Ezekiel 11 5

Ezekiel 11:5 kjv

And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.

Ezekiel 11:5 nkjv

Then the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said to me, "Speak! 'Thus says the LORD: "Thus you have said, O house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.

Ezekiel 11:5 niv

Then the Spirit of the LORD came on me, and he told me to say: "This is what the LORD says: That is what you are saying, you leaders in Israel, but I know what is going through your mind.

Ezekiel 11:5 esv

And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and he said to me, "Say, Thus says the LORD: So you think, O house of Israel. For I know the things that come into your mind.

Ezekiel 11:5 nlt

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon me, and he told me to say, "This is what the LORD says to the people of Israel: I know what you are saying, for I know every thought that comes into your minds.

Ezekiel 11 verses

Ezekiel 11 5 Meaning

The Lord declares His awareness of the thoughts and intentions residing within the hearts of the people of Jerusalem. He observes their pronouncements and actions, particularly those that disregard His presence and authority. He judges their internal motivations and external behaviors, deeming them to be rooted in self-exaltation and pride, while simultaneously expressing a desire for divine approval that is not genuine.

Ezekiel 11 5 Context

Chapter 11 of Ezekiel continues the prophet's denunciation of Jerusalem and its inhabitants. A group of elders, identified as "princes" in some translations, are described in the preceding verses as devising wicked plans within the city, believing they are secure from divine judgment. They are portrayed as claiming the time for demolition has not yet come, while Ezekiel prophesies their doom. This verse, specifically Ezekiel 11:5, represents the Lord's direct address, revealing His intimate knowledge of their innermost thoughts and their defiant posture against His pronouncements, juxtaposed with their misguided hope for God’s approval and eventual restoration, framed by their own temporal estimations. The overarching theme is God's sovereignty and His keen insight into the human heart, contrasting true faith with hollow pronouncements and deceptive piety.

Ezekiel 11 5 Word Analysis

• “And I perceive…” (Hebrew: וָאָבִ֣ין, va'avin)

  • Literally: "and I understand," "and I consider," "and I see."
  • Significance: Emphasizes God's active, intentional awareness and comprehension of their internal state, not passive observation. It conveys an insightful understanding, not just sight.

• “the thoughts” (Hebrew: מַחְשְׁב֣וֹת, machshevot)

  • Plural of machshevah.
  • Significance: Refers to schemes, purposes, plans, inventions, or mental processes. It highlights the internal cogitation and the detailed intentions of their hearts.

• “of your mind” (Hebrew: רוּחְכֶם, ruchechem)

  • Literally: "your spirit," "your inner self," "your breath."
  • Significance: Points to the animating principle, the deepest intentions, the very core of their being from which thoughts originate. It signifies more than mere intellectual processes; it is the driving disposition.

• “which you have concerning me” (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר־בָּכֶם־לִי, asher-bachem-li)

  • Significance: This phrase underscores that their thoughts are directed specifically at God, framing their defiance and their misguided hopes in relation to Him. It reveals their perspective and assumptions about the Lord.

• “but you say,” (Hebrew: וְאַתֶּם֙ אֹֽמְרִ֔ים, ve'atem omrim)

  • Significance: Directly quotes their verbal pronouncements, setting them in contrast with the hidden thoughts God perceives. It highlights their outward declaration of what they believe, often in opposition to God's revealed will.

• “your slain are among you” (Hebrew: הֲרוּגֵיכֶם בְּתוֹכְכֶם, harugeichem betochechem)

  • Significance: This phrase, translated in various ways, might refer to the unburied dead in the city or to the sense of personal loss and desolation they are experiencing. It acknowledges their current dire circumstances, yet their subsequent actions reveal no true repentance. Some scholars interpret "flesh" (בָּשָׂר, basar) as referring to the entire population.

• “and you are the flesh” (Hebrew: וְאַתֶּם־הַבָּשָׂר, ve'atem-habasar)

  • Significance: This is a particularly difficult phrase to interpret. One view is that they are as good as dead, already given over to death by God. Another possibility is that their reliance is on physical strength or numbers, which is also likened to mere flesh and vulnerable. It points to their physical vulnerability and mortality in contrast to God’s power.

• “but I will lift you up” (Hebrew: וַאֲנִי אֶשָּׂאֲכֶם, va'ani esa'achem)

  • Significance: This is a statement of God's future action. While their current "thoughts" are contrary to Him, and their current state might be precarious ("flesh"), God declares He will ultimately lift them up. This lifting can imply vindication or restoration, but in this context, it contrasts sharply with their proud hearts and impending judgment, hinting at a severe reckoning before any potential restoration, or perhaps a spiritual elevation that their current hearts do not comprehend.

Ezekiel 11 5 Bonus Section

The juxtaposition of God's perfect knowledge of their "thoughts" and "mind" with their outward declarations ("but you say") highlights a fundamental theme in prophetic literature: the hypocrisy and spiritual blindness of the people. Their pride blinds them to their true state and to God's imminent judgment, while simultaneously expecting His favor. The enigmatic phrase "and you are the flesh" underscores their extreme vulnerability and mortality, stripping away any pretense of self-sufficiency they might hold, as their entire existence is akin to mere flesh, subject to decay and death. God’s eventual act of lifting them up serves as a divine counterpoint to their self-inflicted downfall, emphasizing His sovereign power and his ability to bring about His purposes, even through a people whose hearts are initially estranged from Him. This verse points to the indispensable role of genuine heart transformation for true restoration.

Ezekiel 11 5 Commentary

The Lord is intimately aware of the deceptive thoughts harbored by the people of Jerusalem. Their minds are filled with schemes and justifications that dismiss divine authority and their current plight. They articulate a superficial desire for God's blessing and involvement, saying that their need is for the temple to be rebuilt. However, their hearts are far from aligned with God. They think they can manage their circumstances and receive divine favor based on their perceived actions or religious declarations, ignoring the inward condition of their hearts. God sees through this façade. He understands their internal pronouncements, which are ultimately rooted in pride and self-reliance. The statement, "your slain are among you, and you are the flesh," conveys the profound severity of their situation; they are practically dead or already given over to destruction. Yet, paradoxically, God states, "but I will lift you up." This pronouncement stands in stark contrast to their presumptuous thoughts and their state of spiritual decay. It may foreshadow a future restoration after judgment, or it might speak of a spiritual lifting of understanding and hope that they currently reject through their proud minds and deceptive words. It is a profound statement about God's perspective versus man's, revealing God's knowledge of intentions that precede and underlie all human actions and declarations.