Ezekiel 12:23 kjv
Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.
Ezekiel 12:23 nkjv
Tell them therefore, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel." ' But say to them, ' "The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision.
Ezekiel 12:23 niv
Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.' Say to them, 'The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled.
Ezekiel 12:23 esv
Tell them therefore, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.' But say to them, The days are near, and the fulfillment of every vision.
Ezekiel 12:23 nlt
Tell the people, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will put an end to this proverb, and you will soon stop quoting it.' Now give them this new proverb to replace the old one: 'The time has come for every prophecy to be fulfilled!'
Ezekiel 12 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eze 12:22 | "Son of man, what is that proverb that you have in the land of Israel...? The days are long, and every vision comes to nothing." | The proverb being directly countered. |
| Eze 12:25 | "For I am the LORD. I will speak, and the word which I speak will be performed." | God's word's certainty and fulfillment. |
| Eze 7:5-6 | "Thus says the Lord GOD: An evil, a singular evil; behold, it comes! An end has come; the end has come." | The urgency and finality of judgment. |
| Hab 2:3 | "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay." | God's timing and prophetic certainty. |
| Zeph 1:14 | "The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter." | Imminent day of the LORD. |
| Joel 2:1 | "Blow a trumpet in Zion... For the day of the LORD is coming; indeed, it is near." | The day of judgment is near. |
| Jer 28:16 | "Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth... this very year you shall die.'" | Immediate fulfillment of a prophet's word. |
| Isa 55:11 | "So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose." | God's word always accomplishes its purpose. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not a man, that he should lie... Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" | God's faithfulness to His word. |
| Isa 46:11 | "I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it." | God's unswerving will and power. |
| Matt 24:35 | "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." | Jesus affirms the enduring truth of His words. |
| 2 Pet 3:3-4 | "Scoffers will come in the last days... saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were.'" | Skepticism about delayed fulfillment, echoed. |
| Prov 1:24-27 | "Because I have called and you refused... I will mock when terror strikes you like a storm." | Consequences of ignoring God's warnings. |
| Luke 12:45-46 | "But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed'... the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him." | Warning against complacency due to perceived delay. |
| Jas 5:8 | "You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." | New Testament admonition for imminence. |
| 1 Pet 4:7 | "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers." | The end is near, calling for spiritual vigilance. |
| Heb 10:37 | "For 'Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay.'" | Christ's second coming will not delay. |
| Rev 1:3 | "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy... for the time is near." | The immediacy of prophetic fulfillment in Revelation. |
| Rev 22:10 | "And he said to me, 'Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.'" | Emphasis on near fulfillment. |
| Jer 1:9 | "Behold, I have put my words in your mouth." | Prophets speak God's authoritative words. |
| Psa 33:11 | "The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations." | God's eternal purposes will stand. |
Ezekiel 12 verses
Ezekiel 12 23 Meaning
God declares that He will nullify the cynical proverb, "The days are prolonged, and every vision comes to nothing" (Eze 12:22), which the Israelites used to dismiss prophetic warnings. He affirms that the days of judgment and the fulfillment of every prophetic vision concerning Jerusalem and Judah are imminent and will no longer be delayed.
Ezekiel 12 23 Context
Ezekiel 12 records symbolic actions performed by the prophet to portray the impending exile of King Zedekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This chapter precedes the final siege and fall of Jerusalem (586 BCE). The people, both in exile and still in Jerusalem, had grown complacent or skeptical about divine warnings, often dismissing them by circulating a proverb: "The days are prolonged, and every vision comes to nothing" (Eze 12:22). This proverb reflected their disillusionment with seemingly unfulfilled prophecies of doom, leading them to believe that either the prophets were false, or God's judgment was indefinitely postponed. Verse 23 serves as God's direct rebuttal, addressing their cynicism head-on and emphatically declaring the absolute immediacy and certainty of His judgment.
Ezekiel 12 23 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵן, lakhen): This conjunctive adverb introduces a logical consequence, linking God's forthcoming declaration to the preceding statement (the cynical proverb). It signals that what follows is a direct divine response and judgment.
