Ezekiel 14:18 kjv
Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
Ezekiel 14:18 nkjv
even though these three men were in it, as I live," says the Lord GOD, "they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.
Ezekiel 14:18 niv
as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.
Ezekiel 14:18 esv
though these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they alone would be delivered.
Ezekiel 14:18 nlt
As surely as I live, says the Sovereign LORD, even if those three men were there, they wouldn't be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.
Ezekiel 14 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 14:19 | "Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast," | Ezekiel 14:21 |
| Jeremiah 15:2-3 | "When my wrath and my anger pour out,” declares the Lord, “on this place—on man and beast, on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground—it will burn and none shall quench it.”" | Judgmental declarations |
| Leviticus 26:25 | "And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant. And you shall be gathered within your cities, and I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy." | Covenantal consequences |
| Deuteronomy 32:24 | "They shall be gaunt with famine, and devoured by pestilence and bitter destruction; and I will send the teeth of beasts against them, with the venom of dust creepers." | God's retaliatory power |
| Revelation 6:8 | "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." | Figurative representation of destruction |
| Psalm 50:3 | "Our God shall come and not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him; and a great tempest all around him." | God's coming judgment |
| Isaiah 1:20 | "But if you refuse and are rebellious, you shall be devoured by the sword;” for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”" | Consequence of rebellion |
| Numbers 14:12 | "I will strike them with plague and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”" | Moses intercedes for Israel |
| Romans 2:5-6 | "But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each according to what he has done." | God's judgment proportional |
| 2 Kings 19:35 | "And that night the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people rose in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies." | Divine intervention |
| Ezekiel 15:7 | "I will set my face against them. Though they escape the fire, fire will catch them, and when I leave them in the land, they will die by the sword; and when I look to them, they will die by the sword, and I will pour out my wrath upon them." | Unavoidable divine judgment |
| Hebrews 12:29 | "for our God is a consuming fire." | Nature of God |
| Joel 2:13 | "Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he may turn his anger away." | Call to repentance |
| Acts 20:28 | "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood." | The church as God's possession |
| Jeremiah 4:3 | "For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, 'Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.'" | Exhortation to prepare for renewal |
| Revelation 18:8 | "Therefore her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for she is mighty in the Lord God who judges her.”" | Judgment on Babylon |
| 1 Corinthians 10:8 | "We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and forty-two thousand fell dead in one day." | Consequences of sin |
| James 4:12 | "There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But you—who are you to pass judgment on your neighbor?" | God's sole authority |
| Hosea 5:14 | "For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I will tear and go, and will carry off, and no one shall rescue." | God's power to destroy |
| Ezekiel 6:11-12 | "Thus says the Lord God: Strike with your hand and stamp with your foot, and say, ‘Alas, because of all the abominable evils of the house of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence." | Similar pronouncements of judgment |
| Zechariah 7:13 | "As I called, and they would not listen, so they called, and I would not listen, says the Lord of hosts." | God's refusal to hear |
Ezekiel 14 verses
Ezekiel 14 18 Meaning
This verse speaks of the severe consequences of prolonged rebellion and the pronouncement of God's judgment upon a land where idols have been introduced. It emphasizes the totality of God's destructive power when His patience with sin runs out.
Ezekiel 14 18 Context
This verse appears in Ezekiel chapter 14, a chapter where the prophet is sent to the elders of Israel who are seeking counsel from him while engaging in idolatry. God communicates through Ezekiel that these elders are acting hypocritically. In verses 1-11, God declares that He will answer them according to their idolatry. The subsequent verses (12-23) describe four severe judgments that God could send upon the land of Judah: the sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence. These judgments are a consequence of their accumulated sins, particularly their stubborn rebellion and defilement through idolatry. Verse 18 is the third of these judgments, describing the combined effect of these catastrophic forces when unleashed upon the land.
Ezekiel 14 18 Word Analysis
And if I bring - "If I" introduces a hypothetical consequence or a conditional judgment, signifying God's power to act.
a sword - Transliterated from Hebrew as cherev (חֶרֶב). Refers to a weapon, but here represents warfare, slaughter, and the resultant death. It is a common instrument of God's judgment in the Old Testament.
upon the land - Refers to the territory of Judah, the specific land of God's covenant people.
and I cause - Indicates God's active role in bringing about the judgment.
a sword - The repetition of "sword" emphasizes the pervasive nature of war and violence that will be unleashed.
to cut off - Transliterated from Hebrew as karat (כָּרַת). It signifies to cut off completely, to destroy, to eradicate, often with implications of exclusion or severing a relationship.
from it - Pertaining to the land.
man - Refers to human beings.
and beast - Encompasses the animal life within the land, indicating a comprehensive destruction that spares no living thing.
Group analysis: "bring a sword upon the land and cause a sword to cut off from it man and beast" - This phrase depicts a severe, multifaceted, and thorough destruction brought about by divine decree. It highlights not only direct human conflict but also the resulting devastation that affects the entire ecosystem of the land. The repeated use of "sword" underscores the inescapable nature of the judgment once it is initiated.
Ezekiel 14 18 Bonus Section
The judgments listed by Ezekiel (sword, famine, wild beasts, pestilence) are often presented as God's "four sore judgments" in the biblical narrative, appearing in various combinations throughout the Old Testament. These represent the most devastating forms of affliction that can befall a nation, each carrying its own unique terror and symbolizing the complete breakdown of a society's welfare and security. Their simultaneous or sequential application signifies the thoroughness of God's judgment when invoked against sin. The inclusion of "beast" alongside "man" underscores that ecological and societal devastation are intertwined in God's punitive actions, reflecting an ordered world rebelling against its Creator.
Ezekiel 14 18 Commentary
Ezekiel 14:18 illustrates the totality of God's judgment. When He withdraws His protection and unleashes His fury, the destruction is comprehensive, affecting both people and the natural resources they depend upon. This serves as a dire warning against persistent disobedience and idolatry, emphasizing that God's judgment, when it comes, leaves nothing unscathed. It's a powerful statement about the consequences of national apostasy and the abandonment of true worship. The mention of "sword" signifies violence, war, and the systematic eradication of a population and its resources, reflecting the ultimate failure of human defense against divine pronouncements.