Ezekiel 12:28 kjv
Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 12:28 nkjv
Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak will be done," says the Lord GOD.' "
Ezekiel 12:28 niv
"Therefore say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign LORD.'?"
Ezekiel 12:28 esv
Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be performed, declares the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 12:28 nlt
Therefore, tell them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: No more delay! I will now do everything I have threatened. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!'"
Ezekiel 12 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 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 is effective and accomplished. |
| Jer 1:12 | "Then the LORD said to me, 'You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.'" | God actively ensures word fulfillment. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not a man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" | God's unchangeable faithfulness to His word. |
| 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 is perfect; no actual delay. |
| Heb 10:37 | "For, 'Yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and will not delay...'" (Quoting Habakkuk) | Echoes the 'no delay' theme in NT. |
| 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; the mighty man cries aloud there." | Emphasis on the imminence of God's day. |
| Joel 1:15 | "Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes." | Nearness and destructive nature of judgment. |
| Ezek 7:2-3 | "And you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD to the land of Israel: An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land. Now the end is upon you..." | Imminent end for Israel/Judah. |
| Ezek 12:22 | "Son of man, what is that proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, 'The days are prolonged, and every vision fails'?" | Direct challenge to the popular skeptical proverb. |
| Ezek 12:23 | "Tell them therefore, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: I will make this proverb cease, 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.'" | God will cease the proverb and bring fulfillment. |
| 2 Pet 3:4 | "...and saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.'" | Skepticism about divine promises (similar to exiles). |
| 2 Pet 3:8-9 | "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise..." | God's concept of time and His patience. |
| Exod 12:41 | "At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt." | Historical example of exact fulfillment. |
| Gen 15:13-16 | "Then the LORD said to Abram, 'Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs...and in the fourth generation they shall come back here...'" | Prophecy given and precisely fulfilled after delay. |
| Matt 24:35 | "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." | Enduring authority and certainty of Christ's words. |
| Luke 21:32 | "Truly, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place." | Imminent fulfillment of prophecies for 'that generation'. |
| 1 Thess 5:2-3 | "For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, 'Peace and safety!' then destruction will come upon them suddenly..." | Sudden and unexpected nature of judgment. |
| Amos 8:2 | "He said, 'What do you see, Amos?' And I said, 'A basket of summer fruit.' Then the LORD said to me, 'The end has come upon my people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.'" | Symbolism of imminent end. |
| Prov 10:24 | "What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted." | Consequence for the wicked and righteous. |
| Zech 1:6 | "...'But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers?' Then they repented and said, 'As the LORD of hosts purposed to deal with us for our ways and our deeds, so has he dealt with us.'" | Acknowledgment of prophetic fulfillment in history. |
| Rom 9:28 | "For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and quickly." (ESV) | God's swift and complete judgment. |
| Isa 46:11 | "...I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it." | God's word and action are inseparable. |
Ezekiel 12 verses
Ezekiel 12 28 Meaning
Ezekiel 12:28 serves as a pivotal declaration, directly refuting the prevalent skepticism among the Israelite exiles regarding the timing of God's prophetic judgments. The verse explicitly states that the period of perceived delay for divine pronouncements, particularly those of impending destruction for Jerusalem and Judah, is over. God's spoken word will no longer be "prolonged" but will be brought to immediate and certain fulfillment. This pronouncement counters the popular adage of the time which suggested that "the days are prolonged, and every vision fails," reasserting the sovereign authority and the swift execution of God's plans.
Ezekiel 12 28 Context
Ezekiel chapter 12 takes place among the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Ezekiel's ministry often involved symbolic acts and strong pronouncements concerning the impending and final destruction of Jerusalem and the complete exile of its inhabitants. Leading up to verse 28, there's a significant tension. Verses 21-27 directly address the widespread cynicism and false hope among the exiles and those remaining in Jerusalem. They mocked the prophets' words with the proverb, "The days are prolonged, and every vision fails" (Ezek 12:22), essentially claiming that God's prophecies of judgment were either far off or would never materialize. Some held onto the belief that prophecies were for distant generations, while others dismissed them as mere metaphors without immediate impact. This verse marks a definitive divine response, asserting the absolute certainty and imminent fulfillment of all God's previous declarations of judgment, thereby stripping away any remaining basis for complacency or delay. Historically, Jerusalem's destruction by Nebuchadnezzar was nearing, and this message prepared the people for that undeniable reality, which occurred within a few years of Ezekiel's prophecy.
Ezekiel 12 28 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵן, lakhen): A consequential particle, linking this declaration directly to the previous verses' dismissal of God's word. It signals the logical conclusion and divine response to the people's skepticism and their proverb about prolonged days.
