Ezekiel 11:3 kjv
Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.
Ezekiel 11:3 nkjv
who say, 'The time is not near to build houses; this city is the caldron, and we are the meat.'
Ezekiel 11:3 niv
They say, 'Haven't our houses been recently rebuilt? This city is a pot, and we are the meat in it.'
Ezekiel 11:3 esv
who say, 'The time is not near to build houses. This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.'
Ezekiel 11:3 nlt
They say to the people, 'Is it not a good time to build houses? This city is like an iron pot. We are safe inside it like meat in a pot. '
Ezekiel 11 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 11:3 | "Son of man, these men have their hearts set on their own abominations; therefore say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD…" | The verse itself. |
| Jeremiah 7:32 | "and they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I commanded them not, nor did it come into my mind." | Illustrates abominations practiced. |
| Jeremiah 19:6 | "Indeed days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place will no longer be called Topheth, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter." | Judgment for specific sins. |
| Jeremiah 21:13 | "See, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, O rock of the plain, declares the LORD, you who say, ‘Who will come down against us? Or who will enter our dwellings?’" | God's judgment against Jerusalem. |
| Jeremiah 21:14 | "but I will punish you according to the fruit of your deeds, declares the LORD; I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is around her.”" | Fire as a metaphor for judgment. |
| Isaiah 30:33 | "For Topheth has been prepared of old; yes, for the king it is made ready, he has made it deep and large; its pyre is fire with abundant kindling; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of sulfur, sets it ablaze." | Similar imagery of judgment. |
| Nahum 1:6 | "Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure in the heat of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken in pieces by Him." | God's wrath likened to fire. |
| Psalm 92:7 | "When the wicked sprout like grass and all the evildoers blossom, it is that they may be destroyed forever." | Prosperity of wicked is temporary. |
| Psalm 73:3 | "For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." | Exiles' perspective. |
| Proverbs 1:31 | "so they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be utterlymatisfied with their own devices." | Consequences of actions. |
| Matthew 7:2 | "For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." | Reciprocity in judgment. |
| Luke 12:48 | "But that servant who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or did not do his will, shall be beaten with many blows." | Judgment based on knowledge. |
| Romans 1:32 | "Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give their approval to those who practice them." | Active participation in sin. |
| Revelation 18:7 | "As much as she glorified herself and lived sensuously, so much torment and mourning give her, because she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and I shall not see mourning.’" | Pride leading to downfall. |
| Ezekiel 11:4 | "Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: your cities shall not be the place for you, nor this valley the place of refuge…" | God's definitive statement. |
| Ezekiel 11:5 | "Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: your cities shall not be the place for you, nor this valley the place of refuge…" | God's definitive statement. |
| Ezekiel 11:7 | "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: your dead bodies shall be in the midst of it, your legs by my side." | Divine pronouncement of judgment. |
| Ezekiel 11:13 | "And as I prophesied, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then I fell on my face, and cried out with a loud voice, and said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?”" | Fulfillment of prophecy. |
| Ezekiel 33:27 | "Say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, surely those who are in the desolate places shall fall by the sword, and whoever is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence." | God's judgment upon the land. |
| 2 Samuel 23:3 | "The God of Israel spoke; to me the Rock of Israel said, ‘Whoever rules justly over men will rule fearfully in the fear of God." | Righteous leadership. |
Ezekiel 11 verses
Ezekiel 11 3 Meaning
The verse declares that Jerusalem has become a "pot" of boiling indignation and that the exiles are like "dregs" within it. This imagery conveys God's judgment upon the city and its inhabitants. The fire of God's wrath is being kindled against Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 11 3 Context
Ezekiel chapter 11 opens with the prophet receiving a vision in Jerusalem, within the temple complex. He witnesses twenty-five men proposing wicked schemes against the city. The chapter then shifts to a pronouncement of judgment against these leaders and against Jerusalem itself. The exiles in Babylon are watching and reacting to these events, feeling a sense of superiority.
Historically, this occurred during the final siege and fall of Jerusalem (circa 587 BC). The people of Judah, despite experiencing earlier judgments, continued in their sin, particularly the idolatrous practices and corrupt leadership symbolized by the "twenty-five men." Ezekiel's prophecy serves to clarify God's perspective and to pronounce a severe judgment upon those who remained in the doomed city. The contrast is drawn between those who remain in Jerusalem and the exiles who have been carried away.
Ezekiel 11 3 Word Analysis
- "Son of man": (Hebrew: ben adam, בֶּן־אָדָם) - A standard appellation for the prophet Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and God's direct commission to him. It consistently grounds the divine messages in human experience.
- "these men": (Hebrew: 'elleh ha'anashim, אֵלֶּה הָאֲנָשִׁים) - Refers to the twenty-five men who were seen plotting wickedness in the temple court earlier in the chapter. They represent the corrupt leadership.
- "have set their hearts": (Hebrew: shalem libbam, שָׂלְמוּ לִבָּם) - Literally "made perfect their heart" or "set their heart completely." It signifies their complete devotion and firm resolve towards their sinful plans. This points to an ingrained sinfulness.
- "own abominations": (Hebrew: tow'ebotham, תּוֹעֲבוֹתֵיהֶם) - Refers to the detestable things, particularly idolatrous practices and corrupt behaviors that God finds repulsive. This term is frequently used for pagan worship and the defilement of God's covenant.
- "therefore say to them": (Hebrew: leken 'emor lahem, לָכֵן אֱמֹר לָהֶם) - A phrase introducing God's direct pronouncement of judgment. It emphasizes the consequence of their actions.
- "Thus says the Lord GOD": (Hebrew: koh 'amar Adonai Yehovah, כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים) - The standard formula for prophetic utterance, marking the divine authority behind the words.
Words/Phrases Group Analysis
- "These men have set their hearts on their own abominations": This phrase encapsulates the core reason for the impending judgment. Their inner resolve (shalem libbam) is aligned with their sinful practices (tow'ebotham). It signifies not just an occasional lapse, but a deeply ingrained commitment to that which God abhors. It's a state of wilful opposition to divine will, actively choosing sin.
Ezekiel 11 3 Bonus Section
The imagery of the pot and dregs in Ezekiel is a powerful metaphor for God's justice. The "pot" represents Jerusalem, a place meant to contain and sustain, but now filled with God's judgment. The "dregs" or "residue" are those left behind who are of no value and are subjected to the final, destructive cleansing of God's wrath. This continues a prophetic tradition where impurity and opposition to God are purged. The exiles, while suffering, are preserved. This verse implicitly separates the faithful remnant (those in exile) from the unrepentant in the land, preparing the ground for future hope for Israel, even amidst utter devastation for the majority.
Ezekiel 11 3 Commentary
The Lord God, through Ezekiel, unequivocally condemns the men in Jerusalem who persist in their detestable ways, symbolized by their "abominations." This persistence isn't merely an oversight but a determined allegiance to sin, so complete that their hearts are "set." This starkly contrasts with the hearts that are set on God and His ways. The prophecy establishes that this inner disposition has direct external consequences. Jerusalem itself becomes a symbol of judgment, likened to a pot ready to boil over with God's wrath. Those who have remained in the city, especially those clinging to their corrupt practices, are considered the dregs, destined for the fire. This highlights a fundamental truth: inward corruption inevitably leads to outward destruction, especially when individuals or cities resolutely reject God's holiness. The divine declaration signifies the finality of judgment for those who refuse repentance.