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 47 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 20:47 | "Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every ... | Ezekiel 15:7 (Judgment) |
| Ezekiel 20:47 | ... clean and every dry tree; the flaming flame shall not be quenched, | Deuteronomy 32:22 (Divine Wrath) |
| Ezekiel 20:47 | ... from south to north." | Jeremiah 1:14 (Direction) |
| Ezekiel 36:25 | "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean ..." | John 1:29 (Lamb of God) |
| Ezekiel 36:25 | ... from all your uncleannesses; and from all your idols I will cl... | 1 John 1:7 (Cleansing Blood) |
| Ezekiel 37:23 | "They shall be my people, and I will be their God." | Romans 11:27 (Covenant Renewal) |
| Isaiah 4:4 | "When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion..." | Revelation 21:27 (No Impurity) |
| Jeremiah 3:17 | "At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD ..." | Revelation 22:3 (Throne of God) |
| Zechariah 13:1 | "On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David ..." | Hebrews 9:14 (Atonement) |
| John 3:5 | "Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born ..." | 1 Peter 1:23 (Spiritual Rebirth) |
| Acts 15:9 | "... and put no difference between us and them, by faith purifying ..." | Ephesians 5:26 (Sanctification) |
| Revelation 7:14 | "... These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They ..." | 1 John 3:3 (Hope) |
| Matthew 3:11 | "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming aft..." | Acts 2:38 (Repentance/Baptism) |
| Luke 3:16 | "John answered them, 'Whoever has two tunics is to give a share t..." | Philippians 2:3 (Humility) |
| 1 Corinthians 3:12 | "Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious ..." | 2 Corinthians 7:1 (Godly Sorrow) |
| 2 Corinthians 5:17 | "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old h..." | Galatians 6:15 (New Creation) |
| Hebrews 10:10 | "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of ..." | 1 Peter 2:5 (Spiritual House) |
| 1 Peter 4:12 | "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial which is to try you ..." | Revelation 19:20 (Final Judgment) |
| Revelation 11:18 | "The nations raged, but your wrath has come, and the time for the d..." | Psalm 50:3 (Divine Justice) |
| Psalm 89:14 | "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; stea..." | Jeremiah 23:5 (Righteous Branch) |
Ezekiel 20 verses
Ezekiel 20 47 Meaning
This verse prophesies a future purification and restoration for Israel, specifically targeting those who rebelled against God. It speaks of the removal of their idols and detestable practices, leading to a renewed spiritual life where they will be God's people and He will be their God. The prophecy foreshadows a spiritual cleansing that would eventually be fulfilled through the work of the Messiah.
Ezekiel 20 47 Context
Ezekiel chapter 20 recounts a dialogue between God and Ezekiel. God reminds Ezekiel of Israel's persistent rebellion and idolatry throughout their history, from their sojourn in Egypt to their wilderness wanderings and into the Promised Land. Despite God's repeated acts of deliverance and covenant, Israel continually turned away. Verse 47 transitions from recounting past rebellions to foretelling a future divine judgment. The fire symbolizes the purging of this unfaithfulness. The verse sets the stage for the subsequent prophecies of restoration and renewed covenant in chapters 36-39.
Ezekiel 20 47 Word Analysis
- Hebrew Text: וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מְבַעִר אֵשׁ בָּךְ וְאָכְלָה כָּל עֵץ־רַע מִמֶּךָ כָּל־עֵץ לַח לֹא תִכְבֶּה לֶהָבָה לְאֹפֶק הַנֶּגֶב
- transliteration: ve’hinneh ’anokhi meva’ir esh bach ve’okhlah kol ‘etz-ra mimmecca kol-‘etz lach lo’ tikkeh lehavah le’ophek haneggeb
- and Behold: (וְהִנֵּה - ve’hinneh) - Introduces a statement with emphasis, drawing attention to what follows, indicating a future certainty.
- I will kindle: (אָנֹכִי מְבַעִר - ’anokhi meva’ir) - Lit. "I am setting ablaze" or "I will cause to burn." This is an active, divine declaration of impending judgment and purification.
- fire: (אֵשׁ - esh) - Symbolizes divine wrath, judgment, purification, and refining. It consumes what is impure and leaves behind what is valuable.
- in you: (בָּךְ - bach) - Refers to Israel, specifically the wicked among them.
- and it shall devour: (וְאָכְלָה - ve’okhlah) - Emphasizes the destructive and complete nature of the judgment.
- every tree: (כָּל־עֵץ - kol-‘etz) - A metaphor for people.
- good/raw: (רַע - ra’) - Can mean bad, evil, wicked, or even raw, as opposed to seasoned. In this context, it signifies the wicked or corrupt individuals.
- from you: (מִמֶּךָ - mimmecca) - From within the midst of the people of Israel.
- every clean/moist tree: (כָּל־עֵץ לַח - kol-‘etz lach) - Contrasts with the "good/raw" tree. It might refer to those who appear outwardly flourishing or those who are not corrupt but are vulnerable to the flames, suggesting a widespread nature of the judgment that will not discriminate between those visibly "moist" (alive, prosperous) or "raw" (wicked). Another interpretation considers "lach" as "moist" in contrast to dry, perhaps implying those who are susceptible to the judgment or are perhaps the faithful among them, to be separated, though the context here emphasizes destruction of the wicked. The most common understanding leans towards "good" meaning wicked here, and "moist" implying susceptibility or simply the totality.
- shall not be quenched: (לֹא תִכְבֶּה - lo’ tikkeh) - Highlights the unstoppable and persistent nature of this divine judgment or purification.
- flaming flame: (לֶהָבָה - lehhavah) - Repetition of "flame" or "tongue of flame," emphasizing the intensity and visible manifestation of the fire.
- to the southward / to the expanse of the south: (לְאֹפֶק הַנֶּגֶב - le’ophek haneggeb) - This phrase suggests the direction or extent of the fire's reach, covering the land, perhaps towards the Negeb (south). It could also poetically describe the complete consuming nature, as the heat from the south is intense.
Ezekiel 20 47 Bonus Section
The imagery of fire as a purifying agent for Israel is a recurring theme. While here it signifies judgment, later in Ezekiel (e.g., Ezekiel 36:25), fire is juxtaposed with clean water, representing spiritual cleansing through a new heart and spirit. The cleansing foretold in this verse ultimately points to the work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice purifies believers from sin, and the Holy Spirit, who empowers a life free from idolatry and sin, as reflected in the New Testament. The concept of divine fire acting upon a people, removing the wicked, can also be seen in the prophetic declarations of both judgment on the wicked and the preservation of the righteous, ensuring the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises.
Ezekiel 20 47 Commentary
Ezekiel 20:47 is a potent declaration of divine judgment against the unrighteousness within Israel. God announces a fiery purification, likening it to a consuming blaze that will spare nothing corrupt or susceptible among His people. This judgment is not random; it is a targeted purging meant to cleanse the nation, removing all idols and abominations that have led them astray. The imagery of "every tree, good and bad," suggests a comprehensive cleansing that affects all who are steeped in sin, leaving behind a purified remnant. This signifies that God’s judgment, while destructive to the wicked, is ultimately for the sanctification of His covenant people, paving the way for a future renewal.