Ezekiel 14 21

Ezekiel 14:21 kjv

For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

Ezekiel 14:21 nkjv

For thus says the Lord GOD: "How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem?the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence?to cut off man and beast from it?

Ezekiel 14:21 niv

"For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments?sword and famine and wild beasts and plague?to kill its men and their animals!

Ezekiel 14:21 esv

"For thus says the Lord GOD: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four disastrous acts of judgment, sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast!

Ezekiel 14:21 nlt

"Now this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How terrible it will be when all four of these dreadful punishments fall upon Jerusalem ? war, famine, wild animals, and disease ? destroying all her people and animals.

Ezekiel 14 verses

Ezekiel 14 21 Meaning

Ezekiel 14:21 proclaims the Lord GOD's unwavering determination to send a comprehensive series of severe judgments upon Jerusalem. It details four specific, cumulative catastrophes—sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence—as divinely ordained "disastrous acts." The ultimate purpose of this overwhelming judgment is the complete eradication of life, encompassing both human beings and animals, from the city and surrounding land, signaling a total desolation due to pervasive idolatry and unrepentance.

Ezekiel 14 21 Context

Ezekiel chapter 14 addresses the pervasive idolatry and spiritual deception prevalent among the exiles in Babylon and those still in Jerusalem. The chapter opens with elders coming to Ezekiel for a word from the Lord, yet God reveals that they harbor idols in their hearts. Because of this profound hypocrisy, God declares He will not answer them but will answer with judgment (Eze 14:1-5). He reiterates His call for repentance (Eze 14:6). The Lord then pronounces an unyielding decree against any individual in Israel who turns to idols, stating that such a person will be "cut off" (Eze 14:7-8). The preceding verses (Eze 14:12-20) lay the groundwork for verse 21 by illustrating the unmitigated severity of God's coming judgment. God repeatedly declares that even if immensely righteous individuals like Noah, Daniel, or Job were present, their righteousness would only deliver themselves, not the land or the city from judgment, if that land continued in sin and provoked divine wrath. These earlier verses typically speak of one or two types of judgment (e.g., famine in Eze 14:13, wild beasts in Eze 14:15, sword in Eze 14:17, pestilence in Eze 14:19). Verse 21 intensifies this, making it clear that Jerusalem faces not just one, but all four catastrophic "disastrous acts of judgment" concurrently, leading to total desolation, demonstrating the cumulative nature and completeness of divine wrath against Jerusalem's persistent rebellion.

Ezekiel 14 21 Word analysis

• For thus says the Lord GOD: This solemn declaration, "כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה" (Koh amar Adonai YHWH), emphasizes divine authority and the immutable nature of the pronouncement. It signifies an authoritative, direct communication from the ultimate sovereign ruler.
• How much more: The Hebrew "אַף כִּי" (af ki) indicates an escalation, signifying "all the more," "how much greater," or "certainly." It serves as a rhetorical device to emphasize the magnitude and certainty of the ensuing judgment, especially when contrasted with the prior, individual judgments mentioned in the chapter. It implies that if single judgments are severe, then the combination will be devastating.
• when I send upon Jerusalem: God is the active agent and initiator of these judgments, directly dispatching them. Jerusalem, the once holy city, is the specific target due to its deep-seated rebellion.
• my four disastrous acts of judgment: "אַרְבַּע מַלְעוֹת רָעוֹת" ('arba' mal'ot ra'ot). "אַרְבַּע" ('arba') means "four." "מַלְעוֹת" (mal'ot) means "evil things," "calamities," or "strokes/acts." "רָעוֹת" (ra'ot) means "evil," "wicked," or "calamitous." The phrase is literally "four evil calamities/strokes." This specific quartet of judgments is well-established in biblical prophecy and law (e.g., Lev 26, Deut 28-32) as instruments of divine wrath for covenant transgression. The number "four" suggests totality and comprehensiveness across all directions.
• sword: "חֶרֶב" (cherev) refers to military conquest and war, representing death at the hands of human enemies, typically invaders. It signifies violent, external destruction.
• famine: "רָעָב" (ra'av) signifies scarcity of food, leading to starvation. This implies prolonged suffering, disease, and societal breakdown due to lack of sustenance, often resulting from siege or environmental disaster.
• wild beasts: "חַיָּה רָעָה" (chayyah ra'ah) literally "evil beast" or "savage beast." This refers to attacks by untamed animals. It symbolizes the breakdown of order and the return to a primal, dangerous existence, often following the decimation of human population by other means.
• and pestilence: "וְדֶבֶר" (v'dever) signifies widespread disease, plague, or epidemic. It represents uncontrollable internal demise and the wrath of God directly manifest through illness, rapidly depopulating cities.
• to cut off from it man and beast: "לְהַכְרִית מִמֶּנָּה אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה" (lehakhrit mimmennah adam ubehemah). "לְהַכְרִית" (lehakhrit) means "to cut off," "to annihilate," or "to utterly destroy." This phrase emphasizes the completeness and totality of the desolation. "אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה" (adam ubehemah) meaning "man and beast," signifies universal destruction affecting all forms of life. It implies the reversal of creation, returning the land to a desolate, uninhabitable state.

