Ezekiel 20 47

Ezekiel 20:47 kjv

And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

Ezekiel 20:47 nkjv

and say to the forest of the South, 'Hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it.

Ezekiel 20:47 niv

Say to the southern forest: 'Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it.

Ezekiel 20:47 esv

Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it.

Ezekiel 20:47 nlt

Tell the southern wilderness, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Hear the word of the LORD! I will set you on fire, and every tree, both green and dry, will be burned. The terrible flames will not be quenched and will scorch everything from south to north.

Ezekiel 20 verses

Ezekiel 20 47 Meaning

Ezekiel 20:47 declares God's imminent and severe judgment upon the "forest of the South," symbolically representing Jerusalem and the land of Judah. It prophesies an all-consuming, unquenchable divine fire that will destroy indiscriminately, affecting every person, from the vigorous "green tree" to the depleted "dry tree." This devastating judgment, originating from God Himself, will leave no one untouched throughout the land, making manifest His wrath and establishing His sovereign power through widespread destruction.

Ezekiel 20 47 Context

Ezekiel chapter 20 takes place during the Babylonian exile. It opens with the elders of Israel coming to inquire of the Lord. Instead of answering their direct query, God instructs Ezekiel to remind the people of their history of rebellion and idolatry from Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the promised land, repeatedly highlighting God's faithfulness despite their provocations. The recurring theme is God's reluctance to utterly destroy them, doing so only "for the sake of My name" to prevent its profanation among the nations. The chapter culminates in verses 45-48, an oracle concerning "the forest of the Negeb." Verse 46 instructs Ezekiel to prophesy towards the South, against the South, and against the forest land of the Negeb, making it clear that the "South" and "forest" are symbolic of Judah and Jerusalem, situated to the south from Ezekiel's location in exile. This particular prophecy underscores the inevitability of God's final, widespread, and devastating judgment against Judah, which would manifest through the Babylonian invasion and the destruction of Jerusalem. It immediately precedes chapter 21, which graphically describes God's "sword" against the land of Israel, clarifying the nature of the predicted judgment.

Ezekiel 20 47 Word analysis

• And say: The prophet Ezekiel is an emissary. He does not speak his own words but relays God's precise message, emphasizing divine authority.
• to the forest: Hebrew ya'ar (יַעַר). Not a literal forest but a rich metaphor for the dense population and thriving (or overgrown) nature of Judah/Jerusalem. Forests symbolize strength, resources, but also vulnerability to fire. The "trees" within represent the individual inhabitants.
• of the South: Hebrew Negev (נֶגֶב). Refers geographically to the arid southern region of Judah, but here, it's a synecdoche for the entire land of Judah and its capital Jerusalem, located to the south of where Ezekiel was. It also suggests barrenness, implying a lack of spiritual vitality.
• Hear: An imperative, commanding attention. Implies a spiritual deafness that requires direct address, though the "forest" cannot literally hear. It is a direct challenge to the nation's spiritual dullness.
• the word of the LORD: Hebrew devar Adonai. Signifies that the message carries absolute divine authority and truth. This is not Ezekiel's opinion, but God's decree.
• Thus says the Lord GOD: Hebrew Koh amar Adonai YHWH. The standard prophetic formula, reinforcing the divine origin and incontrovertible nature of the oracle. Adonai (Lord) denotes His sovereign mastership, YHWH (GOD) His covenant-keeping, existential being.
• Behold, I will kindle a fire: Hebrew hinvav'arti esh (הִבְעַרְתִּי אֵשׁ). "I" is emphatic, highlighting God's active, intentional initiation of this destruction. The fire is His direct instrument, not merely a natural disaster or human conflict.
• in you: Directed at the metaphorical "forest," Judah/Jerusalem. The judgment comes from within, implying internal corruption as its root cause, or that the agents of destruction will operate within the land.
• and it shall devour: Hebrew ve'akhla (וְאָכְלָה). The fire will utterly consume, leaving nothing behind. It suggests an insatiable, destructive power.
• every green tree... and every dry tree: Hebrew etz lach... ve'etz yavesh (עֵץ לַח... וְעֵץ יָבֵשׁ). This vivid imagery denotes the totality and indiscriminateness of the judgment. "Green" could refer to the spiritually strong, healthy, prosperous, or even the 'living'; "dry" to the weak, barren, vulnerable, or 'dead'. Regardless of spiritual state, social status, or age, none will be spared in this overarching calamity.
• the blazing flame: Hebrew lehavah doleket (לֶהָבָה דּוֹלֶקֶת). Emphasizes the intensity and destructive force of the fire.
• shall not be quenched: Hebrew lo tikbeh (לֹא תִכְבֶּה). The judgment is relentless and unstoppable. Neither human effort nor circumstances can put out this divinely kindled fire until its destructive purpose is fully accomplished.
• and all faces: Hebrew ve'necheru panim (וְנֶחֱר֨וּ פָּנִים). "Faces" often represents the person, indicating a direct, personal experience of the judgment. To "be scorched" speaks of severe suffering, pain, and disfigurement.
• from the South to the North: Hebrew minnegev le'tzafon (מִנֶּגֶב לְצָפוֹן). This geographical span emphasizes the universal scope of the judgment within Judah. From the extreme south to the extreme north of the land, no inhabitant will escape the searing effects of God's wrath.