- say unto them (אֱמֹר אֲלֵיהֶם, ĕmor ’ălehem): A direct command to Ezekiel, emphasizing the urgency and authority of the message that must be conveyed to the scoffers and those in false hope.
- Thus saith the Lord GOD (כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, koh amar Adonai YHWH): This foundational phrase marks the pronouncement as a divine oracle, carrying absolute authority.
- Adonai: "My Lord," emphasizing God's sovereign mastery.
- YHWH: The covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithful, self-existent nature and relationship with His people. The combination signifies absolute, trustworthy authority.
- There shall none of my words (כָּל דְּבָרַי לֹא־יִמָּשֵׁךְ עוֹד, kol devarai lo'-yimmashekh 'od): "All my words shall no longer be drawn out."
- none of my words (כָּל דְּבָרַי, kol devarai): Encompasses all the divine messages previously delivered through prophets concerning judgment. This isn't just about one prophecy, but the entire body of divine pronouncements. It signifies completeness and universality.
- be prolonged (יִמָּשֵׁךְ, yimmashëkh): From the root מָשַׁךְ (mashakh), meaning "to draw," "to prolong," "to extend." The Hithpael imperfect form conveys the sense of "being drawn out," "being deferred," or "lingering." It directly addresses and negates the popular proverb of "prolonged days" from verse 22. It signifies an end to any period of perceived or actual deferment. Polemically, it refutes the idea that God's word is ineffective or slow.
- any more (עוֹד, ʿōd): An emphatic adverb meaning "still," "yet," or "no longer." In this context, it reinforces the decisive cessation of delay. The past period of leniency is definitively over.
- but the word which I have spoken (כִּי אִם־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי, ki ’im-haddavar ’ăsher dibbarti): Introduces the contrasting and definite truth.
- the word (הַדָּבָר, haddavar): Refers to a specific, singular decree or message already issued, particularly the judgments on Jerusalem and the people. This "word" is potent and active.
- which I have spoken (אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי, ’ăsher dibbarti): Emphasizes divine authorship and previous declaration, guaranteeing its certainty. God is the active speaker, therefore the active doer.
- shall be done (יֵעָשֶׂה, yeʿāśeh): From the root עָשָׂה (‘asah), "to do," "to make," "to bring to pass." The Niphal imperfect form suggests that it "shall be done," "shall come to pass," or "shall be made to happen." It highlights immediate and decisive action. The passive voice implies that God Himself is the ultimate agent bringing about its accomplishment.
- saith the Lord GOD (ne’um Adonai YHWH): A final authoritative pronouncement formula, often concluding a divine oracle. It powerfully reaffirms the divine origin and incontrovertible nature of the declaration, leaving no room for doubt or further questioning.
Ezekiel 12 28 Bonus section
This verse not only functions as a divine answer to scoffers but also as a powerful declaration of God's attributes: His veracity, faithfulness, and sovereignty. The "word" (דָּבָר, davar) in Hebrew thought is not merely an utterance but an active force with the power to accomplish what it declares, distinct from human words which often fail or are delayed. This immediate fulfillment of God's judgment shortly preceded the actual destruction of Jerusalem (586 BC), thus serving as a testament to Ezekiel's prophetic integrity and the reliability of God. It contrasts with God's long-suffering nature elsewhere in Scripture, revealing that while He is patient, there is a boundary to His forbearance where judgment becomes inevitable and swift. For the exiles, it shattered their false hopes, urging them to confront their reality and understand the depth of their spiritual failure.
Ezekiel 12 28 Commentary
Ezekiel 12:28 represents a watershed moment in the divine dialogue with Israel, moving from patient warning to immediate execution. It is a direct refutation of theological complacency and an assertion of God's unwavering commitment to His declared word. The prophet, speaking with absolute divine authority (emphasized by the dual invocation of "the Lord GOD"), demolishes the popular proverb that implied God's prophecies were distant or defunct. The phrase "none of my words be prolonged any more" directly counters this notion, announcing the abrupt end of the season of patience. Every prophecy, especially those foretelling destruction and exile, would now "be done," meaning swiftly and fully accomplished. This immediacy underscores not God's hastiness, but His justice; the time for grace and opportunity for repentance had passed for Jerusalem, and the predetermined judgment would manifest. The verse stands as a powerful testament to the reliability of God's word, highlighting that divine timing, while sometimes seeming delayed from a human perspective, ultimately unfolds with precise certainty, demanding immediate attention and obedience from its hearers.