Ezekiel 12 19

Ezekiel 12:19 kjv

And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

Ezekiel 12:19 nkjv

And say to the people of the land, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the land of Israel: "They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with dread, so that her land may be emptied of all who are in it, because of the violence of all those who dwell in it.

Ezekiel 12:19 niv

Say to the people of the land: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: They will eat their food in anxiety and drink their water in despair, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who live there.

Ezekiel 12:19 esv

And say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink water in dismay. In this way her land will be stripped of all it contains, on account of the violence of all those who dwell in it.

Ezekiel 12:19 nlt

Tell the people, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says concerning those living in Israel and Jerusalem: They will eat their food with trembling and sip their water in despair, for their land will be stripped bare because of their violence.

Ezekiel 12 19 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Ezekiel 12:18Eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling.Ezekiel (Direct Context)
Isaiah 30:20Though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity...Isaiah (Affliction)
Jeremiah 52:16But some of the poorest of the land were left as vinedressers.Jeremiah (Poverty/Scarcity)
Lamentations 1:11All her people groan as they search for bread; they give their delicacies for food to satisfy their hunger.Lamentations (Hunger/Scarcity)
Psalms 22:15My strength is dried up like a potsherd...Psalms (Dehydration)
Job 30:30My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.Job (Suffering)
Isaiah 1:20But if you refuse and are rebellious, you shall eat the sword...Isaiah (Consequences)
Hosea 2:9I will take back my grain in its time...Hosea (Divine Withholding)
Amos 8:11"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD."Amos (Spiritual Famine)
Matthew 4:4But he answered, "It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”"Matthew (Spiritual Sustenance)
Luke 1:53He has filled the hungry with good things...Luke (Divine Provision)
John 6:35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life."John (Life from God)
1 Corinthians 10:31So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.1 Corinthians (Living for God)
Revelation 18:8Therefore her plagues will come in a single day...Revelation (Judgment)
Nahum 3:12All your fortifications are like fig trees with first-ripe figs—when shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater.Nahum (Destruction)
Joel 1:16Is not the food cut off before our eyes, yes, joy and gladness from the house of our God?Joel (Loss of Blessing)
Deuteronomy 28:48therefore serve your enemies whom the LORD sends against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and in need of all things.Deuteronomy (Curses)
Psalm 105:16He summoned a famine on the land; he broke the supply of bread.Psalms (Historical Famine)
Zechariah 11:9"So I said, 'I will not feed you. What is to die, let it die, and what is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed; and those that are left shall eat the flesh of one another.'"Zechariah (Covenant Breach)
Matthew 5:6"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."Matthew (Righteousness Hunger)

Ezekiel 12 verses

Ezekiel 12 19 Meaning

This verse signifies a profound consequence of disbelief and rejection of God's prophets: their food and drink will be reduced to ashes, symbolizing scarcity, deprivation, and the bitter taste of their disobedience. It foreshadows a period of severe judgment where even basic sustenance becomes a mark of divine displeasure.

Ezekiel 12 19 Context

Ezekiel 12:1-20 describes a symbolic act by the prophet Ezekiel meant to illustrate God's judgment upon the unrepentant people of Jerusalem, particularly their leaders, who are likened to a rebellious house. God commands Ezekiel to prepare his belongings as if he were going into exile, emphasizing the impending deportation. He is to dig through the wall and carry his possessions out in the evening. This act is a visual prophecy of the siege, the breach of the city walls, and the eventual captivity of Zedekiah and his people. Verse 19 is a specific detail within this broader symbolic action, highlighting the oppressive and fearful nature of the coming judgment.

Ezekiel 12 19 Word Analysis

  • And: Connects actions, showing cause and effect or sequence.
  • they: Refers back to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
  • shall: Indicates future certainty, a divine decree.
  • eat: To consume food, the act of sustenance.
  • their: Possessive, indicating their own food.
  • bread: Staple food, basic nourishment.
  • with: Denotes accompaniment or the manner of eating.
  • anxiety: A state of uneasiness and worry.
  • and: Another connector.
  • drink: To consume liquid.
  • their: Again, referring to their own drink.
  • water: Essential for life, hydration.
  • with: Denotes accompaniment or the manner of drinking.
  • dread: Deep fear or apprehension.

Words/Groups Analysis:

  • "eat their bread with anxiety, and drink their water with dread": This phrase powerfully encapsulates the psychological and spiritual impact of divine judgment. It's not just about physical deprivation but a perversion of the very acts of life and sustenance. The ordinary comforts of food and drink become sources of fear and foreboding. This contrasts with God's blessings where nourishment brings joy and strength.

Ezekiel 12 19 Bonus Section

The symbolic act described in Ezekiel 12 is intensely visual. Ezekiel digging through the wall and carrying his belongings out at night, with covered face and eyes, is a powerful depiction of the shock and obscurity surrounding the impending judgment. The emphasis on eating and drinking with "anxiety" and "dread" speaks to a spiritual emptiness that accompanies physical hardship when it stems from divine discipline. This condition isn't merely about physical hunger, but a pervasive sense of hopelessness. The entire chapter is a visual sermon, with Ezekiel acting out God's message to a people who are spiritually blind and deaf. The imagery extends to a famine of hearing God’s word (Amos 8:11), a spiritual famine that precedes physical devastation when a nation turns from its God.

Ezekiel 12 19 Commentary

The people of Jerusalem have ignored God's warnings and the prophecies of His servants, choosing rebellion. As a result, the joy and sustenance derived from food and drink will be replaced by anxiety and dread. This foreshadows the immense suffering, scarcity, and fear they will experience during the Babylonian siege and subsequent exile. Their covenant relationship with God, meant to bring them security and prosperity, will be overturned due to their sin. Their actions demonstrate a deep distrust in God’s promises and a reliance on their own flawed plans. This verse serves as a stark reminder of the severe consequences of rejecting God's truth and turning away from His presence. It highlights that true peace and security are found only in obedience to the Lord, as “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”