Ezekiel 16 40

Ezekiel 16:40 kjv

They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

Ezekiel 16:40 nkjv

"They shall also bring up an assembly against you, and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords.

Ezekiel 16:40 niv

They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and hack you to pieces with their swords.

Ezekiel 16:40 esv

They shall bring up a crowd against you, and they shall stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords.

Ezekiel 16:40 nlt

They will band together in a mob to stone you and cut you up with swords.

Ezekiel 16 verses

Ezekiel 16 40 Meaning

Ezekiel 16:40 details the severe and public judgment Jerusalem will endure for her spiritual adultery and idolatry. Personified as an unfaithful wife, Jerusalem will be attacked by her former "lovers"—the very nations with whom she engaged in idolatrous alliances. The verse specifies two methods of brutal punishment: stoning with stones, which was a prescribed Mosaic Law penalty for capital offenses like idolatry and adultery, and being cut to pieces with swords, symbolizing a violent military overthrow and utter destruction. This dual punishment underscores both the judicial nature of God's wrath against covenant unfaithfulness and the brutal reality of the ensuing military conquest, executed through the very instruments of her sin.

Ezekiel 16 40 Context

Ezekiel chapter 16 is a lengthy allegorical prophecy, portraying Jerusalem's history as a dramatic parable of God's unwavering love and Israel's profound apostasy. God depicts Himself finding Jerusalem as an abandoned, vulnerable infant, taking her in, cleansing her, clothing her, nourishing her, and finally entering into a glorious covenant marriage with her, adorning her with splendor. However, despite God's lavish grace, Jerusalem becomes an unfaithful wife, prostituting herself to surrounding nations, building idolatrous high places, and sacrificing her own children to pagan gods. Her wickedness is declared to exceed that of her "sisters," Samaria and Sodom.

Verse 40 specifically falls within the climax of the judgment prophecy (Ezek 16:35-43), where God announces the severe consequences for Jerusalem's persistent spiritual harlotry. Having betrayed her divine husband for other "lovers" (representing alliances and worship of pagan gods/nations), those very "lovers" are now turned against her by God. The imagery in this verse reflects the impending historical reality of the Babylonian siege and destruction of Jerusalem, which would be carried out by the nations Israel had foolishly allied with and imitated, particularly Babylon. The judgment is depicted as a judicial execution, yet simultaneously as a brutal military conquest, a clear fulfillment of the curses of the Mosaic covenant for idolatry and disobedience.

Ezekiel 16 40 Word analysis

• They will also bring up (Hebrew: wəhe'ĕlū 'ālāyik - וְהֶעֱלוּ עָלַיִךְ): "They" refers to the nations, identified earlier in the chapter as Jerusalem's "lovers" (e.g., Assyria, Egypt, Babylon). Hiphil stem of 'ālāh (עלה), meaning "to bring up" or "cause to come up." This implies a directed, orchestrated movement, suggesting divine enablement or command for these nations to act as agents of judgment against Jerusalem.
• a crowd (Hebrew: qāhāl - קָהָל): This term usually denotes an assembly or congregation. Here, in a hostile context, it refers to a mobilized multitude, an army, or an angry mob. It highlights the vast numbers and collective action of the foreign forces descending upon Jerusalem, akin to an execution mob rather than a formal legal court.
• against you (Hebrew: 'ālāyik - עָלַיִךְ): Refers directly to Jerusalem, personified as the harlot wife. The preposition 'al (על) denotes hostility or opposition.
• and they will stone you (Hebrew: wərāgəmû 'ōṯākָּ - וְרָגְמֻו אֹוֹתָךְ): From the verb rāgam (רגם), "to stone." Stoning was a prescribed method of execution in ancient Israelite law for severe offenses, including adultery (Deut 22:23-24) and idolatry (Deut 13:6-10). Its inclusion here signifies that Jerusalem's punishment is a legal, albeit harsh, judgment for her spiritual infidelity and idolatry.
• with stones (Hebrew: bā'aḇānîm - בָּאֲבָנִים): Explicitly stating the instrument of stoning, reinforcing the nature of the execution.
• and cut you to pieces (Hebrew: wəṭimməḥū 'ōṯākָּ - וְטִמְּחוּ אֹוֹתָךְ): From the verb ṭāmaḥ (טמָּחַ), which means "to hew in pieces," "to destroy completely," or "to dismember." This is a graphic description of brutal slaughter. It signifies the utter devastation, lack of mercy, and physical violence of a military conquest, far beyond a formal stoning.
• with their swords (Hebrew: bəḥarbōṯām - בַּחַרְבוֹתָם): Specifies the weapon for the violent dismemberment. The sword indicates warfare and mass killing, complementing the judicial act of stoning with the savagery of military retribution.

