Ezekiel 12 25

Ezekiel 12:25 kjv

For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 12:25 nkjv

For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it," says the Lord GOD.' "

Ezekiel 12:25 niv

But I the LORD will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign LORD.'?"

Ezekiel 12:25 esv

For I am the LORD; I will speak the word that I will speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the Lord GOD."

Ezekiel 12:25 nlt

For I am the LORD! If I say it, it will happen. There will be no more delays, you rebels of Israel. I will fulfill my threat of destruction in your own lifetime. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!"

Ezekiel 12 verses

Ezekiel 12 25 Meaning

Ezekiel 12:25 declares God's solemn resolve that His spoken word, particularly regarding the imminent judgment and destruction of Jerusalem, will be performed immediately and without further delay. It directly refutes the common cynical proverb of the time that prophecies were far off or would never come to pass. God affirms His sovereign identity and power, assuring that this generation, the "rebellious house" of Israel, will experience the fulfillment of His warnings in their lifetime.

Ezekiel 12 25 Context

Ezekiel chapter 12 vividly illustrates the imminent Babylonian exile and destruction of Jerusalem. The prophet performs symbolic acts: packing for exile like a refugee and digging through a wall to escape, representing King Zedekiah's eventual flight. These actions are meant to pierce through the spiritual complacency of the Judahites, who dismissed prophetic warnings. The prevailing cynical proverbs (verses 22, 27) reflected a deep-seated belief that God's judgment, if it came at all, was far off in the distant future. This particular verse, Ezekiel 12:25, is God's direct, emphatic rebuttal to that sentiment, specifically verse 22. It declares that the word of judgment, long announced, will now be executed without delay within the very generation living at that time (593-587 BCE), culminating in the fall of Jerusalem and the final deportation to Babylon. It shifts the perception of prophecy from a remote theological concept to a tangible, impending reality.

Ezekiel 12 25 Word analysis

• For (כִּי, ki): A conjunctive particle. Connects this divine declaration to the previous verse (Eze 12:24), signaling the reason or explanation for what was just stated—that there will be no more false visions or flattering divination.
• I am the LORD (אֲנִי יְהוָה, ’ani YHVH): A potent self-declaration of God's covenant name and absolute authority. This emphasizes His identity as the sovereign, faithful God who consistently fulfills His word, serving as a powerful counter-argument to the people's skepticism.
• I will speak (אֲדַבֵּר, ’adabber): Future tense of the verb "to speak." Signifies God's active, intentional, and declarative initiative in communication, initiating His will.
• and the word (וְהַדָּבָר, ve-haddavar): Connects speech to action. Davar refers not just to a sound or utterance but carries the sense of an active "thing," "matter," or "deed."
• that I speak will be performed (אֲשֶׁר אֲדַבֵּר אֶעֱשֶׂנָּה, ’asher ’adabber ’e‘eśennāh): Emphasizes that God's spoken word inherently carries the power and certainty of its own accomplishment. ‘Aśāh (to do, perform, make) underscores the divine act of bringing words to concrete reality.
• declares the LORD (נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, neum ’adonai YHVH): A formal prophetic declaration formula, asserting divine origin and infallible truth. "Adonai YHVH" highlights the Lord's majesty and sovereign power as a deity who makes covenants and upholds them.
• It will no longer be delayed (לֹא־תִמָּשֵׁךְ עוֹד, lo-timmāšēkh ‘od): Directly refutes the "days grow long" proverb of Eze 12:22. The verb māshaḵ means "to draw out," "to prolong," or "to defer," implying an end to the period of waiting and uncertainty.
• but in your days (כִּי בִימֵיכֶם, ki viymekhem): Specific and immediate temporal marker. God asserts that the judgment will happen within the lifetime of the generation currently hearing the prophecy, destroying their belief in a far-off future.
• O rebellious house (הַבַּיִת הַמֶּרִי, ha-bayit ha-meri): A strong and frequent epithet for Israel/Judah throughout Ezekiel, highlighting their persistent and obstinate disobedience, which is the cause for the impending judgment.
• I will speak the word and perform it (וְדִבַּרְתִּי דָּבָר וַעֲשִׂיתִיו, ve-dibartti davar va’asitiw): Repetition and slight variation of the earlier phrase for intensified emphasis. It underscores God's determined resolve to act precisely according to His declarations.
• declares the LORD (נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, neum ’adonai YHVH): The repeated prophetic formula reinforces the absolute certainty and divine authority of this final decree.

• "For I am the LORD; I will speak, and the word that I speak will be performed, declares the LORD.": This opening section emphasizes God's self-revelation as the immutable and powerful Deity whose utterances are not mere words but carry the weight of immediate and inevitable execution. It establishes His unwavering character and sovereignty as the foundation for the coming judgment.
• "It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and perform it, declares the LORD.": This crucial part addresses the people's skepticism head-on, annihilating their comfort in procrastination. God pinpoints the timeline ("in your days") and identifies the recipients ("O rebellious house"), making it unequivocally clear that His active, unceasing word of judgment will come to pass upon them, for them, and because of them, with divine certainty and swiftness.

Ezekiel 12 25 Bonus section

• This verse signals a crucial shift in the perception of time regarding prophetic fulfillment. Previously, "the vision is for many days," but now it is "in your days." This creates immediate theological tension and urgency for Ezekiel's audience.
• The "rebellious house" motif frequently appears in Ezekiel, highlighting not only Israel's collective stubbornness but also their covenant violation. This judgment is therefore not arbitrary, but a consequence of their persistent rebellion against their covenant God.
• The phrase "I am the LORD" (Yahweh) emphasizes the personal, covenantal, and omnipotent nature of the God who is acting. He is not a fickle deity but one bound by His own righteousness to execute what He declares.
• The prophetic message throughout Ezekiel consistently underlines divine accountability, underscoring that all words from God will yield consequences, positive or negative, upon their hearers.
• While primarily a message of judgment for its original audience, the principle of God performing every word He speaks also forms the bedrock of future hope, ensuring that His promises of restoration and a new covenant will likewise be fulfilled precisely as declared.

Ezekiel 12 25 Commentary

Ezekiel 12:25 serves as God's forceful and unequivocal response to the people's dismissive proverbs concerning the delayed fulfillment of prophecy. It is a direct refutation of their complacency, asserting the immediate and certain execution of divine judgment. The emphasis is on God's character as "the LORD," who speaks and acts with perfect coherence. His word is not just a promise or a threat, but a living, active force that will achieve its intended purpose without fail. The repetition of "I will speak...and perform it" underlines His sovereign determination. Furthermore, specifying "in your days, O rebellious house" eliminates any lingering hope for postponement or for the judgment to befall a distant generation. This powerful declaration shifts prophecy from a theoretical concept to an imminent, inescapable reality, demanding immediate attention from a people lost in their sin and false security. It is a stark reminder that God's warnings are as certain as His promises, requiring timely repentance.