Words-group analysis:

• "Say to the forest of the South, Hear the word of the LORD": This command establishes the prophetic drama, where even inanimate objects (or symbolically personified regions) are called to attention to hear the sovereign decree of God. It highlights the widespread apathy and need for direct divine communication.
• "Behold, I will kindle a fire in you": Emphasizes divine agency and active intervention. The judgment is not merely allowed to happen; it is purposefully brought about by God.
• "It shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree": This is a powerful expression of indiscriminate judgment. It rejects any notion that a particular segment of society (e.g., the outwardly pious, the rich, the poor) will be spared or that some intrinsic "spiritual health" will offer protection. All are affected by the national catastrophe brought about by pervasive sin.
• "The blazing flame shall not be quenched": Underscores the irreversibility and finality of this phase of divine judgment. Once initiated, its destructive force cannot be halted by any human means. It signifies the complete nature of the impending doom.
• "And all faces from the South to the North shall be scorched by it": This phrase details the tangible, painful, and pervasive impact of the judgment on individuals across the entire geographical spread of Judah. It conveys shame, fear, and universal suffering.

Ezekiel 20 47 Bonus section

The metaphor of the "forest" (Hebrew ya'ar) can be understood to denote not just the populace but also the national pride and material prosperity, which were, in effect, 'fueled' by Judah's rebellion against God. The abundance implied by a forest could represent a false sense of security. God burning it suggests dismantling all that they depended on apart from Him. Furthermore, the divine "fire" (Hebrew esh) often functions in Scripture not only as an instrument of destruction but also of purification and testing. While here it is predominantly destructive, its underlying purpose from God's perspective is ultimately to purge the wickedness and refine a remnant. This devastating event served as a foundational lesson for the exiles, revealing the grave consequences of spiritual infidelity and paving the way for a future hope rooted in God's faithfulness, not in their own strength or their corrupted religious practices. The act of "speaking to the forest" (an inanimate object) by the prophet underscores the prophet's role as God's mouthpiece and the sheer futility of human resistance against a divinely ordained word, even when directed at an unresponsive entity.

Ezekiel 20 47 Commentary

Ezekiel 20:47 is a profound declaration of God's unyielding judgment against Judah and Jerusalem. Using the metaphor of a forest fire, God vividly portrays the impending Babylonian invasion and destruction as a direct act of His wrath. The "forest of the South" represents the vibrant, though corrupt, population of Judah. God Himself initiates the "unquenchable fire," signifying that the destruction is not a random historical event but a sovereign, inescapable divine judgment for generations of rebellion and idolatry. The emphasis on "every green tree and every dry tree" illustrates the comprehensiveness of this judgment, sparing no one—neither the strong nor the weak, the seemingly righteous nor the undeniably wicked—all will suffer the national calamity. This "blazing flame" that "shall not be quenched" conveys the relentless and unstoppable nature of God's decree, affecting "all faces from the South to the North," indicating a complete devastation across the entire land, causing widespread suffering and disfigurement. This prophecy highlights God's justice and His commitment to uphold the holiness of His name, even through severe chastisement of His own people.

• Example: Just as a widespread wildfire consumes everything in its path regardless of its previous health, so too would God's judgment through Babylon consume Judah's society, traditions, and security without discrimination, leaving universal suffering in its wake.
• Example: The inability to quench the fire parallels a nation facing an unstoppable enemy invasion that sweeps through all its territories, demonstrating that once God's hand of judgment is upon a nation, there is no escape or appeasement until its decreed purpose is fulfilled.