• "How much more when I send upon Jerusalem": This phrase establishes a crescendo of judgment. It builds upon previous, hypothetical scenarios where God might send one of these judgments (Eze 14:12-20) and dramatically intensifies it, showing that Jerusalem's sins warrant the simultaneous infliction of all four. This underscores the extraordinary level of divine wrath reserved for the unrepentant holy city.
• "my four disastrous acts of judgment—sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence": This grouping highlights the multi-faceted nature of divine judgment, attacking life from every angle. Each "act" represents a distinct and severe mode of destruction: war, starvation, uncontrolled nature, and disease. Their combined force ensures inescapable devastation, illustrating the ultimate failure of Jerusalem's trust in its own strength or idols. This is a recurring motif in the Deuteronomic curses and prophetic warnings, symbolizing comprehensive covenant curses.
• "to cut off from it man and beast": This concluding phrase describes the comprehensive scope and intended outcome of these judgments. The wiping out of all living creatures, both human and animal, signifies utter devastation, the cessation of society, and the reversal of the divine blessing of fruitfulness and multiplication (Gen 1:28). It communicates a level of destruction that leaves the land completely desolate and uninhabited, a stark end to what was once a vibrant city.

Ezekiel 14 21 Bonus section

The concept of the "four disastrous acts of judgment" (often termed "four sore judgments" in older English translations) signifies a complete cycle of divine retribution designed for total national collapse. These are not random events but divinely orchestrated instruments. The sword accounts for deaths in conflict; famine ensures prolonged suffering and starvation, impacting those who survive the war; wild beasts then prey on the weakened or sparse population in deserted areas, marking the breakdown of human dominance over nature; and pestilence acts as a swift, invisible killer, sweeping through any remaining concentrations of people. Together, they form an overwhelming and unavoidable torrent of destruction that covers all aspects of existence. The use of this specific quartet emphasizes that no corner of life or community would be untouched by God's decree against Jerusalem's deeply entrenched sin and persistent rebellion, rejecting the very covenant that sustained their nation. This holistic judgment serves as a powerful deterrent and a stark warning against spiritual defilement.

Ezekiel 14 21 Commentary

Ezekiel 14:21 serves as the climactic pronouncement of divine judgment against Jerusalem's profound apostasy. While previous verses in the chapter detail scenarios where God might send a single form of calamity, this verse emphatically declares the city's fate: all four catastrophic "disastrous acts"—sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence—will be unleashed simultaneously. This confluence of judgments, deeply rooted in covenant curses (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28), represents God's unyielding wrath. The phrase "how much more" intensifies the declaration, signaling a crescendo of doom where previous, lesser warnings have been ignored. The aim is not mere correction but total desolation, meticulously planned to eradicate "man and beast" alike. This speaks to the absolute sovereignty of God over all aspects of creation, wielding both natural and human agencies to fulfill His righteous judgments, demonstrating the gravity of covenant infidelity and the inescapable consequences of sustained rebellion against the Living God.