jesus used of Himself in the Gospels.
• Many interpreters read this prophecy in connection with the fall of Jerusalem (c. 586 BC, though some date it to 587 BC) that led to the Babylonian exile. Preaching and devotional traditions, however, also apply it as a text that looks ahead to the Day of the LORD and the final judgment.
• The proclamation that "the end is come" resembles Amos 8:2, and the statement that silver and gold cannot deliver is similar to Zephaniah 1:18.
• Verse 26 depicts the simultaneous collapse of the community's leadership: prophets, priests, and elders.