Ezekiel 12:22 kjv
Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
Ezekiel 12:22 nkjv
"Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, 'The days are prolonged, and every vision fails'?
Ezekiel 12:22 niv
"Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: 'The days go by and every vision comes to nothing'?
Ezekiel 12:22 esv
"Son of man, what is this proverb that you have about the land of Israel, saying, 'The days grow long, and every vision comes to nothing'?
Ezekiel 12:22 nlt
"Son of man, you've heard that proverb they quote in Israel: 'Time passes, and prophecies come to nothing.'
Ezekiel 12 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 12:23 | Say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD: I will put an end to this proverb..." | Ezekiel 12:22 ( Fulfillment ) |
| Numbers 11:23 | And the LORD said to Moses, "Is the LORD’s hand shortened?" | Numbers 11:23 ( God's Power ) |
| Psalm 79:5 | How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? | Psalm 79:5 ( Questioning God ) |
| Isaiah 28:14 | Hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers... | Isaiah 28:14 ( Mocking God ) |
| Isaiah 55:8 | "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways..." | Isaiah 55:8 ( God's Ways ) |
| Jeremiah 28:7 | But the prophet Jeremiah was within his rights to answer... | Jeremiah 28:7 ( False Prophets ) |
| Jeremiah 29:31 | "Send to all the exiles, saying, 'Thus says the LORD... | Jeremiah 29:31 ( Exile's Hope ) |
| Matthew 24:35 | Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. | Matthew 24:35 ( Enduring Word ) |
| Mark 13:31 | Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. | Mark 13:31 ( Enduring Word ) |
| Luke 21:33 | Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. | Luke 21:33 ( Enduring Word ) |
| John 12:48 | the word that I have spoken will be the judge on the last day. | John 12:48 ( Word as Judge ) |
| Acts 13:41 | "Look, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish! For I am doing a work in your days..." | Acts 13:41 ( Scorners Perish ) |
| 2 Peter 3:4 | and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming?" | 2 Peter 3:4 ( Doubting Coming ) |
| 2 Peter 3:9 | The Lord is not slow to do what he has promised, as some understand slowness... | 2 Peter 3:9 ( God's Patience ) |
| Revelation 6:17 | For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? | Revelation 6:17 ( Day of Wrath ) |
| Revelation 16:14 | for they are demonic spirits, working signs... | Revelation 16:14 ( False Signs ) |
| Deuteronomy 18:22 | When the prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or prove true, that is the word that the LORD has not spoken... | Deuteronomy 18:22 ( True Prophet ) |
| Jeremiah 14:14 | Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name." | Jeremiah 14:14 ( False Prophecy ) |
| Hosea 9:7 | "The days of punishment have come; the days of reckoning have come..." | Hosea 9:7 ( Days of Punishment ) |
| Habakkuk 2:3 | For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens toward the end, and it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. | Habakkuk 2:3 ( Vision and Delay ) |
Ezekiel 12 verses
Ezekiel 12 22 Meaning
The people of Judah are questioning God's promises of a swift judgment. This verse declares that the pronouncements of judgment, like "a proverb" or "a tale," are indeed true and will be fulfilled. The idiom "any vision shall be prolonged" suggests that God's warnings will not be delayed or forgotten, but will surely come to pass.
Ezekiel 12 22 Context
This verse is part of Ezekiel's message to the exiled Judeans in Babylon. They are being taunted by their countrymen who remained in Jerusalem, who mock the prophetic warnings of judgment as empty sayings and mere fables. These Judeans in Jerusalem are questioning the validity and imminent nature of God's pronouncements through Ezekiel. They might be interpreting the prolonged exile and the continuing existence of Jerusalem as proof that God's words are unreliable.
Ezekiel 12 22 Word analysis
- "Say" ( Hebrew: 'amar – to say, speak, tell) - Imperative, a direct command from God to Ezekiel.
- "to them" (Hebrew: lahem) - Refers to the people of Judah who are hearing the prophecy.
- "There shall surely be" (Hebrew: hayah ’efes) - Literally, "there shall be no," but in this context, it’s a strong negation of the negation of their belief, emphasizing that the pronouncements will be. It's an affirmation of certainty.
- "no more" (Hebrew: lo’- 'owd) - An idiom indicating cessation or absence from now on.
- "proverb" (Hebrew: mashal) - A proverb, simile, metaphor, or saying; it carries the sense of a common, often repeated, but in this context, a deceptive or meaningless saying.
- "a tale" (Hebrew: chiydah) - A riddle, an obscure saying, a dark saying; implies something difficult to understand, and thus dismissed.
- "of the house" (Hebrew: bayith) - Pertaining to the lineage or family of Israel.
- "of Israel" (Hebrew: Yisra’el) - The nation, God's covenant people.
- "shall be" (Hebrew: huwachath) - This phrase indicates an inevitability of occurrence, linked to their current situation.
- "the mouth" (Hebrew: peh) - The source or utterance of prophecy.
- "of the LORD" (Hebrew: YHWH) - God's personal name, emphasizing His authority.
- "of hosts" (Hebrew: tsaba’oth) - Lord of Armies, signifying His power and sovereignty.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "no more proverb, nor tale of the house of Israel": This collective phrase captures the Judean mindset. They are dismissing God's prophecies as mere folklore, baseless stories not worth believing. They have made God's pronouncements into "mashal" and "chiydah," indicating they view them as either trivial sayings or complex enigmas that lack real-world applicability.
- "the mouth of the LORD of hosts": This group asserts the divine origin and authority of the pronouncements. It underscores that these are not human ideas but direct words from the all-powerful God. This phrase serves as a rebuttal to the dismissiveness of the Judeans.
Ezekiel 12 22 Bonus section
This verse acts as a direct refutation of the skepticism and cynicism prevalent among some segments of the exiled population in Judah. The phrase "no more...a proverb, nor a tale" implies that God's word will be demonstrated with such undeniable power and accuracy that it can no longer be easily dismissed or trivialized. This is a strong theological statement affirming the inerrancy and effectiveness of God’s prophetic utterances. It aligns with the biblical principle that God's word will not return void but will accomplish what it is sent to do (Isaiah 55:11). The concept of "the mouth of the LORD of hosts" powerfully conveys the divine authority and originating source of these pronouncements.
Ezekiel 12 22 Commentary
The people of Judah were mocking God’s word, treating His prophetic warnings as meaningless proverbs and riddles. This verse pronounces that their dismissive attitude is about to end. The pronouncements from the LORD of Hosts are absolute and will be fulfilled. Their attempts to devalue God's message will cease because the very reality of God’s judgment will prove their worth. This emphasizes God's faithfulness to His spoken word, even when His people doubt. It’s a declaration that divine judgment is certain and not subject to human ridicule or reinterpretation. God's truth will ultimately prevail over all disbelief.