Ezekiel 21 27

Ezekiel 21:27 kjv

I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.

Ezekiel 21:27 nkjv

Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him." '

Ezekiel 21:27 niv

A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come; to him I will give it.'

Ezekiel 21:27 esv

A ruin, ruin, ruin I will make it. This also shall not be, until he comes, the one to whom judgment belongs, and I will give it to him.

Ezekiel 21:27 nlt

Destruction! Destruction!
I will surely destroy the kingdom.
And it will not be restored until the one appears
who has the right to judge it.
Then I will hand it over to him.

Ezekiel 21 verses

Ezekiel 21 27 Meaning

Ezekiel 21:27 pronounces a divinely decreed overturning and dismantling of the corrupt earthly Davidic kingship in Judah, signifying its end in its current form. This judgment, emphasized by the threefold repetition, establishes a period without a sovereign king on the throne of Israel. However, it also presents a profound promise: this period of overturning and emptiness is temporary, lasting "until he come whose right it is," referring to the divinely appointed, rightful King—the Messiah. God Himself promises to confer this legitimate dominion upon Him.

Ezekiel 21 27 Context

Ezekiel 21 is a "sword song" – a powerful oracle of divine judgment and impending devastation delivered against Judah and Jerusalem just before its final fall to Babylon (around 587 BC). The chapter vividly portrays God's "sword" (Babylon) coming forth to destroy. Earlier in the chapter, the focus is on a sharpened, polished sword poised to strike. Verse 26, immediately preceding verse 27, declares the removal of the diadem and crown from King Zedekiah, signifying the end of the corrupted Judahite monarchy. Thus, verse 27 marks the culmination of this judgment and simultaneously presents a future hope beyond the immediate destruction. Historically, this prophecy foretold the temporary cessation of an earthly Davidic king reigning from Jerusalem after Zedekiah. This period continued through the Babylonian exile, Persian, Greek, and Roman periods, preparing for the arrival of the promised King.

Ezekiel 21 27 Word analysis

• I will overturn, overturn, overturn,: The Hebrew הֲפַכְתִּי הֲפַכְתִּי הֲפַכְתִּי (hāphakhtiy, hāphakhtiy, hāphakhtiy) comes from the root הָפַךְ (hāphak), meaning "to overthrow," "to turn upside down," or "to reverse."
  • Significance of triple repetition: This is unique and intensely emphatic, signifying the absolute, complete, and irreversible nature of the divine judgment and disruption. It highlights God's resolve and the totality of the upheaval. Some scholars interpret it as referring to the three Judean kings overthrown by Babylon (Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah) or three major periods of overturning for Israel (e.g., Assyrian, Babylonian, Roman destructions). Regardless, its primary function is to stress the decisiveness of God's action. This act of overturning is not a random event but a deliberate divine act of justice.
• it;: This refers directly back to the "diadem" (נֵזֶר, nezer) and "crown" (עֲטָרָה, atarah) mentioned in the preceding verse (Eze 21:26). These symbols represent the royal authority and sovereignty of the Davidic monarchy of Judah. God declares He will overturn these symbols of kingship.
• and it shall be no more,: This phrase, וְזֹאת לֹא הָיָה (vəzōʾt lōʾ hāyāh), indicates the complete cessation and abolition of the existing kingly order. The continuous line of kings reigning in Jerusalem from the Davidic throne will come to an end for a specified period. This is not an annulment of the Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7), but a suspension or transformation of its earthly, temporal manifestation. The former state of the kingdom and crown will utterly cease.
• until he come: The Hebrew עַד־בֹּא (ʿad-bōʾ) signifies a clear temporal limit and a period of anticipation. The cessation is not eternal but lasts up to a specific, future point – the arrival of a particular individual. This term is frequently used in Messianic prophecies to denote the arrival of the deliverer.
• whose right it is;: The Hebrew אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ הַמִּשְׁפָּט (ʾăšer-lô hammishpāṭ). מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) is a rich Hebrew term meaning "justice," "right," "judgment," or "legal claim."
  • This phrase clearly indicates a divinely legitimate and appointed claimant to the throne. This individual possesses an inherent and rightful claim by divine decree, distinguishing him from the usurpers or fallen kings who preceded him. The one with הַמִּשְׁפָּט is the one to whom the kingship inherently belongs, not by human succession or power, but by God's righteous determination. This points distinctly to the Messiah.
• and I will give it him.: The Hebrew וְנָתַתִּיהוּ (wə-nātattîhū) underscores divine sovereignty. God Himself, not human effort or election, will bestow this rightful kingship. This emphasizes that the ultimate authority and re-establishment of the kingdom come solely from God's power and choice, reaffirming His covenant and purpose. The "it" refers back to the kingship/dominion symbolized by the crown and diadem.

Ezekiel 21 27 Bonus section

The historical overturning implied by the "overturn, overturn, overturn" aligns with the three Babylonian-era destructions of the temple and the exiles of kings Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah. This highlights a progression of divine judgment. The "no more" period stretched for centuries, encompassing the Persian, Greek, and Roman eras, wherein Israel lacked a true sovereign king from the Davidic line reigning in Jerusalem. This vacuum served to prepare the ground for a spiritual, not merely earthly, kingship. This verse underscores a foundational theological truth: earthly thrones are ultimately temporary and subject to divine scrutiny and will. God does not merely react to history; He orchestrates it towards His ultimate purpose of establishing the kingdom of His Anointed One. The phrase "whose right it is" (מִשְׁפָּט, mishpat) also connects to broader themes of divine justice and righteousness, implying that this coming king will rule in perfect righteousness, unlike the fallen kings before him.

Ezekiel 21 27 Commentary

Ezekiel 21:27 is a pivotal verse combining pronouncements of immediate judgment with the long-range promise of Messianic hope. It serves as God's definitive word concerning the Davidic monarchy's fall, declaring that the corruption and unrighteousness had reached a point where the existing system must be dismantled. The dramatic threefold repetition of "overturn" is a potent statement of absolute divine sovereignty and irrevocable judgment on a disobedient kingship. However, the judgment is not the final word. The phrase "until he come whose right it is" shifts the focus from an earthly king to a divinely ordained one. This anticipates the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who uniquely holds the mishpat—the inherent divine right and legal claim—to the eternal throne. God, as the ultimate sovereign, promises to actively bestow this reign upon Him, signifying the transfer from a flawed human monarchy to a perfect divine one. This verse therefore explains the intertestamental period's lack of a sovereign king and directs the hope of Israel firmly towards its ultimate, righteous King. It affirms the reliability of God's covenant with David, albeit transformed from earthly succession to the spiritual and eternal reign of the "Root of David."