Ezekiel 14 23

Ezekiel 14:23 kjv

And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 14:23 nkjv

And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it," says the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 14:23 niv

You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign LORD."

Ezekiel 14:23 esv

They will console you, when you see their ways and their deeds, and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, declares the Lord GOD."

Ezekiel 14:23 nlt

When you meet them and see their behavior, you will understand that these things are not being done to Israel without cause. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!"

Ezekiel 14 verses

Ezekiel 14 23 Meaning

Ezekiel 14:23 declares the fundamental righteousness of God's actions. It conveys that every judgment and calamitous event inflicted upon Jerusalem and Judah, no matter how severe, was fully justified and had a profound divine reason. God's disciplinary measures are never arbitrary or "without cause" (ḥin·nām). The future experience of the surviving remnant, specifically their confession of guilt and testimony to their own just deserving of punishment, will lead the exiles in Babylon to an experiential knowledge of God's perfect justice. This revelation aims to remove any doubt or accusation of divine capriciousness from the minds of those questioning God's ways during the profound suffering of exile.

Ezekiel 14 23 Context

Ezekiel 14:23 is the climactic verse concluding a powerful discourse on God's uncompromising judgment against unrepentant idolatry in Jerusalem. The chapter begins with elders of Israel coming to Ezekiel, but with idols still in their hearts. God rejects their inquiries, declaring His intention to respond to their hypocrisy with judgment, separating Himself from those who insist on their iniquity (vv. 1-11).

God then intensifies the message by listing four dreadful judgments (sword, famine, wild beasts, plague) that will devastate the land (vv. 12-21). He emphatically states that even if Noah, Daniel, or Job, renowned for their righteousness, were in the land, they could only save themselves, not the wicked nation.

Verse 22 offers a glimmer of hope or, more accurately, a specific purpose for a surviving remnant: "Yet, behold, survivors will be left in it who will be brought forth, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come forth to you; and you will see their ways and their deeds." These survivors are not spared because of their righteousness, but precisely because their wicked ways and deeds will be evident to the exiles in Babylon. Seeing their wickedness will make clear why God’s judgment was just.

Thus, verse 23 directly follows this, explaining the ultimate theological outcome of this "remnant for observation": the exiles in Babylon will see the just cause for all the suffering and ruin, confirming God's righteousness. The historical context is the period of the Babylonian exile, when the Jewish people in Babylon would be grappling with profound theological questions about why such catastrophe befell God's chosen nation and if God had been unjust or weak. Ezekiel’s prophecy preempts and answers these fundamental questions by affirming God’s unwavering justice in judgment.

Ezekiel 14 23 Word analysis

• And you shall know (וְיָדַעְתֶּם - və·yā·ḏa‘tem): This is a prophetic statement, indicating a certain future realization. The root word yada‘ signifies not merely intellectual comprehension, but deep, experiential knowledge, acquired through observation and personal engagement. This "knowing" will stem from witnessing the character and confession of the surviving remnant mentioned in verse 22. It implies an undeniable proof that removes all doubt.
• that I have not done (לֹא עָשִׂיתִי - lō ‘ā·śî·ṯî): A direct and strong denial by God concerning the nature of His actions. ‘Āśâ means "to make, do, accomplish." The negative lō negates the possibility of Him acting without reason. This emphasizes God's sovereign control and purposeful execution of all events.
• without cause (חִנָּם - ḥin·nām): This is the pivotal word. It means "for nothing," "for no reason," "gratuitously," "in vain," or "arbitrarily." God explicitly states that His actions were never random, unjustified, or capricious. Every judgment had a well-founded basis rooted in the people's sin and His perfect justice. This directly confronts any human accusation of injustice against God.
• all that I have done (אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי - ’êṯ kāl-’ă·šer ‘ā·śî·ṯî): The use of "all" (kāl) highlights the comprehensive nature of the judgment. It refers to the entirety of the suffering, destruction, and desolation that befell Jerusalem and the land of Judah, encompassing the sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague detailed earlier in the chapter. It denies any possibility that even a part of the judgment was disproportionate or unwarranted.
• in it (בָּהּ - bāh): The feminine suffix refers back to "the land" (הָאָרֶץ - hā·’ā·reṣ) in the preceding verses (e.g., v. 21, v. 13), signifying Judah or specifically Jerusalem. It precisely localizes the comprehensive judgments.
• declares the Lord GOD (נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה - nə’um ’ă·ḏō·nāy YHWH): This phrase frequently punctuates divine pronouncements, signifying an authoritative, unalterable word from the Sovereign God, emphasizing the certainty and absolute truth of the statement. ’Ăḏōnāy (Lord) denotes sovereignty, and YHWH (often rendered GOD in all caps) denotes the covenant-keeping God.

