Ezekiel 14 13

Ezekiel 14:13 kjv

Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it:

Ezekiel 14:13 nkjv

"Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it.

Ezekiel 14:13 niv

"Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,

Ezekiel 14:13 esv

"Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast,

Ezekiel 14:13 nlt

"Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals.

Ezekiel 14 verses

Ezekiel 14 13 Meaning

Ezekiel 14:13 declares God's righteous judgment upon a land that commits grievous sin, illustrating an immutable consequence: a divine act of stretching out His hand to inflict severe famine, breaking the very sustenance of life, leading to the eradication of both human and animal populations from that land. It underscores God's direct involvement in executing justice when transgressions reach an irreversible degree, rendering any potential intercession ineffective, as highlighted in the broader chapter.

Ezekiel 14 13 Context

Ezekiel 14:13 falls within a broader discourse concerning God's unwavering judgment against the idolatry and sin of the exiles in Babylon and those remaining in Jerusalem. Chapters 8-11 detailed the abominations in the Temple and Jerusalem, leading to God's glory departing. Chapter 14 specifically addresses false prophets and the unrepentant elders who seek answers from Ezekiel while their hearts cling to idols. The verse is part of God's explanation that once a land (or people) crosses a critical threshold of sin, divine judgment becomes irreversible. God asserts His sovereignty over judgment, explicitly stating that even renowned righteous figures (like Noah, Daniel, Job, mentioned later in the chapter) could only save themselves, not the entire land, from the impending and severe calamities, of which famine is a prime example. This highlights the severity of Jerusalem's apostasy, implying that their wickedness had reached a point where divine wrath was a settled outcome.

Ezekiel 14 13 Word analysis

• When the land (כִּי־תֶחֱטָא־אֶ֣רֶץ ki-tekheta-ʾerets): "Land" (אֶ֣רֶץ, ʾerets) signifies not just geographical territory but the people inhabiting it. It denotes a collective responsibility and corporate sin. The phrasing "when the land sins" suggests a persistent, widespread, and systemic pattern of transgression by its inhabitants, rather than isolated acts. It emphasizes the direct link between a nation's moral state and its destiny.
• sins (תֶחֱטָא, tekheta): Implies not merely error, but deliberate rebellion against God's covenant and law. It highlights a departure from covenant loyalty, an intentional missing of the mark set by God's righteous standards.
• by trespassing grievously (לִמְעֹ֤ל מַ֙עַל֙ limʿōl maʿal): This is an idiom signifying a profound act of treachery or unfaithfulness against a covenant partner. The root (מָעַל, maʿal) describes breaking trust, acting perfidiously. In a spiritual sense, it means being faithless towards God, often associated with idolatry and desecration (Num 5:27, Josh 7:1). It underscores the deep-seated spiritual rebellion that provoked God's judgment.
• then I will stretch out My hand against it (וְנָטִ֤יתִי יָדִי֙ עָלֶ֔יהָ wenaṭiti yadi ʿaleha): This is an anthropomorphism portraying God's active, direct, and powerful intervention in judgment. "Stretching out the hand" signifies an exertion of divine power, often in judgment or destruction (Ex 9:15, Isa 5:25, 9:12). It highlights God's sovereignty over natural phenomena and national destinies.
• and I will break (וְשָׁבַרְתִּ֣י wešavarti): A strong verb indicating complete destruction, shattering, or removal. It's an act of divine power, not a natural calamity.
• its staff of bread (מַטֵּה־לֶ֗חֶם maṭṭēh-leḥem): This powerful metaphor symbolizes the entire food supply, the very source of life and sustenance (Lev 26:26, Psa 105:16). "Staff" suggests support and essential provision. Breaking it means rendering a land completely incapable of supporting life.
• and I will send famine upon it (וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֥י בָהּ֙ רָעָב wešillaḫti vah raʿav): This explicitly names the judgment—"famine" (raʿav). It directly connects the metaphor of breaking the staff of bread to the devastating reality of food scarcity. God is the active agent dispatching this calamity.
• and will cut off (וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י wehikhRati): A severe verb indicating complete eradication, cutting off existence. This implies total removal and an end to future generations.
• man and beast from it (מִמֶּ֥נָּה אָדָ֖ם וּבְהֵמָֽה mimmennah adam uvehemah): This phrase emphasizes the comprehensiveness and totality of the judgment. It highlights that the consequence of grievous sin affects not just humanity but also the entire living ecosystem within that land, making the desolation complete. It signals a thorough undoing of life.

Ezekiel 14 13 Bonus section

The severity of the "cutting off man and beast" points to the profound theological understanding in ancient Israel that sin profoundly impacts not just human existence but also the very fabric of creation. This concept is echoed elsewhere (e.g., Hos 4:3), where the land itself mourns and languishes due to human iniquity. The comprehensive nature of the judgment underlines that when covenant infidelity reaches its zenith, the life-giving relationship with God is utterly severed, leading to a reversal of the creation mandate to be fruitful and multiply. This divine act highlights God's commitment to both His justice and His cosmic order, implying that unchecked human rebellion disrupts that order to such an extent that complete societal collapse, even ecological devastation, becomes an unavoidable and divinely orchestrated outcome. This emphasizes the gravity of corporate sin in God's eyes.

Ezekiel 14 13 Commentary

Ezekiel 14:13 serves as a stark declaration of God's justice, emphasizing His direct, active involvement in punishing national sin, particularly when it escalates to "trespassing grievously"—a profound act of covenant treachery. This isn't merely a passive allowance of consequences but an active "stretching out of My hand." The "breaking of the staff of bread" is a potent symbol for the removal of all sustenance, manifesting as severe famine, directly demonstrating God's control over life-sustaining resources. This judgment is designed to be total, "cutting off man and beast," indicating complete devastation and a severing of all life, thereby signaling an irrevocable divine verdict against deep-seated idolatry and unrepentance. It communicates a fundamental principle: persistent corporate rebellion inevitably invokes sovereign, destructive judgment, bypassing any possibility of mitigation through human intercession (as subsequent verses elaborate). This particular judgment of famine often accompanied sword and pestilence, forming a triad of God's "four severe judgments" (Ezek 14:21). The severity reminds us that God's holiness demands accountability, and persistent rejection of His ways leads to severe, unavoidable consequences.

• Example for Practical Usage: A community's sustained injustice, corruption, or abandonment of divine principles can lead to societal decay and resource depletion, not just by "natural" means, but as a direct result of spiritual breakdown, mirroring this biblical truth of consequence.