- say (אֱמֹר, ʾemor): An imperative verb, directly commanding Ezekiel to speak God's message. It underlines the prophet's role as a divine messenger.
- to them (אֲלֵיהֶם, ʾaleihem): Refers explicitly to the Israelites who are circulating and believing the skeptical proverb of verse 22.
- Thus says the Lord GOD (כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, koh amar Adonai YHVH): A foundational prophetic formula asserting the absolute authority and divine origin of the message. "Adonai YHVH" (My Lord Yahweh) signifies the sovereign, covenant-keeping God.
- I will make this proverb to cease (אֲנִי מֵפֵר אֶת-הַמָּשָׁל הַזֶּה, ani mefer et-hamashal hazzeh): God actively states His direct intervention. The verb mefer means to break, annul, frustrate, make void. God Himself is invalidating their cynical human saying by His actions. "This proverb" refers directly to the one in v. 22.
- and they shall no more use it as a proverb (וְלֹא יִשְׂאוּהוּ עוֹד מָשָׁל, v'lo yis'uh hu od mashal): This confirms the definitive end of the proverb's power and usage. Their false comfort will be eradicated by concrete events.
- in Israel (בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, b'yisrael): Specifies the geographical and national context. The divine action and the cessation of the proverb are focused on God's covenant people.
- But say to them (כִּי אִם-דַּבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם, ki im-dabber ʾaleihem): This introduces a strong contrast or corrective. "Rather, speak to them" emphasizing the immediate new truth.
- The days are at hand (קָרְבוּ הַיָּמִים, karevu hayamim): Lit. "the days have drawn near." This phrase counters the "days are long" of the proverb, emphatically declaring immediacy. It signifies that the appointed time for judgment is upon them.
- and the fulfillment of every vision (וּדְבַר כָּל-חָזוֹן, u'dvar kol-hazon): This directly addresses the second part of their proverb ("every vision comes to nothing"). "Dvar" means "word," "matter," or "thing." Here, it refers to the actualization or reality of every prophetic word, asserting that all of them, without exception, are about to be fulfilled.
Words-group analysis:
- "I will make this proverb to cease": This phrase highlights God's active, direct nullification of human skepticism. It is a divine judicial act against a misleading human saying. God Himself intervenes to demonstrate the futility of their cynical denial of His prophetic word.
- "The days are at hand and the fulfillment of every vision": This is a direct, emphatic counter-statement to the Israelite proverb. It emphasizes the absolute imminence of the long-foretold divine judgments on Jerusalem, declaring that the prophetic words are not abstract or distant, but concretely and immediately upon them. This refutes both their perceived "long days" and "visions coming to nothing."
Ezekiel 12 23 Bonus section
- This verse profoundly speaks to the nature of divine patience and human presumption. The people assumed God's "delay" meant His lack of intent or power, misinterpreting His grace for apathy.
- The "abolishing of the proverb" by God's action illustrates a divine 'show-and-tell': rather than merely argue, God will demonstrate the truth of His words through events, validating His prophets and refuting scoffers.
- Ezekiel's prophecies served as a test of faith. Those who heeded the imminent warning could prepare themselves spiritually, while those clinging to the proverb faced swift and unprepared judgment.
- This specific proverb's refutation sets a precedent for understanding future eschatological prophecies: human perception of time often differs from divine timing, and true fulfillment will always align with God's ultimate plan, regardless of human skepticism.
Ezekiel 12 23 Commentary
Ezekiel 12:23 is God's direct and forceful rebuttal to the spiritual apathy and skepticism prevalent among the Israelites, epitomized by their proverb. This verse asserts God's sovereign control over time and prophecy, fundamentally rejecting human attempts to define or defer divine action. God not only acknowledges their cynical saying but actively declares its abolishment through imminent historical events—the final, devastating judgment on Jerusalem. The message delivered through Ezekiel assures that all previous prophetic warnings, perceived by the people as long-delayed or empty words, are on the verge of conclusive fulfillment. This instills a sense of divine urgency and emphasizes the unerring nature of God's word, designed to awaken the people from their false security to the reality of their accountability before Him. It's a critical moment for faith and repentance, underscoring that God’s promises and warnings are never without effect.