Words-group analysis:

• "And you shall know that I have not done without cause": This phrase links the future understanding of the exiles directly to God's inherent justice. The experiential 'knowing' will validate God's non-arbitrary actions, thereby establishing His righteousness to His people. This 'knowing' is not merely intellectual agreement but a profound, settled conviction. It is the end goal of this specific judgment process.
• "all that I have done in it": This sweeping phrase underlines the total scope of the judgments God executed. It encompasses every form of suffering and devastation experienced in the land. The intention is to affirm that no single aspect of the judgment was accidental, exaggerated, or underserved. Every action, though devastating, was calibrated and deserved.

Ezekiel 14 23 Bonus section

The statement in Ezekiel 14:23 is intrinsically linked to the "comfort" or "consolation" mentioned in the preceding verse (14:22). While one might expect survivors to bring literal comfort, the context implies a deeper, spiritual comfort that arises from understanding God's justice. When the exiles observe the "ways and deeds" of the surviving remnant—which are clearly sinful—and likely hear their confessions of guilt (either implied or direct, perhaps prompted by Ezekiel's interaction with them), this sight would confirm that Jerusalem's destruction was not an arbitrary act of an unjust God but a righteous consequence for flagrant wickedness. This realization provides psychological and spiritual relief to the exiles, who might have been wrestling with the theological implications of Jerusalem's fall, such as whether God had abandoned them unjustly or if their own perceived sins warranted such catastrophe. Therefore, the "comfort" is the vindication of God's character in the eyes of the bewildered exiles, demonstrating His unwavering justice and faithfulness to His covenant principles. This also forms part of the larger "then they will know that I am the Lord" theme, prevalent throughout Ezekiel, where judgment serves as a revelation of God's power, holiness, and justice to Israel and the nations.

Ezekiel 14 23 Commentary

Ezekiel 14:23 stands as a profound theological assertion regarding God's unblemished character amidst devastating judgment. For an exilic community struggling with immense loss and potential accusations of divine injustice, this verse serves as a crucial vindication of God. It directly addresses the natural human inclination to question the equity of suffering, stating with ultimate authority that God never acts capriciously or for ill-defined reasons. The suffering inflicted upon Judah was a direct, deserved consequence of persistent sin, particularly idolatry.

The mechanism for this understanding is unique: a remnant, though themselves wicked, will survive. Their very presence and the evident nature of their "ways and deeds" (v. 22), when brought to the exiles, will function as tangible proof of their culpability and, by extension, God's perfect justice. The remnant's confession or the sheer spectacle of their just deserving fate will transform the exiles' questioning into experiential knowledge (yada‘) of God's righteousness. This moves beyond mere belief; it is a deep, settled conviction arising from observable fact and spiritual discernment. God is revealed not as a vengeful deity, but as a just Judge whose judgments are both corrective and revelatory. Even in severe discipline, God’s ultimate aim includes ensuring His people—and ultimately the world—understand His unwavering integrity and the reasons behind His actions.

Practically, this verse reminds us that:

1. God's purposes in suffering: When facing difficult circumstances, believers can trust that God's actions are never arbitrary, even if the reasons are not immediately apparent.
2. Accountability: It highlights divine justice in holding individuals and nations accountable for their actions, ultimately bringing about righteous consequences.
3. Witness and Learning: God often uses difficult experiences, including the experiences of others, as powerful teachers, leading to a deeper understanding of His character and ways.