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 verses

Ezekiel 12 19 Meaning

Ezekiel 12:19 is a direct prophetic utterance from the Lord GOD concerning the impending judgment upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the land of Israel. It declares that due to their pervasive wickedness and social injustice, specifically "violence," they will endure a terrifying famine and a state of perpetual fear and anxiety. Even their most basic needs—eating bread and drinking water—will be consumed not with nourishment or peace, but with a profound sense of dread and apprehension. The verse explicitly links this suffering to the utter desolation and stripping away of the land's resources, which is a direct consequence of the inhabitants' sins.

Ezekiel 12 19 Context

Ezekiel 12:19 is part of a series of sign-acts and prophetic pronouncements by Ezekiel concerning the imminent and unavoidable destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of its inhabitants. Chapter 12 begins with God commanding Ezekiel to perform a vivid symbolic action: digging through a wall, carrying baggage, and going out as if into exile, representing the flight of King Zedekiah and the forced removal of the people from Jerusalem. These dramatic actions were meant to overcome the people's stubborn disbelief and blindness to God's warnings. Verse 19 specifically elaborates on the experience of those who will remain in the land or those facing the final siege: a life utterly consumed by fear, scarcity, and physical suffering. This prophecy directly countered any lingering hopes or false sense of security among the Judeans that God would spare Jerusalem due to its status as His holy city or the temple's presence. Historically, it points to the period leading up to and during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem (588-586 BC), a time characterized by severe famine, civil unrest, and overwhelming dread, as foretold by Ezekiel and Jeremiah. The core message is that God's covenant with His people also included curses for disobedience, and the land itself would reflect the spiritual sickness of its inhabitants.

Ezekiel 12 19 Word analysis

• And say (וְאָמַרְתָּ ve'amarta): A direct imperative, signifying the prophetic command from God to Ezekiel, emphasizing the authoritative origin and certain delivery of the message.
• people of the land (אֶל־עַם הָאָרֶץ el-'am ha'aretz): This term, "am ha'aretz," can have varied meanings in the Old Testament. Here, in the context of judgment on Judah, it generally refers to the common people residing in the land, distinct from the exiles already in Babylon, or specifically those who were seen as responsible for the national identity and governance (e.g., elders). It implies a broad audience for this specific aspect of the prophecy, affecting everyone from the peasant to the prince within Jerusalem and the remaining Judean territory.
• Thus says the Lord GOD (כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה koh-amar 'adonay YHWH): A standard, powerful prophetic formula. "Adonai" means "my Lord," emphasizing God's sovereign authority, while "YHWH" (rendered "LORD" in caps) is God's personal covenant name, reminding the people of their relationship and His righteous character.
• concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the land of Israel (עַל־יֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם וְאַדְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל 'al yoshevei Yerushalaim ve'admat Yisra'el): Precisely identifies the target of the prophecy: not just the city of Jerusalem, but the entire remaining territory of Judah. At this point, "Israel" refers to the Southern Kingdom of Judah, not the exiled Northern Kingdom.
• They shall eat their bread with anxiety (בְּדְאָגָה יֹאכְלוּ לַחְמָם bide'agah yochlu lachmam): "Anxiety" (de'agah דְאָגָגָה) signifies worry, distress, a deep concern that saps one's peace. It suggests a constant gnawing apprehension, not just about the scarcity of food itself, but about the general state of impending disaster. Food, a basic need, loses its power to comfort or sustain in a normal sense.
• and drink their water with dread (וּבַחֲרָדָה יִשְׁתּוּ מֵימָם uvacharadah yishtu meymam): "Dread" (charadah חֲרָדָה) implies trembling, terror, and panic. It's a stronger term than anxiety, pointing to active fear and agitation. The acts of eating and drinking, fundamental to life, become deeply unsettling experiences, devoid of any pleasure or security, tainted by an atmosphere of fear.
• because their land will be stripped of everything in it (לְמַעַן תִּשָּׁאֶה אַרְצָם מִמְּלֹאָהּ lema'an tisha'eh artzam mimme'o'ah): "Stripped" (tisha'eh תִּשָּׁאֶה, related to sha'ah) means to be left desolate, waste, abandoned. "Everything in it" (mimme'o'ah מִמְּלֹאָהּ) means its fullness or its resources. This indicates a comprehensive desolation, not just temporary scarcity but a profound and lasting devastation of agricultural output, wealth, and inhabitants.
• on account of the violence (מֵחֲמַס כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ mechammas kol-yoshevei vah): "Violence" (hamas חָמָס) is a pivotal term. It's not just physical aggression but includes injustice, oppression, cruelty, exploitation, and moral corruption. This emphasizes that their suffering is not arbitrary but a direct divine judgment for their pervasive sin against God's laws and against their fellow human beings. "All who dwell in it" signifies the widespread nature of this corruption, encompassing society at large.

Ezekiel 12 19 Bonus section

The state of eating "bread with anxiety" and drinking "water with dread" contrasts sharply with the covenant blessings of abundance and security (e.g., Deut 28:5-8, Lev 26:5). In biblical thought, the consumption of food and drink is often a symbol of joy, communion, and divine provision (Psa 23:5, Acts 2:46). To have these basic acts of life utterly defiled by terror highlights the completeness of God's judgment and the total disruption of human flourishing due to sin. This psychological and emotional torment inflicted by scarcity and fear represents a significant dimension of suffering beyond mere physical hardship. Furthermore, the explicit linkage of the land's desolation to "violence" reinforces a recurring biblical principle: a land can be defiled by the moral and ethical failures of its inhabitants (e.g., Num 35:33, Psa 106:38). When humanity acts violently against one another, it corrupts creation itself, necessitating divine cleansing and judgment.

Ezekiel 12 19 Commentary

Ezekiel 12:19 succinctly portrays the profound spiritual and physical devastation awaiting Judah. God’s pronouncement strips away any illusion of security, emphasizing that their very acts of sustenance—eating and drinking—will be infused with unremitting anxiety and terror. This emotional agony directly stems from the land's desolation, which itself is a consequence of the people's pervasive "violence." The term hamas encapsulates not only physical aggression but also systemic injustice, oppression, and corruption, demonstrating God's righteous judgment against a society that had turned its back on justice and mercy, foundational principles of the covenant. The prophecy served as an stark warning to those in Jerusalem and a grim confirmation to the exiles in Babylon regarding the certainty and severity of God's wrath against impenitent sin. It teaches that disobedience ultimately leads to a broken relationship with God, resulting in the stripping away of His blessings, plunging individuals and nations into chaos and despair.