Words-group analysis

• "They will also bring up a crowd against you": This phrase emphasizes the divine orchestration behind Jerusalem's impending doom. God is not merely allowing these nations to attack; He is actively bringing them up, using them as instruments of His judgment. This highlights the sovereignty of God even in the midst of human rebellion and foreign aggression. The "crowd" signifies an overwhelming, inescapable force.
• "and they will stone you with stones": This depicts the public, legally sanctioned punishment. The method of execution points directly to Jerusalem's specific sins of spiritual adultery (unfaithfulness to her divine husband) and idolatry (worship of foreign gods). The collective nature of stoning implies a complete rejection and condemnation by the very "peers" or former "lovers" she had cultivated.
• "and cut you to pieces with their swords": This portrays the devastating and complete physical destruction that would accompany the judgment. Beyond judicial execution, it describes the brutal reality of conquest, including widespread slaughter, dismemberment, and the complete obliteration of her national identity and glory. It's a vivid image of merciless violence, a just retribution for her multiplied atrocities.

Ezekiel 16 40 Bonus section

• The two methods of punishment—stoning and cutting—can be seen as encompassing both judicial/ceremonial condemnation (stoning) and literal military devastation (cutting with swords). This signifies the comprehensive nature of the judgment, affecting every aspect of Jerusalem's existence.
• The use of "their swords" highlights the specific, personal instrument of destruction belonging to Jerusalem's former "lovers." This adds a layer of betrayal and vindication to the judgment, as those she trusted are now executing divine wrath upon her.
• While harsh, this prophecy of judgment (like many in Ezekiel) often serves as a precursor to promises of eventual restoration and a new covenant. Though not explicitly in this verse, the broader context of Ezekiel (e.g., Ezek 16:60-63) ensures that even this severe judgment points towards God's ultimate faithfulness and plan for renewal. The "cutting off" is a prelude to spiritual revival.

Ezekiel 16 40 Commentary

Ezekiel 16:40 serves as a stark culmination of the divine judgment pronounced upon Jerusalem. After depicting God's profound grace and Jerusalem's appalling ingratitude and spiritual promiscuity, the verse unveils the method of her retribution. The "crowd" represents the foreign nations—Babylon, Assyria, Egypt—with whom Jerusalem had made illicit alliances and whose gods she had adopted. God, in His sovereign justice, turns these very nations into instruments of her downfall, a poignant irony.

The specified punishments, stoning and being cut to pieces, are multifaceted. Stoning signifies a public, legally-ordained execution for capital crimes like adultery and idolatry, directly correlating with Jerusalem's covenant breaking. It represents a communal condemnation, as the entire community participated in such judgments. "Cutting to pieces with swords" graphically describes the complete and brutal destruction characteristic of ancient warfare, signifying wholesale slaughter and physical devastation. It symbolizes the end of her glory, her political independence, and the unraveling of her social fabric. This verse underscores that divine judgment is not arbitrary but precisely tailored to the sin. Jerusalem, who sought after other lovers and foreign powers, would now suffer a horrifying fate at their hands, all orchestrated by the righteous judgment of the very God she scorned. This judgment is meant to be an act of cleansing, designed to bring a profound recognition of God's holiness and His ultimate authority.